Launch Day

I know it's a little late in coming, but I thought I'd update you all on the launch Sunday of The Gate.

It was incredible. Just when you think you've received more blessing than you know what to do with, God dumps more and more until you and everyone around you is overflowing. That's how it felt on Sunday. We had 104 people on our first Sunday and it was a time of great worship and teaching and it just felt GOOD!

We had great response from everyone who was there, with many people telling us they would definitely (defanately, defanantly, difiantly, fleitldly) come back. We even had a woman who indicated on the info card she filled out that she had accepted Christ that day. A year-long journey to this day, and it exceeded all expectations. God has a way of doing that, no?

The kids in who participated in the children's ministry seemed like they had a great time. They stay back with the teachers for 15 minutes or so after the service so their parents can enjoy coffee and snacks. I was standing in the hallway when they all came out, and I could hear many of them begging their parents to bring them back next Sunday.

Our launch team members have been coming under attack with increasing frequency. The days leading up to launch Sunday were especially intense. One family had their house broken into on Friday night, another family had a son taken to the hospital for an emergency appendectomy, there has been discontent in families and marriages, financial problems and a host of other things. It's amazing to see how, despite all this stress among the launch team, we can come together and overcome all the adversity with His power.

I've seen God work before, but never like I have this past year, and never this up close and personal. It's been quite a ride!