Well.....we did it. We announced it on Sunday. We are changing the name of our church. We will be the same church of course....but we feel like it is time for a new name.

As I said yesterday....

Reasons for a change:

1) The location where we are located is not considered South Charlotte.
2) The name CSF does not embody of describe who we are as a church and what is our DNA.
3) The name CSF is often confused and mixed up when people say it.
4) Our new strategy of being One Church...different locations means we need a non-location specific name.

Why now:
1) We celebrate our 10 anniversary in January.
2) We launch our first new campus this Winter.
3) Why Not???

for more info and continual Q/A go to Myteamchurch.com

SO what is the new name? As we unveiled yesterday we are now......

Team Church!

This Sunday you will see the name and logo changed everywhere on the inside. We will not go public on the outside until January 1st! Also, this Sunday you can buy some great new Team Church gear for Christmas presents!

Today is the last day until Dec 1st that I will have the daily BLOG. The Hibbard family is heading out for Thanksgiving....and I don't take the computer or BLOG while on vacation.......if you happen to be around a TV on Saturday, flip on the Florida Gator VS Florida State Seminole game and look for Peyton and I. We will be celebrating his birthday at the game and enjoying a BIG Gator win!

Nativity: A Live MUral Painting

One December 7th, plan to bring at least one person who does not normally attend our church with you! It will be an incredible way to kickoff the Christmas season.

The Atrium area will be decorated with a beautiful and seasonal Christmas feel. We will have a nice assortment of food and drinks as you would see at any Painting Galleria or Art Grand Opening.

The Band will play Great Christmas worship music and a few classic Christmas songs.

Our Professional Painting team will begin painting on the HUGE 18x10 canvas wall. Each Sunday they will be painting live while we are worshiping, while I am speaking and while you are enjoying multi-sensory Christmas experience.

The painting will be complete on Christmas Eve!

We have printed nice invitations for you to give to one or two people that you personally know. These are invitations like you would see for the opening of a new paint gallery or just one painting on display. These are not just flyer's to be passed out....they are personal invitations. Please take time to pray about who are some people you would like to invite and then write them a personal note on the invitation and ask them to join you on December 7th!

Our goal is to give our city the most creative Christmas story telling that they can imagine so that the reality of Christmas "Comes To Life" for them. YOUR responsibility is to bring someone who needs to experience it with you!

It will be a site to behold......this HUGE painting coming to life before our eyes!

PS...The rumors are true.....I do get to help paint while I am speaking....at least on the first Sunday!


BIG DAY THIS SUNDAY.....DON'T MISS IT! 9am and 10:30am

Today's Bible Reading Matthew Chapters 8-10

BIG SUNDAY ANNOUNCEMENT COMING....

Tech problems this morning.....so the BLOG was late. Once again I wanted to share a note from Steve Miller, the new pastor at the campus we are opening in the Kershaw, SC area. Steve and the people that will be the core group for this new adventure will be here this Sunday. However, THAT is not the biggest news we will be announcing this Sunday! We have HUGE news this Sunday. It will forever change how you view, talk about and think about our church.

Here is a note from Steve...

I'm really excited about the big Sunday at "our" church this weekend. The Kershaw core group will all be there. We'll be available to meet and talk. It's very cool to be not only a part of launching a new campus, but also be a part of such a huge day in the life of the church. We're all pumped! Of course, we're all kind of nervous as you might guess....After all this is brand new. God has called us all to pioneer this new campus together. You'll find some application in the Scripture reading for today. In Matthew 6, Jesus says "do not be anxious for your life...do not be anxious for tomorrow" (Matt. 6:25 & 34).

Hey, it's our nature to worry over this next chapter in the life of our church, but Jesus says...even commands us to not worry about. That doesn't mean that we shouldn't plan carefully over the details of this God-breathed dream. But it does mean that our trust in God should overcome our fears. See you this Sunday!


Today's Bible Reading Matthew Chapters 5-7.

Worth The Effort and Money

Not every person who calls our church home can know everything we do in and for our community. We are too large for that to happen. However, everyone should know that a big value and purpose we have here is to impact our community in creative ways that show we have an interest in being a part of the fabric of our community.

I remember when we built our creative and non-church looking building....that people who saw the plans would ask.... why? Why would we build such a building. I would always say that we are building a place that can be used for our community in different ways. That we wanted a building that would be used for normal weekly ministry, but, also one that we could help impact our community by being involved in what our city is involved with through out the year.

This week is one of those weeks. This Sunday we had our normal Sunday services. Then Sunday, Monday and Tuesday night we hosted and led the Matthews Area Recreational Football banquets. Over 350 players and their parents came to the banquets we hosted. These players were challenged by two Carolina Panthers and the head coach at Butler High...Mike Newsome. Every night families from our community were here and saw our community outreach value in high gear. Tonight our Student Ministry will be here for a year-end bonfire while another sports banquet is taking place for the Porter Ridge Association.

Thursday night our Thrive seminars will fill the building and then Friday we will have our last Butler High team devotion/meal here before they head off for the 2nd round of the playoffs. Then of course....it is Sunday again.

Not every week is like this one. However, I wanted to remind you that what we promised we would do with the building you helped build....we are doing. Thousands of people come through these doors every week for all kinds of ministry opportunities. We are about changed lives. We are about reaching people where they are and leading them to full devotion in Christ. That may be on a Sunday morning...or any other day of the week.

We are a church that values teaming up with our community, other churches and the like. Together, we plan to impact and reach our community in a great way. Thanks for seeing and supporting the vision of or team Church.


Today's Bible Reading Matthew chapters 1-4

These Christmas chapters will get you in the mood for a wonderful Christmas season!

The first 10 minutes

The first 10 minutes are very important.......

In the first 10 minutes I can prepare my heart and soul in an non-rushed way to hear from God.

In the first 10 minutes I can worship God with our great band as they lead me in beautiful worship.

In the first 10 minutes I feel comforted that I have checked my kids in on time and they too are not missing out on anything that the teachers and leaders have for them.

In the first 10 minutes I can make sure I sit up front and save the back seats for a guest who maybe arrives a little late because they were not sure where to go.

In the first 10 minutes I can be reminded of what the message is going to be about and then ask God to speak to me today.

In the first 10 minutes I can make sure the guest I invited understands what is going on and can help them too get ready to worship, experience and learn.

In the first 10 minutes I can clap and sing and enjoy a moment being led by an awesome band that has practiced for countless hours for just that song and that... moment.

In the first 10 minutes I can whisper a prayer for someone I noticed while walking in that seemed upset or to be having a bad morning.

In the first 10 minutes I can whisper a prayer and ask God to help KC, the band, the tech team, the stage team and Kenny to be at their best.

The first 10 minutes is the key to a great hour of worship, teaching, laughing, crying and experiencing whatever else God has for me in the next 50 minutes.

I don't know about you...but I want God's best. I don't want second rate because I missed the first 10 minutes of the service. If I miss the first 10 minutes......I short change what God wants me to know and experience. If I miss the first 10 minutes I could miss it all!

Today's Bible Reading 2 Corinthians 11-13

Dream Team

Yesterday was awesome in both services as we ended with the powerful song....Shine.

I hope you will take to heart the challenge yesterday to build yourself a Dream Team. People who are in your life that are committed to God, committed and loyal to you and your dream God has given you! Here again is the Dream Team we learned from David's life and should strive to have in our own everyday journey of life.

A Dream Team needs to have:

1) A loyal friend who loves you for who you are and will be loyal at all times. David had Jonathan.

2) A truth-teller friend who will stand up for you and will stand up to you when needed. Someone who will help keep you accountable. David had Nathan who would always come and challenge his choices if they were out of line.

3) A "practical help" friend who understands the dream and will be able to get things done. This person is also someone who is gifted at things you are not and they complete your gift mix. David had the the great warrior Joab.

4)Positive and encouraging friends who are always there to give you a shot of encouragement when you are down. They are positive people who lift your spirits when the dream seems to be fading. David had three men....just called in the Bible....The Three!

The last thing we talked about was the fact that we have to remember that these are God given dreams. That means you cannot know it or follow it until you have joined into relationship with God. You must be a Christian to have such a dream. If you are reading this BLOG and have never accepted Jesus Christ as savior then it is impossible for you to grasp a God given dream. However, at this moment you can ask Christ to be you savior and He will. Like I said yesterday, if you want to talk with a pastor about this critical decision....just ask!

Today's Bible Reading 2 Corinthians Chapter 7-10

Small chapters great stories and lessons. In this season of generosity....these verses remind us what is most important.

Economic Reality

The news this week has not been encouraging. The big three automakers are saying they will be bankrupt by spring. Stores like Circuit City and Blockbuster say they may not make it to Christmas.....and the list goes on.

I also know that just about every week here at our church I hear about another family who has lost their job. Some are moving to another city....some are looking for a job here. The experts say that "things" will probably get worse before they get better.

These are definitely times that test our faith and demand a continual prayer for God's grace and help. In reading through the history of the Great Depression you read that it was a time where people who had never been to church or who never really took their faith serious.....were going and asking God for help. That is the good part and we are seeing that here now at our church.

The other reality for churches during these times is that people stop giving to their local church. We are also seeing that here. Our weekly offerings are lower now ...with more people ....than they have been in 16 plus months. These are the economic realities we as a church are living through too.

I am calling for each person at our church that reads this BLOG today to whisper a prayer like this:

1) Pray for those who have lost jobs.
2) Pray for those who still have jobs but their wages have dropped.
3) Pray for our church that we can sustain at a high level with the drop of giving.
4) Pray that people will continue to give as God as asked them.

Like every other American and church challenge this country has faced, we will get through this one as we stay together under the leadership of Christ. Tough times call for tough people. Challenging times call for people of faith. Hard times call for people who also rely on God's grace.

Today's Bible Reading 1 Corinthians 15 & 16

A Message From Our New Campus Pastor

As you know, we have begun laying the ground work for our first new campus. Our dream is to be one church with many campuses and to have those campuses in a variety of different kinds of places.....small towns, college towns, inner city and other places that do not normally have our style and DNA churches currently there. However, we will be one team and one church. Here is a short note from Steve Miller...a USC Gamecock grad who knows his team will lose this week to the Mighty Gators!

*********************************************************************************
Hey.....I'm really excited about what God is going to do in the Kershaw area through this new church campus. I've felt that God has been getting the people in this town ready for something like this ever since I moved here eight years ago. I met several families over that time that have had the same feeling and those folks are now the core group of this new campus site for our church. That is right....I said our church. We are one church teaming up to reach may different areas. We have already seen God do amazing things through us as individuals here in the Kershaw area and now expect even greater things as we create this new church campus!

We look forward to seeing God do even greater things as He has been doing in your ministry area. Things like.....

Teaming up with our community as we care for needs through a clothes closet, food pantry, and assistance organization.

Teaming up with our community as we send out teenagers as hometown missionaries in a town that already has a program where they work a few weeks out of the summer fixing up homes in the community.

Teaming up together in a community-wide, multi-racial, non-denominational service just like the one we'll participate in this coming Thanksgiving.

Providing a creative and culturally relevant Sunday service that will reach and impact people here like no other church is providing in this area.

Providing a local church that reaches people where they are and then are lead them in grace to full devotion in Jesus Christ.

Being a church that focuses on reaching those who have never been to church or are in need of a new kind of church experience.

This is what I have always wanted to do be a part of and now I am excited that my family and a few of our friends will have the opportunity to team up with you and impact this area.

Looking forward to meeting you all on November 23rd!

Steve Miller
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Today's Bible Reading 1 Corinthians 13 & 14

Christmas Mission 2008

Our Christmas Mission is here! Every year we purchase a personalized gift for over 700 kids, their teachers and the administration staff at Walter Bicket Elem School in Monroe. This is a school that as under-privileged and at high risk kids that attend there.

For the last eight years we have been going there on the last day of school and giving them a huge Christmas program as a large group and then individual parties in each class room. The best part....right now each kid is given a blank Christmas wish list card. On this card they can ask for anything they really want under $25. (The teachers help them..) Starting this Sunday the great people of our church take these tickets, buy the gift specifically for that child, bring it here and then we take two trailers filled with over 700 gifts to the school for each child to unwrap and have a great gift.

The administration shares with us each year that these are basically the only gifts many of these kids will unwrap and get. They love it and it is a great way to Team up with a local school for maximum impact.

You can pick up your personalized ticket starting this Sunday!

Speaking of Christmas.....this year our Christmas series is called Nativity and the entire month of December will have a huge canvas wall (15 feet long and 10 feet high) on the stage that will have a live painting through each service. Our painters will be painting a huge Christmas Mural on the stage while we sing and even while I am speaking.

This Sunday we will be passing out special invitations for you to give to a few people and invite them to the grand opening of this live mural exhibit that starts being painted on December 7th. We are asking each person or family to bring at least one guest on Sunday morning, December 7th, to help us kickoff this creative and unique Christmas series.

Today's Bible Reading 1 Corinthians 12

This is a great chapter that shows very clearly a value of our church. Paul says here that each person should discover their spiritual gifts and then use them in the local church. He compares the church to that of an actual body. Our body is one...but we have different parts that are used to make the body function at it's highest potential. We have arms, ears, eyes and the like. Each has a specific role to play and if it does not work....then the body is not as successful. Same is true with the church. We are like a body with many parts. Guess what? When a few parts choose not to work and function....the church is less dynamic and successful in it's purpose and mission.

I have said it another way for nine years. The local church is like a team. Each person should commit to One Purpose of the team and then understand they have a share in the responsibility to meet that One Purpose. Moreover, as individuals we have to have a personal devotion that enables us to be ready to share in that responsibility.

Veterans Day

Across American today, those who have served in our Nations military will be honored and......they should be! It is a great and noble thing to go and serve one's country. America would not be what we are if not for the brave young men and women who have served and some have paid the ultimate price for our freedom.

That is one thing about success and dreams that come true. They always happen because someone has gone ahead of that dream and usually had to sacrifice something of great worth. That sacrifice could be in time, money or even in their life. As we get ready next year to celebrate our church's 10 year anniversary I am always reminded of the personal sacrifice that it took from my family and many others to help lay the ground work for this dream church we now enjoy.

This past Sunday I spoke to a new core group in Kershaw, South Carolina. This, of course, is the site of our first campus in our dream of being one church that has many campuses is places where churches like ours do not exist. I talked briefly to a gathering of about 45 people who are excited about being a part of church...there in Kershaw. I began telling their leaders there about the coming excitement and sacrifice that will be a part of the new campus God is leading us to start there. We are excited to announce that we have a 4,200 square foot warehouse that we are going to lease and this will be the site of our new church campus there. The owner of the warehouse is paying all "up-fitting" cost and we will assume the lease when he is done. This is going to be awesome!

REZONING ALERT: Last night the board made their own motion without discussion to defer the vote until December 9th. They are getting false information from a neighbor about our church and the plans we have. The town council said they need more info before voting. We will be meeting with the people who have questions over the next few weeks. If you live in the city limits of Matthews....Please take the time to call and write each person on the board and express your concern of why THEY are not willing to vote for this basic rezoning. We need 6 out of 7 town council people to vote "yes." I am not sure which ones are holding up the vote, so just send a note to all of them. Let your voting voice be heard in this manner! A couple hundred calls and emails should let them know how passionate their voting public is about this matter.

Today's Bible Reading 1 Corinthians 9-11

Fail Forwrd

Yesterday was such a Failure....no just kidding. As you know we learned about Failing Forward. Every dream you have will have moments of failure. Steps along the journey that are not what you thought would happen and are marked with a failure.

Remember this.....Failure Is Not:
* Avoidable
* The Enemy
* Irreversible
* Final

Failure can be used as a learning step and one that test your resolve! Those who never move because they are afraid of failure....will never live their dreams. Those who stop every time a failed step is taken....will never complete any dream journey. All great God given dreams will have the risk and reality of failure. The difference between living in our dreams or not.....is our perception and response to those failures.

As we have learned as a staff at this church....if you are not having a few failures...you are not trying hard enough and taking enough calculated risk! Dare to Dream.....Act on those dreams......be resolved in your heart to fail forward!

Go to our interactive Believe In Now website to read others dreams and what they are doing and record your own. Myteamchurch.com

Today's Bible Reading 1 Cor 7 & 8

One of the favorite passages of married men! Chapter 7:1-5 talks specifically about few things in marriage. First of all in the troubled times these folks were living, Paul agrees with a statement that he had already made earlier to THESE people about staying single. There are times in a person's life or in the setting in which they are living that getting married is not the smart thing to do.

However, Paul tells them, if they desire to be married and thus sexually active then they should get married even though it may not be the bet time and of course they should only have sex with their spouse. Moreover, Paul addresses an issue that was happing in marriage. That being the issue of the two becoming one. Meaning that when you get married your body no longer belongs to you alone...but to your spouse. Sex in marriage is not only a beautiful event...it is also a need in marriage if the marriage is to be healthy and fulfilling. Paul even gives a warning, never deprive the other from this married act except for mutual consent and because you are devoting yourself to prayer. If a spouse is put on a sex diet.....then Paul says it becomes very hard for that person not to look around at the cheap fast food places around town!

CRAVE

This afternoon our Student Ministry is leaving for a weekend retreat. (What a great weekend God has given them as far the weather.) Please be praying for them as these are special times for teenagers to get away for a few days and refocus, recommit, and set their sights on living a God honoring life.

As many of you know, we launched a new Wednesday night service just for students this Fall. It has been awesome! Every Wednesday night they have averaged over 120 teenagers here for great teaching, worship and a safe place to hang with friends. Great job to Brad Saab and his dynamic Student Ministry Leadership Team. These volunteers put in tons of hours to serve our students. Great job and have fun this weekend!

Speaking of volunteers.....we are looking for some people to serve in one of our largest community service projects and outreach to the community. November 16-18 we will host the Matthews Area Rec Association football banquet here at the church. This is a free service we offer to the Association. The best part is that we will have over a 1,200 players and families here for the event AND we bring in quality speakers to share with the players about Character, Integrity, Academics, Athletics and doing their best. The speakers also share freely about their faith and how God leads in all these areas.

This years speakers:

* Current Carolina Panther and former Butler Bulldog...Kenny Moore.

* Former Panther and Super Bowl winner with the Buccaneers....Casey Weldon

* Head Coach of the Butler Bull Dogs...Mike Newsome

This is a great event that we Team up with every year! If you would like to serve one of the nights....please email chris@charlottesouth.org

Today's Bible Reading Galatians 5 & 6

I love the principle in 6:4 as it says that each of us should test our selves against what God has called us to do. We don't need to compare our self to others...just to what God has asked us to do according to the gifts, passions and opportunities He has given us.

The Water Split

As you know, we have been in a contract for the 38 acres behind our current 20 acre parcel. Since the beginning, the owners have been willing to offer us owner financing over the next 6 years at one payment per year due every January. Our first yearly payment would not be due until January 2010. However, to actually purchase the land and start to use it, we of course had to come up with a higher down payment of 125K at closing. From that point we would own the land and could start using it and immediately make plans for fields, walking trails and of course future expansion.

Our Lead Team had decided that the best course of actions was to refinance our current building loan and use the equity to pay the initial down payment and then use budget money to make the yearly payment to the family. However, as you know, the bottom fell out of our economy and the banks that are not closing.... are not lending either. So, with only a 1/4 of the money needed to close, we "kept walking toward the river" and seeking to get the land rezoned and praying that God would find a way.

Last week two families who love this church and the long term purpose God has for it stepped up in these hard economical times and gave sacrificially. Their gifts gave us a total of 75K to offer to the family as the best we could do with a down payment. We offered this reduction of down payment and no changes to the original contract or payments for 2 years and "stepped into the water" that is economically raging at flood status toward our dream.

God showed up and the family has accepted our much lower down payment offer and no additional money needed until 2011. The final rezoning should happen this Monday night and we will close on those beautiful 38 acres behind us on Tuesday. Securing this property with owner financing was a smart treat 9 months ago......who would have ever known that it would be the only way to go in these banking crisis times. Now, we can continue to move forward with our long-range dream of having a large campus on the corner of 485/74 that impacts our city in amazing ways. This dream is both short term and longterm....and it starts with small steps.

Dreams that come from God are worth pursuing......be here Sunday as we look at how to Fail Forward when our dreams hit bumps in the road.

How is your personal dream life going? I read today on the Myteamchurch.com site about a mom in our church hat has started taking drum lessons because she always had a dream to play the drums in a band....but never MOVED. She is moving now and having a blast!

Today's Bible Reading Galatians 3 & 4

Galatians 3:28-29 is a great verse for our wonderful new presidential reality. It says that in Christ their is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female. What this means is that if anyone of any nationality, color or gender has accepted Jesus Christ as Savior then God sees us all the same with no favoritism. God does not like one person anymore than another and each person on this earth has the privilege of coming to faith in Jesus Christ through the grace offered on the cross.

This is the verse my good friend, Pastor Stacey Lemay, used a few months ago when he brought his predominately black church to join with us for a great baptism service where black and white were baptized here in an amazing display of racial harmony when we are all in Christ! We will be doing that again at the first of the year.

A New President!

The results are in. Obama is the new President elect. I am not ashamed or scared to mention that I voted and supported the guy who lost. I do agree with Senator McCain that although I disagree with most of Obama's civil and moral views.....he is our President and deserves our respect and support. In so many ways this election has the appearance of promise and hope. It is a great day for all American's in the fact that an African American has been elected to the highest position. My prayer is that much of what has been promised actually happens in Washington. We can only pray and ask for God's best!

Speaking of God's Best......

Our Myteamchurch.com website is buzzing with people reading and many writing down their Dreams and now action plans. I encourage you to go there and read some of the stuff our church folks our dreaming about.

This Sunday we will talk about Failing Forward. How do you continue taking strategic faith steps when you experience set backs and failure. You should know that nothing great is ever dreamed or accomplished without risk of Failure. You should also know that most BIG dreams only are realized once you have over come failure.

Today's Bible Reading Galatians Chapter 1 & 2

The Book of Galatians is a book about how to live your life in the fullness of the Grace of God. Paul starts the book of by reminding us that the gospel (good news of Jesus Christ and how to be saved) does not change. It does not get tweaked with new generations and new "learning's." It stays the same. Paul was clear that he was not looking for the approval of men....but of God. In Chapter 2 we read about Paul apposing Peter to his face. Paul said that he did this.."because Peter was clearly wrong." Peter had become weak and subservient to the religious and political leaders who were teaching that Gentiles were different than Jews and could not have salvation in the same way.

Personal Or Private On Two Big Issues

Today is the big election! I hope you all go out and vote!

In my life I have found that there are a two things that Christian people keep quiet about as they claim it is a private matter. However, I personally don't agree that when you look at these two issues that they are private. They are very personal.....but I have never understood why they are private.

One issue is that of "who did you vote for?" The way I see it, if you are an informed voter and you have voted in line with your values, your social views and in line with how you view civil policies.....then why not share with people who you voted for? Why all the secrecy?

If your person loses....hey, at least you voted and you know what you believe and why you voted. If your person wins or loses...and is unpopular in your circle of friends...stand up and be proud of your beliefs. In my experience, the people who shy away from telling who they voted for do so because they are really clueless to why they voted and they don't want anyone to challenge their views....because they can't defend themselves. Or....the person they voted for goes against the values they say they believe in.....but they wanted to vote for that person for financial issues or other issues that do not seem to be as "value" driven as the one the person they voted for stands against. They are embarrassed to let people know who they voted for because they know the values of their peers goes against that of the candidate they just voted. To me it is silly and border line spineless. If you feel good enough about a person to vote for them.......don't be ashamed to tell people!

The second issue is that of tithing to your local church. Christian people believe that God tells us to bring our money to the local church so that we show our trust, honor and obedience to God through that act of giving. Moreover, everyone knows that the local church functions solely on the money given by it's faithful members. So, as simple as it is to see that God commands it and the church needs it to function...why are Christians so hush hush about what they give to their local church. Again, people will say it is a private matter. This is not actually true because it is a command of God......it is a personal matter that each person must decide if they are going to do...but it is not private.

Again, in my experience, the people who are not willing to tell if they tithe to a local church are the people who do not feel good about their decision. They make the decision every month but don't believe it to be one that matches what they say are their values and beliefs....so they would rather not have to explain why they don't give. They just say it is a private matter.

Again, if you are an informed person who knows why you do or do not give....then stand up for your beliefs and be proud of your choice. If you do not give a tithe to your local church and someone asks you about it....tell them..."I do not believe that I should give to God through my church, so I do not give." Hey, at least your honest about it. If you do give....say with grace and humility..."I believe the Bible teaches that each person is responsible to bring God a tithe of his/her income. I believe this honors God and enables the local church to do what God says a church should do. So, I budget and give." No bragging...just stating truth.

I believe these two issues are personal....but why all quiet secrecy? If you believe...act....and don't be afraid to stand up for your beliefs either way. However, in my opinion, we don't need to be silent of these two issues. I have never met a person whose actions match their beliefs and who is not willing to share how they act.

When people ask me today....I will say, "I cast my vote for John MCcain." Moreover, if you were wondering.....the Hibbard family gives at the least 10% of our incomes every year to our church.


Today's Bible Reading shows Jesus ready to share what is true about what he believes....even if it cost Him his life.

Today's Bible Reading Mark 15 & 16

Chapter 15:2 Pilate ask Jesus..."are you the King of the Jews?" Jesus was simple and clear. "Yes, it is as you say!" Knowing that was the accusation that would have him killed...Jesus let his beliefs determine his actions and was not afraid to tell the answer.

ACTivate

Are you ready to stop being just a "Dreamer" and start actualizing and living in your dream? Many people told me yesterday they were ready to put a plan into action and start stepping toward their dream.

Here are the Steps To ACTivating your dream:


1) Let Your Yes be Yes!

2) Write your dream down as specifically as you can?

3) Make an internal commitment to actively pursue the dream.

4) Write out the steps as best as you can see and know.

5) Take the Steps AND MOVE!

Remember God will only allow you to know only so much for sure AND He is always willing to move in miraculous after you take your step. Dreams come true..step by step as God leads us.

Have you gone to our Myteamchurch web site and recorded your dream? Now is the time to go there and read what others are saying and also record your dream. Learn from others. Encourage others.

Dare to Dream and then Activate those dreams.

Today's Bible Reading Mark 13 & 14

Chapter 13 is all about the end of the World. Many scholars come and go when they predict a certain time and date. These verses tell us that no one knows but God Himself. Of course books have been written talking about the "signs" that have to happen that allow you to know that the end is coming. However, no one knows.

Verses 32-37 say that we must all be on our guard. I believe that we must live every week as if it could be the last week of our lives. We must live our lives with a sense of Spiritual urgency. Sharing our faith and seeking to help people come to Christ.

Of course, with the election tomorrow, some have said that if their pick does not win...."then it is the end of the world." That most likely is not correct. However, this is an important election and everyone should go and vote! Some have also said..."well, if _________ wins that must be what God wants and he is going to ________ because of it." As I said yesterday, that is bogus theology and an excuse. God is in control of all governments. However, he allows people to make choices and then live with them. Nero, Hitler, Saddam and other ruthless and godless leaders came to power and led their countries not because the "will of God" but because God allows people to choose and then live with those choices.

Get out and vote and we will pray for God's best.