we’re entering the challenge phase

Our GO! campaign officially launched on August 25, but went ‘underground’ for a couple of weeks while I was in Africa and the Middle East. We’ve now completed 3 consecutive weekend’s of explaining further WHY we’re GOing, and hopefully everyone reading this is now fully onboard with our vision for the future of CLC!

Please don’t miss the next 4 weekends (or get the podcast or CD if you can’t be physically present) as we’ll explore WHERE we’re GOing: before the Lord; beyond ourselves, and to the ends!

I think it will be 4 of the most exciting and challenging weekends in our history, and we’re pulling out all the stops to communicate with excellence through drama, video, music and teaching. Our BEST days are ahead of us, CLC, so get on board and let’s GO!

it’s a new season

No, I’m not talking about the Bears with Brian Griese calling the signals, although it’s gotta be an improvement.

I’m talking about the first Wednesday for Heart 2 Heart, Men’s Fraternity and Consumed Student Ministries tonight – it was off the charts!

We had the largest attendance of ladies ever; the largest group of students in recent history; and a great group of guys out for the opening session. CLC, we’re not GOing a moment too soon – this is our season of favor!

In fact, after our MF session tonight, I heard a testimony that one of our Hispanic brothers had asked his boss to re-arrange his work schedule so he could attend the new Hispanic service at 9am on Sundays (a recent switch from the Friday night service) and his boss said, “No, we can’t do that for you…..but I tell you what I will do. I’m giving you a promotion instead – so you won’t work weekends anymore, and you’ll get a raise in pay!”

Invite everyone you know to come and GO with us!

it worked!

Even I’m amazed at this one….I wrote here on Monday morning and less than 48 hours later, I read this.

On behalf of all BEARS fans everywhere, thanks, Lovie, for reading and heeding!

Watch out, Detroit!

Monday morning reflections

I always intend to do this post on Sunday night, but after 3 weekend services and 4 GO! dessert meetings, plus an incident with a wolf-attack on poor little Pedro last night, I didn’t even feel like logging on until now.

At any rate, we had a GREAT day at CLC, with the highest total attendance I ever remember for a ‘normal’ weekend – 1,646! The breakdown was 1,304 in Tinley, 214 in Shorewood and 128 in South Bend! And the reports from each campus indicate a great response to our “GO, Everyone!” (or “YouGo”) message, with momentum building as we begin our 40 Days of Prayer and Fasting this week.

If you haven’t already signed up to serve on a GO! team (and received your free designer T-shirt), it’s not too late! You can also get all the info here. After the great weekend, we should all have a great week, even while fasting!

Oh, just one more thing:

Lovie, if you’re reading this, do us all a favor, and put Rex out of his misery…..c’mon Griese!

WHY did God say, ASK!?

If you haven’t yet read my last post, do that now.

I noticed one more thing in my devotional reading – verse 7 contains one of those ‘time words’ that are so important in Scripture. Did you see it? It says “on that night…”

So curious minds want to know, WHY did God appear to Solomon on that night to invite him to ASK? The answer is found in the previous verse, 2Chronicles 1:6

Now do you see?

The greatest act of worship during Old Testament times was known as a ‘whole burnt offering’, when, unlike the regular sacrifices and offerings that Israel brought to the Lord, in which both the people and the priests were allowed to eat some of the meat and enjoy a good meal for themselves, the whole burnt offering meant that the entire animal was offered by fire to God. Everything was given to the Lord, and nothing remained for the people. To offer one animal in that way was a high act of worship and devotion.

But Solomon offered 1,000 of those sacrifices in one day! That’s what I call lavish worship! He went WAY beyond the norm….way beyond the expected…..way beyond what other worshippers did….way beyond what the Law required….he gave God extravagant praise!

And on that night God appeared to him and insisted, ASK!

These next 40 days at CLC is not just about denying ourselves in sacrificial fasting – it’s a great opportunity for us to offer to God the most extravagant, lavish worship ever!

Would you join me? GO! with me, before God’s throne, beyond anything that you’ve done before….beyond anything that might be expected of you, and give Him the lavish praise He’s worthy of.

And don’t be surprised if He invites you to ASK!

ASK!

In my devotional reading yesterday I came to passage in 2Chronicles 1 where Solomon asked God for wisdom and understanding in order to lead Israel, rather than the riches, fame, and long life that most of us would have been tempted to ask for. But something else jumped off the page at me in the NKJV that I was reading here.

Did you see it, too? God said to Solomon, ASK!

I believe that’s one of those rhema words to me and to CLC during this GO! campaign. I mean, God not only asked Solomon to ask; He insisted. With exclamation!

Doesn’t the Scripture say that we don’t have because we don’t ask? (James 4:2)

CLC, I challenge you during our 40 Days of Prayer & Fasting that begins this week to ASK! As Bishop Garlington instructed us last week, the time to ask for rain is when it’s rainy season….the time to ask for favor is during this season of favor that we’re in right now!

And IF you truly want to hear from the Lord as to what He wants you to do about GO!, then ASK! (You’ve got a promise about that, too!)

organized for excellence

This past week I had two separate conversations with new CLCers who told me they were just so impressed with the organization of our ministry, and the excellence with which we do things here. (Yes, staff: it was all I could do to keep from laughing both times, as we know how far we have to go in both regards

At any rate, it was especially interesting to me to hear those observations from new attendees, not only because that IS one of our core values and genuine desires for everything we do at CLC, but specifically because of one of my Bible readings – actually on the same day as the conversations – from 1Chronicles 27:25-30.

Now, it may seem like so much dull detail to you, but I was struck first by how well-organized David’s kingdom was – I mean having specific individuals responsible for specific details – everyone knowing their job and authority and the parameters of their job descriptions is a beautiful thing.

But then I was especially struck by Jehdeiah from Meronoth. Did you notice his job? He was in charge of the donkeys. Think about it:

1. I’ll bet your job is already sounding better!

2. What does it mean to be ‘in charge of’ the donkeys? Does anybody really tell a donkey what to do? Isn’t that kinda like herding cats?

3. For all of you in ministry (not just pastors, but really ANY ministry position), have you ever felt you were in charge of the donkeys?

4. Before you get too carried away about your “donkey experiences”, may I point out that sometimes you and I are the donkeys! (Yep, I said it! I know I’ve been guilty more than once

So the next time you’re feeling like your ministry position isn’t what you signed up for, and maybe you don’t appreciate the people God has given you to work with, just remember Jehdeiah and smile – ‘cause even the donkeys need to be organized, and somebody has got to be responsible for them!

back online

Can’t believe it’s been 9 days since I’ve posted – my only excuse is that the GO! campaign has taken over my life! But I do know that there’s such a thing as just being too busy! (Maybe that’s what this post should be about, because I suspect that ‘illness’ affects my readers as much as it affects me.)

At any rate, I’ve got a lot of catching up to do, so I’ll reel off a series of smaller posts over the next few days – hope you enjoy.

Meanwhile, CLCers, get ready to GO FAST! We begin our 40 days of Prayer & Fasting on either Monday or Tuesday (somehow both dates got advertised, but either day you begin, you’ll still complete your fast before the OneFamily Celebration on November 4 at the Tinley Convention Center.) I’m already mourning the loss of sweets and Diet Coke (technically, all soft drinks) and popcorn for the entire time – but I know it’s gonna be good for me, and help me hear from the Lord about GO!

recovering and gearing up for another run…

Jetlag hit me pretty hard yesterday, along with whatever ‘bug’ Chris may have passed along, but today I’m starting to feel human again. I’ve actually forced myself to stay home the last 2 days, rather than jumping right back into the office while feeling so puny.

However, I’ve got to tell you how pumped I am about what’s coming up, as we spend the next 3 weekends of September explaining “Why We are GOing”. I am so convinced that CLC is right now in a season of favor, just as Bishop Garlington preached to us last night, and that our GO! campaign is beginning precisely when the Lord intended.

So, talk to every CLCer you know and encourage them to be here (actually, at any of our 3 campuses – the message will be identical) this weekend, as we get serious about GO!

Also, Chris and I are SO looking forward to spending time with as many of you as possible, in smaller social settings that will enable us to share the vision of GO, answer questions, and hear your heart, too – so if/when you receive an invitation to a dessert gathering or GO party, please do whatever is necessary to accept the invite and spend that time with us!

I promise you: this weekend is gonna be good!

Coming home!

My reputation around the CLC office (well-deserved, I might) is that I'm always ready to be home before scheduled. Couldn't tell you how many times I've skipped out on final session of a conf & flown standby just to get home a few hours early.

But also can't tell you how glad I am to be awaiting final take-off before Chicago! Not only is 2 weeks away a LONG time in my book, but Chris got violently ill during the night, with every flu-like symptom imaginable. She's miserable, and I'm miserable for her.
But the gate's about to close now, and in 12 hours we'll be home, sweet home! (well, at least O'Hare) see you tomorrow night with Bishop Garlington!
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile

Next Page »