#10 – I have a cool church.
I introduced this in a previous blog entitled, “10 Things I Have Learned” Series.
I have been off (or serving my family) since May 26th when our 5th baby – Caden was born. During this time away from my normal routine God has taught me many things… there are many things, but I have narrowed them down to a TOP TEN list… I will count them down from #10 to #1.
Main Entry: leave of absence
Part of Speech: noun
Definition: time away from regular job or school
Synonyms: business man’s holiday, furlough, leave, liberty, sabbatical, shore leave
#10 must be, “I pastor the coolest church in the world.”
In September of 2004, my wife and I and our friends Lance and Deanna Phillips, were sent from our home church, Bethel Murfreesboro, by our pastor Ron David Moore and the Senior Minister of Bethel, Rice Broocks. The four of us landed in Clarksville, TN where we inherited a handful of amazing people that were wanting to see God doing something great in Clarksville / Fort Campbell. Since ‘04 the church has grown steadily to a group of 500 passionate, ethnically diverse, 80% military followers of Jesus!
Christy and I are humbled at the amazing people that gather and call themselves Bethel. God has given us an incredible team. I remember from my High School football days this saying, “BIG TEAM, little me.” As a former coach, I learned the importance of team and I believe we have one of the best.
In the few years that we have been here we have launched a campus church at Austin Peay State University called U-Church, with my friend and powerhouse Brock and Allyson Lillis. We recruited the world’s only Egyptian/Bolivian pastoral duo Fikri and Goty (Jalil) Youssef to launch our hispanic church – Iglesia Cristiana Bethel. (Great story – maybe I will share it later.) We have launched a weekly Bible Study / Fellowship on Fort Campbell in conjunction with the 5th Special Forces Group called Force Ministries. We have dynamic worship – thanks to our hardworking worship team and leaders. Our children’s ministry is creative and cool. We have so many great leaders… leading small groups, ministry teams, and servant areas. Our youth ministry REVOLUTION is exploding in every direction!
One thing I have learned is that I have been blessed to serve such an amazing church on a daily basis.Am I bragging? Certainly not on myself – I give God the praise for “feeling sorry for us” and sending us so many amazing people! Bottom line – I miss my church. I love the people. The Bethelites give me energy. Passion is my fuel for life.
During my leave, the great people of Bethel have blessed our family with so many things like… meals, gifts, yard-mowing, baby-sitting, and peace. This has been an enjoyable time… and I have learned how blessed we are to have a TEAM.
Thanks to my spiritual family – Bethel Community Church!
TEAM
me
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Tags: 10 Things, Bethel Community Church, Caden
we miss you too! i hope you guys are having some great family time.
It’s so nice too knowing that our church is run by good hands. I’ve been to churches before where the staff was there just to be there. Bethel is so blessed to have a staff that truly cares, and that’s why Bethel is not like any other church. God’s presence is so strong there and I’m so happy to be a part of it in the early years!