UN-STINKING REAL!

Have you ever had a phone call with news that is just un-stinking real?  It’s the kind of call we all want to get!…the kind i received this past Sunday!

Greenbrier, here is the deal: I am loving being away with my family on much needed vacation – absolutely the #1 place I want to be!   That said, the update call I received from one of our Greenbrier pastor team on Sunday afternoon was un-stinking real!  It made me jealous…wanting to rush back to be a part of what God is doing at Greenbrier!  On the other hand, it made me want to stay away longer so I would not mess up anything.  Ha!

What happened at Greenbrier on Sunday morning?

-The Set-up CREW was at the Evans 14 Cinemas early (as always), praying, serving Christ by setting up church campus so that many could meet and worship Jesus!

-Brier Patch and 3D CREW had done an incredible job ministering to our pre-school and children, even with a bunch of CREW out on vacation!

-…and worship was powerful, with 3 people making an eternal/life changing decision to trust Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord…while watching a “One Prayer” video message!!!

-Did you catch that? THREE LIVES are changed for eternity…AGAIN!

Folks, God is moving in and through this body!

-People are beginning a relationship with Jesus Christ most every week at Greenbrier!

-20 adults and students from our church body are returning tonight from a week+ mission trip in Costa Rica.  Rumors are that Jesus was working in huge ways!

-Two weeks ago a Big group of Greenbrier students and adults terrorized a whole bunch of children with the love of Jesus for four days in downtown Augusta.

-Two more adults from our church are heading out to Thailand on a mission project this week.

-In August, we will be assisting one of our team (Nick Carnes) in launching a church (NewPassion Church) in Grovetown!

Folks, as we partner with over 1700 churches around the world to glorify God through “One Prayer”, God is showing off.  Whether video or live message – He is transforming lives in our body. Our church is stepping out and being Jesus to the world, instead of waiting for the world to come to us.  Our church is blessed by all the people you are bringing in, and even more, by how many we are sending out for His fame!

God is blessing this church, my Greenbrier family!

Keep…

-INVOLVING God by Praying for our church and the people He has placed in your life (family/neighbors/work).

-INVESTING in lives of those same people.

-INVITING anyone/everyone He places around you that may not know the power and hope of Jesus Christ…to join you at church!

Dudes & Dudettes, I love ya’ll and we are pumped about being back with you this Sunday!  Until then, live reckless for my Jesus!

THE BEST HOUR

Greenbrier was so incredible to be a part of this past Sunday!

Our set-Up & Break-Down Teams did an amazing job in record times! The worship was powerful! Brier Patch (pre-school) was loaded up and loving on a mess of kids.  …And what happened in 3D (our children’s environment) was awesome! – A first time guest brought their kids to the 1st service (9:00AM).  After the service was over and the kids were checked out, they realized there was a second service (10:15AM).  The kids had such an awesome time that they begged to stay for the second service!  …And that is what happened!  The family stayed and the kids went home knowing Church is cool and Jesus is INCREDIBLE!

This is why we are ORANGE!  All of our ministry environments teaming together to Impact entire families for Christ!  I hear different versions of this happening on our campus with kids and families almost every week!  3D CREW  – I am PUMPED about this!  Praise God & Thank You…and ALL our CREW (Set-Up & Break Down Teams, Brier Patch, Host Team, Usher/Parking Team, Worship & Tech Teams, 3D) for uniting to make this happen! AWESOME!  Kids and parents realizing JESUS is nothing less than Incredible…and us taking advantage of that truth in every environment – that’s what it is all about!  TOGETHER, Greenbrier, you made this one of the best hours (if not THE best hour) of the week for this family…and MANY MORE!

God continues to move in our body and provide in powerful ways!  This Sunday, we continue “Dirty Laundry” (Parenting series).  In that,  I cannot wait  to share with you This Sunday some very cool opportunities He has in front of us and Huge ways He is providing for us!   Whew!  -Can’t wait!

-stay reckless for my Jesus!

DIRTY LAUNDRY – Load 1

Imagine The End:

Embrace Your Influence!

Yesterday at Greenbrier, we kicked off our new series; “Dirty Laundry”.  The huge reality we began with is that you and i have more influence in our kids lives than we want to believe!  It is scary to think that my three daughters model elements of their lives after me (they whoop me in the burping contests). The average parent has approximately 3000 hours per year with their child.  For those families who are a part of a church, they will attend approximately 40 hours per year.  For many parents, “Church” tends to be a  like a spiritual car wash during those 40 hours: “Clean up my kids, then i’ll let them go back into the real world.  After they get dirty…I’ll bring them back…next Sunday…and we’ll start all over again.”

Studies show no matter how much we pour in our kids at church…by ourselves, 85% of kids drop out of church by the age of 25 in North America.  With this “Reality” – the church having only 40 hours to invest in your child’s life each year, and the average parent having 3000 hours to influence your child each year….
We have to make serious changes in church/parenting strategy to kick the stats out of this 85% drop out rate…of your kids and mine!!!

What if we combine the influence of parents and church?!  What if we UNITE the two institutions that God created (Church & Home) and help parents WIN AT HOME?!  Since we launched, that has been (and will be) our goal!

Moses addressed this ministry approach a LONG time ago as he challenged Israel to pass on their spiritual heritage to their kids before entering the promised land:

Deuteronomy 6:1-5

¹ These are the commands, decrees and laws the LORD your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, ² so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the LORD your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life. ³ Hear, O Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the LORD, the God of your fathers, promised you.  ⁴ Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.  ⁵ Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

Question:

How am i leveraging the influence God has given me as a parent?

I am pumped and praying for you as we take this journey of parenting together!

WARRIOR Consumed

This Warrior series is eating me up!

It is consuming me!  The more i dig and review notes for the upcoming weeks, the more i find that God’s honor and fame are  at stake in my life.  Men – You and i are called to be HIS WARRIORS!   It’s a calling on our lives!  That said, it is also a choice.  My daily…moment by moment choices reveal if He IS My King, OR a spiritual accessory i must carry.  I am left with the pounding question: What greater purpose could you and i want than to be a knight in the service of  THE KING OF KINGS?!

This morning, i am sitting at a cafe’ table reading God’s Word.  A few tables over, an older “business man” (dressed nice) is in a conversation and using every #@*&% word i have ever heard (yep…the ones often had my mouth “washed out” with a bar of soap for letting slip out as a kid…and others i would have been shot for saying).  I thought i saw a cross slip out around his neckline.  Dudes, i found myself frustrated and ticked…just waiting for God to give me the “GO!” to tell him to “shut up” and yank the cross off his neck. It ended up not being a cross…as best i could tell.  For that reason…and a subtle Holy Spirit “shhhhhhh!” (in my head), you still have a pastor who is not in jail, and a business man that still has a neck.

This all happened while i was reading in 2 Samuel 21:15-17.   David was determined to fight with his men, but he became exhausted. One ticked off Philistine with a huge spearhead “threatened” (i’m sure he said; ” #@*&%”) to kill King David.  BUT (i love when it say “But” in God’s Word) Abishai “came to David’s rescue”.  Then, David’s men…so desiring to protect Israel’s hope…consumed with protecting their King, SWORE that David would never go to battle again.

Reading this (and “With Everything” Hillsong ,blairing on my i-pod) i think how those men were willing to sacrifice EVERYTHING for the life and honor of Their King!  Even at a “threat”, one soldier was willing to attack another soldier with a huge spear. Makes me ask:

-what is threatening the life and honor of My King (Jesus) in my life? (my thoughts, my actions, His presence in me, what i am looking at, how i treat my bride and daughters??)

-backing up…am i close enough to my King where i realize He is being threatened in my life?

-am i attacking it/killing it, or standing by letting His life in me be slowly killed?

-Am i keeping my King out of unnecessary battles?… or am i allowing my thoughts, the things i look at, my attitude, how i spend my time make Him have to go to battle?

Am i such a Warrior Consumed that HE IS MY EVERYTHING?!

-stay reckless for my Jesus!

SATURDAY: A Week In The Life Of Jesus!

SATURDAY: Behind The Scenes Preparation.

The Saturday after Jesus crucifixion is not something we hear or read about much, if at all.  Why? Because it was the Sabbath; a day of rest.  Those who were followers of Christ observed Jewish law and “rested”.

Matthew 27:62-67

Luke 23:56

-How hard was it for the followers to “rest” when they saw the one they had given their lives to just be brutally tortured and murdered?

-How many times did Mary or Mary start to head to the door and get called back by the “disciples”….just to visit the tomb of their teacher, their master, their best friend?

-Even after Jesus death and Jesus shouting “Father, Forgive them!” The Pharisees were still afraid of Jesus and convinced Pilate to secure the tomb.

-It is crazy to me how the Pharisees broke their own law and manipulated Pilate into MAKING people work on the Sabbath – Guarding the tomb. Given, they were Roman Guards, but it showed the disregard the Pharisees had for the “Law” if it suited them.  …And how many times did they attack Jesus for “working on the Sabbath”?!?

-ALL the work done by the Pharisees and Romans on “Saturday” just goes to prove:

1.) You have to work extra hard to “cover-up” a mistake

2.)  NO ONE can stop a Movement of God!  Whether Anti-Christian groups, government, terrorists, …especially religious groups – You cannot stop ANYTHING that God sets in motion!

GREENBRIER, may we never hope for, pray for, settle for, seek, pursue…anything less than a Movement of God!

KEEP PRAYING AS WE PREPARE TO…

LAUNCH TOMORROW (EASTER – April 12)!

As always, Above All – KEEP PRAYING for our church – His church!!!
-for His Favor on Us!
-For His Glory in all we do!
-For the countless Salvation of many souls!
-For untold numbers of lives and marriages transformed by His movement and presence!

-For our team to invite every DISCONNECTED* person that is still breathing!      (* if they actively attend another church – we love them, but…WE DO NOT WANT THEM!)

I am praying for you and am so thankful to my Jesus for you!
-Have one incredible day living nothing but reckless for Jesus!