Do Not Miss This Sunday!

Hey Gathering Family!

This Sunday I will conclude "The Man Series" with a message entitled "The Ultimate Man." Pastor Andrew and I pray that we, as a community, and specifically as men, have been encouraged, inspired, and challenged to become the heroes we were created to be.

We will have special ceremony to conclude this service. You don't want to miss it!

Gathering Family, I want to thank you for the support you have given me and my new book Hero: Unleashing God's Power in a Man's Heart. I pray that the Spirit uses it to transform us into a community of heroes.

I will be on the radio show Family Life Today with Dennis Rainey to talk about Hero on October 8. This show has 1.3 million listeners in 11 countries. It was a Family Life marriage conference called "A Weekend To Remember" that changed my marriage. Please pray that Spirit would use this show to get Hero into the hands of thousands of people.

Also Focus on The Family is considering having me on their show to talk about Hero as well. Pray that God would open up this opportunity on one of the most influential Christian radio shows in the world so His Son Jesus, would be made famous through Hero.

Thank you for the honor and joy of being one of your pastors.

On Mission With The Great Hero,

Pastor Derwin

Get Ready: Tag Team This Sunday

What up Gathering Family! I pray each of us are continually in awe and surprised by Jesus.

This "Man Series" has been food for my soul. I pray that men and women,including teenagers alike, are inspired.

This Sunday, Pastor Andrew and I will be preaching a sermon together . . . tag team!

Also, for the next three Sunday's in conjuction with "The Man Series," I will be selling (at a discount) and autogrpahing my new book, Hero: Unleashing God's Power In A Man's Heart after our worship gathering.

God is moving in our midst. Hang on . . it's going to be an exciting ride!

Pastor Derwin

The Married Man

Ok, this one goes out to the guys...more specifically, my fellow married men.

This week we're going to tackle what God has to say about us being married men. This is one of my biggest soapbox issues because I've seen the repercussions too many times when men don't step up and lead their families in truth, boldness, and conviction.

So, men, let's buckle up and take this head on together. My prayer is that the Spirit of God will lay hold of the inactive and unwilling. That He will awaken the timid and passive. And that in the end, we, married men, will lead by the endless resources that are ours in Jesus!

See you all Sunday.

walk on,
Pastor Andrew

Time To Pray

Gathering Family,

may the greatness of Jesus, the power of the Spirit, and the love of God the Father constantly have you in awe.

Pastor Andrew and I need your prayers. Please pray the following for us:

1. Pray that our love for Jesus would never cease growing.

2. Pray that we would love our wives and children in such away that they treasure Jesus above all.

3. Pray that our wives would be encouraged and refreshed.

4. Pray that Spirit would give us courage, vision, and a ruthless truth in Jesus, as He guides theGathering through us.

5. Pray that God would do things, and provide for theGathering in such amazing ways, that All the credit goes to Jesus.

Thank you.

And I pray Ephesians 3:14-21 for you, Gathering Family. It is an honor to be one of your servant-leaders.

Pastor Derwin

Old Wise Men, We Are Ready To Listen

Calling all men of theGathering with experience that only age can bring, we need to hear from you!

We need your voice of reason.

We need your battle-tested experience.

We need your wisdom.

We need you in HouseGatherings sharing your life experiences.

We need you on ministry teams teaching us how to serve.

We need you involved in our lives . . . if you do not teach us, who will?

Old wise men (and mature women. I do not say old women anymore because I almost got beat up by a lady in Kentucky one time while I was there preaching!), we are ready to listen.

Please pray for me (Derwin) this week:

1. This Thursday I will be on New Life 91.9 from 7:00am to 8:30am. Through the New Life 91.9 radio ministry, God through me impacts hundreds of thousands of people; many have come to theGathering as a result of this ministry.

2. This Thursday at 6:pm, I will be preaching at a youth event at Carowinds where 8,000 teenagers will be gathered. Leyland and the David Crowder Band will be leading worship. Please come out and pray for this event. http://www.carowinds.com/images/news/09cc_byt.pdf

3. My book Hero is now available on amazon.com or christianbook.com. Simply type in Derwin L. Gray. You can order Hero and have it within 3 to 5 days. Hero will be in major bookstores in September. Please pray that God gets this book in a lot of people's hands for His glory and the transformation of their lives. Thanks.

I am honored to be on of your servant-leaders; you a an amazing group of servant-hearted people.

On Mission With The Great Hero,

pastor derwin

Healing

Every sermon you preach as a pastor is significant but there are some that will forever be seared into your mind -- and last week's was one of those.

People poured to the front like a relentless avalanche eager to confess their sins in order to begin the process of healing. And to those of you who came forward, I applaud you. I applaud your courage and boldness to draw the line in the sand of your sin and say, "NO MORE!" Confession really is the first step in healing, but it's not the last. Confession must be followed up with repentance (pulling a prayerful, willful, action-oriented 180) for the healing to continue.

Know that the enemy will come against you. Know that doubt and questions of your sincerity will be tested. Know that you'll be challenged to go it alone and gut out your change by sheer self determination. Know that feelings of shame and insecurity may want to creep in. But in the midst of all this, KNOW THIS -- God is greater!

Stay in community.

Seek out accountability.

Pursue professional help if necessary (we'll have some resources for you this coming Sunday)

And know this..." he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world" 1John 4:4

walk on,

Pastor Andrew

Endure . . . It's Worth It.

I pray that we all allow the Spirit of God to tattoo our souls with this living reality concerning suffering: Endure . . . it's worth it (Js. 1:2-4;1:12; 5:7-11).

Our Papa gives us the grace to endure suffering as we look forward to the return of Jesus (Js. 5:7). As we become more and more impressed with Jesus and satisfied with His deep love, we grow in our God-empowered capacity to endure suffering and even thrive in suffering. And as we endure, suffering gives us a Jesus-shaped heart which produces a Jesus-shaped life.

Suffering teaches us that God doesn't microwave our spiritual maturity.

Suffer in community. We experience God's presence through God's people.

Do not complain about suffering . . . do something about suffering.

God Himself in Jesus suffered with us. And He had "joy" as He endured the cross (Heb. 12:2). Why? Because He knew it was worth it. In His death, we live.

On Mission With The Great Hero,

Pastor Derwin