We loaded the Christmas gifts up first and quickly realized we would have to make a second trip to bring the 115 coats, 305 diapers and 253 packs of underwear that were now boxed up in 2 refrigerator-sized boxes. When we arrived at the school we were greeted by several administrators and the school principal. They started to discuss the best location to store the Christmas gifts. Judging by the space they showed us, it was evident we were going to officially overwhelm them with the powerful way that our church responded to this opportunity to POUR into the Fowler Drive community. As we rolled in bikes and toted in boxes overflowing with Christmas gifts, the school counselor scrambled to find more available storage space.

As we brought the final gifts into the building one of the custodians asked me, “Where are all these gifts coming from?” When I told him they were from Compass Church he just perked up, introduced himself, told me where he went to church, and said, “Thank you SO much!” You could tell how proud he was to see a church step up and BE the church to a community in need.

We returned to Fowler around 8:30 a.m. to unload the two refrigerator boxes full of coats, underwear and diapers. One of the teachers who helped show us to the coat closet said that she had, “never seen anything like this,” in 20 years of teaching. The school counselor escorted us outside and told us there was someone who wanted to meet us. It was a mom who had just finished picking up her family’s Christmas gifts. I can’t tell you how appreciative she was! She said she teared up when she received a call earlier this week to confirm that someone wanted to help her out with Christmas and the gifts would be available to pick up at the school on Thursday but she said, “I never expected anything like this!” Then she told me that this couldn’t have happened for her family at a better time because she had been laid off at her job three weeks ago. She wanted me to tell everyone at the church, “Thank you so much!” She said that her family needed a church home and she asked about where we were located.

The school administrators were more than happy to put “Tate Test Compass” candy canes in all the teacher boxes and wanted some extra ones so that they could give them to any of the families that asked where all the gifts came from. I can’t tell you what a buzz there was about the way our church stepped up to the plate for this community! It was a great day for Fowler Drive, Compass Church and most of all a great day for the body of Christ! These parents will never forget that a church in their own community loved them enough to come in and make Christmas a little merrier for their family. I can’t tell you what a difference the incredible generosity of our church is making today!

•Did we share the Gospel in “Words” today – NO! Did we share it by our “Actions” – ABSO-STINKIN-LUTELY! (John 13:1-17, 35) “Your LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

•Well Done Church!

•Can’t Wait for our Christmas Services on Sunday – God’s Going to Rock Northeast Georgia’s World!!

Read something in Perry Noble’s blog earlier this week that Brian Houston said (Pastor of Hillsong Australia) that ROCKED MY WORLD!

He took the words out of my thoughts – THIS Makes Me Want To Charge Hell With a Water Pistol.

I’m a HUGE Hillsong Fan. I heard Brian Houston speak live for the first time this past February at C3 (Creative Church Conference…a MUST DO Conference every year).

Just my opinion but I believe Brian Houston and Ed Young are two of the Most Rockin and Influential Leaders on the planet.

If you are an oxygen breathing Christ Follower ANYWHERE in ANY Leadership or Volunteer role – you’ve got to read this. Then, GO FOR IT – beg God to do this in your church…I know I’m begging Him to see this happen at Compass Church!…could be the MOST POWERFUL words I’ve EVER read about what God wants to do in this community through the local church:

“The church that I see is a church of influence.  A church so large in size that the city and nation cannot ignore it.

A church growing so quickly that buildings struggle to contain the increase.

I see a church whose heartfelt praise and worship touches heaven and changes earth.  Worship which influences the praises of people throughout the earth exalting Christ with powerful songs of faith and hope.

I see a church whose alters are constantly filled with repentant sinners responding to Christ’s call to salvation.

Yes, the church that I see is so dependent on the Holy Spirit that nothing will stop it not stand against it.

A church whose people are unified, praying and full of God’s Spirit.

The church that I see has a message so clear that lives are being changed forever and potential is fulfilled though the power of His Word.  A message beamed to the peoples of the earth through their television screens.

I see a church so compassionate that people are drawn from impossible situations into a loving and friendly circle of hope, where answers are found and acceptance is given.

I see a people so kingdom-minded that they will count whatever the cost and pay whatever the price to see revival sweep this land.

The church that I see is a church to committed to raising, training and empowering a leadership generation to reap the end-time harvest that all its ministries are consumed with this goal.

I see a church whose head is Jesus, whose help is the Holy Spirit and whose focus is the Great Commission.

Yes, the church that I see could well be our church.”

WOW! I thought I had vision…modern day inspiration from God to speak those kind of words!

Christmas Services…One Last Plug…YEA RIGHT!

Dudes, Dudettes, Compass Crazies (cats & dogs) – we are approaching 1000 tickets distributed! DANG you guys are excited!

Let’s Finish the Drill  (BWT – Invite EVERYONE you know) – we seriously have the opportunity to be part of the BIGGEST one day of Life Change in Compass history!

We ran into some lifelong friends that live in Oconee that we don’t get to see that often that are coming to Compass this Christmas for the VERY FIRST TIME – I’m stinkin PUMPED!!

Here’s the link for tickets once again! Um…if you don’t have tickets yet…yea – I’d get right on that right now!)

Can’t wait to see you Sunday and see God Rock our Worlds by doing something Unexplainable humanly yet Undeniably Divine to close out 2008!

About half of the group met at the church around 4:00, and we headed up the loop to the Wal-Mart at Epps Bridge.  Jonathan, Ko-D, and Derek decided to lead us in song, which was probably a bad idea from the get-go.  More on that later.  Anyway, we knew that serveral were going to meet us there (Seth, Erin, Phillip, Ethan, and James) [Jim's insert - ERIN is a brave 706 Warrior -ESS], so this group was going to be BIG.  I was actually worried about us getting kicked out of Wal-Mart.  I learned later as three of them were throwing a football over the top of the men’s clothing section that Wesley actually encouraged a couple of boys in the group to try to get kicked out of Wal-Mart.  I know he was joking, but they might not have thought this.

We got about $120 worth of merchandise from Wal-Mart, scanned everything ourselves, loaded it in my trunk, and took off to Academy Sports.  Some of the guys took turns riding the bike for the five year old across the parking lot.  How nobody is hurt, and how the bike is still in one piece, I’d like to know.  There are pictures of the bike rides that would probably incriminate us.

Academy wasn’t THAT bad…well…kinda.  This was supposed to be an in-and-out deal.  BUT, they saw the weightlifting equipment and treadmills.  Nobody died, but there were probably a couple of close calls. Thankfully I kept my camera in the car.  We then went to eat at Wendy’s on Epps Bridge, but this wasn’t really eventful.

The trip back to the church…ummm…I’m glad that it was dark outside so that nobody could see the activities taking place.  As we were leaving the parking lot, the three “heathens” started a chorus of “99 bottles of beer on the wall”, and they got down into the lower eighties before screwing things up.  I was also taking Seth home, and he looked like he was going to strangle all three of them.  He wanted to kill Derek and Jonathan more when they stripped down to their boxers for fun, and started to take pictures with their phones. [JIM INSERT - NOTE TO SELF - probably should have Edited that last line.]

With all of the craziness mentioned, it was still one of the most impactful things I’ve seen done in my 23 years on this planet.  These eight students donated their time and their money in order to make sure that this family wasn’t going to go “without” on Christmas in 2008.  I know a lot of people say that kids have changed.  They aren’t as “great” as they used to be, they say.  I beg to differ.  People try to focus on the negative sides of students in order to pump up THEIR generation.  When looking at the events of Sunday, I’d argue that they’ve already surpassed my generation of five-six years prior.  The Lord is doing great things with The 706, and it’s more impactful when you see it in front of you.

706 Small Group Leader – Jimmy Hughes

COUNTDOWN IS ON – only 30 Days until we get to invite people to experience life change through Jesus in TWO locations in Athens! Only 9 Days until Christmas services at NOHS Fine Arts Center.

3 Quick Thoughts That Have Me PUMPED -

#1 – GOD ROCKS – and I want to tell everyone I know and there’s no better opportunity than Christmas. Did you know Christmas has now surpassed Easter as the #1 time a guest is most likely to accept an invitation.

•Compass – let’s go for it over the next 9 days and make the BOLDEST invitations we’ve ever made. This week, my family is baking cookies and inviting every single family in our subdivision to Taste Test Compass this Christmas. I’m also mailing 10 personal invites with tickets.

• Why? Because that first Christmas, God introduced the BEST GIFT EVER – JESUS! As we invite people to TASTE TEST COMPASS this Christmas, we will never have a better window the entire year to introduce our friends to the BEST GIFT EVER – JESUS!

•Can’t scream it enough – Christmas @ Compass will Rock, be off the chain, frickin incredible, stinkin awesome. We are planning the most powerful and creative presentation of the Gospel we’ve EVER done!

•And, we are BEGGING God to Show Up, Show Off, and Rock our Worlds. (SAT PRAYER TIME – 9am – 9:45am at the church).

#2 – WE HAVE A HUGE OPPORTUNITY

•To Make Jesus Famous in our Community.

•To Pour out on behalf of others this Christmas locally and globally.

•To be part of something BIG God is doing in our generation.

•Don’t forget to bring your Christmas Gifts for the Fowler Drive project to church with you Sunday. We deliver them this week. Those kids and families are going to be blown away this Christmas by God’s love through you!

•This Sunday, we are taking our Beyond Christmas Gift Offering. A word of encouragement – DON’T SKIP and sit this one out. God is going to Show UP and Show OFF big time.

•What I know? #1 – His job is to SPEAK. Our job is to OBEY. #2 – It’s never equal gifts but equal sacrifice. #3 – It’s not about what we can’t do, but what we CAN DO together.

•We have experienced OFF THE CHART RETURNS as a church this year!! I really do believe the BEST RETURN you will ever receive on your money is POURING it in GOD’s ECONOMY through His local church.

•Just knowing how God has already worked this year, I believe He is prompting many of us in a crazy time to be MORE GENEROUS than we’ve ever been before – I’m praying with all my heart we will RESPOND to WHATEVER He asks us to do COURAGEOUSLY!

•Plus, I’m feeling a little emotional – our last time together in the warehouse before we become one church meeting in two locations in this community. Sunday is going to be one of those days where God does something BIG!

#3 THE BEST IS YET TO COME

•It shouldn’t surprise us that God wants to FINISH 2008 STRONG! Hold On, Pray like crazy, Invite EVERYONE you know, and Get Ready, Get Ready, Get Ready for God to Rock our world!

•In our creative planning meeting it was summed up best this week “I’ve NEVER been part of a church that’s baptized this many people in one year and seen so much life change. I don’t want that to STOP.”

•We are going to do WHATEVER IT TAKES to Take Jesus to Clarke, Madison, Banks, Green, Jackson, Ogelthorpe, Oconee, Walton, Barrow, ALL of Northeast Georgia, to Athens and BEYOND!

•Absolutely LOVE being your Pastor! Can’t Wait to Celebrate with all of you on Sunday!

SO MUCH Happening – wanted to get a Thursday  SHOUT OUT to everyone.

•First – we DON’T have our Christmas Tree decorated yet. Not Good – hopefully tonight!

•Second, An “Elf” arrived at our house in the middle of the night…Seriously – A Real Elf.  Her name is Allie.

•Grandma and MacKenzie made a bed and sewed Elf size pillow cases, sheets, and a comforter for the Elf’s much anticipated arrival. (Mackenzie wrote a note to Santa to ask him for one to play with her during the Christmas season).

•She’s been leaving crackers and water out every night because that’s what elf’s eat. (I’m learning A LOT this Christmas).

•We ‘thought’ the elf was coming Tues night, but MacKenzie was VERY SCARED about it (breaks my heart when my little girl cries).

•Allie waited one night and we put the bed away. But Last Night, we were ALL ABOUT the elf coming to our house.

•When MacKenzie woke up this morning, Allie was in her bed waiting on her with a note and some “magical snow flakes” that might cause her to do some mischievous elf-type shennagins in the middle of the night when sprinkled (I’m hiding the snow flakes while KZ is at school).

•At 6:45 am this morning, MacKenzie came running into our bedroom excitedly saying “Daddy, my elf came last night. See Daddy, I told You He Was Real.”

•That’s when it hit me – that’s just like so many of us and our friends are with Jesus!

•There’s an excitement inside of us for God to do something Great – to SHOW UP and SHOW OFF in our lives.

•There’s also a part of us that when we sense He is that’s gets real scared and we’re not sure we want Him to come into our lives.

•Every day we cross paths with people who wonder – Is He Real – Is He Really Going to Show Up in my life?

•That’s what Christmas is ALL ABOUT – it’s a season where the window of our hearts are open to the possibility of a divine miracle like never before.

•We desperately want and need the Christmas Story to be real and God to Show Up and Show Off in our lives.

•I believe with all my heart that if you will make bold invitations to this year’s Christmas services like never before you will be able to look at your friends as you are walking out (you might not say this one out loud) but DEEP INSIDE the words will be echoing “SEE, I TOLD YOU HE WAS REAL.”

•I left the church @ 10pm last night after finalizing this year’s Christmas Services.

•I felt just like KZ – Excited and Scared.

•Excited because I KNOW, I KNOW, I KNOW GOD IS GOING TO ROCK your world, your friends and family’s worlds, and this community’s world like NEVER BEFORE on December 21!

•Scared because there’s only 11 days left until we go live.

•Christmas @ Compass will be the MOST POWERFUL presentation of the Gospel we have ever given at our church. I believe once again God is preparing Compass to be ground zero for something Unexplainable yet Undeniable.

•We’ve NEVER had on stage before the talented musicians and the frickin Athens American Idol choir. Matt heard them last week at the Classic Center – you may not let me preach. They will bring the HOUSE DOWN! PRAY – we need a bus for transportation to get them there.

•God wants to Rock our Worlds like never before with a big finish to 2008!

•Ticket Reservations are going well. It’s HUGE HELP for planning. Get your Free Tickets here – No one will be turned away, BUT this is a HUGE HELP for planning.

•Please PRAY for me, our staff, and rockin volunteers. Me – I’m sick – doesn’t happen often but got a screaming SORE THROAT – hating it. Lis loves it because I can’t talk much. Our Staff & Volunteers– craziest season we’ve ever been in.

•I’m SO GLAD God prompted us to move our Christmas Services to Dec 21 if for no other reason than to give our volunteers and staff a much deserved and needed Holiday break with their families!!

•PRE-GAME Tomorrow – this Sunday is last time we meet in the warehouse before becoming One Church with Two Locations in Athens. This would be a GREAT SUNDAY to invite people – God is going to Show Up and Show Off in a Big way and we’ll be able to look at each other and say, “SEE, I TOLD YOU HE WAS REAL!”

What a day…trying to wrap my mind around all that God is doing…several Post Game Thoughts:

Thought #1 – Our Church

•I absolutely LOVE what God is doing in our church…the buzz and anticipation is through the roof…I believe He is going to BLOW OUR MINDS this month and in 2009.

•I had a Chocolate CCCD Twisted Frosty today – it reminded me that what God is doing isn’t normal and a church that is satisfied and refuses to take risks will never experience God’s Best!

•So glad we are church that isn’t satisfied…our passion is to be part of something Unexplainable humanly yet Undeniably God!

•December is going to be freakin awesome – it’s like dessert – God is saving the BEST for LAST!

•Last week I blogged about Christmas tickets here…they are going like crazy…here’s the link where you can get tickets to our Dec 21 Christmas services.

•Seriously – we need EVERYONE to reserve tickets and # of kids (no one will be turned away) – helps big time since we’re in a brand new facility and will have the largest number of first time guests EVER!

•AND, we need EVERYONE to BAKE cookies (or candy canes), WRAP em, TAKE em, and help us personally INVITE 5000 of your friends and family members to TASTE TEST Compass December 21. Check out the details here.

•I’m praying for more people to flip the switch at our 2 Christmas services than collectively we’ve seen all year– what an opportunity to see hundreds of lives changed in our community this Christmas.

Thought #2 – Today

•Today ROCKED. God showed UP and showed OFF. And to quote a text I received – “the 706 Band was Frickin Incredible.”

•A pink bass, a 12 year old on drums, and a rock star on guitar – 3 punks and the coolest pud in Athens…best part – all 3 of them gave their lives to Jesus and we’re baptized at Compass Church – THAT’s GENERATIONAL INFLUENCE at it’s best baby!!

•MATT – you looked like a proud papa!! Awesome job POURING into this generation!

•BEST PART – several people made the most important decision they could make and invited Jesus to power wash their lives and change their eternities forever.

•Huge Thanks for helping with our new seating flow this morning. Yes, we changed things up a bit. Yes, it is necessary. Yes, it helped tremendously to accommodate our guests and seat everyone more efficiently. Your passion to do whatever it takes to connect people to Jesus blows me away – even if it means giving up your seat!

•Ushers– You Rocked the house….thanks for Leading the Way!

Thought #3 – Pour

•POUR is God’s second big ask of us this year.  If we will POUR a full glass – you ain’t seen nothing yet!!

•The OPPORTUNITY God has placed before us is BIGGER than ANYTHING I’ve ever been a part of!!

•3 Opportunities you have to POUR this December

#1 – Pour into something LOCAL – Fowler Drive Elementray School

TON of Questions about the Fowler Drive Pour Project – let’s load up the FDE Christmas tree this week with COATS, New Underwear (K-5^th) and diapers and blow them away with God’s love and generosity.

Thanks for already responding to the need for MENTORS at FDE – looking for a minimum of 10 Men and 10 Women, 1 hour/week – contact Chase McKissick for info to Pour locally into the next generation.

We’ve already had one 706 student volunteer to baby sit for you after school AND donate that money to BEYOND.

Adpot a Fowler Drive Family for Christmas – Contact Chris Cockfield – it’s not too late to help. All gifts need to be turned in by this Sunday, December 14^th.

#2– Pour into something GLOBAL – Los Brasillios, Nicaragua Children’s Ministry Center

#3 – Pour into this community and the Next Generation – 2008 BEYOND CHRISTMAS GIFT OFFERING

I’m PRAYING big time for those who are asking God what He wants you to POUR in to the BEYOND CHRISTMAS GIFT OFFERING (Dec 14). The best ROI you will find anywhere is investing in the local church and this next generation!

If each of us will pray, be obedient and respond courageously to WHATEVER God asks, we will see and experience God do things and lives changed in this community that have NEVER happened before.

I don’t want there to be a gap in this community’s history in our generation on our watch where people did not acknowledge God or know about the great things He wants to do (Judges 2:10).

Thought #4 – January 11, 2009

•Check it out – www.january11.org

•You have spoken loudly – we have heard – Next Sunday we will have 2 sided RED january11.org signs for you to pick up and place in your yard.

•Shout Out to the Compass Elves who prepared THREE THOUSAND Taste Test Candy Canes for the Watkinsville Christmas Parade – you ROCK and God used you to kick start a movement of God like Oconee, Walton, and Barrow counties have NEVER experienced!

•Shout out to the OC Marketing Team and Compass Crazies for passing out and inviting THREE THOUSAND people in one day to TASTE TEST Compass this Christmas – DANG! Game On – It has begun!

•We’re asking EVERYONE – moms, dads, kids, dogs & cats to INVITE 2 PEOPLE to Be Your Guest on January 11. We’re preparing for the BIGGEST DAY of LIFE CHANGE we’ve EVER EXPERIENCED as a church.

•Gotta go to bed…probably won’t sleep…it was a Day To Remember for a long time!!

•WHOA….Can you believe we only have 37 Days until we get to invite people to experience life change through Jesus in TWO locations in Athens? Only 16 Days until Christmas services at NOHS Fine Arts Center.

•You know that feeling when you were a kid the night before Christmas – the anticipation, the excitement, the unknown, that sixth sense that something GREAT was about to happen. I’ve had that feeling 24/7 for weeks about the month of December at Compass and what God is preparing us for in 2009.

5 THINGS THAT GOT ME UP EARLY THIS MORNING

#1 – JESUS– He went ALL IN for me. Why wouldn’t I go ALL IN for Him. The more you get to know Jesus, the more you fall in love with Him.

#2 – THIS CHURCH – There’s a buzz around this town, among our people, and among our staff about what God is doing through this church in this community. If we will stay faithful and focused on making Jesus famous in this community, the best is yet to come!! There’s also some that think we’re CRAZY – guess what, they are right. Crazy about Jesus!

#3 THIS SUNDAY – We are kicking off our new series POUR. We’ve planned something we’ve NEVER done before on a Sunday morning that is going to be OFF THE CHAIN but almost didn’t happen. God came through – it’s going too! This would be a GREAT SUNDAY to invite EVERY Middle, High School, College student or 20 Something, Parents or Grandparents of a student you know especially if they think church is boring. I can’t wait – what I share with you about what God has been preparing for us to pour will change the trajectory of our church and your life forever. Oh…Get there EARLY! We are changing the way we seat people in order to open up God-sized room for a God-sized movement. Our Usher team rocks – love it when the volunteers rule!!

#4 – CHRISTMAS @ COMPASS – DANG! You guys are excited about Christmas. Tickets are going fast. I’ve screamed enough about this service this week. It’s going to ROCK!. It will be the most clear and direct presentation of the Gospel we’ve ever given. Lives will be changed! It will be the most incredible team of musicians we’ve ever had on the stage at one time. Icing on the cake – the Athens American Idol Choir – pinch me!! It is THE BEST OPPORTUNITY of the year to invite your friends. People will be texting their friends between services to change their plans and get to the 6:00 pm service. Enough said again…

•Here’s the link to get your tickets to the December 21 Christmas services, OR, you can grab them at church this Sunday.

#5 – LUNCH TODAY – Lis and I are having lunch with a couple that mentors us and has Poured SO MUCH into our lives the past 5 years. We’re eating at PF CHANGS. I can hear the Chicken Lettuce Wraps and that Great Wall of Chocolate Cake calling my name. Don’t Hate Me!!

GET THE WORD OUT…don’t forget Candy Cane Taste Test Party tonight here at the church @ 6:30 and tomorrow’s Watkinsville Xmas Parade.  Meet at Jittery Joe’s in Watkinsville (Hwy. 15 and Barnett Shoals Rd.) at 10:00am to pass out Candy Cane Taste Test invites during the parade and invite thousands from the Oconee community to experience church and Jesus like they never have before.  Don’t forget to WEAR YOUR T-SHIRTS!

Gotta go for my morning run!! I know December is a crazy month, but let me encourage you to make church a priority. And, remember there is not a better time to invite friends to church than the month of December!!

#1 – THIS SATURDAY, December 6

WOW – can’t believe I’m about to type what I’m about to type.

THIS ENTIRE YEAR – God has been STRETCHING us to go BEYOND where we’ve ever been before to connect people to Jesus. It shouldn’t surprise us that is EXACTLY what He’s asked us to do as we end the year.

I AM SO FREAKIN PUMPED about our CHRISTMAS SERVICES and the UNEXPLAINABLE yet UNDENIABLE Doors God has opened. It really is true –  His Dreams for His Church and His People are always bigger than ANYTHING we Ask or Imagine.

I recently heard that Christmas has surpassed Easter in regards to being the most likely time someone who doesn’t know Christ will visit a church service – that’s why I believe God has asked us to Take It To the NEXT LEVEL this year.

As a result, the COMPASS CHRISTMAS TASTE TEST has just gone HNL – to a Hole Nutha Level baby!!!! 

Here’s the SKINNY:

#1 – 2008 Christmas Service LOCATION - we will be doing TWO Services at our BRAND NEW OCONEE CAMPUS site, the incredible North Oconee High School Fine Arts Center.

#2 – 2008 Christmas Service TIMES - SUNDAY, December 21 @ 4pm & 6pm. There will be NO services on Dec 23 & 24 as originally scheduled!

#3 – TICKETS - We will be asking people this year to get tickets for the service they are planning on attending.  This will help us to better accommodate the crowds that are coming…and give you something that you can give to a friend as a tool for inviting them.

THE TICKETS ARE FREE (and no one else will be refused admission)….but we are asking that everyone PLEASE get tickets to help us better serve every single person who will show up!

TICKETS will be available online starting tomorrow, THURSDAY! Or, you can grab them at church the next two Sundays.

Compass KidGrow will be open…so yes, your kids and their friends will have a rockin time too!

Some behind the scenes stuff about this decision that has me PUMPED:

#1 – There’s so much GOD SPACE in this plan – HE is absolutely going to Show UP and Show OFF!!

#2 – This is two weeks EARLIER than we had planned on having our first service – DANG! No practice – we’re just inviting the whole community to the biggest event we do all year – is that crazy? YEA! But, God knows Compass – we’re CRAZY in love with Jesus and CRAZY in love with this community enough to do WHATEVER IT TAKES to connect people to Jesus!! And, it’s going to take EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US coming together as a team to pull this one off!

#3 – We are planning a special  ”Worship, Communion & Prayer” service just for the “Compass Family” at 11 am that Sunday morning, Dec 21 @ NOHS.

A. Before we do anything, I want us to pray and worship  that God will continue to use us to reach thousands in Athens and Beyond. Our prayer partners are already praying that God will allow them to see the BIGGEST SEASON of LIFE CHANGE our generation has ever know in 2009!

B. I also feel strongly urged to have a specific time to pray over ALL our Athens and Oconee campus leaders and volunteers. Wesley told me yesterday we have almost have 200 Volunteers between our 2 campuses ready for Launch Day – that’s stinkin awesome!!

C. We are going to come together as a body and SING like crazy to the MOST HIGH GOD and BEG HIM Him to do something BIG and CRAZY in our church that afternoon and in 2009. YOU WILL NOT WANT TO MISS THIS MOMENT!!

#4 – We are going all out this year to present the most creative and direct Gospel message that has ever been given here at Compass Church. Trust me…the elements involved in this wervice are going to be amazing…and countless hours of prayer and preparation are already underway! This would pretty much be an excellent time to get people to church who do not know Christ…OR who think church is boring!

#5 – The Athens AMERICAN IDOL Choir is PUMPED about being part of our Christmas Services! B’twl – the house will BE ROCKIN!!!! You can catch them in Athens this Friday or Saturday at the Athens Classic Center with the American Idol Tour.