A year and a half ago this journey began in the living room of our loft. God whispered and shared with me that today, January 1st 1997 is the first day of your church. Well today, I sort of feel like Abraham. On that day I knew God was telling me to go and honestly I had NO CLUE of where I was going or what I was doing! And sometimes today I still dont know either one of those! The difference is that today when I dont know or feel overwhelmed or unsure, I know that it is times like this when I have a chance to deepen my relationship and trust in God. Because like Abraham, I have no choice but to depend on Him, who made the promise, I have no choice but to rely on Him who sees tomorrow when I barely know what today will hold, I have no choice but to throw my hands in the air and like Solomon say, “God I am but a child and know not what to do”.

I have made mistakes, I have made bad decision, and I have stuck my foot in my mouth a time or two. OK, maybe a few times. But today! Today was like I was handed the keys to the Kingdom. Today appeared to be the day when God said here is merely a glimpse into my AWE INSPIRING POWER. Here, lies the keys to the next chapter in your journey. I am including a link to pics of the house, because I know some of the haters out there are saying yeah he got a house, but it probably is a FEMA trailer or some shack!!!! Obviously these Haters dont know my God. Click here to see the house.

To the family at West Ridge, I thank you, my family thanks you, and we love you! Perry Noble said it best yesterday, a long story i may tell someday. He said you dont often find many Kingdom minded people like that. So, West Ridge, Brian Bloye, Jim Akins, and the entire staff from the bottom of our hearts we appreciate you for this opportunity!

I am so ready to take over the world for the KINGDOM OF GOD!

Does anybody want to join me?

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

is all i can say in reference to just how ridiculous and mind blowing God is. for those of you who know or have spent time with me, “wow” is used when i am in shock, rendered inarticulate, or when i am excited beyond comprehension.

WOW! WOW! WOW! WOW! WOW! WOW! WOW! WOW!

OK here goes. The news I had been holding onto for some time now that well, I almost exploded at least twice… for real!

On tomorrow, Esther and I will pick up the keys to an amazing house that my family will be living in, for free! Yes I said it, RENT FREE! Did I mention we are moving to Dallas, GA? Yes we are moving… why? Because that is where this beautiful house is!!! That is why! Let me explain.

I am the new church planter intern for West Ridge Church!!!!!!! I don’t know if you truly grasp the depths of my excitement. I will work on staff there from August to May of next year. Learning, learning and learning some more, getting my hands dirty, observing staff meetings, participating in those meetings, working toward a better understanding of successful church structure, etc. I will also be attending West Ridge’s Church Planting School this fall as well. I am a nerd! So Jim Akins called, we went to see the house, my wife and i fell in love, and tomorrow we go and get the keys!!! For the duration of the intern, we have the house. I am so thankful to God and West Ridge. I am so pumped about being there that once again I could just explode!

I really want to extend a heartfelt thank you and all the appreciation I have in my body to the entire West Ridge Family, Lead Pastor Brian Bloye, Jim, and everyone else who has welcomed me and my family thus far!!!! I love you guys and cannot wait to both learn from and give out of my gifts, time, and money!

There is more exciting news coming very soon. I know, but you have to wait until the proper time! Trust me it will be worth it!

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

I know for at least two weeks now I have been promising some very important and grand news. I have not forgotten or mislead any of you. We are in the process of some very exciting things that only God could be working in the Earth. Please stay tuned as we finalize the details!!!

In the mean time I need your help!

I have several people that I would truly be grateful for if you were to include them in your prayer time. As a church planter, pastor and man of God I have come to KNOW (in the intimate sense) the need for prayer, not just myself but from others as well. There are a few church planters whom I know who are requiring our prayer assistance.

First, Jason Salamun, who is planting Project Church in South Dakota. This guy in a very short amount of time has truly become my brother from another mother. I cant tell you how much his friendship means to me and how much more his success as a church planter and pastor mean to the Kingdom of God. They are a couple of days into their last 90 of preperation before their public launch. They are in need of finances, people, a location, people, did i mention finances and the continued Favor of God. Come on people go to God like you have never gone to him before on behalf of someone other than yourself! RAPID CITY IS NEVER EVER GOING TO BE THE SAME!!!!

Then there is Adam Walker. He is planting The Gathering in Decatur where it is Greater!!!! Adam and I met months ago and there was an instant connection. Esther and his wife, Jessica, have formed a bond and I believe in this guy! He and God are going to turn Decatur inside out for the Kingdom of God. They are in need of God meeting every financial need for the church as well as them personally, the Favor of God in their housing search, equipment ($10,000 worth) and people. Let’s get over it people it takes money to make these thing happen! Come on people go to God like you have never gone to him before on behalf of someone other than yourself!

There is also Joshua Roberts. He is planting Connect Rome in Rome, GA. He and I met online and have both been busy and unable to connect, be he is super creative, pretty funny, and truly loves God. The best part is they are going to be meeting in a bar in Rome. I am so stoked about what the vision God has given him. They are believing God for 75 to be at their next launch meeting and $7500.00 for the month of June. Now for us this and any of these request might be a tall order to fill, but for God… THIS IS NOTHING!!! Come on people go to God like you have never gone to him before on behalf of someone other than yourself!

Several other church planters to keep in prayers and thoughts, Shaun King who is planting Courageous Church also in Downtown Atlanta; My new friends West Ridge Church and their pastor Bryan Bloye; my dude, J.R. Lee in Acworth who is rippin it up and calling to check on my crazy behind from time to time, that mean at lot to me, you have no clue, my other brother from a different mother Olu Brown and Impact Church in the West End… these guys are doing it!!!

I want to thank ALL of you for taking out the time to one read my blog, i know you are tired of me begging you, and for taking something this is very dear to me and making it dear to you by praying for these guys and their families. A sign of maturity as a believer is simply when you are not the center of your prayer life. It is also a sign of the kind of love that God loves ALL of us with! Enough of me, GO PRAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

WOW!!!! I give God ALL the credit for opening His Word and for allowing me to partake in Him!!!! On the phone today with a really good friend there was something God spoke to me during the conversation that I immediately had to some home and blog about. So here goes…

As a church planter I sometimes deflated by those who dont show up or keep their commitments to helping out as they said they would. I take it to heart when I look at those faithful in this journey wonder where “the help” is and where will it come from. I, and I am sure I am not the only who has felt this way, continue to motivate, cast vision, pray and even reach out to other church planters and pastors for encouragement during this journey. But today I heard something different from God. Now, granted I will always seek out “help” and encouragement from other church planters and pastors. God did command us to seek out wise counsel. But again today my focus has shifted.

During my conversation with my friend and brother Cedric God shared an amazing oversight with me. Many of us know about the Acts Church, how it was formed, when it was formed, and how after a brief sermon from Peter the church grew by the thousands. IN ONE DAY? NO, IN A MATTER OF HOURS!!!!! After the sermon there were some three thousand added to the church, followers of Christ who dedicated their lives and possessions (a whole ‘nother topic) to The Bride, the church. But what about the original 120 or so…?

How come they dont get the attention they deserve? How come we skip pass them an overlook them? Without them would there have been a 3000? Without them who would have been the example, who would have been the light, or salt to bring flavor to this already incredible recipe for church growth, life change, and success?

I seek repentance now, for overlooking those who have been here from the beginning. I beg their forgiveness for not seeing them and looking past them to more, more and morE. A good friend reminded me recently that WE MUST BE good stewards of the little in order to attain much. But this blog is not solely about that.

Here are the questions I want to raise… What was it about that original 120 or so that were able to reproduce in such an awesome way? What was it about them that God was able to manifest in self in such a way? Why on earth has this type of life change not happen more regularly in and through the church?

There were no fliers, no you tube, no internet, fancy websites, or social networking sites. There was no mailer or teaser or even communication cards. (Please do not take this statement the wrong way, I believe these things are vital today because of how we communicate!) There were merely 120 or so people in a room, The Upper Room, PRAYING. But they were not just praying, the Amplified version here states that they were in FULL AGREEMENT, devoting themselves to prayer.

WOW!!! That’s it? That is the difference between us and them? When was the last time we were consistently in”full agreement” devoted to steadfast prayer? I mean other than praying for the money for the new building or for the mission trip or after 9/11. Can we still do something like this?

So you want change in your life? You a church planter wanting to grow? You want your daughter to come home and leave that loser? You want the drugs out of your hood/community? You want something different to take place in your life? You want a husband, a wife, children? You want to be able to afford life in these crazy economically challenging days?

COME IN FULL AGREEMENT WITH SOMEONE ANYONE AND DEVOTE YOURSELVES TO STEADFAST PRAYER!!!

I look at these 120 or so and think about my people. I am fully persuaded that whether it is 2, 2o or a 120 that if WE ARE IN FULL AGREEMENT, ON ONE ACCORD, ON THE VERY SAME PAGE SAME PARAGRAPH AND SAME SENTENCE THAT WE TOO CAN ACHIEVE THE LIKES OF THIS THE CHURCH OF ACTS.

How else can we truly advance the Kingdom? It is God who gives increase, but WE MUST DO OUR PART!!!

SHALL WE PRAY?

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Please stay tuned and keep coming back regularly as i hope to be making some very important and major announcements next week….

God has been so good to my family and I, His Favor has been endless, and He is writing the story of my life! (Thanks Olu)

Thank you all for being a part of this journey with us… it means the world to me!!!

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

I just read a really incredible blog from Micheal here that the simplicity of it all blew me away!!!

two types of people are needed to make a peculiarplace a reality:

LOST PEOPLE

&

missionaries

Micheal said it best please read his post and let me know how you feel about it. I too want a place that is welcoming, inviting and undeniable to those that are far from God. And I want those who have come to know God during their experience at a peculiarplace to go back where they came from and grab one, two ten people who they know and bring them back to this place called peculiar.

At what point were we taught that we must seperate ourselves from those who need Jesus most? How on earth will those who are far from God ever get to know Him? T.V.????

People please the mission is simple, go, get, and bring!!!

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

A place for those that are far from God to experience, live, create, grow, and become a part of the Kingdom of God.

A place where no matter who you are, where you are from, no matter how imperfect you have been, no matter what you look like, how much money you make or don’t make, how or where you last went to church or whether or not you have never been to church, you will have a home here.

A place in the heart of Downtown Atlanta that is insistent on changed lives, that desires to create lifestyles patterned after the Kingdom of God, where sharing your heart is crucial, judging is unacceptable and JESUS LIVES.

A place where the Gospel is taught in a relevant, effective and easy to understand fashion for ALL to understand and ALL are able to apply to their everyday lives.

A place where WORSHIP SERVICE VOLUNTEERING JOY CHANGE GROWTH HOPE GRACE POWER & FAITH are essential.

A place where baptism is physical evidence of life change.

A place where we only do the things that we are really really really good at and leave the rest alone!!!

A PLACE WHERE YOU and YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS ARE WELCOME!!!

Welcome to a peculiarplace…

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

My meeting with Olu Brown of Impact Church was great! We are planning to have another one next week, so that i might pick his brain even more so.

I got an email today about being on a ministry radio show on 1480 WYZE here in Atlanta.

I cannot wait until my meetings next week, I hope that Josh and I get to sit down on Monday and discuss church planting, Rome, GA and Downtown Atlanta and the new baby…

This weekend is going to be crazy!!!

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

I am growing with an antsy crazy anticipation to be able to share the good news I have with you. Today I have moved one step closer to being able to share this news with you, i think i am going to explode!!!!

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

I had an incredible lunch meeting today with my new friend, Brian Bloye of West Ridge Church. He is an excellent communicator, my parents enjoyed him yesterday at their 11:30 service and an exceptional leader. I look forward to being able to share with him and the West Ridge family in the future. Thanks Jim!!!
If you are not aware, West Ridge has an amazing Church Planting School that I will most certainly be a part of this year, and I cannot wait!!

I am so humbled that men like Brain, Gary, J.R., Shawn, David, Jason, Dave and so many others take time out of their schedules to lend a hand share their experience and advice with me. I truly feel blessed to be where I am today!!!

I hope to have an amazing announcement coming very soon!!! Please stay tuned as soon as I know I will share it with ALL of you!!!

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!