First Monday – Prayer & Fasting

Hey Everyone,

I am so excited about all that God is doing through Next Level Church. As many of you know, we designate the First Monday of every month to Pray and Fast collectively as a Body of Believers.

Here are a list of Prayer Points that I hope you will be sure to lift up to God throughout the day:

• A Future Facility for Next Level Church. We are in a Season of Preparation as a church. Pray that God will continue to bless the people of NLC and continue to prompt their hearts to give above and beyond the normal Tithe. The first 2 Future Facility Offerings have been extremely successful! Pray for Creative Wisdom for NLC Leadership as we seek to find the right Facility God has for us.
• Next week, Lindsay Kistner and several NLC’ers will be traveling to the Dominican Republic for a Short-Term Missions Trip. None of those going on the trip have ever been out of the USA! Pray that God will move on their hearts as well as the people of the DR. Pray for safety and life-change.
• Next Level Church – Orlando. The are headed for their relaunch on September 13th. Pray for the NLCO Leadership Team as they set in place a strategy and head for their relaunch. Pray for a Buzz in the community to begin to build as their new website goes live this week! www.NextLevelOrlando.com
• Dan & Stephanie Stauffer – Family Life Church in Sucasunna, NJ. Pastor Mike Ash and Pastor Matt were just there last weekend. They are church planters who are meeting in a Middle School. The region they are in is very unchurched. Pray for favor to continue to reach unchurched people in New Jersey.
• The Peopel of NLC:

1. Jobs
2. Promotions
3. Breakthroughs
4. To Get out of Debt
5. Miracles in Relationships
6. To Continue to Engage SOAP-ing on a Daily Basis.

• The Vintage Series that begins this Sunday – July 12th. Three times a year we pull out all the stops. Pray for courage for NLC’ers to invite their unchurched friends. Pray that people who have gotten away from church will get back in the habit again during this series.
• Our NLC Missionaries:

1. Luke Walters – In Sri Lanka right now holding crusades, evangelizing and    training leaders for the Gospel.
2. Christ for India – Jameson, Johnson and Mary (their mother) Titus.  Pray for the Seminary, Children’s School with 800 children, Medical Clinics and Church Planting across India.
3. Kelly and Kathy Johnson – Kenya. Pray for favor as they continue to train dozens of pastors across the nation of Kenya. Pray for our team as we prepare to go in September.
4. Mark and Stephanie Pyles – Dominican Republic. Pray for their “Youth Church” that is reaching teenagers and 20-somethings in Santiago, DR. The 2nd largest city in the entire nation.

• The Annual Back Pack Give-Away in August! Next Month we are planning on giving away 5,000 packbacks to needy families across SW FL! Pray for God’s favor as we continue to need miracles by way of sponsorship and support for this event that touches thousands of families!

Thanks again for praying, together we’re making a difference!

Pastor Matt

 

How Do we “Rest”?!?

Last week, we began a series of blogs about the Summer Slump and Rest for leaders. Today I want to turn to a quick reference guide for leaders on

How to Get enough Rest:

I remember reading this in a Bill Hybels book a long time ago. So I want to give him credit (I think it was him…) Thanks Bill.

1.  Divert Daily.  I jokingly refer to my office as “The Florescent Jungle.” Sometimes I just feel like I’m being swallowed alive by Florescent lights, you know! Everyday, a leader has to do 2 things: First, go outside. Of course, I live in the Sunshine State where it’s sunny 315 days a year, so I recognize my Minnesota friends might have a different strategy, but…

As a rule, make it a point to get out of your office at least once a day. Did you know the Sun gives us Vitamin D? Think about that for second; God actually created us to not be completely healthy without the sun! That’s so cool.

Second, every leader needs to do something in their day that makes them feel strong. For me it’s reading or encouraging. I can only have so many meetings and return so many e-mails in a day before I just want to jump in front of a bus! E-mail and meetings don’t make me feel strong. Reading or encouraging someone does! What makes you feel strong? You MUST do that everyday!

2.  Withdraw Weekly.  Take a Day Off! No Exceptions. No excuses. No Buts. God said it, do it! It’s His world, He created it, so you have 2 options: Do what He says, or create your own world.

So… in light of you not being able to create your own world, why not just go along with His? If you aren’t used to taking a day off, you’ll probably have to get extreme. Here’s what I mean. You’ll probably have to completely turn off your phone, leave your computer unplugged and not be available to ANYONE, but your family for an entire 24 hours!

Some of us are getting the shakes right now just thinking about it. Don’t worry, Twitter and Facebook will be there when you get back… And if someone needs you like for an emergency, they find a way to get ahold of you. Or they might just have to figure it out themselves. If they get mad, fine. (Good news, they are big enough to create a world for you to live in either!)

3.  Move Out Monthly.  I don’t think Hybels said “Move Out” but I can’t remember his Verb, so… (If you know it, leave it in the comment section and I’ll fix it)  Anyway, every 30 days, I recommend that a leader carve out a half day to a whole day (ideally) to get out of the office and think. Again, turn all the gadgets off and just let your mind connect with God and think. I think some of my best thoughts on road trips. I find that just getting out of my element and seeing different sights helps my mind to think different thoughts.

4.  Escape Annually.  Leading is hard work and it requires time off. Don’t believe the lie that “The devil never took a day off!” or “I never want someone in the business world to outwork me.” Listen, #1: Since when did we start taking our cues from the business world? and #2: When did we start taking our cues from the devil?

I highly recommend a “No Kids” Vacation at least once a year. As my wife tells other pastor’s wives, “My husband needs a time when I’m am JUST HIS WIFE! Not mommy, not church worker, not house cleaner, JUST HIS WIFE!” Amen sister! Guys take her away. The kids will be fine!

However much vacation you’re allowed to take, take it all! You deserve it.

God said to Rest… Either we build it in, or He’ll force it upon us. Either way, it’s gonna happen. We might as well plan it and enjoy it instead of waiting for a heart attack or anxienty attack to put us in the hospital…

Go take a nap,

Matt

 

The Art of “Rest” – Part 2

Yesterday we began a serious of blogs about Rest. Too many pastors and leaders miss the significance of rest and consequently end up short-changing the organizations they lead. Here’s another thought on Rest…

2. Rest is a Pit Stop.

I’m a big Indy 500 fan. For 23 years, my dad and I have had a tradition of being at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway every Memorial Day weekend. Here’s the thing about the Indy 500… Once the race starts, it doesn’t stop for 500 miles! Unless there is rain, they don’t stop the race for anything.Even if there is a bad crash, they re-route the cars onto the pit road, but they don’t stop the race!

Church is the same way! Once the green flag is dropped, we’re required to go 52 weeks straight right? Every 7 days whether we’re ready or not. At NLC, we call it the Monster of Sunday and unless we know how to tame it, it can eat you alive. I have seen far too many pastors and leaders burn themselves out, all because they never learned how to tame the Monster of Sunday.

Back to Racing… Although once the green flag is dropped, they never stop a race, they do have periods of yellow flags. Whenever there is a crash or a problem on the track, the yellow flag will come out! Within seconds of a yellow flag, the pit crews literally jump into action! This is their chance to make adjustments, refuel, and change the tires on their race car.

Again, church is the same way. In a 52 week calendar year, a wise leader will see natural “Yellow Flag” zones and capitalize on them. Here are a few things I’ve learned about “yellow flags” from my time at the Indy 500.

1.  There’s no passing on a yellow. For safety reasons, drivers are not allowed to pass or “take ground” during yellow flag periods. Every church needs yellow flag zones where they are not permitted to “Take Ground.” Instead, get in line, keep going, but slow your engine down, rest, improve your gas mileage for a little while. Don’t worry, you’ll be back to Green Flag Racing soon enough.

2.  It’s a great time to refuel because everybody on the track has slowed down. The #1 reason everyone pits on a yellow is because all the cars in the race have slowed down. In other words, you won’t lose as much ground on the track as you would if you had to pit during green flag racing. God gives churches yellow flag zones to refuel, too many leaders, however, miss it and keep going like it’s still a green flag.

3.  You don’t have to Stop Everything to take a Pit Stop. One of the coolest thing about an Indy Car is that they have the ability to refuel while the engine is still running. In church work, the same thing is true. Rest doesn’t have to mean “Turning the Engine completely off.” In fact, one of the worst things that can happen in the pit is for the engine to stall. It requires another huge piece of equipment to get it started again. Resting in church work doesn’t have to look like killing the engine, but you do have to come into the pits.

4.  If you don’t pit on a yellow, you will eventually have to pit on a green. Probably the greatest danger to not taking advantage of the built in “yellow flags” of your 52 week calendar is that you will eventually HAVE to pit on a green flag. When drivers are forced to pit on the green they lose HUGE ground on the track. I have seen too many pastors who fail to pit on the yellow and consequently have to pit on the green. When they do, they always end up regretting it.

On Monday, we talk about How we Rest, but for now, why not get out your calendar and look for 3 or 4 yellow flag zones where you will decide now, away from the emotion and urgency of the moment, to rest.

By the way, the month of June is a great “yellow flag.” So, look at your calendar next week and cancel all your activities on one of the days. Go to the beach, take your kids to the park, go have some fun, take a pit stop.

Don’t worry, you won’t lose any ground on the track (It’s a Yellow, remember!)

Matt

 

The Art of “Rest” for Leaders

One of the biggest problems in the church world and with many leaders in general is not knowing how to “Rest!” How is it possible that Jesus commanded it, it’s a Ten Commandment, and it’s laced throughout the pages of the Bible, and yet for many of us leaders, it’s one of the hardest things we do… or don’t do.

Summer is one of the most strategic times in any church calendar and understanding your need, as a leader, to Rest is a Huge part of that!

What is Rest?

1.  Rest is a Water-Stop. Our Associate Pastor at NLC, Mike Ash, is a marathon runner, triathlon guy! He’s big and buff and strong and likes to punish his body with activities like that! I remember being on a run with Mike several years ago and after about a mile, I started drinking water and proverbially “Freaking Out.” (Which is what I do when I try to do things like run.) I noticed that throughout the whole like 2 or 3 miles, Mike didn’t drink anything the whole time. So I asked him. He said, “Your body doesn’t really start needing water for a while. So on a shorter run like this, (I think he was throwing that in my face…) you don’t HAVE to have a water bottle with you.”

Not so in a marathon. There’s a reason why they set up water stations every so often for the runners to drink and splash their face with it. Because in a marathon, water stops are essential to survival.

So what kind of race do you want to run with your church this year? A 100 yard dash? A 2 or 3 mile run? or a 26.2 mile marathon? Around NLC we talk about our 52 weeks in a year as a marathon. Then we challenge each other with the question, “When and where are your water stops?” Don’t think you don’t need water; and not just to drink, but to splash in with your kids!

More tomorrow…

Matt

 

How to Avoid the “Summer Slump”

A difficult challenge many pastors face, especially in the early years of a church is what is commonly known as the “Summer Slump.” When school lets out, many churches feel the pinch in more ways than one. If we’re not careful, the Summer Slump can tear the momentum right out from under us. Knowing how to navigate through June, July, and August is Paramount.

Some pastors give up on the summer and just check out. Others though see them as the strategic months they are and actually strengthen their church in the process. Here are a few of my thoughts…

1.  Assimilate. Rather than focusing on “How Many” people are or are not in attendance on a Sunday, start focusing on the most important number of all: ONE! Summer is a great time to go back through your database, find people who are loosely connected and get them plugged in. At some point, we have to take people individually by the hand and walk them to their next step of involvement. Summer is a GREAT time to do that! Increasing the base of the organization in the summer means growth in the fall!

2.  Improve. Summer is a great time to assess every department and area of your church. Numbers may be down a bit which gives your workers a chance to catch their breath and it gives you the ability to rise above your organization and see where you need to make improvements. During the school year, a church can move at such a rapid pace that improving environments doesn’t even land on a radar. Summer is the perfect time to make improvements and adjustments.

3.  Rest. One of the biggest dangers of church work is thinking that we, the leaders, must push all the way through summer. That is a strategy for burnout. Here’s the deal. You are in a marathon, not a sprint. Slow down. Pace yourself. Your church needs you to go 26.2 miles, not just 100 yards! What does that mean? How do we rest AND keep this organization going all at the same time?

I’ll talk more about that tomorrow…

In the mean time, why not make a few phone calls, set up a few lunches or coffee meetings & start assimilating some people who are dying to get involved in your church.

Oh yeah, and while you’re at it, take a good look around this weekend, chances are there are some improvements that need to be made in EVERY environment of your church.

Matt Keller

 

In the Last 30 days…

A couple of months ago I wrote a blog entry about all that God had done through me in the last month. It was received amazingly well and I heard from so many of you what an encouragement it was. So as we conclude the month of May, I thought I would do it again.

Here’s a quick “Why behind the What:”  In ministry it’s not always easy to see when you’re winning! The inbox is always bigger than the outbox, and the needs and tasks around us can be downright overwhelming at times. What if we paused once a month just to reflect on the “Wins” of the last 30 days? My hypothesis was that it would encourage not only me, but others as well…

In the last 30 days, we …

• Trained 10 Church Planters in the R9 Curriculum.
• Trained 3 other churches to Host an R9 in the next 12 months.
• Got word that it is now mandatory that EVERY ARC church plant must go through an R9 training before they launch. Which means that we are going to have the opportunity to train 2000 church planters directly or indirectly in the next 12 years!
• Had to order another shipment of The Up the Middle Church books because we SOLD OUT COMPLETELY!!!
• Sent a case of 50 books to a church planter who is teaching our material at a conference in Oklahoma this month.
• Taught several hundred NLC attenders how to escape from the “Overloaded” life. We have heard so many positive comments about the down to earth, easy to apply approach we took through this series.
• Got away for 4 days with my wife to Miami Beach to REST, which was much needed.
• Connected with a dozen guys from the church at a Rays game and had a blast and ate too many hot dogs at our tailgate party.
• Got to go to the Indy 500 with my dad for the 22nd time in 23 years.
• got to send Mike Ash up to Connection Point Church in Tampa to coach them and encourage Pastor Steve and Tracy Wulf!!!
• Got to celebrate with Nathan and Lisa Camp who are relaunching as Next Level Church of Orlando in September. They secured a 4,300 sq. ft. facility for their church!!!
• Sent out a video teaching/encouragement to over 70 leaders at NLC who make everything happen on a weekly basis!
• Hired our brand new “Worship and Production Pastor” Mike Cole.
• Hired Josh Homan as our new Part-Time “Children’s Pastor.”
• SOAPed over 24 days last month.
• Had a “Burning Bush” Encounter with Jesus on May 12th, that changed my life forever!!!
• Heard about several churches being planted in the Philippines that we’ve influenced and trained that are calling themselves “Next Level Church.” I love it.

I think you could say we’ve had a pretty good month!

Bring on June,

Matt Keller

 

Prayer & Fasting Day Prayer Requests

Hey everyone who is Praying and Fasting today, I am so pumped to see God moving in our lives.

Here are several Big Things we need to seek God about today!

Keep praying, it’s working,

Pastor Matt

1.  Future Facility for Next Level Church.  The last Sunday in June is our Quarterly Future Facility Offering. Let’s believe God to begin speaking to people now on how to give sacrificially. Pray also for the leadership of NLC as we seek out God’s Will for a future facility.

2.  Lindsay Kistner is in Columbia doing Missionary work. Pray for her as she trains hundreds of churches and leaders on how to do Outreach in their communities.

3.  Next Level Church – Orlando.  The church we are relaunching on September 13th has secured a building and is gearing up for their Relaunch in Winter Garden this fall! Pray for Pastor Nathan and the team as they move in to the facility this week and spread the word about what God is doing at NLC-O!!!

4.  10 Church Planters who just recently finished the R9 training at NLC.  Pray that God will help them to assimilate all the information they learned last week. Pray for open doors in their community and for favor as they are building their launch teams.

5.  The People of NLC -

• Jobs,
• Promotions,
• Breakthroughs,
• Restoration in Relationships,
• Margin in Finances,
• To Trust God in Greater Ways,
• To re-engage SOAPing like never before.

6.  Our Missionaries:

• Luke Walters – Sri Lanka,
• Christ for India – Jameson & Johnson Titus,
• Kelly and Kathy Johnson in Kenya,
• Mark & Stephanie Pyles – Dominican Republic

7.  Back Pack Give-Away in August. We are slated to give away 5,000 backpacks to needy families this year in 5 locations!!!

Thanks for praying everyone!!! We’re making an Impact!!!

 

7 Years Ago Today… It all Began

Mother’s Day 2002.  That’s when it all began. Next Level Church was born 7 years ago today! It’s hard to believe that 10 Adults and 2 kids on a Launch team and 35 people in total Attendance would one day grow into all this!

What a privilege it is to get to live out our dream daily! I can’t help but be a bit sentimental on a day like today. Those who were there in the early days will forever hold a dear place in our hearts. Mike, Dave, Taitem, Jessica, Jim, Tanya, Preston, Sandra, Matt, Sarah, Will and Tailer. That was it. What a humble beginning that has grown into so much influence today!

Thank you to all who believed in us when there was nothing.  There weren’t many of you, but each one of you mattered.

Happy Birthday Next Level Church!!!

I love what you’ve become,

Pastor Matt

 

Something MAC can’t do???

I think I may have found something that my MAC computer can’t do?!? I know, it’s really got me all flustered tonight, especially since I gotta speak tomorrow and everything… Anyway…

Let me start from the beginning… (this is so traumatic, I’m shaking just trying to type it all out…)

So I’m trying to put some photos from my MAC on a new memory card I just got at the Office supply store today. I put the memory card in my digital camera, plug it into my mac and proceed to attempt to find it on the desktop. Unfortunately, after no small amount of searching, I learned that apparently, I’m not able to transfer data that way. It only works one way. From camera to mac, not the other way around.

It all makes sense logically to me and all, but seriously, I bought a mac for a reason… because it can do everything, right!!!

So then I get my jump drive and throw some photos on there expecting to be able to plug that into my digital picture frame and then simply transfer them to the new memory card that way, but again, no luck.

So at last resort, I stand up, throw both hands above my head a say, “I think I’m going to have to go get my old PC that has a memory card slot and transfer files that way!” Just saying such a thing scared me half to death. I might as well have found a skeleton in my bed on halloween night!

Has my life come this??? Have I really gotten to a place where I have to go BACK to a PC, even if it’s just for some photos? Say it isn’t so MAC, I’m depending on you. I can’t stand the thought of a dent in the armor!

Well, I guess without a better option I’m off to fire up the Old PC and make the photo transfer. I’m nauseated just thinking about it. I have a scowl on my face. My fingers are going numb at the thought of actually having to touch a PC again after almost 2 years of MAC sobriety.

Why God Why?!? I thought you loved me when I got my iPod. I thought there was a loving Creator when the new MacBook arrived in June of 2007. Now here I am on a lonely, cold (not really) dark night in May of 2009 having to retreat to an inferior existence. A PC filled existence.

I hope the simple file transfer doesn’t ruin my digital picture frame or the memory card. I hope my desk doesn’t melt when I turn on the PC. I hope my MacBook will forgive me for my waywardness. But then again, Who left who on this whole thing, anyway?

By the way, I’m typing this on a MAC,

Here’s to Mac’s Infallibility, it was a good run old girl…

Keller

 

Directions to the “Invitation Only” Event at the ARC Conference

For all of you at the ARC Conference who are going to LoneStar Tuesday Night after the Ed Young Session, here are the directions from the hotel.

When you leave the church:

• Head EAST on Cleveland Rd.
• Turn LEFT at Barber Mill Rd
• Turn RIGHT at Lee Rd
• Turn LEFT at NC-1560/Ranch Rd
• Turn RIGHT to merge onto US-70 EAST
• Take Exit 326 for US-70 toward Smithfield
• Turn RIGHT at US 70 WEST

LoneStar Steakhouse is at 13049 US 70 Business Highway W. Clayton, NC 27520 Their number is (919) 359-6201

It’s basically in the Wal-Mart Parking Lot.  I can’t wait to see all of you tonight for some face-to-face hang time.

Thanks,

Matt Keller