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Invite Someone THIS WEEKEND

November 9, 2011 in Personal, Wellspring with Comments Off

We are now 2 weeks into our series, “The Gospel,” and God has moved in amazing ways.

We’ve seen more people accept Christ over the last 2 weeks than we’ve ever seen in a 2-week period in the history of Wellspring…and there are STILL 2 weeks to go!

Now is time for you to step out and invite.  
Invite that coworker that you’ve been meaning to talk to
Invite that neighbor that you see every Sunday afternoon
Invite that friend that keeps blowing off church but you KNOW they need it
Invite that family member that doesn’t see the value in “organized religion”

God changes lives…NOT US!  All we are asked to do is BE OBEDIENT and INVITE people to discover Jesus…the rest is up to him.

I challenge you today to make the ask, make the invite and WATCH GOD change lives through your obedience.  

Here’s a little video to inspire you this week.  My almost 4-year-old Jon met a new friend at the park and invited him to church.  If Jon can do it, so can you!

Jon’s Invitation Video from Wellspring Church on Vimeo.

14 Years Ago Today

October 26, 2011 in Leadership, Personal with 1 Comment

14 years ago today…I publicly gave my life to full-time ministry.
14 years ago today…I walked down to the front of First Baptist Church in Florence, SC, took my pastor Jimmy Harley’s hand, and accepted the call of God on my life.
14 years ago today…God changed the trajectory of my life forever.

I still remember it like it was yesterday.

It was a scary thing for a senior in high school to do.  For most people, they have no idea what they are going to do with their lives and even if they think they know, it changes 4 or 5 times during or after college.  But there I was, not only confident enough to say it, but saying it in front of friends, family and church members.  I was putting all my chips on the table.

Here’s what you need to know: I’ve never regretted it for a second.  It’s one of the top three decisions I’ve ever made in my life (the other two would be accepting Christ and marrying my wife!)  Many times things haven’t made sense or I haven’t known what the next step would be, but I’ve always been confident that this was God’s idea and his call, not mine.  I’m simply being obedient.

Two takeaways from this for you think about this week:

  1. We need to do a better job of remembering the milestones in our lives.  I am firm believer that we see God’s hand in the present by remembering his hand in the past.  What are the spiritual milestones in your life?  Are you doing a good job remembering them and learning from them?  Why not?
  2. Sometimes God calls us to make huge leaps of faith.  I took a giant step as a senior in high school to publicly say that I would serve God with my life.  I’ve made other steps, the most recent being moving my family to Myrtle Beach to start Wellspring.  What major leap is God calling you to make right now?  What is stopping you from jumping?  And if God isn’t calling to take a big leap, why not?  Have you asked him lately?
As we get ready to begin what I believe will be the most impactful series in the life of Wellspring Church, I thank God for deeming me and my life worthy of this call.  It has been an honor to give my life to make him known…and the best is still to come!

It’s for His Own Good

May 31, 2011 in Personal with 1 Comment

I’m sitting in the waiting room right now.  They just took my middle son, Jon, back to have minor surgery.  It’s nothing big…he’s having his tonsils and adenoids removed and a tube put in one ear.  It’s very routine; common.  Very little risk…nothing to worry about.

Yet, here I sit…scared out of my mind. He’s my little baby and I just had to hand him over to complete strangers and listen to him cry down the hallway.  I could still hear him crying as they escorted Dani and me back to the waiting room.

It went against every instinct I have as a parent to leave him, to “abandon him” to those strangers.  Everything in me wanted to rush down the hall, snatch him up and take him away, to take him home.  Where things are safe.  I wanted to stop his pain and make him feel better.

But I didn’t…because as hard as this is, he needs it.  He needs this procedure.

His tonsils and adenoids are so swollen that he snores at night….so loud that he sounds like an old man.  His airway is blocked and he never gets good, deep sleep.  He will feel SO MUCH BETTER when this is over.  This is for his own good.

As much as it pains me now, my job as his parent is to do what is BEST for him, not what is easiest.  I had to choose to allow him to be scared now, to experience a little pain now so that he would live a life that is better tomorrow.  It was for his own good.

As I sit here, thinking these things, I am reminded of our heavenly Father, how much he loves us and how much he wants the BEST LIFE POSSIBLE for us.  It occurs to me that I bet he’s watched me cry, watched me be afraid, watched me be confused by my present circumstances.  He’s watched me feeling lonely and and confused.  I know he has watched me countless times and thought “I could save him, I could fix this…I could make this ALL go away.”

But he doesn’t.  Because he knows what comes next, he knows that I NEED to go through this, I need to learn from it, I need to experience where I am now to prepare me for what he has tomorrow.  He knows that it’s for my own good.

He’s allowed pain because he knew that pain would lead to greater progress and a greater life tomorrow.

His words ring true to me right now:

For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope–Jeremiah 29:11

May you rest today in the knowledge that your heavenly Father adores you…and that in the moments where you might feel lost, feel confused…where you might feel he’s abandoned you…he’s right there.  He’s watching you and loving you.  It pains him to watch you go through this…but he’s simply preparing you for what’s next…for something better.

He promises: It’s for your own good.

Pray for the Tornado Victims

April 28, 2011 in Church, Personal with Comments Off

My heart is breaking for the families that have been affected by the recent storms in the Southeast.

Homes destroyed, businesses gone, families lost…there’s a lot of grief and a lot to rebuild.

I am sure there will be more tangible ways to help in the coming days and weeks, but today and this weekend I ask you to join me in praying for the people in these areas.

Father, I beg you to pour out your Spirit on this area, pour out your peace and mercy, pour out your love and compassion.
May the people that call you Lord act as your representative at this time.
May all who call you Lord be seen as agents of your love, mercy, compassion and healing.
May these families experience your peace and rest despite these most terrible of circumstances.
Most importantly Father, may your name be made famous in the midst of this disaster.  May people feel your presence and experience your love.

Have a great weekend and please keep these families in your thoughts and prayers.

Here We Go Again

April 27, 2011 in Personal, Wellspring with Comments Off

Well we thought it was time to fire up the blog, fresh with a complete redesign…what do you think?

Huge thanks to Nick Hempsey for all his help getting the new blog up and running.  Really appreciate it! (By the way, if you need any web work done you should call Nick.  He’s awesome!)

And as always, TJ Goff killed it as well…but you already knew he was awesome.

Can’t wait to get this thing cranked back up…God is moving at Wellspring in amazing ways and I have lots to share.

I’ll be back soon!

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