This weekend I’m finishing our ONE PRAYER SERIES with a talk entitled:
God is UNCHANGING & CHANGING

No doubt this can seem confusing, but I promise it has been ROCKING MY BRAIN over the last few weeks!
In the first movement of the talk, I’m taking on the concept of the IMMUTABILITY OF GOD. It’s an enduring Christian doctrine that has been with us from the beginning and has great presence throughout the Bible, as we’ll see this weekend. In recent years there have been 2 challenges to this doctrine: process theology and open theism.

I know, I know… you may have hit snooze when I whipped out the word ‘process.’
But, in order to help you better understand what I’m talking about this weekend, click here for a great link to an online book by John Piper regarding this doctrine.

My older brother, Eric Thomas, is pastor at the First Baptist Church, Norfolk, VA. Check out how they touched the lives of single moms…

Is that unbelievable, or what?

I’m PUMPED to introduce two new team members to the Keystone staff: John Bain & Geoffrey Noblitt!

I have personally seen God call John to the local church. He has an incredible family and comes to us from various executive roles in corporate America. As he joins my ministry team he brings special gifts that will help us move forward into the audacious vision God is giving us.

Geoffrey has moved to Keystone Church from California. Recently engaged & graduated from college (written in the order of importance), he brings a lifetime of ministry experience and a passion for Keystone Church. As he joins our staff, he will help us expand our ability to reach the student generation.

Remember Ephesians 4:11,12 -
Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ.

In the early days of Keystone Church, I was most tense and uptight when I taught giving. I was petrified that our unchurched friends would brand me a ‘money-grubbin preacher’ and never give Jesus a chance. Yet, the more I dove into what God taught on money the bolder I became.

Now, I love talking about obeying God with our money.

As I have studied Scripture, I am struck by 3 types of giving:

1) FAITHFUL GIVING:
Often known as the tithe, this type of giving is RETURNING to God a FIRST PORTION of our income. The Old Testament refers to the 10%… In the New Testament, Jesus is quick to affirm the tithe, not as a means to get to God but as a good obedience en route to weightier matters of justice, mercy, and faith (Matthew 23:23-24). For more examples, check out Genesis 14:17-20; 28:20-22; Deuteronomy 26; Leviticus 27:30-33; 1 Corinthians 16. For a stern warning against violating this simple teaching, see Malachi 3:8-10.

2) GENEROUS GIVING:
Generosity is a thread woven throughout the Bible. We must manage our money in such a way that we are able to be generous at all times. The direct application back then was mainly directed to slaves, foreigners, widows and orphans. In our case, we must always have room to help a family member in need, a single mom, a friend who has lost their job, etc. This also includes spontaneous offerings for children in need or other great opportunities. Some samples of generosity: Deuteronomy 15:13ff; 24:19; James 1:27.

3) SACRIFICIAL GIVING
At Keystone, we believe with all our hearts that it is God’s design for every believer to either be preparing for, participating in, or recovering from a sacrificial gift. It is in our spiritual DNA to give until it hurts. These are the types of gifts you can’t just budget… once you give it, you have to financially recover from it! For example, in the New Testament you see Barnabas sell a portion of his land as a sacrificial gift… that’s a gift you can’t replenish! That is a true sacrifice. God does not desire his children to WHINE about financial projects… if your church is constantly raising big sums of money, it means there’s a big vision driving it! That’s a GREAT CHURCH. We’re completing our first 3-year journey of sacrificial giving this weekend and WE’RE PUMPED! I’m also thrilled to take the next few months to bathe the vision of our church in prayer so we can begin challenging ourselves for the next great sacrifice. See Mark 10:21; Luke 19; Acts 2:42-46; 4:32; 11:29-30; Romans 15:26-27; 1 Chronicles 29:3.

It is crucial to be healthy in all three areas of giving… it’s how you’re designed!  It moves you closer & closer to your God-given potential!  Those Keystoners I know who give out of all three pockets are VERY, VERY happy people… they have sacrificed boats, ranch houses, new cars, and high-def plasmas to see God’s mission spread… that’s living on THE EDGE!!!

Recently, I’ve been flooded with various stories and encouragements surrounding Keystone. So many people have sent me emails, stopped me in the lobby, or ‘facebooked’ me to let me know how deeply God has used Keystone to draw them closer to Jesus.

I’m FLOORED! (and I want to stay there)

Without a doubt, Keystone faced a CROSSROADS moment almost 3 years ago. We completely depended on people praying, sacrificing, and giving toward a vision that was a promise: We truly believed that if we brought our young church to the masses (aka, 40,000 cars passing by a campus each day) that MASSES of lives would be changed.

Almost 3 years later, we realize that PROMISE has started PAYING OFF! Hundreds of people have trusted Jesus for the first time… almost 200 have been baptized… almost 1700 people on our campus for Easter weekend… IT’S HAPPENING.

I am still overwhelmed by the GREATNESS and FAVOR that God chose to show us at Keystone this weekend!!!

Here are the highlights:

• Almost 1700 people experienced God in a new, fresh way (new Keystone record)!
• 51 New Christ Followers!!!
• 21 Christ Followers were baptized (17 were adults)
• Brian & the worship team pointed us into the presence of God – it was PUMPIN!
• More VOLS stepped up than ever before – hundreds – making it a ‘well-oiled machine’
• The atmosphere was ELECTRIC… people were spontaneously clapping, laughing, & celebrating the risen Christ
• My ‘RELIGION’ blind-fold… my eyes were stinging from the white paint that seeped through!
• Yes, I did a ‘you know you’re dating a red-neck’ joke on Easter weekend… (19:40 in the talk… see link below)
• BTW, my mother died when I did the joke
• The glorious moment after EACH  of our 4 services when people raised their hands to receive Christ… unbelievable

Thanks to EVERYONE who sacrificed, served, gave, invited and SHOWED UP to be part of God’s great church, Keystone!

Losing My Religion – Part 1 – Nicodemus (Easter) from Keystone Church on Vimeo.