Built on Faith

I tell you what. It seems like each week I get more and more excited. You know you almost have those thoughts that if you say the wrong thing you will jinx what is happening. Or your just kind of waiting for the let down.

But for a Christian those thought just shouldn't be in our head. We are more than overcomers. We are champions for Christ, a chosen generation. God is for us and every good and perfect gift comes from the father. The reason I don't worry about how things are going, (don't get me wrong when I say this cause I see that we are a mile from where I want us to be) is because worrying has never changed anything. But faith changes everything. Faith is what pleases God and it is by faith that everything is happening at Elevate.

This past week it looks like we might have added a keyboard player to our worship band Frontline. (They have this awesome handsome acoustic guitar player who is leaving us to go to UT (I forgave him when he said he would get me in the football games (Hook 'em HORNS))) God also brought in a young man who lead worship for his youth ministry. In three months God has but together a full praise team because it was going to be vital to where we are going. It is one of those logs that has to be organized to bring the fire to what we are doing over here.

All of this is happening by faith. Faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen. The Message Bible paraphrases like this: ...this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. Too often people get into worring and life becomes just kind of yuch. Let faith be the firm foundation for your life. PeAcE....

A little work today

Today I came in to prep for our backpack stuffing tomorrow. Normally we have Fridays off but with the upcoming outreach I needed to get some stuff done. We are filling 500 backpacks with supplies tomorrow. I am so excited. This is a project my wife totally believes in and is passionate about. It is going to begin kicking off some exciting things for our Church.

I also typed out my agenda for my team leader meeting on Monday. Once a month I meet with my staff leaders to pour into them and help them plan and be the best staff they can be. This monday I will be giving them 5 traits of championship teams. We will also be doing some now and future planning. Our youth service has been going great so far and I want to keep the momentum going. This is only the tip of the iceburg and I can't wait to see what God has in store for us. Be blessed everyone.

Service Update

Last night was tottaly off the chain. Another record setting night. We had 46 total in our service and 7 first time visitors. Off the chizzile for rizzle...OH YEAH....

Anyway it was great night...the service had a great flow to it. I challenged the teens to come forward during worship and many did and were pressing in to worship God. It was great. I am so looking forward to the days to come. This is just a taste of what is going to happen. God is strategically placing and bringing people into our congregation for what is to come. It is exciting to sit back and see what God is doing.

Distractions

Tonight my sermon is called "Too Many Pop-Ups" and it is about distractions and how to stay focused....We are in a series called "Myspace or God's Space."

It's funny but all day yesterday and now this morning I seem to get distracted from writing my sermon...LOL...Here I am typing a blog...

Anyways I am praying for a great night tonight...Big things are happening here in CC so be on the lookout....PeAcE

The Pure Joy of Ministry

Well it's Tuesday and I am sitting in my office starting out my day. On July 29th we are doing a backpack outreach giving out 500 backpacks to area children. We were so blessed yesterday when we went to Wal-mart to buy the supplies. The notebook paper we were going to buy had been .50 cents so that is the cost we were thinking we were paying. It even said that on the shelf. When we went to pay though I thought that we hadn't paid enough and that is when we found out they had just marked it all down to .15 cents. Praise God. My wife and I were so excited.

I am about to start working on the details of the week for tomorrow's youth meeting. I really feel the teens are starting to catch the vision. My team is also doing a fantastic job. This past weekend our day at the lake went great. The food was good and the time spent with the teens was great. They had a great time out there.

Now is the time for us to start focusing on our BACK TO SCHOOL BASH which will happen August 30th. I have a lot of thoughts for that night that I have to get out on paper this week. It is such a great feeling to be back in ministry. And it is great to see all the things God is doing through our team. I love working with people and helping them fulfill the dreams that God has placed in them.

Saturday Bash at the Lake

I'm getting ready to go out to Lake Corpus Christi to our Bash at the Lake event. It is all about our teens hanging out eating and having fun....building relationships with each other, with me and with my team.

Don't know how many are going to show up it is about a 30 minute drive but for those that do it will be good.

Everyone who reads you be blessed and have a great day and church service tomorrow.

totally rocked

Last night was awesome at youth. We hit 45 on our numbers. Now I know what most of you might be thinking that is not very many. But since I have been here we have not hit more than 35 total. We had 6 first time guests. We introduced two new songs that totally rocked.

The new series we started last night went well. I think I spent more time leading them into worship and serving than I did on my sermon so the sermon went short and sweet. It was good it was titled "What is your connection speed?" our series is called "Myspace or God's Space"
Great night it totally rocked...looking forward to so many more.

You guys pray for me my lower back has really been hurting me it is even hard to sit.

Getting Ready For Service Tonight

Well I am sitting in my office delaying writing my sermon...I think I am just trying to put the pressure on myself of getting it done at the last minute. I pretty much have it all in my head...just got to get it on paper so I can do the notes and powerpoint.

Tonight the sermon title is What's your dial-up speed? I am going to talk from Revelation where Jesus speaks to the church about being lukewarm...and then I am going to talk about how to stay or be on fire.

Taking last week off worries me cause you can lose some momentum with that even thougth we were at camp with about 1/3 of the group. But I am looking forward to service and what is in store. Things have started to go in the direction I have been seeing from the beginning. Two weeks ago we had 6 first time visitors...that is great...when I left Kingsville 6 years ago our ministry was averaging 10 first timers a week...so I feel we are on track for now...within the next school year I hope we hit the 10-15 mark...that will keep us on track to hit our goals and more....

A Great Life

There are many days that I wake up and realize I have a great life...God has blessed me with so many things...A beautiful and wonderful wife...three wonderful girls...a great job where I can live out my purpose in life...a awesome youth ministry that is on the verge of exploding...great parents who have been a terrific example to me....some really awesome friends along the way...

Jesus said that he came to give us life and life more abundantly...I really feel like I have that...for me has not been about the money (although if any one want to give me a million I could use it...LOL) it has been about the experiences with the people who are close to me. Helping people become all they can be in their life...

Everyone can experience abundant life...everyone can if they stop for just a moment can realize how great they really do have it. So often we let the minor roadblocks and problems become our real focus...Don't let that happen...realize all the great things God has given us and you.

Back From Camp

We are back from camp...It was great but I am exhausted.

We went to camp in San Antonio at Cornerstone Church. Their youth ministry is Youthfire and this was the first year they held camp. It was a jam packed schedule with services nightly. During the day we went to Fiesta Texas, Seaworld and Shlitterbahn. After service there was a concert one night, we went as a camp to see Superman, and then another night was in their game room facility. WHEW...I'm getting tired again just thinking about it.

The services were really great. Their worship team did a fantastic job. Every night we were just going after God.

Overnight Friday, I spent in the ER with one of our teens who cracked a tooth. We got back to the hotel at 6:45 in the morning.

Several teens said they really enjoyed it and some really moved forward in their walk with God. I am hoping to keep the momentum going in their lives.

Summer Camp

Today, we are leaving to youth camp. We are going to Cornerstone Church in San Antonio and are taking 14 teens which is more than double what they took last year. I am pumped to see some little victories that we are acheiving. I have a great leadership team that is starting to work well together. And I really am beginning to see physically a little more clearly the potential I see in my spirit.

We still have some ways to go but we are getting it there. The best illustration I can give is that it is like starting a fire. If the logs are all over the ground in different places then there will be no one to get a blazing fire going. You might get one log but the others will never catch cause they are not together.

Youth ministry is a lot like that. You have to get all your logs lined up right to get a roaring blaze going. Right now I am spending the majority of time on doing that the way God has placed it on my heart. Be praying for us this week should provide a little spark to some of our teens which I believe will put one more log on the fire.

Excellent week and service

This past weeks service was one of the best so far....We had 6 first time visitors...one first time salvation...and 3 rededications....Our offering was one of the best we have had so far....we almost tipped the 30 mark in teens at 28...but with summer it seems we have some that come one week and then vacation the next...there seems to be a rotation like that each week...I think if they all would come we would hit the 40 to 50 mark.

I also finished up my series called "I want to be made". It is based on the MTV show "Made" in which a teen wants to change who they are to become something different with the hopes of gaining acceptance...I taught on three issues...self-image, acceptance, and being transformed...I felt it was one of my best series I have ever put together.

During praise and worship there seemed to be a little more freedom than usual...the teens responded well and were lifting their hands in worship....we are finally starting to break through...KEEP PRAYING...there is still a ways to go but we are adding one more log to the fire each week.