the life of a bi-vocational pastor - pt. 1

Since Easter I has literally been jobless. That doesn't mean I have been lazy...I have applied at many places but every time I think it would be a great job the door slams in my face. For instances...

TRUE STORY: HAND TO GOD...
I love eating at Chili's. When I worked at the church Chili's was my second office. It's funny because I knew almost every employee at Chili's including the table numbers. I know pretty sad...whatever. Anyway so when I was looking for a job I thought I could totally work at Chili's I knew the menu and the managers and the employee it would be perfect. So I applied, took the personality test and scheduled an interview. Two days later I was went back for the interview. The general manager didn't know about the interview so he asked me if I could come back the following day. As I walked out I said to the Lord if the manager calls me tomorrow to cancel I will know that You don't want me to work there. The following day 45 minutes before the scheduled interview the general manager called to cancel our interview. He said that he was feeling well so he was going home. Immediately I remembered the conversation I had with the Lord the day before. The manager wanted me to come by on Monday I told him that I would think about it.
All weekend I prayed and asked God if He really didn't want me to work there. I tried rationalize why I should to work there. Quick money, I knew the managers and the employees, then I got spiritual...I could be a witness. So on Monday I got in my Jeep and headed to Chili's.

Before I tell you what happened next you need to know that I had just drove my Jeep from Minnesota to Georgia two weeks before.

Anyway, I was on my way to Chili's knowing that God didn't want me to work there when all of a sudden my engine shut off. Immediately I knew what just happened. I don't know if you believe God can work like this but I do. Sitting on the side of the road I decided to have another conversation with God and first apologize to Him and told Him I would definitely would work at Chili's. After 20 minutes I turned the keys and the car turned on. I told my father-in-law what happened and he told me to get it checked out. I told him that I knew what happened God made it very clear that He didn't want me to work there. But he insisted that I get it checked out and guess what...the mechanic couldn't find anything wrong with the car.

I honestly believe with all my heart that if we totally trust God with everything...money, food, car, home, jobs, family, He will never disappoint us. I can't wait to tell you the rest of the adventure tomorrow.

Can't wait 'til Sunday!

This is going to be a crazy week. As some many of you know my wife and I have been sensing that God has been moving us to plant a church. Long story short for the last three months we have been praying and fasting for direction for this church plant. Through a series of "divine appointments" we have come to the conclusion and feel at peace with planting the church in Cumming Georgia. So this Sunday we have invited some people to come over to our home so we can share our heart and vision with them. I have been preparing for this day for a long time! I am so pumped! I'll let you know what happens.

Daddy University Lesson #2 - Pain is Temporary

My son is two months old today! Becoming parents has totally changed our lives. Honestly I never thought I could ever express or feel this kind of love for any one. Every time I look at my son, it's crazy, I turn into putty. Anyway today we had to take him to the doctors. I have been dreading this date because this is his two month check-up...in other words SHOT DAY!

I hate shots. I remember as a child my mom and nurses holding me down so the doctor could prick my finger. Seriously I hate shots!!! As we drove to the doctors I prayed that I would have enough self-control to not drop kick the doctor when she gives my boy those freakin' shots. I think the hardest part of today's doctors visit was the wait. Of course my son had no idea what was going on but we did. We knew when those needles went in he was going to scream his lungs out and there was nothing we could do about it. I knew once it was over it was over and the pain would eventually go away. But as a daddy I want to protect my family at all cost.

I guess the Daddy Lesson that I learned today was that there will be moments in life where the wait will seem tough, painful, and overwhelming but once the wait is over it's over. After the shots were done and the screaming stopped all my son needed was to be loved on by his mommy and daddy.

So the next time you feel overwhelmed remember it's only temporarily and at the end I promise that if you reach out to our heavenly daddy He will reach out to you.

Free Chapel Rocks!

This morning my family and I attended Free Chapel in Gainesville Georgia. Honestly words can't describe what we experienced today. It was AWESOME! The faculties were great, the worship was amazing and the preaching was inspiring. The whole experience was crazy.

Once again I have "heard" a lot about Free Chapel, let me share this from personal experience you literally can feel the presence of the Holy Spirit at Free Chapel. Through the people, through the music, and especially through the preaching. Pastor Franklin spoke about family today. He said that we should view our families as tools for God to redeem other families that don't know Jesus. I never really thought about my new family like that. Another statement that got me thinking and convicted my heart was that we need to reestablish the prayer altar in our homes.

Okay men let be honest with our self how often do we as men led our families in family devotions? I know we can get busy, I know that life gets out of control, I know that there are several things fighting for your attention. But do you know something as I sat there experiencing this amazing service I was so overwhelmed with God's presence. As a church planter I desperately want our church experience God in powerful ways but more importantly I want my family to experience God in ways that the world has never seen. I want my son and future kids see God change thousands of lives, I want my kids see people physically healed, I want my kids and wife to walk with all the authority God has given to us. I want to live life to the fullest.

I promise you if you visit Free Chapel you will be overwhelmed with the presence of God and inspire to live life to the fullest.

WOW...what an amazing church!

Hey everybody my wife and i just visited an amazing church tonight. We went to Mountain Lake Church in Cumming Georgia. We actually live in Cumming so it was a short drive. Anyway the worship was great, the message of great, and the people were amazing. We were extremely blessed tonight. Got to be honest...I didn't know what to expect. When I told some people that we were going to Mountain Lake tonight suddenly they felt it was important to tell me what they "heard" about Mountain Lake Church.

(If you like to critize other churches this will tick you off!) If I have one more person tell me something about "WHAT THEY HEARD" I'm going to kick them in the head. I'm not joking! Stop criticizing churches that are thinking outside the box. Especially if you have never visited the church. My God churches that think outside the box should inspire you not make you insecure. It inspires me that people exactly went to church on a Saturday afternoon. It inspires me that a team of Pastors have made church exciting, fun, and relevant. It inspires me that people would get to church early on Saturday afternoon to make sure that our visit was a great experience. So next time you want to talk trash about any church, please for the love of God, visit the church first. Even if you still don't like the church don't go run your mouth off to other people and fool yourself by calling it informative discussion. The bible calls it gossip and gossip can send you to hell. I'm glad I got that out of my system.

Anyway Pastor Shawn sermon series is called Losing My Religion. Tonight he was speaking about how traditions can become religious. He stated that traditions make us religious when we forget the why behind the what.

Growing up in the church all my life I can see how we can forget the why behind the what. Tonight's message confirmed why I believe God has called us to plant a church. I don't want people to get caught up in religious traditions of the church. Our desire is that people experience God, become like Jesus, and influence the world. When people leave our worship experiences one day I don't want them to JUST leave another service, after hearing another sermon. I want people to leave with a Christ experience not a religious experience. The reality is that religion won't change people Jesus will.

So if you are ever in Cumming Georgia on a Saturday afternoon or a Sunday morning you got to visit Mountain Lake Church you will be inspired.

Daddy University Lesson #1

After seven years of praying for a baby on May 30, 2007 our prayers were answered. The Lord blessed us with a healthy little boy. I never knew that a baby could change your life so much. Sure you have an idea or you think you have an idea, but when it's 4:30 in the morning and you've done everything that you know to do and the your baby still won't stop crying...those are the moments that you find out what your made of. Last night was one of those moments. As my son cried his head off last night I felt so unprepared and frustrated As I sat there looking at my son crying I felt extremely inadequate to be a daddy.

I realized that the only way that I would ever be the father that my son needs is that I would have to discover the heart of our Heavenly Father. In those seasons when life feels overwhelming, those moments when all we can do is cry, it's in those moments when God wraps us up in His arms and comforts us. So when I wrapped my son in my arms last night, feeling overwhlemed and inadequte, our Heavenly Father was doing the same thing to me. It's amazing how becoming a dad has given me a glimpse into the heart of our Abba Father.

all I have is $21.00 and a VISION

For the last couple of years I have been praying about planting a church. Although I was in full-time youth ministry in a great church something inside my wife and I felt out of place. Easter 2007 was our last day at our church. I resigned not knowing where we were going, no new job in place, and a baby on the way. You're probably thinking "what's wrong with this guy"? If you knew me you would know this is not in my character. I hate change especially without having a plan in place. But that's where I found myself on Easter Sunday 2007. Before I left church that day one of my students came up to me and handed me $21.00. I tried to give it back to her but she told me that she wanted to plant the first seed into our church so that her kids would have a great church to go to one day. What you don't know is that this girl is only 15. I was so humbled and honor that she saw that much potential in my wife and I. So for the last three months we have been totally trusting in the Lord to provide for every one of our needs. I could honestly say HE has been faithful through this entire transitional season of our lives.

During this season God has been expanding our faith like crazy. He given us a love and passion for the people of our community that we have never felt. He put in our hearts a huge vision that only He can accomplish. I am beginning to learn that God loves dreamers. So after praying and waiting and with $21.00 in our pocket my wife and I have decided to plant a church in our current location. Honestly I have no idea what that means or how we are going to accomplish it. All I know is if we don't do this we are going to be miserable for the rest of our lives. I also can't stop thinking about all the people that would miss their opportunity to meet Jesus. So with $21.00 and a Vision from God we are jumping into the amazing, unpredictable, crazy world of church planting.

If any church planters out there have any advice please share it with us. We would appreciate it. I can't wait to see what God does with $21.00 and a VISION!