THE Church

It's really no secret how much I love my church. But occasionally there are moments when I feel like my heart very well may explode at any given moment. Occasionally I step back and just watch - It's a beautiful thing when you can watch the church be the church, love the church and build up the church. When pride and competition are out of the picture and all that is left is a common goal: to Love Jesus and make Him known among all nations.

Tonight we just finished up Day 2 of GROW, a conference specifically aimed to help churches under 1000 exceed 1000. Many of these churches are young church plants, but oh how these pastors and leaders are desperate for a move of God in their cities. It blows my mind that in one night I was able to talk to leaders from London, Tampa, Houston, Chicago and Idaho. I get the honor and privilege of telling them how small groups and serving on the dream team has literally CHANGED MY LIFE. Not in some fake cliché way, but authentically changed my life. My walk with the Lord is stronger than ever, I've learned how to pray bold audacious prayers, how to lead like Christ. I've learned the importance of having a mentor, accountability partner, and mentee. We were never meant to do life alone! I've learned to dream God-size dreams. My relationships from small groups literally saved my marriage. My life is noticeably different - I pray my life is noticeably different.

So the fact that I get to share even the tiniest bit with these pastors about the heartbeat and the DNA of our church is such an honor. I am literally watching global missions take place under one roof . {What other setting are you able to serve for such a short time period and touch people from so many different places!} These pastors are being trained, equipped, encouraged, and prayed over and they are going to go back to their churches and change the world. Because the local church mobilized is the hope of the world.

One of the things I love about this week every summer is watching all these churches come together. When you boil it all down, church isn't about us. It's about reaching the lost. God is distracted by the lost. He loves seeing his kids gather to worship, but his heart is breaking for those still away from home. So as a church, it's our responsibility to steward well (not hoard!) the resources the Lord has given us in order to leverage them in such a way to reach more people. It is so exciting to be able to freely give everything we have to these churches and then watch as the Lord blesses and used them to reach areas we would never be able to impact.

So tonight my heart is full. THE church is a beautiful thing. I'm praying that each church represented would experience fresh vision and passion this week. That the Lord would show them unprecedented favor and when it's all said and done millions will come to know Jesus as their personal savior.