The Story

Last April my wife and I were on our way to a pastors conference and we were discussing were we felt that God was leading our church and us. Now, I can tell you that right at that moment things were not looking to good. Attendance was down, some key people were leaving and it just seemed like we were going backward instead of forward. It would have been very easy to just throw in the towel and say well we gave it a try but evidently God was leading us elsewhere. But that is not what either Laura and I wanted to happen. We both were taught to never to give up, words that my Dad had said to my many times kept ringing in my ears, "Son, you can either get bitter or you can get better." So as we headed toward Chicago, we asked God to help us get better. It is in times of not knowing I believe God desires that we trust Him the most. So we did.
After we returned from Chicago, which by the way was a great time of renewal, relaxing and refocusing, I began to pray about what God wanted next for Central. I said before things looked bad but we still had a good core group of people who sincerely desired to follow hard after Jesus. We had just finished a year and half of great teaching by Dr. David Platt, our Monday night ABS was going strong and we had started a Wednesday Bible Study and had gone through Crazy Love and the Truth Project together.
Like I said good things were happening, it just seemed like we weren't all on the same page. So as I prayed for direction a curriculum came across my desk that I believe was a God send. Now I don't put my faith in curriculum, I trust In God and God alone. But I do believe He uses things to grow us into His people. So I began to pray, I presented to the Elders, some key leaders in the church. Well needless to say time flies and the time is here. We started this past Sunday as a church to go through THE STORY together. From those in the nursery all the way to our Senior for Christ.
The atmosphere was buzzing. People were signing up for life groups, people were waiting with anticipation to begin. It was a great day. I heard a few people say "Can you feel it?" It is so awesome to sense God's presence among us again. And I am excited to see what He is going to do in the families of Central. Strap in and hang on! It is going to be an awesome ride!