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Party Theology #2

September 1989 - A naive couple and their 15 month old daughter move to Asheville to start a church with $500, and a dream to build:

A church that was more about giving God's life to people than condemning people.

A church where God would be worshipped big and loud and strong with music that people actually liked.

A church where color and laughter and fun and friendshis would march right alongside prayer and fasting and strong dedication to God and His cause on planet earth.

A church where people would get saved, marriages would be healed, children would be loved and blessed, lives would be lifted and helped.

A church of generosity, giving, prosperity, blessing and abundance.

A church that would be a house of prayer, a house of worship and a house of friends.

A church that would be innovative and creative - always committed to excellence for the glory of God.

A church that would celebrate in the big meeting and also connect around friendships and coffee.

Our church started with 27 people and grew to 15 the next week.  Music consisted of a little tape deck with sorrowful recordings of worship. I preached off a corner table borrowed from the back room of a little motel, and the entire church fit in my little Honda.

We moved from the hotel to the office park to Turtle Creek shopping center to buying this land and building one building, then building another building. We felt huge pressure every time we had to move forward.

We have gone from $500 to $6 million in assets. Thousands of people have been touched by God.  Churches have been planted – some on purpose, some not.  18 years have passed.  It's time to stop and say "God is good". 

“Bless the LORD, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget none of His benefits; Who pardons all your iniquities; Who heals all your diseases; Who redeems your life from the pit; Who crowns you with loving kindness and compassion; Who satisfies your years with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle.”   - Psalm 103:1-5

He has blessed us and we are grateful – and we want to celebrate!  Because God has shown His faithfulness in our past, we know there will be new stories of His faithfulness in our future - our very best days are in front of us. The dream is still very much alive in me. The future is ours because the future is His.

Matthew 22:2-10

God's kingdom is like a party - Invite people into the party!

Enjoy God, each other and the journey - Worship, Connect Groups, Conferences, Sundays - celebrate life, together. 

“The steps of a man are established by the LORD; And He delights in his way.  When he falls, he shall not be hurled headlong; Because the LORD is the One who holds his hand.  I have been young, and now I am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, Or his descendants begging bread.”   – Psalm 37:23 - 25

 

God has given us a story – 18 years, some growth, some loss, lots of highlight moments, a few tearful painful moments – and it’s a story of His faithfulness.  He never leaves us or forsakes us.  He does cause all things to work together for our good!