SO WHAT HAPPENS NOW?

[Urged on] by faith Abraham, when he was called,

obeyed and went forth to a place which he was destined to receive as an inheritance;

and he went, although he did not know or trouble his mind about where he was to go.

 (Hebrews 11:8 - AMP)

　

Easter Sunday, April 8, 2012, will be the final service of Church In The Now East at 1873 Iris Drive in Conyers, our address for the last 15 years or more. This Resurrection Sunday falls nearly exactly a year to the day (4/5/11) of the foreclosure of the property, which was appraised at $25,000,000 a few years ago, and consists of three buildings on 43 acres facing I-20. Last year it was put up for public auction on the Rockdale County courthouse steps for 18.5 million, and was recently acquired by another local church for a lease purchase price of 13.9 million. To say that I am experiencing a flood of mixed emotions, even as I write this, about having to leave the place that has represented my life's work, and was the manifestation of all that I have dreamed for as long as I can remember would be an understatement, to say the least. Just pick any emotion or feeling, and I've probably had it some time today.

A BRIEF SYNOPSIS

I came to Conyers at the age of 26, in the spring of 1985, to found a church that would hopefully do what hadn't been done in church that much (if ever) before. I walked the neighborhoods of Conyers, knocking on doors and inviting people to come visit the little storefront that I had rented, not far from where we ultimately ended up building. Our first sound system consisted partly of the receiver off of my stereo (remember, this was the mid 80's). In a word, we didn't "despise the day of small things."

Our first service was on Pentecost Sunday of that year, with 54 in attendance.

The church was multicultural from its inception, at a time when the population demographic of Rockdale County was nearly 95% white.

Initially, it was called 'Word of Faith Assembly of God'. After some years in that first location, we moved to an abandoned grocery store, which we totally renovated, and the church became 'Word of Faith Christian Center'. After seven years in the grocery store, we moved to the location on Iris Drive, where we had purchased 15 acres on which to build a 30,000 square foot edifice. At that time, the church became 'Church In The Now'.

In that first year on Iris Drive, the church experienced unprecedented growth, and completely doubled in size in just a few months. During that time we built a second building, a 15.,000 sq. ft., state-of-the-art youth facility which doubled as a church fellowship hall, that at the time was called 'Teen Planet'.

We soon purchased the adjacent 28 acres, and began to plan building a main facility, a 103,000 sq. ft. building which we completed in 2005, with a sanctuary that could seat 3,000. In these years, we became a megachurch, gaining both national attention and a global pulpit. We developed a strong presence on national TV, developed a network of ministries and churches that connected people from all over the world, became a strong philanthropic force in the community and a major contributor to world missions, and evolved into Rockdale County's largest church, one of the largest, in fact, in the Metropolitan Atlanta area.

I could relate story after story of miracle upon miracle that has occurred as the CITN story was being written...amazing things that happened over the years as we built (Church In The Now has basically been in a building program from day one)...things that literally boggled the mind, and demonstrated the power of the strong arm of the Lord before our eyes again and again.

A VISION MANIFESTED

When I sat down with the architect of the main building to explain to him what I visualized, I asked for a design that would be timeless...a building that looked like the way people in the past pictured the future...and from that description he came up with a modernized version of the art deco style that I love so much. He captured in brick and mortar the vision of the church that emphasized living in the now. The opening service (which was our 20th anniversary) was one of the happiest and most exciting days of my life. I could insert here many of the reasons that we experienced certain challenges, beginning that very first Sunday in the new building, which ultimately lead to its foreclosure, but at this time the point is moot. I suppose it should also be noted that in all the years since we began, we never experienced any kind of real financial problems to speak of until we built the main structure. I will say, however, that what we built, even with its many imperfections, was and is a thing of beauty, and something that has been a source of pride and joy for me. Not only have we experienced the powerful presence of God and amazing manifestations of the supernatural in that building, it is also the place where my daughter Christina was married, where my sons Judah and Jonah both had their high school graduation ceremonies, and where I dedicated my granddaughters, Sofia and Olivia. It's where I assumed I would host the memorial services of both of my parents when they go to be with the Lord. In a word, I'm not only spiritually connected to it, I'm also very emotionally connected.

Let me say here that the foreclosure had little, if anything, to do with events in my personal life, or with self-disclosed revelations since October of 2010. About a year ago the Atlanta Journal did an interview with me for an article about church foreclosures, and at the time they told me that there were 40 other churches in the metro area that were in the same situation. Since then, I've heard that there are as many as 90. All things considered, we've actually done pretty well, and I give God the praise for that. His hand of favor has never left us.

Jonah Swilley graduating from Eastside High School at CITN

"FOR UNTO US..."

Let me also say here that I could easily replace the pronouns "I", "my" and "me" in telling this story with "we", "our" and "us", because it wasn't just my vision, it was our vision, and I'm well aware that many people are equally invested in it, not just financially, but spiritually and emotionally, as well. I know I didn't build it by myself, and those of you who have stood by me and with me through it all know who you are.

So here's where we find ourselves in the spring of 2012. Since the foreclosure, we have been aware of several churches and megachurches which have expressed interest in purchasing the property. Rockdale County even approached me at one point about trying to buy it for the county to turn it into a performing arts center, with us remaining on the property in our original building, leasing the space from them. That scenario would certainly the best case for me, but, alas, it did not materialize.

For many months during the last year we very aggressively searched for a facility in either Rockdale or Newton county...a place to move our now smaller, but still very vibrant and amazingly resilient congregation. We have been aware from the beginning that once the property sold, we would have 60 days to vacate. So some months ago, because nothing was really happening, to our knowledge, that indicated it was about to sell, we just stopped looking. We decided to wait to see if and when it sold, and once it did, at that point we could realistically search for another place.

It never occurred to me that we would remain there on Iris Drive a full year after the foreclosure, and at a certain point, I actually wondered if we were indeed ever going to leave at all. I didn't know how it could possibly happen, but I began to entertain the idea that perhaps we wouldn't or couldn't leave until all the many prophecies spoken over CITN and its presence there on Iris Drive, by a host of credible prophets over the years, were completely fulfilled.

I still don't know what to think about all of that. I am having to process a lot right now.

I do know, however, that when Joseph spoke out his dreams, the exact opposite reality occurred in his life, and that downward trend in his circumstances went on for many years until the time of his fulfillment. In the meantime, the Scriptures tell us that he was literally tormented by the Word of Lord, because his "reality" was so diametrically opposed to what had been prophesied. It says that when he was in prison, not only were his feet in fetters of iron, so was his very soul.

It's not my intention here to equate myself with Joseph of the Bible, but I can tell you that I completely understand that kind of torment.

A MATTER OF PERCEPTION

On the other hand, even though we lost it, at least we built it. For years I've said that I'd rather be a "wet water-walker" than a "dry boat-dweller". Peter may be known for being the one who sank beneath the waves, but he is also known for being the only man besides Jesus who ever walked on the water. The other disciples couldn't bring an accusation against him because of his lack of faith, because he had at least done something that none of them had even imagined.

Anyway, when we heard last week that the property had been acquired for lease purchase by a church which has been trying to obtain it for over a year, we weren't really surprised. We've known for some time that that was certainly a possibility. What we didn't know...what came as a total and complete shock to us...was that they were occupying the property immediately. In all of our many conversations with the bank over the last year or so, both before and after the foreclosure, they never once told us that that was even a possibility. So we just assumed that once it sold, we would then have 60 days to locate a new place, so that the new tenants could move in at the end of that period.

That's why we had stopped actively looking for a new location, because in our minds, until the Iris Drive property sold, there just wasn't any point in really pursuing another place. And I should probably add that we have looked at nearly everything available for rent, and there just has not been anything that we have seen that could realistically meet our needs, even with a smaller congregation.

So when we heard that they were going to be here next week...well, let's just say we didn't see that coming at all, and were completely unprepared for it.

So what happens now? Well, we'll have church this coming Sunday (Palm Sunday), and we'll have church on Easter Sunday (also the new tenants first Sunday in the main building), and then we have no idea where we will go.

We're looking at and calling places non-stop, but at this point, we are just having to stand on the Scripture that I posted at the top. In the Amplified Bible it says that not only did Abraham not know where he was going when he left Ur (Hebrews 11:8), it also says he did not "trouble his mind" about it. I guess you could say that we're trying to walk in the faith of Abraham..."the just shall live by faith"...

God has always provided for us, and He always will. This year on the property post-foreclosure has been hard, but it has also provided some healing time for the congregation, and has been a season of stabilization for us. Our steps are ordered.

So there it is.

I wish I could tell you more, but that's all I have right now.

Abram was called "Abraham" for about 27 years until he actually became "Abraham, the Father of Many Nations"...we've been called "Church In The Now" for a long time, and as we approach our 27th anniversary in a few weeks, we have no choice but to actually become the church that lives in the now.

One day at a time.

As soon as I know something about where we're going, I'll let you know.

In the meantime, stay tuned.

All of you who have stayed with me, many from the very beginning, you can't imagine how much I love you.

So we're not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There's far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can't see now will last forever.

(2 Corinthians 4:16 -18 - The Message)

Now Hear This

Couple of things...the book ('First, The Good News') is coming along quite nicely...I've taken a few weeks off from looking at it so that I can keep some perspective on the material...when you are immersed in it every day it's easy to get lost in the enormity of all you want and need to say, at least it is for me, anyway...but as of yesterday I've been able to proof it again with some objective eyes, and I must say that I'm really very proud of it so far...I mean, on one level I know I'm kind of asking for trouble in addressing some of the subject matter, but there's really not much of anything left to be said by the religious community that hasn't already been said about me, so it is what it is...the fundamentalists you have with you always...but I know that a lot of people are going to be set free by it, and not just people with same-sex attraction...freedom and authenticity and 'Real People Experiencing the Real God in the Real World' are blessings that everyone should be able to enjoy...I don't think that 2012 will be the end of the world, but I do believe that it will usher in the end of an age, or of an era...everything that can be shaken will be shaken, including the lies and pretensions that much of the modern church is built upon, and this book is some of the fruit of that shaking...I probably have two, maybe three more chapters to write, and when I do I'll post them here...might even finish the next one today...

Things are going well at both CITN locations...surprisingly well, in fact, and I'm not just making a statement of faith in saying that...we really are doing something that hasn't been done before, and even the things that appear to be setbacks (like foreclosures and financial challenges) are in reality all working together for our good...there are still just too many unfulfilled prophecies over the Conyers property, and it's quite possible we may not be able to leave there until they are manifested (yes, CITN EAST is still meeting at 1873 Iris Drive in Conyers, nearly a year after the foreclosure)...

Debye has done a great job ministering on Wednesday nights in January at CITNE, but now that she has finished her series on 'The Power of Agreement', I'll be back on Wednesdays, starting next week...not sure what series I'll be doing yet...may even do something in connection with Black History Month...

Look, I don't don't understand all that's going on with CITNE...God knows I've put those 43 acres on the altar a thousand times and have said goodbye in my heart to all of it, and yet we can't seem to be able to leave it...I mean, if it sells tomorrow I still believe that our steps are ordered, and that God will have something even better for us, but as of right now there are no deals of that nature on the table...

CITN MIDTOWN is doing well, and I really love it...I do, however, need to make some decisions about a permanent meeting place for us...in fact, tonight will be an important service there at The Biltmore House concerning that very issue, and I'm hoping to see many of you there...


Anyway, I'm going to try to get some writing done now...oh, by the way, today's 'A Year In The Now' is a really good one...check it out...if you don't have the book, it's posted on the CITN website (www.churchinthenow.org)...

Peace to you...

One Year Later (Part II)

Q. How is CHURCH IN THE NOW doing?

A. CHURCH IN THE NOW is alive and well, but it has definitely gone through some transition. As has been widely reported, the property on Iris Drive went through a foreclosure back in April of this year and was put up for sale, at which time we moved back into our original building on the property. We've been meeting there for the last six months and leasing the building from the bank. There have been a few offers made on the property during that time, but, as of yet there is nothing definite. The word on the street is that the property has already been purchased by another Conyers church, but that is not the case at the time of this writing.

The ministry in Conyers is now called CHURCH IN THE NOW EAST, and most Sundays there are several hundred people who attend the 10 AM service there, and hundreds (perhaps thousands) more attending CHURCH IN THE NOW ONLINE. On Easter we had approximately 1,000 in attendance, but most Sundays the attendance is in the hundreds. Apparently, a lot of people think that the church was disbanded when I came out, but that's certainly not true. We're not as big in numbers as we were before, but we're definitely as strong, if not stronger. The presence of the Holy Spirit is very evident in all of our services, and miracles continue to happen there on a regular basis as God is exalted.

Many of the hateful "Christian" blogs (more about them later) have celebrated what they believe was our demise, but, as Mark Twain said, "The rumors of my (our) death have been greatly exaggerated". The bottom line is that the property was not foreclosed on as a result of my telling the truth about myself. Of course that was a factor, in that many of our financial supporters left the church because of it...but anyone who knows our history knows that we have been in a financial struggle since we built the main building. We were headed toward foreclosure long before 10/13/10.

Some other of the mean-spirited "Christian" bloggers have speculated that I came out because I knew we were headed toward financial ruin, and I wanted to re-invent myself so as to attract and fill up the church with gay people who could support the church. Well, let me tell you that that idea is, as they say, a hoot and a half! Be assured that telling people in the Bible-belted South that you're a gay minister is NOT, I repeat NOT the way to fill up a church! These people...these anonymous bloggers with their crazy suspicions...continue to amaze and amuse me. Believe me, if I was wanting to save the church building at any cost I would have NEVER told the truth about my sexual orientation!

Considering everything that has happened at and to CITNE, the fact that we still have what we have...a church that is still considerably larger than the average American church, and still meets the definition of a Megachurch...is really quite remarkable. If and when the property sells we will simply move to a more manageable location (one with less than 43 acres and three large buildings to maintain!) and will continue to meet somewhere on the East side of Metropolitan Atlanta, preferably in Conyers or Covington.

We are not worried about the future of CITNE for two reasons. The first is that God has always taken care of us and we know He always will...and the second is that the church is more than bricks and mortar and acreage. The "CHURCH" in CHURCH IN THE NOW is what really matters, and it's not going anywhere.

In the meantime, we have added a second congregation in Atlanta called CHURCH IN THE NOW MIDTOWN, currently meeting in the Imperial Ballroon of the iconic Biltmore House. That church is doing very well, and I am blessed to be able to minister weekly in both locations. I've already said a lot about CITNM, so I won't repeat myself...but I do want to make it clear that CITNM is NOT a gay church...nor is it a black church, or a white church...it is a melting pot of all kinds of people, gay, straight, black, white, young, old, married, single, liberal, conservative, democrat, republican, believer and non-believer...in a word it is simply REAL PEOPLE EXPERIENCING THE REAL GOD IN THE REAL WORLD.

I have never had a ministry demographic, and I never will. I only want to pastor a New Testament Church where we recognize that "Christ is all and is in all", and that's what we have in Midtown. CITNM is certainly gay-affirming and has a considerable gay population, but everyone is welcome there, and everyone comes. The gay people I have spoken to there have no desire to attend a "gay" church...they just want a church where they can hear the Word and be themselves without fearing the wrath of religious bigots and pharisees...a place where they are not forced to live a lie, but can worship God in Spirit AND IN TRUTH. We provide that place weekly at CITNM.

The vision...the Big Picture, if you will...is that there will eventually be a CHURCH IN THE NOW NORTH and a CHURCH IN THE NOW SOUTH in addition to the two current locations...maybe a CHURCH IN THE NOW in every city in America. Who knows?

In the meantime, it's all good. Many people who left CITNE because of my telling the whole truth are now returning. They have realized that absolutely nothing about my ministry has changed, and they still hear my voice as being the voice of their shepherd, so they want to come back and find the green pastures of revelation that have sustained many of them for the last 26 years. We gladly receive every one of them back, no questions asked.

This past year has no doubt been an adventure and a walk of faith, but we believe that our latter will be greater than our former!

Heart to Heart Concerning the Future of CITN

First of all...before I address a few things, let me say that it's all good, Jesus is still Lord, the Kingdom of God is still advancing, Church In The Now is alive and well, I'm fine (and at peace), Debye's fine, my kids are good, my parents are good, and the world is still a wonderful place in which to live.

Many of you, of course, have read in the papers about the current situation with the property at 1877 Iris Drive in Conyers. Those of you who are a part of CITN know that this is no new development...that we have been discussing the possibility of this for about five years now. You may also know that this situation is not unique to CITN. Currently, there are in excess of 40 churches in the metropolitan Atlanta area that are in foreclosure (and some sources say it may be as high as 80 or 90). And if you follow the trends of other megachurches in recent years, such as Rick Warren's Saddleback Church and Robert Schuller's Crystal Cathedral, you already know that this is happening everywhere, and to some of the most successful congregations in the USA.

Before I go on, let me share an excellent letter that Debye sent out for me this week which will explain the whole scenario:

Dear CITN Board and Care Pastors,

As always, thank you so much for your continued support, faith and belief in Bishop and CITN. I am sure you are already aware of the transition and impending foreclosure that will take place on April 5. What we are believing for is that the lender (ECCU) will be the owner after the April 5 date; of course, we will have no way of knowing for sure until that day comes. We do have in writing from ECCU (assuming they will be the owners on April 5) that we may remain on the campus through May 31 (allowing us to host the graduations), with the potential to continue to lease the campus afterwards for an indefinite period of time.

In an effort to better serve the congregation, restore and repair relationships, and use every opportunity to reduce costs, we have decided to move services into the KITN building effective Wednesday, March 30, so…this Sunday will be our last Sunday in the current sanctuary, for now.

Beginning April 3, we will be combining the 9 and 11 AM services into one 10 AM service. On Sunday, April 3, we will have our first service in the new location and will celebrate Bishop’s birthday and our future. We are looking forward to a great service and everyone seeing that there is still a strong, cohesive family that believes in the message of CITN.

Once April 5 comes and goes, we will have direction to plan for the near future. Pastor Avery will be contacting you immediately regarding communion which will be served on April 3.

Regardless of what anything appears to be in the natural, we believe that we are in the center of God’s will and that the best days for CITN, and each of us individually, are ahead.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. Please spread the word to others with whom you are connected.

Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for your love and faithfulness.

Pastor Debye

Well, that's the deal...it is what it is, and we are prepared for whatever is to take place in the near future. You may have also heard rumors of a possible reality show coming up about our ministry and its transition, and that is, in fact, true. We just signed a contract with FreemantleMedia (the company responsible for such programs as American Idol, America's Got Talent, The Price is Right, Family Feud and Let's Make a Deal). They are now in the process of pitching the show to the networks, so there's nothing definite to report at this time...but as you can see from their track record of successful programming, there shouldn't be a problem in getting it on the air. I only bring this up to say that they are aware of our situation, and are planning on being here on April 5 to film whatever happens. We have given them the green light to document everything concerning the ministry, and even our personal lives, because we have nothing to hide and nothing to fear at this point.

Is it going to be hard to lose the building? Well, what do you think? Church In The Now has been my life's work for the last 26 years...my heart and soul (and blood, sweat and tears) are in those 43 acres. But Church In The Now will continue, regardless of its physical location, and I've already done all my crying...now I'm just ready for the future....ready to get on with it...

People write me fairly regularly and say that I should step down from the pulpit because of what I told the church about myself six months ago, and let me just say to that that no one can make that call except God Himself. No one else is qualified. He alone gave me my call and anointing, and He alone can remove it. My life is in His hands...no one else's. And when you consider that we are a multicultural church in Conyers, GA that has survived what some people consider to be major shifts in theology in recent years (inclusion/reconciliation), highly publicized scandals of high-profile family members of mine, and personal revelations about myself that could potentially destroy the average church, it's amazing that we're doing as well as we are. When you take all that into consideration (and I'm not even factoring in the economy), the fact that Church In The Now is still a church of around 1,000 people with a very solid and cohesive staff is quite impressive in my opinion. We may be in transition, but we certainly haven't failed. We are blessed.

So all I can say is, stay tuned. I'm posting this on Saturday night, so tomorrow could possibly be our last Sunday in the main building. I hope many of you will come out for this important service.

God is good.

I love you all.