Historic announcement this weekend
By Stovall Weems
This weekend we will be announcing the biggest, most radical thing ever attempted here at Celebration Church. Our staff and many leaders have been praying, strategizing and working very hard behind the scenes. To my knowledge this has not been attempted yet by any church in America. It is something that God has been stirring in my heart for quite some time and we feel it is time to let it loose.
Every time we enter into a season of prayer and fasting at the church, God begins to unleash the next wave of what He wants to do! GET READY!
Clearing the Land!
By Stovall Weems
We are so excited to announce that we are clearing our property in preparation for construction of our new 4200 seat facility on Baymeadows Rd and 9A. Construction will take about 18 months from the time our permitting and site work is complete.
We will hold our very first gathering on the land this Labor Day weekend. Stay tuned for more details.
Wow! We are finally going to see this dream come to pass.
I just want to give a special thanks to all of you who are participating in our Imagine Campaign. Your financial commitment is going to have a huge, eternal impact.
GO GOD!
Stovall
Leaders are good stewards of learning
By David Branker
2 Timothy 2:15 (AMP)
Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved (tested by trial), a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and accurately dividing [rightly handling and skillfully teaching] the Word of Truth.
When we think of stewardship – we tend to think of our time, talents, and treasure. Of course it includes all of those, but it also includes our experiences. You see, we can and should be good stewards of the learning opportunities God brings us through. When we do, we discover that they are key to a life that pleases God.
Notice 2 Timothy 2:15 says that we present ourselves to God approved, when we study . . . In other words – as we seize opportunities to study and to learn, we show God that we take this gift of life He has given us seriously.
Leaders who love to learn discover that learning opportunities are everywhere. Even in difficult circumstances and in life’s failures – we can still be learners. We can experience the truth of His Word in a deeper way. See life’s journeys as doors God has opened for you to learn and then walk through them with a focus to grow.
As you do, you will find that it leads you to fruitfulness. Be a good steward of opportunities God gives you to learn and discover a life that meets with His approval.
Have you discovered you learn more from the positive or negative experiences in your life?
When You Stop Learning, You Stop Leading (Part 2)
By Stovall Weems
The first person you lead is you. It is so important to understand that all of us have a responsibility to grow ourselves, regardless of who your pastors or mentors are. Unfortunately, many people have a misconception that it is someone else’s job to feed them entirely. God has designed us to feed on Him and has given the church pastors, teachers, and leaders to help facilitate growth and teach the Word of God.
But there is more to growth than hearing a good message on the weekend. You must be a pro-active, self motivated learner on a regular basis.
Unless a person takes responsibility to feed his or her self there will be limited growth in their life. This is a huge key to spiritual maturity. Leaders are learners, and they are able to personally learn Christ and feed on God’s Word themselves.
Get alone and read your Bible and pray – God wants to reveal Himself to you!
When You Stop Learning, You Stop Leading (Part 1)
By Stovall Weems
When you stop learning, you stop leading. A huge growth principle in life is to stay humble, and stay hungry. If you have a hunger to grow and learn from others, this will lead to a greater capacity in leadership, regardless of what stage of ministry you are in. Make a commitment to be a lifetime learner.
Honoring What We Do Not Yet Have
By Stovall Weems
The kingdom of heaven was intended to be diverse. God created us all different, and we each have our unique way of doing things. But as we move towards what God has called us to do, it is very important that we maintain honor towards where we are heading and what we don’t yet have. There’s a leadership principle directly connected to this, and it’s this: You will not receive what you do not respect.
We must not allow comparison and a judgmental spirit to take root in our hearts. This only causes division, and God will not honor that. We must honor and respect those ahead of us; those who are working alongside us and also those who are coming up behind us, even if they all do things differently than we would.
Being a Self Feeder
By Stovall Weems
What is alive and active in your heart about who Jesus is to you, personally? In Matthew 16, Jesus asked a very general question to His disciples about who other people were saying He was. But, He then made it personal by asking “Who do you say that I am?”
Religion is man’s way to God, but a relationship with Jesus is God’s way to man. Jesus wants to establish a relationship with each of us personally. He builds His church through His people by revealing Himself to us individually, and revealing to us what His plan and purpose is for our lives. It is so important that we become self-feeders, and make time to seek God personally to go deeper in our relationship with Him. It is then that our revelation of Jesus becomes living and active, which then leads to us fulfilling the mission that God has given us.