These are unique days among us. I sense God is stirring among His people wanting to do something great. The Holy Spirit’s presence was with us yesterday. As I shared our new Strategy Icon with you around the theme “Reach For Life”, we have laid before you a simple and clear vision path for our future. Over the summer we will expose this more to our leadership. Later in our summer, we will go down on some of these to a much deeper level.

I have completed my book entitled, The Top 10 Things Every Minister Needs To Know. The final chapter will be edited by a member of my team today and I will have it sent in by the end of the day. It should be out in September. I have never been more excited about investing in ministers from all backgrounds of life, persuasions, and perspectives. I am more passionate than ever about making this investment into their lives and ministries.

Investing in ministers is what I do each summer with my Ministry Assistants. We have joining our team for this summer two young men from Liberty University.The unique thing about these two young men, both of them came to Christ through our ministry and both have surrendered to preach through our ministry and both desire to be Senior Pastors. These ministry assistants are above intern status and are mentored by me and our staff in detail this summer. We are investing in their lives and future ministries. It is very time-consuming for many, but so valuable to their lives and futures, as well as our church placing itself into leaders.

Matt Stewart and Michael Guyer are these two young men. They are both radical for Jesus Christ and will make outstanding Senior Pastors. Their hearts are aflame with the Spirit and both driven by the Word of God. Please pray for them by name this summer.

Speaking of investment, Brad Graves, from Cleveland, Ohio, was with us yesterday. Brad is the Director of Cleveland Hope which is the strategic focus city effort by our own North American Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. Brad was saved via our ministry, called to preach, and finished his education at Southeastern Seminary. We launched into beginning a church in New Hampshire and he did an outstanding job. After several years there, he left New Hampshire and is now directing this strategic effort of planting 22 churches in two years in Cleveland. In less than one year, he has 19 of those churches committed and believes he may be able to plant 25 or more new churches in his time there! Praise God for Brad and the power of God in his life. We are sending two summer missionaries from one of our seminaries there this summer to assist Brad in planting a Hispanic speaking work in Cleveland. It is exciting to see all God is doing, is it not? Again, the blessing of investment.

Pray for the week before us. We are moving rapidly towards opening up our new space on our Springdale campus for an additional 400 adults in Bible study and a new worship center for children that seats 500. Additionally, there will be a super atrium, coffee bar, and book store that is new and coming on line for you. In time, the fields will be completed and we will see emerging ministries occur that will take this campus’ ministry influence to a new level.

Yes, these are unique days.