BRIGHT FUTURE!

Last night at CHURCH IN THE NOW MIDTOWN was awesome...pics of it are posted on the CITNM Facebook page...thanks to everyone who came out for the service (and thanks, especially, to all of you who brought all the delicious food!). Also, for those of you in the Houston TX area, I'll be ministering tonight at CORNERSTONE FELLOWSHIP (currently meeting at Grace Lutheran Church 2515 Waugh Drive 77006). Here's today's affirmation from A Year In The Now...

"Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the times comes."
(Matthew 6:34 – The Message)

Today I will live in the now! I will live in the now because my attention is on the Kingdom, and the Kingdom is always in the now.

Today I will not worry about what's coming up, because the things that I am dreading may not even happen, and the unknown things are impossible to prepare for. But regardless of what tomorrow brings, I will face it with the confident assurance that the Lord perfects all that concerns me.

Today I will run toward the giants that intimidate me, the way David ran toward Goliath. I will not give place to cowardice, but will be aggressive enough to intimidate the thing that is trying to intimidate me!


Today I will have no fear of the unknown, but will anticipate the adventure with appreciation for the attitude of authority that I have attained through accepting the Word of God as an absolute anchor for the soul!


Today I will start making plans to go to a higher level, preparing myself for new responsibilities.


Today I will believe that my latter is going to be greater than my former as I go from glory to glory.

Today I will enjoy the day, believing that tomorrow will be even better. I will protect my dreams and visions today, and today I will live in the now!

Father, help me be ready for what’s ahead, and thank You, in advance, for how good it’s all going to turn out for me.
In Jesus ’name, amen.

Write the Vision!

And then God answered: "Write this. Write what you see. Write it out in big block letters so that it can be read on the run. This vision-message is a witness pointing to what's coming. It aches for the coming—it can hardly wait! And it doesn't lie. If it seems slow in coming, wait. It's on its way. It will come right on time.
(Habakkuk 2:2,3 - The Message)

VISION: Church In The Now was originally founded on a concept taken from Psalms 2:8 in the KJV, which says: “Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.”
More recent and better translations say “Ask of Me and I will give you the nations…”, but CITN embraced the more archaic “heathen” for the simple reason that this house was/is to be a place of human recovery for those who have not been reached by the conventional church…those who have been overlooked…those who have slipped through the cracks. Jesus gave an illustration about the king who told his stewards to go into the streets and compel the unwanted ones to come to his banquet after the original invitees has declined his invitation, and CITN has answered the call to become those stewards carrying out that mission.












The rest of the verse says “…and the uttermost parts of the earth for your possession”, which speaks to the bigger vision of being an international church with a global pulpit. CITN’s official motto, REAL PEOPLE EXPERIENCING THE REAL GOD IN THE REAL WORLD embodies the full spectrum of the verse’s meaning, and continues to become a reality for this community of truth-seeking believers...this non-traditional, inter-denominational, multi-cultural embassy of Christ.


MISSION: The mission of Church In The Now is to be salt and light…to make a positive impact on the Metropolitan Atlanta area first, by creating a relevant, city-wide family center in which all are welcome…a place where all individuals and families can grow and flourish in their own faith, and discover God's unique plan and purpose for their lives.


CITN is also committed to making a positive impact on the world by continuing to serve as a world-wide Christian outreach center helping people in other nations experience the same thing. The essence of this mission is captured in these words:

"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 5:14-16, The Message)

MISSION: The mission of Church In The Now is to be salt and light…to make a positive impact on the Metropolitan Atlanta area first, by creating a relevant, city-wide family center in which all are welcome…a place where all individuals and families can grow and flourish in their own faith, and discover God's unique plan and purpose for their lives.



GOALS: 1. To maximize the physical campus and facilities to their full potential, creating an accessible event and convention center for the Metropolitan Atlanta area.

2. To reach every age group with the Gospel, presented in an unconventional and organic way, and to realize the possibility of reaching the fullness of the Church’s demographic through teaching, books, CD’s, DVD’s Schools of the Bible, missions, and every other specialized ministry outreach offered by the church.

3. To be involved in community ministries that fulfill the Gospel in tangible ways…to help the homeless and indigent, the elderly, at-risk youth, battered women and women with crisis pregnancies, families in crisis, and to have a relevant impact on problems such as crime, poverty, drug abuse and youth violence.














4. To partner with the educational system in building a network that will enhance the culture of learning, and make more educational options available for local youth.


5. To explore the potential of media in order to find ways in which the Gospel may be presented in new and untapped venues.


6. To become a Ministry of Reconciliation in every sense of the word.


7. To fulfill the prophecy spoken over CITN many years ago that this church would do something that has never been done before, for which there is no model or precedent, and to continue to discover every day what that is, and what it can be.

RISK more than others think is safe...Dr. King said, "Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase."...in Hebrews 11 it says that Abraham was called out of a familiar place (his comfort zone) and sent somewhere NOT KNOWING WHERE HE WAS GOING...if you're going to take the road less travelled, you're going to have to remember that God has not given you a spirit of fear (intimidation), but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind...recklessness can lead to destruction, but risk-taking is what faith is all about...stop worrying about what others think is safe...

CARE more than others think is wise...love never fails, and one reason that it doesn't is that it's not confined to the limits of logic...go back and read Paul's description of the God-kind of love in I Corinthians 13 (read it in several translations to get the full effect), and tell me that anything about what he said there is logical...love and care and compassion and empathy and understanding are all illogical...Jesus talked about a whole new way to love, and said that the validity of all the law and the prophets was based entirely on how that love is expressed...stop being bound by what others think is wise...

DREAM more than others think is practical... George Bernard Shaw said, “Some men see things as they are and say why? I dream things that never were and say 'Why not?”...if you're a dreamer who expects to see his or her dreams manifested in this lifetime, you're going to have to become accustomed to people telling you that your dreams are nonsense...you also have to develop the skill to completely ignore them...the Scriptures tell us that there is safety in the multitude of counselors, but dreamers don't live in the safety zone...God wants to do even more through you than you can ask or think...why settle for what others think is practical?...

EXPECT more than others think is possible...I posted about this a few days ago, but again I say that whatever is going on in your mind is what you are attracting to yourself...we are like magnets...like attracts like...you become AND attract what you think...every thought has a frequency, and sends out a magnetic energy...yesterday at Body Builders and last night at church there was a lot of revelation flowing about the power of agreement...more is coming Sunday on that subject...when you connect with a community of other risk-taking, caring dreamers who have a spirit of expectancy (like CITN), you enter a whole new field of possibility...it makes it much easier to stop being preoccupied with what some others think is impossible...walk in an attitude of expectancy today...anything can happen!

Don't Worry About the "HOW"

"What this power is, I cannot say. All I know is that it exists."
- Alexander Graham Bell

Your job is not to worry about the "How"...Mary asked the angel "How can these things be, seeing that I have not been with a man?"...but his explanation to her was still above and beyond anything that she could ASK or THINK...so she simply responded with "Be it done to your servant according to your word"...the "How" will show up out of the commitment and belief in the "What"...

The Hows are the domain of the universe, and of the Creator/God Who spoke it into existence...the limitless heavens declare the glory of God...the universe always knows the quickest, fastest, most harmonious way between you and your dream...

If you turn it over to the universe, you will be surprised and dazzled by what is delivered...this is where miracles happen...take it outside the limits of the thought realm...let go and let God...

Turn it over to the universe (the "one song") daily..."casting all your care upon Him"...believing/seeing/expecting should never be a chore...

Feel exhilarated by the whole process...high...happy...in tune...Abraham "waxed strong" (became virile again in his old age) by giving glory to God, even though it was a while before he saw the full manifestation of the promise...in other words, it's very important to simply enjoy the journey...

The only difference between people who are really living this way is they have habituated ways of being..."be not conformed to the world (the natural), but be transformed by the renewing of your mind"...

They remember to do it all the time..."give us this day our DAILY bread"...

Create pictures of what you want to attract (a Vision Board, a list of things, a transcript of prophecies spoken over your life, etc.)...Jacob used spotted and speckled rods to create a visual image in front of cows...he made Joseph a coat of many colors so that his son could get a picture of his best self-image, and ultimately internalize his dreams...

Every day look at your picture(s) and get into the feeling state of already having acquired these wants...some people call that "fake it 'til you make it"...God calls it faith, and faith involves visualization...to Joshua He said, "See! I have given you the city", when, in the natural realm, nothing could have been further from the truth...

"Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life's coming
attractions."
- Albert Einstein

Decide what you want...nothing is more potent than the power of a decision...believe you can have it...believe you deserve it (this is the deal-breaker for most people because of a self-imposed sense of unworthiness)...Paul said, "Do not be alienated from God IN YOUR MIND"...believe it's possible for you...

Close your eyes and visualize having what you already want..."your old men will dream dreams, you young men will see visions"...embrace the feeling of having it already...

Focus on being grateful for what you do have already..."in everything by prayer and supplication WITH THANKSGIVING let your requests be made known"...enjoy it! Then
release it into the universe...the universe will manifest it...

"Whatever the mind of man can conceive, it can achieve"
- W. Clement Stone

Rehearse Your Future

Whatever is going on in your mind is what you are attracting to yourself...the Scripture "...as a man thinks in his heart, so is he" is pretty much always taken out of context from what the verse was originally saying, but the spirit of the truth of it is undeniable...we are like magnets...like attracts like..."deep calleth unto deep"...you become AND attract what you think...

Because the universe was created by a thought from God that was released through a word ("Let there be light"), our every thought has a frequency because we are created in His image...the ultimate act of creativity is that the Creator created creators...our thoughts send out a magnetic energy...

People even think about what they don't want, and attract more of the same...Job said, "The thing I greatly feared came upon me"...

Thought = creation...if these thoughts are attached to powerful emotions (good or bad) that can even speed up the creation ("I set before you life AND death, blessing AND cursing, therefore choose life...")

You attract the objects of your dominant thoughts...

Those who speak most of illness have a tendency to have illness...those who speak most of prosperity have it, as well...David said, "Let the words of my mouth AND the meditation of my heart be acceptable"...Jesus also made the heart/mouth connection in Mark 11:23 when He said to speak to the mountain, and do not doubt in your heart, but believe that you have what you say...He also said "out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks"...

Choose your thoughts carefully...you are a masterpiece of your life...your thoughts cause your feelings...we don't need to complicate all the "reasons" behind our emotions...it's much simpler than that...two categories...good feelings/bad
feelings...in conventional faith teaching we emphasized the fact that we are not to be moved by what we feel, but I think that concept needs some balance...

Typically, thoughts that bring about good feelings mean you are on the right track...thoughts that bring about bad feelings means you are not on the right track...

For the rest, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things [fix your minds on them]. (Philippians 4:8 - AMP)

Generally, whatever it is you are feeling is a perfect reflection of what is in the process of becoming...it's what we sometimes call "the witness of the Spirit/spirit"...you get exactly what you are FEELING...Jesus said, "to them that have more will be given"...I prefer to exalt joy over happiness, but the truth is that happy feelings will attract more happy circumstances...

You can begin feeling whatever you want (even if it's not there)...David understood this ("Bless the Lord, O my soul"..."Why are you cast down, O my soul?")...David encouraged HIMSELF in the Lord...the universe (uni-verse literally means "one song") will correspond to the nature of your personal song...there's power in your praise...

What you focus on with your thought and feeling is what you attract into your experience...Isaiah talked about "declaring the end from the beginning"...Paul said that God "calls those things which are not as though they were"...What you think and what you feel and what actually manifests is ALWAYS a match...in that sense, you are the most accurate prophet in your own life...

Shift your awareness...

Winston Churchill said, "You create your own universe as you go along"...

It's important to feel good...the joy of the Lord is your strength...

You can change your emotion immediately...by thinking of something joyful, or singing a song, or remembering a happy experience...Jesus said that Holy Spirit will bring all things to your remembrance...it's why we have testimonies (old school: "You don't know like I know what He's done for me!")...

Life can and should be phenomenal, and it will be when you consciously apply these spiritual principles...your universe will re-arrange itself accordingly...God created His worlds with His words...you create your world with your words...He upholds all things by the word of His power...you uphold the things in your life by the word of your power...

In Job it says, "You shall decree a thing and it will be established unto you"...you can attract everything you require - money, people, connections...PAY ATTENTION to what's being set in front of you...Jeus said,"Behold, I have set before you an open door..."...

You can start with nothing but your faith...and out of nothing or no way, a WAY will be provided..."streams in the desert and ways in in the wilderness"...you can turn your own water into wine, and multiply your own loaves and fishes into enough food to feed thousands...

HOW LONG? No rules on time..."one day with the Lord is as a thousand years"...but, as a rule, the more aligned you are with positive feelings, the quicker things happen...

Size is nothing to the universe (unlimited abundance if that's what
you prefer to call it)...and size is nothing to the God who created it all...we are the ones who make the rules on size and time...Jesus said,"Believe you receive WHEN YOU PRAY"...

No rules according to the universe...He does more than we can ask or think ACCORDING TO THE POWER THAT WORKS IN US...you provide the feelings of having it now, and the universe will respond...

Most people offer the majority of their thought in response to what they are observing with the natural eye (bills in the mail, being late, having "bad luck", etc)...you have to find a different approach to what is through a different vantage point...Faith is the evidence of things NOT SEEN..."for we look to the things which are not seen, for the things which are seen are temporal"..."we walk by faith and not by sight...

"All that we are is a result of what we have thought" - Buddha

What can you do right now to turn your life around? Gratitude...

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God...(Philippians 4:6 - NKJV)

Gratitude will bring more into our lives immediately...God is good (all the time)...can I get a witness?

What we think about and THANK about is what we bring about...

What are the things for which you are grateful? Feel the gratitude...count your blessings...focus on what you have right now...("Moses, what do you have IN YOUR HAND?")

Play the picture in your mind - focus on the end result...

VISUALIZE, as Jacob did so many times...rehearse your future...

VISUALIZE!!! See it...feel it! This is the day that the Lord (and you) have made...rejoice and be glad in it!

Acts In The Now 2:14 - 21

14. Then Peter, being the first one to speak up, as usual, stood with the Eleven, raised his voice, and boldly addressed the crowd, saying, "Listen, all of you who live here in Jerusalem…and listen, all of you who are here visiting. Let me enlighten you as to what is happening here and now…listen carefully to what I say!

15. You are trying to make sense of this spiritual occurrence with your natural minds, which is why you have opted to believe that these people are just drunk…but you can’t honestly believe that. Not only is it only nine in the morning, but you know full well that drunkenness doesn’t enable anyone to speak fluently about the wonderful works of God in languages that they don’t know!

16. No, this is what was spoken centuries ago by the prophet, Joel, when he said,

17. " 'In the days of fulfillment, God says, I will pour out of My Spirit on all people…on the entirety of humanity…and when everyone, everywhere, ultimately encounters a revelation and manifestation of My Spirit, both your sons and daughters together will prophesy, your young people will walk in visionary insight, and your old people will dream the dreams of God. In other words, this outpouring will not favor one generation over the other.

18. Neither will this outpouring have any preference for station or status…it will touch the full range of servitude, from slaves, to the totality of the working class…nor will it discriminate because of gender, for it will be equally experienced by both men and women, alike. I will pour out of my Spirit with full abandon in those days, and they will all prophesy...every one of them!’

19. Then, speaking in poetic, prophetic vocabulary, or in the symbolic language of prophecy, (Genesis 1:14 - 16; Isaiah 13:9, 10; 34:4; Amos 8:9; Ezekiel 32:7, 8), Joel went on to say, ‘I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, that will appear as blood, fire, and billows of smoke.

20. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the full manifestation of the great and glorious day of the Lord.’ In this way He used the same imagery that the other Prophets of old employed to speak of the downfall of earthly authorities and governors.

21. ‘And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved from any chaotic fallout that will come as a result of the transition of power, when the earth is no longer ruled by natural thrones and crowns (“suns and moons”), but totally and completely by My Spirit!'

DREAMS

"Nothing happens unless first a dream."

- Carl Sandburg

"When we are dreaming alone it is only a dream. When we are dreaming with others, it is the beginning of reality."

- Dom Helder Camara

"Some men see things as they are and say, "Why?" I dream of things that never were and say, "Why not?"

- George Bernard Shaw

VISION

"Dream lofty dreams, and as you dream, so shall you become. Your vision is the promise of what you shall one day be; your ideal is the prophecy of what you shall at last unveil".

- James Allen

"We lift ourselves by our thought. We climb upon our vision of ourselves. If you want to enlarge your life, you must first enlarge your thought of it and of yourself. Hold the ideal of yourself as you long to be, always everywhere -- your ideal of what you long attain -- the ideal of health, efficiency, success".

- Orison Swett Marden


"Vision: the art of seeing things invisible". - Jonathan Swift

Where there is no vision, the people perish.
(Proverbs 29:18 - KJV)

For Your Consideration

1. REVELATION




2. PERCEPTION




3. INSPIRATION




4. IMAGINATION














5. MEDITATION




















6. ANTICIPATION


















7. MANIFESTATION

Sunday's Blessing

Today, on this beautiful Sunday in October, I speak a blessing over you...over every blogger and blurker...over all of CITN and cyber-CITN...over every believer, and even over every non-believer...over every man, woman, boy and girl...even over every Democrat and Republican...I speak into your life with hope for the future, because God has said, "I know the plans I have for you"...regardless of what is happening in the material world, you have the promise that God will not fail you...

All of the promises of God are YES and AMEN, and the same God who, in the ancient world, put a rainbow in the cloud to show Noah that the nightmare/storm was truly over, will watch over His word to perform it for you in the here and now...

I speak a blessing over your dreams, as the colors of the rainbow remind you of all the possibilities available to you...


I speak joy to you...joy unspeakable, and full of glory...Kingdom joy that confirms your righteousness and your peace...joy in the Holy Ghost...the joy of the Lord which is your strength...

His word will not return to Him void, and His promises are now simply statements of fact...a revelation of what is already yours...an unveiling of the mysteries of God...an understanding and realization of what you already possess...

You are blessed, in spite of what is happening in the economy...and you will continue to be blessed, regardless of who ends up in the White House...no matter what you hear, the world - God's amazing creation - is still a beautiful place...

Keep looking up...there are signs in the heavens, and the heavens are delcaring the glory of God...

Put on the garment of praise instead of the spirit of heaviness...His burden is easy, and His yoke is light...the sun is shining, and the rainbow is clear and brilliant...hope is everywhere, and the atmosphere is charged with faith...all things are possible...

Arise and shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon you!

Today's Possibilities (And Then Some)

Hey bloggers,

Thanks for the wonderful, poetic/prophetic comments (currently 9 posted). I love this picture, and I appreciate your insights on it.

Couple of things...Don't forget that TODAY IS THE VOTER REGISTRATION DEADLINE!

Also, I put a short playlist of David Phelps songs on the blog to advertise for the GPF tomorrow night.

Will you be there?

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)

Today is a Holy Day!

Here's an alphabetical synopsis from this morning...Wanted: Testimonies, confirmations, agreement, (positive) impressions from the service, good reports, ONLY...Needed: BLOGGERS not BLURKERS!!!

A - pologies to the streamers...

B - eautiful children leading in worship...

C - onfirmation through several witnesses...

D - reams made real in the Field of Dreams...

E - veryone Attending, Contributing, Helping!

F - amily meeting...

G – od is a generational God!

H – appy 18th birthday, Judah!

I - am not your Pastor/Bishop today...today I am in father mode...

J - esus is Lord over this vision!

K - ITN building is awesome!

L - ABOR DAY!!!

M - emories made new...

N - ot turning back...moving ahead...here to delare to you my past is over...

O - pen your ears to the prophetic word...

P – eople will come...

Q - uit making excuses...

R - esponsibility belongs to the whole community...E.E.E.E.A.C.H.!!!

S – etting things in order…

T - he TITHE is still holy…even without the curse…even under the New Covenant…

U- nderstanding the vision…

V - isiting the old landmarks…

W - hy should there continue to be a CHURCH IN THE NOW???

X - pect things to begin to turn around NOW!

Y - ou make all things new, yes, You make all things new, and I will follow You FORWARD!!!

Z - ealously pursue the fulfillment of the destiny of this house!!!

I Have A Dream

(Please scroll down and pause the playlist before playing the clip...)



On this 45th anniversary of the I Have a Dream Speech, I want to repost a sermon that I did a few months ago in which I used this iconic piece of Americana as a foundation. I say here, as I said that day, that I use Dr. King's words with fear and trembling, because I so deeply revere his memory, and would never want to demean the importance of what happened that day in Washington in any way. I trust this will be received as a word for CITN, and a tribute to one of the greatest men who ever lived, who said some of the greatest words ever spoken. My intention here is not to try to equate myself with MLK, but to express to you all that I truly do have a dream for this ministry...and I hope that it's your dream, too...



I HAVE A DREAM/ Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (1963)

I HAVE A DREAM FOR CITN/ Bishop Jim Swilley (2008)



MLK – I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.



JES – I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as a great Sunday morning service at Church In The Now.






MLK - Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.


JES - One score and three years ago, an idealistic young man came to Conyers, GA to establish a local congregation…a different kind of church that would be built upon the words recorded in Psalms 2:8, Ask of me and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. The revelation of this powerful Scripture came as a great beacon light of hope to that small group of people who met together for the first time in May of 1985 in a little storefront on Royal Drive. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their having no alternative to irrelevant, traditional church, and religious “business as usual”.





MLK - But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. And so we've come here today to dramatize a shameful condition.


JES - But twenty-three years later, Church In The Now is still trying to walk in the fullness of its unique destiny. Twenty-three years later, this house of worship is still learning to overcome the growth obstacles that exist for a truly multicultural church. Twenty-three years later, CITN is still attempting to create a real sense of community in a church that was not birthed out of an established community or a denomination. Twenty-three years later, the leadership of this church is still trying to instill within this body a sense of ownership among the people, and a comprehension of the need for them to be investors in it. And so we've come here today to speak to the current condition at Church In The Now.






MLK - In a sense we've come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the "unalienable Rights" of "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note, insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked "insufficient funds."


JES - In a sense we've come here today to proclaim, once again, our commitment to the ideal of 100% participation among the membership of CITN…the realization of a vision to reach the goal of Everyone Actively Contributing and Helping. It is obvious today that not everyone who attends the church understands this yet.




MLK - But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. And so, we've come to cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice.


JES - But we refuse to believe that the manifestation of a workable E.A.C.H. program – a mindset among the people that causes full community commitment – is a goal that is unrealistic or unreachable.




MLK - We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of Now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children.



JES -We have also come into this Sanctuary today to remind all who attend this service, either within these walls, or streaming over the internet, along with all who will watch the DVD, or listen to the CD of it, of the fierce urgency of Now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of every prophecy that has been spoken over this ministry in the last twenty-three years. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of some of the people doing all of the work and all of the giving, to the sunlit path of everyone pulling their weight and making a real contribution to the greater good. Now is the time to lift our church from the quicksands of mediocrity to the solid rock of being a successful megachurch. Now is the time to make this ministry be all that it can be.





MLK - It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. Nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning. And those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual. And there will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.



JES - It would be fatal for CITN to overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer of the church’s core group’s legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of full church participation. Two Thousand and Eight is not an end, but a beginning. And those who just assume that the administration of the church will figure it out and keep going with things remaining as they now, are will have a rude awakening if the church returns to business as usual.





MLK - But there is something that I must say to my people, who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice: In the process of gaining our rightful place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again, we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force.



JES - But there is something that I must say to those who are already pulling their weight and are actively participating…we must not look down on those who don’t see the vision yet. We must love them, set an example for them, and encourage them to see the benefits of becoming a part of this body that is fitly joined together.





MLK - The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. And they have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom.



JES - The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed those who comprehend what this church needs to be must not lead us to reject those who stay on the periphery, for they are our brothers and sisters. Let us pray that they come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny…that they will see and believe that we might not have it all together, but together we have it all!





MLK/JES - We cannot walk alone. And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back.




MLK - There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, "When will you be satisfied?" We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality. We can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. We cannot be satisfied as long as the negro's basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. We can never be satisfied as long as our children are stripped of their self-hood and robbed of their dignity by a sign stating: "For Whites Only." We cannot be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until "justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream."



JES - There are many who are asking those of us who have worked to build this ministry up to where it is today, "When will you be satisfied?" We can never be satisfied as long as there are services held at CITN week after week with scores of unfilled seats. We can never be satisfied as long as there are so many that never give financially, or if they do give, do not give regularly or sacrificially. We cannot be satisfied as long as the sense of covenant among the people is so weak that they break fellowship with the church at the slightest offence. We can never be satisfied as long as people continue to misunderstand the theological truths of the gospel of reconciliation and believe that salvation is “For Christians Only”. We cannot be satisfied as long as the world at large is unable to fully appreciate what an amazing place that CITN is. No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until we truly become “a city set on a hill that cannot be hidden”.





MLK - I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. And some of you have come from areas where your quest -- quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive. Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Carolina, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed.



JES - I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great religious bondage. Some of you have come fresh from denominationalism and fundamentalism. And some of you have come from areas where your quest -- quest for spiritual truth left you battered by the storms of religious persecution and staggered by the winds of legalism. You have come out of darkness into the light. Continue to work with the faith that they who hunger and thirst after righteousness shall be filled. Go back to doing what your hand finds to do with all of your might in this ministry, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed.





MLK - Let us not wallow in the valley of despair, I say to you today, my friends. And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.



JES - Let us not wallow in the valley of despair, I say to you today, my friends. And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the prophetic purposes of God for this region, and for CITN’s ministry to the nations of the earth.





MLK - I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."



JES - I have a dream that one day this church will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “Real People Experiencing the Real God in the Real World”






MLK - I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.



JES - I have a dream that one day on these 43 acres on I-20, thousands and thousands of sons and daughters of former slaves, and thousand and thousands of sons and daughters of former slave owners will be able to worship together as one voice, whether they clap on the one and the three or the two and the four…and that the Hispanic community would join in the song with them, along with people from every nation who have come to Conyers for such a time as this.





MLK - I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.




JES - I have a dream that one day CITN will be able to saturate the surrounding area with the good news of the gospel of liberty, even in the Bible belt, a region sweltering with the heat of condemnation preaching, sweltering with the heat of hellfire and brimstone and damnation, so that it will be transformed into an oasis of the goodness of the Lord which brings people to repentance.






MLK - I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.




JES - I have a dream that my four children will one day be able to say that their father fulfilled his destiny in coming to Conyers, GA to create a ministry that shows people how to know one another after the spirit, and not after the flesh.







MLK/JES - I have a dream today!





MLK - I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of "interposition" and "nullification" -- one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.



JES - I have a dream that one day, all the people of CITN will tithe or give or invest or support – whatever they call it – not because they are afraid that they will be cursed if they don’t, but because they love the Kingdom of God, and because they believe in the vision of a ministry that allows little black boys and black girls to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.




MLK/JES - I have a dream today!




MLK/JES - I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; "and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together."




MLK - This is our hope, and this is the faith that I go back to the South with.







JES - This is our hope, and this is the faith with which I speak the Word over this church.











MLK - With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.



JES - With this faith, we will be able to make every member of this church step up and take responsibility for the success of this ministry. With this faith, we will be able to demonstrate to this community the manifested power of the Kingdom of God. With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to stand up for the uncompromised word of God together, knowing that we will all be blessed by the ultimate success of this ministry.






MLK - And this will be the day -- this will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with new meaning:
My country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing.
Land where my fathers died, land of the Pilgrim's pride,
From every mountainside, let freedom ring!



JES - And this will be the day -- this will be the day when all of the members and friends of Church In The Now, here in Conyers and all around the world will be able to sing with new meaning:
We speak to nations – be open! We speak to nations – fall on your knees!
We speak to nations – the Kingdom is coming near to you -
We speak to you - Be free!





MLK - And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true.







JES – And if Church In The Now is to realize its potential, this must become true.








MLK - And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire.






JES - And so let His kingdom come in every Sunday and Wednesday service at Church In The Now.





MLK - Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York.






JES - Let His kingdom come in every sermon that is preached, and in every song that is sung.





MLK - Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania.







JES - Let His kingdom come in every book or CD or DVD that is sold from this media department.







MLK - Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado.







JES - Let His kingdom come in every outreach ministry and missions project supported by this ministry.







MLK - Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California.







JES - Let His kingdom come in every relationship formed within this covenant community.






MLK - But not only that: Let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia. Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee. Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi. From every mountainside, let freedom ring.






JES - But not only that: Let His kingdom come in The Mix and in ReMix. Let His kingdom come in Kids In The Now and in Kidzzone Learning Center. Let His kingdom come in Street Jam, in the Prison Ministry, in the Angelfood Ministry, in the Streaming Faith outreach, in Wize Gize, the Nation of Worship and all the Worship and Arts Department, in the Flow, Real Women, Men’s Fellowship, Bikers for Christ, His Hands, Body Builders, Now Ministries, the Care Pastors, the Staff, the Ministry of Helps, the cyber-congregation, and in every outreach of CITN, both foreign and domestic, and in the lives of everyone around the world who is influenced by this ministry!







MLK - And when this happens, when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual:
Free at last! Free at last!
Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!


JES - And when this happens, when we allow the true Kingdom of God to come, when we let it come in every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the song we sing so much around here:
“How great is our God! Sing with me…
How great is our God, and all will see
How great…HOW GREAT IS OUR GOD!!!”