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

Next Level Church also has a group, join now at:  http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=24561927638

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