We took Max to his new elementary school to meet with his kindergarten teacher one on one for the first time. Dara and I waited in the hall while the teacher talked with Max about his new class, asked him to spell his name, his address, colors, etc. Dara looked at me about ten minutes after we dropped him off and said, "Why am I so nervous right now?" I felt the same way. It is so strange to be letting him go into this new stage of life. I'm so proud of my little guy. He is so excited to learn and meet new friends. We are learning a lot about letting go and trusting that God will watch over...

It's never gotten quite this difficult* before. We have been living solely on God's provision and the generosity of so many across the country for so long. We start each month with $0 in our fundraising account* and God has provided every step of the way. Yet each month I feel tempted to try to take this back into my own hands through worry, fear, doubt, etc. I have spent time this week preparing applications for four different grants equaling a potential $52,000. Our goal is to completely raise our salary for the next year* (again) so that Center City Church is on a solid financial...

I am headed to Greensboro, NC this morning to meet with Jim Kelly regarding Center City Church. Jim is a valued voice in my life that has a wealth of wisdom and experience in the field of church planting. So grateful for the wisdom of wise counsel today. Looking forward to enjoying a latte and conversation!

We have had a steady stream of out-of-state visitors for the past month that have come to Charlotte to check out what we are doing during the beginning stages of Center City Church. God is bringing a group of people with a common vision, but a broad range of gifts and talents. Our group of 20+ people include singers, musicians, graphic artists, administrators, leaders and just genuinely nice and loving people. Dara and I are so humbled to see the team that God is sending to Charlotte. I remember praying several months ago when I realized the plan and direction for Center City. We were not...

I love being a dad. Dara and I have four amazing kids. Each one is so different. It's because of these differences that each one can completely have our hearts in a way that we've never known before. Sure, being the dad of four kids ages five and under can be crazy. And messy. And loud. But it's the biggest honor of my life besides being a follower of Christ and a husband to Dara. I love all the things that come along with fatherhood. I love the unsolicited kisses. I love the look in their eyes when I tell them I am proud of them. I love their giggles when we tell them something that excites...

Someone really close to our family just gave us a $100 check when they heard we were going school shopping for Max. God's provision is absolutely perfect. God just knows what we need. I am amazed (daily) by God's perfect provision. He is using so many people to allow us to continue chasing the dream of planting Center City Church. Even when we are still trying to raise our salary for next month, God provides for my baby's school clothes.Amazing.

Dara and I are taking Max "back to school" shopping today. He is starting kindergarten this year, so I guess it's not technically "back" to school. Either way, it's shopping day for the Docusens!It's so surreal having our first baby heading off to school. He is chomping at the bit to get there. We are so proud of Max. He loves God with a genuine innocence and sincerity. Dara asked him a couple of months ago, "What are you most excited about going to kindergarten?"His resonse was, "I get to learn about Jesus." Dara proceeded to tell him that it wasn't a church school and that he wouldn't be...

We had our first Center City Church core team gathering at our house today. What an incredible experience. There were 20+ people packed into our home today as we grilled out, hung out and then spent some time together talking about the future. We finished our time by praying together. Such a memorable day. We are so incredibly humbled by the amazing team that God has sent alongside Dara and I. I cannot overstate how phenomenal this group is in both their heart and talent. We are blessed to have a team that is connected in heart and spirit to the vision that God has given Dara and I for...

I had the overwhelming privilege of giving our first missions check today from Center City Church!We have committed to give at least ten percent of all of our tithes, offerings and donations to missions (both stateside and around the world). It is so exciting to know that we are able to be a blessing to others as God faithfully provides for us. What an exciting, unforgettable day!

As Dara and I have prayed about the beginning stages of Center City Church, we keep on coming back to the simple phrase "slow and steady". I keep on telling our core team (which is now at 20+ people) that we never get a chance to start again. Over the next couple of months, we have an incredible opportunity to intentionally focus on the foundation of this church. We will be starting our weekly gatherings in September, but we will not be obtaining a meeting place at that point. We will be focusing on our core team and gathering in our living room. God has brought together a phenomenal team...