I could hardly believe when I heard that we had almost 1400 for the week.  We are definitely on a ride with our Great God!  If you were not here this past weekend please pick up a free copy of the service this week.  We are even going to have some free copies for you to give to a friend.  What a privilege it is to be your pastor as I stated this past weeked I do blieve that I am pastoring the GREATEST SET of People on this Planet!  There is no one like the people in the Mountains of East Tennessee.  You are the best!  I do believe one day the Lord is going to make me go back out on the road again and I promise you I will brag on you so much when that day comes.

What an awesome privilege it is as we begin to march toward our annual Chest of Joash.  I’m so excited about our New Addition to Our Church Campus (Our New Retreat Lodge).  This will enable us to begin to put together our first retreats in 2009.  We are already planning our 2 Youth Retreats.  I have asked Joey Matthews our Student Minister to begin to work on these.  We will also hold a Senior Saints Retreat during the Fall of 2009.  You might even see some Good Old Southern Gospel Music at these.  Yes, I still like some of that OLD TIME Gospel Music!  This will add 24,000 square feet to our entire church campus.  I have said on many occasions to Chuck Laney, The Greatest Builder in the World, that we will never quit building.  We are on our way to having I believe, in the next 5 years, over 250,000 square feet of building space.  I wish all the time I could tell you what is going on behind the closed doors.  My personality is to spill the beans but the Lord will not allow it until He gives me permission. 

 I want to go ahead and tell you that on November the 3rd and the 4th in the weekend service I will be making another VERY SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT.  You will not want to miss that weekend. 

Until then you are the GREATEST People in the WORLD!!!

Where there is NO VISION the people perish ….

Wow!  It blows my mind to know how high the stakes are.  I have never apologized to anybody nor will I apologize in the future for The Gathering being a HIGH CHALLENGE ENVIRONMENT.  The stakes are so high that we do not want people to just sit and become so complacent that they just attend church.  I have often said that God is GATHERING an ARMY and not an audience.  A Great Army will win every time … especially when they have the GREATEST General in the WORLD, our Lord, Jesus Christ. 

Isn’t the Lord doing a wonderful work at The Gathering?  Just four weeks ago we had 1100 people.  The next weekend we jumped to 1159 followed by 1232.  And if that’s not enough, Pastor Joey told me that just this past Sunday we had 1326 people in our church!!  Wow!  God is truly gathering His people from ALL over!  It’s mind boggling to hear all the stories of all the people that are coming to The Gathering.  At lunch today, I heard of a couple that are thinking about relocating to this area only for one reason - to be a part of what God is doing at The Gathering.  He TRULY is gathering His people from the nations where they are scattered.

I am reminded of the verse, “To whom much is given, much will be required”.  We must recognize what the Lord has entrusted to us.  May we be found faithful in all that we do and say.

1.  I am asking everyone to INVITE A FRIEND to VISION WEEKEND (September 22/23) and let them catch the VISION of what God has called us to do.

2.  I am asking everyone to PRAY for an extremely special service and that the ANNOINTING of GOD would so permeate our church campus this week.

3.  I am asking everyone to begin to RECOGNIZE that we will never accomplish this great vision without PEOPLE that are willing to SACRIFICE and SERVE.

ps - this past weekend - I took a tour through Kidzplayce.  Man, have we grown in our children’s area.  Thanks to ALL who serve each and every weekend!

I can’t believe…

·      I can’t believe we had 1232 this last week in church.

·         I can’t believe I serve the coolest bunch of people in the world at my church.  I love you so much!  These people GET what church is supposed to be about!  You are truly becoming an Army and not just an Audience.

·         I can’t believe that we now have a Pavilion on our campus that was completed in just three weeks.

·         I can’t believe that we have 43 acres of land and we are building a state of the art church facility like nothing else in this county.

·         I can’t believe what God is going to allow me to tell you at Vision Weekend in two weeks.  You are a big part of it.

·         I can’t believe that we served over 1000 children at Sevier County Days.

·         I can’t believe we had 500 more people this past weekend than we had just a year ago.

·         I can’t believe my family loves going to church where I pastor.  What a benefit!

·         I can’t believe that my two sons look just like me.

·         I can’t believe the people I get to serve with on the Leadership Teams at our church.  You guys support the vision and help this church accomplish it way more than you realize!

·         I can’t believe that my staff are some of my best friends.  I love being around them!

·         I can’t believe I get to wake up every day thinking about how to get more people to Heaven with me and I get paid for it!

·         I can’t believe I get to come home every day to a HOT and sexy blonde who loves me!  I love her passion and the love she has for the people of The Gathering.

·         I can’t believe I have been married for 22 years and am looking forward to another 32.

·         I can’t believe that my coondog Smoky Mtn. Candy is the #3 Female in the Nation.

·         I can’t believe that fall is almost here and perfect Coon Hunting is right around the corner.

·         I can’t believe my home!  I love it!  And my sister lives right beside me.

·         I can’t believe God loves me.  Why me?!

·         I can’t believe God uses me.  Why me?!  When I run through this list I realize that my glass is full. When is the last time you had an “I can’t believe…” moment?  

Remember Scott Windham in your prayers this week.  Scott had an emergency appendectomy on Labor Day.  Keep Scott and Nikki lifted up as Scott recovers from his illness.