something random. something inspiring.

Random thoughts from a busy mind...

Been a very busy but very productive couple weeks. Here is what is keeping me awake at night these days.

• It's funny that people still haven't picked up on the fact that I am a normal human being.
• I've been digging the Olympics. The opening ceremony was absolutely amazing and a little scary.
• For some reason the Golf channel is becoming my favorite station.
• I'm thinking I might try to go surfing this weekend.
• I can't wait for college football to start. There is nothing like ESPN, homemade chili, and good ole rivalry. ROLL TIDE.
• My son has discovered the word "mine", and it is becoming his favorite word.
• My wife is way too good for me.
• Why am I so excited to pay $3.60 a gallon of gas?
• A fast growing church is back breaking and heart wrenching and I love it.
• I think it's funny that people at church still ask me, "Where do you work", as if everything miraculously happens without constant attention.
• Someone new to our church told me this weekend, that they have been delivered from alcoholism and have committed their life to Christ. That never gets old.
• Last night while at dinner Kristin, Caleb and I bumped into a large group of young adults from the church laughing together, community is so powerful.
• We are giving away $5,000 in free gas away in a few weeks, and the image I have is chaos.
• I have never been more excited about the smell of paint as I am seeing the walls of the church being painted.
• The interior renovation is almost done...and it is blowing all of my expectations.
• I discovered that the exterior renovation could be done in a month and a half. That makes me excited to see the progress and a bit scared knowing we have to pay for it (make your donations payable to Liberty Church, North Campus, 9420 Music Lane, Pensacola, FL 32514...just kidding, sort of)
• We are going to be able to squeeze about 20 more chairs in for Sunday...
• I only had 3 hours of sleep last night.

Maybe that will hold you over for the weekend!

God of this City...

For months we have been working behind the scenes on our plans for the fall. As we do every year the fall is when we focus much of our effort and energy on moving the ball down the field as it is typically a season of growth and momentum that moves us into the new year. I believe that in order to retain a pioneering or advancing spirit then we much be consistently challenged to move forward both personally and corporately. There are incredible challenges facing our world/country/state/city, and unfortunately the typical response from the church has been to retreat into "the ark", or just stick our head in the sand and hope that things get better. This Sunday we begin a new chapter as a church as we become more intentional about being "a city on a hill" as Jesus commanded us to be. I have never felt a stronger sense of urgency and expectancy about a season of ministry in my life. Our church is poised to expand it's boundaries as well as our capacity to express God's love with no strings attached. We have never had greater momentum going into the fall than we have this summer, and I am being challenged by God to stretch my faith and anticipation for what He is going to do in and through us.

"God of this City", is a 7 week journey using the book of Nehemiah as a spring board into the rebuilding work God has called us to in our own city. I don't want to let too much out of the bag about what we have planned...but I will tell you this, we are going to be challenged like never before. We are believing for 500 people campus-wide to serve in various local missions projects including; a free gas outreach at 5 gas stations across our community, as well as serving along side existing local agencies to serve the homeless, the poor, and those in crisis. In the middle of the series we will see our interior renovation come to completion and celebrate this milestone in the life of our church.

We are setting up a God of this City blog to report on the progress of this initiative, give daily devotions and action steps, and provide you a place to share your own stories as soon as it's live I will pass along the info. I am believing God for something that only he can get the credit for. Lives will be changed, and our focus will be fixed like never before to be the salt in light where He has planted us.

Join us this Sunday, 9:00 or 10:45 at the North Campus, 8:30 or 10:30 at the blue angel campus, 10:30 at the Eastern Shore Campus, or 10:30 at the Navarre Campus.

God speaks...

Sometimes things seem to come out of nowhere, don't they. I have been knocked off kilter more times that I care to remember, however big things that come down the pike for me often seem to be cut off at the pass by an impression God gives me in my spirit to prepare me. I believe strongly that life and ministry move in seasons. Those seasons may be long and they may be short, they may be seasons of great victory and they may be seasons of great tribulation. I can't really explain it, nor do I want to sound arrogant at all as if I have this down to a formula, more often than not I feel as if I am pursuing the voice of God rather than resting in it. I rarely feel as if God is speaking to me about specific details in my life, I feel his peace and I move toward it. However I do feel strongly at times to move to a more concentrated focus of prayer/fasting to press in to see what is happening or what is coming. In January I felt a word very strongly relating to my ministry as a way of preparation for what was to come. I told my wife, and I told my staff and had them to pray about it. Honestly I didn't like what I heard at first, but I knew that this was God speaking to me and preparing me. Now months later I am realizing why He prepared me so strongly and vividly as I am seeing it unfold. Because I knew it was God, I am at complete peace despite it being something very challenging. The last month I have "felt" another call to prayer and feel something brewing in my heart, not sure what it is...but I know it is stewing.

If you struggle to hear the voice of God...you are not alone. If you don't believe God speaks today, press into Him. As a follower, husband, father, pastor and friend I know that I cannot do it without the power of God working within me; leading, guiding, preparing, revealing Himself to me. He is faithful.

church update

 

We are coming off another great weekend. Having church in a construction zone has been very interesting but very rewarding. I think it will make the end result much more meaningful as you get to watch the progress week to week. It also has created momentum that I had not really anticipated. We though doing the construction during the summer would help because it is typically a slower season with people out of town or just checked out. However we have seen some incredible trends through the summer, and have consistently grown in attendance through the process. The last few weeks have been our best attended services in our history. Another great trend has been with out first service, there have been several weeks this summer that there have been more people in the first service than the second. We have alot planned going into the fall, which has historically been our season of growth. I am really excited about our new series starting in two weeks, "GOD OF THIS CITY", I'll blog more about that later.

The renovation is rocking along. The sheet rock will be complete this week, and we will begin painting towards the end of the week. We are already seeing the benefit of our larger lobby as people have much more space to hang out around the services. Last week we ordered new counters for our new guest services, and new coffee bar. Next week Kristin and I will be going to pick up all new furniture for our lobbyy, classrooms, and "the living room" (our small group environment). We have also been doing some work on our parking lot. We were able to add about 20 new spaces, and re-worked both lots to help them flow much better. We are waiting on information from masons to begin transforming the exterior, which should begin in a couple weeks. Following the completion of the exterior of the building we will completely rework our parking lot and getting our new playground.

I hope you would pray for us, during the critical season. There are many decisions to be made, and there is opportunity to become distracted from the main thing.