Dynamic Church experienced an eventful and momentum-filled month of February. Here are some highlights of how God moved as well as how to pray for Dynamic Church moving forward:

VisionChatt: We have officially opened Dynamic Church up to people throughout greater Chattanooga! On January 28th, Dynamic Church hosted VisionChatt which was an event designed to share the vision and mission to reach our city. This was our first vision cast to a group of people from Chattanooga. VisionChatt was a successful event as we received several commitments from people who sensed a calling to join Dynamic Church in reaching our city.

LAUNCH Team: Beginning this month, Dynamic began our LAUNCH team in preparation for a strong launch on September 9th. We are praying that God prepare us as individuals, families, and as a church for all He has in store for Chattanooga. To prepare ourselves, our LAUNCH Team is participating in Dynamic Bible Studies, Dynamic Serves and Dynamic Gatherings throughout each month. Our first Dynamic Bible Study on February 12th was a tremendous success. We had 3 guests join us for our very first meeting!

Dynamic Serve: On February 16th, Dynamic served our strategic partner, The Hamilton YMCA. Our LAUNCH Team had the honor to provide and serve dinner to 25 staff members and started an employee of the month program. It is our desire to serve in a Dynamic way, demonstrating God’s heart for His people before we launch in September.

Highlight of the month: During our first Dynamic Bible Study on February 12th, God did the unexpected. We knew going into our LAUNCH Team that there would be the possibility of having a “random” guest due to the fact we meet in a YMCA during normal business hours. The chance of someone’s curiosity peeking after seeing us meeting over a few weeks could cause them to unexpectedly join us.

Well, God expedited that process. In the middle of my talk to set up our Bible Study, a gentleman paced back and forth, looking through the glass doors into where our group was meeting. After a moment, he stuck his head in the room and asked a team member stationed by the door, “Is this a bible study?” He was welcomed into our meeting, sat down and was a part of God building us and preparing for what is ahead. I left excited that God would chose to move and bring someone unexpected to the very first meeting. I left excited that our team was prepared for the “random” guest and expects God to do the unexpected. I left excited for all our partners who pray and give to this vision because you are making a difference. I left excited for all the unexpected moments ahead as God does something great in our city.


The best chapters are yet to be written!

A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of having breakfast with a guy who is praying about church planting. He explained to me that he believes God is asking him to be involved in church planting, but he does not know how or when. I proceeded to ask what was stopping him if he knew God was calling him? The answer, fear. Fear of failure, finances and the unknown.

I can completely relate to this overwhelming feeling of sensing a call while wrestling with the tension of the practical concerns. This exact week last year, Lauren and I had just returned from my second trip to Chattanooga, where we asked God if it was the place we were called to invest our lives. A flood of fears came over us. We did not know anyone, we could not afford to relocate, we had a home to sell, and we would have to find new jobs in this economy. Oh yeah - and we were expecting a baby in March. If the whole thing failed, then what?

After conversations with others, I have learned that fear tends to be a common thread that prevents many of us from experiencing God’s best in our lives. Now I must say, there are people who do some pretty dumb things in the name of God, when God was never pointing them in that direction. First and foremost, God must call us into the opportunity. So how do you know that the opportunity in front of you is from God?

While reading the other day, I stumbled on the origin of the word “opportunity”. According to Pastor Brian Kluth, hundreds of years ago the word was coined by people who lived near the ocean. During that time, ships needed to wait until the tide was in before heading out to sea. If not, the ship would run aground. In Latin language, the words “ob portu” described the perfect moment when time and tide converge for a ship to get underway. Much like these moments come God-ordained opportunities for you and me. You will know this opportunity is meant for you to step into when both an urgent need and your God-given ability collide. In that moment, it is your time to move and fulfill your purpose.

The fear of stepping into God’s opportunities is nothing new. In Matthew 25, Jesus teaches from a parable about 3 servants who were given gold and entrusted to leverage them for their master while he was away. One was given 5 bags of gold, one 2 bags and the other 1 bag. The first two were faithful and utilized what was given to them. The third with 1 bag was not faithful. Why? This man explained to his master, “ I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.” The reply he received from his master was, “You wicked, lazy servant!”

So what is the point? You and I have been entrusted with some things. And somewhere along the way, opportunities will come when the timing is right. The tide is in and it is time to set sail. In the previously mention parable, the expectations were the same of all three men -  be faithful with what you have. So I encourage you, when urgency meets your talents head on, move. Yes, you will probably be full of fear, but move. Move because there is no failure in faithfulness.

The past Sunday, we had the honor of serving a community of people in our city. It was our first "Serve The City" intiative as a church as our team served our strategic partner, The Hamilton Family YMCA. Honestly, we went into the evening not knowing the impact that we, a church comprised of 16 core team people, could have on this community. Our intention and heart was to simply add value to the lives of the YMCA leaders who in turn invest themselves everyday into the lives of people throughout our city.

Serving on Sunday was a unique opportunity. Our team honored over 70 people by setting up, serving dinner and tearing down after the event. This doesn't sound like much but we quickly learned that simply serving can be significant serving. You see, this was an event that The Y has twice a year to build morale and momentum among it's staff by keeping the vision in front of the team. It is an event for them that is put on by them. So, we stepped in and made the night completely about them and for them by taking care of them. Again, this sounds simple but it was significant. Why? Just listen to this feedback.

My favorite quote of the night was from a YMCA staff person who is a mother of two. Their staff had divided into teams and went to a different room for activities. During this time, our team stayed back to clean up and set things up for the next day. As this mother returned back into the auditorium, she gave me a surprised look and said with enthusiasm, "It's finished?! Now I can see my two girls before they go to bed tonight." Because our team served this group, people were honored and were able to spend their time doing things that are important to their everyday lives.

God blew my mind by the level of impact this simple night of serving had on the community of leaders. I am thankful for our team members, who were willing to do the simple and watch God do the significant. I am thankful for a group of people who made a simple but significant investment in THE FOUNDATION that enabled us to serve The Y staff. I am thankful that God would allow us, and our partners across the nation and world, to participate in the lives of everyday people. I am thankful that two little girls experienced the love of their mom before going to bed! Simple but significant.

I am thankful that the best chapters are yet to be written!

I encourage you, if you have not participated in THE FOUNDATION to jump in and partner. You have the opportunity to do something simple but signficant. Invest in this vision before THE FOUNDATION is completed on December 31st.

A large part of our calling and strategy at Dynamic Church is to be generous. Our desire is to demonstrate the heart of God by investing in everyday people in Chattanooga with our resources and time. It is never our goal to do anything in a marginal capacity since we represent Jesus whose love was anything but marginal for us. This is why at this time we have chosen to fully invest in one organization as our first strategic community partner. Yes, we could do many things across Chattanooga, but our calling is to have a tremendous life-transforming impact on those that we serve.

Please WATCH the video interview below with Hamilton Family -YMCA Director, Chris Knox to hear more about how God will transform everyday people and Chattanooga through the partners of Dynamic Church.

When the church is healthy, it is concerned more about what God wants than building its own reputation. At Dynamic Church, we want to see God transform everyday people through active faith in Jesus Christ. For this to happen, it is going to take God moving in and through other churches and not just Dynamic Church. We want to play our role in what God wants to accomplish. For this vision to be fulfilled, Dynamic must partner with and support all God wants to do by coming alongside other churches.

With that said, we are honored to have a partnering church in the area that has a heart to see life change take place not only on their campuses but throughout the world. Rock Bridge Community Church in Dalton, GA has committed to support Dynamic Church and be a part of THE FOUNDATION of all God wants to do in our city.

WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW to hear why Rock Bridge and Lead Pastor Matt Evans desire to partner with Dynamic Church.

Great moves of God usually consist of a group of people faithfully surrendering themselves in being obedient to God's promptings. Much like these moments in history, we believe God is calling a group of people to step forward to lay THE FOUNDATION that is sure to see a generation experience life transformation through Jesus Christ. I believe we are in the formation process of God doing something great in everyday people throughout Chattanooga.

Watch this video from Mac Lake, Chief Launch Officer of The Launch Network, on why they are investing in THE FOUNDATION of Dynamic Church and Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Last week I had the privilege of going back to the church where I began my journey following Jesus. Honestly, I really only started going as a teenager because a friend from school said they played softball on Wednesdays. So, each Wednesday I would show up having (by obligation) memorized the week's scripture which qualified an individual to play. I relished the opportunity to win, even if it was against girls who would swing the bat well after the ball entered the catcher's glove. Yes, the talent was terrible, but I loved to win.

After a few months of proving myself (because I could hit the ball to the graveyard beyond the outfield), I began to like the people I was around. This eventually lead to me showing up on a Sunday, even early for Sunday School. This is where the tide shifted in my life. A teacher named Betty McCannon was leading the class. While enthusiastically teaching the lesson, she asked for us to turn to a particular place in the Bible in front of us. Problem - as everyone around me briskly beat me to the scripture reference, I sat there looking around. This was not good for a competitive guy like me! Then, right in the middle of teaching, Mrs. Betty noticed I was clueless. She sat down and taught me how to use the Bible and locate scripture. Until that point in my life, I thought Matthew was this kid at school that I could not stand.

So last Wednesday night, as I was getting ready to leave, I looked over my left shoulder. Coming across the parking lot was Betty McCannon, who I have not seen in years. Talking with her was an incredible moment. Although you could not pick her out in a crowd, here stood a hero in my eyes. A lady who directly impacted my life as well as laid the foundation that lead me to Chattanooga to plant a church. I praise God for this solid foundation.

My prayer is for Dynamic Church to relish the opportunity to lay a strong foundation in lives of everyday people across Chattanooga. I hope we can be just like Mrs. Betty - never forgetting about the one, willing to sit down and go the extra mile. I am so thankful that she did not reluctantly show up to fulfill her Sunday obligation. Thanks for being DYNAMIC Mrs. Betty!

My rambunctious, always moving 6 month old son is doing so much these days. It seems like everyday he has a new trick in his arsenal. My favorite thing he does is reaching out for me when I am near him. Words can not even begin to describe what this does to my heart. There are not many people that he reaches out to when he wants to be held. Only those people he is extremely familiar with and has been around frequently. I love it when he looks up at me with a smile that covers his entire face and arms extended open. I can sense he knows that I have his best interest and he can trust me.

This trust did not come overnight. Nope, I have had to change tons of disgusting diapers, absorb sweet potatoes to the face, endure long road trips with him crying and the occasional 2:00am wake up call. After all these thrilling moments, I still come back to him because I love him and I am his dad. Being his dad is not just a title but a series of loving, nurturing actions. Good or bad, I am here for my son.

Much like being a dad is greater than a title, being a Christian is larger than a label. It is my heart and prayer for a generation to stand up and get over wearing labels. It is time to back our labels up. Faith is not enough (2 Peter 1:5-8). It is time to back up our labels with lives of integrity, character and grace.

People need to know that we care about them, just as much as we love ourselves (Matthew 22:34-40). Faith is great but if we do not see people the way God views them and enact on it, we are missing the point. Honestly, if loving people where they are is not our mission, we have a pretty cheap view of God’s character. That may mean walking through some nasty stuff with people who are hard to love. Maybe you will not deal with an ambush of baby food but you may walk through a damaging divorce with a co-worker, or anger issues with a family member, or a secret sin with a friend.

The point I am attempting make is that we must give people a reason to trust us and reach out towards us. After all, Jesus gave us a reason to trust Him when He demonstrated His love on a cross.

Your belief in God is not enough. Give people a reason to reach.

This past Saturday, I made the 3-hour trip to Athens, Georgia to watch my 0-2 Georgia Bulldogs play. I probably should throw in the fact that it was an early game against Coastal Carolina. Translation: the atmosphere was going to be dead as UGA lined up against a completely inferior opponent. To most people, there really was not much to get excited about as even the tailgating scene was sure to be dead due to the early kickoff time.

So why drive 3 hours to a game and an environment of such little excitement? Here are 3 reasons why I made the trip:

1) Support. My team has been taking an on-slot of criticism by the media and even the UGA fan base. I will be the first to admit, it has been tough to watch at times over the past couple of years, but to not support my team is not an option.

I want to be there to encourage my team from the stands, letting them know I am behind them.

2) Potential. I am not saying that my team will win the rest of their games this year (although they could), but they are still fighting and getting better along the way. I see something potentially great in the making and I want to be a part of it by sticking with my team through the process.

3) “One Day.” Due to this potential, “one day” will be a satisfying day. It is easy to show up when a team is dominating their opponents each week and winning. But there is something exhilarating about the process of “one day.” When “one day” arrives and I have been through thick and thin with my team, then “one day” will taste a little sweeter. Yes, all Georgia football fans will be thrilled when our team wins again, but it is going to be extra special for those who walked through the storms with our team.

This trip to watch my favorite team got me thinking about church planting.

I am incredibly thankful for those who are making the drive to Chattanooga or Athens to our Vision Events. Your support and belief in the potential for God to move and transform everyday people is inspiring. God is blessing us with a backing that gives us energy in the mundane moments because we know that something great is going to happen. We anticipate the day when “one day” is today and celebrate God’s faithfulness with our Dynamic partners.

Thank you for believing in God to do what some deem as impossible.

Register here for our Dynamic Church Vision Events. Space and limited and the September 30 deadline is approaching soon.

One year from today... God is going to change the spiritual landscape of Chattanooga. One year from today... is September 9, 2012. One year from today... Dynamic Church will launch our first weekly service. One year from today... God will transform everyday people through active faith in Jesus Christ. One year from today... someone will experience life in Christ. One year from today... God will get the Glory. One year from today... will only be the beginning. One year from today will happen because God is laying a foundation today. Take a look at this video to see how God will build a city by transforming everyday people.

Today marks 2 months that Lauren and I moved to Chattanooga making it our new home. As I walked out the door this morning to go to work, I noticed 4 separate picture frames lying in the floor of our living room which have consumed this space for 2 months. Pictures filled with memories that we cling to to help us remember God’s blessings and His building of our family. As I reached for my keys to lock the door behind me this morning, I remember asking myself, “Why have I not got these pictures up yet?" There have been numerous occasions when I considered hanging them, but I keep thinking I do not have enough time to complete the task.

If I am honest, I often approach my faith in Jesus the same way. I am less likely to be obedient to doing what I am called to do, if I know I will not see the final results immediately.

We just finished Dynamic Church's first month of core team meetings. This month we focus on our leadership value of Audacity, which simply means we will have faith, believing in God to do what most see as impossible. For 4 weeks, our team peeled back the layers of Hebrews 11 which is known for radical, audacious stories of people with great faith. The chapter ends with this statement,

And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect. Hebrews 11:39-40

Here is a group of people being commended for finishing their lives with audacious faith, still trusting in God to write His story, even though they had not seen the complete results of their labor. I was disheartened to think I have moved to a city, with the belief that God would be the builder and architect of something great in Chattanooga, yet I may never see the full results. Then God revealed the greatness in these faithful lives. They had the privilege of witnessing the foundations being laid, God doing things never done before and the continuation of a great move.

I understand that God has not called most into ministry or church planting, but I want to encourage you to be audacious in your faith.

Be audacious now, believing that your investment in your family will shape the foundations of what God will do in future generations within your family.
Be audacious now, believing that investing in your co-workers could transform a life through Christ.
Be audacious now, believing that leading your company with integrity could shape the leadership landscape in the business world.

The true measure of our faith is how we finish and if we still believe God to do the impossible.

So I commission you, Be Audacious and Be Dynamic.

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