Saturday Spirit

Hey bloggers,

Thanks for all the good words and prayers for the Uganda trip that you’ve already posted here. Your faith is much appreciated!

Yesterday I was given a gift of Lasik surgery on both my eyes, and this is the first time I’ve ever written for the blog without my glasses. I’m still adjusting…the letters in front of me are dancing around a little, and everything in the world still looks kind of like pictures shot with overdone soft-lens photography. But I’m grateful for the opportunity to get it done, and believe that everything in my vision will become clear in the next few days.

I have so much to tell you tomorrow, particularly about the events of this past Thursday. Plus I’ve got a good word for you…so B ITB!!! Come expecting to hear from the Holy Spirit…and bring a gift or your holy tithe. With all that is going on in the financial world right now, the only sure thing is to lay up treasure in heaven where moth and rust do not corrupt!

We’ll be leaving for Africa after the service, so I hope that you’ll all be there to pray for the team that is going with me. This is the last post that will be up until we return, so here are the names of everyone who is going. Please keep each one in your prayers….

Pastor Henry Baker
John Conyers
Phil Howard
Karen Long
Joel Nunn
Pastors Ernie and Avery Rogers
Chad Smith
Erik Stremke
Larry Usher

I’m going to officially put the blog on hold around midnight tonight, so if you want to post something, go ahead and do it now. Everything will be up and running again on or around the 29th or 30th.

I love you all very much.

"Great minds discuss ideas; Average minds discuss events; Small minds discuss people."

- Eleanor Roosevelt

Remember Who You Are!

"Let me tell you why you are here. You're here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You've lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage.

"Here's another way to put it: You're here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We're going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don't think I'm going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I'm putting you on a light stand. Now that I've put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.

(Matthew 5:13-16, The Message)

Dream In Living Color!

Hey bloggers...I don't know if it was my imagination or not, but I thought I smelled a little fall in the air this morning when I walked outside. Maybe I was just wanting to smell it, but whatever the case, I'm ready for it when it gets here! This is the poem I wrote for October in AYITN - A Month to Dream Different Dreams - and since I'll be somewhere on the equator next week on the first day of autumn, I thought I'd go ahead and use it today to welcome the new season...




Autumn...a time to dream different dreams . . .

As creation makes its demand for diversity,

the hills and mountains abandon their usually unvaried uniformity,

and come alive with ornate originality . . .

The plummeting temperatures conduct a symphony of color . . .

Falling, flaming foliage makes the landscape resonate with rust-toned rainbows of

glorious golds . . .

radiant reds . . .

brilliant browns,

accented by occasional ostentatious oranges . . .

Sleep deeply in the clean crispness of the cool and chilly nights,

and dream your dreams in living color!


. . . behold, I will set your stones in fair colors . . .
(Isaiah 54:11 AMP)

See you tonight...

Mark Your Calendar!

Hey bloggers,
Debye and I just got back from the planning meeting for the GPF Interfaith Service that is going to be held at CITN on Tuesday, October 7th, and I wanted you to know that it's confirmed that David Phelps is going to be participating! We're very excited about having him, and he's excited about being a part of it...he even postponed his Australian tour to be here.

Most of you probably know him from his days with the Gaither Vocal Band, or from the Bill Gaither Homecoming series that plays constantly on TV. He's also the voice (that so many of you commented about) singing the patriotic songs on the GPF Washington D.C. video clip.

Also, the two young men that I told you about - one Israeli, one Palestinian - who both lost loved ones in terrorist attacks are going to be here that night. They have a very powerful testimony, and will really touch your heart.

I'll be telling you more about it (there will be Rabbis, Imams, and other religious leaders participating, along with African dancers, a step team, etc.) in the days ahead, but I just wanted to make sure you put it on your calendar. I will probably even put some clips of David Phelps singing on the blog. He's really awesome.

And, speaking of awesome, our Nation of Worship choir will be singing He Lives In You from the Lion King, along with Chandra Currelley! It's going to be great night, and I'll be looking forward to a strong representation from CITN for it.

I'll post something later for tomorrow. I just wanted you to know about this important event, and to thank you in advance for your support!

Hey bloggers...thanks for the good comments about yesterday’s service…I’m sure you enjoyed Adelin Cruz (the pianist)…he was amazing! And I loved Pastor Enrique’s word about giving…he’s such a great communicator!

I’m glad that you got to see some of what Pastor Scott and his staff are doing with the life-skills mentoring program in Street Jam. Not all of his graduates were able to be ITB, but I think everyone got the point. We’re very excited about the possibilities of that ministry…

Several of you have already mentioned the new layout for the CITN site…I think it’s pretty cool…they’re still working on some of the links, and I haven’t finished editing the “We Believe” page (don’t really know how much I want to say or not say on some of the subjects…)

The E.A.C.H. Blast is coming on October 5, which is why we have the newly designed logos. Also, we’ve changed it from...


Everyone Actively Contributing and Helping

...to...

Everyone Attending, Contributing and Helping.

Debye has a good teaching (which may have been built on a teaching that Robyn Darby did a while back about a threefold cord of attendance, giving, and participation), which she’ll be explaining in the days ahead…

We’re leaving for Uganda after church next Sunday (I’ll post all the names of those who are going on the trip so that you can pray for each of us while we’re gone)…

Pastor Henry Baker is actually leaving today because he is on a different flight from the group, so he will be there a few days before the rest of us get there. Keep him in your prayers.

It’s going to be quite a trip…besides ministering to the local people in churches in three cities, doing a Pastor’s conference, and ordaining some local Pastors there, we’ll also be visiting the children’s home, the hospital, a prison and an AIDS clinic...and wherever else the Spirit of God leads us. This blog will be down for the days that we’re gone, but the CITN blog will be operative.

If you haven't read today's AYITN (Strong Spirit!), click on the CITN site and check it out. It's a good addition to yesterday's teaching.

Have a magnificant Monday!

Sunday Strength

With your well-muscled arm and your grip of steel — nobody trifles with you! The Right and Justice are the roots of your rule; Love and Truth are its fruits.

Blessed are the people who know the passwords of praise, who shout on parade in the bright presence of God. Delighted, they dance all day long; they know who you are, what you do - they can't keep it quiet!





















Your vibrant beauty has gotten inside us — you've been so good to us! We're walking on air! All we are and have we owe to God, Holy God of Israel, our King!

(Psalms 89:13-18, The Message)