Journeying Together

December - Jeff and I have journeyed together for several years. We started meeting soon after we had arrived back in the USA. God allowed me to be there at key points for him. When we moved to Georgia, Jeff and I continued to meet (via phone) each week for prayer, encouragement and coaching. Here is his take on it...

During the past few years my weekly prayer times with Steve Smith have brought many personal insights, focus, and overall health in the ministries I am a part of at the church where I lead.

I have appreciated the way Steve will listen and ask the deeper questions to help identify, address, and release the tensions of ministry within me. I have also valued the fact that whatever I need to share with Steve, he has been able to hear the deepest, darkest aspects of my life without judgment or fear of what it was that I could choose to do with all the options that lay before me.

I have always valued prayer enough to have intercessors praying with me, paving the way for the work that God wanted me to do. However, I very much wrestle with my personal commitment to praying on my own. Steve and I have shared very insightful moments in prayer together, and I have never questioned Steve’s motives or his agenda when we have met. This time with Steve is one of the highlights of my week.

For me, it would be easy to say that I am too busy for another prayer meeting. I can say without any doubt in my own mind that these times of prayer together have been essential to where I am in ministry today. Quite humbly, I would add that I would not be in ministry today if it were not for these times with Steve. What I am sharing is less about Steve and more about the way God uses Steve to represent His love and grace in my life.

I’m grateful that God’s brought our paths together during this season. My life has been impacted in ways that have breathed new life into me for the work that God still has before me. Whether you share a similar experience with Steve Smith or another intercessor, my prayer for you would be that you would find joy in the work God’s called you to do and that you would run your race in a way that would allow you to endure to the end—finishing well! The local church needs more leaders like this!

"I have brought you glory on earth
by completing the work you gave me to do."
John 17:4

Jeff Logsdon
Pastor - The Flipside
Rancho Cucamonga, CA
25 December 2010
http://flipsidechurch.com

More than stoked!

November - On a beautiful Georgia Autumn day, I had the opportunity to spend several hours with David Walters. First we prayed together through their building. It was some serious intercession stuff! Then we hopped in the car and went up to the land that has just been given to them to build on. We praised God together and prayed there on the land. David is more than stoked about this generous gift of 11 1/2 acres that his denomination has given their church! David started The Vine a bit over three years ago and is excited about the days ahead. He has a heart and vision to impact Braselton and beyond. And it is a privilege for me to journey with him as a friend!On the land!
David Walters
Lead Pastor - The Vine
Braselton, GA
http://www.connecttothevine.org/

10 November 2010

God's Timing

October - When we began feeling the stirrings about moving to Georgia we took several trips out South to prayerfully check it out. Kyle & Robin (Pastor of Athens Vineyard Fellowship) were the first to open their home and hearts to me, and then to our family. To me, Kyle has been the "man of peace" who provided an open door for us to this city (Luke 10). It just so happened (as if there are coincidences with God) that our lives converged just when they needed a voice of encouragement and support. Listen to what Kyle says about it...

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I thank God for sending Steve to Georgia when he did! He providentially provided a knowledgeable and informed encourager to walk alongside me and help me think through my calling, strategy, and vision. He is aware of resources unknown to me, is able to see what I'm doing with fresh eyes, and provides non-judgmental advice in a pastor's world where it can be very difficult to earn the right to have a voice in someone's life. Again, thank God for Steve Smith. His timing was crucial for this pastor.

Kyle Wise

Lead Pastor - Athens Vineyard Christian Fellowship

Athens, GA

http:www.athensvineyard.com

30 October 2010

Ekklesia

September - Besides gathering together and praying with the lead pastors each month I also get to meet with individual pastors to pray one on one. Mark Palmer was one of these pastors whom I was privileged to pray with in September. Mark started Ekklesia this summer with their first service on June 27th. They met at the Creative Theatre at Memorial Park until just a few weeks ago when they began services at Seney Stovall Chapel. Ekklesia has a heart for those who are not connected to churches. One mid-week morning we got into their facilities and had a great prayer time focusing on their new congregation, its leadership (Mark & Rhonda included) and God's dream for them. Here is Mark standing right outside their historic meeting place. Mark Palmer

Lead Pastor – Ekklesia
Athens, GA
http://www.ekklesiaathens.com/

About Pastors Praying Together

September - Since arriving in Athens in January I have been building relationships with various pastors here. Last month we finally got together and prayed for one another and our city. Unity is an important part of expressing God's kingdom in the city. Psalm 133 says that it is a good and pleasant thing when brothers dwell in unity, so much so that God bestows a blessing with it!!! Jesus said that a house divided cannot stand (Matthew 12:25), implying a house that is united does stand! It is truly a beautiful and powerful thing when lead/senior pastors get together and pray! Yesterday, we had our second of such meetings in Athens and here is the testimony of one of the pastors afterwards...

PRAYER IS POWERFUL

In two weeks I will be talking about the Power of Prayer in our B30X series…Today I EXPERIENCED it first hand. Just returned to my office from praying with 10 different Pastors, all from Athens - WOW!!!!!!

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It was RAW…it was REAL…it was from “the gut.” It was POWERFUL & AMAZING to pray TOGETHER, BOLDLY, and UNSELFISHLY (that’s hard for pastors). My day will NOT be the same as a result!! We cried out to God to do something GREAT in our CITY. We begged God to help MEN to be the leaders in their families and this community God has called them to be. We asked God to protect MARRIAGES. We prayed that our generation would hand off well the promises of God to the NEXT GENERATION! We asked FORGIVENESS for our pride, prejudice, performance mentality, and lack of unity at times. We prayed that the WORD OF GOD would be preached BOLDLY and LIVES WOULD BE TRANSFORMED. BOO YAH!!!

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…special thanks to Steve Smith for the vision, persistence, and courage to get us there!!

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I don’t know everything that happened in Acts 2…I’m sure it will be debated until Jesus comes and I’m sure for many it was out of their comfort zone. I DO KNOW, though, that God showed up and showed off. I DO KNOW HIS POWER was UNLEASHED like NEVER BEFORE. I DO KNOW HE got ALL THE GLORY!! If I’ve got to be humiliated – so be it. If we’ve got to get out of our comfort zones – let’s do it!! BUT WHATEVER IT TAKES, let’s PRAY TOGETHER as one and BEG GOD BOLDLY as His church that our generation would experience HERE and NOW an UNLEASHING of GOD’s POWER that the church 2000 years from now will still be talking about!!

Jim Carpenter

Lead Pastor - Compass Church

Athens, GA

http://www.compasschurch.com/

09 September 2010

The Vine

August - It has been awesome journeying with David Walters over these past several months. David is the Lead Pastor of The Vine. We intially made contact before we ever moved to Georgia, but didn't actually meet until this past January. We have been meeting regularly ever since. The Vine is the church where the rest of our family attends in Braselton, which is about 45 minutes from our home in Athens.I consider myself blessed to know Steve Smith. I know that Steve’s sole desire for our relationship is encouragement and support of me, and he accomplishes those two things each time we meet. In Steve, I have found a man who seeks the Lord with all his heart. The overflow of his faith is the most encouraging aspect of our time together. Yet, during our time spent together, he’s also proven to be a resource of wisdom, revelation, and encouragement. Whether it’s a question he asks, a word that he shares, or a prayer that he offers, I always leave feeling challenged to grow deeper in my walk with Christ, better equipped to do ministry, and ready to face the challenges of pastoral leadership. I am grateful to God for Steve Smith and what he offers the Kingdom of God!

David Walters
Lead Pastor – The Vine

Braselton, GA

http://www.connecttothevine.org/