Great Awakening of 2009?

Living in "Grace" City... (as many like to call it Sin City, and rightly so for so many reasons)..."but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more" (a verse in the Bible from Romans).... I have experienced God's grace in many ways since arriving, including learning to navigate traffic. Just the other day on W. Flamingo, I passed 2 wrecks on the way to the office. I was thankful for God's "traveling grace," indeed. Meeting other "newbies" here (who are trying to share Jesus' love with those in Vegas), is always encouraging. I wonder if God is answering the prayers of 10,000 who descended into Vegas on October, 2007 for the Call (prayer conference). Indeed regardless of the theological persuasion of the conference, God answered prayer. Here we are!

Settling in involves a lot of things that you may not think about for church planting, such as numerous trips to Wal-mart, Doctor's, Churches, local Vegas cuisine such as "Marie Callenders," (good home cookin'), the 215, E-W Traffic, seeing and praying for "The Strip," which can be seen from virtually any point of the city. What does church planting look like so far for reaching Eastern Europeans in Vegas? Well, so far it has involved Prayer, sharing idea's with others, more prayer, visits to local European markets, restaurants, etc. I am thankful to have met a Russian believer who is praying about how to be involved. God was already at work, I hope to join Him in that work which leads me to...

Blackaby. We (Nevada Baptist's and others) were privileged to hear from Henry Blackaby, his son Richard Blackaby, John Franklin, and Dr. Dwayne Mercer, at the 2009 Nevada Evangelism Conference. You'd think that listening to 3 sermons in succession would get boring, but not when you are hearing such deep spiritual truths from the Lord through these guys. Questions raised such as: Is America already enduring minor judgments from the Lord to wake up the church to our mission? Are we fully surrendered to all that God wants to do in and through us? Are we willing to pay the price in praying for awakening, revival, and being open to however God wants to use us? These are very brief snippets of the Conference, hopefully I'll share more later. Ultimately, God was glorified! That's what it's all about. And may He keep receiving all the glory from all of us for what He has done, is doing, and will do!

The Journey.

30 hours, +/-..1,950 miles, 2 days, 2 vehicles, 3 very tired people, Beautiful sunsets, skies, Texas, Painted Desert, Petrified Forest, Black Bart's Steakhouse (in Flagstaff...you have to check it out!)...These were some of the fun-filled experiences on the Journey out to Las Vegas. Most importantly to remember is that God protected us on the way here, and my Dad and brother as they flew back to Tennessee.

After recovering, I've been able to spend some quality time with the Lord, as well as unpacking. I met up with some of the other "new" church planters, and was encouraged to hear how God had brought them across America to Sin City--Make that Grace City, as I like to call it.

Prayer. This will be the initial focus. Please do it on behalf of the work that God is already doing here in the lives of Eastern Europeans (this didn't start the day I arrived Lol). God is already at work, drawing Eastern Europeans to experience the grace and forgiveness that only Jesus offers, here in Grace City. I will be focusing on meeting with Eastern Europeans, finding practical ways to serve, and looking for open doors for the gospel (this could happen immediately, or take time). Also I should begin helping out at Northstar Baptist soon with their youth program, as well as occasionally substitute teaching here in Clark County, Nevada. Some exciting opportunities ahead!

Four Days Out.

Friends,
Greetings from Chattanooga. I hope you are having a great start to the 2nd full week of 2009-in great anticipation of God's goodness to be revealed in your life this year! I know often things are difficult, and we all face many trials, but I'd like to share with you the privilege I had of being ordained yesterday at my home church, Woodland Park Baptist, here in Tennessee. What a humbling, yet exciting opportunity! If you'd like to listen to the message by my friend and former youth pastor, Bryan Johnson, click here: http://woodlandpark.org/messages/ (click on 1/11/09 P.M. -Bryan Johnson, "What happens in Vegas."

But, yeah, in four days, I will be packing up and heading West, for a 26-30 hour journey! If you think about praying for safety as we travel, that'd be great...Still a bit of packing and goodbye's left-and of course the first Smallville episode of 2009! :-) (I hope it's as good as 24's episode last night). But I'm excited about the journey, and can't wait to tell you what God is doing in Las Vegas, to reach Eastern Europeans (who live there) with the good news about Jesus Christ.
More to come...

By His grace,
Jeremy