Keyes for the Kingdom

Sunday night - don't miss it!

Join us Sunday night from 6:00 - 7:00 to hear what God has been laying on our hearts! Pastor Rich Butler will join me to tell you some awesome news about where we're "going" as a church - starting this fall - some BIG changes ahead that we think will be strategic and good for our ministry.

You'll also receive an update on the downtown campus vision... this will be awesome!

It's been so great to install Rich as our new LEAD PASTOR - we work together so well! Sunday night we'll help clarify some of our roles and responsibilities. I'm taking on more "City Transformation" by loving on the pastors of our city - praying for them - visiting with them, getting them together in unity! What JOY there is in this new role for me!

We'll see you SUNDAY NIGHT!!!

Wonderful Pastor's Lunch

We just had a GREAT time today - 38 pastors/Christian leaders joined us at the Commerce Club for a time of fellowship, unity, and prayer. What a JOY to stand and look out over the city of Greenville and ALL CRY OUT to the Lord to bring revival - to send His Spirit in power to touch and change our city!

We put out a communication card and we were so pleased to see these leaders agree to attend and fully promote THE HINGE coming this August 29! They also said how much they wanted to get together once a quarter for group prayer and fellowship. We had people there from different races, men and women, pastors and para-church leaders - it was a beautiful sight to behold and experience.

I got to meet several pastors for the first time - Tony Cribb was at my table, pastor of Restoration Church in Spartanburg - such a gracious and humble guy - He's the pastor that bought the old Wacamaw Pottery Mall - 330,000 square feet!He said it was like having 8 acres under roof! That's a lot of space! We met two sweet sisters from Bethlehem Baptist - these ladies work in their prayer ministry and believe me, know how to pray!!! They want to bring some of their intercessors to our Prayer Servant Training sessions this fall - awesome! LOVE to bless and help out the body of Jesus!

Rich did such a great job sharing his heart and vision for THE HINGE and UNITY in our city. What a joy to serve under him here as the Lead Pastor of CRCC!!!

Beauty of the Body

One thing I've learned in 35 years of ministry - people come and people go in the life of your church. Some stay a LONG time, others not so much. Often when people leave a ministry they leave with some degree of anger and frustration - disappointment for sure. This is always sad to a pastor because we love the people in our church and parting is no fun for us either.

Most of the time, people who leave a church really leave - I mean they never come back for any reason. That's sad, when you realize that people who stay or people who leave are still .... yes... this is true... part of a FAMILY! The BODY OF CHRIST! - and the body of Jesus is a beautiful thing! yep!

Today a man came by our office who left last year - He and his family were an awesome and integral part of our church for many years. He came by to just "talk to us" - we all got to talk with him, hug him, catch up with his family life - I thought when he left - "wow.. .what a BEAUTIFUL THING - this guy gets it - we're not his "enemies" - we might have disagreed on some things, but big deal, he's more concerned about the BEAUTIFUL BODY OF CHRIST than keeping family members away from each other.

We are still BROTHERS IN CHRIST and I felt that connection back with him today - really, he's one of the most amazing and Godly guys I've EVER known! Glad to see him and see God still active at work in his life! He blessed me today! Will this family ever return? Maybe, maybe not, but it doesn't change the FACT that we're in the same BODY - the beautiful Body of Jesus!

Busy Days Ahead...

I remember thinking that in "good old summertime", people slowwwwww down a little...not so much for us here at CRCC! We just got back from Monday Night Prayer - wow - it's growing by leaps and bounds! Tons of people there to pray and be prayed for!

I cried out tonight for my dear friend - president of Walk Thru the Bible Ministries: Phil Tuttle (in the hospital in Atlanta, Ga.) - Last month he had an appendix burst and now he's having more extreme pain that the doctors can't diagnose. We prayed tonight that he would be HEALED in the name of Jesus and released asap! He had to cancel two speaking engagements - WTB asked if I could fill in for him, but we have other obligations here at CRCC! ( I told you we were busy!)

I'm putting the final touches on our pastor's lunch this Wednesday for the HINGE! We'll end up having about 40 pastors/ministry leaders to join us. This blows my mind that all these guys and gals are coming TOGETHER (gasp) in the city of Greenville - not caring who gets the credit or glory! - Just to PRAY for REVIVAL for our city! How awesome is that!

Sunday recap ...

We had a wonderful day today at CRCC. We're heading out to a baptism in a few minutes and it LOOKS like we will get it in! We've had to cancel so many outdoor baptisms in the past due to thunderstorms.
I preached today on Caleb: what did the Bible mean when it says he had a "different spirit"?

I grew up doing everything in my power to NOT be different, weird, unpopular, - you name it.. wanted to "fit in" to the "in crowd" - whatever that was!

Today I want the CALEB spirit MORE than ever - to have FAITH reign on the throne of my life instead of FEAR - to TRUST instead of DOUBT! To stand up for what's right and what I believe no matter WHO doesn't like it (this is NOT easy as a pastor of a church with many different opinions on every possible issue)

It was great to see Brian and Rachel there today for the FIRST time with their new daughter, Gracie! Wow - she's feisty - she gave me about 20 "high fives" as long I held my hand in front of her! I think she will be one very loved little girl!

When Pastors PRAY!

 
Rich has placed me in charge of getting pastors together for a "HINGE LUNCHEON" next Wednesday. We've sent out emails, made phone calls, and visits - we're shooting for 40 pastors to join us next week! We've got 25 committed so far and are well on our way of filling up the room! After a great meal and time of fellowship, we're going to JOIN TOGETHER and PRAY FOR THE CITY OF GREENVILLE! Wow... this will be awesome - guys and gals from many different denominations, backgrounds, races, etc... JOINED together!

We'll be at the Commerce Club in downtown Greenville looking over the whole city! I really believe this gathering will bring a smile to the face of Jesus! He prayed to the Father in John 17 that his people would be as "one" - we've not done too well with that concept have we? This is just another expression of living out that beautiful word from our Lord. We're going to have a GREAT time at this year's HINGE on Saturday, Aug. 29 at the Dow Brands ampitheater on the Reedy River by the Peace Center.

New Ministry Friend!

I just had a great lunch with RANDAL LANGLEY - pastor of Evangel Cathedral in Spartanburg. He's been there about two years. The church had experienced some rough times right before he came, but he told me he thinks the storm is over and peaceful days have arrived! He was so kind and gracious to me and it was great to meet a man whose heart beats like mine for people and ministry.

He gave me a tour of the buildings/grounds - WOW - what an awesome facility - 4000 seat auditorium! They have a state of the art kid's area as well. Randall has a REAL heart to see revival and unity in the city of Spartanburg. He's going to be joining about 40 other pastors next week for lunch as we amp up for the HINGE - our city-wide prayer initiative. Randall hopes to experience this with us, and take the concept to Spartanburg in the future - how awesome is that!

I've got a renewed passion and vision to "pastor pastor's" in our city - to just meet them for lunch or in their office - visit with them, love on them, pray FOR them, and find out how we at CRCC can pray for them too! PRAY FOR RANDALL'S CHURCH - they are under budget like we've been recently too - we need God to shower down resources from our people to meet the needs of BOTH of our churches!

AWESOME prayer night!

I think we had a record number of people at prayer last night! Wow... parking lot was very crowded when I got here - people were being prayed for in the healing rooms - I got to minister and pray for a dear friend who's really going through some tough times right now.

Ben Daniel had us break up into groups of 5 since there were so many people in the auditorium - then we started to pray through the 7 mountains. On the "church" mountain we cried out to God for LOTS of churches and pastors here in our city. VERY moving to me to see our people passionate about God's Kingdom!

Sometimes I make this statement - "here at CRCC we don't "play" at prayer, we PRAY" - that gets more TRUE each and every week! I love how our church has shifted into more times of prayer and ministry before and after each service! We've got some exciting plans for the fall that will make this even MORE effective and helpful to people. We plan to roll out some great news on Sunday night, Aug. 2 for a family chat we'll call "Vision night" - child care will be available - don't miss it!!!

WALKER WINS + Sunday recap...

Some time ago I received an email from the guys at the "Catalyst Conference" announcing a contest to find new song writers/artists so they could put out a compilation CD for the upcoming conferences and give away appox. 15,000 of them! I called David Walker and told him to check it out and submit some of his new songs... well.... guess what? DAVID WON! - Over 800 submissions and they picked 10 songs - David's picked song is: "Better than I know" - (my fave too!) - They also LOVED his "There is no one like our God", but couldn't put TWO songs on the album by the same artist! David will receive a monetary  sum for this song and get residuals when it is sung or played around the world! Pretty awesome!!!

Today was just  an awesome day at CRCC! David and the band knocked it out of the park - (as usual!) It was great to be back after a relaxing week away and speaking on "Caleb" in our new series: Calibrate. I felt a great freedom in teaching the Bible today and talked about the difference in the response of the 12 spies sent out to check out the promised land of Canaan. Ten came back with BAD reports - only two came back with GOOD ones: Caleb and Joshua

One report was "FEAR" - the other "FAITH" - I asked the question today, which one of these two spirits sits on the throne of your life? Many came forward to lay their "FEARS" at the foot of the cross and leave walking in FAITH! FAITH! - that's the life I want to live for sure!

I met at least 5 new families today visiting CRCC for the first time - we had a great crowd and overall an awesome day - I LOVE OUR CHURCH!!!

GREAT time in PA!

It's been a great week in Pennsylvania so far - got to visit the "Martin Guitar" factory today! They turn out over 200 guitars a day! Wow... saw an awesome museum with guitars owned and played by Elvis, Johnny Cash, John Mayer, and a TON of other big name artists!

I'm here to speak at a "Leisure week" of about 400 people at the Tuscarora Inn and Conference Center in Mt. Bethel, Pa. I'm impressed with all the Biblical names: Bethlehem, Bethel, and Nazareth, to name a few of the towns I've visited so far!

The people here are wonderful - HUNGRY for God's word - such a joy to speak to them each day on one of my all time favorite series: "Meet the Holy Spirit". I love their hearts and passion for God! Many of them are from the Lutheran Brethren denomination - I had never heard of this before! I also LOVE all the "NY accents" - some of God's chosen people are here for sure!

This camp is amazing - right on the Delaware River - (I can see it from my front porch) - that separates Pennsylvania from New Jersey. Food is awesome - served family style each meal, so I'm getting to "hang out" with lots of great people each day. I'm also getting the joy to minister and pray with TONS of the families here - so precious! I feel like I've had so many "divine appointments" so far!

They are all like one big family - some have been coming for 20 years - they have family reunions here - lawn chairs, bikes, riding toys EVERYWHERE! Tonight we're doing "The great big BRAIN GAME" - should be fun. Tomorrow I'm playing in some athletic tournaments - YEAH!! Love the competition! Also playing golf with some new friends on Thursday afternoon. These people make me feel like a part of their families! I even ate lunch today with a couple with NINE kids! Wow... they are awesome!