Listen to the Hum
The road of the church-planting journey
I was 15 years old when I learned to drive. I had intently listened as Daddy taught my three older sisters how to recognize the hum of the engine while shifting the gears, handling the steering wheel, transitioning the foot pedals and eyeing the road.
My moment finally came. The minute I sat behind the wheel, I realized, Driving a stick shift is complicated—there’s so much to pay attention to at once!
Fast-forward through 14 years of education, ministry, then marriage. I had enjoyed serving as a college professor and associate dean, while Jua, my husband, pursued his seminary education.
As we prayed for next ministry steps, we sensed God compelling us to be missional in a difficult environment in need of the gospel. And we knew that we were drawn to young adults seeking to live out a biblical worldview and evangelize their generation. So we sought church-planting training and kept listening.
Fast-forward again, this time to 2006, and this time to the city God pointed to, as we prayed and followed His open doors: Boston.
We began to build community in this infant ministry named Heart Change Fellowship. Our excitement grew as we prayed, shared meals, answered intriguing questions and cast vision to Boston’s brilliant young adults.
But we experienced some jerky fits-and-starts too. In the early months of planting, we were discouraged by conflict with ministry partners, and by folks who initially agreed to get on board but changed minds and moved in a different direction.
I wrote in my journal at the time, Lord, you often subtract before you add. Look at Gideon and his army. You know what you are doing. As hurt as my heart feels, Lord, please bring who you will and not who I want!
On the personal side, we drove through another valley of disappointment when I became pregnant and found out that our son would be born with medical complications and Down Syndrome.
A bump in the road indeed. We had speechless, grief-filled days. Church planting was put on pause, emotionally. Yet I could not ignore the voice and hand of God. His voice clearly spoke: “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10).
Josiah was born in July 2007, and his life has changed ours. Such change has brought perspective to our so-called Boston ministry plan. Josiah has increased our faith-filled resilience and desperate dependence on Jesus, who solely sustains us.
Josiah had open-heart surgery in July 2008. With his physical surgery came a spiritually surgical repair on our hearts as we saw God breathe hope, encouragement, and peace into our family and ministry’s health.
It’s 2010, and thanks be to God for His faithful hand—guiding us through conflict to sweet reconciliation, and from engaging with religious consumers to nurturing disciple-making co-laborers. What great joy has evolved from persevering through pain. The gentle hum of the Holy Spirit was heard in the midst of our hardship.
Church planting is filled with many interrelated parts that require shifting, eyeing, maneuvering and listening. I have learned to not just squeeze the brake or release the clutch during this church-planting journey. Instead, I must move when God says so, grow as He wills and be still when He commands. Ministry His way is the adventure I long for.
Regina Robinson, mom of three and EFCA RESOUND leader in New England, serves as worship director at Heart Change Fellowship in Boston, where her husband, Jua, is lead pastor. Regina also passionately advocates for families of children with special needs as a parent liaison for Boston’s largest Early Intervention Center.
