NLC's Day of Prayer and Fasting - January

Hey everybody,

Thanks for praying today!  Here's how you can pray specifically today & all month...

1.  Pray for NLC's Future Facility. We're excited to be getting closer on what NLC's future home could look like. In fact, we're going to be making some big announcements on Sunday, February 7th!!! Pray for God's continued favor as we plan and prepare through the month of January.

2.  Pray for our NLC Staff. Pray for protection over staff families and marriages as we enter into a new season of growth, opportunity and influence as a church. Pray for wisdom in leadership decisions.

3.  Pray for "Our Communities" downtown. Palmetto Courts, Sabal Palms and Southward Village. Pray for single moms and children specifically to be lifted! We're making a difference one family at a time! Pray for our 3rd Saturday Serve Day, January 16th!

4.  Pray for our Missionaries. Specifically for Luke Walter's daughter, Katie who was in a horrible car accidentin November and continues to be in recovery. It's a miracle that she's alive!!! Pray for Luke and Sandi and their other children that the peace of God would surround them!

• Also for Christ for India; Jameson, Johnson and Mary Titus.


• Kelly and Kathy Johnson in Kenya, Africa as they train pastors and plant churches.


• Mark & Stephanie Pyles in the Dominican Republic as they plant "Next Generation" Churches in Santiago.

5.  The People of NLC. For provision and jobs. For promotions and miracles.  Pray for marriages to be strong & kids to be wise. Pray for favor with neighbors and family they are trying to serve with the love of Christ.

6.  Pray for Health in the New Year for the People of NLC. This Sunday, January 10th, we're launching our Healthy Life 2010 Series. Pray that hearts will be open to the messages on moving toward greater health in the areas of our spiritual life, our relationships, our finances, and our physical bodies as well.

Thanks again for Fasting and Praying today.  For more info on fasting go to:  www.NextLevelChurch.com/fasting

Pastor Matt

Dealing with "The Pride Inside"

I’ve been doing a lot studying on “The Insecure Leader” for a book I’m hoping to write in the future, and I would love your feedback on the particular issue of “Pride.” Let me set it up…

One of the three great issues leaders (& particularly male leaders) struggle with is Pride. If that’s one of the top 3, then, it’s obviously a HUGE deal for a whole lot of us, if not all of us on some level.

So, since the Bible says in Proverbs that, “Pride comes before a fall,” then this issue is a Paramount one we must deal with in order to lead successfully in our lives, our families, our ministries and our careers.

Here are a couple of pieces of clarity I uncovered recently, weigh in and help me process this:

1.  Pride creates a False Sense of Invincibility in the heart of a Leader.

When we allow Pride to fog our vision as a leader, we begin to make decisions with a belief that says, “I can’t lose.” What a dangerous place to be, especially when you think that there are people involved; namely, those who work for us, follow us and are watching us.

Sooner or later a pride-filled leader will take one step too far because of this Invincibility thinking and will ultimately end up “falling” as the Bible says.

2.  Pride creates a False Sense of Foundation.

A second danger of pride in the life of a leader is the illusion of a strong foundation when in reality the foundation of our organization may be unhealthy or weak. Pride causes us to believe the foundation is more solid than it actually is in reality.

The end result is a leader who builds a structure too tall for the foundation to hold and eventually the building caves in on itself.

3.  Pride is one of the hardest things to see in the mirror.

Perhaps the greatest revelation about pride I’ve seen lately is that it’s one of the hardest things to see in the mirror of a leader’s life, which makes it one of the most dangerous vices of all! Pride is a self-insulator. In other words, pride has a self-protecting mechanism built right in to itself, so that if and when someone tries to point it out, it will instantly pushback and not allow any sort of idea in.

So what do we do about Pride in our Lives?

Secure leaders proactively invite accountability into the reality of their leadership. They invite those closest to them to be on constant lookout for prideful things that may emerge in the vocabulary or actions of a leader. If we don’t invite that type of accountability, those around us who are most able to see prideful areas in us will not feel comfortable to draw our attention to them, thus perpetuating pride’s ugly existence in our life.

If we’re going to be Secure Leaders, then we must deal proactively with Pride in our lives.

Matt Keller

Death by Bullpen

As many of you know, I’m a huge baseball fan. Since I was a kid I have really only truly loved two teams: The Chicago Cubs and more recently, the Tampa Bay Rays. (I can already hear many of you with your shouts of, “No man can love two teams, Matt…” All I can say is that they are in two different leagues and the chances of both teams ever making it to the World Series in the same year is, well, shall we agree, NON-EXISTANT!)

Anyway… As the season comes to a close, my Cubbies have found a way to let their 102^nd straight year slip away, and as for my beloved Rays, it would appear that a theme I know all too well from my childhood Cubs teams has crept up on them, namely: Death by Bullpen.

The Starting Pitching for the Rays this year has been pretty good. In fact, it was the lion’s share of their starting rotation that got them to the World Series a year ago. Some new, young faces have stepped up as starters and that has been great to see. However, the problem with the Rays pitching this year is not with their starters, it’s with their Relievers. Too often, what the starters get going, the bullpen can’t finish.

Now before all the non-baseball leaders begin to check out, I’ll give you the Leadership Challenge:

If the Bench of our Organization can’t sustain what our

Starting Leaders can begin, we’re in trouble!

1.  Starting Lineup Leaders can only take us so far.

In the game of baseball, you play 9 innings or 27 outs. If your starting pitching can get you 21 of those outs, you’re doing well, but the game’s not over until the last 6 outs are recorded. Leading in business, non-profit or ministry is the same way. The project or goal isn’t achieved until you get all 27 outs. We can’t record a “Win” for our team until we finish the project 100%.

Rare is the organization who has a Starter who can go all 27 outs for them consistently. In fact, if the growth strategy of an organization is dependent on their starter doing that over and over, their setting themselves up for disappointment and defeat. I would go so far as to say that God hasn’t designed leaders to do that. We need a strong, vibrant bullpen to carry our organizations through to achieving their goals.

What about us? Are we consistently looking to our “Super-Starters” to carry us on their shoulders? If so, then we’ve got some work to do.

2.  We must Develop our Bullpen.

Moses got into trouble with this one in the book of Genesis in the Bible. He was trying to do too much and it took his father-in-law Jethro pointing it out to him before he was able to see the unhealth in his leadership strategy. (See Exodus 18).

As I work with leaders across the country, one of the areas most overlooked is the leadership development of their bullpen. Here’s why: Because there is So Much to Do! The daily demands and pressures of running an organization are tough and most leaders are so IN their organizations that they can’t seem to rise ABOVE them long enough to see the forest for the trees.

Building in consistent blocks of time, energy and strategy to develop the leaders around us seems, on the surface, to be almost counter-productive. It can feel like we’re taking time away from doing work to talk about doing work. However, it has been my experience that placing a priority on developing the bullpen of your organization yields long-term benefits in huge ways.

3.  Our bullpen has the ability to give us a Winning Advantage like nothing else can.

So how do we create a sustainable system for leadership development within our organizations?

* Carve out time well in advance. If we’re waiting for time to just appear in our calendar where we can all stop and learn together, it will never happen. We must get way ahead by strategically placing time in our weekly, monthly, and yearly calendar to intentionally grow together. Jack Welch, former head of GE, said that in the height of his career, he would spend between 30 – 35% of his work week developing the leaders around him.

Here’s how that might look for us:

• Systematically place a 60 minute standing appointment on your calendar with your direct reports each week?


• Zoom out 60 days and block off an entire morning for leadership development.


• Go on a 2 day retreat out of the city to watch DVD’s and talk about leadership.


• Read a chapter of a book each week and discuss it together.

Start small, but do something. Remember, you need them to get those last 6 outs for you and your team.

* Don’t give in to the Temptation to Compromise on it. One of the biggest reasons we don’t develop our bullpens is because we have to focus so much on the first 7 innings. When it comes to leadership development, there will always be things that suddenly come up. Avoid the temptation to schedule over these growth times. They may seem like a hassle in the present, but remember these are precisely the people who are going to be called upon in the late innings of the game to keep the Win alive!

* Make it Personal. Finally, the best way to develop your bullpen is by recognizing that each team member is an individual. No two pitchers are alike. Each one has their own strengths they bring to your team. As the leader, it’s your job to know your team well enough to grow them in the areas where they add the most value to your organization.

So as I watch another long season slip between the cracks for both of my teams, I hope that this off-season, I’ll remember a valuable lesson in leadership: My chances of winning are only as good as my bullpen. I think my teams have got some work to do.

Matt Keller

Prayer and Fasting Day - Prayer Points

1.  The Future Facility of NLC. - We are continuing the search and need God's favor and wisdom to know the next step for NLC!

2.  The Fall Semester of Connection Groups! - Over 75 groups have launched in the last month with several hundred Next Levelites connecting! Pray for Divine Connections as people continue building community together!

3.  The People of NLC:

• Favor in the Workplace.


• Courage to serve those in need around them.


• Strengthen Marriages.


• Wisdom in Financial Decisions.

4.  NLC Missionaries:

• Luke Walters in Sri Lanka and the 10/40 Window.


• Christ for India - Jameson & Johnson Titus - Children's School, Seminary, Church Planting across India.


• Kelly and Kathy Johnson - Kenya - Their Pastor's Training Schools.


• Mark and Stephanie Pyles - Domincan Republic - They are starting a "Youth Church" to reach the next generation in Santiago, the 2nd largest city in the entire country!

5.  The Communities of Palmetto Courts & Sabal Palms. - God has given us tremendous favor downtown and we're praying about what a more permanent presence there could look like.

6.  NLC's Influence Nationally. - God continues to open doors for our church to influence dozens of churches across the US and around the world. Pray for wisdom to know how to coach these pastors and leaders most effectively.

Thanks for praying everybody,

Pastor Matt & the NLC Team!

Kenya Team Updates (from Mike Ash)

Hey everyone!

Our time here in Kenya has been AMAZING! The first full day in Kenya after arriving in Nairobi was spent flying to a town called Malindi, on the coast of the Indian Ocean. There, we were able to experience one of the classes of 30 pastors that NLC regularly helps to make happen. It was amazing to see them being challenged and learning so much. A lot of them have never received any training at all, so this was an amazing blessing to them!

On our last day there, we did an outreach where we purchased food and candy and then split up into 3 separate teams and went into a very rough area with a large Islam population. That was amazing and 6 people said yes to a relationship with Jesus. It was challenging for all of us to see the level of hunger and poverty that this section of the Kenyan people experienced and we're all still processing how we can help in even greater ways.

We then traveled to Kilifi:
For 2 days where we taught close to 30 pastors and church leaders some of the curriculum that we teach church planters in America. Also, one of our team members, Ajay, is a surgeon, and he got to teach some of the pastors about basic first aid, which is so amazing for these people to know.

On Sunday:
We were at a local church with close to 100 people and the whole team taught, worked with kids or teenagers, and invested into the lives of Kenyan people. It was an amazing sight to see how each team member was used in a HUGE way! I preached on Sunday morning and it was an awesome experience, unlike any other. The challenge at the end of the message was met with a lot of enthusiasm.

In the afternoon, we had lunch with the pastors from that church and then went down to the Indian Ocean (which was beautiful), and while we were there, one of our team members, Danielle, asked me to baptize here for the first time. So, I baptized Danielle in the Indian Ocean, which was a powerful experience.

Today (Monday):
We flew back to Nairobi and we leave early tomorrow for a few days in Kitui. We are teaching local pastors there for 3 days straight and then we are doing revival meetings at night. We are also teaching a lot of medical information and will probably have an impromptu clinic set up. The team will also work with kids and students and will most likely be able to speak in schools as well.

So, that's our trip so far! We miss everyone at home so much!

Continue to pray for us and that God would move in the heart of these pastors. The missionaries here, Kelly and Kathy, are telling me that what we're teaching is EXACTLY what they need, which is awesome!

We love you guys! Thanks for praying for us during this time!

Mike Ash

The 3 Hardest Things about Ministry

I had the privilege of meeting with a young leader in our church who is about to relocate out west and become a youth pastor for the 1st time! I always love my time with young leaders who are hungry to learn. Toward the end of our time together, he asked me, "What is the hardest thing about ministry?" I paused for a moment and then proceeded to say, "I'm going to tell you this, not as a member of my church, but as a fellow pastor now." Then I proceeded to answer his question in 3 ways:

• The Hardest thing in Dealing with People


• The Hardest thing Personally and


• The Hardest thing about Leadership at this level.

For those of you in ministry, I hope this will be an encouragement. For those of you who are apart of a local church, I hope this will be insightful for the leadership you serve. Here are 3 things, they'll probably never tell you, but wish you knew...

1.  The Hardest Thing in Dealing with People:

Knowing what's right and watching people do the opposite.

Ever since Sarah and I  were teenagers my in-laws, who were in the ministry, told us repeatedly that, "The hardest thing about ministry is knowing what is right for someone and watching them do the opposite." In the last 16 years of doing ministry, I have discovered that their assessment is right.

More than judgment, it's about perception. As a leader, there is an anointing God gives you through the direction of Scriptures to be able to see from a far, what many people are unable to see up close in their lives. Down through the years, one of the most gut wrenching things about being in the "People Business" is dealing with this reality. People are what we do. We love them, care for them, pray for them, counsel them, teach them and coach them, but at the end of the day, what they do is ultimately their decision.

It never gets easier watching people make unwise choices that will lead to regret. But we have learned over the years that the best we can do is keep the relationship open through unconditional love and no judgment. As it says in the New Testament, "Mercy triumphs over Judgment." We've found this to be true, everytime...

2.  The Hardest Thing about Ministry Personally:

The Spiritual Attack.

For leaders who follow me and listen to me frequently, they know I'm prone to say often that, "There is only one guy in this organization who ultimately wears the target on his chest... and it's me." When people take shots, they're aimed at me. When the devil takes shots, they're aimed at me. I have a great team who takes tons of bullets for me on a regular basis, but the reality that hits you hard in ministry is recognizing that though the team may have taken the bullet, the gun was ultimately aimed at you.

I'm not an "Overly-Spiritual" kind of guy who finds a demon under every rock, but I do know that the Bible is clear that, "We wrestle not with flesh and blood but with principalities and powers in high places." We can never forget that what we do is unlike any other enterprise on the planet for it is both natural and spiritual. At the end of the day, we are not dealing with natural forces at play only. We are in a spiritual war.

Learning to discern as a leader what is natural, living-on-planet-earth stuff and what is spiritual battle is definitely an art, not a science.

3.  The hardest Thing about Leadership at this Level:

Being Misunderstood.

The larger our church has gotten and the more influence God gives us on a national level, the more I'm learning that "Everyday I make decisions that effect lots of people." And not everyone is going to agree with the decisions I make. By far the hardest thing about ministry and leading at this level is being misunderstood in the decision making process and yet not having the ability for people to understand your heart.

When a leader makes a decision, it fleshes itself out in black and white. Checks get written, policies get made, people move forward with the details. Unfortunately, the part that often gets lost in the implementation of the decision is the heart behind it. This is inevitably where misunderstanding comes into play. I'm convinced that the vast majority of leaders make decisions that effect the lives of the people they serve with extremely pure hearts. However, the distance from their pure heart to how it effects people individually is often a long one that is laden with opportunities for the heart behind it all to get lost.

As a leader, you have to learn to place it in God's hands and allow Him to sort it all out in people's minds. Too often, that's easier said than done. Too often, it's the lone dissenting voice that rings the loudest in your ear. It's the voice of disagreement that keeps you up at night. Processing through being misunderstood is by far the Hardest thing about leading at this level.

Just a bloggish thought,

Matt Keller

twitter: @matthewkeller

facebook: www.FaceBook.com/matthewwkeller

booksite: www.UptheMiddle.com

Prayer & Fasting "Let's Get it Rockin"

Alright Next Levelites... Here we go! It's Prayer-Time! I'm so thankful that so many of us are stepping out in faith and fasting for breakthroughs across the NLC World!

For more info on Fasting go to: www.NextLevelChurch.com/fasting.

Here are a list of Prayer Points to be sure to lift up to God throughout the day:

• The Future Facility for Next Level Church. We are in a Season of Preparation as a church. Our crew that's searching for a future facility for NLC are working like dogs! Keep praying that God will show us exactly what He has for us!


• Also pray for the next Future Facility Offering we will be receiving on Sunday, September 27th! Pray that God will continue to bless the people of NLC and continue to prompt their hearts to give above and beyond the normal Tithe.


• The Peopel of NLC:

1. Jobs - Every week we hear the stories of how God is opening doors miraculously for people in their careers!


2. Promotions - Keep believing for God's favor on people in the marketplace!


3. Breakthroughs - There are so many families across NLC that need Jesus to bring a big ole' breakthrough in some area of their lives. Let's believe for that together!


4. To Get out of Debt - So many across the NLC World are working to get their financial houses in order. Pray for God's blessing, favor and discipline to be upon them as they seek to do money God's way!


5. Miracles in Relationships - Pray for marriages that are hurting, dating relationships to be God-honoring and families to be restored!


6. To Continue to Engage SOAP-ing on a Daily Basis. - When people spend time with Jesus they become more like Him. Pray that the people of NLC will become more like Jesus in the next month than they ever have been.

• NLC’s Fall Semester of Connection Groups. On September 13th, we are  launching 100 Connection Groups all across Southwest Florida! These CG’s are small group environments for people to connect and go deeper in their relationship with God and with others. Pray for the dozens of new and existing Leaders to lead diligently and do the work of seeking out people to fill their groups.


• Pray for every person within NLC to join at least 1 Connection Group this fall. We believe that if people will connect to one another, they'll connect to life.


• Our NLC Missionaries:

1. Luke Walters – In Sri Lanka right now holding crusades, evangelizing and    training leaders for the Gospel.


2. Christ for India – Jameson, Johnson and Mary (their mother) Titus.  Pray for the Seminary, Children’s School with 800 children, Medical Clinics and Church Planting across India.


3. Kelly and Kathy Johnson – Kenya. Pray for favor as they continue to train dozens of pastors across the nation of Kenya. Pray for our team as we prepare to go in September.


4. Mark and Stephanie Pyles – Dominican Republic. Pray for their “Youth Church” that is reaching teenagers and 20-somethings in Santiago, DR. The 2nd largest city in the entire nation.

• The Communities of Palmetto Courts, Sabal Palms & Southwinds. God has given us favor with these 3 struggling communities of people who are trying to find hope in the midst of some very dark surroundings. Pray that God will give us a presence in these communities this fall that can see hope brought to so many who are hopeless.


• Our Influence Nationally. God continues to give us favor with dozens of church planters across the country who are planting Life-Giving Churches in their communities. Pray that these Churches will stay encouraged as they pursue God's heart and vision for their communities.

I have never felt so strong that God wants to do Great Things this fall across our church, our community and our nation!

Thanks again for praying, together we’re making a difference!

Pastor Matt

Creating Home-Field Advantage in a Mobile Church Reality...

I was recently asked to write a "Guest Blog" for the Assemblies of God Church Planting Blog & Website. What follows is that post...

For 7 1/2 years, Next Level Church has existed exclusively in a mobile
reality. We spent the 1st 200 Sundays in a movie theater, growing from the
smallest theater and eventually ended up doing 2 services in the largest
theater. In nearly 400 Sundays as a Mobile Church, we've learned quite a bit
about Creating a "Home-Field Advantage" in our Mobile Reality.

With the vast majority of church plants today being launched in Mobile
Environments, the need to avoid "Mobile Fatigue" is greater than ever.

Here's what we've learned...

1.  "Mobile" doesn't mean "Less." Too many church planters unconsciously
let their language communicate that their mobile reality is less of a
church, than a permanent facility church. Being mobile is a mindset. For 7
1/2 years, we have created energy and momentum by leveraging a positive
attitude about our mobile reality from the minute people are interested in
our church.

For example, at every new member's class we say, "Can you believe the state
of Florida built us a $40 Million Dollar building and all we have to do is
set up some equipment and let them have school in here from Monday to
Friday!?!" Right from the time a person joins our church, we want them to
know, "This is who we are and we love it!"

Our staff embodies this as well. They MUST BE the champions of our mobile
reality. The can NEVER say things like, "Someday, we won't have to do all
this..." or "This is so much work, I'm tired." Nothing deflates volunteers
who are creating environments for God to change lives like that kind of
leadership.

2.  It's what you're doing, but it's not ALL you're doing. Too many
churches spend way too much time on their set up and tear down. When we
coach with some churches now, I am always amazed at how it can take upwards
of 2 1/2 hours to set up and as long as 2 hours to tear down.

We set up 4 main environments, our Foyer & Coffee Bar, a 900 seat Auditorium
with full concert quality sound and lighting, our KidsZone with 10 small
group classes, & 5 Pre-K Classrooms in less than an hour. And the bulk of
the set up is done in less than 30 minutes. Our goal in the Auditorium is 23
minutes, and most Sundays our guys get real close!

We decided long ago that the mobile reality was going to be our reality for
a long time and therefore we had to figure out how to not let it become
overwhelming to us. Constant revision and systemization is huge. (See Point
#4.)

3.  Protect your Key Leader. In the early days of our church plant, I was
highly involved in the set up reality of our church and it was horrible. I
remember well being the "door knocker guy" at the front door of our movie
theater each Sunday morning. It was a good day when Mike Ash, our associate
pastor, told me to "get lost" and "spend sometime with Jesus."

We recommend every mobile church appoints a Chief Operations Officer, or
COO, for Sunday morning who is the go-to guy/girl for the morning. When
something is missing or a coffee bar wheel is flat (trust me, it happens),
they are the person to call, not the lead pastor. (Believe me, he'll preach
a lot better if you do!)

4.  Get Systematized. A final component to avoiding mobile fatigue is
through systemization. In our coaching and training we stress the need for
systems like crazy. Everything (& I mean everything) in a church can be
broken down into a system. When we create systems, process sheets and job
descriptions for every area of our church, we create 3 Amazing Commodities
for our church:

First, systems create Predictability. Predictability creates trust in your
church attenders. And when they trust that the "Sunday Morning Product" is
going to be the same week in and week out, they're more likely to invite
their friends. Systems give you that.

Second, systems create Reproducibility. This means that a particular
environment is not dependant on a particular person being there in order for
it to be created the same. We want every area of our church (including the
sound board) to be able to be set up by a 14 year old teenager. If it's not
that simple, we keep tweeking the system. Plain and Simple.

Finally, systems create Accountability. Without a system, it's difficult to
know "Who's Butt's on the Line." And with no system to blame, unfortunately
we end up blaming people. Many good volunteers have been hurt by a leader
who blamed them instead of the lack of an adequate system.

When a system breaks down, it's easy to examine it and fix the system issue
without offending the person who may or may not have been involved.

For nearly 400 Sundays, we've see God use a Mobile Reality to change the
hearts of hundreds of people. Mobile Church is not just a passing fad or
trend, it's a way of life in the new reality we find ourselves in. If you
embrace it, your people will thank you for it.

Bio:
Matt Keller is the lead pastor of Next Level Church in Fort Myers, FL and is
the author of The Up the Middle Church (www.UptheMiddle.com). Next Level
Church coaches dozens of churches each year across the country and
specializes in helping churches embrace their Mobile Reality more
effectively. To contact them, go to: www.NextLevelChurch.com. Matt can also
be found on Twitter @matthewkeller.

NLC's 1st Monday - Prayer and Fasting Day

Hello World-of-NLC:

I gotta be honest with you, I can't believe it's August already! Back to school is just around the corner and I am absolutely pumped about the opportunities God is placing in front of us in the next few months.

Thanks for setting aside the 1st Monday of August to dedicate this month to God through Prayer and Fasting. For more info on Fasting go to: www.NextLevelChurch.com/fasting.

Here are a list of Prayer Points to be sure to lift up to God throughout the day:

• The Future Facility for Next Level Church. We are in a Season of Preparation as a church. Pray that God will continue to bless the people of NLC and continue to prompt their hearts to give above and beyond the normal Tithe. The first 2 Future Facility Offerings have been extremely successful! Pray for Creative Wisdom for NLC Leadership as we seek to find the right Facility God has for us.


• The Peopel of NLC:

1. Jobs


2. Promotions


3. Breakthroughs


4. To Get out of Debt


5. Miracles in Relationships


6. To Continue to Engage SOAP-ing on a Daily Basis.

• NLC's Fall Semester of Connection Groups. In just a few weeks we're going to be launching 100 Connection Groups all across Southwest Florida! These CG's are small group environments for people to connect and go deeper in their relationship with God and with others. Pray for Leaders to rise up and for NLCers to take the step to plug in.


• The Shuffle Series that begins August 16th. As people prepare to go back to school and for the fall season in general, we always reconsider our priorities. Pray that the Shuffle series is a great jumpstart for people to prioritize the right things this fall, not just the urgent.


• Our NLC Missionaries:

1. Luke Walters – In Sri Lanka right now holding crusades, evangelizing and    training leaders for the Gospel.


2. Christ for India – Jameson, Johnson and Mary (their mother) Titus.  Pray for the Seminary, Children’s School with 800 children, Medical Clinics and Church Planting across India.


3. Kelly and Kathy Johnson – Kenya. Pray for favor as they continue to train dozens of pastors across the nation of Kenya. Pray for our team as we prepare to go in September.


4. Mark and Stephanie Pyles – Dominican Republic. Pray for their “Youth Church” that is reaching teenagers and 20-somethings in Santiago, DR. The 2nd largest city in the entire nation.

• The Annual Back Pack Give-Away in August! Saturday, August 15th, we are planning on giving away 5,000 packbacks to needy families across SW FL! Pray for God’s favor as we continue to need miracles by way of sponsorship and support for this event that touches thousands of families!

Thanks again for praying, together we’re making a difference!

Pastor Matt

The Voices in my Head

"One of the most difficult skills a quarterback must learn is the ability to listen to the right voices on the field. If you're a football fan, then you now how loud a football game can be:  screaming fans, defensive players yelling out distractions, referees blowing whistles, teammates shouting commands, the loud speaker booming out music. For a quarterback, learning to tune in the right voices and tune out the wrong ones often means the difference between winning and losing." - (taken from page 76 of The Up the Middle Church)

If you are a leader of any capacity then you know how true the above quote can be. At the end of the day, the voices we choose to let in and the voices we intentionally keep out will make or break our leadership. Here are a few thoughts:

1.  We choose the Voices we "Turn Up."

Over the course of my leadership life, I have had to adjust the voices that speak into my life. When we began NLC 7 1/2 years ago, we went on a quest for new voices who could show us a new way of doing ministry. And the voices we found have made all the difference.

Over the years, the voices I choose to turn up have morphed and changed with the seasons of my life.  As a leader, I work hard to find voices who are speaking to where I'm living in my life at the time. It's not easy to find the right voices, but in the end it's well worth the effort.

2.  We choose the Voices we "Turn Down."

In my opinion, one of the most important things a leader can do is identify the voices that no longer fit into the reality God has called them to lead in and Turn Them Down!!!

So many leaders underestimate the power of "Negative" or "Manipulative" voices in their ear. It doesn't mean we don't EVER listen to someone who sees the world differently than we do, but for the voice that is "A Continual Dripping" like Proverbs says, or doesn't fill us up EVER, we've got to learn to marginalize that voice and turn them down.

Leadership is hard and having voices that constantly drain the life out of us will wear us out and make us question our vision.

3.  The Voices in our ear affect the voices in our head.

I learned the hard way that when I have given some voices too much volume in my life, they affect the way I view myself. In once incident, I had a leader who was constantly questioning the direction we were going. I truly think he was just genuinely trying to examine our ideas, but I found myself questioning my vision every time I would leave a meeting with him.

So, I ended up having to move him out from my direct ear shot. I couldn't lead effectively with his voice so loud in my ear. He was affecting how I saw myself and the vision God had put in my heart.

4.  Make a Decision today to Take Control of the Voices that influence you.

Ultimately, it's up to us to choose the voices we do and don't listen to in our lives. This may require some hard conversations. This may require distancing ourselves from voices that have played a powerful role in a previous chapter in our lives. All the same, as leaders, there is too much at stake for us to NOT examine the voices we're allowing in and take control of who gets "Ear Time" in our life.

After all, "For a quarterback, learning to tune in the right voices and tune out the wrong ones often means the difference between winning and losing."

To order a copy of The Up the Middle Church, go to www.UptheMiddle.com



[caption id="attachment_663" align="aligncenter" width="129" caption="...playing the game of ministry one yard at a time..."][/caption]

I'm Pumped about Sunday - Vintage - Part 3

Hey all,

I'm so pumped about this coming Sunday and Vintage Part 3!

It's going to be amazing. Make sure you're there & bring someone with you who doesn't attend church anywhere!

Click here to see a video I just did for my Facebook page.  As you'll see in the video, this Sunday is going to be perfect for them!

See you Sunday, 9 & 10:45 am at South Fort Myers High School.

Click Here for Map & Directions!

Matt

Additional Thoughts on "The Sabbath"

Yesterday, in our Vintage Series, I talked about how taking a day off, "Never Goes Out of Style." I have already gotten so much feedback from so many of you about how you felt like I was talking right to you. (Which I love by the way...) However, I also had a few questions about the details of "The Sabbath" and I wanted to share a few additional thoughts that I hope will be helpful.

1.  God gave us the 10 Commandments to keep us free not put us in bondage again.

It's always important to remember that God didn't give the 10 Commandments to make us feel guilty or to make us bound up to the little details. Instead, He gave them to us to help us stay free from bondage.  Therefore, when it comes to taking a day off, God doesn't want us to be all bound up with rules like, "I can't mow my yard, or clean out the pantry..." Those are rules that put us in bondage again.

2.  The Sabbath is all about Restoration.

I have always viewed the Sabbath as "A Day with No Work." I mean my typical work. For me of course, that's ministry. So if I check my e-mail and it puts me into "Work Mode" then I probably shouldn't do that. Make sense? Here's another illustration from my life.

I love to write. In fact, I feel as called to write, as I do to pastor, which is a cool thing! When I write, I feel strong. So... for a long time, I used to love to write on my day off. It would recharge me, I would feel like a million bucks, etc. However, a few years ago, when I started writing, "The Up the Middle Church" I suddenly turned my hobby into a job. So for me, I had to stop writing on my day off because it was more like work, then restoration.

3.  Do things on your Sabbath that make you feel strong & restore you.

For a long time, playing golf made me feel strong. I loved being outside and walking around exercising. After a while, golf no longer made me feel strong, instead I started coming home more frustrated than relaxed. Conclusion: I gave up golf on my Sabbath. Spend time on your Sabbath doing things that restore you. If reading restores you, do that. If it doesn't, than don't. If gardening restores you, do that. If not, than don't.

4.  Find a hobby that you can't turn into a job.

I highly recommend that everyone get a hobby that looks nothing like your life. Something you can completely escape in and you have NO WAY to turn it into a job. For me, it's baseball. I love to go to Major League Parks because they look nothing like my life. I love the statistical side of the game. I love the history of the game. I love the fullness of summer in the air. I love that there is movement everyday. I love that there are 2,430 games every season and everyone of them matters. Baseball is my hobby. And as of yet, I haven't figured out a way to turn it into a job.

When it comes to your Sabbath, remember the Spirit of the law is greater than the Letter of the law. If you ever feel yourself being led toward guilt or bondage, that's not God and that's not the point.

May you enjoy your day off this week, I'm intending to enjoy mine,

Matt Keller

First Monday - Prayer & Fasting

Hey Everyone,

I am so excited about all that God is doing through Next Level Church. As many of you know, we designate the First Monday of every month to Pray and Fast collectively as a Body of Believers.

Here are a list of Prayer Points that I hope you will be sure to lift up to God throughout the day:

• A Future Facility for Next Level Church. We are in a Season of Preparation as a church. Pray that God will continue to bless the people of NLC and continue to prompt their hearts to give above and beyond the normal Tithe. The first 2 Future Facility Offerings have been extremely successful! Pray for Creative Wisdom for NLC Leadership as we seek to find the right Facility God has for us.


• Next week, Lindsay Kistner and several NLC'ers will be traveling to the Dominican Republic for a Short-Term Missions Trip. None of those going on the trip have ever been out of the USA! Pray that God will move on their hearts as well as the people of the DR. Pray for safety and life-change.


• Next Level Church - Orlando. The are headed for their relaunch on September 13th. Pray for the NLCO Leadership Team as they set in place a strategy and head for their relaunch. Pray for a Buzz in the community to begin to build as their new website goes live this week! www.NextLevelOrlando.com


• Dan & Stephanie Stauffer - Family Life Church in Sucasunna, NJ. Pastor Mike Ash and Pastor Matt were just there last weekend. They are church planters who are meeting in a Middle School. The region they are in is very unchurched. Pray for favor to continue to reach unchurched people in New Jersey.


• The Peopel of NLC:

1. Jobs


2. Promotions


3. Breakthroughs


4. To Get out of Debt


5. Miracles in Relationships


6. To Continue to Engage SOAP-ing on a Daily Basis.

• The Vintage Series that begins this Sunday - July 12th. Three times a year we pull out all the stops. Pray for courage for NLC'ers to invite their unchurched friends. Pray that people who have gotten away from church will get back in the habit again during this series.


• Our NLC Missionaries:

1. Luke Walters - In Sri Lanka right now holding crusades, evangelizing and    training leaders for the Gospel.


2. Christ for India - Jameson, Johnson and Mary (their mother) Titus.  Pray for the Seminary, Children's School with 800 children, Medical Clinics and Church Planting across India.


3. Kelly and Kathy Johnson - Kenya. Pray for favor as they continue to train dozens of pastors across the nation of Kenya. Pray for our team as we prepare to go in September.


4. Mark and Stephanie Pyles - Dominican Republic. Pray for their "Youth Church" that is reaching teenagers and 20-somethings in Santiago, DR. The 2nd largest city in the entire nation.

• The Annual Back Pack Give-Away in August! Next Month we are planning on giving away 5,000 packbacks to needy families across SW FL! Pray for God's favor as we continue to need miracles by way of sponsorship and support for this event that touches thousands of families!

Thanks again for praying, together we're making a difference!

Pastor Matt

How Do we "Rest"?!?

Last week, we began a series of blogs about the Summer Slump and Rest for leaders. Today I want to turn to a quick reference guide for leaders on

How to Get enough Rest:

I remember reading this in a Bill Hybels book a long time ago. So I want to give him credit (I think it was him...) Thanks Bill.

1.  Divert Daily.  I jokingly refer to my office as "The Florescent Jungle." Sometimes I just feel like I'm being swallowed alive by Florescent lights, you know! Everyday, a leader has to do 2 things: First, go outside. Of course, I live in the Sunshine State where it's sunny 315 days a year, so I recognize my Minnesota friends might have a different strategy, but...

As a rule, make it a point to get out of your office at least once a day. Did you know the Sun gives us Vitamin D? Think about that for second; God actually created us to not be completely healthy without the sun! That's so cool.

Second, every leader needs to do something in their day that makes them feel strong. For me it's reading or encouraging. I can only have so many meetings and return so many e-mails in a day before I just want to jump in front of a bus! E-mail and meetings don't make me feel strong. Reading or encouraging someone does! What makes you feel strong? You MUST do that everyday!

2.  Withdraw Weekly.  Take a Day Off! No Exceptions. No excuses. No Buts. God said it, do it! It's His world, He created it, so you have 2 options: Do what He says, or create your own world.

So... in light of you not being able to create your own world, why not just go along with His? If you aren't used to taking a day off, you'll probably have to get extreme. Here's what I mean. You'll probably have to completely turn off your phone, leave your computer unplugged and not be available to ANYONE, but your family for an entire 24 hours!

Some of us are getting the shakes right now just thinking about it. Don't worry, Twitter and Facebook will be there when you get back... And if someone needs you like for an emergency, they find a way to get ahold of you. Or they might just have to figure it out themselves. If they get mad, fine. (Good news, they are big enough to create a world for you to live in either!)

3.  Move Out Monthly.  I don't think Hybels said "Move Out" but I can't remember his Verb, so... (If you know it, leave it in the comment section and I'll fix it)  Anyway, every 30 days, I recommend that a leader carve out a half day to a whole day (ideally) to get out of the office and think. Again, turn all the gadgets off and just let your mind connect with God and think. I think some of my best thoughts on road trips. I find that just getting out of my element and seeing different sights helps my mind to think different thoughts.

4.  Escape Annually.  Leading is hard work and it requires time off. Don't believe the lie that "The devil never took a day off!" or "I never want someone in the business world to outwork me." Listen, #1: Since when did we start taking our cues from the business world? and #2: When did we start taking our cues from the devil?

I highly recommend a "No Kids" Vacation at least once a year. As my wife tells other pastor's wives, "My husband needs a time when I'm am JUST HIS WIFE! Not mommy, not church worker, not house cleaner, JUST HIS WIFE!" Amen sister! Guys take her away. The kids will be fine!

However much vacation you're allowed to take, take it all! You deserve it.

God said to Rest... Either we build it in, or He'll force it upon us. Either way, it's gonna happen. We might as well plan it and enjoy it instead of waiting for a heart attack or anxienty attack to put us in the hospital...

Go take a nap,

Matt

The Art of "Rest" - Part 2

Yesterday we began a serious of blogs about Rest. Too many pastors and leaders miss the significance of rest and consequently end up short-changing the organizations they lead. Here's another thought on Rest...

2. Rest is a Pit Stop.

I'm a big Indy 500 fan. For 23 years, my dad and I have had a tradition of being at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway every Memorial Day weekend. Here's the thing about the Indy 500... Once the race starts, it doesn't stop for 500 miles! Unless there is rain, they don't stop the race for anything.Even if there is a bad crash, they re-route the cars onto the pit road, but they don't stop the race!

Church is the same way! Once the green flag is dropped, we're required to go 52 weeks straight right? Every 7 days whether we're ready or not. At NLC, we call it the Monster of Sunday and unless we know how to tame it, it can eat you alive. I have seen far too many pastors and leaders burn themselves out, all because they never learned how to tame the Monster of Sunday.

Back to Racing... Although once the green flag is dropped, they never stop a race, they do have periods of yellow flags. Whenever there is a crash or a problem on the track, the yellow flag will come out! Within seconds of a yellow flag, the pit crews literally jump into action! This is their chance to make adjustments, refuel, and change the tires on their race car.

Again, church is the same way. In a 52 week calendar year, a wise leader will see natural "Yellow Flag" zones and capitalize on them. Here are a few things I've learned about "yellow flags" from my time at the Indy 500.

1.  There's no passing on a yellow. For safety reasons, drivers are not allowed to pass or "take ground" during yellow flag periods. Every church needs yellow flag zones where they are not permitted to "Take Ground." Instead, get in line, keep going, but slow your engine down, rest, improve your gas mileage for a little while. Don't worry, you'll be back to Green Flag Racing soon enough.

2.  It's a great time to refuel because everybody on the track has slowed down. The #1 reason everyone pits on a yellow is because all the cars in the race have slowed down. In other words, you won't lose as much ground on the track as you would if you had to pit during green flag racing. God gives churches yellow flag zones to refuel, too many leaders, however, miss it and keep going like it's still a green flag.

3.  You don't have to Stop Everything to take a Pit Stop. One of the coolest thing about an Indy Car is that they have the ability to refuel while the engine is still running. In church work, the same thing is true. Rest doesn't have to mean "Turning the Engine completely off." In fact, one of the worst things that can happen in the pit is for the engine to stall. It requires another huge piece of equipment to get it started again. Resting in church work doesn't have to look like killing the engine, but you do have to come into the pits.

4.  If you don't pit on a yellow, you will eventually have to pit on a green. Probably the greatest danger to not taking advantage of the built in "yellow flags" of your 52 week calendar is that you will eventually HAVE to pit on a green flag. When drivers are forced to pit on the green they lose HUGE ground on the track. I have seen too many pastors who fail to pit on the yellow and consequently have to pit on the green. When they do, they always end up regretting it.

On Monday, we talk about How we Rest, but for now, why not get out your calendar and look for 3 or 4 yellow flag zones where you will decide now, away from the emotion and urgency of the moment, to rest.

By the way, the month of June is a great "yellow flag." So, look at your calendar next week and cancel all your activities on one of the days. Go to the beach, take your kids to the park, go have some fun, take a pit stop.

Don't worry, you won't lose any ground on the track (It's a Yellow, remember!)

Matt

The Art of "Rest" for Leaders

One of the biggest problems in the church world and with many leaders in general is not knowing how to "Rest!" How is it possible that Jesus commanded it, it's a Ten Commandment, and it's laced throughout the pages of the Bible, and yet for many of us leaders, it's one of the hardest things we do... or don't do.

Summer is one of the most strategic times in any church calendar and understanding your need, as a leader, to Rest is a Huge part of that!

What is Rest?

1.  Rest is a Water-Stop. Our Associate Pastor at NLC, Mike Ash, is a marathon runner, triathlon guy! He's big and buff and strong and likes to punish his body with activities like that! I remember being on a run with Mike several years ago and after about a mile, I started drinking water and proverbially "Freaking Out." (Which is what I do when I try to do things like run.) I noticed that throughout the whole like 2 or 3 miles, Mike didn't drink anything the whole time. So I asked him. He said, "Your body doesn't really start needing water for a while. So on a shorter run like this, (I think he was throwing that in my face...) you don't HAVE to have a water bottle with you."

Not so in a marathon. There's a reason why they set up water stations every so often for the runners to drink and splash their face with it. Because in a marathon, water stops are essential to survival.

So what kind of race do you want to run with your church this year? A 100 yard dash? A 2 or 3 mile run? or a 26.2 mile marathon? Around NLC we talk about our 52 weeks in a year as a marathon. Then we challenge each other with the question, "When and where are your water stops?" Don't think you don't need water; and not just to drink, but to splash in with your kids!

More tomorrow...

Matt

How to Avoid the "Summer Slump"

A difficult challenge many pastors face, especially in the early years of a church is what is commonly known as the "Summer Slump." When school lets out, many churches feel the pinch in more ways than one. If we're not careful, the Summer Slump can tear the momentum right out from under us. Knowing how to navigate through June, July, and August is Paramount.

Some pastors give up on the summer and just check out. Others though see them as the strategic months they are and actually strengthen their church in the process. Here are a few of my thoughts...

1.  Assimilate. Rather than focusing on "How Many" people are or are not in attendance on a Sunday, start focusing on the most important number of all: ONE! Summer is a great time to go back through your database, find people who are loosely connected and get them plugged in. At some point, we have to take people individually by the hand and walk them to their next step of involvement. Summer is a GREAT time to do that! Increasing the base of the organization in the summer means growth in the fall!

2.  Improve. Summer is a great time to assess every department and area of your church. Numbers may be down a bit which gives your workers a chance to catch their breath and it gives you the ability to rise above your organization and see where you need to make improvements. During the school year, a church can move at such a rapid pace that improving environments doesn't even land on a radar. Summer is the perfect time to make improvements and adjustments.

3.  Rest. One of the biggest dangers of church work is thinking that we, the leaders, must push all the way through summer. That is a strategy for burnout. Here's the deal. You are in a marathon, not a sprint. Slow down. Pace yourself. Your church needs you to go 26.2 miles, not just 100 yards! What does that mean? How do we rest AND keep this organization going all at the same time?

I'll talk more about that tomorrow...

In the mean time, why not make a few phone calls, set up a few lunches or coffee meetings & start assimilating some people who are dying to get involved in your church.

Oh yeah, and while you're at it, take a good look around this weekend, chances are there are some improvements that need to be made in EVERY environment of your church.

Matt Keller

In the Last 30 days...

A couple of months ago I wrote a blog entry about all that God had done through me in the last month. It was received amazingly well and I heard from so many of you what an encouragement it was. So as we conclude the month of May, I thought I would do it again.

Here's a quick "Why behind the What:"  In ministry it's not always easy to see when you're winning! The inbox is always bigger than the outbox, and the needs and tasks around us can be downright overwhelming at times. What if we paused once a month just to reflect on the "Wins" of the last 30 days? My hypothesis was that it would encourage not only me, but others as well...

In the last 30 days, we ...

• Trained 10 Church Planters in the R9 Curriculum.


• Trained 3 other churches to Host an R9 in the next 12 months.


• Got word that it is now mandatory that EVERY ARC church plant must go through an R9 training before they launch. Which means that we are going to have the opportunity to train 2000 church planters directly or indirectly in the next 12 years!


• Had to order another shipment of The Up the Middle Church books because we SOLD OUT COMPLETELY!!!


• Sent a case of 50 books to a church planter who is teaching our material at a conference in Oklahoma this month.


• Taught several hundred NLC attenders how to escape from the "Overloaded" life. We have heard so many positive comments about the down to earth, easy to apply approach we took through this series.


• Got away for 4 days with my wife to Miami Beach to REST, which was much needed.


• Connected with a dozen guys from the church at a Rays game and had a blast and ate too many hot dogs at our tailgate party.


• Got to go to the Indy 500 with my dad for the 22nd time in 23 years.


• got to send Mike Ash up to Connection Point Church in Tampa to coach them and encourage Pastor Steve and Tracy Wulf!!!


• Got to celebrate with Nathan and Lisa Camp who are relaunching as Next Level Church of Orlando in September. They secured a 4,300 sq. ft. facility for their church!!!


• Sent out a video teaching/encouragement to over 70 leaders at NLC who make everything happen on a weekly basis!


• Hired our brand new "Worship and Production Pastor" Mike Cole.


• Hired Josh Homan as our new Part-Time "Children's Pastor."


• SOAPed over 24 days last month.


• Had a "Burning Bush" Encounter with Jesus on May 12th, that changed my life forever!!!


• Heard about several churches being planted in the Philippines that we've influenced and trained that are calling themselves "Next Level Church." I love it.

I think you could say we've had a pretty good month!

Bring on June,

Matt Keller

Prayer & Fasting Day Prayer Requests

Hey everyone who is Praying and Fasting today, I am so pumped to see God moving in our lives.

Here are several Big Things we need to seek God about today!

Keep praying, it's working,

Pastor Matt

1.  Future Facility for Next Level Church.  The last Sunday in June is our Quarterly Future Facility Offering. Let's believe God to begin speaking to people now on how to give sacrificially. Pray also for the leadership of NLC as we seek out God's Will for a future facility.

2.  Lindsay Kistner is in Columbia doing Missionary work. Pray for her as she trains hundreds of churches and leaders on how to do Outreach in their communities.

3.  Next Level Church - Orlando.  The church we are relaunching on September 13th has secured a building and is gearing up for their Relaunch in Winter Garden this fall! Pray for Pastor Nathan and the team as they move in to the facility this week and spread the word about what God is doing at NLC-O!!!

4.  10 Church Planters who just recently finished the R9 training at NLC.  Pray that God will help them to assimilate all the information they learned last week. Pray for open doors in their community and for favor as they are building their launch teams.

5.  The People of NLC -

• Jobs,


• Promotions,


• Breakthroughs,


• Restoration in Relationships,


• Margin in Finances,


• To Trust God in Greater Ways,


• To re-engage SOAPing like never before.

6.  Our Missionaries:

• Luke Walters - Sri Lanka,


• Christ for India - Jameson & Johnson Titus,


• Kelly and Kathy Johnson in Kenya,


• Mark & Stephanie Pyles - Dominican Republic

7.  Back Pack Give-Away in August. We are slated to give away 5,000 backpacks to needy families this year in 5 locations!!!

Thanks for praying everyone!!! We're making an Impact!!!

7 Years Ago Today... It all Began

Mother's Day 2002.  That's when it all began. Next Level Church was born 7 years ago today! It's hard to believe that 10 Adults and 2 kids on a Launch team and 35 people in total Attendance would one day grow into all this!

What a privilege it is to get to live out our dream daily! I can't help but be a bit sentimental on a day like today. Those who were there in the early days will forever hold a dear place in our hearts. Mike, Dave, Taitem, Jessica, Jim, Tanya, Preston, Sandra, Matt, Sarah, Will and Tailer. That was it. What a humble beginning that has grown into so much influence today!

Thank you to all who believed in us when there was nothing.  There weren't many of you, but each one of you mattered.

Happy Birthday Next Level Church!!!

I love what you've become,

Pastor Matt

Something MAC can't do???

I think I may have found something that my MAC computer can't do?!? I know, it's really got me all flustered tonight, especially since I gotta speak tomorrow and everything... Anyway...

Let me start from the beginning... (this is so traumatic, I'm shaking just trying to type it all out...)

So I'm trying to put some photos from my MAC on a new memory card I just got at the Office supply store today. I put the memory card in my digital camera, plug it into my mac and proceed to attempt to find it on the desktop. Unfortunately, after no small amount of searching, I learned that apparently, I'm not able to transfer data that way. It only works one way. From camera to mac, not the other way around.

It all makes sense logically to me and all, but seriously, I bought a mac for a reason... because it can do everything, right!!!

So then I get my jump drive and throw some photos on there expecting to be able to plug that into my digital picture frame and then simply transfer them to the new memory card that way, but again, no luck.

So at last resort, I stand up, throw both hands above my head a say, "I think I'm going to have to go get my old PC that has a memory card slot and transfer files that way!" Just saying such a thing scared me half to death. I might as well have found a skeleton in my bed on halloween night!

Has my life come this??? Have I really gotten to a place where I have to go BACK to a PC, even if it's just for some photos? Say it isn't so MAC, I'm depending on you. I can't stand the thought of a dent in the armor!

Well, I guess without a better option I'm off to fire up the Old PC and make the photo transfer. I'm nauseated just thinking about it. I have a scowl on my face. My fingers are going numb at the thought of actually having to touch a PC again after almost 2 years of MAC sobriety.

Why God Why?!? I thought you loved me when I got my iPod. I thought there was a loving Creator when the new MacBook arrived in June of 2007. Now here I am on a lonely, cold (not really) dark night in May of 2009 having to retreat to an inferior existence. A PC filled existence.

I hope the simple file transfer doesn't ruin my digital picture frame or the memory card. I hope my desk doesn't melt when I turn on the PC. I hope my MacBook will forgive me for my waywardness. But then again, Who left who on this whole thing, anyway?

By the way, I'm typing this on a MAC,

Here's to Mac's Infallibility, it was a good run old girl...

Keller

Directions to the "Invitation Only" Event at the ARC Conference

For all of you at the ARC Conference who are going to LoneStar Tuesday Night after the Ed Young Session, here are the directions from the hotel.

When you leave the church:

• Head EAST on Cleveland Rd.


• Turn LEFT at Barber Mill Rd


• Turn RIGHT at Lee Rd


• Turn LEFT at NC-1560/Ranch Rd


• Turn RIGHT to merge onto US-70 EAST


• Take Exit 326 for US-70 toward Smithfield


• Turn RIGHT at US 70 WEST

LoneStar Steakhouse is at 13049 US 70 Business Highway W. Clayton, NC 27520 Their number is (919) 359-6201

It's basically in the Wal-Mart Parking Lot.  I can't wait to see all of you tonight for some face-to-face hang time.

Thanks,

Matt Keller

At the ARC Conference in North Carolina

I am so excited to be at the ARC Conference at C3 Church in Clayton, NC this week with about 1000 other church planters & Pastors.

The ARC Conference is always one of my favorite times of the year b/c I get to connect with so many other like-minded people who are doing what we love: church planting!

Here are a couple of need to know things:

1.  Where is Clayton, NC?  That's an easy one: The church is located on Cleveland Road between Cow-Pasture Lane & Po-Dunk Township. Seriously, the church bought 47 acres of a Tobacco Farm in Rural RC about 30 minutes from Raleigh and God has raised up a HUGE church that is impacting this region like Crazy! What an amazing God thing.

2.  You can watch the entire conference live at: www.AllAccessConference.com

3.  I am teaching a breakout session today on "Invisible Keys to Making the Jump" this afternoon at 2 pm Eastern. Pray for me if you think about it.

4.  Pray for me anyway, I had an infection in my eye flair up last night at the conference so bad, that Sarah and I actually had to leave to look for an Urgent Care, (which we never found coincidentally, because we're in the middle of nowhere!!!) So I'm calling my eye doctor this morning to see what she wants me to do. Don't worry Mike Ash is ready to go with the teaching if I need him to. I"ll probably have him team-teach it with me regardless, just because he and I together is just a great thing. 7 years and counting!!!

You can follow my latest conference musings on Twitter (@matthewkeller) or on my Facebook Status Updates as well.

Thanks for praying for me everyone,

Matt

Follow Up to "Dream Again" - Part 1

As I was preparing to read Acts 3 from our SOAP Guide today, I prayed that God would show me something I've never seen before in the text. I have preached out of Acts 3 for years, but today, God showed me something different.

Acts 3 starts with Peter doing a miracle, which gets the attention of the crowd around him, and then Peter just starts preaching to them and let's them know that they were the ones who crucified Jesus just a few days ago. I mean it's No-Holds-Barred Stuff!

But then in verse 18, he makes a state and in the Message translation it says,

"But God ... knew exactly what you were doing and used it to fulfill His plans."
I couldn't help but read that in light of our Dream Again Series that began last weekend on Easter Sunday. 3 little phrases jumped off the page at me. If you've ever looked at your life and thought, "I'm not sure this is what God had in mind..." then read on:

Phrase #1:  "But God..." There is something about this phrase that gets me fired up. Every time I read it in the Bible I am reminded of God's Redemptive Nature and Power. God is a Redeemer, plain and simple. So maybe your dream isn't what you thought it would or should be by now, well, guess what... God's a redeemer, so hold on to God's BUT!!! (get it?)

Phrase #2: "God knew..." This one gives me great comfort when I look at the stuff in my life I don't understand. Because even though I may not understand it, God does. God knows what's going on. Period. Even when I don't, and that means I can trust Him.

Phrase #3:  "God used..." I love that God is still Great enough to use all the broken dreams and goofed up stuff we do as humans. I love that He can still use us for His plans, even after all we've faced or experienced or been through.

Our Dream Again Series is off to a great start at NLC & I hope this encourages you to never let go of your dream!

See you Sunday at 9 am & 10:45 am!

Pastor Matt

Are you following me?

If we aren't friends on Facebook or if you're not following me on Twitter, you are, as of this moment, officially invited!

Facebook Link:  http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1092376783&ref=name

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Twitter ID:  @matthewkeller

The best way to utilize Twitter is to set it up as Text Messages to your Mobile Phone. I love it!

Statistics & Reflections from Easter

Time: Monday Morning - 11:05 AM

Coffee Consumed: Nun-ya-biznez (too much)

Flashbacks to Yesterday: Over a Billion

Hours of Sleep: 8 I think...

Baseball Highlights Watched: 15

Pieces of Toast Consumed: 2

Souls Reconnected to Jesus on Easter at NLC: 14

# in Attendance in 2 Services: 1,198

# of people who made it happen: Over 100!

NLC Rockstars: Travis Joliff & Jen Jackson who kicked it up serious in worship!

Everyone who served in our Kids Environments - seriously crazy awesome! Especially people like Leanne Ash who served both services just because we needed her too.

The new Security team, making everybody feel great back in the Kids Zone

The entire Coffee Bar team who had so many cups of coffee and so many dozens more donuts than usual.

Over 100 Neighborhoods who participating in block parties to help hungry people the week before and raised 20,000 cans of food in 1 day!!!

My wife and mother-in-law who made me look great in my new jeans and jacket outfit!

My mom for having cake and ice cream on Easter!

My dad for taking our family out on the boat so we could chill.

The Rays and Cubs for Winning on Easter!

Jesus, for changing lives for eternity! Nothing compares to that. It's like the Hokie-Pokie - That's what it's all about...

7 years ago on Easter, we had 6 people in my living room. I played guitar and sang, then preached and when the 2 toddlers woke up from their morning nap, service was officially over and we all went to Cici's Pizza for Easter Lunch.

Wow, alot has changed in 7 years. Thankful to God for His faithfulness in helping us stay the course,

Hope your Easter was great too,

Matt Keller

1st Monday of the Month - Prayer & Fasting Reminder & Requests

Hey everyone in Next Level World,

Today, Monday, April 5th is Prayer & Fasting at NLC! I want to strongly encourage you to pray and fast at least one meal today.

Here are 5 Prayer Requests to Pray Over Today:

#1:  NLC's Future Facility. One of the big reasons we're setting aside this day each month is to see God bring clarity and breakthrough for our Future Facility. We don't know where, when, or what, but we're positioning ourselves for what God has in the future.

#2:  Church Planters: ARC Planter, Darian Rains, who was trained at R9 ( Our Church Planting Residency) last fall launches this Sunday, April 12th in Prior Creek, OK. www.YourPlaceChurch.com

Continue Praying for John Youell (Norman, OK), Ashley Wilson (Lexington, KY), and Stacy Turney (Dothan, AL) Other R9 Grads we trained last fall as well. They are all New Start-ups and going well!

#3:  Missionaries: Luke Walters (Sri Lanka), Christ for India, & Mark Pyles (Dominican Republic)

#4:  Easter Sunday - Dream Again Series Begins!!! Pray that God will begin Resurrecting Dreams in the hearts of so many across Southwest Florida. Pray for Families and Individuals throughout the NLC Family who have lost jobs and are in search of new ones.

#5:  Follow Up from FeedingFortMyers.com. God showed up in a HUGE way during our campaign. Pray that neighborhoods would begin to be changed because of relationships being formed through the block parties, etc. This is the beginning of something huge. Pray also for the Soup Kitchen Downtown as well. What a great partnership God has given us! Pray also for seeds planted in people who saw our stories on News-Press, NBC, ABC and CBS or heard about it on Way-FM, The Call 91.9 FM, WRXY-TV.

See the complete story at NBC. Click Here.
Let's believe for a great day of Prayer and Fasting.

Pastor Matt

Oh My Gosh!!! FeedingFortMyers.com is HUGE!!!

So today has been one of those Historic, Monumental Days in the life of NLC!

With well over 100 parties happening all across Southwest Florida today, the preliminary reports coming in are Incredible!

So many people mobilizing so many communities to help so many people! Unreal!

Talk about living like Jesus and Owning your Sphere of Influence!

All 3 of the Major TV Networks picked up the story and ran it today and tonight. It's #1 right now on www.NBC-2.com.

Click Here to read and watch the story!

The News-Press did a story that came out in the paper today!  Click Here!

AND... we haven't seen anything yet! Sunday Morning at NLC is going to be just Ridiculous!

Come see what more than 10,000 cans looks like!!! We've got radio DJ's, a stage, and 3 huge trucks lined up to hold all the cans.

Also, I'm going to be sharing a Message on Jesus feeding the 5,000 which is going to hit home with everybody I'm sure. I believe God is going to make Himself real to people in a personal way by the hundreds tomorrow!

Come early, drink Starbucks, eat donuts, bring your cans, high five like everybody and their neighbor, literally, and then get into the Audiotirum as we meet with Jesus!!!

9 am and 10:45 am

Let's Keep Partying with a Purpose!

Pastor Matt

100 Block Parties Happening TODAY!

Hey all,

Here's the latest, the News-Press which is the largest Newspaper in Southwest Florida just released their article today about www.FeedingFortMyers.com.

Click here to view and send it on to someone else!

Also, WINK News is carrying the story live at 11 am this morning!

Also, NBC & ABC are rumored to be coming out to one of the big parties at Bay Harbor Apartments this afternoon!

You gotta be at NLC tomorrow at 9 am and 10:45 am for the Culmination and to see what over 10,000 cans looks like!

It's going to be unreal!!!

Let's Party People!

Matt

Winner or Loser?!?

In ministry, it’s not always easy to measure whether you’re “Winning or Losing.”  One of the trickiest parts about being in ministry is developing the gauges that can tell you from month to month whether or not you’re taking ground and being successful.

The common guages of “Bucks, Budgets & Bodies” are a pathetic measuring tool for Pastors, because they just don’t tell the whole story… at all!

So today, I sat down for a few minutes and reflected on the last 30 days of Matt Keller’s life.  Here’s what I realized…

•    This month I helped a guy raise $15,000 for his Church Plant  (www.YourPlaceChurch.com)
•    I was the catalyst for a feeding the hungry campaign that will feed several hundred people for a month!  (www.FeedingFortMyers.com)
•    I also inspired over 100 people and families to walk across the street and invite their neighbors to a part where they can know their names and start actually building a relationship with people that live within a few hundred feet of their front door.  (www.FeedingFortMyers.com)
•    I inspired a Church Planter in Youngstown, OH to keep going, to keep believing and dreaming and going Up-the-Middle, and yesterday they had 7 new visitors and 2 people are no longer going to hell because of it.  (www.LifewayCommunity.com)
•    This month I got to have a 12 hour conversation with 50 pastors in Minnesota because the Assemblies of God bought them all a copy of my book.  (www.UptheMiddle.com)
•    This month I got to inspire a woman in IN & a pastor in Estero, FL to get their churches to start spending time daily in God’s Word w/ SOAP!  (www.nextlevelchurch.com/SOAP)
•    This month I taught a girl in our Last-Saturday SOAP Group to SOAP for the 1st time.
•    This month I spent 2 hours teaching a Pastor in Lehigh how we think about church.
•    This month I inspired 50 leaders to see Young Leaders in our church and create space for them.
•    This month I gave our worship team permission to stretch themselves and lead our church into a more experiential expression of who God is that we worship.
•    This month I had a great date night with my wife
•    This month I had a great Boys day at the ballpark with my 2 boys, Will & Drew, at the Rays Game!
•    This month I SOAPed everyday!

What a great month!  I like my new filters for success…

Matt

I'm Pumped about my SOAP Group!!!

I wanted to let everyone know that my SOAP Connection Group is meeting this Saturday @ 8:30 am @ Panera on US 41 in the Best Buy Plaza in Fort Myers.

If you've never SOAPed before, then this is the time for you! It's so cool and casual and yet God is so real and present.

All you need to do is show up, bring your Bible and Journal, and I'll take care of the rest.

I'm always amazed at how God shows up and speaks to each of us individually and then to all of us collectively as a group as well.

I hope you can make it Saturday,

See you then,

Pastor Matt

For a complete explanation of SOAP go to:  www.NextLevelChurch.com/SOAP

Welcome to the Benjamin Revolution

So I got this idea while on the phone last week with one of our Church Planters that we trained at R9 last November.

We're calling it:

The Benjamin Revolution

Here's the deal:

He needs to raise $15,000 cash by his launch day on Easter Sunday, April 12th, which is like 3 weeks away! So I challenged him that we don't need a couple of people to give him several thousand dollars.  We need 150 people to simply give him a $100 bill.

So we're going for it.  The countdown is on!!!  150, $100 bills in 3 weeks!

AND... (& I love this) he's using his twitter account to keep people up to date minute by minute!  (@DarianRains)

So people can literally follow along every time someone gives him another Benjamin.

If you want to help my friend get to 150 Benjamin's by launch day, it's easy, you can use your Visa, MasterCard, or Debit simply click this link:

The Benjamin Revolution

Let's work together and see Darian absolutely blow 150 Benjamin's out of the water!

What a great way to go into the launch of your church plant!!!

Oh yeah, one more thing... Can you send this blog link to about 6 people who could throw Darian a Benji??? Thanks!

www.MattKellerOnline.com

Thanks for your help,

Matt Keller

If you're NOT at NLC, you're missing it!

I can't even begin to tell you how God is showing up at NLC recently.  What an amazing thing to see Jesus taking us to a deeper place in Him then we've ever been before.

In addition, God is giving us unprecedented opportunities as a church to impact:

1. Our Neighborhoods. I am pumped that we are SO CLOSE to having all 100 Parties for our FeedingFortMyers.com campaign on Saturday, April 4th.  If you haven't registered your party go to www.NextLevelChurch.com/party and register now.  We have never had an easier way for you to "Build a bridge" and connect to your neighbors relationally and invite them to be apart of something that is changing lives!  People find hope when they get beyond themselves and touch someone else!


2. Our Community. FeedingFortMyers.com is going to be huge! I spent last week doing radio and TV interviews and each time all I heard was, "I've never heard of anyone doing anything like this before!"  I'm telling you empowering neighborhoods to "Party with a Purpose" is a revolutionary idea with Exponential Impact!!!  We're going to feed hundreds of people RIGHT HERE in our community for nearly a month!!!


3. Our Region. Do you know what happens when you empower hundreds of people to connect with hundreds of neighbors to give food to feed thousands of people???  Answer:  GOD SHOWS UP!!!  And man, is He ever!  God is showing up in our Sunday mornings at South Fort Myers High School.  Make it a priority to be there every week.
   


4. Our Nation. We are now coaching 30 churches across the US.  Also, we are working with Nathan and Lisa Camp to launch Next Level Church - Orlando in September! God is multiplying our influence nationwide!


5. Our World. We are coaching 40 pastors every month in the Philippines just to name one!  Not to mention what God is doing through our missionaries in Sri Lanka, India, Kenya, the Dominican Republic and Latin America! Seriously, it's awesome!

3 Ways You Can Be Apart of the Move of God at NLC:

1. Show Up. If you haven't made Sundays at NLC a priority, why in the world not???  By the way, if you haven't come to 1st service at 9 am, you really need to! It's like being the first kid in line for the drinking fountain, the water's just colder!


2. Sign Up. Register your party at www.NextLevelChurch.com/party Get involved in a ministry.  Start giving online.  Do something.  Take a step because God is doing the miraculous!


3. Step Up. Where do you need to take a step in terms of involvement at NLC.  When we step up, God will show up and the impact we can make together is staggering!  Don't miss this amazing season we're in as a church!

Praying for you this week,

Pastor Matt

The FeedingFortMyers Campaign is going to be HUGE!!!

In an effort to impact the hurting and needy of Southwest Florida, Next Level Church is launching a campaign called, FeedingFortMyers.com.  The goal is simple:  Enlist 100 neighborhoods to throw 100 parties in 1 day to raise 10,000 cans for our local Soup Kitchen.

If you haven't signed up your party and gotten your "Official Party Kit", you can do so today at www.NextLevelChurch.com.

The parties will all be taking place on Saturday, April 4th at various times!  The details are completely up to each Party Host, and the vision is clear.  Challenge your neighbors to collectively bring at least 100 cans to the party.

Then... on Palm Sunday, April 5th, we're gathering all of the cans from all of the parties at Next Level Church at South Fort Myers High School! Think of it, over 10,000 cans in 1 day!

It's crazy to think of the thousands of lives we're going to impact together as we empower our neighborhoods to Eat Food... Bring Cans... & Feed the Hungry.

Check out www.FeedingFortMyers.com for all the details!!!

Why I'm excited about the Economy!!!

There is one aspect of our economy that makes me excited these days.  The turn toward Wise Stewardship and Simplicity.

Dave Ramsey said, "In an UP economy, my principles seem weird.  But in a DOWN economy, my principles seem wise." I am so excited that our nation is swinging back toward Wise Stewardship and Simplicity when it comes to the way we handle our money.  It's the message of the Bible and our churches and I'm grateful that for a season, the culture around us, is giving us a healthy shove!

It's so easy to complain about the negative messages our culture sends to people today, but this is one that the church should be standing up and applauding, because it is the same as OUR Message!

We, as leaders in the church world today, need to be capitalizing on this opportunity to teach our people about how to handle their finances God's way. There is a renewed hunger among the young generation to hear a "different" and "unique" approach to handling our money.  After all, perhaps for the first time in several generations, young people are saying, "Maybe the way the world says to handle money DOESN'T work?!?"

Leaders, let's take advantage of this.  If they're asking, we need to be telling.  Don't be afraid to teach people in your influence what God says about money.  "When the student is ready, the teacher will appear." Let's appear! It's time for the leaders in the Body of Christ to show up and start setting the record straight about how we can honor God and invite His blessing on our personal finances.

For more information on what that can look like, check out the series we did in February of this year entitled:  Piggybank.

Just a bloggish thought,

Matt

Update from Luke Walters; Missionary to Sri Lanka

I had a chance to spend 45 minutes on the phone with one of our missionaries, Luke Walters, last week.  God is using this guy in a huge way in the nation of Sri Lanka and in the 10/40 window, which is where the greatest number of "unreached" people in the world live.

Over the past couple of years, Luke has worked to establish a beachhead for the Gospel in some incredible ways.  Listen to this:

• He is helping to train over 200 government officials and business leaders in the nation on what it means to live their lives according to the Bible and honor God with their lives.

• Luke said, "In the midst of civil war, God is raising up a people to take the nation for the Gospel in the next generation.

• In the midst of all that God is doing in Sri Lanka, Luke and his family are in transition personally.  His daughter is going to be married very soon and his youngest daughter graduates from high school in June, thus making he and Sandi "empty nesters."

We need to pray for God's guiding as they step into the next season of what God has for them, their family and their ministry in the next 20 years.

What a privilege to be a supporter of such a powerful, God focused ministry.

Check out their website at:  www.Map1040.com

We're in a Unique Season

For about a week or so now, I have had this strong sense that we are in a Unique Season as a church.  If you were in either of our services yesterday, March 1st, then you know what I'm talking about.  If not, you can catch it on Video at www.Nextlevelchurch.com/video or go to iTunes and search their podcast section for Next Level Church Video.

Anyway, I have this strong sense that even in the midst of an "Economic Winter" season in our community, God is bringing a "Spiritual Summer" Season to our church!  God is wanting to bring harvest, and refreshment, and increase to our lives in some profound ways in the days ahead.

If you're apart of Next Level Church here in SW FL, I encourage you to not miss what God is doing in our church. Each Sunday God is going to touch us in some profound ways.  Make it a priority to be there, especially thorughout this Taboo Series we're doing on Questions.  God is going to make Himself real to so many of us.

I would love to hear your story or testimony of what God is doing in your heart. Feel free to share it in the comments section of this blog.

Let's keep pressing in to God during this unique season we find ourselves in...

Pastor Matt

A Slave to the Whimsical

So I was SOAPing this morning and couldn't help but share this with all of you.  I am loving studying the Bible for myself in the Message Translation of the Bible.  It's coming alive.  If you have never been able to read the Bible and apply it to your life, or if are in ministry and struggle to not "read for others" then you have to try SOAPing.  Go to www.NextLevelChurch.com/SOAP and download the reading guide and listen to the message I did on it.  It has the power to change your life, I'm tellin' you.

So here's my SOAP for today:

S-Scripture: I Corinthians 6:12 (The Message)  "Just because something is technically legal doesn't mean that it's spiritually appropriate.  If I went around doing whatever I thought I could get by with, I'd be a slave to my whims."

O-Observation: I love that Paul is pulling down legalism right here and creating a standard that is far lower.  He brings righteousness down to the whim level.

A-Application: It's so easy to get our eyes on what's "Legal" or "Moral" or "Unethical" but he brings it down to a motives level that is so personal.  what "whims" have we become a slave to? They can be simple things like impatience in traffic or needing a cup of coffee in the afternoon.  Think of that, anything as small as a whim, can make a slave of us! Wow! I have never seen that before.

No longer is it just "the big stuff" that we must guard against that can enslave us, it's the "whimsical" as well.

P-Prayer: "God, help me to become aware of the whimsical things in my life that I am a slave to. Open my eyes to areas of entitlement or where I must have my own way! Show me those things and help me to surrender them whims to You. May I take my self-discipline to that level! Amen."

Just a glimpse into what God is doing in my heart,

Have a great Monday everybody,

Matt

My Heart is Moved in so Many Ways

I am just getting back into my world this morning, which means catching up on e-mails, and all things in the Next Level Church world.

Over the past 5 days of traveling my heart has been encouraged, stretched, renewed, emptied and filled.

In Kansas City, we were able to pour into some amazing Church planters who are doing church Up-the-Middle...

In Miami, we were challenged personally in a HUGE way, & then able to pour into some unsuspecting leaders from across the country.  God is truly giving us opportunity to influence people in some amazing ways!

Finally, my heart is moved this morning because of the increasing number of prayer requests that are being turned in each week at NLC.  There are alot of hurting people out there right now, & even in our church.

I am humbled and feel such a heaviness to lift them before God today.

I love the NLC family! I love what God has created & am humbled to lead...

Matt

All in a Day's Work

Here's the Monday Sarah and I had...

• 4:21 am: Woke up in Lee's Summit, Missouri.


• 4:50 am: 1st cup of coffee


• 5:01 am: Drove to Kansas City, KS Airport


• 5:57 am: Go through Security


• 7:00 am: Flew to Orlando, FL


• 7:50 am: Lady in row next to us passes out & they have to radio a doctor on the ground... scary stuff.


• 8:15 am: Everything is fine.


• 10:20 am: Land in Orlando, FL. (Raining outside)


• 10:21 am: Find out our next flight is delayed.


• 12:00 pm: See firetrucks next to our airplane.


• 12:02 pm: Find out the firetrucks are for the plane next to ours that had to turn around and come back to the airport because they smelled smoke on board.


• 12:03 pm: sigh of relief that it wasn't our plane.


• 12:12 pm: Watch 5 policemen question a guy on the "smokey" plane.


• 12:45 pm: Board our plane (#105 & 106 to get on)


• 12:51 pm: sit in the very last row because we were #105 & #106 to get on.


• 1:03 pm: take off from Orlando for Fort Myers, FL.


• 1:33 pm: Reach the Fort Myers airport but have to circle for 10 minutes because "we have too much fuel on board to land." (glad we're saving gas now!!!)


• 1:45 pm: Touch down in Fort Myers, FL.


• 2:03 pm: Deplane in the further gate from baggage claim.


• 2:08 pm: Get our luggage.


• 2:15 pm: Meet Mike Ash who picked us up because he rocks.


• 2:35 pm: Arrive home.


• 2:40 pm: Shower, unpack, repack & leave for Miami.


• 3:05 pm: Leave for Miami with my first Diet Mountain Dew in 4 days! (They don't have diet Mountain Dew in Kansas City or Lee's Summit, MO I guess...)


• 5:15 pm: Find the church we're headed to for our conference tonight.


• 5:16 pm: determine we need coffee or we're not going to make it through the session.


• 5:18 pm: Follow the GPS to the nearest Starbucks.


• 5:34 pm: Finally arrive at Starbucks. (it was actually inside a Barnes & Noble)


• 5:58 pm: Arrive back at the church for the pastor's conference.


• 6:03 pm: Mingle with a bunch of great pastors (2 we knew & 38 we didn't know)


• 6:20 pm: Eat Spaghetti


• 7:15 pm: Listen to Mark Batterson (one of my personal heros) speak.


• 7:30 pm: Get my face rocked off by Mark Batterson, because he's just that awesome!


• 8:30 pm: Give Mark Batterson one of my books! (Because I got the nerve up to do it!!!)


• 9:15 pm: Fill up my car with gas on Miami Beach on the way to the hotel (because we were on E. I paid $2.28 / gallon, which stunk, but then Sarah said, "It still beats $4/gallon." Nice.)


• 9:30 pm: Arrive at our hotel on Miami Beach that they are putting us up in for the conference.


• 10 pm: Take a short walk by the beach and pool and begin debriefing the day with Sarah, cause she's so awesome.


• 10:53 pm: Call the front desk to ask how to connect to the wireless so I can blog about my day


• 11:07 pm: Start blogging about my day.


• 11:22 pm: Let my wife proof this blog.


• 11:30 pm: Go to bed because we have to be up at 6:00 am so my wife can workout and we can start day 2 of the conference. (I think I'm one of the Table Leaders, whatever that means...)

Other than that, not much happened today... I guess,

Except for what God spoke to my heart while I was SOAPing on the plane at 35,000 feet, which rocked my face off too.

By the way, the word God dropped in my heart was from 2 Peter 3:9 "God isn't late."

How appropriate!

Good night,

Keller