Rick Bezet

Rick Bezet
ARC All Access Conference

Life Giving Ministry

You do not have to ministry alone

Galatians 5:1
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free, stand firm then and do
not let yourselves be burdened again by the yoke of slavery

- we are free

Life Giving Principles

1. Keep the innocence
2. Do not be authoritative
3. Be loyal
4. Be thankful when God is blessing others
5. Do not forget about the pain

You can not keep from growing if you have a loyal team

Trent Brown, Lead Pastor
Gateway Fellowship

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Matt Fry

Matt Fry
ARC All Access Conference

In the context if ministry there are 4 warning signs of an unhealthy
heart:

1. Jealous heart
2. Competitive heart
3. Selfish heart
4. Critical heart

How do we have a healthy heart:

1. we must rely on God's power and not men's methods
2. we must rely on God's power and not what we did last year

Pray this:
May my message and preaching not be full of wise and persuasive words
but full of the Spirit

It is about passion that comes from the heart

Trent Brown, Lead Pastor
Gateway Fellowship

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Ed Young Jr

Ed Young Jr
ACT All Access Conference

The Greatest Thing In The World
- is the local church

Betrayal is brutiful:
-If you are in ministry you will understand betrayal
-betrayal happens
-only the people that I trust can betray me

Genesis 37

Joseph shared his stuff too early

1. Betrayal occurs during defining moments
2. Betrayal always comes from those who are closest to you
3. Betrayal is fueled by envy and jealousy

Ministry is brutiful while at the same time beautiful

Trent Brown, Lead Pastor
Gateway Fellowship

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Chris Hodges

Chris Hodges
ARC All Acess Conference

Having the right internal motivation to do what you need to do

- the things that the Lord has called us to do are really more
internal than external

You have to Become!
It is more than just doing

You can use external forces to control the internal or have an
internal chane

The Lord Jesus will entrust more to us as we begin to work with what
we are becoming rather than what we are doing

1. Love life

-do not focus on the external things

2. Love People

-we have got to honestly love people
- 1 Thess 2: 3-12
- too many pastors love the crowd, not the people

3. Love God

- are you truly loving God or are you just in love with the church?
Are you committing adultery with the church?

Trent Brown, Lead Pastor
Gateway Fellowship

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Greg Surratt

Greg Surratt
ARC All Access Conference

1 Corinthians 15:58

If you want to stay for the longhaul and be healthy while standing
firm in your church planting experience:

1. Base your preaching on the simplicity of the Gospel of Jesus Christ

- if you take your stand on anything other than the Gospel, you will
shrink the target of who you can reach

2. Base you confidence on the fact that God has chosen you

- God did not make a mistake when He called you

3. Base your hope on the fact that you are part of a Team

- let God be God. Work as hard as you can. Be obedient and let Him do
what only He can do

Trent Brown, Lead Pastor
Gateway Fellowship

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Sunday Reflections

This weekend was awesome for the life of Gateway Fellowship. We held our 1st Father/ Son Retreat at Mathew's Retreat Center in Lone Oak, Texas and had a blast. It was awesome to see Dad's spending time with their boys. It was great to see Dads, who have only girls at home, bring their nephews with them for the retreat. It was awesome to see men represent Dad for other students whose dad's are not around. We spend time fishing, playing horseshoes, cooking meals and just hanging out with one another. O, I failed to mention the awesomeness of paying whiffle ball with the little ones inside the meeting room. I am not sure there there is anything better than seeing a kids face light up when he hits a ball for the first time~ priceless! We had an awesome time this weekend and are already thinning about other ways to get our Men together for events such as this.

Sunday morning was really great. I really enjoyed the worship. I really enjoyed preaching yesterday morning. I really felt some freedom in what the Lord had for us. You might want to ask someone if it was any good?
* I love our Church
* I love our people
* I love our team
* I love that He is not done with us
* I love that He is working in and through us
* I love the fact that we will have people "doing life together" in their Connect Groups this week
* I love that He continues to stretch us
* I love that He is faithful
* I love that our church will take some risks to meet people where they are
* I love what He has put in us and the direction we are headed

"serve" and "save"

Ed Stetzer: This generation is continuing to show their desire to be a part of something bigger than themselves, a cause. It is our responsibility to affirm the church as an outlet where they cannot only find opportunities to serve the world, but even find a greater reason behind doing it.

The social action movement shouldn't intimidate the church. We don't need to be looking for ways to retrofit our message into it. Instead, we simply need to help others see that it is our message.

Jesus shows us in Luke 19 that he came to seek and to save the lost. But, we also see that very same Jesus in Luke 4 who is serving the hurting and the oppressed. If we are going to join Jesus on his mission, he modeled both "serve" and "save," and we would do well to follow his example.

The above text is from one of Ed's posts on his blog. I love the idea here that we are in a time where people want to be involved with something bigger than themselves. It is the very nature of the finite being longing to be connected to something infinite. It is a direct look at our humanity and the awesomeness of God. As a pastor, I pray that our church will be a place like this. A place where people can feel connected not only to the Lord but to one another as we learn to "do life together". I long for a place where real biblical community is taking place and in response to that overwhelming since of community, we are reaching out in a missional mindset to those around us. How can we, as the church, best serve those around us? Are there things that we need to do differently while making sure we are not doing them contrary to the Scriptures in our approach? Will the church be known for bringing something positive to the community? Will we "in essence" be a church of influence, filled with people of influence, longing to influence the world? We must embrace the idea the He came to serve and to save. As we serve those around us, may we embrace the relationships that are begun and may those relationships be the "front door" that allows us to point people to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ

Reflections From Sunday

It has been a busy week already. I can't believe it is already Wednesday and I have not been able to find time to do my normal Sunday Reflections. Sunday was another awesome day for us at Gateway Fellowship. We continue to see lives being transformed by the Gospel. I love the fact that our church is diligent in getting involved in the community and being as missional as we can. I know that the word "missional" is being thrown around a lot lately but for us, as a church, we are trying to be as incarnational as we can to our community. It is our desire is to be the hands and feet of Christ in the community that He has put us in. The Lord continues to give us opportunities to do so, and our church family has steeped up in big ways.

Sunday we had an awesome service. The worship was good. I really feel like the sermon was good; (of course, you might have t ask someone else since I am the one who preached it)I really enjoyed preparing for it and teaching it. Our Children's Ministry Team is awesome and I love what the children are learning. We have some awesome things coming up. This weekend, we have our Father/ Son Retreat on Friday and Saturday, April 24-25, 2009. I am really looking forward to getting away and spending some time with my son, Cade. He is awesome and he has an awesome heart for the Lord and His creation. Cade loves animals and can probably tell you anything you want to know about them. He is only 8 years old but he knows an immense amount of knowledge concerning animals. Starting Friday, Cade and I along with other men and their children will spend the weekend together, grilling, fishing, playing and just hanging. I am really looking forward to it.

We also have some things that our Elders are praying towards that deal with our future as a church and the direction that we are headed. God has given us some awesome opportunities and we want to make sure we do not get behind Him or ahead of Him but stay in step with Him and what He is calling us to do as a church.

I love our Church
I love our people
I love our staff
I love what He is doing in and through us
I love that He always keeps us moving forward and doesn't allow us to just sit back

April 18, 2009

April 18, 2009
Ed Stetzer at the SENT Conference

Being sent requires us to have some certain convictions

God calls us as believers to ministry and sends all on mission. The
question then becomes who are we sent to

1. You are SENT so Go
- we are accustomed to stay rather than to go
- we are Sent by Him to join Him in His mission
- we are Sent for His glory

2. You are empowered
- do not tame the Gospel which is dangerous and causes people to go to
dangerous places to share it

3. You are responsible
- you have received the stewardship of the grace of God
- do not buy into the lie that Christianity is a spectator sport
- we own the work of God and have been Sent with it

Our churches need to be filled with people who understand they have
been called to ministry and have been sent

Trent Brown, Lead Pastor
Gateway Fellowship

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April 17, 2009 Ed Stetzer at the SENT Conference

April 17, 2009
Ed Stetzer at the SENT Conference
Phil 3

We must live like we are Sent

God by His nature is a sender and He sends US just like He sent His son

We are most like God when we join Him in what He has called us to do

We must do these things in order to live sent:

1. Must have our loyalty set
(our citizenship is in heaven)

2. We must be longing and living for Jesus

3. We must live under the Lordship of Jesus Christ

We must be biblically faithful culturally relevant counter culture
communities for the kingdom of God

Trent Brown, Lead Pastor
Gateway Fellowship

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Things above

"Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things." ~Colossians 3:1-2.

I love this scripture reference and the fact that it tells us to set our minds on things above. We are called to set our hears affections and our minds attention on Him. He is the author and perfecter of our faith. HE is the one who will see us through this journey. A journey that we can almost be assured will be full of trials and temptations. Let's be honest, the Lord Jesus was tempted, what would make us think that our lives would not be? Do not worry or grow weary though because He also tells us the we will not be tempted beyond what we can bare and that He will give us a way out. I believe that the way out is simply focusing on things above and not getting caught up in the things of this world and what it deals us. Is this not what the scripture above tells us to do? I have heard worship defined like this, "worship is when you set your hearts affection and your mind's attention on the Father praising Him for who He is and what He has done" It makes sense doesn't it? What is worship? Worship is setting your heart on the things above and focusing your mind on things that are not of this world~
We serve a risen Savior who in accordance with scripture was literally the firstfruits or the first of the harvest of our resurrection. Look at 1 Corinthians 15: 21-23

21 So you see, just as death came into the world through a man, now the resurrection from the dead has begun through another man. 22 Just as everyone dies because we all belong to Adam, everyone who belongs to Christ will be given new life. 23 But there is an order to this resurrection: Christ was raised as the first of the harvest; then all who belong to Christ will be raised when he comes back.

As believers in Jesus Christ, we have been raised with Christ in the newness of life and therefore we can worship Him with all that we are and all that we have. To do so means to set our hearts and minds on things above which leads me to this; what captivates your heart's affection and your mind's attention? Is it HIM?

Sunday Reflections

This past weekend was AMAZING. We held our 4th Annual Egg Smash on Saturday, April 11, 2009. This event is our community outreach Easter event. This year topped off all the previous years in attendance. We had over 600 people come and join us at Royse City Lake Park and participate. I love our church family and witnessed their hard work this weekend. Many of them went above and beyond what we asked of them and they are the ones who pulled this event off. Gateway peeps, I love You!

Sunday morning was no different. We had an awesome crowd and the service went really well. My friends, who are former students of mine, came and helped lead worship and it was awesome to have them as a part of our team this weekend. A special thanks to Tyler and Bailey Dodds

I love Gateway
I love its heart for the community
I love its people
I love what He is doing in us
I love the fact that I get to see firsthand His handiwork
I love our staff

Colossians 1: 15-20

Colossians 1:15-20~ is a beautiful statement of the Lordship and Supremacy of Jesus Christ.

He is the image of the invisible God,
the firstborn of all creation.
For by him all things were created,
in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible,
whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities
—all things were created through him and for him.
And he is before all things,
and in him all things hold together.
And he is the head of the body, the church.
He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead,
that in everything he might be preeminent.
For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,
and through him to reconcile to himself all things,
whether on earth or in heaven,
making peace by the blood of his cross.

Gateway Peeps~ We NEED your help

All hands on Deck!! We need your help!! We will be arriving at the City Park at 8:00 a.m. April, 11, 2009 to begin set-up for the 4th Annual Egg Smash. If you can, will you please come and help us get ready for this event. We have an amazing opportunity in front of us this weekend and we have been praying that this will be a God Sized Moment for us! Guys, we have a ton of bounce houses, tarps, canopies, and a food court to set up as well as the registration area, sound system, and the egg hunt area. Don't forget the Egg smash area and the place to big up the awesome prizes we are giving away!

Who are you bringing?

Gateway Peeps,

Who are YOU bringing to church with you this weekend?

People need Jesus, and we were never called to be silent. We have got to be proactive!

We promise that, as a church, we are going to do all we can to make sure the Gospel is presented in a very clear way…

But the rest is up to you!

What do you need to do in order to get people here?

Maybe you have asked them before~ It is OK, ask them again!



See you Sunday morning at 10:30, come early for coffee and conversation

Heart

For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, so that you won't grow weary and lose heart~ Hebrews 12:3

We live in a fallen world, where things happen to good people everyday. We live in a world where many fear what is going to take place next. We live in a world where we can make a difference by the way we chose to respond to the situations that arise in our individual lives. Have you ever wondered about what people see in you when face with a trial. Do you ever wonder how they will respond when faced with something of the same nature.I love thinking upon this scripture and what it says to us. I love the thought that I do not have to grow weary. I do not have to lose heart. I can however consider what my Savior went through in order to give me a purpose in life. Let's be honest, in order to give me life.He is the very reason I breathe. He is the very reason I have what I have and am able to do what I do. It is all about Him! He does however call me to live my life in a way that brings Him honor and glory. He calls for me to have HEART and not grow weary and tired, even in the darkest of hours.

For those who are familiar with Keanu Reeves and his role as Shane Falco on "The Replacements", I want to be like Falco~ I want to have heart~ miles and miles of heart!

What Are You Scared Of?

This is an awesome video about Clayton's story, a young man who lived with a different view on life. It really makes me think about where I am and what I am doing on a daily basis. And it begs me to ask the question, What am I scared of?

What Are You Saying?

Today, while reading in Proverbs, I came across this verse in chapter 18 verse 21. It reads like this in the NLT, "Those who love to talk will experience the consequences, for the tongue can kill or nourish life"

What a reminder for all of us and how we communicate. It really makes you think about the fact that what we say will bring about death or life. I began learning, and still am learning, a long time ago that I should really listen more and talk less. I have been trying to teach myself to listen to what is being said before I roll off with some remark that I think is the direction in which the conversation is headed. I am learning to "cease striving..." in accordance with Psalm 46 and rely on the fact that He is God and it is not my duty nor job to try and accomplish His. I hope that makes sense? I really believe in our humanness, we often get in the way of what He is doing. We often let loose of our tongues in times when we have in reality been called to be silent. We often feel the need to speak, when all along He has called us to listen. We often say things that are stupid and cause death because we have not taken the time to really think about what we are saying and the effects that is has on those around us. Scriptures tell us that we bring about death or nourishment to life with what we say with our tongue!
~ Lord give me Your ears, Your eyes and Your heart so that I can hear, see and love people the way You do. In doing so, I will not speak things that bring about destruction but rather words that nourish life