21 Days of Prayer

It's hard to believe, but the summer is drawing closer to an end. In one way, I'm excited because that means my travel season is finally coming to a close as well. I am so grateful that we have an amazing team of people who have been empowered to make GC happen week in and week out. Even without me there, church has been amazing this summer!

I want to especially thank Pastor Andy, Steven, Dustin Thompson, and Troy Perry for preaching dynamic messages in my absence. It's an honor to have you all fill in. 

With July coming to a close, that means one of the most important times of the year as a church is quickly approaching: 21 Days of Prayer. Two years ago, as a launch team, we decided that every August we would challenge the church as a whole to join us in 21 days of intentional prayer and fasting. We believe that as we approach the fall, this is an important time to pray for the next step as a church and a new season of momentum in reaching our city for Jesus. Not only is it a time of preparation, but it is a time of renewal. So we focus heavily on prayer and fasting just before the expected fall growth season. I want to fill you in on why we do this and why YOU should join us.

 

First of all, what is fasting?

Fasting: To abstain from all or some kinds of food or drink, especially as a religious observance.

Many people say they fast by not watching television, or listening to certain music, etc. But the technical definition is to go without certain foods. There are different kinds of fasts that many people participate in, and we will share a few in this post.

 

So, WHY do we fast?

1. Fasting Disconnects Us From the World

You would be shocked to know that the things we eat sometimes determine how well we hear the voice of God. Foods have a different effect on us emotionally and physically. Consuming large amounts of sugar, caffeine, and salt can leave you feeling sluggish, which leads to less energy or desire to pray and read the Bible. Sometimes, in order to get your body in tune with God, you have to purge it. Fasting can be one of the most fulfilling spiritual experiences ever, if you do with the right heart and attitude. Fasting allows us to hear from God without certain distractions. When you're totally depending on His Word to fulfill hunger, you learn to hear from Him pretty quickly!

2. Prayer Connects Us with God

Fasting MUST be accompanied by prayer or else it's just a diet. We're not asking you to go on a diet, we're asking you to intentionally and passionately seek the face of God for 21 days in order to hear from Him. Prayer combined with fasting leads to powerful results. Jesus even tells us that some addictions, spirits, and demons cannot be cast out without intense prayer and fasting (Matthew 17:21) Remember, fasting without prayer is pointless.

3. Fasting Humbles Us to Seek God's Face for Huge Requests

I think of the book of Jonah when God was set on destroying an entire city because of their wickedness. But then the entire city, even the animals, went without food and water. The king declared a city-wide fast to ask God for forgiveness and to pray for mercy. God heard their cry and spared them. In Scripture, when His people fasted and prayed, God ALWAYS responded. Always. We pray intentionally for huge things during the 21 days of prayer and fasting - huge things for our church and huge things individually. 

4. To Show Total Dependence on God, Not Ourselves

Many of us are addicts. Maybe not to heroine, cocaine, or alcohol, but to food. Many people make excuses as to why they can't fast, but the bottom line is they don't want to give up food. They're addicts. People say things like "I get headaches," or "I feel sick when I fast." This is called detoxing. When your body goes without sugars, caffeine, and carbs, it will freak out! Most of those foods are drugs and they control us. Just as many people can't quit smoking or drinking, many people can't stop eating. The apostle Paul encouraged us not let anything master us except the Lord Jesus. If you can't quit something, then it masters you. Fasting requires total dependence on God. Jesus even practiced this, especially before huge moments. He prayed and fasted for 40 days before starting His earthly ministry. He prayed all night without stopping before choosing the 12 disciples. He prayed in the garden just before going to the cross. Total dependence sometimes requires total depravity. 

What are some ways I can fast?

One of the main ways our leaders fast is called the Daniel Fast. This is a diet that entirely consists of fruit, vegetables, and water. You can read about how Daniel used this diet to show the king that he and his men didn't need all the unhealthy food to be in shape or strong. (Daniel Chapter 1)

 

Another way (I wouldn't suggest this unless you have fasted many times before) is a total fast. No food whatsoever for 21 days. I've had friends that have had nothing but water and 100% fruit juices for 21 days. I've never attempted this fast, but it is a powerful fast that I do want to attempt one day. 

 

You can also just choose to fast from certain foods such as caffeine, sugars, breads, or whatever you choose. We just encourage you to make it something that would be a great sacrifice.

What should I pray for?

Pray for the church:  

   Pray for the leadership and for your pastor.

 

Pray for MANY more lost people in our community to find Jesus through coming to GC.

 

Pray that we would have the land that we desire by the end of 2013.

 

Pray that our serve teams would continue to increase.

 

Pray for influence, favor, and blessings so that we can continue this huge vision and mission.

Pray for yourself and others:

Write down huge prayer requests you want to see answered such as lost family, addictions, financial blessings, physical healing, spouses, children, etc.

 

Be specific! Ask God to do the impossible!

 

Also, if you haven't joined GC, an E-Group, or started serving and giving, pray that God would lead you to your next step and be involved.

We have all kinds of resources and book suggestions at our website: www.generationchurch.me. Just go there to find out more information, including what you can and cannot eat on the Daniel fast. 

 

Also, we want to pray WITH you and hear how God is answering your prayers throughout the 21 days. Send all requests and praises to our brand new prayer team email: pray@generationchurch.me 

We have an amazing team that's excited to pray for you and we will send out your requests and praises. 

Let's get fired up, church! 21 Days of Prayer begins Sunday, August 4th and finishes on Sunday, August 25th. We will have an Encounter Worship night that night to cap off the 21 days and celebrate! Let's prepare our requests now, church. We have two weeks. Let's believe God for greater things! I love you, church...heart and soul.

What We've Learned After 10 Years of Marriage

As you all may know, Jess and I just celebrated our ten year anniversary. As we had some time to relax and look back over the years, I asked her what she's learned after ten years of marriage. So, I thought it would be a good idea to share our discussion for others to learn from us. I will start with the three things that Jessica said she learned and then I will share the three things that I have learned after ten years. 

Three things that I (Jessica) learned :

1. Be Quick to Hear, Slow to Speak

When you are aggravated at your spouse, it is easy to just respond with the first emotion you feel. I have learned that it's more productive to process my feelings and understand his perspective before reacting. Ladies, respond to your husband, don't react. You can't take words back, so be intentional with each one. 

2. We Are on the Same Team

Stop treating your husband as if he's against you, he's not. Sometimes it's easy to respond to every mistake our husband makes as an act of war. We say things like; "you always" or "you never". And we treat every incident as if our spouse is the enemy. We must remember that our enemy is one that is unseen, not the man we wake up to each morning. 

3. Embrace Each Other's Differences

When you're dating, you pretend that both of you have so much in common. We think that because we like the same movies, foods, and music that somehow he will love EVERYTHING that we love or do. You find out quickly that you are two different people, with different personalities, and different interests. Ladies, that is OKAY. We need to learn to love our husband's differences and embrace who he is, not try to change him. My father taught me the value of being frugal. Brandon did not grow up the same way. When we first got married, he left the water on while he shaved (which still drives me crazy) and I would fuss at him (to no avail). All of the little differences were speed bumps that over time I learned to embrace instead of curse. I am his wife, not his mother. Some ladies need to learn the difference. It's not our job to change our husbands, it's our job to stand by him, love him, and do life together. Even if it means a slight increase in the water bill ;)

Three things I (Brandon) learned:

1. No One Looks Out for My Family More Than Me

Early on in our marriage, when I was in student ministry, I said yes to every single opportunity to do ministry, go on trips, or take students to events. After three years of marriage, we had our first child. Things changed drastically for my wife, but I kept the same fast paced life style. By the time our second child was born three and a half years later, it brought a lot of tension to our marriage. I had to learn quickly that no one else is guarding our time more than me. People will cheer you all the way to your grave...or divorce. Be intentional with your family time, guard it, and keep your promises to your family.

2. Transparency is the Key to Growing Love

My experiences growing up forced me to be a closed book. I never liked opening up or talking about my "feelings" early on in our marriage. Jessica came from a tight knit family and was very open about how she felt and loved talking. I just wanted the discussions that led to head nods or grunts. Something I learned to discover over the years is the value of a transparent conversation. My wife knew barely anything about my past when we got married. Partially because of fear she would run faster than Forrest Gump in the opposite direction. I was also afraid to be vulnerable. But vulnerability is the very definition of love, isn't it? I mean, who was more vulnerable than Jesus? And if God IS love, then shouldn't our lives model such vulnerability? Over the years, as I've learned to spend quality time having real conversations with my wife, I grow more and more in love with her. Money, materialism, vacations, and jewelry might buy you a few memories but only transparency will buy you "till death do you part".

3. My Wife has a Calling and Purpose Too

Being in ministry, often times the wife gets left behind in our journey to "Kingdom Business". Most pastor's wives work in default areas of the church because that's just what they've always done. Many pastor's wives work in children's ministry, lead women's ministries, or just come to church and "suffer" through their husband's sermon. Now, some women may be called to those areas (except the suffering through the message part) but what I've learned is that most men never take into consideration that our wives have passions that God has instilled in them as well. Sadly, I didn't discover this until we went through church planting assessment in the fall of 2010. I saw my wife come alive as she discovered her passion for people and for starting a church that would reach out to those who were far from God. Now, I stand back and watch a confident leader as she greets people who come through the doors of GC and leads women's small groups. She is passionate and living her purpose. When our wives are in this journey WITH us instead of BECAUSE of us, our marriages become strong. It's my responsibility as the leader of my home to make sure my family gets closer to Jesus and discover their purpose, not just myself.

I hope that you are learning things along the way of your own marriage journey. Even if you're young and single, you can always learn from others as you prepare for your future. We have experience a blessed ten years filled with adventure and joy. Yes, we have had our share of struggles but I can honestly say we've never once thought of giving up or throwing in the towel. We barely stay mad longer than a day when we do get aggravated. My wife has taught me more about life and love than I could ever hope for in this life. I pray that YOUR marriage is built on the rock of Christ Jesus. Maybe you've been married longer. We would love to hear feedback in what you've learned! We love you church, we pray that our lives would inspire yours. We love you...heart and soul.

Pastor B

Summer Update

Can you believe that June is over? I hope and pray that everyone is enjoying their summer with family and friends. I just wanted to take a minute and update everyone on an incredible month of ministry. Here are just a few highlights of summer, 2013:

Summer Attendance:

While a summer drop in attendance is normally expected, it has been amazing to see our average of 600 people stay strong in the summer months! While vacationing, family time, and other activities are going on, people are still coming through the doors at GC. Father’s Day is considered one of the least attended Sundays of the year and we still had over 600 people. We baptized 14 people in the month of June! I can’t wait to see what God does this fall!

Ministry Opportunities and Travel:

I have had the privilege to travel and speak at other places this summer. Starting with our very own student camp in Panama City Beach, Florida. Pastor Steven asked me last year if I would be the camp evangelist and I accepted with excitement. For our first camp that we’ve ever put together, we saw nearly 120 people make the trip including our friends from Dexter, Missouri. That week, God did something amazing in our students. A movement started. Nearly 30 students were saved and the week was capped off with 14 students being baptized in the ocean early Friday morning at sunrise. It was a once in a lifetime experience!

Just two weeks ago, I spoke to nearly 1,000 students and youth leaders at the General Baptist National Youth Conference. Students from all over the country gathered for the annual conference. 101 students/adults gave their hearts to Jesus!!!! It was an INCREDIBLE experience! I am still getting emails/messages from people whose lives were changed that weekend. It is incredibly humbling to be a part of something that is bigger than myself.

I have been able to network with other church planters from all over the country as well as we gathered for our 2^nd annual Church Planter’s Retreat. Jess and I had the honor and privilege of planning, dreaming, and networking to plant more churches and continue to see a movement happen all over the world with church planting. I absolutely LOVE doing life with other leaders who are helping build the Kingdom!

Refuge Church:

Part of being Kingdom minded is building friendships and relationships with other leaders and allowing them into our church lives. While Jess and I celebrated 10 years, Pastor Dustin Thompson came and shared a powerful message of hope and purpose. And we were able to invest in their future work in Cookeville, TN with a financial gift. I pray that we are always a church that gives and gives generously. May we be the hands and feet of the gospel not only in our city but in our region, state, country, and ultimately the world!

10 Years of Marriage:

My wife, Jessica, and I were able to spend the weekend in Gatlinburg celebrating our 10^th wedding anniversary. I am grateful that we have an amazing leadership team that can lead things back home and see the importance of giving us time away. We miss our church terribly when we are away, but recognize that strong marriages need investment time. Thank you for allowing us to do just that; invest in each other with personal time away. What an honor to celebrate 10 years by looking back and seeing a God sized dream come true in Generation Church!

I can’t express to you what an honor and privilege it is to be the lead pastor of such an amazing group of people. As we continue this summer season, let’s not lose sight of our mission at hand: to reach our city with the gospel of Christ and help people discover their God given passion. We love you, church…heart and soul.

Pastor B