On Saturday August 29, over 200 people boarded the Spirit of Chicago to celebrate my 10th Anniversary as Pastor of the Mars Hill Baptist Church of Chicago.   The event was fun, festive, and classy!  I love Mars Hill and consider it a privilege to serve as her pastor.

Previously, pastors would celebrate their pastoral anniversary by having a banquet at a hotel or banquet hall. This year we decided to change the game and hold my 10th Anniversary aboard The Spirit of Chicago.  We had an AWESOME time! I want to thank Mary Taylor, our staff, and our members for making this a memorable occasion.

Enjoy the video!

Michael Jackson, one of the most widely beloved entertainers and profoundly influential artists of all-time, leaves an indelible imprint on popular music and culture.  He is the King of Pop and we’ll forever remember you!

THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES & MUSIC MICHAEL!
1958-2009

Sunday services are over, but, my mind is STILL spinning…

1. I honestly feel that this weekends services were the most amazing services we’ve ever had since I became pastor in 1999.
2. Our total church attendance was over 2,500 for the first time in the history of our church!
3. I preached about God’s historical bailouts & (The Full Coverage Plan, The “I AM” Plan, The Provision Plan) & closed with The Greatest Bailout that ever happened – The Resurrection Plan!
4. Our NEW & IMPROVED Video Venue Service had over 220 for the first time today!  I want to thank all the ushers, greeters, deacons, ministers, and security who served in our Video Venue – YOU ARE SIMPLY THE BEST!
5. Our 100-voice choir was OFF THE CHAIN as they slammed Donald Lawrence’s “Matthew 28.”
6. Honestly, I believe Mars Hill has the best Worship & Fine Arts Ministry – PERIOD!  There are churches with larger ministries & celebrity musicians & personalities.  However, I’ll take our anointing over any celebrity!
7. Folks…what happened yesterday at our church IS NOT NORMAL…it wasn’t a “nice service”…it was a move of God!  I’ve honestly never been a part of something like what happened today…and it’s only the beginning.
8. Religion is all about what we do to get to God…Christianity is all about what God did to get to us!
9. THAT is one of the problems with church today…we’ve became “normal” when the call of Christ on our lives is to change the world-”normal” people can’t do that!
10. We will continue this series on Sunday…expecting/praying for God to do amazing things AGAIN!

AND…to My Mars Hill Family…a personal note…

Reality is this…satan got his butt kicked this weekend!  Hell is going to be less crowded!  People crossed over from death to life.  The way a community is changed is by the church preaching AND living the Gospel…and I believe we are going to continue to see Jesus do the unexplainable and undeniable…and we, His church, will continue to become unstoppable!

He’s alive-we win…now all we need to do is continually run up the score!!!

I LOVE you guys…I LOVE our church…I LOVE serving here…there is NOTHING ELSE on the planet I would rather do!  I’m bought in!!!

I can’t wait to see what happens next!