Today has been insane! I woke up and turned in all my notes back at West Ridge because I teach this Sunday for the last time. I am done at the end of this month, after being on staff for over 8 years. We will spend the month of May packing and traveling to finish some things before we move to Orlando in June. I am very excited to teach this week and got a topic I am highly passionate about. Last time to open my heart up to my West Ridge family. 

The rest of the day has just been crazy. I actually never made it into one session at the conference. I have been in meetings and conversations all day about church planting. Need to get the sessions on CD. God is doing some amazing things and truly stretching my thinking on what He wants to do with His church in this city. Need the prayers during all of this. God is continuing to refine what is happening and I am enjoying every moment of it. I can’t wait to see what happens over the next few months. 

Tonight I got to spend a few hours at a Leadership Network cookout right in the backyard of where we want to plant. Made some fantastic contacts and found out something that has me just amazed… the zip code on the east side of Orlando where we want to plant has more children in it, than any other zip code in the state of Florida!!!

Heck Yes! That’s lots of families and children that we get to be a part of reaching. The area has so many people, it is overwhelming. I can’t wait to start loving and serving them.  I am getting more and more excited for this area of Orlando: 

- 80,000 + people

- 50, ooo college students at Central Florida

- most children in the state of Florida

- 87% of them do NOT attend church

The opportunities are endless to share Jesus and we get to play a part! Love it and the vision God is giving us. If you would like to play a part or help support our efforts you can always check us out HERE.

Here is small video from today, but not as much since I was trapped in great meetings all day…

Today I became official, there is no turning back! Orlando has no clue what is about to happen to them… or maybe I should say that I have no clue what I am doing

Today was Exponential 09 – National Church Planters Conference. Tons of church planters and a lot of people. I have lots of thoughts about all that goes on there, some I will share in a later post after this week. I attended this conference two years ago with my brother Tadd as he was about to start his church. I knew while I was at it, that God was still working some things out in my own life and that at the time it wasn’t what he wanted me to do. Ironic now that I am back and planting a church in the same city!

Erwin McManus kicked it off and did an amazing job! He is the Pastor of Mosaic church and one of my favorite communicators. I have learned a ton from listening to him in the past. I took some notes during the conference and you can get them — HERE

After the conference I had the opportunity to take Brian Bloye (Lead Pastor of West Ridge Church), Jim Akins (Director of Church Planting at West Ridge), Kevin Dunlap (Pastor of Administration), and Mike Lukaszewski (Lead Pastor of Oak Leaf Church) out to the east side of Orlando to show them our vision and passion for what God is calling us to do. It was awesome to have them pray over the area and for God to begin to open doors to reach people through Genesis Church. Love these guys! I have had the chance to work with them for over the past 8 years and it is very bitter/sweat to be leaving for myself and my family because of how close we are with these guys. West Ridge is our “sending church” and get most of the credit for who I am to this point. 

I am tired today, but loving what God is doing this week and the conversations that have happened with people for the progression of Genesis Church. I so thankful for my wife. She is amazing and holding things down so that I have the opportunity to be down here getting things prepared for us. Love her with everything I have. 

Here is a short video from today…

*Tomorrow I have breakfast with an area pastor, conference and a gathering with some other church planters. Going to be great!

I awoke this morning and had breakfast with Barry Rice the Lead Pastor of GO Church. Barry has a tremendous passion for reaching people. I worked with Barry in student ministries at Thomas Road Baptist Church while in college. Barry shared with me wisdom and insight about the city, the culture, discipleship and how to let God write our story. He reminded me of our dinner the night before where Ed Stetzer said “be careful of expectations”. Meaning the weight and pressure of comparing yourself to all the “successful” churches we always hear and read about can kill you if you play the competitive game. Loved the time and what God is doing in Barry’s life.

I then moved to lunch with Brad Crawford who is the Director of Campus Ministries for the University of Central Florida. There are 50,000 students at Central Florida and one of my passions is to reach these college students in our area. After spending the last two years doing college and young adult ministries at West Ridge, I know what they bring and how most of them are crazy enough to try and change the world. Brad shared with me many opportunities that might be possible in our future to reach, partner, and help with him and others on campus. Brad has a great heart and love for these students with a vision to see them connected into the local church. Loved out time together and have a new favorite place to eat… 5 Guys Burgers! Awesome.

Dinner was with the Walker family. Their story is insane! When we announced that we would be moving to Orlando, without ever meeting us – God told them to move to Orlando to be a part of Genesis Church. This family has a great heart and passion to obey God. They moved ahead of us on Easter weekend right in the heart of one of the biggest communities we want to reach… Avalon Park.  Their heart to just serve and do whatever is needed to help us reach people is beyond words. Can’t wait to see and hear of the families they already start reaching. I am very excited for them and very very jealous! 

Here is a video of some of the things that happened today, a glimpse of our area, etc…

Tomorrow I am at Exponential ‘09 Conference. Won’t be able to update till late at night, but you can follow me through twitter. I will be twittering all day as the speakers are teaching. Follow me to the right of this blog or HERE on my twitter account.

Tonight was about fun and connecting. As I came into Orlando I was invited to a dinner at the #1 steak house in America (that’s what the place claims) – Charlies Steakhouse. After eating there… I agree.

The dinner was somewhat a gathering of all the pastors / church planters in Orlando who have come from Liberty University or from Thomas Road. Lead Pastor of Thomas Road Jonathan Falwell was there with his staff, my life mentor Matt Willmington, Rod Dempsey and Doug Randlett. From Orlando there was Andrew Oates (The Ascent), Barry Rice (GO Church), and my best friend Chad Harper w/ his Lead Pastor Rodney Hunt (Fellowship Orlando).

Also at the dinner was Ed Stetzer, who works for LifeWay Research and is like the wikipedi/google guru of Church and Church Planting. Enjoyed getting to know him.

Tomorrow I have a breakfast meeting with a local Pastor and Lunch with the Director of Campus Ministries for the University of Central Florida. All in all tonight was a great night of connecting! Here is a fun little shot of Matt Willmington for all those back home at our dinner… (Matt used to be on staff with me at West Ridge Church)

P.S. We are NOT Genesis Baptist Church!

All this week I will be in Orlando laying the ground work for Genesis Church. Check back each night to see video (as long as I have WiFi) of what we are doing, who we are meeting with and how God is beginning to work through us as we start to play our part in the city of Orlando. You can also follow me on twitter (see blue box to right) through out our meetings and conversations. For more about Genesis Church go to genesischurchorlando.com

This is your chance to help us start a movement and see people transformed by the renewing of their minds.

CLICK HERE