The Leadership Team met for five hours today, spending time in prayer and reflection on the input that was received on Saturday night worship (Dec. 1st).
The decision was made to continue to pursue the former Rico's Pizza location (5th and Mangrove) as the new home for Matthew's Cafe.
Next Steps include...
1. The Leadership Team notified the agent on Monday and will file for a USE PERMIT with the City of Chico as soon as we have received a signed Letter of Intent from the Landlord. The Use Permit process could take 30-60 days for final approval.
2. A letter to the body will go out soon that will provide an overall plan for the build-out and for next steps to connect/develop the spiritual journey of those attending the Cafe. Ways you can help and teams in which you can become involved in will be available soon.
So... WHY did we decide to go with this new location?
We believe, as a team, that our first priority right now is to get home... to once again be a body... to get re-connected to Christ and each other... to begin equipping and deepening our spiritual walks, and then be open to whatever ministry (including a coffeehouse) that helps us best live out our mission.
We also believe Rico's offers us the greatest potential (as a location) to live out our mission:
To equip Christ-followers to uniquely engage the community through authentic relationships. While at the same time, keeps open all of our possible options for the future.
Over the past few months God has been very clear to us as a Leadership Team on one central issue:
The people of the Cafe... their spiritual growth and walks with Christ, and becoming more connected as a body has to be re-established as our first priority. The Leadership team is in 100% agreement.
In our past, the vision of launching and sustaining a coffeehouse caused us to forsake the mission of developing people and their spiritual growth. For that reason we invested time and effort to help bring clarity to our mission and purpose as a body.
The purpose of our Matthew's Cafe is not to have a coffeehouse.
The purpose is to build the walks of those who attend into genuine, Christ-followers.
Having a Coffeehouse (strategy) is determined when all of us see it as the best way to be equipped, and to equip/develop as Christ-followers.
You may feel that we are not answering the question of the coffeehouse right now, and you are right. We continue to try to communicate that we have not ruled out the potential of a coffeehouse ministry in the future.
The re-starting of a coffeehouse must not be the reason for our existence. Being committed to being authentic Christ-followers should. The Coffeehouse should only be a tool we all use to help us be that kind of people.
So... did we hear the concerns that you expressed, or were our minds already made up?
We did hear you.
We heard the frustration and concerns regarding the challenges with parking, build-out costs, the overall efforts required to get into the place, costs of the lease, and questions whether we have the expertise as the team to pull this off.
We also heard the concerns that the build-out of this location could cause us to repeat the same struggles we had in the past... the building becoming the focus, and not the people and their walks with Christ.
As we reviewed the advantages and the concerns, tried to hear God's voice and be faithful to what He has said, it became clear that getting the body home, to live out the mission, was the key next step.
We are at peace.
We know that many are trusting us.
We also know that many of you are concerned.
We just ask that each of us give this a chance to unfold.
Try not to let the past cloud the future, and continue to believe that: "He who began the good work in you (us) will carry it onto completion, until the day of Christ Jesus." (Phil 1:6)
Continue to pray. Now more than ever.
Check back to this blog for regular updates.
We will be faithful to keep it current!
Terry
Building Permits were filed with the City of Chico Building Dept. for the re-model of the Mangrove location on Friday, Dec. 28th! 
