Keyes for the Kingdom

Sunday Recap...

What an awesome day at CRCC!!! There was such a wonderful spirit and atmosphere as we started our new series, "BROKEN"... people were touched and moved by the Spirit of God! YEAH!!!

Rich shared with us at staff today how awesome the children's ministry worship experience was as well. He said he was BLOWN AWAY at the passion of seeing our kids ENGAGED in true, heart-felt worship and praise. THANKS SHAWN THOMPSON for creating such an awesome environment for the spiritual development of our kids. When I see our kids lifting their hands and singing at the top of their lungs - WOW - When I was this age, I was drawing in the hymnals and asking "When is this going to be over?" I can't WAIT to see what God will do with our children and teens at CRCC in the future!

This weekend we had 18 men from CRCC replace 65 windows at Heritage Baptist Church in downtown Greenville. This church is right in the middle of the great needs of our city. THANKS GUYS for having a KINGDOM mindset!

Love that new baby!

We had a great evening of dining and fun with new baby ASHER STEPHEN KEYES! Asher's other grandparents, Doug and Georganne Wenger hosted us for a wonderful prime rib dinner, topped off with "DOLE BRAND" pineapple upside down cake. Doug was promtped to make this for me following my opening illustration in last week's talk at CRCC about "Fresh Fruit".

Today I've been working on TAXES all morning - yuk.... lots of fumbling through papers and adding up lots of numbers...

Tomorrow begins our brand new series, "BROKEN" - at CRCC... Don't miss it - come early at the 9:00 service, or join us later at 10:30 - we'll see you here tomorrow!!!

On the RUN...

Whew....I've been on the run for the last week - Aaron's family is staying with us while he's on a tour with his band. Angela's kids LOVE it when the "cousins" are in town, so they all come over - add Adam And Shanah's two - and we've got... "whew".... Gives me a whole new appreciation for all our young families who do this day in and day out!

I spent time yesterday with the older four at "Chucky Cheese" for pizza and a few hours of video games/rides/fun. Any resemblance between "real Italian pizza" and "Chucky Cheese" pizza is purely coincidental.

This Sunday we start our brand new series, "BROKEN" - I'm always amped up about a NEW series and this one is no exception. I'll be speaking on "Broken Lives" this week and next week Rich Butler will speak on "Broken Dreams". We're working on some video testimonies/ songs,/interviews/ creative elements - to really make this a series of impact.

Next weekend, we're heading out to San Diego for the Walk Thru the Bible President's Council meeting. That means getting a LOT done before we leave - on the run.... AGAIN!!!!

Cobbler in Corinith

I read an interesting concept today that really made me think... When the Apostle Paul preached and traveled around, he had some key leaders with him. Luke, John Mark, Timothy, etc.... BUT when he left a certain region, (usually never to return) - what did he leave behind? NOT tons of great leaders, but lots of average, ordinary men and women as disciples of Jesus. Maybe a "cobbler in Corinth" decided (after hearing Paul and coming to faith in Jesus) that he would not cheat people any longer for the work done on their shoes. Maybe he said he'd stop visiting the temple prostitutes and now be faithful to his wife alone. Maybe he started caring and loving on his neighbors and doing what he could to show God's love to everyone he met...

This reminded me of the hundreds of people at CRCC each and every week -wonderful Godly servants of Jesus - many of them not leaders, not getting much recognition for their spiritual efforts, BUT they are FAITHFUL - they are committed to ABIDING in Jesus and letting the FRUIT of the Spirit shine through them. So THANKS to all of our "cobblers in Corinth" - who go about their daily lives with honesty and integrity. You guys are the proof in the puddin' for sure!!!

Aaron's school of worship...

I had a great time today, along with David Walker, speaking to my son, Aaron's school of worship. He has four interns who have lived in his basement for the last six months as students in this new school. These are awesome young guys who are incredibly gifted musicians/songwriters. He's used them to play in venues all over the Southeast.

David and I talked to them about pastor/worship leader relationships - things we do well and things where we struggle - I hope we were able to bless and help them as they move forward with their plans and dreams when they finish up the course next week.

Aaron gets calls all the time from people looking for good worship leaders - hopefully he can train young guys like this and send them out to minister to many churches in the future!

New Series starts SUNDAY!

When you  hear the word: BROKEN - you normally think of something bad....very bad! While that's often true, according to the Bible, there are PLENTY of times when God USES broken things for His glory!

Throughout the Scriptures, but especially in the Psalms, we meet people who are broken.David cried out in Psalm 31:12, “I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind: I am like a broken vessel.”Someone once said, “Before God can use a man greatly, He must wound him deeply.”

“Before you can bless, you must bleed; before you can help, you must first hurt.”

Oswald Chambers was right when he said, “If we are ever going to be made into wine, we will have to be crushed—you cannot drink grapes. Grapes become wine only when they have been squeezed.”

Join us each Sunday as we'll be teaching on BROKEN: Lives, Dreams, Spirit, Heart, Cisterns, and Chains. On Palm Sunday we'll wrap up the series teaching about the BROKEN BODY of Jesus - how and why his body was "broken" on the cross.

Here's.......Asher Stephen Keyes

GRANDSON #9 - home with Adam and Shanah!

Sunday recap...

We concluded our "FRESH" series today by talking about "FRESH FRUIT" - Staying connected to the VINE on a daily basis... Apple trees don't "STRIVE" to produce apples - they don't ooh, ahh, and pushhhhhh  to make that FRUIT - NOPE - the fruit comes NATURALLY if the branches are in unison and harmony with the VINE! We want the culture of CRCC to shine forth the FRUIT of the spirit - those nine qualities found in Galatians 5 that lets people SEE and KNOW that we are the people of GOD!

So start your day tomorrow WITH Jesus - invite HIM into every aspect of your life - then sit back and WATCH as othes SEE the fruit of the Spirit evident in your words, actions, and deeds. Jesus said "by their fruits you'll be known" - hang around Godly spirit-led, spirit-filled people and guess what? They'll cross-pollinate and rub off on YOU! That's the kind of people I want to be with!!! How about you?

Valentine trip...

Taking off this afternoon for RIDGECREST conference Center in North Carolina for their Valentine weekend retreat. Oh yeah, taking my wonderful wife with me too! :-)

Erwin McManus and wife will be the guest speakers - he's the pastor of Mosaic Church in California, an author, and great all around guy. Shane and Shane will be in concert tonight and lead us in worship in the morning. They'll also have a Christian illusionist perform tonight - I'm a REAL sucker for magic and stuff like this, so I'll really enjoy it I'm sure!

Candlelight dinner tonight as well with the love of my life.

Do you know this name of God: EL QUANNA - it means that God is "jealous" - huh? I thought jealousy was bad - well yes, and no... bad in the greedy sense, but God is jealous in that he will fight for us to see that we don't break covenant with him! That's the way I want to be with Becky - to FIGHT for our marriage to not only survive but the THRIVE! I'm "Jealous" for her and her alone - no other woman on planet Earth can take her place - she's IT for me - till we take our last breath! So this weekend I'll be a little on the "jealous" side.... for her and her alone!

Abe has a NEW brother!

ASHER STEPHEN KEYES has finally arrived! Shanah and Adam have a new baby boy born this morning - He's a REAL cutie for sure - beautiful chubby cheeks and he was wide awake for a LONG time after his birth. My wife told me Shanah had a "textbook" delivery, which is awesome considering with the birth of her first child, it was touch and go about their very lives!!! So THANKS be to God for giving us GRANDSON NUMBER NINE!

I took them all a pile of "5 Guys burgers and fries" for lunch... I'll post some pics by tomorrow!