Live... Without a Net!!!

It's Coming!

Weekend Impressions

Good AM to you all!!!

Yesterday, I had the privilege of going back to make re-acquaintance with our friends at Maple Springs Baptist Church. It hardly seems like fourteen years ago that we moved into a little gray house on HWY 56 just outside of Louisburg, NC, and we had some wonderful times with Maple Springs' children and students from '97 to early '99. It was good to go back to visit them for homecoming, and I look forward to going back to preach at the revival services through Wednesday night!

But yesterday was a good day for G8way, too! Here's why...

• James Hatfield is a dear friend, a brother in ministry, and I know he brought the word as we closed out our "To Do" series yesterday with Give. Remember that life is about accumulation... accumulation in the right areas!

• Here's a Facebook message I received yesterday, "Thayer, we missed you guys, but we LOVE THE CHAIRS!" After all those years with folding metal, I hope you enjoy the plush padding!

• Really lookin' forward to Tuesday night Connect Group that you heard about yesterday. Our "Connect Group" is all about plugging new people into the life of the church, and, if you're new to G8way, we'd love to see you there! Childcare is provided for those 5th grade and under, but registration is required! Contact us at info@g8way.cc if you'd like to attend!

Next week's gonna be great, too. This coming Sunday, we'll

• begin our new series on the Bible, called "Pages"

• begin the week long fast that many of us do at the beginning of each quarter (click here for more info)

• begin a brand new group for college-aged adults on David Platt's Radical (click here if you're interested or would like to attend)

I have to say that we're pretty excited about what God's got in store for us at G8way! Isn't He amazing?!!

Later ya'll!!

Thayer

Pages

"I perceived how that it was impossible to establish the lay people in any truth except the Scripture were plainly laid before their eyes in the mother tongue." - William Tyndale (1494-1536)

In 2010, we take it for granted that anyone can pick up a Bible, in any of a number of translations, at any bookstore, anywhere in America. But in Tyndale's day, such a notion was radically unfounded. His belief that people should be able to read the Scriptures in their everyday languages was a direct challenge to the over-arching power of the church. And for challenging their power, the church killed Tyndale.

The truth that Tyndale died for is this... that there is no greater treasure in the hand and heart of those who follow Christ than His Word.

That's why this October we will spend five weeks talking about the Bible... the wonder of Divine communication, the purpose of the Scriptures, the central figure of the Bible, how the Bible came to us, and the Bible in our lives today. We're calling the series "Pages," as we celebrate the most wonderful pages ever given to the human race.

See you Sundays in October!

How Bad Do You Want It?

How desperate are you for God's glory? Desperate enough to...

... build a boat in the middle of nowhere like Noah?

... leave all your family behind like Abraham?

... go back to people that hate you on every side like Moses?

... march around a fortified city while waiting on God to break its defenses like Joshua?

... warn of God's impending judgment on your closest friends and family like Samuel?

... take out a fearsome giant like David?

... challenge 450 false prophets to a Battle Royale on Mt Carmel like Elijah?

... weep like Jeremiah?

... get thrown into a furnace like Shadrach, Meschach, and Abednego?

... spend a night with the lions like Daniel?

... lose everything like Job?

... become the latest gossip like Mary?

... marry the latest gossip like Joseph?

... repay (and then some) all those you've wronged like Zacchaeus?

... praise God when you're being abused for the sake of the gospel like Peter?

... consider all of your past achievements the equivalent of 'crap' in comparison to Christ's glory like Paul?

... be exiled on a prison island like John?

HOW BAD DO YOU WANT IT?!

January 1973

We are fearfully and wonderfully made in the eyes of God, but not so much in the law's eyes after...

ENGAGE!!!

A "Radical" Choice

In his recent book, Radical, David Platt writes about the epidemic of comfortable Christianity in America's middle class churches. It's a difficult book to read... not because he's a poor writer or because the subject matter is tough to grasp. It's difficult because the book is so painfully convicting.

What it all comes down to, Platt argues, is that we've allowed the American Dream to hijjack the church's mission. Our churches, by and large, are places where we celebrate our successes and excesses in life and forget that we are called to make disciples among all nations. We love to celebrate the economic and political blessings we've been given, but sadly, we fail to leverage those blessings for the Kingdom. We're much more prone to consume the blessings of God than convey them to others.

I could not help but be moved as Platt wrote about Jamie, a mother in his church, who came to terms with this truth on a trip to Guatemala. Jamie put it this way...

After spending a week around precious children who eat a small cup of porridge a day, the question I have come back to Birmingham asking God is why he has blessed me when others have so little. And this is what God has shown me: "I have blessed you for my glory. Not so you will have a comfortable life with a big house and a nice car. Not so you can spend lots of money on vacations, education, or clothing. Those aren't bad things, but I've blessed you so that the nations will know me and see my glory."

Think about it... "I've blessed you so that the nations will know me and see my glory."

He says to me... "Thayer, I've blessed you so that the nations will know me and see my glory."

He says to my church... "G8way, I've blessed you so that the nations will know me and see my glory."

He says to you... "I'VE BLESSED YOU SO THAT THE NATIONS WILL KNOW ME AND SEE MY GLORY."

Now... if that's what He's saying, how will YOU respond? It's time, according to Platt, to make a "Radical" choice!

Choose wisely!

Use It, or Lose It!

"Use it, or lose it," so they say. Well, whoever "they" are, "they" probably had my blog in mind when they said it. In light of not blogging over the past few months, it's time to "USE IT!"

Let me use it to say this...

• I have an amazing God. He made all that is. He's eternal, all-powerful, all-knowing, and ever-present. He's perfect in every perfection. He made the human race in His image. He still values us even though we live in prideful rebellion against Him. He took the guilt of our rebellion upon Himself when He became a human being and submitted himself to execution on a Roman cross 2,000 years ago. He came back to life, and ascended into Heaven. He offers real freedom from real guilt, real meaning, and real value to those who surrender their lives to Him. He empowers those surrendered to Him to carry real hope to the rest of the world. He will return. He is Savior. He is King. He is Lord. He is Jesus. I am His!
• I have an amazing family. Amy, everyday I'm thankful to be your husband. Ju, Bai, Mad, and Aves, everyday I'm thankful to be your dad. I love you all much more than you know!
• I have an amazing church family. I can't say that Gateway is "my church." She belongs to Christ, and I've just been given responsibility for her for a little while. It's quite humbling, actually, to think about being a pastor (or at least it should be). But what an awesome calling!

We have a lot to catch up on, everybody! I'll be back tomorrow, and we'll jump right in!

Be good!

Thayer

Fasting Revisited

Hello everyone!

This past spring, many in our church went through a season of fasting, a powerful season that changed some lives, including mine, forever. As we look forward to a new time of fasting in October and January, here's a post I composed in April that offers my humble take on this powerful discipline.

And... if you're interested in or serious about fasting, I encourage you to check out this Campus Crusade article, written by Dr. Bill Bright, himself. In addition to the spiritual benefits of fasting, Dr. Bright gives a lot of useful and important "nuts and bolts" information of fasting... types of fasts, preparing for a fast, the fast itself, and breaking the fast. Check it out!

God Bless!!!

Thayer