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Planting Roots in Asheville

November 22, 2011 in Current Affairs, Faith, Grassroots, Travel with 1 Comment

When I was sixteen years old I felt the Holy Spirit’s call on me to full-time gospel ministry. As I have developed and grown in that call through the last seventeen years God has blessed me with various ministry opportunities. Looking back over those years I can see where God has allowed me to experience many different seasons all filled with great joys and, at times, biting pain. It has been through those experiences that my faith has been strengthened and my will to make His renown known, assured.

For roughly two years now I have felt a stirring within me to plant a church. When I first felt this call I set my sights on Charlotte, NC. Up until a month ago Charlotte was strong on my radar. So strong, in fact, that last year I had put a deposit down on an apartment there. But through God’s sovereignty I have not moved. This desire of mine to plant a church has been bathed in prayer and counsel. It is through that prayer, counsel, and God’s gracious hand that I realize I have more to learn before I plant anywhere as a lead pastor.

At the end of next month I will be moving to Asheville, NC to be a part of a church my friend, Lance Crawford, is planting there called, Grassroots. Lance’s vision for the church in Asheville corresponds with mine for Charlotte. When I first heard about Lance’s desire to plant in Asheville, I was excited for him and his team but never considered being a part of Grassroots outside of supporting them through prayer. I felt God had called me to Charlotte and that was where I was going to be headed. But, in the spirit of Proverbs 16:9, the steps of my plans are being established be God.

For about a month now I have been wrestling with a desire within me to move to Asheville and be a part of Grassroots. This desire has completely taken me by surprise. As I began to pray about the possibility of moving to Asheville and being a part of Grassroots I felt the Lord pressing upon me that it wasn’t about the location but about the message; the Gospel.

I can’t begin to tell you how excited I am to be a part of Grassroots and sharing the love of Jesus to Asheville. This next season of my life will be unlike any other. I am excited to see how God will move in Asheville, and through that, move in me.

Greg.

Be Mastered By the Word

September 14, 2011 in Current Affairs with 0 Comments

Earlier today I posted this to my twitter:

“The aim is never to become a master of the Word, but to be mastered by it.” DA Carson, on devotional vs objective bible study; do both.

I realize that sometimes 140 characters is not enough to convey a point. I believe this is one of the times. After I posted the above tweet I felt it needed further explanation.

This qoute is from an excellent book I am reading by John Piper and D.A. Carson, The Pastor as Scholar & The Scholar as Pastor: Reflections on Life and Ministry. In this particular section, D.A. Carson, the professor of New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, is writing from the perspective of his life in academia.

I was drawn to this quote because Carson was summing up a subject I have struggled with from time-to-time in the past and have been dealing with recently during my studies in seminary. Carson was speaking to the idea that there are essentually two ways people read or study the bible: devotionally and obejectively. Devotional study usually envolves simply reading the scripture with little to no study helps. Objective study envolves reading the scripture with an objective in mind, typically employing a few study helps (commentaries, dictionaries, etc.).

He pointed out that it can become common place for someone to start reading scripture objectively and slowly lose sight of their devotional reading. Or, when they are reading their bible devotionally, their mind tends to be drawn towards seeing those scriptures objectively. He points out that many students have come to him and other professors asking how to remedy this overlap and keep the two seperate. His answer:

…forcefully put, is to resist this disjunction, to eschew it, to do everthing in your power to destroy it. Scripture remains Scripture, it is still the Word of God before which (as Isaiah reminds us) we are to tremble — the very words are to revere, treasure, digest, meditate on, and hide in our hearts (minds?), whether we are reading the Bible at 5:30 a.m. at the start of a day, or preparing an assignment for an exegesis class at 10:00 p.m. …

…So when you read “devotionally,” keep your mind engaged; when you read “critically” (i.e., with more diligent and focused study, deploying a panoply of “tools”), never, ever, forget whose Word this is. The aim is never to become a master of the Word, but to be mastered by it.

As someone who often finds himself trying to seperate these two ways of reading the bible, whether in personal or academic study, I need to remember that the bible is ‘living and active.’ While I desire to dig deeper into God’s Word, I pray that I will allow that very Word to dig deep into me.

Greg.

18.6 lbs. 12.5 Inches. 24 Days.

June 4, 2011 in Advocare, Current Affairs, Health with 4 Comments

As far back as I can remember I have always been overweight. I was the chubby kid on the playground that was always picked last. As a pre-teen I had to buy adult sized pants because my waste was so big. In high school and college, I only got bigger. In my twenties I became morbidly obese.

I have always been aware of my weight and the effects it could have on my overall health, but I never cared enough about it to make any lasting changes. To be honest, with the exception of my excess weight, I have always had great yearly physicals. I figured as long as my physicals where going well, then everything was fine; regardless of how I looked or felt about myself because of my weight. From time to time I would decide to make a positive change in regards to my overall health. However, I would do well for a week or two and then quit.

With age, I suppose, comes wisdom. Growing up in a world that thrives off of convenience I was programed to eat poorly. My idea of eating healthy was not super sizing a fast-food meal and drinking a diet coke instead of a regular coke. It was time I learned about proper nutrition and stop chasing a quick fix with no lasting results. If I was truly going to lose weight and maintain a healthily lifestyle, I needed to change everything about my diet. On Wednesday, May 11, 2011, I did just that when I started the Advocare 24 Day Challenge.

Since starting the Advocare 24 Day Challenge my whole focus on life has changed. For the first time in as far back as I can remember I am passionate about life. I have a renewed focus on what I am doing everyday. I realize that living a healthy lifestyle not only affects me but those around me as well. The road to a healthier lifestyle will not be an easy one, but it will be well worth every battle along the way. Not only will I be healthier, but I will be a better person physically, mentally, financially and spiritually.

Below is a video I made chronicling my 24 days on the challenge. In the coming days, I plan on writing more about the challenge itself, the products, and my goals for the future.

I want to thank everyone who has shown me support throughout all of my ups and downs with my weight. For the first time I have a focused determination that is fueled by God as well as all of your incredible support.

Greg.

To All, Thank You

April 22, 2011 in Current Affairs, Family with 0 Comments

I wanted to take minute and say “Thank You” to everyone who has offered their condolences to me and my family regarding the passing of my grandmother. Your words have been a great comfort and very encouraging to us all.

As I have read over the many emails, text messages, comments and reflect on the words of so many, I started to notice a common theme – stories. It has been nice to hear how Mammaw had personally affected so many people. At the memorial service there were a few people there from Miami that grew up with my mom. They had fond memories of Mammaw many years before I even knew her.

All of these stories are a testament that Mammaw lived her life well. Her legacy was a good one, one we all should hope to leave.

Greg.

My Mammaw

April 15, 2011 in Current Affairs, Family with 3 Comments

Tomorrow we will lay to rest my Mammaw, (Ruth) Sue Jones Gaiero. She passed away, peacefully, on Monday, April 11, 2011, at the age of 94.

She was my grandmother, but I never called her that. My bother and I called her Mammaw. She moved to Tampa in 1984, after my Pa, her husband, passed away. Ever since then she has been a wonderful fixture in my life. As I have thought back on our life together it has been hard to hone in on one or two memories of her. Birthdays, church events, band concerts, you name it. I was fortunate to have her apart of those moments.

For some reason one of the first memories to surface this week was when, as a kid, my brother and I used to spend the night, usually a Saturday, at her apartment. We would watch Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune and drink cokes; she loved Coca-Cola Classic. As I would fall asleep at night I remember always staring at this old clock she had in the guest room on the nightstand that had numbers that flipped down each time they changed. In the morning we would have English muffins with butter and melted cheese on top. I can taste them now. The crunch of the warm toasted bread chased with a sip of cold milk.

One of the things that I loved about her, she liked to take pictures — lots of pictures. She was always taking pictures or would ask you to take a picture of her next to a pretty tree or bush. If someone sent her flowers she wanted her picture taken with arrangement. In recent years, with the popularity of digital cameras, there could literally be three or four digital cameras in the room, all being used, and she would still take pictures with her 35mm camera. She didn’t care about the instant viewing a digital camera allowed, she wanted her pictures printed out on paper, even if it was months after the picture was taken. She has countless pictures and photo albums. I can’t wait to sit down and look back on her life and the memories she counted dear.

One of my favorite nicknames some people called her was, Sweet Sue. I found it to be very apropos. That encompassed her personality to a tee. Just this week my mom mentioned she can’t remember a time when Mammaw ever raised her voice at anyone. As I sit here and type these works I know I could type for hours. There is a good chance more thoughts and memories of her life will make it onto this blog. She lived a great life and certainly fought the good fight. Her faith in God has always been an encouragement to me. She has lived alone for almost twenty years and never gave up. She kept living for as long as God wanted her on the earth.

Over the past few months I have had the chance to prepare myself for Monday night. But I have since realized I was never completely prepared. As I sat next to her bed that night, my right hand holding her left hand, I silently prayed a prayer of thanksgiving for her life. I told God she was his and he could take her when ever he was ready.

Though my saline stained eyes show moments of sadness, I will celebrate the life my Mammaw lived and the impact she had on me and the countless people she met. I miss her already and look forward to the day when my race has been run and we will meet in heaven praising our King.

Greg.

Pecans and Perspective

April 8, 2011 in Current Affairs, Faith with 2 Comments

I am a prideful man, filled with a desire to take things on myself. I hear it’s “a man thing” or something. What ever it is, it’s exhausting and incredibly lonely. I wrote this in one of darker, prideful moments. Instead of reaching out for help, I decided to close up and slide away from people. People who truly love me.

Today I went to the doctor for my yearly check-up. I was supposed to go back in February. I didn’t because I am fat and knew the doctor was going to tell me that. Frankly, after years of hearing that, I didn’t want to hear it again. Instead, I told myself I would finally lose the weight and come back in six months when I had shown some progress from last year. At that point I had lost 20 pounds since Christmas and was on my way to losing a lot more. Then I stopped. My lack of discipline in losing weight crept back in. The only reason I went to the doctor today was because of three weeks ago.

Three weeks ago I found a lump the size of a pecan on the top of my left hand. I Googled about it and found that it might be a Ganglion Cyst. Nothing to much to worry about I thought – it seemed pretty common. I would monitor it and go the doctor if it got bigger or started to hurt. Well, I have been thinking about it a lot since discovering it. Common sense finally beat out my pride and I made an appointment to see the doc. She doesn’t think it’s the cyst Ramer M.D. self diagnosed. She sent me to get my hand x-rayed. We will know more next week.

I spent most of my day today in medical offices between physicals, x-rays, and blood work. I would say I spent roughly three hours just waiting. A lot of time to think. Something I like to do often. I thought back on my week. It has been one of the more emotionally exhausting weeks in recent memory. On Tuesday night I found out that my tax refund has already been issued — a month and half before I even submitted my paperwork. I have spend the last three evenings filling out paperwork regarding identity theft. My main concern is not my return but my credit. I spent many years with horrible credit and have finally gotten to a place where I have good credit. I get frustrated thinking it might take a hit because of someone’s cowardly act. I have and am taking steps to protect it as much I as know how, but I still have this overwhelming sense of helplessness.

During my time of waiting and thinking this morning I was reminded of Job. Not that the circumstances of my life are anything in comparison to Job’s – not even close. But I was thinking about my propensity to complain. I complain a lot. Some of it is verbal, but I think most is non-verbal. My actions show my complaints and my self-rightous attitude toward life. Thinking back on the post I mentioned at the beginning of this one I realize now I wrote that in somewhat of a selfish way. While I do think it is good to step away, I firmly believe there is a reason why we live where we live and with who we live and “do life” with. For me to step away from that is not beneficial to anyone. People can’t help me and I can’t help them if I am not around. We all need and positively benefit from each other (Acts 2:42-47).

After Job had been through all that he had been through he finally breaks and complains about all of it. Then God, in his divine sarcasm, goes off on Job (Job 38-41). “Dress for action like a man…” he tells him. I kept thinking about those words all day. I thought back on my life and the times God has graciously used me to positively impact the life of someone. I couldn’t help but realize that by me stepping away and isolating myself from the world I couldn’t have an impact on anyone. I don’t think I am anyone special, however I know that God can use me to be a blessing to others just as he has used others to be a blessing to me. (Thank you to those of you who reached out to me after I wrote the post a few weeks back. You have certainly been a blessing.)

I hope that whether through this blog, Facebook, or whatever means, I can be a blessing to people. I am thankful that God does love a messed up sinner such as myself. And I am thankful He uses lumps the size of a pecan to help bring life into perspective.

Greg.

The Bible Tells Me So

March 4, 2011 in Current Affairs with 0 Comments

Years ago I worked at a local Christian bookstore here in Tallahassee, FL. I got a lot of music, books, and bibles that I normally wouldn't have if I hadn't had access to the publishers discounts I received as an employee. In the almost six years I worked there I accumulated roughly 15 different bibles.

Some of those are speciality bibles: study, comparative study, topical, and so on. I probably have five or six different translations, some leather bound, some hard back, some paper back, I even have one that is premium genuine calfskin leather, which I got on sale for a hundred some odd dollars. (Yeah, not one of my smartest financial choices.)

All totaled I now probably own over 20 bibles. Not to mention the two bibles I have on my phone and the access I have to the ESV Study Bible online. Oh, and I can't forget about the many commentaries and bible study helps I have as well. The majority of them collecting dust on my book shelves. Now that I am starting seminary I am slowly blowing the dust off of a few of them however. Regardless, I certainly don't take use of the many valuable resources I have to help in studying the bible. 

I write all of this, not to promote the fact that I have a wide array of bibles and resources, however I write this to say what a fool I am for not using them. In the world I live in I have access to many wonderful tools to increase my knowledge of the bible. To say I am spoiled would certainly be an understatement. Quite honestly, I detest that about myself. I have many ways to occupy my time in study and yet, I am bored. Not from the content, but from my own selfish desire to have the latest and greatest. 

Thankfully, for me, with age I have slowly gained more responsibility and constraint when it comes to buying new things. However I still fight it. There is a part of me that feels if I have all the possible resources available it will make me a better student of the bible. Which will make me both a better teacher and preacher of God's word. Not to mention a better Christian — if that is even possible? 

The reality is if I don't start at square one — simply reading the scriptures — then all of the study helps in the world are pointless. I am ashamed to say this is a struggle for me. Sure, I read the bible, but I don't really READ the bible. Instead of taking the time to read verses in context, I will read one that is linked to something on my mind and recklessly promote in on Twitter or Facebook, never taken in to consideration the context of it. I have spend a lot of time abusing God's word and not devouring it. I saw the video below and was punched square in the stomach.

Seriously. My stomach started hurting while watching it.

How selfish I have been. I can't tell you, and frankly don't want to know, how much money have spent on bibles and study helps over the years. All the while quickly storing one away before I am finished reading it so I can start not finishing another one. I get apathetic about what I have and the Kimyal Tribe of Papua, Indonesia throws a party, dances, and cries over the arrival of a few bibles.

They long for the Word.

They long to teach it to others.

They hold in such high regard that they memorize whole books.

I take it for granted and allow it to collect dead skin cells on my shelves. May I never forget, but learn, to have the passion, fondness, and longing the Kimyal Tribe has for the bible.

Greg.

How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word.  With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments!  I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.  Blessed are you, O LORD; teach me your statutes!  With my lips I declare all the rules of your mouth.  In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches.  I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways.  I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word. (Psalm 119:9-16 ESV)

{Video HT: Jason Gray}