A New Partnership

The vision for 2013 for Awaken is for us to be further invested in our community than ever before. We kicked the year off with a diaper drive for Hope Pregnancy Center, where we collected over 6,000 diapers! We also held our Easter service on the APSU campus and saw 14 people come to Christ over that weekend. We have more plans for the summer and later in the year, but our current venture is a new partnership.

Awaken will be partnering with the local chapter of Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF) to begin what they call a “Good News Club” at Rossview Elementary School, here in Clarksville!

Good News Clubs are an amazing way to take the Gospel to kids right where they are: at school. Once a week, kids will have the opportunity to attend this club, immediately following school, where they’ll learn about the Bible, missions, Jesus, and church.

There are currently 14 operating Good News Clubs in our local Tennessee area. Last year, over 700 kids attended the clubs, and over 100 kids prayed to receive Christ! That’s HUGE! Statistics show that if kids don’t accept Christ before age 12 or 13, the likelihood of ever doing so drastically decreases. Elementary age is a crucial time in every kid’s life, and we will now have an opportunity to take the Gospel to them!

I announced on Sunday that Awaken will be the sponsoring church behind the Rossview Good News Club. We need a team of at least 10 people who are ready to commit to the Club before we can start. We filled 7 of those 10 spots in our very first weekend! (I LOVE my church!)

I believe God has great plans for us as we partner with CEF. I love the thought of people serving throughout the week in locations around the city, taking the Gospel to the people. THAT is what the Church is all about!

If you want more info about getting involved, you can find it on the events page of our website.

This means war!

Last night kicked off the Easter weekend party with our Good Friday service. It was an amazing night – full house, heartfelt worship, Communion, and even salvation! After service, a whole group of us headed over to the Austin Peay campus, where we’ll be holding our Easter service, to pray. We spent about 30 minutes in the dark cold parking lot crying out to the Lord and asking Him to move powerfully this weekend across the city.

Tonight continues the fun as we gather together with the team of servants who are making Awaken Easter happen. Many visitors will show up on Easter at APSU and not even think about the countless hours and team members that it has taken to get to that point. With that  team of servants, tonight, we’re going to worship loud, pray big, and get stoked. This is our version of a tailgate party before the big game. The difference is, we’re not going into it wondering if our team is going to win - He already won!

I’m honored to go into battle with the people of Awaken Church who selflessly serve week in and week out. One thing I love about them is that they’ve caught the vision – they know this is war, and they know that it is won through prayer. One of the items of our CODE at Awaken says…

The Battle Is Super And Natural. God has promised the victory, but that doesn’t negate our responsibility. We will do everything we can within our natural abilities and trust God for the supernatural.

We believe that with all of our hearts. We’ve given our all to this event, but we know that our resources are very limited. Anyone can put on a show and draw a crowd, but only God can change hearts. We’re going into this weekend with prayer and expectation as we give it our all to see God move.

The Easter Team Rally will also get us stoked and warmed up for the kick-off of Awaken All Weekend beginning next Saturday & Sunday. Whereas most churches get a break after Easter is over, we launch into our fourth weekend service and baptisms next weekend! I’m telling you, the people of Awaken Church are nothing short of amazing. They are a gift to me, to the church, and to this city.

This means war. Let’s go into battle in prayer, Awakeners. BIG things ahead!

Church Planting Day 8: Churches Around the World

That’s a wrap! Yes, I did eat a chicken wrap for lunch today, but that’s also a wrap on my two-week Church Planting block class. I believe that God used these last two weeks to do things that we may not see for years…but the ground is swelling and hearts are stirring!

On Wednesday before class, some of the students from my class organized a prayer meeting. 14 students took their lunch break to gather together to seek God’s will for church planting and ministry in general. What a joy to walk up and see that and get to listen in on their prayers.

And as if that wasn’t great enough, today gave even more proof that God is stirring their hearts. We spent the entire 4 hours today hearing from each student as they presented their Church Planting Project. The goal was to help them pray about, think through, and plan for a future potential church plant in the city of their choice.

I was blown away as one by one, they began to talk about cities around the world that God has been laying on their hearts over the last two weeks. From Acapulco to London and Haiti, from New York and Michigan to New Mexico, Colorado, and Texas, 25 cities were prayed for, researched, and discussed as potential sites for new ministries! If there were doubts in any of their hearts as they were talking about it, you couldn’t tell – there was passion and genuine heartfelt desire to reach these cities for Jesus!

At the end of class, a couple of the guys asked me if they could treat me to dinner. Word got out and it turned out to be 9 of us that went out to eat. BJ’s Restaurant is always great (because of the pizzookie), but the best part was how the night ended. 8 of the students that I’ve spent the last 2 weeks pouring into gathered around me outside of the restaurant and poured back into me. They laid hands on me and prayed for me, Awaken, and the ministry that lies ahead.

These two weeks have been extremely exhausting – mentally and physically, but they’ve been amazing. I’m teaching on prayer this Sunday at Awaken, and I’ve been asking God to teach me about prayer while I’m here. He definitely has! I’ve heard from Him, seen Him answer prayers, and been stirred in ways that I haven’t experienced in quite some time.

To the army of people praying for me here and back home, THANK YOU! God has answered our prayers not only in me, but through me, and in the lives of 25 students you may never meet! He is building His Church. To GOD be the glory!

Awaken Easter

Jesus is alive…which is a pretty big deal. It’s a big enough deal that the Bible says if that fact weren’t true, our preaching is a lie, our faith is in vain, and we Christians are the most pitiable people on the planet (read 1 Corinthians 15 for the exact wording).

I cannot wait to deliver the most important message any pastor can ever talk about: the resurrection of Jesus Christ. And this year, Awaken’s Easter service will be our biggest yet. We’ll be gathering as one on the Austin Peay campus at the Music Mass Communication Building on Sunday, March 31 at 10am. We have seating capacity for over 500 people and we couldn’t be more excited! In addition to a Gospel message, special Easter stuff for the kids, and a huge worship service, we’ll be joined for special music by one of my favorite artists, Jimmy Needham!

You won’t want to miss this day, so mark your calendars for March 31 and plan to be there.

We have invites for you to hand out and for your kids to give to their friends, so make sure to grab some next time you’re at Awaken. You can also swing by awakenchurch.org/easter soon to invite your friends from there!

JESUS IS ALIVE! LET’S TELL THE WORLD!

Every Platform Possible

This week at Awaken, we debuted our brand new, first-ever mobile app! It’s available in the Apple App Store and Android Market Place NOW!

We didn’t want only an outlet to listen to teachings, we wanted an app that we can use for ministry…and that’s exactly what this app does!

Not only can you listen to our teachings, but you can also follow our social media, post prayer requests, take sermon notes, see upcoming events and post photos while you’re at an event, get directions to the church, give, and more — all right within the app!

The release of this app goes right in line with one item of our Awaken Church Code:

We use every platform possible.

We will harness technology, trends, culture, and any other platform available to preach the Gospel from. The methods are constantly changing, but the message never will.

The way we worship is constantly changing, but the God that we worship never does – He’s the same yesterday, today, and forever! Christians need to reclaim multimedia for the Gospel instead of letting it only be used to pump junk into our brains. It’s an unprecedented tool for the Gospel that we will be held accountable for.

Copy & paste these links into a tweet or Facebook post:

Apple (iPhone): 
https://itunes.apple.com/app/awaken-church-clarksville/id575011500?mt=8

Google (Android): 
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.app_awakenchurch.layout&hl

Make sure to leave a review when you download and let us know what you think!

You can also download the pictures below and post on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Google +.

The Uprising Hangover

It’s the day after The Uprising. I don’t know what a real hangover feels like (thankfully), but I think it’s similar to this (minus the alcohol and the regret). Everything seems a bit foggy and I’m trying to recall all the events of last night.

Through the fogginess, I’m thanking God for what He did last night and preparing a message for tomorrow as we celebrate at Awaken. I just got some pictures from last night though, and I had to write a quick blog to update the world on what went down in Clarksville, TN last night.

There’s no way for me to put into words what these events mean to me. We’ve done 2 so far, and there will be many more in the future. They’re always big leaps of faith for us as a church, but we believe that the Gospel is worth the risk.

After months of planning, prepping, and praying, last night we saw over 500 people come together, 102 volunteers from 7 different churches, and 19 decisions for Christ! Myself and many of the Uprising prayer team are taking the next 2 weeks to pray by name for those who gave their lives to Jesus. We want to do everything within our power to see disciples made, not just converts.

2 of the churches serving with us last night were brand new church plants in Clarksville, and I’m really hoping that some of these new believers will get involved there and grow with the church!

Here’s a few pics from last night. There will be many more to come. Tomorrow is a special day at Awaken as we take the day to pray and celebrate what God has done. He is so good!

spreading the Word

Months of planning, prepping, and praying have been building toward this Friday night at The Red Barn at Austin Peay for The Uprising! This is our second time at this venue and we can’t wait to fill it up with people. We’re praying that eternity changes for many people who come.

This week our second billboard went up, Facebook ads have been going for a week now, and we’ve hit Clarksville and nearby cities with over 13,000 postcards so far! In addition to that, this week is our final advertising push with an initiative we’ve titled Cover The City. We have at least 3 people or groups signed up for each of the 10 sections of the city where they will target this week with advertising, inviting, and praying. Wednesday is a night of prayer at a local church here in Clarksville, and Friday is the big day. To say we’re a little excited is a major understatement.

Last Thursday, as I prayed and looked over the text I’ll be speaking from, I was brought to tears thinking about all the people who will come who are lost and drowning in sin. I’m praying that this Friday is the day that everything changes.

In addition to billboards, Facebook, and personal invites, our radio spot also starts airing tonight on a local rock station here in Clarksville, Z975, and goes for the rest of the week. Make sure to listen to it below. And if you’re wondering why we’re not advertising on the local Christian station in town, the answer is simple: Christians aren’t our audience!

We’ve put a lot of money and effort into spreading the word so that on Friday we can spread the Word. It’s only through the power of the Word of God that lives will be changed. Join us in prayer for God to move!

The Big Push

Today, we are officially 4 weeks away from the second Uprising here in Clarksville. We’ve spent months and months of planning, prepping, and praying, and this weekend begins the big push…

Tonight at 6:30pm is the Join The Movement meeting, where people from around the city (I know of at least 5 churches that will be represented tonight) can come and sign up to get involved! It’s a big night as we get the teams stoked, united, and praying. We’ll have a couple giveaways as well, so it’s sure to be a good time.

This Sunday at Awaken is also a big push for The Uprising. Only twice in our 3 years as a church have we taken up a special offering, and this Sunday will be the third. One of the items of our “CODE” at Awaken is: Souls are the best way to invest. We believe it’s a privilege to partner with God in His pursuit of the lost, and one way that He’s given us an opportunity to do that is through our finances. As a church, we’ve taken this week to pray about how God would have each of us be invested in The Uprising. This Sunday, we’ll watch as God provides through our generosity!

Since we’re only 4 weeks out, this weekend also marks a great time to begin spreading the word everywhere we go. If you’re in the Clarksville area, I hope you’ll spread the word through social media, personal invites, and more. Be creative, have fun, and pray that God would change lives and change this city!

Here are some ways to get involved:

PRAY: Join the “1 Month of Prayer” Facebook group and get daily updates on what to pray for.

SERVE: Come to the Join the Movement meeting tonight at 6:30pm at Awaken and sign up to serve on a team.

GIVE: In addition to giving at Awaken this Sunday, anyone (from any location around the world) can give online through The Uprising website.

PROMOTE: Grab postcards and posters tonight at the meeting or this Sunday at Awaken and start spreading the word. Tonight, you can also sign up for “Cover The City” by selecting a section of the city that you’ll be targeting with prayers and invites! We’ve got an advertising kit ready to go for everyone who signs up tonight. If you need refills on promo material, let us know at info@wearetheuprising.com.

FOLLOW: Make sure to connect with The Uprising on Facebook, Twitter (@UprisingEvent), and Instagram (@UprisingEvent), and tell your friends to do the same. We’ll have a few social media giveaways as the date draws nearer, so you’ll be glad you connected.

This city is in need of Jesus. Let’s spread the word and fill up the Red Barn on November 9!

1 Month of Prayer

Today begins a 1-month prayer initiative for The Uprising. We worked really hard on a super edgy name for it. Ready? It’s called 1 Month of Prayer! See what we did there?

Since today is the 1-month mark for the event, we’re dedicating these final 31 days to praying for the event. We’re trusting God for all of the volunteers and the finances that we’ll need to run the event. This is a huge step of faith for the few of us churches that are involved, but we know God is big and trust that He can and will provide!

I’m reminded today of a quote from Martin Luther, who said,

“Prayer is not overcoming God’s reluctance; it’s laying hold of His willingness.”

By praying, we’re not just trying to beg God to do something He doesn’t want to do. Instead, we’re asking that He would do what the pages of Scripture say He wants to do: provide for His people, draw people to Himself, and prove His power and glory! We’re praying completely within His will when we pray for these things, so we can be sure of His answer.

1 Month of Prayer kicks off today with a day of prayer and fasting. If you’d like to join us by fasting, please do. If you can’t fast from food, fast from social media, or TV, or something else, and dedicate that time you would have spent on that to prayer. You can also join the 1 Month of Prayer group on the Uprising’s Facebook page for daily updates on what to pray for and how to pray!

If you’d like to be involved by serving (any church or denomination is welcome to join!), come to the Join the Movement meeting THIS FRIDAY, October 12. It will be held at Awaken Church (585 S Riverside Dr) at 6:30pm. Childcare will be provided, and all the teams that are open for you to serve on will be available for signup! In addition to the Uprising website, you can RSVP for that meeting and spread the word via Facebook as well.

And, if you’d like to be involved financially, this Sunday at Awaken, we’ll be taking up a special offering just for The Uprising! I asked the church to be praying this week about how they’d be financially involved. God may lead some of you to give $10, or maybe He’s really blessed you financially, and you can write a check to fund the whole event. Whatever God lays on your heart, be obedient. You can give this Sunday at Awaken or any time online on The Uprising website.

The stakes are high and Satan is playing for keeps. Let’s trust God for the impossible and pray like He is who He says He is!

Go to a different church.

On Sunday at our Year 3 Party at Awaken, I did something that I had never done before. Not because I didn’t want to, but because I’d never had the opportunity till Sunday.

On Sunday, right as I was getting ready to start teaching, I decided to call up a friend of mine that’s starting a church in Clarksville. His name is Grayson, and his church plant is called Fire By Night Church.

Grayson and his wife, Amy, visited Awaken for their very first time a little over 3 years ago, when Awaken still met in a living room! At that time, Amy was a barista at Starbucks, and they came to a few weeks of our Bible study before they moved to Georgia. They eventually felt led back to Clarksville to plant a church, and moved back in January of this year. Grayson recently got in touch with me, and we grabbed coffee and talked church planting for about 2 1/2 hours – it was awesome.

This Sunday was their first time at Awaken since the living room 3 years ago, and to say that things have changed is a bit of an understatement!

I didn’t warn Grayson, but I decided to call him up, tell Awaken about his church plant, then pray for him – all to remind Grayson and Awaken of an important point. I tell me church over and over that we are not focused on a denomination, a church title or brand, or a specific pastor; we’re about one name: JESUS. A new church plant that will be preaching God’s Word is NOT competition – we’re on the same team!

A big burden that God has given me, in addition to seeing the lost saved, is seeing God’s people united.

I’m not telling the people at Awaken to go to a different church, but I’m open to it if that’s where God leads. I’m not crazy enough to think that everyone in Clarksville is going to come to Awaken. The main point is that we get as many people as possible to connect with and commit to Bible-teaching churches across the city.

If you want more info about Fire By Night Church, check them out on Facebook.