Yesterday was good! Once again, it was 'right'! Worship, flowing out of the overflow from Synergy, was just intensely 'right' for me. I mean, Saturday night was off the hook!! Sitting in a room with 175ish people who are giving much of their heart, life, time, and energy for our students was so stinkin' right. God seemed to be saying that He was prepped to ramp up His life and His impact in our city. He is going do something profound in our community. God has already said epic things about His church. He said that His church would release a taste of heaven on this earth and that the gates of hell itself cannot prevail against our confession that Jesus Christ is the supreme King of Glory! He has also said that the family is this beautiful and amazing picture of Christ and His relationship to the church. God initiated the family and loves the family. I think that we think that the combination of these two forces - the church and the family - could just become an intense and profound impact for the consummate glory of God! It seems to me that He is on the move.... It seems to me that we might just be invited to join Him. I am ready to paint this city orange (the merging of the church (yellow) and the family (red) into this amazing, synergistic partnership that will elevate Christ to His place of supremacy (Orange!) Even as a Bama fan, I might just be willing to paint this town orange for God's glory in His church and through His families.

Yeah, it was good yesterday. It was good to celebrate 10 years at EBC immediately following Synergy. I cannot believe that God has allowed us to share life in this fellowship for His greatest glory over the past 10 years. It's been fresh. It's been amazing to watch as God has drawn hundreds of us into an ever-deepening relationship with Him.... It's been fresh to watch as multitudes have embraced Christ... It's been fresh to watch as God invited us to new strategies and huge steps of faith and a deepening focus on Him and an utter reliance upon Him and to do some things that failed and to do some things that succeeded and to really find a deep satisfaction in Him - together! It's been a good 10 years! It's been a FAST 10 years!! It seems to me that our greatest job and the most imperative thing that we can do is obvious! God's word actually charges us.....

Our simple deal is to lift up the person of Jesus Christ and He will continue to draw men, women, and children to Himself. So, I think that we'll continue to make much of Christ. I think that we will continue to know more of Christ. I think that we will expect much from Christ. I think that we will believe the unimaginable of Christ. This journey could far supersede our wildest dreams and imaginations.

So, my deal is to continue to challenge us to ask and answer the fulcrum question from yesterday. The question was, 'do I long for the presence of Jesus Christ more than anything else on this planet?' Our answer to that question will catalyze.... our answer will determine the direction in which we do catalyze!

10 years is good... Synergy is good... Jesus Christ is amazing. Let's enjoy our journey in, through, by, and toward Him. It's a good journey.

For the Glory,

Mark