God just backed up the dump truck and buried me with blessings today.
I’m overwhelmed.

For starters, I got to sit in a room with a pretty small group of pastors and listen to Eddie Long and T.D. Jakes teach today. Got to ask questions too. Not a bad way to spend a Monday afternoon.

I’m here at New Birth for a gathering called Focus. It’s phenomenal.
These folks believe in treating pastors with honor.
It has been one first class freakin’ experience all the way around.

I want to publicly thank my friend Pastor Terrell Murphy. He’s an awesome man of God who pastors an exploding church on the north side of Charlotte.

He invited me, flew me out here, paid for the whole deal, had me measured for 2 suits this morning as a gift for our 1 year anniversary (watch out Elevation, I’m about to shock you… ), and has just made me feel like royalty in the last 24 hours.
What a friend. I love ya Murph! I’m gonna get you blogging in the next 6 months. Bet. (All I need is the 1 and the 5. That’s all I need right there… :))
Murph is also a trip. I haven’t laughed so hard in months.

He and I are out here this week strategizing how we’re going to rock this city together with the Gospel. We’ve got some big ideas that are just too dang sensitive to share out here in the great wide open like this.

Now the best part.

I certainly felt blessed just to get to meet Bishop Long today.
But I wasn’t expecting him to pick me and Pastor Murphy up and take us to the Lakers/Hawks game. And I certainly wasn’t expecting to watch the game with him in his luxury box. And eat chicken wings with the great Bishop.
And have him tell me he thinks I’m black after watching me down an unreasonable number of wings.

I’m not too cool to admit it: it was a pretty surreal experience for me in general.

Bishop Long is one of the most down to earth men I have ever been around.
He’s also a very powerful man.
He’s also a very wealthy man.

And he leverages his power and blessings for the glory of God.
For instance, he is currently mentoring a high school basketball coach whose team is going to state.
So he had the whole team picked up in a stretch Hummer for the game tonight.
And he walked around hugging them and encouraging them one by one.
I watched him.

To me, Bishop Long’s life is a perfect example of prosperity with a purpose.
I know some of you will disagree with that premise, and the way he chooses to live his life.
That’s cool.
You keep criticizing, and he’ll keep gaining Gospel influence in one of the nation’s largest and most major cities for the glory of God.

Thanks Bishop.
And I’m looking forward to Vegas.
What happens in Vegas…

What a day in ATL.

Elevation, I don’t know what to tell you.
I’m coming back to Charlotte so full of God and vision…
Our one year anniversary might be dangerous.