There is a three letter word in the Bible that screams for recognition and understanding. This one word, repeated three times in one sentence changes everything. Check this out...**John 14:6 - Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.Jesus is not a way to salvation. He is THE way. Jesus is not a truth. He is THE truth. Jesus is not a life. He is THE life that is the source of all life. I find confidence today in the fact that there is an absolute. Jesus Christ. In a culture that screams for equality and everyone standing on level...

Jesus painted a beautiful picture in John 15 of himself as the source of life (the vine) and his followers as extensions of him (the branches). This has long been one of my favorite passages of Scriptures. This visual of vines and branches helps us to remember how important it is to stay connected to the source of life: Jesus Christ. The teaching from this Sunday at Center City Church is available to view online or via download at iTunes.

I love my wife more than anything on this side of heaven. Think of the person that you love the most. And then try to comprehend that there is a love that exceeds all the love you have ever known. It's the love that Jesus Christ displayed for you and I. The Bible refers to this love by using the Greek word agape (ah-gop-ay). Check out this definition of agape love: Unconditional love; cannot be broken.When you start to dig deeper into understanding this love that God has for us, you see that this love has one chief ingredient: self sacrifice for the benefit of the one loved. This is the...

We have just launched our new Twitter page for Ebenezers Coffeehouse (Charlotte). Click here to follow @ebenezersCLT and keep up to date with the latest developments as we move forward with bringing this non-profit coffeehouse/multiple-use venue to Uptown Charlotte!

I love creating new things. Dreaming of things that have yet to be accomplished and seeing them come to life. But I also love getting together with like-minded colleagues that have gone down the road before us and paved the way. No need to reinvent the wheel if it's already rolling. I just got off the phone with another pastor that is about to start a new church in Houston, TX. We talked about our experience in Charlotte and how that can impact what they are doing in Texas. We talked for thirty minutes and fired ideas back and forth. Great conversation. Collaborating with other colleagues in...

Dara and I had the privilege of sharing a meal today with Pastor Steve Byrd. He is a pastor in Charlotte that has faithfully served the church for over 40 years. I was brought to tears as he passed along stories of the powerful things that God has done in our city over the last several decades. I was so encouraged by his excitement to share with us the things he has seen. His eyes lit up with passion as he recounted the miracles he has seen and experienced. And I was inspired to focus on being steady, consistent and intentional in my ministry. I am so grateful for the men and women that have...

One of the great dangers of pastoring a church is the constant pressure to grow. Numbers have long been the definition of success for churches, which has led to a very slippery slope as we identify "successful" churches. I am a firm believer that healthy things grow. It's a natural byproduct of health. John 15 even speaks to this when Jesus makes the analogy of vines and branches. If we remain in him (the true vine), we will grow (as his branches). If not, we will die. This is the promise of Jesus for our lives. And I believe it's a promise for our ministries. Numbers are a sign of growth,...

After dreaming about starting a church for so long, it's been absolutely surreal to see it come to life. And one of the most incredible things that I have experienced is watching how many people have caught the vision and run with it. I am realizing that God's calling for so many is to be a part of the life and ministry of Center City Church. It's overwhelming. Let me explain...I just got back from an absolutely amazing evening at Charlotte Emergency Housing. We threw a Christmas party for the families that are living in this amazing facility temporarily. We connected with families over...

A simple message to my Center City family from a traffic mirror in Uptown Charlotte. [vimeo 17680214 w=400 h=300]Inside Center City #2 from Center City Church on Vimeo.

Dara and I were sitting in our living room in Orlando, FL over three years ago when God first put the idea into our heart to open a coffeehouse and multiple use venue instead of a traditional church building. Soon after seeing this dream so clearly in our hearts, we met a pastor named Mark Batterson. He had opened Ebenezers Coffeehouse in Washington DC. The very thing God had placed in our heart was already open for business. Ministry was happening at the intersection of faith and community. We flew to DC and saw it for ourselves, and it was absolutely beautiful.Over the past three years, we...