Lousy T-shirt Series

Hi all!

I know it has been a while since I have blogged on here, but it has been a really busy couple of weeks. Angelique and I are teaching through the book of Revelation in our high school youth class, and this has turned out to be a lot more of a daunting task than I had originally thought it would be. As if I even thought that was possible. It has been more difficult to research and put together, but highly rewarding, and the series has been fantastic! One of my favorites!

I have also been busy preparing for the new Round 2 Wednesday night series that Joe Rollins and I are beginning tonight! I am so stoked about this! The series is based on a book that Joe and I are reading called "I Became a Christian and All I Got Was This Lousy T-Shirt." What an awesome name! Come out and praise God with us for the next 6 weeks, and you will not regret it. If you come with an open heart and a willingness to delve into yourself, your life will be changed!

Here is the intro video for the series:



Come out and join us. It is going to be fun!

He's Calling!

We finally finished our Emmaus Walk this past Saturday! Since we were interrupted by Hurricane Ike's leftovers, we had to get out of the woods and postpone the last couple of hours. It was awesome to go back and see everyone, and I was back in the spirit of the original weekend within minutes! It was awesome!

Listening to some of the others share, one statement really stuck with me. He said, "God doesn't call the equipped, He equips the called."

Some of you out there don't want to hear that because you have felt Him pulling you to do something you don't want to do, and your favorite excuse has been, "I will study for a while longer, and when I know enough, He will let me know." Nope. When God calls you, you go! That's it! He will provide you with what you need, but only after you have submitted to His will. If you are insistent on waiting until you are ready, the call will go forever unheeded! One of my favorite praise songs is "Come ye sinners," and there is a statement in it that resonates through me EVERY single time I hear it. It is, "If you tarry 'til you're better, you'll never come at all." WOW!

Friends, we are sent by God into the world to SAVE (eternal) LIVES! It doesn't matter what excuse you are using, STOP! Get up and do something for God instead of waiting for Him to do something for you! For most of us, I know we are afraid that we are not good/smart/confident enough to do God's work, and I pray that we can always remember, "God doesn't call the equipped, He equips the called."

Sadness

Sunday, we, as a congregation, had to face the sad situation of once again bidding
farewell to our Pastor. In one of the most emotional and hearfelt speeches I have ever seen, Chad explained to the church that he feels that the Holy Spirit is calling him to a different direction than our church is heading, and announced that he would have to resign his position with our church in order to accomplish this calling.

While Chad will be deeply missed - he has really helped shape me into the man I have become - I want to stress to those members of GCC who read this that now is the time to get up and get moving, not get down and out. Remember that God has plans for us, and even though Chad's season at GCC has been fulfilled, ours hasn't! We are to go out to the world and spread the Gospel of Christ until the day He comes back or call us home!

I know of some people in the church who have offered themselves to the elders to do whatever it takes to make sure GCC does NOT get down and start wallowing in self-pity. This is a difficult season, but it would benefit us all for everyone to remember that while God's blessings are raining down, it is in the valleys that you receive the most. For when you are on the mountaintop, the blessing land and tend to run downhill to those who are in the most need. GCC - we are in a valley right now. It is time for us, the church, to BE the blessings of God to those around us and to lift each other up!

I love everyone single one of you, and if there is anything that I or my family can do to help any of you, all you have to do is ask!

May God Bless You All!!!