Connections

Releasing the Sound!

Catalyst Music Project | Aaron Keyes from Catalyst on Vimeo.

This is a very cool opportunity that our pastor's son, Aaron Keyes is spear-heading with Catalyst called the Catalyst Music Project. David Walker, the Worship Pastor at CRCC is submitting one of his songs. Please pray that what David is writing would be exported to the world. The church will blessed by David's writing. By the way....if you haven't heard David's latest album Closer than Angels" then you need to stop what you are doing and purchase it here.

Reminded of the power of the Church!

As I was reading this article on CNN I was reminded of a story that I was honored to witness a few years ago.

Our Church was at a local swimming pool having one of our many summer baptisms when a wonderful new couple showed up.  They had been dating for years and had recently come to Christ after hearing the Gospel on TV....I believe.  She showed up walking very slowly with a cane due to a terrible back injury.  They were greeted at the door to the pool and stated that they had recently gotten saved and was looking to get baptized.  They googled Baptisms in Greenville, SC and ours showed up at the top of the list...they got directions and showed up.

The result of that Google search: 

-She was healed from her painful condition at the pool after being prayed for by a prayer team.
-She and her boyfriend were baptized as a ton of people that they didn't know cheered them on.
-They went through some marriage counseling a few weeks later.
-The church found out her wedding wishes and they were all delivered.
-She got a dress from someone at the church.
-A team of ladies made a beautiful cake.
-Another team purchased flowers.
-Another crew was in charge of makeup, hair and accessories.
-Another team arranged the music.
-The wedding was beautiful with family, friends and a new church family in attendance.

Never underestimate the power of the local church!  The Lord is great at granting the desires of your heart if you will delight in Him.

Core Values

I year ago, we started talking heavily as a staff about our personal Core Values and the Core Values of CRCC.  We wrestled, cried, debated and came to a conclusion.  It's so nice to have people around you that share the same Core Values.  It makes what you do for a living satisfying.  

One of my personal values and the values of CRCC is the Kingdom of God. This means that the Church at Greenville is more important than our local church.  It doesn't mean however that the local church is not important.  It is very important and adds a crucial element to the Body of Christ in your city. 

All that to say, I am so excited about two initiatives that we will be engaged in this summer.  One is Hinge that I have talked a ton about and the other is Kingdom Culture for students.  Click the graphic below and read the information about this "camp like" experience for Middle School and High Schoolers.  If you are a youth pastor in Greenville, we would LOVE to have you join us.

Refreshing Day

Had a wonderful time today in Seneca at Foothills Church for a roundtable discussion with some really sharp guys.  All of these churches are making an impact for the Kingdom.  Good night.....Mountain Lake has a sweet facility! 

The guys that I broke bread with today were:

   Preston Porter from Revolution Church

Chase McKissick from Compass Church

Louie Lovoy from Mountain Lake 

Paul Carr from FootHills Community Church 

We spent the day discussing church connections, mission, strategies to reach people for Christ and discipleship. We were candid about what we feel is working and what is not in our churches and in our communities. The cool thing is, we all have DIFFERENT strategies for our churches, HOWEVER, what we did ALL HAVE IN COMMON is that we desperately want to see people changed by Jesus and our cities transformed by the Gospel.

So refreshing.......needed that!

Easter at CRCC! (click graphic for larger view)

CD Release @ CrossRoads!

WWW.MOVEMENTTOTHEMANGER.ORG

CRCC is introducing an interactive way to engage your hearts with Jesus this Christmas season.  We have a new Christmas Blog called www.movementtothemanger.org!  You can log on Monday-Friday this month to read a daily devotional, as well as, questions related to the "Bring It" series.

Closer Than Angels is Out!

I couldn't be more excited to announce that David Walker's new site and CD is out!  You can purchase it directly from the site.  You can also download two free songs on davidwalkeronline.com.

Enjoy! 

Closer Than Angels

Check out David Walker's blog.  His new CD, Closer Than Angels is coming out in the next few weeks.  I'm not kidding when I say that it will be one of the best worship CD's out.  He has a few rough videos of some of the songs on his new album.  You will get the feel! 

The Stand

We are starting a new series Sunday at CRCC.  I am very excited about this series for many practical reasons.  We are in a war!  Those who choose not to engage WILL BECOME casualties in some areas.

There are many weapons of our warfare, but the one that I am finding very effective in this invisible spiritual war is the weapon of forgiveness!  Forgiveness neutralizes the power of the enemy, starves his assignment from our lives and changes the condition of our heart's soil...resulting in different fruit and harvest.

"You rest in the forgiveness of sins when the thought of God does not remind you of your sin, but that it is forgiven, when the past is not a memory of how much you have tresspassed, but of how much you've been forgiven." Soren Kierkegaard