40 Days In The Word Challenge

NEXT WEEK we start our 40 Days In The Word Challenge at Elevate Church!

Christianity is personal but is not private.  Love can not be learned in isolation!  We are challenging everyone to get in one of our Life Groups for at least the next six weeks to go through 40 Days In The Word.

This is success:

"Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only THEN will you prosper and succeed in all you do." - (Joshua 1:8) 

You will be challenged to:

• Read The Word Daily
• Study the Word weekly in a life group
• DO the Word with your group by reaching out to serve our community
• Memorize the Word weekly 

 You can sign up this Sunday or right now by clicking here! 


Jesus said, "Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock." - (Matthew 7:24)


That's it!  I don't know what all 2012 will hold, but I know I wouldn't want to face it without THE Rock - Jesus!  


God's Word isn't meant to just inform you but transform you!  We pray 40 Days In The Word does just that for each of us.


GO HERE to sign up for a group and one of our group leaders will contact you before next week!

How The Revolution Thrives

Here are some highlights from this weekend at Elevate Church:

• It was our third week in New Year's ReVolution.  We talked about How The Revolution Thrives.
• The way the revolution thrives is contribute.
• It is about moving from spiritual consumers to contributors. It's about moving form spectators to participators.  It's about turning an audience into an army!
• The church isn't a cruise ship but a battleship.
• How we are going to THRIVE this year:
• Read Matthew 25:14-30.
• 1) Focus my time.
• Our greatest prayer should be - "Lord, remind me how BRIEF my time on earth will be." (Psalm 39:4)
• You can choose to invest time or waste time. 
• Everyone has 24 hours in a day.  How you use that time will in many ways define you.
• Many of us have a to do list.  What we really need is a stop doing list.
• Don't allow the urgent to dominate what is most important.
• 2) Unleash My Talents.
• "God has given each of you a GIFT from His great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them WELL to serve one another." - 1 Peter 4:10
• God has placed natural talents and spiritual gifts in your hands.  What will you do with it?
• I don't want this church to limp around because everyone in the body of Christ is not in their place!
• You must get involved and let Jesus bring out of you what He has placed inside of you.
• Every Christian is called to have a ministry in the church.
• It was awesome to see people giving our staff team a standing ovation.  I am proud of them.  They are rock stars!  
• The church is built with servants not superstars!  
• Want to become great in God's Kingdom? Become the servant of all!
• I am so proud of our volunteers and what they pull off every week.  They are incredible!  
• 3) Leverage my treasure.
• "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." - Matthew 6:21
• Don't follow your heart. Lead your heart!
• Jesus doesn't need your money. He wants your heart and He knows for most of us that is through our wallets.
• Don't pray for God to provide for your tomorrow if you aren't being faithful with what He has given you today.
• The way God entrusts us with more is being faithful with little.
• Parable of Talents (Matthew 25) message: Will you just give what you do have?  When I choose to keep my talents and treasure,  I forfeit God's blessings and provision.  When I put them to work, I set myself up for God to pour out His blessings and provision!
• Extraordinary moves of God begin with ordinary acts of obedience.  We challenged everyone to serve on a ministry team and to take the tithing challenge.  
• It was awesome to see new people to sign up to serve and to see so many people commit to tithe or give above a tithe.
• We had someone who hasn't been to church in almost 20 years come to church last week.  He was back this week too!
• We watched a video testimony of a couple in our church.  They never served or gave a tithe before coming to Elevate.  They are now doing both and experiencing God's blessings as a result of it.  That's awesome!
• This year we are going to contribute more of our time, talents, and treasure to see Jesus do even greater things!

Real Life Stories - COME: It's Where The Revolution Begins

The revolution begins when you COME.  You can not become a passionate follower of Christ without first coming through the doors.  That's why it excites me to hear these real life stories of people who have come to Elevate Church!

How many more out there are just like these who are waiting for an invitation?  BRING THEM!  We make no apology for wanting God's House FULL!  (Luke 14:23)


Revolution- How did you come to Elevate? from Elevate Church on Vimeo.

A HUGE Thank You!

You do not accomplish anything significant alone. 

Of all the things I have learned in three years, developing a deep attitude of gratitude is certainly near the top of the list.  We simply refuse to take this for granted!  God has been too good and people have been too gracious. 

Also, gratefulness for what God has done sets you up to receive greater blessings in the future.  I am certainly grateful for what God has done and completely believe God is about to do even greater things!

The past three years at Elevate Church would not be possible first and foremost were it not for JESUS and His overwhelming and sustaining grace!

There are a ton of other people I want to thank for being a part of this journey as well:

• Susan: You are truly my best friend.  Thank you for standing with me. Thank you for believing in me.  You are amazing. I am more in love with you now than ever before.
• Naomi, Elijah, Jeremiah, and Ava:  As we always like to say - Mommy and Daddy didn't start this church.  OUR Family started this church.  You are just as much a part of what God is doing as anyone else.  We are grateful you love Elevate Church and thankful you get a front row seat of what God is doing.
• Our Families: We could not do it without all of your love and support. Thank you!
• Chris, Kelly, Ellenor, Simeon, Melissa, Maggie and Bea: All the way from our living room in Villa Rica, GA to Elevate in San Diego - wow!  Thank you for being crazy enough to move across the country to help start something bigger than yourself. You will always be a part of the Elevate story.
• Elevate staff and volunteers: You are warriors.  Your reward is great.  This simply would not be possible without you, nor would I want to do it without you.   Your pastor is with you heart and soul!
• Greg and Lesley:  When we couldn't keep going, you were there. Words can't even begin to express how grateful we are for you!
• Ben and Lisa: From the first service, you have stood with us.  You are loved and we are incredibly grateful for you!  
• Thomas and Mary: You were an answer to a 6 month long prayer.  Thank you for your willingness to risk it all. Thank you for standing with us.  SO grateful for both of you!
• Jeremy: You were an 18 year old that just graduated who decided you would live for something greater. Thank you!  You got to experience miracles now you get to be the miracle.
• Shaun:  I pray every pastor has someone like you.  You are my Barnabas.   Let's do this.
• Midway Church: Pastor Todd and Midway - Thank you for giving me a chance. Thank you for believing in us. We would not be where we are today without you. We love our Midway family!
• Other Partners: there are too many to count who have prayed and given over the last few years.  Thank you for investing in us!
• Elevate Church Family:  Thank you for loving our family.  Thank you for your faith and generosity. Thank you for staying focused, standing united, and being relentless. Thank you for doing what it takes to lead people to become passionate followers of Christ!

As I reflect on all that I am grateful for, it builds in me even more excitement for what is to come!

Why not us? Why not now?

God has been so faithful.  His provision has been so great.  Faith builds by reflecting on that truth.

Gratitude is thanking God for what He has done.  Faith is thanking God for what He is going to do.

Thank you Jesus for what you have done.

Thank you Jesus for what you are about to do!

Year Four here we come...

Highlight Video: Year 3 at Elevate Church

I choke up every time I watch this video.  I am SO grateful for what the Lord has done this past year!

Also, every time I watch this video it excites me for this year.

Why? God's past faithfulness is the best future predictor of what He is going to do!



Elevate 2011 Year In Review from Elevate Church on Vimeo.

Elevate Church, YOU Are Making A Difference!

Elevate Church, YOU are making a difference!  Look at a few of these highlights from 2011 and year three at Elevate:

·      33 people gave their lives to Christ!

·      We gave away $60, 615 to missions and church planting!

·      We had a 50% growth in Sunday worship attendance from the previous year!

·      Kari and Kellan Lancaster were sent out to serve as Missionaries to Honduras.

·      338 kids and families received a better Christmas through our partnership with Operation Christmas Child of Samaritan’s Purse.

Wow! God is SO faithful!  There is so much more but at least this is a glimpse. As your pastor, I hope you know you are accomplishing something GREAT for the kingdom of God.

The numbers above represent real people. Here are a few people who have been impacted by the ministry of Elevate this past year:

“This church has changed my life.  Thank you to you, Susan, and the entire Elevate team. I am so grateful for my church family!” – Renee

“I am tired of running.  I’m ready to come home to Christ today!” – Eric

“When I come to church it makes the negative feelings like you were talking about go away and I was like “Yes! I can get through another week at my job!” – Becca

“Elevate has been an answered prayer to our family.” – Roger and Erin

Way to go Elevate Church! Thank you for realizing we are blessed to be a blessing.  I want to challenge you to keep it up in 2012.  Let’s continue to give more of our hearts to the Kingdom of God and the only thing that will last: People!  It’s all about more changed lives.

Together, let’s make 2012 the best year at Elevate as we lead even more people to become passionate followers of Christ!  

Why not us?  Why not now?

"Even Greater Things!"  (John 14:12)

How The Revolution Gains Traction

It was an incredible day at Elevate Church on Sunday!  Here are some highlights:

• It was the second week of our New Year's Revolution series and our three year anniversary service!
• It was an amazing day!  I don't really have words for it.
• We had birthday cake, balloons, and party blowers to bring in the celebration.
• We watched a highlight video of this past year and sang a great song called "The Church." 
• I am not sure there was a dry eye in the place during that song/video.  
• You can go here to our Facebook Page to view some pictures from the day.
• I choked up during a song called Never Once too.  Great lyrics: "Never once did we ever walk alone. Never once did you ever leave us on our own. You are faithful. God, you are faithful..."
• We shared this week how the revolution gains traction: CONNECT.
• An organ severed from a body will wither and die. In the same way, your spiritual life disconnected from Christ's body will wither and die.
• Read John 15:1-17.  It is a great picture of what it takes to "bear much fruit" and the importance of staying connected to Christ.
• Read Acts 2:42-47. It is a great picture of people connected to Christ and each other as well as the result.
• 1) Connect with God daily.
• How? Through His Word and Prayer.
• What are you doing to connect to Christ this year?
• The truth is you are as close to Jesus as you want to be.
• Successful people do what unsuccessful people don't "feel" like doing.  
• Don't come to church only when you feel like it.  Don't spend time with God each day only when you feel like it.  Instead, you must fight to build spiritual momentum in your life!
• To gain traction in your spiritual life, you must build spiritual disciplines into your life.
• Prayer is simply connecting with God.
• Be honest when you pray! Jesus never condemned the honest prayer but only the long and showy prayer.
• You can not live on my relationship with God.  You must take personal responsibility to develop your relationship with God.
• God isn't after your behavior. He is after your heart.
• Extraordinary moves of God begin with ordinary acts of obedience. 
• You can not blame lack of closeness to God on a church, your circumstances, etc. It is your responsibility to develop your relationship with God.
• The Result of connecting with God daily = "Bearing much fruit" (John 15: 5, 8)
• So goes your relationship with God, so goes your relationship with others.
• 2) Connect with one another weekly.
• How? Through life groups.
• You grow by loving real people not ideal people.
• There are over 50 "one another" commandments in the New Testament that you can not fulfill unless you are a part of a local body of believers. 
• What will you do to make us the church where many will connect with Christ?
• Christianity is personal but it was never meant to be private.
• Love can not be learned in isolation.  
• John 13:35: "Your love for one another will PROVE to the world you are my disciples."
• The result of Connecting with God daily and connecting with one another weekly = "Favor of all the people" (Acts 2:47).
• It is a fact that without connecting with Jesus and one another you will drift away.  
• We challenged everyone to get involved in a group at the end of January and take the 40 Days In The Word challenge.  THIS could have the biggest impact on your life and in our church in 2012.  
• Let's stop asking why and starting asking why not! What if what happened in Acts happened in our church?  What if God wants to use us to reach hundreds this year for His kingdom?  
• Why not us?!  Why not now?!
• In 2012 and year four at Elevate - "Even Greater Things!"   Why not?