Keep Moving Forward

Well, I am getting ready to head to the Minneapolis airport. Before I left Virginia I purchased a ticket back to Virginia so I could see my family again. It is my hope that I can do this once a month. I don't know how realistic this is, but I will do my best to see my loved ones every month until the end of this year. In January, things will start picking up with the church plant. I will get on the grind building a planting core team and raising funds. My goal will to have at least a strong 12 member core team, and I will also have a goal of raising at least $30,000 for the church plant itself. My intent is to build up momentum for launch service. Yet, before this starts I know God is doing something in my heart now. During this sabbatical I am reading a lot of books on purity. I know the Lord has lead me to this topic. Hebrews 12:14 states
Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. During these three months I pray that I can establish a solid theological and practical method of articulating God's heart for purity and ministering it to His people. It seems odd, but considering the consequences of not having it and the sordid condition our country is in, it is amazing that more Pastors are not speaking on it. It seems like many are afraid to touch it. Maybe they are afraid they will loose members? Maybe it is not a popular topic? May it is fear that their own struggles will be revealed? One thing is sure. WE all need it here in Minneapolis. Downtown Minneapolis is Amazing. I can't tell you how this cosmopolitan city resonates in my heart. It is so diverse. You can see some one driving around in a 6 figure automobile while simultaneously seeing immigrants from East Africa standing on the corner. The city makes you transparent. No pretenders here. People are not looking for a show. Their problems are to real. It seems like they are looking for answers. I pray that is why I am here. To give them the answer--Jesus. I will be attending the start conference next week when I return to Minneapolis. START is a three day campus event that exposes students and local pastors/leaders to the wide variety of church planters and church planting models. Guest speakers from across the nation led group sessions with NCU students and local church leaders, while also serving as the daily chapel speaker. START special guests included Herbert Cooper (People’s Church), Leonard Sweet (author, speaker), Wilfredo de Jesus (New Life Covenant Church), Brad Davis (Desert Springs Church), Rob Ketterling (River Valley Church), Peter Haas (Substance Church), and Trinity Jordan (Elevation Church). Nice plug right. http://www.northcentral.edu/news/11/10/start-conference

Anyway I am about to hit the shower, head to Caribou Coffee and then to the airport. I have about 5 hours flight time. I will then also head up to West Virginia at about 6pm. That will be about a 7 hour drive. I cant wait to see Dawniqua, the kids, and my parents...

Endure

Fall-owing the call...

Well, I am now in Minneapolis, MN. It took me about 24 hours to get here. I started out from Virginia stopped at my uncles house in Indianapolis, IN; I broke it up into two 12 hour days. The trip went fast; however, I noticed that I really struggled to get into God's presence during the trip. I know it is going to take time to get past the hurt of leaving my friends and loved ones. But, I think the distance I am experiencing from God is something deeper. I think I am going to have to push harder now to get into God's presence. I think this is the beginning of a "new level" of my relationship with God. I don't like the term new level. So to clarify my comment: I believe this is the beginning of a greater level of dependence on God. I don't know what that looks like, but I think that is part of the reason why I am up here.

Jeremiah 17:7-8

7 "But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. 8 He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit."

(What does complete dependence on God look like? And, how do you maintain it despite the ups and downs of life?)I need to see how far these wounds go down. (Lord you are a healer)I will start regimenting my fasting and praying along with my devotional times and working out. I need God now. I need to grow: I can't I lead anyone else into a vibrant relationship with Him unless I am there myself. With all that has happened I don't feel crushed but I do feel broken. I am going to be unloading the 20 foot U-haul truck tomorrow.

A broken vessel. Personal prophecy being fulfilled.

David was caught in a very uncomfortable position; however, he seemed to grasp a deep understanding of the unfolding drama in which he had been caught. He seemed to understand something that few of even the wisest men of his day understood. Something that in our day, when men are wiser still, even fewer understand.

And what was that?

God did not have--but wanted very much to have--men and women who would live in pain.

God wanted a broken vessel.


--Gene Edwards

A Tale of Three Kings

I got this personal prophecy on April 17 of 2010
Well I just had a Word from the Lord for you which I recieved when we sat in the same area during the worship. The Lord impressed upon me to share with you that the feeling of uneasiness and unrest that you have been feeling in your Spirit about the future of your life and ministry is from him. God is getting ready to uproot and re-position you but you will face great opposition even from those close to you. Trust your heart, act bold and launch out into the deep as you are entering a new season in your life and ministry. God has given you the Green light.

Since this Prophecy my wife left our marriage, my responsibilities at my place of employment were systematically taken from me, the individual who set up my non-profit stole my money for the non-profit, I could not get full custody of my kids, and I was called by God to plant a Church in Minneapolis, MN.

So here we go. I have answered the call of God once again. (Insert the serenity prayer here) I am leaving family, friends, to do what God created me to do. Even though my life has been radically changed in the last two years; God has not changed His mind regarding what he called me to accomplish. I am leaving Virginia with no Job, no car, no home, no marriage, without my children. The only thing I am leaving with is a Word from God. I realize that people will be upset for me communicating this, some will even say what I am doing is not biblical, but I believe that what I am going through is for God's glory and not my own. This is harddddd!!!!!! Man I miss my kids--terribly. I am struggling right now. I will be on the road tomorrow in a 20 foot U-Haul truck headed to Minneapolis. This is the most difficult thing that I have done in my entire life. I genuinely believe I am following God.

It seems that some churches are a plastic representation of what is depicted in the Bible. I know every church is not like that, but some are. I believe the things that God asks us to do requires love, authenticity, and sacrifice. I have not been perfect in these 36 years--far from it. Honestly, I will be going through counseling when I get up to Minnesota. I don't want to start this church off wrong. I need God's help to do this. If I do not continue to grow in my faith, this entire endeavor will fail. I need to walk in holiness, righteousness and peace. And, I need God's help to do so. The pain is real, but so is the power of God. Please keep me in your prayers. Please pray for my kids too...I would like to get full custody of them.

Last day of my first week of Residency: now the fun begins...

I am sitting here at the end of my first week of residency feeling overwhelmed. As trepidation runs through me; I am constantly fighting not to capitulate to the notion that I will fail. It seems to me the challenge of fulfilling our calling is realizing that doing so will take all the strength we have to bow our will to God and to allow Him to accomplish His plans through us. It is so interesting how my life has gone. It is as though I was always hurt, weak, overwhelmed or almost hopeless right before I was tested and elevated. I can honestly say I have never preformed flawlessly through any test I have went through, but the Lord has delivered me through them all. For me to obtain a PHD would be a monumental act by the sovereign hand of God. I realize that everything good that I have done was because God decided to work through me. I can not take any credit whatsoever for what I have done in this body. Thank you Lord for using a broken vessel like me!

First Day of PHD program at Regent University School of Global Leadership and Entrepreneurship

Well this my first day in my PhD program. The first feeling you get in this program is fear. You are constantly told how challenging this program is. But, the great thing about being at a Christian University is that you are told "if God called you here, you will finish." So far the key word I have heard is "time management or capacity." Everyone here has the aptitude to be here, but does everyone here have the time. Right now the statics show that only 50% of the people who start the program actually finish it. Lord Help me. My hope is that this program will make me a better pastor, a better teacher, and a better believer. This is kind of how I live my life..."strive to be great, and live your life to make others great--for the Glory of God. With all that is going on in my life, it will be God and His grace alone that enables me to get through it...

Christian civilization

"Christian civilization is the greatest that the world has ever known because it rests on a conception of life that makes life one unending progress toward higher things, with no limit to advancement or development."
William Bryan

Ministry in Minnesota

This is a kind of look at God post. So enjoy...Well God is so good. And, believe me one day all wrongs will be righted so just trust in Him. This week I am up in Minnesota where I was asked to preach this Sunday at the Edge Christian fellowship in Rodgers. Rodgers is about 15 min drive from Downtown Minneapolis. I am also going to be speaking at the Minnesota Teen challenge, which is one of the largest teen challenge establishments in the country. I had a great time ministering there last time. Furthermore, the christian chronicle will be doing an article on what has been doing through me recently. And, lastly I have been asked to do a radio interview with KTIS, which is the largest Christan radio station in the US. God is moving...and I pray I can continually magnify his name. Now the funny thing is I found out about this interview on Monday. Tuesday i received the questions for the interview check out the questions:

· Question 1#: We heard that you played against another former Minnesota Viking in High School, and had a connection with him in college and the pro’s, can you tell us about that?

o Randy Moss

· Question # 2: Players had a definition for what the NFL stood for what was that?

o Not For Long

· Question #3 What did the fame of the NFL bring?

o Many good things but it also brought a lot of Shallow Friendships

· Question #4 How you decided to get into the ministry?

o Journey of discovering what my true calling was

· Question #5 You have said to people that your first time through school your grades were not the best, you even had an acronym for what your report card looked like, tell us now what you have achieved after football when it comes to your education?

o Earned a double Masters from Regent University in Business and Divinity, and will be starting PHD Program this spring.

o Recognized by Regent as top Divinity Student of the year / also an Academic all American

· Question #6 You have traveled overseas, where did you go and what was that like?

o Haiti, Bosnia,

· Question #7 What brought you back to The Twin Cities?

o Speaking at Minnesota Teen Challenge, and a local Church

· Question #8 You have recently started a non-profit ministry, can you tell us about that?

o Envision Immanuel

If you want to ask a fun question, Anthony also worked out/tried out for The Green Bay Packers (kind of like Brett Favre a Viking and a Packer)

Look at question #1 again...Now the funny thing is on Tuesday night I found out that Randy Moss may be traded to the Vikings...And on Wednesday morning I found out that he was traded. I don't know, but I think God is doing something.