Think BIG Live Loud

A little over 4 years ago God began to stir something in my heart that was somewhat unexplainable.  I was in Miami Florida visiting some friends who had planted a church down there. During this time my friends and other core people of this church plant began to bounce ideas off of me and were seeking guidance for a situation that was far from my expertise.  But through these conversations God began to develop something within my heart for the church-planting world.  I remember sitting in the airport in Ft. Lauderdale tore up about what I felt could be a calling to go and start a church.  Where? I had no clue.  Why me?  I was lost there also, but God was very clear when it came to church planting.  I was going to do this.  During this moment as I was about to begin boarding the plane I received a call from Kevin Campbell who I had been doing college and youth ministry with during this time back in Georgia.  I remember his words like it was yesterday, “How do you feel after your visit?”  Not knowing what he was asking but hoping my inkling was right, I asked him “what do you mean?”  And he said, “about church planting.”  I knew from that point on Kevin and I would begin this journey of a lifetime.  We began meeting and planning our next steps to move to a very heavily populated city of unchurched people, which has now become Elevate Church in San Diego California.   During our time here in Southern California we have experienced the emotional roller coaster called “Church Planting.” But it has been such an unbelievable experience throughout the last couple years we have been here.

I say all of this and prepare you with the precise background on how we got here to say this.  My wife (Kelly) and I will be leaving San Diego and Elevate Church at the end of this month.  Those are probably the hardest words I have typed so far in my 28 years of existence.  It is beyond words why Kelly and I would give up by far besides our marriage the greatest opportunity of our lives.  But at the end of the day about 6 months ago God began preparing in me a departure from the very thing he called me to.  We have invested in more than we can number, we have seen so many come to Christ because of this movement.  We have watched many enter the waters of baptism and begin a walk in new life.  We have seen two locations that were never built to be worship facilities erupt in worship.  We have had some great times and have endured some hard times, but one thing is for sure we have always followed what God had led and He has been faithful every step of the way.    We have to trust even if we don’t understand that God has a plan in us leaving, not just for us but also for Elevate Church.

When I think about this situation and try to dissect it more than I should, I am reminded of the story of Abraham and Isaac.  Way before God asked Abraham to sacrifice Isaac in Genesis 22, the bible says in Genesis 15:6 “He credited him as righteousness” because of his faith.   God would never have asked Abraham to prove his faith if he didn’t establish his faith in the first place.  And I believe just like Abraham God began establishing my faith at the age of 18 when I first felt called into the ministry for a day like today.  We will never get a grip on God and the plans he has in store for us and I don’t think that we are meant to.  For example if I would have know that I would be returning home only close to two years after moving out here, I may have never made it.  I would like to think I would have still came, but that is just something I am not totally sure of.  But I came and it has made me a better man and husband to my wife, a better pastor to Gods calling and a more open heart to what God has next.

For those who are wondering Kevin and I are closer than ever and it is hard to think about doing ministry with anyone other than him.  I don’t have another job lined up or a better opportunity!  It is seriously and merely a leap of faith and something God has called.  I will be returning to school when we arrive back into Atlanta where I will pursue and finish my degree.  Something I do know is that school is a huge part of us coming back but where God leads from there is going to be an exciting and incredible adventure.  I hope and pray where ever we end up we will be able to be apart of a movement like Elevate Church where we will exist solely on seeing people far from God become passionate followers of Him.  And hopefully we will always surround ourselves with the unchurched, the broken, the sick, and the poor where Kelly and I will be a light of Jesus that helps change the world one person at a time.

We love everyone who has believed in us and has been apart of this journey with us.  Thank you Kevin Campbell and Elevate Church for your gracious loving support, and impact on the foundation of our marriage and our lives. We will continue carrying out the vision in which God has laid on this church here and to the outer most parts of the world!

With Love

Think big Live Loud

Chris Reynolds

“I Resent God” was the words utter from some incredible God-fearing people last night as we all sat around my living room discussing the topic of “Dissatisfaction.”   I have never seen rawness when it comes to our(mankind) relationship with our Savior like I did last night.  You should know I a sucker for vulnerability and truth.  So when I asked “how can we begin living a life of contentment(1 Timothy 6:6-8)?” The response was “Stop resenting God” I was shocked!  But why was I shocked?  Is it the mere fact that most of us have gotten to a place where resentment is the most genuine feeling we have felt in a long time, but it is sort of taboo to say out loud so we have kept it a secret?  Or maybe it was just the first time I have seen people on their own take a step into healing without being prompted or persuaded to dissect.  Either way I  believe most of you have struggled with this secret for sometime and you are not sure how to even approach God for healing.  It is true and I can not downplay this next statement, but those are some very harsh words to even whisper to a Savior who lived to die for you and I.  But I believe and really I know God knows you!  Its simple, he knows your thoughts, your actions, your intentions and even the next step before you.  So how do we move from resentment to contentment?

3 Easy steps to move from resentment to contentment

1) First, approach God with the truth.  Maybe become more vulnerable than you ever have?  Tell God he is not first in your life.  No matter the reason, acknowledging the situation at hand will free you from the stronghold and prepare you for the deliverance that He has in store!

2) Recognize where the real resentment comes from, because just like last night, if you take a look deep into this imbedded issue you will realize your resentment has little or nothing to even do with God.  But Satan(yeah I said it) has just as much of a plan as God does and lets face it, sometimes he wins(Not big picture war, but little picture battle!)!  Most of the time I our resentment comes from us and our decisions, and not knowing, but when recognizing the real issue we begin understanding we don’t even take the steps to know more about God, like reading our Bible and praying.

3) Begin Reading Your Bible Daily! And PRAY PRAY PRAY!  You will never understand God if you do not tap into the Spirit inside of you and the resources that He has given us to get to know him! And this is where I think the frustration comes in.  We cannot believe we are given everything we need to succeed and yet we choose failure!  And so it is easier to blame the one who defines love and every other feeling inside of us than to take a gulp of reality and realize he has never stop pursuing us,  we have just fell into comfort again!  And really do we have the right to “Resent” God if we have never taken a step in the right direction to try to get to know Him?

(Contentment does not equal settling or a life of blah comfort)

The last thing that I have about this topic is this, WE WIN! What other part of life do you get to know the end and know that you become victorious?  So lets begin living like We Win!  We came into this world with nothing and if you look around at all the blessings God has given you then you really have no need to worry.  If you came with nothing and have a lot of somethings, then it is proof of Gods faithfulness.  But understand this,  you will leave just like you entered, so stop exercising all your energy on  stuff and start building a life of radical contentment today!

Read Paul’s testimony in all this for more study!

Philippians 3:7-14, 4:11-13

Many of you are familiar of the story about David and Goliath. As I was reminded today of this story I thought about how relevant this story is today.  Because no matter where you are, there has been a point in your life where you were up against a giant that seem to shadow over you.  Most of the time this Giant in our lives is Sin!  But one of the greatest truths in this story is that even though everyone around David saw him as a shepherd boy and Goliath as the victor, David knew who was on his side!  But you and I when we are given this sort of opportunity to defeat what has cast a shadow on us for sometime, we tend to be overwhelmed with of how big the situation and/or problem is.  But what if for once we took on the optimism that David carried?

Everyone around David told him that Goliath was too big to defeat, but David thought he was too big to miss!

As David approached this Giant, he dwelled on how big his God was and realized that Goliath was no match for the creator of the universe.  Because just like David coming from the chosen people you and I are were chosen for the son of God to pay the price on our behalf, so then at that point we became heirs of eternity and Gods kingdom.  When we compare our sin and our problems with the creator and the power in which he bestows, our giants becomes nothing more but an opportunity to defeat and an opportunity to give God the glory in which he deserves.  So as you approach your giant today remember who is bigger, and remember who deserves the worship in which you will deliver to something.  Why not give it to the King of kings, and Lord of lords, the one that brings your only chance of victory.  Today my prayers are with you and your battle, that you too may defeat the Giant!

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Yesterday rain came like a hurricane off the coast here in San Diego, which you may not know this but rain is something we get few and far in between.  But when we do its like God wants it to count!  So during this downpour yesterday I decided it was time to update my acoustic playlist in my music library.  While doing this I thought through my life and about the certain things I am just a sucker for!

Here is my list of the Top 5 things I am just a sucker for(in no particular order):

1) Cheesecake for breakfast(something about the cold sweet taste of a bad decision)

2) A Late night surrounded with friends by the fire and an irreplaceable cup of coffee(I love the honesty that comes with being drowsy)

3) Poetry in the form of a singer/song writer behind a piano or an acoustic guitar(Especially when its raining or over a candle lit dinner, I know I am hopeless)

4) Sunset on a board in the Pacific(surfing is like camping on the east coast there is just something unimaginable in being surround by God and his glory)

5) Passionate Worship( I have not been able to find a feeling that replaces the warmth of being surrounded with people giving their life to a movement through song. God moves people and so does music and when you put them together you will see abandonment defined.)

This Idea was all started while listening to Jon Foreman’s Ep’s and also Sleeping at Last’s album Storyboards check them out!

And spread the word and share with me what you’re a sucker for! Give me your 5

So many times in the christian world we get caught up or tripped up on being right.  We are a faith of  words such as grace, servant, and love until we come across someone who doesn’t feel exactly like we do.  I know some of you want to check out now because you believe I am wrong and that I shouldn’t talk about these types of topics.  But please stay tuned cause this is actually the thought for you!  I began like many of you on a reading plan this year through You Version, and am very thankful for this program for many reasons, but one because of the accountability it offers online as I progress through scripture.  Well tonight as I shuffled through my Iphone, my daily reading brought me to Romans 14.  This chapter is all about how sometimes we believe we are right and that maybe right isn’t even the point.  What an amazing simple thought.

Verses like

Romans 14:13 Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister.

And Romans 14:15 If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy your brother or sister for whom Christ died.

Verses like these make “right” seem so silly and “light” seem so much bigger.

Now I am not saying that you should run around this world on egg shells because you may offend someone and cause them to stumble.  And on the flip side you shouldn’t toss out every perception that comes your way because you don’t agree with it.  But there is a balance there and I  believe it goes something like this:

If we all live a life that is more concerned with making Jesus famous than being right, then we just might all get along and do what we were created to do in the first place, to GLORIFY GOD.

You will never master the art of getting along with every human being on this earth, but you can accept the fact that Jesus accepted you when you were undeserving and clearly unacceptable and He did so as an example of how we should accept others when they may seem undeserving.

Stop being right and start being a light!

Acts 1:4-5 “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.  For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

As I read this verse in my daily reading I thought for a second about the anticipation the apostles must have had.  It is somewhat overwhelming to think these men(the apostles) had given their lives to a man who claimed to be the Savior of the world.  They walked with Him, they ate with Him, they even wore the dust from his trail because they followed so intently trusting in the adventure that came with another day.  But then they saw him brutally murdered… The man they trusted and followed was taken and crucified for a crime he did not commit.  He always spoke of His life as a life he lived to die, but I believe deep down in the apostles hearts they didn’t want to believe this part of the truth.  No one wants to believe their hope can be taken from them.  So the story goes Jesus died and rose again and was eating with his apostles and he makes this statement,

“Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.  For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

Holy Crap!  Can you feel the tension in this statement…what anticipation they must have felt!  And that is what I feel is something we are missing in our “Christian Faith.”  The “unheard of anticipation” of God’s miraculous work in our lives.  We are somewhere caught between the death and resurrection holding on to hope that behind closed doors, and hush hush, we are really struggling to hold on to.  And Jesus is trying to tell us, wait the story is not over yet!  Look whats to come.  And if you are missing the anticipation of what God has in store for you next then you are missing out on life!  Today I pray and hope that we all at some point fall on our faces and beg God to rock our worlds, and to do something that only he can do through us.  And I pray we reignite the tension in our lives for Jesus Christ…because my friends the story is far from over and God is up to something in this world, and he has chosen you to be apart of it!