It felt so good today to get back in the saddle.  Anybody that knows me well knows that I LOVE my job!  That’s probably because I don’t look at it like an ordinary job - it’s a calling.  For those readers that don’t know - every Monday I’m in an all day staff meeting either with the entire staff or the executive staff and today was our monthly ALL STAFF meeting.  What a blessing it is to me that God has put together such an incredible group of talented individuals!

If you remember - last summer at Sevier County Days we were able to help  almost 1000 children with brand new Nike shoes, new clothing,  and school supplies.  We were so blessed to be able to serve those people that we decided to do something similiar for Christmas and it all started today…

We had our first day of registration for Christmas at The Gathering because we believe that every child deserves Christmas.  Let me tell you - the response was ovewhelming.  Our auditorium and lobby were full of people that we are going to be able to serve by giving each registered child a brand new bicycle, a winter coat, and their choice of a toy (not to mention a Christmas food basket for the family).

All I can say is that I am so HUMBLED that the Lord would allow me and you to serve these awesome people.  Many people in our church have asked, “Pastor, How can I help?”.  It is simple.  All that you need to do is serve.  The church is purchasing ALL of the toys for the registered children.  Anything that you would want to give we are asking that you add that to the offering that you bring to our Annual Chest of Joash service.   The Chest of Joash service will be the first weekend of December and will enable us to move forward on our NEW Retreat Lodge and build an even nicer facility for all of these future events that our church will be hosting.

You are the greatest people in the world to pastor.  My only regret is that with all of the growth it is becoming more and more difficult to meet each and every one of you.  But seriously … don’t worry about Gene knowing you - You have an everlasting and loving God that is infitely more proud of you than I could ever be.

Love Ya,

Pastor Gene

I have learned through  the years the importance of just getting away. The more my personal responsibilities grow and my pastoral responsibilities grow I just have to do it for my self. Thank You church family for allowing me to do so. We have a great staff and they can all do their job better than I.

There is an ole saying, “You can take the boy out of the country, but you can’t take the country out of the boy”

Your Redneck Pastor

alright … alright … alright …

Brother Andy, Brother Scott, and I are all in mourning over that terrible game yesterday.  If you haven’t seen - the formerly undefeated Cowboys are now 5-1.  I can’t stand it when they lose!  It always takes me half a day to realize that God still loves me following a loss by the silver and blue.

There is a bright side though - How many other teams in the league can boast about a 5-1 record?  I mean, seriously, we’re still on top in our division and I have a good feeling that Romo will bounce back nicely next week (when you had better be rooting for somebody special to win the PKC World Coon Hunt).

Oh and another thing - no comments on this post.  We won’t be discussing this game until the year 2015.  By then I pray that nobody will remember the name ‘Tom Brady’.

Karen and I watch THE GAME of the WEEK, the Dallas Cowboys, last night and all I can say is, “What about those Cowboys?”

PS. I Love you Andy Cantillo (Owner of Bayou Bay)

4 wins and no losses - After tonight they’ll be 5-0.  I guarantee it!

Yes, I admit it.  I am an all time, number one, eternally true, silver and blue COWBOY FAN!  What a great day to be alive.  My incredible wife, Karen, will be home any minute with my two sons, 87 people walked off the road to hell and on the road to heaven, The Dallas Cowboys (God’s favorite team!) are playing on Monday Night Football, Smoky Mtn Reba (My Coon Dog) won the local coon hunt Saturday night and we are ONLY TWO WEEKS AWAY from the PKC World Championship Coon Hunt!.  And if I haven’t mentioned it lately - I have the great privilege of pastoring the greatest people on the entire planet!!!

I was thinking about it today and I guess the reason that I love you guys so much is that you love this God sized vision that The Lord has given me and Karen.  You know - when I think back to what we did at Sevier County Days…

• 924 Brand new pairs of Nike Tennis Shoes 
• 200 Haircuts
• 675 Volunteers
• 66,000 pounds of food
• 500 gallons of milk
• 1500 loaves of bread
• 1075 Backpacks filled with school supplies
• 1100 Bibles
• Clothing for over 1000 children

And also - over the next two weeks - I’m going to tell you about another BIG SURPRISE but you’re going to have to attend to find out!

As I was thinking about all that God has done through our church so far this year I realized that the old cliche is true - Talk IS Cheap.  When people are challenged in this world and they are forced to put actions to their promises many people bail out.  Not us …

You have proved how much The Gathering really does love people.  When it came time to serve and give to the less fortunate, the church really stepped up.  The members and attendees at The Gathering not only gave of their time but also of their treasure (nearly $100,000) when it came time to give to the less fortunate in Sevier County.  You guys REALLY put your money where it counts.

What an awesome time in the life of our church.  I am so humble that God chose ME to be your pastor.  You give me every opportunity to grow in my pastoral gift and for that I am extremely grateful!

Oh … Also for those of you that REALLY love God like me, brother Andy, and brother Scott …Cheer for God’s team tonight!!  Go COWBOYS!  Super Bowl MVP Tony ‘The Man’ Romo.

ps - You know why there’s a hole in the top of The Cowboy’s Stadium don’t you?  It’s so God can watch His team play every Sunday!!!

God Bless!

Even though our church received national notoriety from this series, we just thank God that for 87 people eternity is forever changed!

What an incredible weekend we had! In four services we saw 87 people accept Christ and between 1400 to 1500 people. We are going to hold baptism services throughout the month of October and pray for a total of 100 baptisms by the end of the month! It was an awesome weekend! 

I can’t wait to see what the Lord is going to do in the lives and marriages of the people at The Gathering through our series Red Hot Sex…

(if you happened to see the story on CNN they had one thing incorrect, it was not our members that were upset…)

We’re excited about our new series RED HOT SEX starting this week at The Gathering. This series was created as a wake up call to not only our people at The Gathering but to our county as well. My first impulse was to name this series Holiness but sadly enough it would not have gotten the attention it has from the title RED HOT SEX. We recently mailed out approximately 51,000 flyers to homes in the

This is God’s desire for His people and if the world is going to talk about it then it’s time the church speaks up and tells the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth….so help us God. Pastor Gene 

After spending all day in the airports, Corey (my oldest son) and I finally arrived in Gator Country.   As I am writing this post, I am sitting in a Hotel in Gainesville, FL awaiting the kick off at 8:00 pm tonight.  I know I am going to have to ask some of the loyal Vols fans to forgive me but, yes, I am headed to the Florida vs. Auburn football game. 

See - My oldest son believes that ESPN will be the first thing he sees when he gets to Heaven.  Although I’ve tried and tried to get him involved in Coon Hunting - he just doesn’t like it.  So - being the good dad that I am (patting self on back) I am taking him down south to one of the best NCAA football games this year.  You see - His best friend LOVES Auburn, but Corey is pulling for Florida.
So, we purchased a big Blue Florida Gator shirt for Corey just so he can rub it in.

 I don’t know what it is about kids these days.  My oldest told me several years ago that he doesn’t want to coon hunt and then just the other night - after an amazing night of hunting - my youngest says ‘Dad, I will never ever go Coon Hunting with you again!”.  I told him and his oldest brother both that they might as well have stabbed me in the heart!  I mean, one likes sports and the other wants to be a super hero.

 Who knows?  Maybe Karen will start Coon Hunting again.  She would never admit it but when we were dating she used to beg me to take her out hunting with me and my hunting buddies.

 Anyways - just remember Gathering Dad’s - whatever your kids like to do - DO IT!  They are only young once.  As a matter of fact, just the other night we spent an hour at Toys R Us and as we were leaving Seth said, “Dad, I love this place!”

We had better love ‘em while we can ….