Hey Friends,

Do you ever wonder if any advertising is true? I sure do! I know how con artists can get away with the con. We want things to be true so we believe them against our better judgment. I love to watch diet or exercise commercials.  They say, “Take this pill or work out on this equipment for five minutes a day, three times a week and you will look like this in weeks.” And they sell millions of dollars daily. We know it can’t be true but we want it to be EASY!

“Advertising messages continually promote methods of achieving end results with little or no effort. And this material and these messages are so effective that in many cases people will work harder to avoid the extra effort than to actually apply the effort that will produce the originally desired outcome.”  ~212°  The Extra Degree

You and I are leaders in the Kingdom of God and there are no short cuts or easy methods to changing lives or building churches. It boils down to extra effort in ministering to people, walking close to God, building leaders, building teams, casting vision and making a difference. It does not happen in front of the TV, but in the streets where life happens.

People are watching us and it really is true: pace of the leader – pace of the pack. They will follow your lead and your direction. Let us work hard. Let us not be afraid to get our hands dirty in life and ministry, because it is really messy and it is hard. You had better be committed to God and His ministry because some of the people you help will turn on you when you least expect it. Paul warned the Galatian church, “Not to bite and devour each other.”

Our call is not easy, and yet we follow Jesus in passionate pursuit of transformed lives and impact on a lost and dying world. Work hard and remember our retirement benefits – they will blow your mind!

Yours to count on,

Chris

P.S. This is why we started KALEO ministry – to help you in the journey. I hope you can be with us for our LIT2010 conference in Knoxville. It will be a day of life change, encouragement, empowerment, and enablement for the community of the KALEO-ED!

Hey Friends,

How does the title strike you? What do you think about entering a new phase of faith? Sadly for most Christ-followers, even leaders in the Kingdom, this is not an exciting proposition.  Most people work toward orienting their lives to how they want them. From ministry to vocation, from calendar to commitments, we have a certain way we want to arrange our days, weeks, months and life. Does this make sense? So, how do we continue to walk by faith when we get life where we want it?

Do you think your comfort zone can keep you out of a life of faith? I sure do. We all have a natural bent against changing what we want when we get it. Now what happens when God wants us to grow, to soar, to climb new  mountains? If we are not careful we will automatically say “no” to what God wants. When was the last time you entered a new phase of faith? If it has been years, don’t you think that is problematic position? We are commanded to “walk by faith and not by sight.” This is hard to do if there are no changes or challenges. What mountain does God want you to climb?

You never get too old to climb – remember Caleb who asked Moses for the mountain? God is always calling us higher and higher. About the time we get comfortable on our level, He calls us to march on. What is your next phase of  faith? We would love to pray for you.

Yours to count on,

Pastor

P. S.  As I start the new ministry to the Kaleo “called” in the Kingdom, it will require a serious reorientation of my personal  life. I just got it the way I wanted it, but it is not about me! So, how does God want it? What am I willing to give up to impact His Kingdom? Please pray for me as I seek God’s will.

Hey Gang,

As Christ-followers we all have burdens. Some are brief and some last for a lifetime.  My burden for the Church is a lifetime deal. I love the two churches I have served as Senior Pastor.  God has placed me in a very unique place. Being the pastor of two church plants and seeing the mighty hand of the Lord move, He has taught me some great lessons.  I have a burden to help the Church become all it can be.  I want to help raise up leaders for the Church and wake up the sleeping giant (The Church) in America.

I have wrestled with the Lord about this for years. I have waited for a door to open and it has not. So I believe He wants me to make one. I am not leaving Faith Promise – don’t worry or wonder. I am going to build a team of leaders to do some conferences and produce some resources and training to help churches and leaders become all they can be.

Watching two churches (the first went form 25 to over 500 in attendance and the second from 250 to over 3000 in average attendance) gives me a different vantage point to see how God moves. I want to help. Pray for me and Roy McKinnon as we build this team and look for revival to break out in churches all over America.

Big deal? Not for God! Remember so many ministers and leaders feel like they are doing it all by themselves. We can walk beside them and lift up their hands and be there for them. I think the Lord is in it - would you pray for us and help? How can you help? So glad you asked!

1. You can let everyone you know, know about this blog.

2. You can link your web site to this one. 

3. You can post my first book on your facebook and Twitter and link to this web site.

4. You can pray for wisdom and anointing.

5. You can let people know about the daily devotion.

More information to come. What do you think? For years we have kept everything we have created just for Faith Promise and now we want others to have the opportunity to benefit.

Yours to count on,

Pastor