Encouraged By Stories...

I love a great story. I love to tell great stories and I love to hear great stories. My family has always been filled with great story-tellers. I just love stories. I love the feeling you get when you are listening to great story and you feel captivated by what's happening in this story that you are listening to almost so much that you forget where you are, what you are doing and you even forget that your listening to a story because now you feel as if you are in the story. I love Great Story-Telling...

At Oasis Church, this has been the first summer season in our churches short history that we haven't grown through the summer. I must admit, that has been somewhat frustrating and disappointing for me. It has taken a toll on me. I stress-out and worry, when in reality I know that I shouldn't worry, but I do. However, something interesting has happened over the last few days that has lifted my spirits, I'll share...

We had a Dream Team meeting last week and I had a few our leaders share some things that they were thankful to God for and just asked them to lift up God for a minute for something that He had done in their life recently. One of my friends, Rick Rios, said these words... "I want to thank God for my church, I love my church, It has definitely changed my life." Statements like that are inspiring to me, because that's why I do what I do, that's why I am in the ministry, that's why I am in Augusta, GA.

That moment with Rick in our meeting got me to thinking, "I wonder how many other people may feel this way?" So I started asking some of our people here at Oasis to start emailing me their stories, and what God has done in their life recently and since they have been attending our church. Some of the stories are really great and encouraging. Over the next few weeks, I am going to be sharing these stories through a number of different mediums, through video in our services and on the internet, on this blog, and in letters and emails to our people.

It's great to be a part of a church that is changing lives!