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I just read this blog and it amazes me who simple “ministering” to people could be and SHOULD BE. I want you to note as you read the testimony of the volunteer, she LOVES her church, LOVES being able to volunteer, and most importantly she LOVES GOD. Please take note, “church is no longer a chore, but an adventure” that she cannot wait to get back to every week, but more importantly she cant wait to invite others to experience the life change she has!!!

Big ups to Shawn Lovejoy and the MLC Family once again, and Penny Burklin YOU ROCK!!!!

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Yes I said it!!!

I am truly best to be in the place I am right now. God has brought some really awesome people into my life here in the last few months. I had longed for a group of men I could run ideas by, share my heart with, get advice from, and just be myself around. I have referred to them so often in my posts, some might think i was a groupy, but if you have longed for something for so long and you are gifted (given a gift) then why not brag and shout at the top of your lungs from the highest rooftop you can find?

Why not?

So i am standing at the top of the empire state building and shouting from my pinky toe (way down deep) that Jason Salamun is my brother from another mother. He is on fire and about to turn South Dakota on Its head!!!!!!!!!!!! Be sure to keep him, his family and Project Church in your prayers, that God completely enable them to take over South Dakota for the Kingdom of God. Yes Jason, I said the state of South Dakota…lol We must enlarge not only our vision and dreams, but His territory and you my brother are just the person who can do it!!!!!!!!

I sent him this this morning and I just wanted to share it with you, im sure he wont mind. At least I hope not..LOL!

“Thanks man. I too am excited and wanted to thank you so much for your support and words of encouragement. You truly are a gift from God! And those people and their picket signs might as well get the paint and stick on letters ready because you are going to SHAKE UP SD in a way that has never been done before. Your foundation has been laid by the Father, you have committed to Him and He has to honor that. You will increase in Favor with both God and with men as Jesus did during His walk on the earth. God is truly about to take a whole of you and your family and He and only He will exalt you. Your wife and your precious children are going to truly be blessed by the Man of God you have become and are growing into.

You are a pastor that I am pleased to have a relationship with, and am proud to call my friend and brother!

Love ya man!!!”

Is there anyone, who has not only opened themselves up to you, but offered their support prayers and life to assist you in the advancement of a dream, the Kingdom, or anything else in your life? Have you stopped to tell them thank you?

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Last night, a huge storm ripped through downtown Atlanta. Our hearts and prayers go out to the families and businesses who lost their lives, their family members, or possessions. I first noticed something was going on in our city when the SEC tournament was interrupted due to ceiling tiles falling to the court in the Georgia Dome.

Just a thought, but i cant remember a time like this when a storm this serious ripped through the heart of this city. Now I know that we must plant downtown!!!!

There were other counties effected or under tornado watches last night, and our prayers go out to them as well!!!

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Wow! I really cannot believe I am about to type this. I have been putting it off for sometime now, because I know that I know that I know that once I hit “publish” i cannot take it back. So here it goes i am getting out of my head and heart and into your lives.

WE ARE PLANTING A CHURCH IN DOWNTOWN ATLANTA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WHEW! That was easier than I thought.

On January 1st of 2007, only 10 days after Esther and I got married, God spoke to me (please dont get spooky on me) and declared NOW was the time to start the church. Let’s just say that I did not sit still long enough to hear the rest of that message. I fluffed it, tripped, fell on my head several times, lost a friend or two, or three, and still i managed to be in the excellent Grace of God to be able to sit here and share my heart with you concerning my family and our pursuit of the Call God has on my life.

A Peculiar Place.

A place where those who are far from God, those curious about God, even those who are mad at God, or say there is no God will be welcomed. Leave all judgment outside please! I don’t want to see another person friend or stranger have to live life hurting, numb, in lack, or alone! Our vision is to see those that are far from God be brought out of darkness and into His marvelous light. Be introduced to a relationship, not a religion with Jesus Christ. Be able to build a community of people from all different walks of life, socio-economic, ethnic, cultural and racial backgrounds who simply love God and His Kingdom.

Why downtown?

Honestly, the suburbs are taken care of. I mean i am sure there are still surrounding areas and counties of metro Atlanta that could use a church dedicated to Kingdom building, but my heart bleeds for the city! Literally bleeds, i promise. There is an energy, a life all its own in the heart of any city that has been dubbed “DOWNTOWN”. Atlanta is no different. High rises going up on every other corner. Hotels, businesses, Trump Towers, homeless sitting outside of those same buildings where millionaires step over them, bums pissing in the alley or an abandoned buildings, people commuting from the ‘burbs to their office… constant movement no relationships. Jesus loves the city as much as He loves any other area of Atlanta. WE ARE PLANTING IN THE CITY!

I long to have a worship service where lesbians are sitting next to a newly married heterosexual couple, and a homeless man is sitting next to someone worth more than most of us would ever see in a lifetime, where someone with a PhD sits next to someone trying to get their GED. I realized that these groups who often never ever lend a hand or have time for the other NEED EACH OTHER MORE THAN THEY KNOW! Oh how awesome a worship service that will be. Naked before God where your money, your background, your hair or clothes, you choices no longer condemn you but you find FREEDOM here!

WE ARE PLANTING A CHURCH DOWNTOWN!

Who is the church for?

Simple enough. Those who have never been to church ever in the entire history of their lives. We will call them the “unchurched”. Then there are those who grew up in church, forced by their parents who shouted at them “That as long as you live in my house…” you know the rest; or those who had such an awful experience with church they swore never to step foot in that place of pimps hustlers swindlers and snake oil salesmen. We will call them the “dechurched”. Last but certainly not least, those who love Jesus and commit to a lifestyle patterned after His own. We will call them “Lifestyle Christians”.

Basically this aint your mamma’s church. Its not, and I don’t want anyone to tell me i shouldn’t say that or i am offending someone by saying that. It is simply the truth. There may be nothing wrong with your mamma’s church, but it is not for me or for you if you are still reading. What do I mean? There wont be a thousand programs, eighteen services during the week, a mandatory dress code, the hymns probably wont be sung the way they were a thousand years ago, the church wont have a steeple with furry pews with gum stuck under every other seat and most importantly RELIGION (TRADITION WITH A FANCY NAME) WONT HAVE ANY PLACE IN THIS CHURCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Christ did not die so we could separate ourselves into denominations, cults, clicks, groups, or religions. He died so that a RELATIONSHIP with His Father might be restored. PERIOD. Get over yourselves if you have to put your religion down to disagree with me in words you wouldn’t use on the church house steps. I HATE RELIGION BUT I LOVE JESUS CHRIST.

DID I MENTION THAT WE ARE PLANTING A CHURCH IN DOWNTOWN ATLANTA!

Why Peculair?

There are so many reasons for that one. I will give you the biblical point to satisfy those I just made mad with my “religion” paragrahs, then a practical notion behind the name. 1 Peter 2:9 reads:

“But you are a peculiar people [chosen people], a royal priesthood, a dedicated nation, [God’s] own purchased, special people, that you may set forth the wonderful deeds and display the virtues and perfections of Him Who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”

Need I say more? God has clearly called us His Peculiar People, a royal priesthood, His own purchased (by the blood of Christ) possession with a mission to do wonderful things for our community and assist in building the Kingdom of God, which is why He called out of sin, darkness into His wonderful never failing never forsaking light!

As for the practical. A Peculiar Place is a church for people who would normally never go to church for fear of being looked down upon because of their lifestyle, the way they wear their hair, they have tattoos covering everything but their eyelids, they have criminal records, their pants sag, or they simply could not relate and looking for something real. So therefor God is birthing through us A Peculiar Place.

Your prayers, well wishes, your kind words, your donations, your time, your creativity, your networks, your relationships, your lives, your commitment, your specialty, your talent, your skills, your ambition, your abilities, your love, your money, your friendship, your blogging, your facebook contacts, your Realtor, your information, your friends email addresse and phone numbers who live in Atlanta, ARE ALL NEEDED TO ACCOMPLISH THIS TASK THAT GOD HAS CHOSEN US TO DO!

I want to thank you in advance for myself, my wife, Esther, and my sons Tyler and Jah. This is not going to be easy. I am both excited and sometimes afraid. I am confident in God’s voice and my Calling, but insecure in my ability to carry it out. I strong here and weak there. I can see it, but my vision blurs. Pray for us please. Keep us lifted before God. We are currently looking for a home in and around the downtown area. If you know anyone with a house they want to give away please don’t hesitate. But seriously we would like to find a foreclosure, i love fixing things…lol, and will consider lease to purchase. If you know anything or anyone please let me know!

BY THE WAY, WE ARE PLANTING A CHURCH DOWNTOWN!!!!!!

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As you already know several weeks ago my wife and I attended the churchplanters.com conference at MLC (Sean Lovejoy ROCKS!). We were standing in the hall between our main sessions trying to decide which of the breakout sessions we would attend; when a friend of mine, Gary Lamb, walked by us, looked at me and said, “Man you married out of your league”.

We sat in the hallway and laughed for a moment and went back to deciding on our breakout session. Those words never left my thought life. I pondered and looked at our story over and over and realized…

He could not have been more correct!

I look at my wife time and again and am blown away on a daily basis how such a beautiful woman would say yes to me. Now, dont get it twisted, I aint no worn out sack or nothing, but have you ever watched someone get more and more beautiful everyday? Have you ever watched someone grow in their relationship with God and wear it so well?

I am writing this post in response to Gary’s statement, yes I married out my league and I know that God orchestrated our meeting from day one!

I love you baby!!!

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Finally!!!! My wife and I have waited for some time now to get some “US” time and it has finally arrived. I know some of you are saying, “Yeah, but you are going to Chattanooga”, so why the big fuss. I would say to you that you are either not married, or even better not married with kids, or your marriage is suffering miserably and you don’t know it yet! LOL!

Esther and I have tried several times, a cruise to Belize, a flight away from Puerta Rico, and several other attempts and everytime something - anything would come up and destroy our plans. So, i am not just excited I get to spend the weekend with THE most beautiful woman in the world, but i get to spend the weekend alone away from kids, bibles, church planting thoughts and dreams, vision casting, cell phones, stress of life… and just be alone with HER!

I waited all of my life for her and dangit (you know i wanted to say something else right), i want to enjoy all of her!

So, if any of you know any good places to eat, spend quality time, walk, please let us know! I mean that is if we even leave the room!!!!!!!

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