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Now I Know Why

The people at Center Grove Church in the Winston-Salem, NC area are so good to our family. Our relationship began in 2005 when I did some consulting for them and preached a Sunday or two. It has grown since then and they have been unbelievably generous to and supportive of our family and and our work in Columbia. I had a great time there yesterday...and will be back again this upcoming Sunday morning.

Of all the great things they have done, a conversation yesterday topped them all.

A lady came to me after one of the services and said, "I have a very serious question to ask you." I'm thinking, "Oh, no..." and a whole list of things that I may have screwed up ran through my mind. After I gave her the go ahead, she asked, "Did your Starbucks have to close?"

Her question caught me so off guard, I asked her to repeat it to be sure I heard her right. I told her that it did not close and the biggest smile came over her face and she laughed out loud. What she said next blew my mind.

She said, "As soon as soon we heard that Starbucks would be closing stores, my small group started praying that they wouldn't close yours because we know God is using you there and we know that there is more work for you to do there. I can't wait to tell them how God answered our prayers!"

I was floored. Absolutely floored. And, now I know why "my" Starbucks didn't close. :-)

Living Illustrations

Yesterday, I spoke to the student at my home church. Talk about deja vu all over again...man, it was weird thinking that just a few years earlier, I was sitting in the seats listening to the speaker wondering when he would ever finish...:-)

We went to the worship service after the student gathering and I saw one of my big takeaways from Exponential in action: the power of giving people living illustrations.

Instead of having a full-blown sermon, about 6 people shared stories of how God has been at work in their lives. Some shared how they began to trust Jesus with their lives. Some shared about unique provision. One lady shared a powerful lesson of how she learned what it meant to be adopted into God's family by being adopted into her earthly family. Each story pulled you in more and more.

The pastor, who is also my father in-law didn't have to preach anything. All he had to do was say, "This is how God is at work in these people - He's at work in you, too." From there he gave people the opportunity to take steps similar to those taken by the people who shared their stories.

Powerful stuff! As Andy said last week, "Stories do more to communicate the vision of your church than anything else?"

I'm curious...how do you tell stories in your church? Leave a comment and let us know...

Their Love is Loud

Can't say enough how excited I am for everyone at Catalyst Church. They went all out 10 days ago, put it all on the line, and look/look what God has done!

I admire Casey's courage as the Lead Pastor to sit in front of a video camera and to stand in front of their Sunday morning crowd and say what he said the way he said it. Talk about a real life example of transparency, honesty, humility, and surrender.

I admire the vision that they so profoundly attached to the needs. It wasn't just about money and it was never just about the short-term...itsUPtoUS.org is about owning lostness in Greenville and about a community of Jesus followers saying with one voice, "162,000 lost people...not in our city!"

I admire the way so many CCers went to bat with their own relational networks. While I was at the Catalyst office yesterday, a guy came in to drop off a check...no one on staff knew him! He heard about the need and the opportunity and got involved. Unbelievable!

Clearly, God wants Catalyst Church to be a part of His Kingdom agenda in Greenville, SC. And clearly, Catalyst Church wants to be a part of God's Kingdom agenda in Greenville!

Casey, Jake, Sarah, Ryan, and the rest of the crew...my chest is sticking out a little more today because of you. I am so proud of all of you...not just because this was successful, but because you were faithful and courageous!

CCers...God has spoken CLEARLY...you are a needed movement and a movement He is using and wants to use even more! Do not hold back...do not shy away...leverage every day for His glory and His Kingdom! Praise God for what He has done and will do!

Pray Big

Easily the most difficult thing our family has ever had to do happened a few months ago when we moved from Greenville, SC to Columbia, SC. That move meant we had to say goodbye to a community of people that we love dearly and had been through so much with...that community is known as Catalyst Church.

A few years ago, 4 families came together with a dream. We had all come face to face with the reality that the vast majority of Greenville had decided that there were more valuable things than a relationship with Jesus and fulfilling their God-given potential. We came together with a holy discontent and a drive to do something about it. We prayed, fasted, planned, and began the journey that would become Catalyst Church.

We made a ton of mistakes. Stuff I'm embarrassed sometimes to even talk about. But, through it all God refined the vision and refined us as leaders, and as a launch team. Finally, in April 2006, the full dream became a reality - Catalyst Church launched and since then, we've seen some incredible things happen.

Stories of life change...repaired marriages, broken addictions, reconciled relationships, new Jesus-followers...are what kept our heads up when things got tough...and anybody who has ever planted a church knows that things get tough. And every time there was a need, God provided. Just in the spring of 2007, we hit a huge wall and God didn't just clear it...He smashed it to pieces. Now it's time for that to happen again.

Casey and Jake have laid out the situation on their blogs. If you haven't already, go there and check it out. And as soon as you read the story, PRAY BIG for Catalyst Church and for what God is doing in Greenville, SC. Even though God moved us here to Columbia, a big piece of us is still there...and we are believing that this season will be another amazing story of our great God providing so that the important, effective Kingdom work of Catalyst Church can continue and do so with momentum.

CCers...we love you and we stand with you!

Could Use Your Prayers

We're about to pack up the car and head to Kentucky.  The family of our friend who passed away asked me to do the funeral.  It's a huge honor and a huge responsibility.

Continue to pray for the Wonderlich family.  They are grieving, obviously, yet their resolve and trust in their Heavenly Father is remarkable.

Pray for our God who is mighty to save to reveal Himself to people who are far from Him.  Hundreds upon hundreds of people will attend the services to celebrate Roger's life.  The reason Roger's life had such substance and impact is because of Jesus living in and through Him - Roger's light was bright...and we are believing that in celebrating the light of Jesus in Roger, many will surrender their lives to Jesus.

Pray for the Holy Spirit to guide my thoughts and words and to use my voicebox to communicate His matchless truth, grace, and glory.

Thanks to you all - hopefully, I can give you updates along the way.

"Lord, remind me..."

“Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be.
Remind me that my days are numbered—
how fleeting my life is.

You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand.
My entire lifetime is just a moment to you;
at best, each of us is but a breath.” Psalm 39:4-5 (NLT)

This scripture has been on my mind all day. God challenged me personally with it - how I take time with my wife and daughters for granted, how I take opportunities for granted, and how I take His blessings for granted.

Then out of that, He began to form a message that I'll share in the coming weeks at a speaking engagement.

Then I got a phone call that literally brought me to my knees in my hotel room in Winston-Salem, NC. One of the greatest men of God I have ever known died suddenly at 4:30 pm today. Early 50's. Perfect health. One of the greatest encouragers God has ever sent into my life. A passionate evangelist. A true servant leader. A well-known veterinarian in Kentucky who invested years of his life molding and shaping high school students. An amazing husband and father - ask his wife and three kids...they'll tell you.

That kind of person isn't supposed to die. Except that his life is just a moment...a breath...fleeting...brief...just like yours and just like mine.

All you and I have is this moment. Clearly, God is calling me to remember how brief my life is - and as He has called me, I feel a responsibility to call you to remember. All you and I have is right now. Make it count. For His Glory. For His Kingdom.

If you would, please pray for the Wonderlich family. Their loss is deep.

Amazing

Casey, our Strategic Director, has an amazing story of God at work in his family. Wow...9 years of praying!

He told us about it this morning and we had a party!

CCers...pray for Casey, Julie, and Bennett. These are exciting days for sure!

A Few Things I Know

The past few weeks have combined to form a season of questions for me and my team. Boy, have we had to work through some stuff! I said a week or so ago that I find myself with more questions than answers these days...and that's a good thing! After all, I've never done most of what I do now, so it's all a big experiment...:-)

But, in all of my questions and answers and whatnot, there are a few things I know. Here they are, in no particular order...

1. I'm really glad Catalyst has weekly environments now! The "every other" gig was good for a while, but it was time to make the jump...maybe it was passed time. Sure feels like we actually have a chance to build some serious momentum through the summer.

2. God has given Catalyst some VERY generous people. I have been amazed at how people have stretched and given so far beyond what is normal. We need a few more people like that, but I am so thankful for the ones we have and for how God uses them.

3. Serving our city really resonates with people...and it resonates in a way that doesn't distract from our mission of reaching lost people. We're actively piecing together an initiative where we will partner with organizations in our city that are making a difference. Every week, people are asking me where things are and how they can help. I have a feeling we may be on to something big.

4. New people are not afraid to come to Catalyst. I am blown away by how many new people come to Catalyst every week. Now we just have to figure out how to better move those people into environments where they can connect. By the way, our next Newcomers Q & A is NEXT SUNDAY, May 20. If you're new to Catalyst, check it out.

5. We have an incredible volunteer staff at Catalyst. At last Thursday's Leadership Community, I just had an overwhelming sense that the people I locked eyes with around that room were there because they "get it." They're not at our church asking, "What's in it for me?" There here saying, "How can I be used?" The passion in the room was tangible.

6. God has sent some amazing people to join our staff and our volunteer staff in the past month or so. I am convinced that God doesn't bring in the caliber of people He's brought to Catalyst unless He is going to use them BIG TIME! More on our staff additions later...

7. We are identifying some growth barriers that we have either already bumped into or will bump into very soon. CCers...pray for us this week as we aim to make some serious movement to bust through some of these things. It drives us crazy when we can see one of these barriers coming, but we smack into it anyway! It happens...but to let it happen over and over is just stupid and unacceptable. Enough said.

8. The most unlikely of CCers are investing and inviting like crazy. We see the results and hear the stories every week...this gets me FIRED UP big time! Every week is somebody's first week. Every week, these CCers trust what God is doing at Catalyst enough to invite their unchurched friends into it. That is HUGE!

9. God is ALL OVER Catalyst Church right now! People are crossing the line of faith, marriages are being reconciled, dry religion is being replaced with life and intimacy, generosity is replacing selfishness...Jesus is alive and well at CC and I believe with all of my heart we are on the verge of a wave of momentum like we have never seen in our lives. If only you knew the full story of the past 4 weeks at Catalyst, you'd agree wholeheartedly.

Pretty sure that I'm going to try to go to sleep right now, but miserably fail in my attempt to do so. There is just too much running through my pea brain right now and the adrenaline is pumping, for sure...which leads to number 10...

10. I LOVE JESUS! I LOVE MY FAMILY! I LOVE MY JOB! I LOVE CATALYST CHURCH! I LOVE GREENVILLE, SC! And, I LOVE WHAT GOD IS DOING HERE!

We've Got a Story To Tell

I waited patiently for the Lord to help me,
and he turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the pit of despair,
out of the mud and the mire.
He set my feet on solid ground
and steadied me as I walked along.
He has given me a new song to sing,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see what he has done and be amazed.
They will put their trust in the Lord.
-Psalm 40:1-3 (NLT)

CCers...get on your knees today...no, RIGHT NOW...and thank the great God of heaven for who He is and for what He is doing in our church and our city. He's heard our cry...and I'm telling you, this city is going to stand on its ear in AMAZEMENT at what He has done. MANY will see...and they will TRUST in HIM as He has taught us to TRUST in HIM!

I dare anybody to tell me God is not intimately involved in building this church...we've got a story to tell that authoritatively says HE IS!

Praise You, O God, for you have heard our cry. You are bigger than money, bigger than division, bigger than deception...You have authority over anything the enemy may do to divide Your church and distract her from her mission. O Great God of Heaven and Earth, you have once again proven your faithfulness to those who trust in you. You have proven once again that you have a vision for reaching lost people in the city of Greenville that is bigger than anything we could ever cook up on our own. You have proven once again that you are the rock that we can stand on and be steadied. You've given us a new song to sing: a song of your faithfulness, of your power, of your glory, of your love. We will sing it; we will sing it loud. Many will hear and trust in YOU, O God. We are yours. Receive glory through Catalyst Church and forcefully advance your kingdom through her. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

It's Worth It

A couple of weeks ago, I received a crazy-long email from one of my former students. Before we started Catalyst, I was a Student Pastor for 6 years. While there is much that I do NOT miss about Student Ministry, there is a lot that I do miss.

One of the things that fired me up then, and still does today, is when a student "gets it"...when the light bulb goes off and they see all that is available to them in Jesus and they sell out...go for it...all out.

Over the past 2 years, I have had very little contact with the student who sent me this email, but clearly, God has been at work...BIG TIME. What God began when this student was in our ministry, He continued through other leaders and the student's family. I was blown away by what I read. Here's a small excerpt:

"God has shown me unbelievable things. God is my driving force. He continues to amaze me. He will forever amaze me. This overwhelming passion within me has given me such a heart for the lost. It is consuming. I have never felt the extent of sorrow that I feel when I consider the hopelessness of so many people who don’t know the Lord, many of which are my friends. I had never completely bought into the idea that the lost are missing so much, but now that I have experienced unspeakable joy, the only thing that my heart desires is to give it away so that they can be happy. My heart breaks for them. Nothing else can hold out hope for this world like Christ and I am now confident in that. I am driven to lead others to that hope as well."

Good grief...if I could share the rest of it, you'd say the same thing I said..."Wow!" I know a good many of you who stop by here regularly are Student Pastors...hear me on this...IT'S WORTH IT! It may take 2 years to happen, but IT'S WORTH IT!

And, I love it when a student gets it and God uses their courageous fire to challenge me. That happened with this email...I hope it did for you, too.

Student - you know who you are - THANK YOU!