Stay On the Wall

I just want to take a second to reflect on what happened at "Encounter" tonight. I'm sure that everyone has heard by now that we have been blessed to purchase 13 acres of land right on Highway 52, just past Gateview Elementary School! Tonight's unveiling was one of the greatest highlights of our young church's history. If you missed tonight's worship experience, it was definitely one for the ages! But as you all know, we are just getting started. We are not content with land, buildings, or material items. We can't and WON'T stop reaching those who are far from God whether we are in a school, a gym, a tent, or anywhere else. Our mission and vision is never "permanent" space, but it will always be about Jesus and people. So, here is a highlight of tonight's message on Nehemiah to remind us all of our mission:

1. Action Plus Excellence Equals Nervousness

The enemy saw that not only had Nehemiah started rebuilding the wall, but it was done with excellence. Not only that, but Nehemiah was not content with progress, but instead motivated by the vision. The enemy hates a church that strives for excellence and passion in all that it does. We're about to make the devil nervous...

2. Don't Come Down From the Wall

People will come from everywhere to try and get your focus off of the vision and get you to come down from the wall. DON'T LISTEN TO THEM! We don't have time for haters, negative people, pessimistic people, and doubters. There will always be people who want to distract you from the work of God. But just as Nehemiah said; 'we are in the middle of a great work, we can not come down.' 
We need people who will NOT come down from the wall of: serving, giving, staying connected, and leading.

3. Stay Above the Fray

Gossip and slander will become a distraction the larger we get and the more people we reach. Stay above the fray and remember that lies, back biting, and bitterness are from the enemy. Lead above it and stay focused on reaching people, not tearing them down. Remember that the enemy wants to make this about you, but it's about God's mission. You didn't volunteer for this; but God by His grace and mercy ALLOWED you to be a part of His movement. It's never about you, it's about what God is dong through you. Remember, we GET to do this....

4. Embrace Grace

Five is the number of grace, and five times they tried to get Nehemiah off of the wall. But in Chapter two, Nehemiah recognizes the 'gracious hand of God was upon him.' If our God is for us, who could ever stop us?! Remember to embrace the gracious hand of God and to serve with a relentless passion; knowing that He is leading us!

5. Beware of the Two Headed Monster

Nehemiah said that the enemy was trying to do two things: Intimidate him and discourage him so that they would quit the work of God. 
Remember that no one has the right to tell you that you are less than what God has called you to be. When we start listening to people's opinions about us, we forget what God has said about us. And discouragement is the last step before we throw in the towel and quit the work of God. Be like Joshua; "strong and of good courage". God has led us to it, so don't hesitate to take the land...pardon the pun ;)

6. Fuel for the Fire

I love how Nehemiah responds to the haters, the negativity, the doubters. He simply says, "Now, we will continue this work with greater determination"! That fires me up! Through trials, tough times, adversity, doubts, we will use all of it as fuel for the passion that grows in each of us who are dedicated to the vision and mission of this church! Remember, "we are the movement, we are a church on fire...YOU are unstoppable!" (LOVE the new worship song by the way...great job, band!)

So if you missed tonight, we are gearing up for our fall series; "Unleashed" which begins September 29th. Details will be out this week. But for the rest of this year, we are using the hashtag #stayonthewall to encourage and inspire each other when tweeting about GC and our mission. Whenever you feel like giving up; stay on the wall. When people doubt what God is doing in your church; stay on the wall. When people try to drag you down; stay on the wall. 

Let's continue to be faithful in what God has called us to do, church. I can't tell you how excited I am about what's in store. But let's not lose sight of the right now either. In 7 days Sunday will be here again. So...who you bringing? 

Love you all, heart and soul.
Pastor B

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

Camp Recap

What an amazing week at Panama City Beach with our PULSE students and Elevate students from Dexter, Missouri! If your teen missed out, you DEFINITELY want to make sure they go next year!
Here is a quick recap:

*The first night, we had 14 confirmed salvations! Not to mention at least 10 more the last night.

*Friday morning, at 5:00am, we baptized 14 students at the beach during a sunrise service. It was incredible!

*I preached an entire series from the book of Jonah. The students were so hungry for the word that most of the sermons went an hour and a half and it seemed like 30 minutes. They couldn't get enough!

*Our very own student pastor taught the afternoon sessions. He did a series entitled "God's Will Is Whatever" and gave practical ways for the students to grasp God's will for their lives.

*Danya, our worship pastor, also taught a morning session on getting into the presence of God. We had 3 conference style sessions a day, and each session was jam packed with worship and the word. And the students LOVED it!

*Student pastor, Tyler Feller, and our good friend Kryst Lyke, also taught morning sessions and did a phenomenal job!

*The last night, I challenged the students with a message; "A Moment or a Movement". Many camp experiences are short lived. So I challenged them to get serious about their walk with Christ or we wouldn't be seeing them next year once the "hype" wore off. It was incredible as they stood to talk to youth leaders about holding them accountable with their walk with Christ!

*We had an "After Party" for the students the last night. We celebrated and worshipped for nearly 2 hours! The students prayed for one another, their leaders, and their pastors. Students were standing up and testifying and preaching...it was a humbling experience.

*On the bus ride home, the students began worshipping and standing to give their testimonies! We even had students standing and preaching the last night of camp that had JUST been saved this past week!

Tonight, Pastor Steven did a phenomenal job casting vision for our student ministry. He taught on our mission at Generation Church; Loving God, Loving People, Empowering Lives. He taught that 4 things must happen for the movement to continue:
1. Grow Bigger
-Be relentless in inviting people
2. Grow Closer
-Grow closer to your Christian friends, leave behind old influences.
3. Grow Up
-Leave behind all the drama, gossip, jealousy, bitterness and grow mature in your faith.
4. Grow Yourself
-Start your own worship time, Bible reading, and prayer time.

It was the best camp follow up message I have ever heard. The students did not want to go home! They worshipped until we made them leave. I was truly blown away at what God was doing in the midst of these students. 
Not only that, but at LEAST 60 students stood to say they wanted to serve and be leaders in our church!!! Wake up adults, the students are leading the way! It's time for YOU to step up and get involved!

Church, this is only the beginning. This isn't just about our students, it's about what God wants to do in our church. Get ready, because the movement has just begun...

A Reminder from Today

As we start a new week at our jobs, school, or at home, I wanted to just encourage you all to remember highlights from today's message. Today, we discussed our core value: We Seek Those Far From God. As you encounter co-workers, family members, and friends who are far from God; remember how Jesus responded or dealt with them:

HE MET THEM

He met them in their mess, right where they were. People need to be reminded that it's not God who is far from us, but it's us who is far from Him. One step in the other direction and we see that Jesus was there all along, meeting us in our darkest hour. 

Meet people where they are this week. Run to the mess.

HE EMBRACED THEM

Before He confronted their sin, He embraced them as people not just a project. Jesus never condoned sin, but He always loved the sinner. His compassion and approach to people was so incredible that people repented and followed Him because of His overwhelming love. People who are jacked up don't need people to point that out; they already know. 

Remember to embrace people, their faults and all. Your compassion and sincerity will create soft soil in their hearts to receive the seed of the word of God. Love people for who they can become, not for what they've done.

HE INVITED THEM

Jesus always gave people the opportunity to follow Him. He invited them to repentance, healing, a life of peace, a life of forgiveness. If we only show people love or good deeds but never share Jesus then what's the point? Jesus' compassion had a purpose: restore mankind's relationship with God that had been broken by sin. 

Who are you inviting to experience Jesus? Who are you intentionally building relationships with to influence them to become followers of Christ? Invite someone to meet Jesus this week whether in person or a church invite. 

Today, four people publicly professed Christ as Savior. That should never get old to us church. As we start our new week, may we never forget to seek out those who need Jesus. It's why we do what we do. Have a blessed week church, I love and honor each of you.

Pastor B

Weekend Review

I don't even know where to begin. What an amazing weekend, church! I hope and pray that the message truly impacted each person that came this weekend. I'm telling you GC, if we will all develop that servant's heart, we will see our city turned upside down! It was such a powerful experience; especially talking to people throughout the day who were impacted by the worship experiences. Here's a recap of the weekend:

Attendance: 740 people at our morning worship experiences...that's a non-holiday record! We had 205 GKids! We had our largest 3rd worship experience ever at 230 people. There were 74 5-11 year olds alone in the 2nd worship experience. Unreal!
Our student ministry; PULSE, saw an attendance record of 201 people! It was THE best student worship experience of the year!

Salvations: In the morning worship experiences, we saw 5 people come to know Jesus as their savior. 2 of those were baptized as well! At PULSE, 13 students stood to their feet to place their faith in Christ as their savior!! It was incredible!

Baptisms: We baptized 11 people yesterday morning. And 9 of the 13 students that received Christ signed up for the next baptism! We saw mother/daughters being baptized, coaches baptizing their players, 2 men who were saved following through immediately with baptism. 

Generate Ownership: This is our class to join the church and get involved to become an owner (not a member). We had 24 people taking their next step and joining one of our serve teams. Nearly every class this year has been full every month! As our teams grow, so will our church, which in turn grows the Kingdom.

Life Change Stories: As I mentioned already, there were 2 gentlemen who were saved/baptized yesterday. 
*I spoke with a man who had not been to church in 45 YEARS! He lost 2 children in a fire and has had trouble coming to church. He said that he's never been impacted by a church as he has since he started coming 2 weeks ago. 
*I spoke with someone who has been out of church for 5 years and was living with her fiancee, but recently broke up. They both agreed that they needed God in their relationship and lives. They both were VIP's yesterday and rededicated their lives to Jesus and are excited about their next steps in their faith journey. She even came back to PULSE and loved it!
*One gentlemen, who just started coming a few weeks ago, said he had never been to a church that accepted him. He has a lot of tattoos and piercings. He has been saved and baptized since attending GC! His sister came and was baptized yesterday!
*We had VIP students who came, got saved, and are now going to attend camp with us at PCB this summer. It was an incredible night of life change at PULSE.
*We even had a retiree sign up to go and help with camp because he was so inspired by his first visit to PULSE last night!

In just 1 year's time we have seen 59% growth. That's not normal church! The thing that excites me most is continuing to see double digit baptisms and full Ownership classes. That means our Dream Team is growing and people are following through with next steps. The Code is being lived out in all that you are faithful with church. If we will dedicate ourselves to doing what God has called us to do, God will always be faithful with His part. 

As I shared in yesterday's message, God wants to share the miracle with us. When He blessed the food to feed the 5,000, He placed it in the hands of the disciples. I believe He finds great joy in sharing the miracle and allowing us to be a part of the bigger picture. Remember to stay grateful and faithful. Our gratitude will produce Godly attitudes and our faithfulness will bring fruitful results. Give God the glory and He will let us share in the miracle. 

Have a blessed week and get fired up...because we get to do it all over again in 6 days :)