Gary Grant

It's 6 am, and I am wide awake. It's my first day of a 2 week holiday, and yep here I am, up and about, blogging. My head screams ...relax...my body too....but something deep inside me is going to be a little harder to slow down. We had a good day yesterday.... And I don't have to do anything this week....but here I am awake. Sigh. I was talking with my mentor the other day about the kind of footprint legacy my life will leave when I die. And the truth is I want my footprint, my life legacy, to have made a difference. I really do feel that there is so much to do, and I am yet to really find my sweet spot in ministry and life. Holidays are good for a few things, they slow you down, allow you to recharge, refocus, re group....rest...(it's still 6 am ish)...but they do inhibit momentum, and that bit I don't like that much. Here's some truth about me... I want my life, ministry, footprint...to be deep...wide.... To have impacted people for Jesus Chr...

I don't think I am the smartest bloke on the block, neither do I think for one moment that I am better than anyone else, in fact far from it.... But I realize I have got some things going for me... Some of the things I have going for me I have become aware of recently, that I was never aware of before. I am stubborn (Julie tells me that all the time) but my stubbornness has kept me on track with some of my leadership calls, when maybe others may have given up. I can be a bit autocratic, and at times that could probably be a pain in the neck to some around me,at times I have needed to be just that, to keep things going in the right direction. And a new one I am discovering, at a cost I might say, is I am becoming more discerning. Even waking in the middle of the night with an awareness of stuff going on that I may have missed at any other time. And it's not all been good, for it has shown me areas of great concern in my ministry area. That will potentially create great ...

Problems Have a Purpose Trust me in your times of trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will give me glory.  Psalm 50:15 NLT God will use whatever he wants to display his glory. Heavens and stars. History and nations. People and problems. My dying dad in West Texas. The last three years of his life were scarred by ALS. The disease took him from a healthy mechanic to a bedbound paralytic. He lost his voice and his muscles, but he never lost his faith. Visitors noticed. Not so much in what he said but more in what he didn’t say. Never outwardly angry or bitter, Jack Lucado suffered stately. His faith led one man to seek a like faith. After the funeral this man sought me out and told me. Because of my dad’s example, he became a Jesus follower. Did God orchestrate my father’s illness for that very reason? Knowing the value he places on one soul, I wouldn’t be surprised. And imagining the splendor of heaven, I know my father’s not complaining. A season of suffering is a small...

So far over 300 people have been through our doors this week for ministry and mission activity. its been a busy week, and the week is really only half way through, in fact based on our expectations and what we think will happen tonight and tomorrow, we will hit an all time record for the year so far, which of course is our best year  to date... when you have momentum on your side it feels like  you are better than you really are, but I would prefer it this way than the other alternative. We go public with our rock wall this week... and really hoping it will impact our community and lead us towards our vision to see 2000 people attending our church facilities each week. I climbed the wall  on Saturday with 10 of our team who were being trained as supervisors and it was a good feeling climbing the wall and then trusting others with my life, to come down again. (I obviously survived) Momentum is  a strange and wonderful thing. It is awesome and you feel like you...

God is doing something inside me that I am finding difficult to explain, but I do want to try and share it, even if it sounds all muddled up as it comes out. I am totally pumped. Excited. But also aware of the work ahead. to think that God has called me, appointed me for His purposes on the earth ,                                                                   ....to basically stop Satan winning on the earth. to think that our church is about to start another new life cycle. to think that I am Gods  idea and you are too. the news is urgent, there is much to do, lives are at stake, and God has allowed us an opportunity that most churches don't get.(...

So I am home now, from Arndale in Adelaide, what a few days it has been. I have learned much, and will implement what I have gained in our church over the coming months. As Gods people, we must have a broken heart for the lost. As Gods church, we must have a broken heart and passion for the lost, not a token opinion, but a burning passion. The church exists for a specific purpose, and whilst our worship is precious to us, the preaching important in our meetings, our style and DNA all so important to church life, none of these things are our God given purpose... Our purpose is simple, yet we don't do it. Gods plan has never changed, but somehow along the way we changed it. Salvos 3064 we are going to tweak a few things to realign ourselves with this God purpose and mandate, so be ready for it..( if any are reading this )... So what is it you may ask ...? I will tell you...and there will be more on Sunday... But our purpose on the earth as Gods church is simply to push...

Firstly, I am just so exhausted. Secondly... Amazed, at what you pick up about a church when you dig a little. Gobsmacked by grace. I think that every church needs to do a consultation, ours will be soon. If a church is fair dinkum about being the body of Christ on earth, then that church must do something serious on the earth for Jesus. It will be interesting to watch this consultation unfold, how the prescriptions come out, and how they are received, and then embraced and acted upon. This church here can turn around...I know it, but will it ? Will it trust God ? Here's what I know, for this church, for our church, for the Salvation Army... If we keep doing what we've been doing, we will keep getting what we already have. If we want different end results, then we MUST change the way we do things. I am very excited, about how things went today, and yesterday, for the affirmation, teaching and training and equipping, and the anticipation of the empowering....

Firstly,that Dr Paul Borden is one smart man of God. Secondly, that the Salvation Army hierarchy are to be congratulated on allowing him to assist us in renewal. Thirdly... Well where do I start about myself... There are a lot of critical questions to ask myself about myself and my church. That there are still some very passionate people who want to win the world for Jesus in the Salvation Army. That I want my church to do something serious on the earth for Jesus. My life too. I don't want to play church. What a day this has been for me. I am tired and mentally exhausted, but enthused and energized at the same time. I want to help the Army get healthy corps(churches) everywhere. Consulting is awesome. Draining, yep.... But amazing , I pray my life will help others in this. And this was only day 1 of the consultation. In was in tears today. I love the church when I see her like I saw a part of her today. And I hate it when I see what damage Satan tried to inf...