Keyes for the Kingdom

Gracie has arrived!

Pastor Brian Woodard and his wife Rachel are shown here WELCOMING their new daughter: Gracie! This is the result of a three year process where God has been at work to provide for this awesome adoption! Their whole family will be in China for another week to love on Gracie and get her used to her new "family": including Allison, Erin, and Quinn!

We'll certainly look forward to a glorious homecoming soon! Wow... God is GOOD!!!

Hanging with Becky...

This morning we drove to Greenwood to attend the "South Carolina Festival of Flowers" at the Park Seed company. Do I LOVE flowers and things like this - not really, but my wife does for sure. Do I LOVE Becky - you bet! It really was quite beautiful and amazing - the flowers and plants were stunning - We went on a guided tour of the gardens, then drove downtown - walked the square and had a great lunch.

Tonight we both went to serve Bar-B-Que alongside the team from "Tom's Bar-B-Que" at the annual picnic/fun day at Flour Daniel. I think Tom said we'd be serving over 5000 people! I think most of them came through MY line - My right hand is sore from using the tongs to load up people's plates. They just kept coming and coming... There were rides, games, and a firework show to end the night. I usually eat at Tom's at least a couple of times a month. He's been such a great friend to me over the years - it was a joy to come alongside and help him tonight! It REALLY makes me appreciate all the wonderful servants who work in the food service industry!

Sunday at CRCC: Jentezen Franklin

This Sunday will be our LAST in the ONE PRAYER series - we'll be hearing pastor Jentezen Franklin speak on a POWERFUL subject: GOD IS ABLE! This is my favorite of all the talks I chose for our people to hear during this series. You've heard the old expression: "Saved the best for last" - that's how I feel about this talk... don't miss it... I had the privilege to teach a Walk Thru the Bible Seminar in Pastor Franklin's church a few years ago -This was the largest seminar I have ever taught - over 2000 people in attendance!I found him to be warm, welcoming, and very humble. People in his church treated me like royalty!  Here's some more info about him and his life....

His life-changing messages include a unique blend of hard-hitting drama, powerful storytelling and moving musical performances. He is also an accomplished saxophone player, with his latest musical release, “Restoration Generation.”

The outreach of his ministry goes far beyond his church, Free Chapel in Gainesville, Georgia, and even beyond his television broadcast, Kingdom Connection, aired weekly.Pastor Franklin and his wife Cherise have been blessed with a beautiful family, including four daughters – Courtney, Caressa, Caroline, and Connar and son, Nolan Drake. 

Jentezen will NOT disappoint you this Sunday - DON'T MISS IT!

Pray for Discover Church

I just had a great meeting with Dan Atkins, pastor of DISCOVER CHURCH here in our city. I love his heart and his passion to reach people for Jesus Christ! We've been contacting pastors all over our city to see if they would be involved with us in THE HINGE - our prayer initiative in our city on August 29. Dan signed up to get on board with us! yeah!!!

They've been in a rented facility for the last few years, but now have an opportunity to break ground on a new building in the next few weeks. It will be in Simpsonville behind Hillcrest HIgh School. PRAY for them as it is a HUGE undertaking. I certainly remember all the work, toil, and sweat involved in getting into our current church home! Dan said they've been having trouble with the RAILROAD company (because all attenders would have to cross "their tracks" to come to the building) They have continued to harass them and cause them a LOT of money in legal fees and mumbo jumbo! PRAY for justice to do be done for Dan and this awesome church ministry. They are now going to have to put in guardrails that raise and lower just like at major roads at a large cost! Pray that this money would NOT have to spent on this type of equipment!!!

Last Train to Clarkesville

If you remember THAT song, you're pretty OLD for sure! Ha - the Monkees sang it probably back in the early 70's. I thought of it because we just came back from "Clarkesville, Georgia". My favorite Aunt called and invited us to join them at Apple Mountain resort - we went down and spent one night with them. I got to play a couple of rounds of golf with her "new" husband of five years - Cecil Smith. My Uncle Joe passed away around 6 years ago and I'm so happy that Joyce found such a good man as Cecil! He's 81 years old and hits a golf ball about 150 - 200 yards mostly right down the middle! I told him I hope I could still swing that well when I'm his age - We had such a great time!

I shot the two best back to back rounds of my life - 79, 78 - and had 4, yes that's right - 4, birdies today! Who knows? Maybe I was inspired by Lucas Glover, Greenville resident and winner of the US OPEN! Maybe I was inspired by David Duvall - ranked 821 in the world and coming in SECOND at the tournament - wow...

It was a quick down and back trip, but SO MUCH FUN to see my fam from Texas. My Aunt is so full of life - tells great stories, and keeps me grounded to my Texas roots.

Now it's back to business - in the office and getting ready for Sunday - our LAST message in the ONE PRAYER series - (I saved my favorite one for LAST!) - We'll start a new series the following week on the subject of.... nah - I'll tell you later!!!

Heading to China - Bring Gracie HOME!

Yesterday we had a prayer of dedication for pastor Brian, Rachel, and their three kids - they leave in the morning for China to bring home their beautiful adopted baby girl: Gracie

Brian told us yesterday of God's amazing provision over the last three years and how they have seen almost 30K come to them from the hand of the Lord. I asked Brian this question:

"How much do you still need to have it all covered" - He said, "about $3000".

After the service, guess what happened? A man they didn't even really know came up and gave them a check for  (drum roll here?) $3000! A few other gifts came in as well, so they leave tomorrow knowing this: OUR GOD SHALL SUPPLY ALL YOUR NEEDS ACCORDING TO HIS RICHES IN CHRIST JESUS!

What a testimony to his kids - they were stunned and thrilled! Brian told me today that he and his daughter just fell to the floor thanking God for this awesome answer to prayer! The kids have never even been ON an airplane, so what a great way to "break into the friendly skies" - a 16 hour flight over Alaska to mainland CHINA!   All I can say is :YEAH GOD!!!

Sunday recap - Father's Day

What a WONDERFUL Sunday at CRCC! Since David Walker and the band were playing today at the Wayfarer Ministries camp - it was a joy to have my son, Adam, leading us in worship! I am so blessed to have two musical sons -Aaron and Adam! My dad (and mostly Mom) MADE me take piano lessons for about a zillion years! Maybe, just maybe, there was a genetic trace of the "music gene" given to my boys! ha!

We saw the third in our ONE PRAYER series - a great message by John Seibeling on: God is UNSHAKABLE! He reminded us that Jesus is praying FOR US - Faith is the key - and WHEN we come out of our shaking - to help others still there! WOW... what a great reminder. I talked to Teresa Miller after the service - she lost her husband Bill over a year ago - she was having a TOUGH day for sure - knowing her 4 kids would think a lot today about their daddy who's no longer there. I did see in her a beautiful thing, though - she was telling me about reaching out to ANOTHER widow lady in our church! WAY TO GO TERESA!!! Hang in there and use your life experiences to help and bless others!

The end of our service was just incredible - Rich invited all dads to come forward - then called them out for prayer - health issues, relationship issues, spiritual leadership issues! MANY men indicated the need for prayer and our prayer team and others just loved on and rallied around all of our wonderful dads!!! It was a VERY moving experience!

Pray for our 50 kids at Wayfarer Camp - They will be coming home tomorrow - I talked to one dad this morning with two kids on the trip - he is praying for BREAKTHROUGH in his son's life! Let's JOIN him!!

Sunday at CRCC: John Siebeling

We'll continue our awesome ONE PRAYER series this week by hearing video teaching from pastor JOHN SEIBELING - He's the pastor of Life Church in Memphis, Tennessee. They are a multi-site church reaching thousands of people each week. He and his wife were former missionaries in Africa.

When I started listening to speakers online to decide who to use this summer - this message REALLY jumped out at me. The other three speakers we'll use were well known to me - either as preachers or authors - this guy - "John Seibeling" - I had NEVER heard of - knew nothing about him or his church. Rich Butler not only knew about him, but said "He's awesome!" - So get ready to engage with us this week in ONE PRAYER - week #3 - "GOD IS....." - (hint - the answer is this: God is SPEAKING)

See you Sunday!

Wayfarer Camp

Tomorrow - over 50 of our middle and high school students will be heading off for the Wayfarer Ministry summer camp at Anderson University. We had over 22 full scholarships funded by our generous people at CRCC! I can't wait to see what the Lord does as our kids sit under the teaching of David Rhodes, Chad Norris, and Chris Brooks - oh, and the worship ministry of the David Walker band!

I'll travel down there tomorrow night, along with the Rich Butler family, to support our kids and enjoy the worship service - anyone's welcome to come - 7:00 PM. PRAY FOR OUR STUDENTS - summer camp can have an amazing spiritual acceleration process in their lives...

My wife was saved at a summer camp when she was 16 - am I grateful for camp, or what?

Teaching the "old guys"....

This morning I did an early morning Bible study at "Tommy's Ham House" downtown. My dear friend, Jim Stephenson - pastor of Horizon Church, has led these men in a Wednesday morning study for MANY years. He started it with a famous Greenville man named "Vince Perone" - former Furman football star and owner of "Perone's restaurant over by McAlister Square.

Many of these men have been friends since ELEMENTARY SCHOOL! Wow... with people moving all over the place in today's culture - how RARE to find friendship that has stood the test of time! lasted in some cases over 60 years! These men are amazing to me for this reason: they are still HUNGRY for God! - They still want to learn and grow closer to God through His Word - how awesome is that - I sat by one guy who's now 81 - told me he can still hit his "driver" 150 yards!

I had a southern breakfast - eggs and sausage and GREAT fellowship with some of God's sr. saints! Rubbing shoulders with the "old guys" - what a JOY!!! One guy's name is "Bee-Bop" - gotta love that!