I just want to BE WITH HIM

This month of consecration has been a marvelous journey and my heart just longs for the Lord like never before. I'm not overwhelmed by the circumstances and situations surrounding life and ministry. I see the Lord seated on the throne, exalted. And the train of His robe fills the temple with Glory. And the whole earth is filled with His Glory. Our God is greater, Our God is stronger. Our God is higher than any other. Our God is healer, Awesome in power...Our God, Our God. What a mighty God we serve! Angels bow before Him; Heaven and earth adores Him. What a mighty God we serve! Nothing is hidden from Him. Nothing is too hard for the Lord.

I haven't been as consistent as I should have been and haven't always stayed on schedule with my Bible reading plan, but it's okay. So many times the Lord just called me to sit and wait in His presence. It happened so many times that I realized He was trying to make a point. I needed to just BE with Him. The more I am just WITH Him, the more I see Him. The more I see Him, the more I want to see Him. So many earthly desires and longings are fading away. Success is not based upon the number of people that attend on Sundays. My self esteem and self worth is not measured by notoriety or fame.

I just want to BE WITH HIM.

31 Days of Consecration

The Lord has put it on my heart to begin 31 days of consecration during the entire month of October. I’m not calling the entire church family to do it, although any and all who feel the same way can participate. It will be a month of prayer, fasting and communing with the Lord. He’s put in my spirit to drop TV and video watching from my daily routine and spend that time in the word and prayer.

Fasting will be part of my daily and weekend schedule. I just know that HE’s calling me away with Him. So I may not be blogging for a while and that’s okay. This will be very personal and private, so if you don’t hear from me for a while, that’s what is going on with me this month.

This is day-1, and the Lord woke me up at 5:00 am. We have a walk-in closet and I’ve made some space in there to go in and just stretch out and pray. He’s already given me the focus for the month and it comes from one of my absolute most favorite worship songs.

It came up out of spirit during this morning's prayer .With all that’s going on in the world, the Bishop Long scandal, the violence, the turmoil, the disasters and the heavy demonic waves that always come forth in October, God has given me the focus. In case someone reads this and desires to join with me and us, during this month, the focus is simple. ALL I NEED IS YOU, LORD…

Feeding Frenzy

Just last week I felt like something was about to explode and it certainly has. The outbreak of accusation against the pastor in Atlanta has certainly stirred up our nation. I’ve been exploring the internet and navigating around face book and there’s a wide range of responses.

One thing I have noticed is that there are a lot of agendas out there and the forces behind them are all converging on the scene like sharks. The water is bloody and there is a feeding frenzy.

I briefly and mistakenly tried to offer some advice to one person on face book, but my pleas were dismissed as just a pastor who was afraid to lose their ministry.
Boy, they sure don’t know us. We lost everything five years ago, so we have no big congregation or ministry to lose. My concern was for the many pastors and ministries throughout the world who will suffer backlash because of this. I was trying to convey the reality that spreading negative press is not helping the situation.

But after I saw a couple of people making fun of the members of this pastor’s church and actually saying no one should pray or feel sorry for those folks, I realize that an all out feeding frenzy is on for real. As far as many are concerned, there are no innocent by standers. All pastors, churches and ministries are corrupt and they all need to be shut down.

As it was in the time of Rome when Nero was emperor, the cry is going forth to kill all the Christians.

Some have claimed that they are standing up for the victims in this situation, but that’s not true. If they were standing up for the victims, they would see that the list of victims extends far beyond the accusers. However, as I promised, I’m keeping my opinion out of the situation and I’m not going to dare speak a word against the pastor, his church or his family.

At this point, we have encouraged our small group and our internet followers to keep their mouths closed. We have decided that we will keep our focus on God as we commit to prayer.

We’re about to roll over into the most evil and sinister time of the year; October. The Lord has directed me to pray and fast this month. I can’t speak for anybody else or send out any commands and orders. I just know that the Spirit of God is directing me to get alone with Him and pray. So that’s what I’m going to do.

Overwhelmed by expressions of love

I am literally overwhelmed by all the expressions of love that were given to me on my birthday, two days ago (9/8/10). So many people have made my 51st birthday a very special and memorable occasion. I took the day off, had breakfast with my girl Carol, and just relaxed with my family all day. Then when I checked facebook, several people hit me on live chat, postings, emails and phone calls all at the same time. I am truly blessed. I am a rich man because I have so many special people in my life.


Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.

New King James version Philippians 4:8

You never know what a day may bring – Part 2

Today was pretty awesome day. You never know what a day may bring. First my wife called to let me know that she got the job she applied for within her government agency.
Shortly afterwards, I had to go to a safety training for our government agency. They talked about teamwork and showed a video documentary called the miracle of Flight 232. This was the plane crash in 1989 in which 196 out of 296 people survived.

The pilot now travels around the country and talks about the five key elements that led to so many people surviving. He listed:
1. Preparation,
2. Cooperation,
3. Communication,
4. Execution and
5. Luck

I was sitting at a table with two other Believers and we immediately began to mutter to one another that “luck” had nothing to do with it. It was GOD.

So, later in the session the instructor placed the names of each element in a bucket and each group had to blindly pick out a topic and make a presentation to the entire training audience about that element. So when the woman at our table drew out “Luck” as the topic we were to discuss, we all just laughed, because we knew this was a total set up by God.

Earlier this year, I had a God-ordained moment to speak to the entire agency when I was asked to be the MC of the African American History Month Celebration. The guest speaker did not make it, so I was asked to share a few words in his place. I never thought another moment to publically speak for God in the workplace would come again, but here it was.

We took a break and I ran up to my floor to get to my computer so I could go online and look up the definition of luck. The online dictionary defined "Luck" as the force that seems to operate for good or ill in a person's life, as in shaping circumstances, events, or opportunities; good fortune; advantage or success, considered as the result of chance.

Well, I capitalized the first definition that defines luck as a force that seems to operate for good in a person’s life. I stated that I believe that force is GOD, rather people call it a higher power or whatever, there was more than just chance that surrounded these circumstances. I said I’m sure the people on the flight were praying as well as the ground crew and emergency workers who ran out onto the runway after the plane crashed.

I said the other four elements were absolutely necessary, but it took this force (God) to make it all come together.

Afterwards, a couple of people came up to me and said, “I’m so glad you said that it was God.” It seems my words exposed me to a few more Believers who were present. I may have offended some folks, but I know that I had to share the truth. Our presentation was not dogmatic or attacking anyone’s beliefs. It was just necessary to assign this miracle to God and not to random chance.

So our assignment in Harrisburg continues to involve far more than ministering in the church setting.

You never know what a day may bring.

You never know what a day may bring – Part 1

Today was a pretty awesome day. You never know what a day may bring. First my wife called to let me know that she got the job she applied for within her government agency. She’s been trying to get a new job for over a year, and has been passed over a couple of times. Each time, though we refused to give in to the thoughts that this was racist or sexist or any of the crazy things that come to your mind when you are disappointed.

We’ve reached a place in our lives now where we have learned to accept the will of God and the WAY, the WAY, the WAY, the WAY, the WAY, the WAY God wants to fulfill His will in our lives.

A couple of weeks ago, she had an interview for another position within her agency that includes a promotion and higher pay. We’ve been living with such peace lately that we felt no anxiety or anything before, during or after the interview.

In fact, we’ve been so focused on our assignment in Harrisburg, that we haven’t even talked about or thought much about the interview.

Well, she called me to let me know that she got the job. Even in the midst of economic crisis, God is still taking care of us. There’s nothing like being in the will of God for your life.

More to come….

Called To Be Spiritual Parents

Carol and I had a wonderful conversation with one of our spiritual daughters here in Harrisburg. We talked until almost 1:00am. Even though we had to go to work the next morning, it was well worth it. When someone shares that we are the only true mother and father that they have ever known, that we are people they can confide in and not be judged or treated differently after you confess your flaws, it becomes another strong reminder of WHY God sent us to this community. It confirms the calling and mission to bring healing to hearts and homes.

A couple of weeks ago I received a scathing email from someone who told me that I was in error because we are referred to as spiritual parents and that GOD is the only true Father. The person told me that I should just raise my own kids. I don’t know why this person felt it necessary to attack us in this way.

We never called ourselves spiritual parents. The young people that we served began to call us mom and dad. Way back in 1990, a prophetic word came to us that we would be a father and mother in Zion. So we have been simply walking and living out the purpose of God. It never dawned on me that it would offend someone that God called us to be spiritual parents and not just carry the title of pastors.

Well, I forgive this person and release them. Father, forgive them because they don’t know what they are doing. They are attacking YOU in their effort to “correct” us. They are trying to tear down and stop something that YOU have done.

After spending some quality time with another of OURS, (which is the phrase we use to describe the special young people that God connects us to), I realize even more that the attack was meant to distract, discourage and detour us from what we were born into this world to do.

This is truly this most awesome journey and the start of the best time of our lives.


Chris and Carol Green (Sr. Pastor and 1st Lady, Dad and Mom)
Urban Life Church of Harrisburg, PA
www.urbanlife-church.org

Anticipating GOD

Just gotta praise God today! Anticipating GOD this week. I wanted to say that I'm anticipating a move of God, or looking for God to do something in our midst. but there's more to it than that. All I can say is that I'm anticipating GOD. Can't wait for Sunday Cafe this week. Gonna be good to see everyone again.

May 2010 was a good month

May was good month for us. It began with a wedding as one of our spiritual daughters honored us by asking us to perform the main section of her wedding ceremony. She married a good man. That's all I can say. She married a good man. On his part; he married a good woman, a Godly woman. We have watched her life for 18 years and she is a Godly woman. We were so proud of her.

The next day, I spoke in my home church in St. Louis, MO. I could barely contain myself in anticipation. I felt like crying the whole week before that day. As the time drew closer, it became increasingly more difficult to hold back the tears. Finally the moment arrived and the Lord helped me to articulate what HE had put in my heart to say to my home church family.

I can only pray that I was not in the way of what God was speaking to every heart and soul.

Later that day, we pulled off a surprise birthday celebration for our twin sons (Jonathan & David). Their birthday was actually back on April 13th, but David was away in school on that day, and Jonny was left to celebrate it alone. Knowing how close they are and since we had the opportunity to give them a special moment with their cousins, we went out and bought some St. Louis Cardinals gear for them along with a cake, ice cream, and food for dinner.
We met in their Aunt Desiree's house. It was a wonderful time.

By the time we drove home, we were really hyped and excited about what God is going to do in our family.

We concluded the month by moving out of our transitional residence of the past three years, into another place that is a lot more accommodating of our needs.
As May drifted into June, we are looking forward to all that God wants to do through our family, in this community.

Some Assembly Required

I was just tremendously blessed by a word from Bishop Joseph Garlington. I really needed to hear this today as the will of God is now unfolding for us in this season of our life.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOFp6y_f7ac&feature=player_embedded

Anticipation

Right now we're anticipating a series of good things breaking forth on our behalf.

We're headed home to St. Louis, Missouri this weekend to be a part of performing the wedding ceremony for one of spiritual daughters. We've known her since 1992 and have watched the Lord mode and make her into a wonderful woman. We're so proud of her and cannot express how honored we are that she would ask us to conduct the bulk of the wedding ceremony. I hope I can get through it without breaking down and crying.

It's also a special time because my brother and Bishop has asked me to bring the Word of God to our home church congregation. I still remember my last message "Back To the Future" from June of 2004. So it's been six years since we stood in that pulpit to deliver a Word. The Lord has given me something very special to share. I find myself weeping as I prepare.

When I brought this word to our Urban Life Church family, I felt the message was also for my home church. I didn't know when or even IF I would be able to give the Word to my home church family. But God is faithful. I am humbled and I have no axe to grind or targets to hit. I just want to give the Word in purity, love, compassion and in the gentleness of the Holy Spirit.

Our church family has been hurting for a long, long time. We had been, too until the Lord gave me this Word. Ever since then, we have been watching God perform His word and fulfill His promises over our lives.

I also look forward to spending time with my family. My sisters and brothers, nieces and nephews, and of course, my mom and dad. I miss my family. To be in a community where families are so disconnected and distant, is sooooo painful and disturbing. Everything about this place is completely foreign from my life and upbringing. The first thing on that list is the lack of family connection. So I'm anticipating getting recharged with family.

Last, but not least, I look forward to seeing our spiritual sons and daughters. These are OUR kids. They know us in the Spirit and understand us. How we miss being with and working with people who already know our hearts and who aren't putting us through test to see if we mean what we say, or if we say what we mean. Looking forward to being able to laugh and relax for a minute.

We've Gone Global

What a pleasant surprise to learn that the website is being viewed from all over the world. It always gets a little discouraging when attendance drops, but the Lord kept nudging me to check the website analytics. So last night, I finally took a look and was absolutely astounded.

It seems the largest amount of hits and page views (outside of America) are coming from the Russian Federation. Now we have a little bit more solid proof that our ministry really is reaching an audience beyond the boundaries of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and America itself.

I shared this with my family and everyone was just as surprised. It was also a real boost in our morale. So I posted the good news for the intercessors and the church family. I pray that this is a real encouraging bit of news for everyone.

Going for it

We've officially launched our 'Fruitful Living 4-book Series', the 'What NOW' book, and the 'Love You Still' Book. I'm currently working on the first of at least three 'Kingdom Warriors' books and ready to get going on 'If You Hear Any Noise'.

Among the many reasons God sent us to Harrisburg, I can see that one of them was so we'd have time to write and release these publications. I feel the call and command to finish, so I'll be going for it all through the spring and summer months.

I wish my Bishop had this kind of time to write the scores of books that are inside of him. Man, if people only knew....

My life is in His hands

When I see my wife embracing her mother after so many years of crying because they couldn't even talk to one another, then moving to Harrisburg was worth it.

More and more I'm coming to realize that the primary reason God sent us here was about family. HE used the church planting strategy of our bishop to get us here, but the real reason was that HE was answering a prayer in my mother-in-law's heart.

She cried out to God to be in a church where the pastor had a heart after God. She asked God to put her in a church where she could experience the Bible in real life, in today's generation. She wanted to get to know her grandsons. She wanted to be reconciled with her only daughter.

So God set it up all along. There was a time when I would have been very discouraged that the church membership never exceeded 12 people. There was a time I would have been discouraged that the majority of people who show any interest in the ministry are the 200+ who watch us on line every week.

But the sovereign hand of God and the masterful way in which He guides us, has me in the comfort of knowing that HE knows what is best. My life is in His hands.

I wasn't exactly ready for that....

Right now we seem to be coming to a climatic moment for everyone associated within and without Urban Life. Decisions have been made and now they are following though on those decisions. It's the same throughout the city.

I used to wonder how missionaries or apostles came to a point where they knew it was time to go. Now I know that when that time comes, it's not when WE feel it's time to go. That time comes after a decision has been made by the people that God sends you to. The decision as to whether they will obey the voice of God or not, will determine if whether God tells His servants to stay, or to move on to the next assignment.

So we're hanging in the balance right now. We've already decided that we will stay if the Lord says stay. No doubt about that. We will obey the Lord until the last.

Somehow I wasn't prepared for this, though. What if the community and the people God sends you to says NO, we don't want it. What if their true response is "We're not ready to change yet." What if they look at God and look at you and declare: "We're tired of fighting and we're not gonna go into the Land of Promise."

Wow... I wasn't exactly ready for that....

Family Reconnection

Last couple of weeks was really tough, but we had a refreshing and fun time today in our Sunday Cafe to start a new week. We danced, we sang, we laughed, we ate, and then we spent some time in the Word. It was a good family reconnection moment. I told my wife that ministry is fun again. Even though it was a little cold outside, it was nice and warm inside. The week got off to a good start.

My Purpose In Life

I'm just a north St. Louis ghetto kid that God touched at 4-years old. My mom was pregnant with me when her youngest child died. I was born after that great loss. Now I know that my purpose in life is to declare life after death, victory after loss, grace after grief, and purpose after pain.

Walking with God

Well I've started my effort to get back in shape. Way back in high school I used to jog around the Missouri Botanical Garden five days a week. When I attended O.R.U. I could run a couple of miles easily. I loved running. I kept at it for a while even after the church got started in St. Louis.

Running was relaxing and therapeutic. I tried to get back into it again after we moved to Pennsylvania, but the trauma of the last few years was overwhelming. I stopped completely and just gained weight and got flabby and heavy.

After my youngest brother's heart attack, Carol and I started taking walks around the neighborhood. It was very therapeutic and healing. We talked and vented. We connected again. That trip to St. Louis to see my brother had been very difficult. We felt raw on the inside after that trip. Walking and talking was healing for us.

Now we've entered a new era in the ministry. We're in a very nice facility for Urban Life Church. We finally have some stability and a regular schedule. I love it. We've had a couple of visitors and we're going through the What NOW book.

We still aren't seeing a leap in attendance, but something profound is happening to me. I feel the presence of God on me all the time. I've started walking again and it's just wonderful. I just walk and pray in the spirit the whole time. There's a trail that goes around a pond in our neighborhood, so I just walk along the trail praying.

As soon as I get home from work, I change clothes and go for my daily walk with the Lord. I can't explain it, but it's like God is downloading into me when I walk. It's too much to try to grasp it all at once. I just know that I'm being filled up.

I know it's physically healthy to walk everyday, and I plan to pick up the pace and eventually get back to jogging and then running. But this is spiritually and emotionally healthy for me as well. I feel the Lord is pacing me. We have a lot of decisions to make. So I look forward to my daily walk with God.

We love people, not money

Well, I've stepped out there and starting talking about issues that are going to be very controversial. As expected, names have begun dropping off the facebook list.

It's funny how the moment you step on one of those sacred cows, how quickly people drop off the band wagon.

I remember how my Bishop struggled with doctrinal positions with his overseer. He was willing to gracefully bow out of the organization so that he would not cause division, confusion or strife.

I wonder where we will stand as we come forth with our position on various topics. I've been doing quite a bit of research and study on early church history and there was an awful lot of debate over everything. Now I find myself in the same spot where I can either polarize our people or try to just present the facts, and allow them to decide how they will walk out various issues.

The current debate that I have stirred up is the issue of tithes vs. free will giving. Arguments are strong on both sides of the debate. Now as we minister to people who don't know anything about this stuff, there is no way we can hit them with this when they are just walking in the doors, or just deciding to return to church.
So right now, we are presenting both sides of the argument and trying to bring balance. I'm sure that our strategy for balance will be disagreed with and challenged. But I'm more interested in leading people to the Lord and welcoming them back into the family than hitting them over the head with financial requirements and the on-going debate as to if whether they should tithe or not.

So after reading this blog, I'm sure that even more people will drop off the list, but we gotta do, what we gotta do. We love people, not money. I'm not looking for support of our ministry. We're looking to give support to these young lives.

Some will say that I'm hurting them by not enforcing the tithe. I don't believe that. We are teaching them to become givers. We're teaching the law of sowing and reaping. We're teaching about first fruits (which was not a tithe), AND we're presenting the tithe. We're leaving it up to God to lead them in what they should do. We will not enforce or mandate it.

I'd rather take the position of the Apostle Paul and continue to work and support myself than hinder the gospel because of money.

What NOW?

Well, we just launched our new What NOW teaching sessions. After revising the original book, with help from DeVata Davis, we are finally starting to teach the one series of lessons that we have desired to release in Harrisburg ever since we first moved here almost six years ago.

Just as we were preparing to do this, a couple which went through our pre-marital preparation class, contacted us by email. They were asking to meet with us again. I told them that we were about to start a new session called What NOW. The timing was perfect and they came this past Sunday.

We really had fun this past week. It’s been a long time since we’ve been able to say that. This has happened following the surprising set of events on my job. All of a sudden we have experienced a couple of breakthrough incidents.

Already, I’m looking forward to next week, and the week after that, and the week after that. Could this be the start of the new thing for us in Harrisburg? We find ourselves asking the same question as the title of the sessions: What NOW? What is God about to do now?

Our future is not in limbo, but everything is hanging in the balance. I know that we (meaning my family) have reached a point where we are tired and we have no desire to put forth any effort to try to make anything happen. Funny how the very moment you decide to do that, how things always begin to open up and happen.

I look forward to watching how all of this unfolds over the next few weeks and months.

Music from the Heart

I was thinking the other day about the scores of songs that Carol and I have written over the past 20 years. I don’t think that we have ever sold any of the music. Frankly, that is because it is not of the professional level of execution and quality that it would need to be in order to merit being sold. I wouldn’t dare require someone to pay for what we have right now. The goal isn’t pay anyway. The goal is to release the music at the level in which I can hear it in my heart.

I don’t say that with any sense of false humility. That’s just plain reality. I remember when I was in high school and I came face to face with the reality that I didn’t have what it takes in talent and skill to play football. It was quite disappointing and I was depressed about it for a while, but eventually I moved on to find my true gifting which was writing.

I know the same thing applies to music. Even though I have the ability to write songs and place lyrics within a melodic structure, it doesn’t necessary mean I have the ability to play or sing it. I look forward to the day when I’m able to produce a music project where I can employ great musicians and vocalist to play and sing the songs that we have written.

In the meantime, we have recorded and posted most of the songs on our Fruitful Life music webpage. We have even sung a few of them in live settings, but that is not the ultimate goal for me.

I’d like to do a couple of Quincy Jones type projects where others play and sing the songs that we have written. So right now, our songs sit in cyberspace until the day that dream comes true. They are copy written and protected as we await the day we can finally officially and professionally record and release the music from our hearts.

We didn't fail...

I was asked to MC the African American History Month Luncheon Celebration for the PA Dept of Education. Due to the weather, none of the guest, including the keynote speaker, was able to make it. Soooooo, I was asked to fill in and give some remarks.

It's funny how God will set you up for those Once-In-A-Lifetime-moments....I'm sitting at home in a snow storm one day. I'm standing in front of my peers at a podium the next day. Boy, I sure didn't see that coming.

Well, I MC'd the event from start to finish: Trivia questions, introduced the Secretary of Education who greeted everyone and gave a short speech, read the Governor's official proclamation, and played a video clip. Then came the moment to give the closing remarks.

I only have space for highlights: I thanked the Secretary and the Executive Deputy Secretary for the opportunity to work for the Department. I sited Dr. King's "dream" speech and thanked them for hiring me based upon the content of my character and for not judging me based on the color of my skin.
I explained that Faith is always a part of African American celebration because even though there is discussion about separation of Church and State, there is no separation between FAITH and state.

I gave a brief history of my grand parents and parents and said our faith brought us through and that is what was instilled in me...to be a person of character and faith. When I was hired by the Dept of Education to work in the press office, they were not only looking for a person of skill and education, but they were looking for a man of character.

I almost got choked up and emotional as I looked around the room and expressed my gratitude for getting to know many of the people as friends and colleagues. I told them that this has been one of the best experiences of my life to get to know and work with them. I received a very nice ovation.

Afterwards, there were several compliments and even a hug. A couple of emails of thanks came later on in the day. This was one of those special moments, set up by GOD. For 4 years I've just gone to work and tried to be an example as a husband, father, co-worker and friend. I never tried to be PASTOR, Chris. Then in one day, I was given an opportunity to share my heart with the people on my job. I'm still amazed.

If God sent us to Harrisburg to simply live the life, we could pack up and leave tomorrow, and would feel totally fulfilled and at peace. We didn't fail in Harrisburg. This special moment showed me that it has never been all about pastoring a church, but about bringing the life of Christ into the real world. Anybody can preach a sermon, but it's far more important to BE A SERMON.

I'm still in awe of what happened this week. I have talked about market place ministry for years, but to actually see it come to pass, and LIVE IT...I am honored and humbled that God would even think to choose us to represent HIM....there are no words to express this...

Be a Sermon: My African American History Moment

Chris Green, PA Dept of Education

Today, I was asked to MC the African American History Month Luncheon Celebration for the PA Dept of Education. Due to the weather, none of the guest, including the keynote speaker, was able to make it. Soooooo, I was asked to fill in and give some remarks....

...It's funny how God will set you up for those Once-In-A-Lifetime-moments.... I'm sitting at home in a snow storm one day. I'm standing in front of my peers at a podium the next day. Boy, I sure didn't see that coming.

Well, I MC'd the event from start to finish: Trivia questions: I introduced the Secretary of Education who greeted everyone and gave a short speech; I read the Governor's official proclamation and played a special video clip. Then came the moment to give the closing remarks.

I thanked the Secretary and the Executive Deputy Secretary for the opportunity to work for the Department. I cited Dr. King's "dream" speech and thanked them for hiring me based upon the content of my character and for not judging me based on the color of my skin.

I explained that Faith is always a part of the African American celebration because even though there is discussion about the separation of Church and State, there is no separation between FAITH and State.

I gave a brief history of my ancestry (which included the founding of a school in Mississippi) and said our faith brought us through and that is what was instilled in me... to be a person of character and faith. When I was hired by the Dept of Education to work in the press office, they were not only looking for a person of skill and education, but they were looking for a man of character.

I almost got choked up and emotional as I looked around the room and expressed my gratitude for getting to know many of the people as friends and colleagues. I told them that this has been one of the best experiences of my life, to get to know and work with them. I received a very nice ovation.

Afterwards, there were several compliments and even a hug. A couple of emails of thanks came later on in the day. This was one of those special moments, set up by GOD. For 4 years I've just gone to work and tried to be an example as a husband, father, co-worker and friend. I never tried to be PASTOR Chris. Then in one day, I was given an opportunity to share my heart with the people on my job. I'm still amazed.

If God sent us to Harrisburg to simply live the life, then we could pack up and leave tomorrow, and we would feel totally fulfilled and at peace. We would know that we didn't fail in Harrisburg.

Today showed me that it has never been about becoming the pastor of a church, but about bringing the life of Christ into the real world. Anybody can preach a sermon, but it's far more important to BE A SERMON.

I wanted to make you stronger....

Just last night, we attended the anniversary service of a pastor in this community. Like so many times before, we felt led to go even though we were very tired, having already been in our own service Sunday morning.

The guest speaker was a wonderful woman of God who pastors a dynamic and cutting edge church in the inner city. God gave her a powerful word and at the conclusion she shared a story that we know was a confirmation for what God is doing.

She shared a story in which a man was told by the Lord to go out every day and to push a large boulder. So day after day, week after week, month after month, he went out every day and pushed the boulder with all his strength. After several years, the boulder still had not moved one single inch. He felt that after all this time, since nothing had happened it had all been a waste of time and that he had failed.

So the man got discouraged and was ready to quit. He prayed and asked the Lord why HE told him to move this boulder if He knew that it wasn’t going to move after all this time. The Lord answered and said, "I didn’t tell you to move the boulder. I told you to PUSH the boulder. It was not my intention for you to move the boulder, I wanted to prepare you for the mountain that I’m about to take you to conquer. I’m preparing you for the next assignment. While you were pushing the boulder, your muscles have gotten stronger. Your back is stronger. Your legs are stronger. I wanted to make you stronger for your assigned task."

Carol and I just looked at each other. It was the final confirmation, of several, that have come this month during our time of prayer and fasting.

Extreme Makeover has begun...

Three weeks ago I sent out an email to the Urban Life family and friends about the promise that we will experience an Extreme Makeover. Already I'm seeing the requirement upon me to surrender the disappointments of the past and to trust the Lord one more time.

After sharing a special word about Jacob and how he had to get past his fear of losing Benjamin since he had lost Rachel and Joseph, I have found myself in deep thought as it applies to my life.
For me, Benjamin is my wife and sons. I don't want to lose them by stepping out into what seems to be another risky effort. In fact, no matter what we do, it is the same step that Jacob had to make. If we move forward, it's risky. If we stay, it's risky. Lord, guide my steps!

We are faced with some real choices now. My job will end in January 2011, so I have less than a year to decide what to do. Shall we continue with the efforts in Harrisburg or shall we prepare to move on?

The Spirit of God has made it clear that something greater is in store for us. We have an opportunity to prepare and train our children, the young adults of Urban Life, for the next level. I'm delegating more to them to carry the load. I'm completing the books that I'm supposed to write. I'm completing the songs I'm supposed to release.

Something has already happened and I just sense that we're supposed to prepare ourselves for the manifestation of what has already exploded for us in the spirit realm. Our extreme makeover has begun. Demolition has started and we are preparing for a new structure for our family, life and ministry.

Coming to the end of an era....

We're coming to the end of an era...a long season of wilderness testing and dream preparation. Many years ago our bishop was given a vision and in that vision, God called out our names (Chris and Carol) regarding the aspects of the vision that involved multimedia.

God sent us to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania to get us ready for that calling. We thought it was all about starting a church. We thought it was about so many other things. But as times goes by, we can see more clearly what this has really been about.

For one, my wife has been connected with her mom and given an opportunity to bring much healing into her life. For her mom, it's been the answer to a prayer to see the genuine and real work of the Holy Spirit in her life and in the church. She's been able to get to know her grandsons. All of that would be reason enough for packing up and restructuring our lives to move 800 miles away from home and to see this happen in her life. The restoration of this one relationship makes it worth it all.

Another reason has involved connecting with the Carter family. Out of all the people that have come and gone through the years, only they have remained. It has been a deeply trying time for them, but they have hung in there. God sent us here to connect with them and we have a united purpose as families who will join with other families like them...who want the will of God for their lives....who want more than religion and routines.

Another reason is that it's been a season of growth and development for our sons. God only knows, but we are certain that we would have lost them to the violence or some other negative influence of the big city. Instead, the Lord placed us in a small town and gave us quality time to spend together with our sons.

Another reason for the season was to preserve my very life. After years of living on adrenaline and caffeine, rarely eating, and flying at a high energy level, I would have been dead for sure. I mean that for real. I would not be here. God took me out of fulltime ministry, put me on a regular job with weekends off, slowed me down, and gave me a balanced pace of living. I could never go back to the madness and pace of yesterday.

It's been a tough era. We weren't able to do much for our 25th wedding anniversary or our 50th birthdays, yet, we discovered that life was more important than events.

So 2010 is the year for us to build again. We're about to close out this era, and move on into what we were put on this earth to do. I'm not sure what all of that will mean.

The Lord gave me a supernatural experience last week. I had the first "vision" ever in my life. It was no dream. I had a real vision. Something was restored regarding our original calling and purpose as it is connected with Raphael Green, and now we are preparing ourselves to step into it.

Our days may be winding up for Pennsylvania. It seems that when God sent us here, it was a move of preservation and preparation of a precious assignment. Now just like the winter slowly gives way to spring, so is our time here giving way to destiny as we look forward to the next step in our journey to purpose fulfillment.

Celebrating 29 years of marriage....

January 3, 2010

There aren't enough words to express how much I love my wife, Carol.
So here's a song I wrote to her:

SPEND MY LIFE WITH YOU

If I had a million dollars that I could trade for time and life
I'd buy a million years and share them all as man and wife.
And though some would take the funds and find a thousand things to do,
I'd take every cent and spend my life with you.