I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service. Even
though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I
was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
1st Timothy 1:12
Hey Friends,
Well, training camp is officially over. Actually it has been for a few days now and it was a blessed time where I got to meet 30 students and walk along side them at least in part as the Lord prepares them for their time on the field in Mexico this fall.
It honestly went by so fast and I look forward to my time with all of them in September so that we can really pour into their lives and so I can really get to know each of them on a much more meaningful level.
The entire camp was five days long and included us leaders surprising them with their first task which was that they would be spending the entire night with no money or cell phones on the streets of downtown Atlanta. Yup, All night long.
It was an oppurtunity for them to begin to see the hard gap between different people and ask some hard questions about God, prayer, money, expectations, entitlement, deliverance, the Spirit and so on.
In the camp following were times of release as they learned of their identity in Christ and saw weight that had been carried for so long thrown off for good. They were filled with the Holy Spirit. They declared freedom for the people abroad whom they are to soon see. They declared freedom for themselves by Christs blood and called out lies of the enemy. I personally had the pleasure of spending 2 hours with a co-leader and student as he shed the shame and lies that stalked him constantly.
Indeed getting just a glimpse of something more. Something living and active. Something free. Something where things are truly different. Where Christ is King and where we are His people.
I feel compelled to share with all of you just exactly the importance and excitement I have in being a part of this ministry with AIM. My intent is not “oo-rah, were so great!” but to let you friends know one of the ways The Lord is raising up His people who are really His people and remind you that I get to be involved because of His love for me and because of His grace that flows through so many of you into my life……
So I went to a “Mega Church” this morning. It was huge, there were screens, lights, thousand of people, the band’s (and what a band) first song was actually a U2 cover!!
I wondered “What would it be like to bring a few friends from the streets into a place like this?’
Maybe, maybe not. I don’t know.
I think the jig is up. Faking it sucks and frankly I think it’s just plain dumb. That’s part of what the Lord used to lead me off drugs some time ago. It’s all fake and that is just not good enough for me.
We can go to church. Read the bible even. We can “do the do”, play Christian so to speak and that will make of us a pretty good Nicodemus but past that it does absolutely nothing to save us, fill us, free us, glorify God, Lift up Jesus, or give us this NEW life as promised in Christ by Himself and the whole of scripture. And I’ve kind of noticed thats its a pathetic testimony to a broken world. ouch.
“I like Jesus, not the Church” is the slogan of the day, radical is less radical, books declaring the end of dead religion are flying off the shelves, emergent is the new cool and we all want to be “Red Letter Christians.”
So there is all this cultural Christendom talk and rally but where is ground zero?? Whats happening?
Sometimes I feel like were still just talking…..and talking……and talking……
But Positively I can say that things are happening, and we get to be a real tangible part of that around here and those who support me and others are so valuable to this effort of making more than lip service sunday believers. It a place were people who are infact alive by the regenerating movement of the Spirit can please and pursue their King.
Every generation needs to be challenged and discipled and this is so true RIGHT NOW.
this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered
to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.
This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples
John 15:8
after that time,” declares the LORD.
“I will put my law in their minds
and write it on their hearts.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.
***As for me I will have some down time in Gainesville helping out around the office until my leader training for Novas/Real Life starts at the beginning of September, I will be studying and trying to be a blessing in the work I’m asked to do with others so please pray for that whole process and purpose**
