J.R. Lee

• It’s good to be back at North Cobb High School!
• I went to the Principal’s office for the first time in many years and sat down with Dr. Page earlier this week. I am so proud of his vision and the rapid improvement that has taken place at that school since his arrival last school year.
• A crew of 75+ of our partners spent over 3 hours at the school on Saturday getting things ready.  I am more than grateful for a church that is consumed with reaching people far from God!
• Sunday was a great final week of summer and we saw several people give their lives to Christ.  Great day.
• Always an honor to have church planters with us every other week or so.  We had people from California, Georgia, and Tennessee with us this week and they were all great guys.
• We are praying “Sun Stand Still” type prayers right now and believing that this will be the greatest season of ministry that Freedom Church has ever seen.
• Speaking of Sun Stand Still :: Pastor Steven sent me a few copies of his book that will be released in September.  I read it within 2 days and I can’t wait for you to get your hands on it!  Go ahead and pre-order a copy right here!
• I love the series we are in right now.  The next three weeks are going to change the lives of so many people who are limping around secretly wondering why they are not experiencing the power that is supposed to be found in Jesus.
• Get people to Freedom Church on Sunday.  It’s that important.  See you Sunday at 9:45 or 11:15.

For all the Church Planters and leadership types who read this blog – this one is for you…

Perry Noble has been very influential in my life over the past three years.  When he told me they were doing a leadership conference at Newspring – I knew it would be a can’t miss event!

It’s one day…six speakers…and only $99 until Friday!

Mark Driscoll
Jud Wilhite
Judah Smith
Francis Chan
Steven Furtick
Perry Noble

I know Pastors Steven and Perry very well and the two of them alone make this thing worth your time.  I met Pastor Jud last year in Vegas and he is the real deal!  I could go on and on.  Bottom line – don’t miss this thing.  sign up now and I will see you there.

So…get registered…and we will see you on September 16th!

I received a great email a few weeks ago from a lady at Freedom. I wanted to pass it along. It’s a great reminder.

Pastor JR,
Message today was right on. I want to share my story about giving…I have been a tither (10%) since I accepted Christ in 1955 – even though I had three small children and lost my husband only 1 1/2 month’s after I accepted Christ.  I have never become wealthy, but my needs have always been met. When I get my Social Security and retirement checks, the tithe comes out first.
If we put God first in our finances, he promises to meet our needs. Maybe not all our wants, but all our needs. It just seems to make the rest of the money’s go further. At least that is what I have found to be true over 54 years of trusting the Lord. Mal 3:10 says, Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there may be food in my house, and test me now with this, says the Lord, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.  This is the message I heard back then and it hasn’t changed over the years. God is faithful to His word. When things get tough, He always has made a way, it would be hard to not trust Him after over 54 years of His being faithful to His word.  He always has been and He always will be.

I loved this post from Seth Godin!  I think you will as well.

Just about all sabotage is self-sabotage.

We don’t get forced to eat that cookie, we choose to. And so the diet is ended.

Marketing self-sabotage is fascinating to watch and understand. Consider the college application: it’s primarily an opportunity for teenagers who aren’t sure of where they want to go to undercut their chances by exposing their uncertainty. The lizard brain, the voice in the back of the head that wants security and safety–it’s not eager to go to a college that might be ‘too hard’ or ‘too good’. The easy thing to do is to scale back the effort, not do what works, but do what feels right instead.

Or consider the way we resist opportunities to lead, to connect, to do work that matters. We don’t resist because we’re not capable of it… we resist because if our marketing fails, if we don’t get the job or earn the trust, then we’re off the hook. No promises made, which means no promises to keep.

We know more than enough about marketing now. We know how to craft a story that will spread, we know how to find and lead tribes. The thing we have trouble with is making the commitment to do it even when it’s frightening and difficult.

Stephen King gave great advice in his book On Writing:

“If God gives you something you can do, why in God’s name wouldn’t you do it?”

God knew what He was doing when He gave you gifts and talents.  Don’t be afraid to use them.