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?

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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!!!!

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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!!!

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I caught this kind of late today, but I got to hear most of Rick’s message and it was as usual and expected powerful, enlightening, and filled with nuggets. I really love his transparency and most of all his love for the Kingdom of God.

I dont know if you have anything better to do today, I doubt it, but please tune in here at some point today.

I want to thank Los and Tony Morgan for providing this very valuable material from the conference for those of us who could not make it to the conference!!!!!!!!!!! You guys rock!!!

PLEASE IM BEGGING IF YOU ARE ANY WHERE NEAR CLOSE TO A COMPUTER TODAY CHECK OUT THIS CONFERENCE. THE LIST OF SPEAKERS IS OFF THE FREAKIN CHAIN!!!!!!

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I recently bought a book, that I knew I had to have, but had no idea that it would fill me with such hope, focus, and desire to be the Leader God has chosen me to be!

A couple of months ago I found the book, “The Leadership Secrets of Billy Graham” on sale at a local christian book store and thought… hmmm maybe I should read that. I picked it up and read over the table of contents and decided that the next time i get some extra money i will get it. Last week I was in Barnes and Nobles and there it was like a neon sign blaring in the dense dark night.

4.98

I couldnt believe it. So I got it!

It is beating up, everyday I read something new I needed or wanted to know. I think of a new blog post after every page.

I had to share that, maybe someone is looking for something to read now or in the near future. Truly an amazing book.

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the more i ponder the thought of the current state of our educational system in the Atlanta Metropolitan area, I become indignant! I look at all of the churches in this city and it surrounding suburbs, not to mention all of the churches that have schools themselves and wonder, is anyone out there thinking like me? Has this been done before, has it been tried and everyone scrupulously fell asleep at the wheel or met their demise at the behest of an atheist, separation of church and state flag waver?

Before I go any further, let me say this… NO! emphatically no i am not trying to get prayer back in school, although we do need it, and NO! this is not a marketing ploy for apeculiarplace!!!! This is something God has been keeping up at night with, it has been running through my mind so much i cant think of much else. Not to mention the thought of so many churches with schools, and the pastors kids don’t even attend the very school the church runs. THAT IS TOTAL BS!!!!

What if with genuine concern, the love and compassion of Christ, the desire to see lives changed and a hope for a brighter tomorrow were all it took to achieve what God has placed in my heart?

Where do your kids go to school?

Are there enough computers? Any kids who don’t have school supplies? What about the kids whose parents could not afford “NEW” school clothes? Talk about a self esteem serial killer!!

What drives me crazy is that, probably for a fraction of the cost, we, THE CHURCH, could invest in a NEEDY school in our community, and if your schools are all that and a bag a chips, i am sure there is a NEEDY one somewhere… but for a fraction of the cost to start”Our Own Schools” we could invest.

Instead of looking to create revenue streams we could give, sow, volunteer, create, build, changes lives for the Kingdom of God…

I thinking out loud… so please feel free to jump in at anytime…

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I had a thought…

OK some of you may be very shocked right now, and saying to yourself… “see he does think!”

I want to adopt a school in the community we plan on planting apeculiarplace…

Any thoughts, direction, wisdom, or should i have rolled over and went back to sleep?

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in a political season where rhetoric has become more than an obvious and obnoxious distraction to those hurting, unable to afford health insurance, gas, keeping their homes and just staying afloat, we need action!

Reading Perry Noble’s blog today I was moved, moved to be more, want more, give more, give even more after that and be the church God called us to be and said we are.

In his Sunday Night Reflection, he tells of a house they gave away to a single mother, and a handicap accessible van to another single mother who cares for her adult son with disability. He makes a statement that we MUST ALL CONSIDER AS WE LIKE PAUL PRESS TOWARDS THE MARK OF THE HIGH CALLING…

“Generous giving enables a church to do far more in a community that it ever dreamed it could.”

Are you generous? With your time? With your money? with your love? With anything God has given you as a gift, a word, a song, a hope, a vision…?

I challenge everyone today, to one thing… TO DO MORE THAN YOU HAVE BEEN DOING. TO GIVE MORE THAN YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN. TO BE MORE THAN YOU HAVE BEEN!

Actions speak louder than words… it is time for God’s church to become the only audible voice the earth hears!!!!!!!!

Will you?

Tony Morgan, I love your Church too. And I pray. that apeculiarplace can raise the standard that New Spring and others have raised to an even higher level.

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Why Here?

Why Now?

WHY ME????????????????????????????????????????????

Have you ever been asked to do something larger than yourself? Larger than your current financial, physical, emotional, mental and intellectual stature. Have you been a gigantic ball of potential all of your life with no fruition of such potential seemingly insight? Do you know what it is to be haunted by dreams of life that seem out of your reach, by right in front of your face?

If not then maybe, just maybe you are not dreaming at all? Maybe you have decided at some low point in your life to believe that what you have right now, today is all you ever wanted and needed out of life. I could be wrong but there is the slim chance that tomorrow will look like today which looked like yesterday and the yesterday before that.

Before I go any further, please don’t get upset with me because the one thing that you and I alike thought about doing or becoming when we were kids has been placed in a box put up in a closet and forgotten about simply because someone said it would not work, or your life is perfect why would you mess it up, or maybe they said nothing at all and their silence was deafening and lastly they could have simply laughed in your face…. SO YOU QUIT, I QUIT.

OK, so now that you have totally insulted me, now what you ask?

I want you to know that there is NOTHING, and I mean NOTHING more satisfying in this Life or any other life than your passion(s) coming to LIFE. There is a secret, you must promise to share with anyone and everyone… YOU, YES YOU, ARE IN CONTROL OF WHETHER OR NOT YOU LIVE THIS, A PASSIONATE LIFE. Whether or not you pursue your passion, or whether or not you even pursue passion itself. THE CHOICE IS YOURS!

Nothing new right? SO, what are you waiting on?

It was brought to my attention, by a very very good friend of mine whom i love like my mother gave birth to him, that those who have simply realized, heard or know their purpose in life are fortunate beyond repair. I have found both my purpose and my passion in Jesus, in my wife, in my family, and in planting the church God has chosen me to plant in the heart of downtown Atlanta.

And let me tell you, my pursuit of passion has taken me some places i would have never dreamed i would go, some places I want to forget I have been and has seen me make mistakes that I would not wish on my worst enemy. I have lost friends and gained family. I have quit restarted and quit in the same day on several occasions. I have lost everything and found myself. I have danced in the rain with the love of my life, and almost blew it with the love of my life.

Yet, i would not change this ride, this pursuit, my purpose for nothing in the world.

HE CHOSE ME!

WHAT ARE YOU LIVING FOR?

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