A Sneak Peak

This coming Sunday will be our second CHURCH180 worship experience and we're getting more and more excited about seeing who God will bring and what God is going to do!!

I've started a message series entitled, LIFE180. The idea here is that Jesus is able to take our difficult situations in life (even the ugly ones we get ourselves into) and can turn them around for our good but most of all for His glory.

To continue with this series, I'll be sharing this Sunday night a two-part message (don't worry, they'll both be short). In the first part, we'll be looking at our responsibility to trust and expect great things from Jesus. As a matter of fact, our faith is somewhat of an "activator" that is a channel for Jesus to work. We have a responsibility not only to have faith but to do something about our faith.

In the second part of the message, I want to share about what Jesus does when we have faith in Him and when we bring people to Jesus. Physically impossible things become possible. Spiritual despair is turned into hope and as a result, Jesus is seen as He is and not as how we make him out to be.

If you live in the Montrose area, we'd love for you to come and be a part!! Bring people with you! If you don't live in the area or you can't make it, we invite you to pray for the service. Please pray that God would have His perfect way in our lives and in what happens Sunday night.

We'll gather at 6pm at the Montrose Aquatic Center (25 Colorado Ave., Montrose). For more info, you can call the church office at (970) 249-0000.

Our First CHURCH180 Service

To begin with, I am completely humbled that God would call us to do this whole CHURCH180 thing. What an amazing ride so far. God began working in our hearts (Rachel and I) almost three years ago now and God was stirring us, preparing us, and molding us ever since.  To those of you who have sacrificed, prayed, given financially, and played a part already in CHURCH180, we say THANK YOU!!!

Tonight was our first official CHURCH180 worship service and it was absolutely great - certainly not because of any single individual but because of what Jesus did through each of us on the team. Our "Launch Team" members are completely amazing! Each of them served with the heart of a true servant - no complaining and no bad attitudes.

Our Guest Services team consisted of about 5 people. They welcomed guests in the parking lot, at the entry way of the building, and in the meeting room. They set up banners, gave out connection cards and $4 coffee gift cards (for The Looney Bean), plus a whole lot more!!! Great job team!

Our KIDZ180 team consisted of about 4 people. They checked in the kiddos into a safe and fun environment, taught a lesson about Nicodemus along with my message, loved on kids, plus a whole lot more. There were about 7 kids 4 years and down tonight. Great job team!

Last but not least, our Worship & Tech Team consisted of 6 people. They practiced their music on their own before tonight, set up sound equipment, played with passion and skill, ran sound and video like champs, and really put it together. Great job team!

We had somewhere around 47 in attendance tonight which we were all very pleased with. Each guest was a special part of a brand new and fresh move of God. Everyone on our Launch Team really made everyone feel welcome and a part of the CHURCH180 family. To those we talked with, everyone had a really positive experience.

Before the next service, we'll have a "comeback event" for anyone and everyone for the sole purpose of just getting to know each other and hanging out. This month, we're having one comeback event for the guys and one for the ladies. The guys are going to be hanging out at my man Damian's house to watch UFC 137 on October 29th (Twisted huh? I love being a church planter. We get to do crazy things like watch UFC with the guys!!) and the ladies are going to do some cool pottery projects at the Amazing Glaze Shop on the 27th. (Not as twisted but equally as fun for the gals).

A week from tonight we'll have our first official "Launch Team" gathering (formerly the "Start Up Team"). This team will pray, hang out, evaluate, plan the next month's worship service, and help build a team to prepare us for a weekly schedule in the spring. These people are awesome! Go team!

If you'd like to be a part of the CHURCH180 Launch Team, you can email me here and I'll give you all the info you need to know.

I'm so grateful, excited, and humbled to be a part of God's work. Thank you Jesus.

LIFE180 @ CHURCH180

I honestly can't believe it, but it's happening this Sunday!!!! What God has been doing in our hearts for almost a year and a half is finally coming to reality!

On Sunday night, October 9th (6pm @ the Montrose Aquatic Center), we will have our first ever CHURCH180 worship experience!!! Our church is all about people experiencing life change through Jesus, and we're kicking everything off by starting the "LIFE180" message series. We'll learn about how Jesus can bring lasting and eternal life change to all of us - no matter where we are in life.

Now . . . what should we expect? Here are 10 things I can think of (not limited to these though):

1. We expect great things from God!
2. We expect lives to be impacted by the message and life of Jesus
3. A high energy worship band and great times of worship
4. Not just a church but a community of friends
5. An environment that welcomes hurting people 
6. A group of people who see each other as equally important in the eyes of God
7. A laid-back atmosphere where you can be comfortable being yourself without a religious mask
8. Expect to be greeted as an honored guest and leave as a friend
9. A safe and fun learning environment for your kids (a.k.a. KIDZ180) 
10. It is highly probable that you'll have some fun!!!

Finally, we've had an incredible group of friends that have helped prepare and make it possible! From those who have supported us with prayer, finances, and with volunteering, we have an incredible team and we're all pumped about Sunday!!! Thanks so much to everyone for serving and bringing the life-changing hope of Jesus to Montrose, Colorado, and the world! You guys are great!

Every Day Is A Gift

Just this past week, I had an opportunity to attend the Global Impact Conference at First North in South Carolina. What an incredible week hearing from some spiritual giants in the world of missions! Last Friday, I was invited to share about our church plant with Mrs. Coffee's 4th grade class there at the Spartanburg Christian Academy. On the way into the class, I went into the same area of the building that I went to kindergarten in. It had been around 30 years since I had really been able to go in to this part of the building and really take time seeing what was in there.

Talk about being overwhelmed!!! I saw the same rooms that I was in when I was 4 years old!!! Crazy!!! After seeing these rooms, we went upstairs toward the classroom and I then remembered that I went to children's church just down then hall. Some of those memories seem like they were just yesterday. After speaking to the class, I took about 15 minutes to go and just sit and think in the old children's church room. Here are the thoughts that raced through my mind:

1. 30 years goes by about like 15 seconds sometimes. 
2. I wish I could go back as that 4 year old and change some things.
3. God has brought me a long way.
4. Children's church made a huge impact on my life (because it was done really well).
5. Did I really turn 34 years old that quick??
6. I'm almost halfway through my life. What will the next 34-40 years look like?
7. Thank you Lord, for adults who loved me and cared for me as a kid.

As I was just completely overwhelmed by the brevity of life, I thought of this song by Chris Rice:

 

^{Psalm 39:4-7}

⁴ “Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be.
      Remind me that my days are numbered—
      how fleeting my life is.
 ⁵ You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand.
      My entire lifetime is just a moment to you;
      at best, each of us is but a breath.”
                         Interlude

 ⁶ We are merely moving shadows,
      and all our busy rushing ends in nothing.
   We heap up wealth,
      not knowing who will spend it.
 ⁷ And so, Lord, where do I put my hope?
      My only hope is in you.

1st CHURCH180 Worship Experience

We're officially at the "EXCITED!" stage! What has been over a year process is quickly arriving faster than the speed of light! We're preparing for our very first public worship experience for the people of the Montrose area. 

Our very first service will be October 9th at 6:00pm. Here's just a little about our upcoming services:

1. We'll focus on Jesus.
2. Everyone is welcome. (Yes . . .  we do mean EVERYONE!)
3. It won't be boring!
4. We'll meet at the Montrose Aquatic Center (25 Colorado Ave, Montrose, CO 81401). 
5. We'll meet initially on the second Sunday night of each month at 6pm. 

Why Sunday nights? Many families in the Montrose area go off for the weekends and others work on Sunday mornings and afternoons. We hope a Sunday night format will be the best time for most people. 

Why monthly? We'll eventually "Launch" into a regular weekly schedule in the spring of 2012 but in the meantime, we'll focus on building momentum steadily. In between each monthly worship experience, we'll have a "Comeback Event" where we get together informally and just have fun hanging out. Starting off with weekly worship experiences from the beginning is a lot to undertake! 

If you'd like to be a part of the start-up team, click HERE to learn more.

Hope to see you there! 

Reflections On An Incredible Week

If you're from Montrose, it's very likely that you got to experience part of the CHURCH180 vision last week. What an incredible week!!

For those of you that don't know, here's what happened. With the help from our friends at our home church in Mississippi, we were able to get kicked of with some major outreach events.

1. We did a "we pay you" car wash on Saturday and on Tuesday. We paid people $1 to wash their cars for them with no strings attached. We also gave out some $1 Looney Bean Coffee House coupons!
2. We had a really great worship service Sunday AM with the team.
3. We got to meet a lot of people in the community neighborhoods and give away some $4 Looney Bean coupons. 
4. We did a massive community cookout for the people of Montrose. We served around 350 hamburgers, 300 hotdogs, cotton candy, snow cones, and pop corn. We guessed that at least 300 people came out for the event. 

What a great way to kick off the CHURCH180 vision. Our vision is simply to impact Montrose, Colorado, and even the world with the "180" life-changing hope of Jesus. We believe He can bring new beginnings and fresh starts. He did it in us and He can do it in you and anyone else.

We'll have our first public service on October 9th at 6pm at the Montrose Recreation / Aquatic Center. If you'd like to be a part of helping CHURCH180 start up, just click here and let us know you want to be a part. 

Finally, a big "Thank You" to all our friends from Saltillo! You guys are awesome!!! We love you and appreciate you!!!

It's Not All It's Cracked Up To Be

So you wanna be a church planter huh? I never thought in a million years (well maybe just 34 years) that God would call me to plant a church, much less be a pastor. But through all of the hardships, trials, and challenges, Rachel and I have come to appreciate the calling that God has given us.

With that being said, I want everyone to know that starting a church (aka "Church Planting") isn't all it's cracked up to be. It's not easy!

Here are my top 10 things you may want to know before you plant a church:

1. You BETTER be called by God Himself!!!
2. Be prepared to give up everything you know
3. Be prepared for spiritual attacks that don't stop!
4. It's lonely sometimes
5. Your family will pay a price
6. It's one of the hardest things you'll ever do
7. Get ready for a lot of unknowns (you name it, and it's an unknown!)
8. You better have a game plan
9. You're now the secretary (and the musicians, and the set up team, and on and on ..... at least for a little while)
10. God will bless it when you're faithful to His calling - but only when we're faithful

When God is in it, there's no denying that He's up to something big. But guess what ..... It's not about me or you. It's all about Him and His agenda!