I really don't know how to title this because I can't really describe what I'm feeling.

I am so in love with my church and so thankful I'm able to be a part of what's going to be known as the one of the biggest moves of God in the country.  Elevation held a 'preview' service at our new uptown campus, at the McGlohon Theater in uptown Charlotte.  During the worship I couldn't help but remember everything God has brought me from and couldn't help but get excited about what he's doing.

Elevation exists "so that people far from God will be filled with life in Christ."

That's our mission statement.  And tonight, I was reminded of how close to church I used to be, but how far from God I really was.  I sang in the choir, filled in on bass, occasionally taught Sunday school and Wednesday night bible study, and served on the Student Leadership team of the Youth Board.  I neglected most of high school social life to be involved with church.  I grew up in church.  I was raised in church.  And occasionally, I would get excited about church.  But looking back, I never truly got excited about God. 

Revivals?  They were OK, I guess (even though I dreaded going to church every single night.) And youth retreats, and summer camps, and Church of God 'Shabach's and 'Winterfests' were a fun way to get away for a few days and get loud.  But even the most energetic of those services...wouldn't compare to Elevation.  I mean seriously.  Does your church start yelling, and clapping, and jumping up and down...BEFORE THE SERVICE EVEN STARTS?  SERIOUSLY?!  Elevators are FREAKS. 

I don't know if I've ever told anybody about this or not...but for a major part of my 'church life,' I questioned God's existence and wondered why I was wasting so much of my time in a fairy tale.   Eventually, I just quit caring at all.  I visited other churches, to no avail.  I began to think that it wasn't me...it was God (who wasn't real after all) and church was just a nonprofit organization to take people's money.

And then I moved to Charlotte...and on my first Sunday in town, I decided to visit this little church I had been hearing about (Thank you Tim O. and thank you Michael W.) and my world...my heart...my mind...my soul...was changed.

A few months later, at Cricket Arena, my pastor made a statement that still rings in my heart.  "What a life time of religion could never do, God did in a moment."  What 21 years of 'church' could never do, God did in an 80 minute church service.


Tonight, at McGlohon theater, I realized just how lucky I was and I couldn't help but cry and get excited all at the same time.  What God is doing in Charlotte through Elevation is just freakish.  1044 baptisms in two weeks.

Elevation barely broke 1,000 in attendance after it's first YEAR.  And we had 1044 public, spontaneous, unannounced, and unplanned professions of faith in two weeks.


If you have a regular church you attend, great.  You still need to visit just one Sunday to let God flat out blow your mind.


If you haven't been to church in a while, or you're looking for something "different," come and see.

John 4:29

Come see a man who turned my world upside down.  Come see a man who makes an educated, lifelong church going, unbeliever believe.  Come see a man that does impossible things in impossible ways and be amazed.