Called Out

Against insurmountable obstacles and without a clue as to the outcome, the trusting heart says, 'Abba, I surrender my will and my life to you without reservation and with boundless confidence, for you are my loving father.'
-- Brennen Manning --

Where are you at in trusting God these days?

This has been a huge area of growth for me over the past few months and weeks. I am at a place in my life where I long to put my full trust in the Creator of the Universe. I believe that in His hands is the best place for my life to be. I want to hold nothing back, keep nothing in reserve.

God has given me a dream and a passion to help people find their way back to Him. Honestly, the dream is much too big for me to be able to accomplish or attain on my own. After all, only God can redeem and restore that which is broken. That being said, I believe He wants to use people like you and I in the process. If . . . we are willing to surrender our lives, place them in His loving hands, and trust Him.

As I pray about what God is doing at Indian Creek Community Church as we become one church that meets in multiple locations, I believe that God is calling each of us into this type of trust and surrender in Him. Gary wrote a bit about this on his blog while in China a few days back.

At Indian Creek, we are firmly in the Cycle of Faith. Where are you in the process? Have you caught a fresh vision? Have you bumped up against reality? Have you consecrated yourself? Are you living in provision?

Where are you?

So, last Sunday night we had our first Preview Service for the Gardner Campus of Indian Creek Community Church. By all accounts, it was a great night! Lindsey Phillips, our Worship Arts Pastor, did an amazing job of leading us in a time of worship, I shared a few words that God put on my heart to share, and an AMAZING team of people were there early and stayed late to make it all happen.

This week, I've received two emails that I want to anonymously share.

From one of the Gardner team members:

Ben,

Last night was perfect!! Great music, great message and great
people!! I know I’m right where I should be and so excited for it!! Looking
forward to great things!!

From one of our partners at Wheatridge Middle School:

....glad to be able to work with you all...your group is great for
Gardner....I should know I was born here.....have a great day....

I know I've said it before, but I'll say it again. God is up to something B-I-G in Gardner. I'm not sure what it's all going to look like, but I am as convinced of that today as I have been at any point in this journey. I know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that this is what God wants me to pour my life into: to help people in Gardner find their way back to God. To me, that's a vision worth giving it all for.

How about you? What does God want you to pour your life into?

I don't want to get in the habit of simply re-posting what Gary Kendall posts on his blog, but our good friend Tim Stout sent us a link to a great video this week. I wanted to share it with all of you.



Besides the fact that the creators executed a sweet video, I am inspired by the message.

There is hope.

I believe that with all of my being.

There is hope.

As this week as clicked along, I have gotten more and more excited for what is coming Sunday night.

This Sunday night at Wheatridge Middle School at 6:30pm, the Gardner Campus of Indian Creek Community Church will be hosting it's first Preview Service. Need directions? Click here.

Basically, this will be our first chance to gather together as a congregation for a time of worship, prayer, community, and vision. I think it's going to be an AMAZING night. I can hardly wait. God has definitely put some things on my heart to share. But, more than that, I'm looking forward to simply being with the people that ARE the Gardner Campus.

Seriously, these are amazing people. If you don't know them, you should definitely come to the Preview Service this weekend and begin to meet them. Their stories of faith inspire me.

With every day I become more and more convinced that God is up to something B-I-G in Gardner. And I don't think that's limited to what is happening in Indian Creek Community Church. We are just a part of the team.

I can't wait to move there!

I am convinced that love wins. It is never wasted.

When hate and love meet . . . love wins.

When apathy and love meet . . . love wins.

When anger and love meet . . . love wins.

When prejudice and love meet . . . love wins.

When pride and love meet . . . love wins.

When despair and love meet . . . love wins.

When fear and love meet . . . love wins.

After all, love comes from God for God IS Love.

What do you think? Is there any scenario where love doesn't win?