Saturday, June 27, 2009
NEW Are You Awake? video posted!
We just posted a brand new Are You Awake? video at awakenchurch.org. Here it is. Let us know what you think...
Watch out, Clarksville, here we come...
We'll be back in town on Tuesday, and from there, it's full steam ahead. Our first UNIGHT evening in the park is just 2 weeks away (stay tuned for details on location) and our first service is only 12 weeks away! Can't wait!
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Out in the open
pillows. I tried to find some sleep meds to leave them with but those
must be prescription-only. Oh well.
They're out in the open. Pray that God uses them to bring people to
get involved with the church.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Speaking of answered prayer...
Here's one that I didn't blog about but that I always think about when I wonder if we're crazy (which is more often than you may think)...
We had been thinking and praying about Clarksville for months, just wondering when we should actually go. We kept thinking about all the things in 2009 that were still coming up and the date for moving kept getting pushed back. We finally realized that there would always be a reason for us NOT to go, and at some point, we need to just do it. So, on Saturday, October 16, we decided at the end of May, we'd go for it.
Well, 4 months later, in February, we flew back to Tennessee for one final scouting trip. We were pretty sure it was Clarksville, but we also wanted to check out Mt. Juliet. We quickly knew that Clarksville was the place. We visited a few pastors and churches that week - some Calvarys and some not. One pastor we met with was Jerry McAnulty who is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Rivergate (the first Calvary in TN). He said they were really excited that we were coming out to Clarksville, gave us a tour of the church, and prayed for us. On the way out, he told us, "Hey we're so glad you're coming to Clarksville to plant a church. In fact, last October we had a pastors' conference and we were specifically praying for someone to come to Clarksville to start a church!" Wow! So cool! We were the people they were praying for!
Here's the coolest part though: I realized that he had said that the pastors conference was in October, so I called him back and asked when that was. October 16. Of course. Little did we know that our decision to go 4 months earlier was an answer to prayer from a group of pastors 1200 miles away. Little did they know that God was answering their prayers immediately 1200 miles away! None of us would find out till 4 months later!
God is good and I love that He hears us and answers us!
Read the previous blog about another way God answered prayers recently.
You can also read a blog from last week about getting involved with praying for our summer outreaches. Check that blog out HERE.
We had been thinking and praying about Clarksville for months, just wondering when we should actually go. We kept thinking about all the things in 2009 that were still coming up and the date for moving kept getting pushed back. We finally realized that there would always be a reason for us NOT to go, and at some point, we need to just do it. So, on Saturday, October 16, we decided at the end of May, we'd go for it.
Well, 4 months later, in February, we flew back to Tennessee for one final scouting trip. We were pretty sure it was Clarksville, but we also wanted to check out Mt. Juliet. We quickly knew that Clarksville was the place. We visited a few pastors and churches that week - some Calvarys and some not. One pastor we met with was Jerry McAnulty who is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Rivergate (the first Calvary in TN). He said they were really excited that we were coming out to Clarksville, gave us a tour of the church, and prayed for us. On the way out, he told us, "Hey we're so glad you're coming to Clarksville to plant a church. In fact, last October we had a pastors' conference and we were specifically praying for someone to come to Clarksville to start a church!" Wow! So cool! We were the people they were praying for!
Here's the coolest part though: I realized that he had said that the pastors conference was in October, so I called him back and asked when that was. October 16. Of course. Little did we know that our decision to go 4 months earlier was an answer to prayer from a group of pastors 1200 miles away. Little did they know that God was answering their prayers immediately 1200 miles away! None of us would find out till 4 months later!
God is good and I love that He hears us and answers us!
Read the previous blog about another way God answered prayers recently.
You can also read a blog from last week about getting involved with praying for our summer outreaches. Check that blog out HERE.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Little reminders
God is so good at giving us little reminders along the way that we're headed in the right direction. It's always tempting to wonder if we're doing the right thing - leaving everything we know behind to start a church in the Bible Belt. Just when we need a little reassurance, God is always faithful to give us little reminders that He has everything worked out. I became friends with a guy on Facebook last week that attends Calvary Albuquerque, and I asked him if I could share some of what he had to say:
We spent a couple of weeks last month in Clarksville (acutally Oak Grove, KY) during the time the church prayed for your church planting. So we were unaware of your move there.
My daughter Ashley and her husband Aaron and grandaughter Genevieve live there as he is stationed at Ft. Campbell. They are VERY excited upon hearng of your coming, they have been searching churches in the area and just haven't found one they feel is a fit. So this is an answer to our prayers for them. Our Lord is awesome!
I'll give you a little background, our daughter Ashley has been a believer for many years, however her husband Aaron is a young believer. He gave his life to Christ in bootcamp, which is pretty cool. They were baptized together by Skip, and Skip dedicated Genevieve last August while Aaron was in town on leave.
Shortly after bootcamp Aaron was deployed to Afghanistan for a year, he returned in January of this year. So he has not really had the discipleship that he needs. We are working on helping to build a foundation in Gods Word, but it seems we can only do so much.
...We have been praying for them to find a church where they would be comfortable.
We located the Calvary affiliated churches in Tennessee but they are really to far away from them. a part of our prayer was for someone to plant a Calvary church in that area, little did we know that someone from our fellowship was in the process of doing just that.
So yes we have been praying for your church while unaware of it!
How cool! I love stories like these about how God is answering prayer immediately without people even being aware of it!
Speaking of prayer, we'd love for you to join our UNIGHT prayer team that we're putting together for this summer's outreach. We've already had a few people say they'll be praying, but we'd love to have more. If you're interested, let us know! Read more about it HERE. This is a great way to see God move as you spend some time with Him!
We spent a couple of weeks last month in Clarksville (acutally Oak Grove, KY) during the time the church prayed for your church planting. So we were unaware of your move there.
My daughter Ashley and her husband Aaron and grandaughter Genevieve live there as he is stationed at Ft. Campbell. They are VERY excited upon hearng of your coming, they have been searching churches in the area and just haven't found one they feel is a fit. So this is an answer to our prayers for them. Our Lord is awesome!
I'll give you a little background, our daughter Ashley has been a believer for many years, however her husband Aaron is a young believer. He gave his life to Christ in bootcamp, which is pretty cool. They were baptized together by Skip, and Skip dedicated Genevieve last August while Aaron was in town on leave.
Shortly after bootcamp Aaron was deployed to Afghanistan for a year, he returned in January of this year. So he has not really had the discipleship that he needs. We are working on helping to build a foundation in Gods Word, but it seems we can only do so much.
...We have been praying for them to find a church where they would be comfortable.
We located the Calvary affiliated churches in Tennessee but they are really to far away from them. a part of our prayer was for someone to plant a Calvary church in that area, little did we know that someone from our fellowship was in the process of doing just that.
So yes we have been praying for your church while unaware of it!
How cool! I love stories like these about how God is answering prayer immediately without people even being aware of it!
Speaking of prayer, we'd love for you to join our UNIGHT prayer team that we're putting together for this summer's outreach. We've already had a few people say they'll be praying, but we'd love to have more. If you're interested, let us know! Read more about it HERE. This is a great way to see God move as you spend some time with Him!
Monday, June 8, 2009
"Are You Awake?" cards are in!
Soon, people will be seeing these all over Clarksville. We leave the Land of Enchantment headed for the Volunteer State in just 8 short days!
Pray that God would use these as unique tools to AWAKEN people to the things of the Lord (Romans 13:11-12).
You can read more about our summer outreach plan and these cards in earlier blog posts. Also, if you'd like to join our summer prayer team, let us know!
Friday, June 5, 2009
We need YOU to pray for us!
I love that the Creator of the universe listens to us pray! In fact, Hebrews 4 even says that we can approach Him with confidence! We don't have to worry about being struck by lightning or having gone through the proper rituals anymore. He takes us just as we are and cleans us up!
Here's the deal, Awaken Church needs A LOT of prayer! We'd love to have you join our prayer team as we commit the summer of 2009 to the Lord. We know that this is His work, not ours, so we need to be praying that He'd provide financially, physically, and most importantly, spiritually for the church.
For 8 straight Saturdays, July 11-August 29, we will be heading into parks across Clarksville to reach out to the community. We're calling the event "UNIGHT" and you can learn more about it on our website on the UNIGHT page. Here's where you're involved: we'd love to have a team of people praying for each event. You can commit to pray for 1, a few, or all 8 events. Of course we'd love to have prayer leading up to the events, but we're specifically asking for people to pray during each event.
The dates are below. In a few weeks we'll have locations as well. Grab your calendars, and pick a date or a few to pray for. Let us know you'll be praying by leaving a comment on this blog with your name and the date you'll be praying or by emailing us at prayer@awakenchurch.org with the same info. We'll be putting a list together of who will be praying when and we'd love to have you join us in the ministry through prayer!
The dates of UNIGHT are:
Sat, July 11
Sat, July 18
Sat, July 25
Sat, Aug 1
Sat, Aug 8
Sat, Aug 15
Sat, Aug 22
Sat, Aug 29
(and one additional one: Sat, September 19 - the date of our first church service!)
Stay tuned here for specific ways you can be praying as well as updates after each outreach.
Here's the deal, Awaken Church needs A LOT of prayer! We'd love to have you join our prayer team as we commit the summer of 2009 to the Lord. We know that this is His work, not ours, so we need to be praying that He'd provide financially, physically, and most importantly, spiritually for the church.
For 8 straight Saturdays, July 11-August 29, we will be heading into parks across Clarksville to reach out to the community. We're calling the event "UNIGHT" and you can learn more about it on our website on the UNIGHT page. Here's where you're involved: we'd love to have a team of people praying for each event. You can commit to pray for 1, a few, or all 8 events. Of course we'd love to have prayer leading up to the events, but we're specifically asking for people to pray during each event.
The dates are below. In a few weeks we'll have locations as well. Grab your calendars, and pick a date or a few to pray for. Let us know you'll be praying by leaving a comment on this blog with your name and the date you'll be praying or by emailing us at prayer@awakenchurch.org with the same info. We'll be putting a list together of who will be praying when and we'd love to have you join us in the ministry through prayer!
The dates of UNIGHT are:
Sat, July 11
Sat, July 18
Sat, July 25
Sat, Aug 1
Sat, Aug 8
Sat, Aug 15
Sat, Aug 22
Sat, Aug 29
(and one additional one: Sat, September 19 - the date of our first church service!)
Stay tuned here for specific ways you can be praying as well as updates after each outreach.
6 things for pastors and ministry workers to keep in mind... (part 2)
From R. Albert Mohler Jr.'s He Is Not Silent:
1) "If the Bible is truly the enduring and eternal Word of God, it means what it meant even as it is newly applied in every generation." - R. Albert Mohler Jr.
2)"I believe that the goal of preaching is to compel people to make a decision. I want people who listen to me to understand exactly what God's Word demands of them when I am through. Then they must say either, 'Yes, I will do what God says,' or 'No, I won't do what God says.'" - John MacArthur
3)"Worship is not something we do before we settle down for the Word of God; it is the act through which the people of God direct all their attentiveness to hearing the one true and living God speak to His people and receive their praises. God is most beautifully praised when His people hear His Word, love His Word, and obey His Word." - R. Albert Mohler Jr.
4) "The postmodern world has no need of half evangelists preaching a half gospel to the half converted, and leading a halfhearted church. What is needed is a generation of bold and courageous preacher-apologists for the twenty-first century - men who will be witnesses to the whole world of the power of the gospel and who will proclaim the whole counsel of God." - R. Albert Mohler Jr.
5) "Each of us must preach as a dying man to dying men." - R. Albert Mohler Jr.
6) Speaking of the prophet Ezekiel, "He is a man totally possessed by the Spirit of Yahweh, called, equipped, and gripped by the hand of God." - Daniel Block
I love this book, and I certainly love the message behind the title - HE IS NOT SILENT. We serve the God who speaks, who is personal, and who had revealed EXACTLY what we need for life and godliness. However, we live in a world that preaches the opposite message - that God is silent, irrelevant, and distant. It's our job, by the power of His Spirit, to change this generation's view of God and help them to realize that He is NOT silent!
If you're a pastor/preacher or think know someone who could use this book, I highly recommend it. You can pick it up on Amazon for cheap. Enjoy!
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
A grand, life-encompassing story...
"That is what our people need to understand- that the Bible is not
just a compendium of good short stories, but a grand, life-
encompassing metanarrative of God's work of redemption in the world."
- R Albert Mohler Jr., "He Is Not Silent"
just a compendium of good short stories, but a grand, life-
encompassing metanarrative of God's work of redemption in the world."
- R Albert Mohler Jr., "He Is Not Silent"
Praise God that life is full of purpose and meaning since
"God...created the world and human beings as the theater of His glory."
-Kevin
Sent from my iPhone
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
A very simple calling
"In the end, our calling as preachers is really very simple. We study,
we stand before our people, we read the text, and we explain it, we
reprove, rebuke, exhort, encourage, and teach-and then we do it all
again and again and again."
- R. Albert Mohler, Jr., "He Is Not Silent"
we stand before our people, we read the text, and we explain it, we
reprove, rebuke, exhort, encourage, and teach-and then we do it all
again and again and again."
- R. Albert Mohler, Jr., "He Is Not Silent"
-Kevin
Sent from my iPhone
Awaken Audio Podcast now available in iTunes!
Before I share the details of our podcast, for those of you who don't know what a podcast is, here's how Apple defines it:
A podcast is a free video or audio series — like a TV or radio show — that you download from iTunes and play on your computer, iPod, iPhone, or Apple TV. Visit the iTunes Store to search for podcasts that pique your interest. Once you find one, give it a quick listen, then click a single button to subscribe.
For more info about podcasting, click here.
The Awaken Church AUDIO podcast is now available in iTunes and the video podcast will be coming soon! Of course since the teaching hasn't officially begun at Awaken, the messages you'll see on this podcast until September are messages that I previously taught over the last few years - some of my favorites. We're posting these now so people will be able to get a taste of what's coming to Clarksville when Awaken Church begins in September. So, all you have to do is find it in iTunes (or click here), hit the "subscribe" button, and you'll automatically get these messages downloaded to your computer each time a new one is put out!
And of course for you iPhone or iPod touch owners, you can download each episode straight from your phone/iPod as well!
For you non-iTunesers, these messages are also available at our website to listen to and to download.
Enjoy!
A podcast is a free video or audio series — like a TV or radio show — that you download from iTunes and play on your computer, iPod, iPhone, or Apple TV. Visit the iTunes Store to search for podcasts that pique your interest. Once you find one, give it a quick listen, then click a single button to subscribe.
For more info about podcasting, click here.
The Awaken Church AUDIO podcast is now available in iTunes and the video podcast will be coming soon! Of course since the teaching hasn't officially begun at Awaken, the messages you'll see on this podcast until September are messages that I previously taught over the last few years - some of my favorites. We're posting these now so people will be able to get a taste of what's coming to Clarksville when Awaken Church begins in September. So, all you have to do is find it in iTunes (or click here), hit the "subscribe" button, and you'll automatically get these messages downloaded to your computer each time a new one is put out!
And of course for you iPhone or iPod touch owners, you can download each episode straight from your phone/iPod as well!For you non-iTunesers, these messages are also available at our website to listen to and to download.
Enjoy!
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