Ramblin' Man

Just an FYI that the official URL's have not yet been re-directed, but Jack Rambles is moving...

Check-out the new look @:  http://www.jackrambles.tumblr.com

The new site will permit a much more strategic approach to blogging -- hopefully -- but it may also take a few days to work out the details.

Inside North Point

I was absolutely blown away by this website... (Link also available at the end of this post.)

One of the biggest set-backs to modern megachurches over the last 25 years has been the lack of transparency. At North Point Church in Atlanta, GA they have went beyond transparency and completely stripped themselves -- one layer at a time -- for all the world to observe and evaluate. It is one of the most refreshing things I have ever observed.

North Point goes into detail about how services are planned all the way to who they strategically partner with and why!

Check it out and be blessed by this unique online guide to the inner workings of one of America's healthiest churches:

Inside North Point : Church Administration | NPM General Organization

The Anti-Gossip Pact

Take a moment and check out this blog. I have read Wesley's comments in the past, but had not thought of them recently. Keith Craft found them and brought them out of the hidden pages of history to inspire a new generation. Incredibly powerful stuff... Keith Craft Blog on Leadership

Can't.....

My first grade teacher frequently used a saying, "Can't never did do anything!"

It was her pre-conceived response to youngsters who felt they could never master math or even the alphabet.  She knew we could -- we just didn't want to!

With God "all things are possible" -- meaning that there is no such thing as "can't" with God. Is it possible then that we the children of God should completely remove the term from our vocabularies?

The deeper point at hand is that if we CAN DO ALL THINGS through Christ, then there is never a moment when we CAN'T.  But there may be many moments when we -- like first-graders -- don't want to!

I have come to think that often when we use the term it is more out of dishonesty than anything else.  We use "can't" as excuse to cover up moments when we don't want to, but don't have the courage to speak truthfully.

Here's a reflective thought:  Is a lack of honesty, more often than not, at the foundation of the word CAN'T???

Global Share the Bible Day

Very unique idea from Life Church in Oklahoma City, OK. This Christmas Day they will be sponsoring and helping to promote a massive "Share the Bible Day". Check it out & get involved!

For more info visit this link: December 25: Global Share the Bible Day - LifeChurch.tv

Modesty...

Our culture seems to be moving toward the embrace of sexiness at increasingly early ages. Amazingly to me, many parents seem to not only ignore this reality, but in some instances condone or even push their children to be immodest. The result is that modesty appears to be a thing of the past in many arenas of our culture and the lack thereof is increasingly visible in the wardrobes of today's children.

In my humble opinion, America is desperate for parents everywhere to arise and begin to take responsibility for the lifestyle choices of their children and provide Godly guidance in the critical stages of life development. Nowhere is this more evident than in the realm of modesty.

I believe immodesty promotes a lack of purity, which leads to an increasingly perverse society. If this nation is to be redeemed it will start with a return to core values such as modesty.

MSN ARTICLE: Does little-girl fashion shoot cross the line?

Chris Tomlin's FQ Worship

Here is a great site from Chris Tomlin & his team to help worship leaders and musicians. The tutorial videos are very in-depth and specifically geared to help lead musicians find the right sound.

It does require a monthly membership for unlimited usage, but you can get a good feel for the site with a free trial membership.

FQ & Chris Tomlin | Worship Leaders, Musicians, Planners, Organizers

Current Reading List

I'm an avid reader. So much so, that I struggle to finance the habit! A new book rarely last me more than 48 hours, so I've turned to reading a lot of blogs as of late, which tends to be a much less expensive habit.  However, I do have a few books presently laying in front of me that I have either read in the last few weeks or that I'm getting ready to finish by the end of the week.

• The Fred Factor 
• Sun Stand Still
• Radical
• The Christian Atheist
• Only You Can Be You
• The Beauty of a Spiritual Language
• 30 Days to Live
• Paradise Series (Ted Dekker) 
• GodChasers (re-read for about the 15th time)
• Freakonomics

Its a fairly diverse spectrum of reading, but that is intentional.  My favorite out of this list is GodChasers, but I've read it so many times that perhaps that isn't fair to the list.  That being said, second would definitely be Radical, because the author David Platt clearly articulated several things that God has been dealing with me about on a very personal level.  

North vs. South

There is probably more at stake in the political drama presently unfolding between North & South Korea than any of us realize at first glance.

Behind the scenes, big players are involved: Russia, China, the United States and more... As for North and South Korea, themselves, it is almost like an arm-wrestling match that is gridlocked -- one waiting for the other to go over the top.

Here is one thing that is always overlooked in the modern day news coverage of the Korean tension: South Korea is home to both the largest and second-largest churches in the world! It is not a coincidence. Not in any way, shape, form or fashion that South Korea is involved in a nuclear stand-off.

In the hour in which we live, there is rarely a passing day which does not bring to pass events that should motivate our hearts to pray.  I have no desire to sound like a doomsday prophet, but whether it comes in five hours, five months, or five-hundred years this earth is on-course for a nuclear holocaust.  Nowhere is that oft ignored path more visible than in two disgruntled Asian countries. They are divided pointedly on a map by simple geographical distinctions and yet held apart from unity by overwhelmingly complex political undertones...

Koreans from both north and south of the border need the prayer support of Christians all across the world. Specifically, the millions of Christians whom need God's protection from any harm that could be brought to their lives by the enemies of Christ's Kingdom. 

Here is an article from the Associated Press describing South Korea's plans to construct island fortresses: SKorea to make islands near NKorea fortresses

The One that Brung Ya!

12 Now King David was told, “The LORD has blessed the household of Obed-Edom and everything he has, because of the ark of God.” So David went down and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with rejoicing. 13When those who were carrying the ark of the LORD had taken six steps, he sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf. 14David, wearing a linen ephod, danced before the LORDwith all his might, 15while he and the entire house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouts and the sound of trumpets.16As the ark of the LORD was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD, she despised him in her heart.
(2 Samuel 6:12-16)

David looked at his wife, whom did not understand his style of worship, and basically said as plainly as possible, "I can be even more undignified than this!"  In other words, God brought me this far and I fully intend to make sure that I do not lose HIS partnership as I move into my future -- whether the people around me understand my uninhibited praise or not.

David was dancing through the streets on one of the most significant days of his life.  He made a decision to glorify God for all the good things that had happened to him.  David made sure to even remove his outer garments, which symbolized his position in society, so that even his wardrobe reflected his desire to be first and foremost a worshiper. 

It is God who has brought each of us this far in our lives.  Let us not be so foolish as to change dancing partners now.  He is the one who brought us, now may we continue to honor him with yielded hearts of worship -- day in and day out, without fail! HE IS WORTHY! 

...And greater things are STILL yet to come!

The Christian Imitation

If ever a blog caused me to shout, "Amen!", then it is the one to be found via this link:  http://tinyurl.com/2apswrn


The blog is around five years old, but it captures my heartbeat.  I long, almost with desperation (if you can be "almost" desperate), for originality in the Church.  I myself have fallen prey to ripping off catch-phrases in our culture.  And honestly, I think ON OCCASION it can be a good thing.  


My concern with many of us modern church leaders is that we have taken the easy way out and fallen prey to piggy-backing society's successful marketing tactics -- whether God told us to or not! The result is an undeniable absence originality in the Church when compared with the level of creativity culture is currently producing.  This ought not be when the Creator of the Universe lives within us.  Surely, creativity does not have to be stale, when we have access to such unlimited creative power. 


May God raise up culture-shakers! Image-breakers. Jesus followers.  Men and women with faith like John the Baptist, who are so different that the world responds to them although the Church rejects them--then have the courage to stand there and risk their head in spite of not being given a plaque by their local ministerial fellowship or denominational hierarchy!


The result will be an empowered, original approach to worship & preaching that will reach the Harvest in a way that the world's curiosity can not resist!

The Next Christians

What if there were a new group of Christians already on the scene but not yet identified in culture as being different from their predecessors?

Gabe Lyons describes this group as The Next Christians and he is of the opinion that they  possess six characteristics that distinguish them from the hard-headed stubbornness found in many older Christians of our time. 


The Next Christians are:

• Provoked, not offended.
• Creators, not critics.
• Called, not employed.
• Grounded, not distracted.
• In community, not alone.
• Counter-cultural, not relevant.

I whole-heartedly agree!

For further review follow this link: The Next Christians by Gabe Lyons

Carmel on Fire

I'm not trying to be super-spiritual or overly prophetic, but I have to admit that when reviewing the news this morning I saw something that gave me cold chills. The area of Israel surrounding historic Mt. Carmel is ablaze with fire.  Thousands of acres burning beyond control...

Imagine the area where God once brought fire from heaven to earth, once more being engulfed with flames. Mt Carmel, the place of God's Old Testament outpouring, suddenly burning bright with a fire that man seems to be unable to stop!

Admittedly, this fire was started by men in the name of arson. However, knowing this fire is not supernatural in its nature does not change the spine-tingling feeling that comes over my soul when I compare the horrific images of today's fire with my mental pictures of Scripture's 1 Kings 18 account.

Here is the article detailing Israel's battle against the blaze. After you read it, please pray for rain and also for divine wisdom to be imparted to the undermanned firefighters:  Massive Fire in Carmel - Haaretz Daily Newspaper | Israel News

One Year to Live

Here is an awesome, inspiring blog posted by a couple who made a decision to walk into a setting that required great faith.

Read their story and envision a couple who has made a decision to become modern day Ezekiel's... One Year to Live - Bruce and Heather Moore

Shallow Leadership

I read a blog by Ron Edmonson today that provoked me to evaluate my approach to leadership.

Is it possible to be a deep theological thinker and at the same time be a shallow spiritual leader? I believe it is...

Here are seven examples of how a shallow leader will think:  7 Examples of Shallow Leadership by Ron Edmondson 

Better Together

10 years ago @ 7pm in the quaint Begley Chapel, situated on a rolling hill of the Lindsey Wilson College campus, Amanda Leann Gossage agreed to spend the rest of her life with me. Since that time my original opinion, that we are BETTER TOGETHER, has become an undeniable fact...

There is no combination of words I could put on the postcard

And no song that I could sing, but I can try because this is your heart and this is our dreams and they are made out of real things. Love is the answer at least for most of the questions in my heart, like
Why are we here? And where do we go? And how come it's so hard?
It's not always easy and sometimes life can be deceiving
I'll tell you one thing, it's so much better when we're together

(I long for more moments...)
With only two, just me and you, not so many things we got to do or places we got to be, And there is no combination of words I could say
But I will still tell you one thing 
We're better together, We so much better when we're together...

(lyrics of Jack Johnson's Better Together slightly modified...)

YouTube - Jack Johnson's Better Together

The Gift -- December Wednesday Night Series

Tonight 3trees Church will dive into a brand-new Wednesday night series, The Gift.  The next four Wednesday nights will provide a setting where we will take an in-depth, revelatory look at what the Bible has to say about one of Heaven's most special gifts to Earth...

Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And receive THE GIFT of the Holy Spirit.  (Acts 2:38)

Sacred Cows

The guys at Shrink the Church have put together a great look at the so-called 'Sacred Cow' List of the Church in America:

The Ultimate Church 'Sacred Cow' List | SHRINK the church

So..... What do you think: AMEN or MOO???

Grateful to Know.... YOU?

It is one thing to be grateful for the people in your life.  It is in an entirely different thing to have given those same people cause to be grateful for you...

I have amazing people surrounding me. Better people than I deserve.  It is easy for me to say that I am grateful for them.  However, have I given them legitimate reasons to be grateful for me?  Have I brought anything to the table of their lives? Or am I always there to take and never to give?

Here are some introspective questions about relationships to ponder in the spirit of thanksgiving:

• Do I ever bring the same value to my friends' lives, that they bring to my life?
• The special people around me are always there to listen to my dreams/concerns, but do I ever listen to them?
• Do I ever give to my loved ones or am I always on the receiving end?  

In a relationship there must giving and receiving on behalf of both parties.  Give a little, get a little. If we are truly grateful for the relationships God has placed in our lives, then we must make a conscious effort to not just be served, but to serve.

So, here's the moral of this little post:  It is easy to say you are grateful for the people around you, but are you grateful enough to live in such a way that your loved ones have reason to be just as grateful that you are in their lives?

Have you given your friends cause to be just as blessed to know you, as you are to know them???

Alva Wilson: Mentor. Maverick. Man of God...

Alva Wilson was a rare gem, a God-ordained spiritual maverick who permeated love and was consistently an encourager of the discouraged.  This week, Alva entered the Gates of Heaven and while I celebrate his arrival there, I mourn his departure from here.

With Alva's entry into the eternal Throne Room of Christ, I lost a bishop of my ministry whom was not only an irreplaceable father to me in the spirit, but also a mentor whose nuggets of wisdom I will continue to mine for a lifetime.

I'm not sure of how I will handle the moment when I pick up the phone, dial his number, and suddenly remember he is no longer available to answer my many questions, but that occurrence will undoubtedly serve to be a shaking experience.

I am grateful for the time Alva took to invest in me. From lunch appointments scheduled weeks in advance to spontaneous phone calls, he was always available to provide me with counsel.  Many times I sat in the office of his prayer center (The Fountain; Owensboro, KY) and viewed him leaned back in his chair, the skyline of architecturally-crowned old buildings visible through the large rectangular windows behind him.  This image of a relaxed Alva, sharing stories of his adventures in a by-gone era, often for the purpose of promoting the pursuit of a new anointing for a new day, and even more often to testify of grace overcoming legalism, never failed to remind me of my mental picture of the Apostle Paul. The New Testament having long ago provoked in me a vision of Paul finishing the course of his life while being situated among the columns of Rome.  Perhaps, much like Alva, in a musty, yet picturesque building, welcoming young men to glean from an aging patriarch of the Church.

Alva accomplished much for God.  Passing from Earth to Heaven at the age of 77, he had over 60 years of ministry to his credit and perhaps his greatest legacy will be his family tree, both spiritually and paternally. Through just his son, Billy, and grandson, Ashley, Alva's mantle will continue to not only reach thousands, but millions.

I am grateful that such an incredible elder statesman of the Faith granted a farm boy from Creelsboro, KY the privilege of sonship.  My seven years of tutelage under his mentoring have shaped me in a specific way that only Alva could provoke and I simply hope that now I can hold that shape as I do my best to imitate a man whose most famous quote was, "I'm from the OLD SCHOOL, but thank God I graduated..."

May I never fail to follow in Alva's legacy as I ever adapt to the will of an exceedingly great, ever-increasingly glorious God...

Candy Trail 2010

Candy Trail @ 3trees Church --- Friday, October 29th @ 6pm!


We are less than 48 hours away from one of the most significant events 3trees Church has the opportunity of hosting all year long...... CANDY TRAIL!!!

Kids will come from the north, south, east, and west.  It will be a moment unparalleled for our church as we have the opportunity to truly host our community. The night will include, but not be limited to:

• Candy Trail (Trunk-R-Treat)
• Candy Kingdom (Lots of Games, Including Inflatables)
• Hot Dog & Marshmallow Roast
• Multiple Hayrides
• Hay Maze
• Free Winter Clothing
• Kick-off Concert
• FREE PRIZES!!! (worth over $250)

Candy Trail @ 3trees Church --- Friday, October 29th @ 6pm!

Five Suggestions...

Five suggestions, for spiritual and life development, accompanied by some thoughts and questions:

DISCOVER the WHO
The success of our lives is greatly impacted by WHO we are trying to most effectively serve?  WHO do you desire most to impress?  WHO do you spend the majority of your time attempting to please? If no obstacles stood in the way, WHO would you become?

DISTINGUISH the WHY
WHY do you do the things you do?  Is it to make other people happy? Are you desperately trying to find acceptance?  What is the true ambition behind your endeavors? WHY do you do what you do?

DEVELOP the HOW
HOW we do things will greatly determine whether or not they are effective. It is imperatively important that we develop our HOW.  If you sing, develop your style and gift.  If you serve in a volunteer ministry, offer your time in the most excellent way possible.  May everything that we do, be done as unto the Lord.

DETERMINE the WHEN
Some of the worst mistakes in my life have been WHEN I missed God's timing.  Right place, right people, right plan.... But wrong time.  It is not enough to simply have a: WHO, WHY, and HOW. We must know the times and seasons of God, so that we may walk in HIS order for our lives.

DELIVER the WHAT
James perhaps said it best, "Be ye not only hearers of the Word, but be ye doers also..."  At some point we do have to deliver the goods.  It is great to insure excellence before we bring our seedling out of the greenhouse.  We should even attempt to polish our approaches, but sooner or later (specifically, once God has revealed HIS timing for your life) we must pull the combines out of the barns and go reap the Harvest...

Fall Break

Mandy and I have journeyed into the mountains of Tennessee for Fall Break.  We have greatly enjoyed some private time with Nat & Dawes.  They are growing too fast it seems.

The unique thing for me is that I have not been concerned with the happenings back home.  I have been able to--for the most part--completely disconnect from all of my pastoral responsibilities for a few days, and devote my undivided attention to my family...

I have never been able to do that before.

In previous excursions away from home, I would have worried about this, that, and the other.  But not this time.  I have developed a total and complete trust in the team at 3trees.  Some of the most capable ministers that south-central KY has to offer have gathered together under the banner of one vision that shines like a lighthouse from a hillside in Russell Springs.

What little bit of contact I have had with the outside world (thanks for keeping my cell phone Charlotte!) has been filled with compliments for our entire staff.  KJ & Aaron evidently both hit home runs while delivering the Word on Sun PM & Wednesday night and I'm now not even sure that there is a valid reason for me to return and fill the role of preacher!  Which is one the best and most gratifying testimonies a lead pastor can ever have in regards to the trust he has developed towards his staff.

I'm grateful to be a part of something that is bigger than the part I play.  3trees is a God-thing, and that fact seems to be more effectively established each and every week. I love our team.  I love the Kingdom Connections that God, HIMSELF, has established among us and I am ecstatically anticipating the greater things that are yet to come!

Truth in Love

Today is Wednesday.  It has great significance to me. Why? Because three weeks ago on a Wednesday night I was as blunt from the pulpit as I have ever been. Since that time I have been tormented in my mind--wondering if what I did was right?

My goal that night was simple:  awaken anyone that might be spiritually asleep.  I had spent the day in prayer. My heart was ablaze with a passion for Christ and HIS bride.  That passion came out during my message.  In retrospect I have re-listened to the message multiple times and re-played my choice of words in my mind over and over again. Prayerfully, I have arrived at a conclusion.

What I said was right.  The way I said it was wrong. I spoke truth.  I'm not so sure that I packaged it in love.  For that I am sorry.  (Not for the truth spoken, but for the way in which I spoke it.)  And not only do I ask the forgiveness of my congregation.  I publicly repent before God in Heaven for my lack of humility during that 30 minute period of time. 

The truth will set you free, but Scripture has obligated us to speak Scriptural truth in love. Additionally, faith comes by hearing truth and we hear through the foolishness of preaching. But, faith only works through love. (Scriptural References: John 8:32, Eph 4:15, Romans 10:17, Galatians 5:6) It becomes an order. Like so...  

• For one to hear truth it must be spoken in love.  Once heard it will produce faith.  That faith will then make us free as we begin to pass on the imparted love to others. 

Our faith in Jesus works through the giving of love to others that was produced by first hearing of God's love for us! 

• For God so loved the world that HE gave HIS only begotten Son, so that whosoever believeth in HIM will not perish but have everlasting life... (John 3:16)

We are made in the image of God and God is love.  HE is also a consuming fire.  And multiple Biblical authors also make the statement, "God is holy." While others say things like, "God is everlasting." I believe HE exists as a God who is so purely in love with humanity that it is like a fiery, everlasting passion within HIS being. (I even believe the fire described in the eyes of Jesus in the Book of Revelation is the illustration of a love for HIS church.)  I said all of that to say this:  We are never more accurately reflecting the image of God than we express a pure, unconditional love for others!

Lake Cumberland region... 3 Trees Church... JESUS LOVES YOU AND I DO TOO!!!  Never have I more purely meant that statement...

Greater things are yet to come! 

3 Trends Developing in America

On Tuesday of this week I had the opportunity to soak up the wisdom of Pastor Larry Stockstill at the Kentucky Prayer Focus gathering.  (Much thanks to Pastor Mark Harrel & the staff of Victory Christian Fellowship in Somerset, KY for hosting the event and for their hospitality.)

During Larry's message he shared 3 trends that several national leaders believe to be developing in America...

1. America is moving away from CAPITALISM to SOCIALISM. The danger with this trend is that almost all socialistic states/nations are atheistic.  The reason being that in socialism the system itself attempts to do away with the need for God as the ultimate Supplier of ALL our needs.
2. The Millennial Generation (anyone born after 1980) does not relate to a COUNTRY but rather a CAUSE. Patriotism is almost none existent in this generation because their allegiance is not pledged to the sacredness of a country but rather to the cause they most relate to. Meaning they would may times rather see an establishment destroyed than for their cause to not be accomplished.  They tend to always put relationships above principles.  If a principle would isolate them from a valued relationship then the principle must be abandoned. It is an odd state of mind... CAUSE above COUNTRY, but RELATIONSHIP above PRINCIPLE...
3. Judges, not people, are setting our laws.  Case-in-point would be Proposition 8 in California.  Recently, popular vote disallowed gay marriages in California.  However, a few weeks later ONE JUDGE overturned a vote that had been determined by THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE, on the grounds that it was unconstitutional.  It is worth noting that the presiding judge is a practicing homosexual.  (For some interesting reading, google search: Proposition 8 Ruling #77)

May we prayerfully discern these trends and in response: 

1. Pray for our government officials to see the dangers of socialism, specifically that it is driven by the spirit of the antichrist. 
2. Pray for the Millennial Generation's ability to align themselves with Christ-centered causes.
3. Pray for the judicial system of America to receive a heavenly impartation of wisdom.

The Auto-Attendant

There are moments in life when you come to an acute awareness that something just isn't right. I had an eye-opening day. Through prayer, (and from being on the awkward-side of phone calls that I didn't have to make in the first-place) I discovered that many of the relationships I have tried to hang onto and nurture, have in fact been completely one-sided.

Presently, my life is exceedingly and abundantly above all I could ask or think--and it is far better for me than I deserve, I might add. As a result of this awareness, I have sincerely tried to reach out to other pastors whom I thought could possibly use encouragement or relationship because their ministries are still in a developmental state. What I've found is that many of them are simply too busy to acknowledge the need for relationship with anyone other than their DayPlanner. This at first seemed odd to me, because of the place in ministry many of them are at. When I was at their station of life and ministry I would have loved to have had someone (especially if they were pastoring a lot more people than me) call and attempt to establish a relationship. However, it never happened and at the time I ached with insecurity as a result of feeling unaccepted by my fellow, more successful, pastors. So, I made a decision early on that if God ever gave me any success, I would make myself available to those who might benefit from anything I learned on the journey. But today, I realize something I've never noticed before...

I believe many yet-to-experience-success guys are deceived in the illusion that they must appear busy in order to be validated by their peers. And if I may be so blunt? They would be much more effective if they would get their noses out of the air and look around. Perhaps then realizing that their busyness is actually not real at all--it is simply manufactured by their own imagination. The result is that they falsely feel as though they're impressing their peers; yet, little fruit hangs from the trees of their ministries. I'm afraid that the truth may be: from hearts of insecurity some have masqueraded inner feelings of inadequacy with wasted, howbeit full-schedules, in hope of giving the appearance of busyness. While being passionately-driven by the illusive goal of potentially garnering the respect only statistical-success seems to bring.

How can I speak so matter-of-factly on this subject? Because, I now see clearly that I used to be one of those guys. You know... The one who puts an auto-attendant on his phone--not because he needs one--but because it at least presents the illusion of importance. (Yet we call it professionalism). Now, I wonder if perhaps that auto-attendant shielded me from the voices of more successful men who might have called to check on me, but were ultimately deterred by all the smoke screens of busyness, I had deceptively placed around me.

Today, my phone rings off the hook and I don't have, nor want, an auto-attendant. An office staff I do have, not some computer that I have manipulated to make me sound better than what I am; but rather real-life, breathing human-beings who can honestly answer as to the location of my where-abouts--that is when I remember to tell them...

Maybe this is a blog post or maybe it is a rant, but most-likely just another rambling thought from Jack. Irregardless, I must go now. I've got more IMPORTANT things to do than click away at keys. Such as: call guys who will act as though they don't have time to talk to me, but they need me whether they realize it or not. And in all truth, I need them--not because they make me feel important, but rather because their behavior keeps me humble... SELAH

Awakening America

The First 11 Days of Prayer for a Christ Awakening in America

DAY 1, September 1
“Awaken me from my slumber! Cause me to come to myself!‟
Scripture Reading: Isaiah 64:7, Mark 12:30-31, Ezekiel 36:26-27
Personal Reflection: What is the condition of my heart?
Pray God Almighty will awaken you to your need of cleansing so you can effectively pray for your nation. Pray He will lovingly examine your heart as you put your trust in Him. Pray for forgiveness as you begin this process.

DAY 2, September 2
“Lord, I am sickened by my sin! Change me!”
Scripture Reading: Psalm 4:4, 1 Chronicles 28:9, Psalm 119:32
Personal Reflection: Do I have any unconfessed sin in my heart?
Pray the Lord will make you willing to be completely cleansed and changed. Ask Him for a new heart of commitment to Him.

DAY 3, September 3
“I repent, Lord! Bring my way of life into alignment with this heart-change!”
Scripture Reading: Psalm 63:8, Isaiah 26:7
Personal Reflection: Are there things in my life that are outside of God’s will for me?
Pray that God will quicken your spirit to hear His correction as you navigate the changes in your life. Withhold nothing as you honestly examine your life.

DAY 4, September 4
“Convict my heart to make the difficult choices I must regarding the company I keep.”
Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:33, Hebrews 1:9
Personal Reflection: Am I involved in any relationships that are displeasing to God?
Pray your Father will help you see the truth in the hard choices you may need to make. Ask Him to show you how to step away from what corrupts.

DAY 5, September 5
“Call a Sacred Assembly! Declare a fast!”
Scripture Reading: Joel 1:14; 2:12, 15-16, 2 Chronicles 7:13-14
Personal Reflection: Have I been living a lifestyle of regular fasting?
Pray the Church across America is hearing the Holy Spirit and responding to His call to “return to Me”. Pray the Holy Spirit will bring conviction of sin personally and corporately to the Church of America.

Day 6, September 6
“We see the condition of our nation and recognize the compromise and worldliness of the Church and we are desperate for You!”
Scripture Reading: Joel 2:16; Romans 12:1; John 17:17; Ephesians 5:26-27
Personal Reflection: Have I consecrated myself before God?
Pray spiritual leaders across the nation will call The Church to consecration, recognize and become sorrowful for our sins and prepare for a Sacred Assembly.

Day 7, September 7
“Lord, restore the Light of Christ in our churches to dispel the darkness! Convict us to return to our first love.”
Scripture Reading: Revelation 2; John 14:15, 24; Revelation 2:4
Personal Reflection: Am I so busy that I have lost my “first love“?
Pray the Church will move on the conviction to return to her first love. Pray that obedience to the Word and to the leading of the Holy Spirit becomes our first priority.

Day 8, September 8
“Father, there are so many distractions! Help our focus to remain on You and not the empty idols the world offers”
Scripture Reading: Mark 12:30; 1 John 2:15; Matthew 6:24
Personal Reflection: Have I allowed idols to come into my life?
Pray the Church will willingly examine her works and ministries, recognize the idolatry, and remove every idol with deep repentance.

Day 9, September 9
“Humble us, Lord. Remove the pride from our fellowships.”
Scripture Reading: Proverbs 8:13; Proverbs 16:5; Proverbs 16:18
Personal Reflection: Has my heart become proud?
Pray asking the Lord to humble us as He convicts us of pride and shows us the evidence of it in our churches and our personal lives. Repent. Repent. Repent. Repent for your church and for The Church!

Day 10, September 10
“Father, conform Your Church, the Body of Christ, to the image of Your Son!”
Scripture Reading: Romans 8:29; 1 Peter 1:15-16; Philippians 1:11
Personal Reflection: Is it time for some cleansing in my personal life and home?
Pray asking God to guide and enable you to forgive and reconcile every broken relationship in a way that brings Him glory and brings you freedom. Pray the Church will come into unity and become a demonstration of the love of Christ.

Day 11, September 11
“Lord, unity is crucial to You! Break down every wall within Your Church, and draw us together in unity.”
Scripture Reading: John 17:23; Matthew 5: 23-24; Mark 11:35
Personal Reflection: Do I have relationships that I need to reconcile?
Pray asking God to guide and enable you to forgive and reconcile every broken relationship in a way that brings Him glory and brings you freedom. Pray the Church will come into unity and become a demonstration of the love of Christ.

GATHER. EQUIP. SEND.

Its absolutely resounding in my heart:  GATHER. EQUIP. SEND...

There will be more to come later but be assured that 3trees is about to GATHER, EQUIP, & SEND people in an unprecedented capacity throughout the days to come.

• GATHER to Experience God.
• EQUIP to Make Disciples.
• SEND into All the World!

Greater things are coming!  I can feel it........

Access Granted

Define ACCESS - "the right to enter" 

In order to enter any room you must have access to get in. It doesn't matter if you want to go into a gathering place or not, if you don't have the right to enter, you are not getting in!

Entry rights can be gained by someone giving you a key or opening a door for you--which could transpire in a variety of ways. I have found that in all realms of life there are circles, even spheres of influence, and in order to progress from one level to the next, you must establish legitimate connections with those who have the ability to open doors.

Undoubtedly, you have seen Hollywood's red carpet events.  Hundreds of people stand barracaded by ropes while celebrities march by--posing all the way--into the entryway of culture's most eloquent events.  Millions want in, thousands stand within view of the door, but only a handful get in.  Why?  One word: ACCESS.

In general, I believe that if you do not have fame or wealth on your your side then two things in life can still help grant you access into influential realms: 

1. Favor
2. Honor

Honor is a principle that must be acted out and favor is the by-product of an attitude. 

Favor can be supernaturally imparted, but I am coming to believe that it is most often only experienced in our lives as we practice an attitude of friendliness.  Literally, we must embrace a heart of doing unto others as we would have them to do unto us.  We must smile and kindly greet people with sincere conversation.  Simply by making small talk we can many times open doors that would have normally never been opened to us.  If you want favor then be friendly!

Honor is the type of principle that will set the course for our lifestyle when practiced. We give it to whom it is do: parents, elders, authority figures, teachers, and spritual leaders to name a few.

How do we give honor?  We bestow honor upon someone by exemplifying our respect for him/her through our actions.

Honor is thorough in its approach and will almost always--even in casual situations--choose to address an elder by his/her proper title and will always refuse to defile another person's name. This much is also certain, when you truly focus on being a person who regularly gives honor to other people, those people will want you around.  They will enjoy having you in their circle.

Many leaders tire easily because they constantly feel as though they are being leeched of their time and resources.  They long for someone to make a deposit instead of a withdrawal--someone who will give rather than take or request to receive.  Honor does exactly that--it shows up ready to serve rather than to be served! 

Honor is not simply brown-nosing. Flattery is manipulative in nature, while honor is pure in its ambition to give respect to someone without any hopes of return.  Honor has the capability to respect someone, fully-aware that someday the action may open currently closed doors, but also fully-content to continue to give respect without receiving any personal gain or recognition. Successful leaders got where they are for a reason and typically the stronger the leader the more keen his perception will be.  In other words, great leaders are constantly on guard for manipulative tactics and if they sense that manipulation is near they will remove it (and the person who brought it) very quickly from their space.

When you are friendly you will gain favor by default.  This is important because favor is typically the blessing that gets you close enough to bestow honor upon the people into whose circles you desire to enter. 

Think of it this way... FRIENDLINESS gets you to the door, FAVOR is the key, and HONOR is the doorkeeper whom ultimately grants you ACCESS into the next level of your destiny.

• FRIENDLINESS --> FAVOR --> HONOR --> ACCESS

(Foundational thoughts originally inspired by a combination of tweets from Pastors Steven Furtick & Danny Chambers.)

The Overflow

Jesus said, "But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and everything else shall be added unto you..." 

Seek first the Kingdom of God... Got it!  But, what is the Kingdom of God??? Here's Paul's take on it:

• Romans 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit,

In the hour of Paul many believers were being converted from Judaism, with them they brought baggage that had unintentionally become legalistic.  Their upbringing in the law of Moses restricted them from doing many things that had little to do with spirituality and more to do with simply following rules.  It is as if Paul was attempting to communicate to them that the Kingdom of God's presence in their lives was not determined by whether they ate pork or not (a no-no in Jewish culture); the Kingdom of God IS A MATTER of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. In fact, Paul goes on to say:

• Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may OVERFLOW with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit

What does it all mean? Simply put, the Kingdom of God is not about rules and regulations.  It is about living in joy, peace, and right-standing before God--to Love God and Love People.  I have joy that I am saved!  I have peace that I am saved!  I have right-standing because I could not save myself, Jesus did it for me.  When I seek this attitude in life, Jesus has promised that anything else I need will be added unto me--I will OVERFLOW with hope by the POWER of the Holy Spirit!

Greater things are yet to come!

The Fulfilled Path

 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. --Matthew 5:17

Jesus answered, "I am the WAY and the TRUTH and the LIFE. No one comes to the Father except through me... --John 14:6

The Orthodox Jews that I have met do not consider the Bible's law to be legalistic, instead they believe the best English word to directly describe their perception of the Biblically translated term "law" would be "path".

Think of this for a moment... The law was not considered first and foremost a tool for prosecution.  It was instead intended to be perceived as a PATH to life. The only problem is that as Paul mentioned, all the boundaries created by the law (or path) of Moses wound up creating a crooked, impassible road to death.  Why? Because it was so complex that no one could follow it. No man could navigate his way through the path and every man that tried ultimately fell to his death along its narrow passageways.

4,000 years into humanity's feeble attempts to chart a course through the path, Jesus arrived on the scene and made an astounding pronouncement, "I have not come to destroy the law, I have come to fulfill it."  I believe that Jesus was actually saying, "I have not come to destroy the PATH, I've come to show you how to navigate it!"

Up to this point, every individual reached the end of their life with no bridge between heaven and earth.  They couldn't find it along the path because the road was so complex.  Thousands of rules and regulations caused them to be lost.  Don't eat this meat, don't cook food that way, don't start a fire on this day, don't go to the fields unless it is such and such time...

God's point had been proven:  the law killeth!  No man could walk the path. Even with his best attempt, by accident he would in the end stumble to his death.  God's response was to insert his son into the path with the sole-purpose of bridging its gap between heaven and earth.  The first Adam had fallen off the path in the Garden of Eden, but the second Adam would succeed in the Garden of Gethsamene at staying the course.  The result: God's second Adam, Jesus Christ, became the WAY of the Path, the TRUTH to direct the steps along the Path, and the LIFE to prevent death on the Path, so that we may follow the Path back to the FATHER! (Ref. John 14:6)

We now walk the route of the fulfilled path, which means that we do not have to memorize thousands of boundaries.  We must only walk the path guarded on each side by two curbs:  1) Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, mind, and soul; 2) Love thy neighbor as thyself.

Do you want to walk with God?  Do you want to have an assurance that you are on the right path in your life?  If so, walk in such a WAY that you are guided by the LIFE of these two boundary forming TRUTHs:  Love God & Love People! 

I assure you that not only at the end, but also along the journey of this path, there is Life and Life more abundantly!

From One to Many - Isaiah 51

For the average reader, the Book of Isaiah, must in some ways be viewed as simply a poetic delivery of the infallible Word of God, as the prophetic elements of Isaiah's penmanship can become difficult for the average Bible student to maneuver his way through. For instance, trying to perceive in which sections he is talking about present-day events of his time, versus, when was he looking much further into the future can be very challenging.  However, despite its challenges it is overall a fantastic book and in my opinion holds within its pages more prophecies concerning the arrival of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, than any other Old Testament book.  In all truth, Isaiah may have been the most poetically-gifted writer in the entire Bible.

Today, as I got past all of the theological evaluation and simply read through its pages I found the first few verses of Isaiah's chapter 55 to be particularly encouraging...

• Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness and who seek the Lord; Look to the rock from which you were cut and to the quarry from which you were hewn; look to Abraham, your father, and to Sarah, who gave birth.  When I called him he was but one and I blessed him and made him many... Isaiah 51:1-2

You can feel all alone at times in your pursuit of righteousness (right-standing before God) but if you look throughout the course of history you will find that fantastic testimonies abound.  Elijah felt as though he was the only one being called to stand for God, yet he eventually found out that 7,000 more had likewise not yet bowed their knee to Baal. Jonah thought his situation was so hopeless that he believed preaching the message God had given him would be useless, yet after several pit stops he declared the word and an entire city responded with repentance!

Abraham was old and Sarah was incapable of bearing children; however, God spoke and that settled it--a son would be born!  As a result, what began as the dream of one man became a mighty nation.

God called you and you may currently be the only one on your jobsite pursuing right-standing before God--or at least you feel that way. Maybe no one wants to seek God in your family or even attend church, but I encourage you to keep up the fight of faith.  He that endures to the end shall be saved.  You may start "as one, but in the end God will bless you and you will become many!"  It is the way of God. He seems to be enthralled with exponential multiplication--just check out the Book of Acts or the miracles of Jesus sometime.  Even Jesus, Himself, was one, but now he has become the first-born of MANY brethren!

I assure you, greater things are yet to come!

Upcoming Schedule

A brief run-down of our upcoming service schedule:

• Saturday, July 31st @ 9am - 3pm  /  Work Day  (We need everyone!)
• Sunday, August 1st @ 9am, 11am, & 6:30pm  /  Last Services in the Old Facility
• Thursday, August 5th  /  No Service
• Sunday, August 8th @ 10:30am  /  Begin Again in the New Facility!
• Sunday, August 8th @ 12pm - 2pm  /  Community Picnic & Open House
• Wednesday, August 11th @ 7pm  /  Our New Mid-week Schedule Begins

Please note:  In an attempt to better serve our community and congregation beginning Sunday, August 8th our new service schedule will be as follows:

• Sundays @ 10:30am & 6:30pm 
• Wednesdays @ 7pm

Outdoor Baptism

Tomorrow @ 1pm we will have an outdoor baptism at the creek--most know the spot as the Sam Coffey Hole. For directions please pick up a map at tomorrow's services.

If you would like to be baptized meet us in Hillside's sanctuary at 12:15pm for a quick time of prayer and discussion, before heading creekside.

Robert Sheffey's Trigg, VA & Claytor Lake...

Three years ago, I didn't even know there was such a place as Trigg, Virginia or even Staffordsville, Virginia--for that matter.  Yet, tomorrow Mandy and I will head to the captivating mountains just outside of Dublin,Virginia for the third time in three years. 

On the other side of Kentucky's Black Mountain, we have made what we believe to be life-long friends and I am grateful for the opportunity to return.  Tuesday - Friday I will be speaking each night at the Robert Sheffey Memorial Campgrounds as we join in with the annual campmeeting led by George Phillips & Friends.  It is a unique experience, with services convening in an outdoor pavillion, you feel completely sheltered from the busyness of life by thick timber and an adventurous gravel driveway.

Its going be a fun week and I am especially looking forward to daytime visits to one of the most charming hidden gems our family has ever discovered, Claytor Lake...

Pray for as we travel.  3trees we will see ya Sunday!

Begin Again: Sunday, August 8th

The date has officially been set!  Sunday, August 8th @ 10:30am we will conduct our first worship gathering in 3trees' new worship facility. 

The day will be full of activity with a Community Picnic scheduled to immediately follow the service and we will swing the doors open wide for an Open House from 12pm - 2pm.  For your kids, we will have inflatable games, so they can bounce out the sugar they fuel up with via snow cones and cotton candy!  (Please Note: There will not be a PM service.)

Its very easy to drift out of church during the summer, but don't be discouraged as your KIDS GO BACK TO SCHOOL your FAMILY CAN GO BACK TO CHURCH.  August 8th @ 10:30am is a perfect opportunity for your family to BEGIN AGAIN!

Please know that everyone is welcome and I want to personally invite you to come BEGIN AGAIN with us as we gear up for what we believe will be the greater things that are yet to come!

New Church Name

A brief explanation of why we selected the new name 3trees for our church...

FIRST, THE REASONS FOR A NAME CHANGE:

1. We were no longer comfortable describing our praise as "higher". While the thought process behind our original name was never based in egotism, we came to realize that it could potentially be perceived that way.
2. There arrived among our fellowship of believers an undeniable consensus of agreement that we needed to bring the cross of Jesus, in a much more visible way, to the forefront of our ministry.  

SECONDLY, WHY THE NAME 3trees?

2,000 years ago in Jerusalem, the events surrounding three trees on a hillside changed the world. On one tree Jesus RELEASED grace. On the second tree a man REJECTED it, but on the third tree, grace was RECEIVED. The two men made different choices but both had to RESPOND to Jesus.

In 2010 and beyond, it is our most sincere prayer that from a hillside in Russell Springs, Kentucky, 3trees Church will be used of God to provoke a RECEPTIVE RESPONSE to the RELEASE of Jesus' grace, as we strive more than ever to move from just being a "Come and See" church to becoming a mobilized "Go and Tell" fellowship of believers!

We covet your prayers as we move forward with the most-focused vision we have ever had to plunder hell and populate heaven by the power of the Cross and Blood of Jesus.

May greater things come for the cause of Christ!

• 3trees Church is a Spirit-empowered, Life-giving ministry that is connecting people to Jesus, while finding needs and meeting them.  For more info please visit:  www.3trees.com

One Prayer

During our new series at 3trees Church we will join forces with thousands of other churches all over the world, lifting up ONE PRAYER to God.  Fully focused on seeing God's church become one!

One Prayer began in 2008 to explore the question: We pray to Jesus asking Him to answer our prayers - what if we became the answer to His? In John 17:20-24, He prayed that we would be one, and One Prayer is an opportunity to see what can be accomplished when the Church works together.

God has worked in amazing ways over the past two years as millions of believers around the world have united to pray, learn, and love others. We're joining forces once again for One Prayer 2010 as we come together for four weeks to learn more about our Creator and go out into the world to share, serve and give.

Entry Date

FYI: no date has been set for entry into the new facility as of yet. The moment we can secure a time that we know will work, without any fear of having to re-schedule, we will begin to spread the word.

Greater things are yet to come--and they're getting closer all the time!

Mother's Day

I'm super excited to be speaking on the subject of the virtuous woman, wife, and mother of Proverbs 31 tomorrow morning.  I believe it is going to be a very good day. I even have a new microphone to break in! ;)

Hope to see you tomorrow at 9am & 11am, as we will have over $200 worth of give-a-ways and most importantly an undeniable experience in God!

FYI: There will not be a PM service.

Vacation???

I have a blog?!?! Suddenly, remembered that fact during a sleepless night...

I've been BEYOND busy lately--borderline overwhelmed. I've never had a schedule quite like the one I keep now. It has required a new level of discipline and time management. The good news is that the increased activity has been a byproduct of enhanced favor. All that said, I'm absolutely ready for a vacation and admittedly--at the same time--can't wait to return!

The need for rest is innate and God-commanded, but when you stand on the brink of greater things, it is difficult to step away. Now is the TIME for which Mandy and I know we were born to walk in. May hell be plundered and heaven be populated through our efforts as never before. But I'm STILL going to take a vacation first. Disneyworld, here we come! :)

3trees Church?

A brief explanation of why we selected the new name 3trees for our church...

2,000 years ago in Jerusalem, the events surrounding three trees on a hillside changed the world. On one tree Jesus RELEASED grace. On the second tree a man REJECTED it, but on the third tree grace was RECEIVED. The two men made different choices but both had to RESPOND to Jesus.

In 2010, it is our most sincere prayer that from a hillside in Russell Springs, Kentucky, 3trees Church will be used of God to provoke a RECEPTIVE RESPONSE to the RELEASE of Jesus' grace, as we strive more than ever to move from just being a "Come and See" church to becoming a mobilized "Go and Tell" fellowship of believers!

We covet your prayers as we move forward with the most-focused vision we have ever had to plunder hell and populate heaven by the power of the Cross and Blood of Jesus. 

May greater things come for the cause of Christ!

Passion Weekend

The moment has once again arrived to celebrate Christ's once-and-for-all suffering for our sins and his everlasting resurrection over death, hell and the grave!

This is sure to be a huge weekend for HPC and, more importantly, all of Christianity. Statistics show that over 80% of the people we invite to church on this particular weekend will attend with us! Seize this opportunity to share the Gospel of Jesus' resurrection with your friends and & family.

Our weekend schedule will be:

Thursday @ 7pm
Good Friday @ 6pm
Big Reveal - Saturday @ 5pm
Easter Sunday @ 9am & 11am
The Passion Movie - Sun @ 12:30pm

EVERYONE WELCOME!

2am

It's 2am and I can't sleep. Big reveals lay ahead of HPC and today marks a moment of great significance for us--as it will be our last Sunday under the name Higher Praise...

Saturday is coming quick and the new name will be revealed by this time next week. I'm excited and I can't wait to join you in taking this journey of Kingdom advancement to a brand-new level!

Greater things are yet to come!

Milk the Cow...... AGAIN!

It's late and I find myself reflecting on nine years of pastoral minstry... There are men with far more experience than me, but I feel like I've heard my fair share of off-the-wall stories. At the top of the list are the reasons people typically give to validate their bad attitudes, while harboring bitterness and offense.

Sometimes all you can do is laugh at the way we process things: He said, she said, I did, they didn't, should have, would have, surely they could have!

But to tell the truth--in my opinion--most people who are offended, first wanted to be offended. I've often found that people wrestling with offense were first seemingly waiting for someone to display an action towards them that would give them a reasonable excuse to display hateful feelings. Many times the feelings were obviously locked up long before the actual event in question transpired.

Take a word of advice from someone who has had the root of bitterness plucked from his heart on more than one occasion: LET IT GO!

Think about it for a moment... Is it really worth it? Do you really want to go through the details of your petty indifferences at the Great White Throne of Judgment. After all, finger-pointing will be null and void at that moment. You will answer for you and you alone.

Now answer this question again: IS IT REALLY WORTH IT?

Choose to laugh rather than cry. Choose to forgive rather than begrudge and to smile instead of frowning. Move
forward through life with humility and cast down the pride that fuels the foundational stages of offense to begin with.

As one farmer--stepping into an unexpected, sudden flow of milk from an overturned pail--told his bitterly arguing, finger-pointing children, "One thing is settled: the milk has been spilled. Now stop whining over the fact that it happened and just go milk the cow again!"

However Jesus said it better, "Take up your cross--DAILY-- and deny yourself!"

I'll do my best to come with you as we strive, together, to be less like us and more like Christ. May we decrease, that he may increase.

Greater things are yet to come. Don't miss them because you're curled up in the defiled bed of bitterness... :)

HPC NAME CHANGE

If you are looking for info on why Higher Praise will be revealing a new church name, please scroll down until you find the post labeled: The Big Reveal  or just CLICK HERE FOR NAME CHANGE INFO

Zero Tolerance

At the start of my message on Sunday night I don't really know how to describe what I felt. There was just this overwhelming feeling that something wasn't right. As I tried to process it, I kept coming to the conclusion that someone was present in the congregation who had full intention of disrupting the service. As a result, at the same time I felt so indescribably troubled I also felt an intensity in my spirit that such an act could not be permitted.

My response may have been right, it may have been wrong. Truthfully, I'm not for sure. All I knew to do at the moment was to make sure that every person present possessed a firm understanding that in corporate gatherings of worship, we are Biblically mandated to do everything decently and in order. Therefore, I gave a brief disclaimer that ignorance would not be tolerated.

There has been enough nonsense happen in church environments, under the pretense of the moving of the Holy Spirit, to forever scar Christ's body. I simply sensed or discerned--whatever you want to call it--that I had an obligation as a pastor to give a reminder that such acts of ignorance would not and could not be tolerated at 3515 West Hwy 80.

I have a reverential awe for the presence of God and I never want anything to be done under the guise of His moving that is actually fleshly in nature. During the course of nine years of pastoral ministry, on two or three different occasions that I vividly remember, I did not have the courage I needed as spiritual leader and stood passively by in moments when I should have addressed some things with authority. Each time I sensed something foolish was about happen and I just couldn't seem to find the strength to address it before it transpired. (Obviously, it is easier to stop something before it gets started than vice-versus.) God has deeply convicted my heart over my past cowardice and has led me to the understanding that as a spiritual leader there may be no greater hypocrisy than the sin of silence. Thus, the reason I spoke so bluntly on Sunday evening. :)

Perhaps, I should have given a better explanation at the time but honestly, at that moment, I wasn't for sure how to.

If you have any further questions regarding the brief comments I made that evening feel free to send them to me and I'll do my best to answer them. You can reach me directly at: jackrambles@gmail.com

Love guys. Hope you have a great week.

Greater things are yet to come!

The Big Reveal

There is a time and a season for everything. The time for our fellowship of believers to be recognized by the name Higher Praise Church has come and gone. It is now time for a NEW NAME!

The decision is not one that was made quickly. For 18 months I have wrestled with, and sought wise counsel, regarding the concept.

I firmly believe when God is dealing with your heart about something, He will honor the promise of His word and confirm His plans through "the mouth of two or three witnesses." Over the course of these last 18 months it has been an amazing lesson for me in obeying God, as far more than two or three people (that I greatly respect) have prayerfully agreed that it is time to change the name of our church. As well--and maybe most importantly--HPC's Lead Team has also expressed an overwhelming consensus of agreement that it is time to reveal a new name.

Why is there so much certainty that the name of our church needs to be changed? I believe there are at least 4 significant reasons.

1) I have become burdened, and even broken, in prayer about the fact that "Higher" Praise may, on occasion, be perceived as an arrogant proclomation. While that was NEVER the intention behind using Higher Praise as a name, I believe God and wise counsel has helped me to see how someone might perceive our name to be an egostistical statement. Perhaps, there have even been some who wrongly interpreted our name to mean that we are of the opinion that our praise is more effective at reaching God than someone else's might be. I sincerely apologize to our community if we have ever UNINTENTIONALLY given that perception.

2) Our church was once focused on the theme of "Come and See". We sat and waited for the community to come to us as we held our worship gatherings. During that six-year period, we struggled to consistently break the 200-attendee mark. Today, the attitude of our Lead Team and church is totally different. Everyone is still invited to come, but first we will "Go and Tell"! No longer do we lazily sit inside our church waiting for the world to change itself.

Three years ago we made a decision to serve this community tirelessly. "Captivate" at the Adair County Fairgrounds is one example of an outreach that was birthed from that decision. This particular event has exploded with success, as we take a Saturday in April and do our best to bestow unconditional love upon the Lake Cumberland region. Last year over 1,000 people received help in a 3-hour period of time. God has taught our church that nothing is more exhilirating than finding a need and meeting it.

The result of our new approach has been phenomenal, as our church has more than doubled in size during the last 36-months.

Because of this change in ministerial philosophy our new name must effectively move us away from a term that denotes the event that happens at our gatherings (praise) and move us toward better communicating that we are here as a church to follow Jesus' example and take up our cross. To put it bluntly, it is time to more effectively communicate through our church name that we are here for one specific reason and that is to present the love of Jesus' sacrifice to all of Lake Cumberland.

3) The growth of Higher Praise leads us to another significant reason for the name change.

Every Sunday, people are gathering on our hillside from at least 7 different counties, and it is not unusual to see as many as 9 counties regularly represented. This is an awesome thing. But, one dilemma has been discovered as our influence has expanded: there are several other churches and ministries using the term Higher Praise to identify themselves. There are even two more ministries sharing our name in just the state of Kentucky. This has caused confusion on more than one occasion, not only online, but also with UPS. :)

Our new name has already been secured and it is a name that no other church in America currently uses. This will help us tremendously as we move out across Kentucky with other satellite locations and across America with media ministries.

4) There is a growing lack of emphasis on the Cross of Jesus in the world today. Our new name will more clearly communciate the happenings on a hillside 2,000 years ago, which has led to the OPPORTUNITY of salvation for each and everyone one of us!

This new name will even allow our church (when inviting unsaved friends or family) to find a quick opportunity to sow salvation seeds regarding the events of Calvary. And even more specifically, present without awkwardness, the central truth of the Gospel, which I believe is that we must all decide whether to receive or reject Jesus as our Lord.

I'm ecstatic! I feel like it is September 2000 all over again as we prepare for a new day of ministry. But, a New Name is not the only Reveal we have planned for the month of April!

Our schedule for the Reveals will be as follows...

THE BIG REVEAL: New Name. New Vision. New Facility.

New Name Reveal: Saturday, April 3rd @ 5pm.

New Vision Reveal: Easter Sunday, April 4th @ 9am  11am  12:30pm

New Facility Reveal: Sunday, April 25th @ 10:30am.

Greater things are yet to come!

The Big Reveal...

THE BIG REVEAL.... That's all I'm going to say about it for now... But don't miss Sunday! We will be setting the stage for an announcement that you will have to buckle your seats for as we prep for greater things that are yet to come!

And trust me... Even if you think you know what it is... You don't!  LOL

Decisions...

HPC's Administrative team has entrusted me with the responsibility of making some important decisions this week and I ask for your prayer. It involves some significant budget appropriations and I definitely want to make sure that we head in the right direction.

I will be seeking direction from my mentors, and most importantly the Holy Spirit, tomorrow as I prepare to make the decide on Thursday and Friday.

Thanks for covering me in prayer...

Construction Update

This week in construction we will see the last of the framing completed.  Electrical and plumbing work will also continue and I think we may possibly see some sheet rock start to go up.  The HVAC installers should also make significant progress, as well as, the sprinkler company...

Excitedly Ecstatic!

I am as excited--make that ecstatic--about ministry as I have ever been.  The church has caught a wave of momentum that is unlike anything I have ever experienced as a pastor.

Today, we had our monthly New Attendees' Brunch and we ran out of seats!  As quickly as possible, we added three more tables and then we almost ran out again!  It was an unforgettable moment for me as I got to see first-hand, people displaying interest in the ministries HPC has to offer.

All three services were also packed today and I don't know where this thing is going to end up, but I sure am glad that I've got a ringside seat for it.

Greater things are truly yet to come, as by grace, we make Jesus famous throughout all of Lake Cumberland!

Can't Sleep...

I can't sleep tonight as I am absolutely ecstatic about tomorrow...

Several things will be happening:

1) Our stage will be studded up inside the new sanctuary. Yay!

2) Several of the necessary furniture items will be ordered to help furnish the new facility. (We've got some really cool things planned.)

3) I get to visit the fastest growing church in KY tomorrow night with some HPC friends.

4) An early UK game allows be to watch the Cats take it to UT in the middle of all the other great happenings tomorrow. ;)

Joy comes in the morning and I'm setting my clock for an early wake-up call!

Wow!

Awesome night last night! Packed house during a mid-week service is an amazing thing and I don't take it lightly. God is up to something. His presence is being experienced in a very real way during our gatherings. And get this..... Greater things are still yet to come!!!