Slideshow image
Slideshow image
Slideshow image
Slideshow image
Slideshow image
Slideshow image
Slideshow image
Slideshow image
Slideshow image
Slideshow image
Slideshow image
Slideshow image
Slideshow image
Slideshow image
nav image
nav image
nav image
nav image
nav image
nav image
nav image
nav image
nav image
nav image
nav image
nav image
nav image
nav image
  1. It’s amazing how much clearer God’s work shines when we rest in Him. 

    This past week of vacation the Lord really convicted me of pride that had led to me not resting well in Christ. For me, that means there were little to no rhythms of shutting down my brain from the things work and ministry to simply enjoy God and the blessings of his creation. When I'm so tied up with what I'm doing, it quickly gets hard to see what God is doing.

    The last couple weeks have re-opened my eyes to the work of God that's radiating in and through the people of our church and community. What a grace!

  2. Giving people opportunities gives us opportunities to see the fruit of God's work.

    Wes and Jeff did more than preach the last couple weeks; they gave evidence of their spiritual growth as leaders of our body.

    This week in Chile, not only did Derrick Page and Brad Sturgill preach their first sermons, but Rhett Janssen and Charlotte Bright (as 6th graders!) gave their testimonies to the gathered church in Santiago!

    Kenny has asked several people to step into new leadership roles within our disciplemaking teams in the last month and you all are rising to the challenge one person at a time.

    Every time things like this happen, it's a reminder that God has been doing work in people that we often don't see. But more than that, what a grace that when we give people opportunities, that growth is clearly seen!

    As Derrick Page said in his sermon, "The Great Commission is not a guilt induced calling reserved for a select class of elite missionaries; it is a joyful, communal task for all of Jesus' followers."

  3. Extending grace while still clinging to the truth is powerful.

    I was really grateful for Chase's telling of his story. The one part that stuck out to me was his journey of learning to extend grace to people who loved Jesus, but might not live that out in the exact same way he did.

    Our world is often clamoring for more tolerance and kindness of people. But what those calls often lack is an ability to hold on to truth while extending grace. I appreciated Chase walking through his own story of how he learned to extend grace while holding on to the truth's be believes. And I valued even more how he described parenting his children to begin navigating that at an early age!

    Powerful stuff man!

  4. Plans matter because time flies.

    This week, Katelyn and I celebrate our birthdays just a few days ahead of America's big birthday!

    That, plus spending time in Disney with kids who aren't "little" anymore this past week have me aware of just how quickly time goes by.

    This past week at Disney, our family was on a mission to do as much as we could while we were there. We tried to make plans each day about where we would go as the ropes dropped and how we could catch certain rides while in the area while weighing that against wait times for certain rides. We knew our time was short, so we made plans to make the most of it!

    Coming back to ou everyday lives, it's reminding me that plans matter because time flies.

    As a nation, our plans to provide liberty and justice for all matter because the time we have to share with our neighbors the gospel is of the essence.

    As a church, our plans to reach our community for Christ matter because time is of the essence.

    As disciplemakers, our plans to grow spiritually and be in gospel-centered community together matter because time is of the essence!

  5.  God WILL not abandon his faithful ones.

    I've said for many years that Jeff Bracken is the best preacher in Shelby County and yesterday only continued to solidify that for me! (PSA: He's leading the teaching team for our High School students this fall - tell your friends!)

    I really appreciated his teaching on the word WILL in Psalm 37. When we read that word, "it's already in action" he reminded us!

    In that hope, let me leave you with the words of Psalm 37:28a:

    "For the Lord loves justice and will not abandon his faithful ones."

    It's already in action, CCC.

    Just one way the Lord has reminded me of this has been hearing from Sherry Allen and seeing pictures from her time in Uganda this past week. Sherry has faithfully loved the Lord as long as I've known her and to see the Lord's faithfulness to her this past week - not only in traveling mercies, but in how he used her medical skills - has been overwhelming.

    I can't wait for her to tell even more stories of his faithfulness.

    And I can't wait for him to continue to write more chapters of those stories in our lives, CCC.

    Keep faithfully joining Jesus in going out to make disciples.

    God WILL not abandon his faithful ones!