The 21 Day Fast is just a week underway and NUMEROUS people are growing in their faith. Here is the rundown!

Approximately 450 people are involved in some fasting endeavor.

20 people are doing the full-on 21 Day Daniel Fast. Most are fasting from all meat, bread, sweets (including coffee, caffeine, soda, etc) and anything else that most of us find enjoyable to consume. :)

115 people chose at least one full day to fast completely from everything but water (including 2 children). This number also includes a few duplicates as some are fasting more than one day. Regardless, this should produce some amazing results over the next three weeks as most every day has at least four or five people fasting for themselves to get closer to God, for Impact, and for unchurched people to get saved at our Easter Series, "It's Personal".

An additional 334 people are fasting from various things for various time periods over the next 21 days. This includes 92 children who are fasting for 21 days from 'something.' It could be sweets, 'fast food,' video games, technology, etc. Some adults are fasting for 21 days in several areas of their life as well. For instance, my kids are fasting from desert for 21 days - WOW! And my daughter is fasting from sweets as well (with just one slip-up so far with her grandparents... it's hard to say 'no' to root beer floats).

The point is, some 450 people are growing in their faith, stretching their comfort level, going deeper, and prayingfor our church and its ministry to the unchurched. (This even includes about a dozen prison inmates from Folsom who are joining us in the fast.)

May the fires of evangelism remain WHITE HOT at Impact. May YOU continue to reach OUT as people are more receptive than ever to a word about God! These are amazing times we're living in... be a part of it!

If you haven't checked out the site yet, head to Impact's 21 Day Fast site... print out the CALENDAR and read the daily verses and prayer requests for the 21 days. You can also find recipes, FQA's, food guidelines, etc. God is doing something supernatural here. Don't miss out!

This is it kids - the 21 Day Daniel Fast began yesterday. For me and my wife, it all began Friday morning. I gotta tell ya, I am looking forward to a gigantic Mt Dew big gulp at the end of this thing... like maybe 6am on the Friday 3 weeks from now.

I am truly amazed and blown away by the response from the people of Impact. I am honored and priveleged to serve alongside so many people of faith.

Here's the deal though... can you imagine what God is going to do throughout the next three weeks and beyond? Seriously! This is going to be absolutely amazing. People are seeking God, praying for lost people to come to Christ during our Easter series, "It's Personal," and they're going deeper in their own walks.

Be watching for stats this week on just how many people are doing the 21 Day Daniel Fast, one-day complete fasts, and miscellaneous fasting from all sorts of things over the next three weeks.

You Go God!

We've all heard it. You might have said it. I have talked about it.

"I WANT TO GO DEEPER!"

Perry Noble is the pastor at Newspring Church in Anderson, SC. He is pretty outspoken and I like his style. If you have ever thought this, said this, or heard someone say this - you really MUST go check out Perry's Blog about "You Are Not Deep Enough" - you'll love it... or hate it. Either way, I hope you read it.

Every now and then you run across something that makes you really think. This blog comes from www.PerryNoble.com and hits the nail right on the head. I realize at Impact we don't typically have these kinds of lingering attitudes but I have heard most of these statements. Most of those folks making these statements don't go here anymore. So here is the blog - enjoy. Do you think Perry is right on this?

What They REALLY Mean…

One of the lessons I’ve learned while being in the ministry for the past 17 years is sometimes what people say isn’t exactly true…things such as…

(WARNING…you will probably only like this post if you are a pastor or a staff member of a church!)

What They Say:  “I’m looking for a church that preaches the Word!”

What They Mean:  “I’m looking for a church that preaches MY view of the Word.  I think the BLANK translation should be used…I think BLANK should be talked about a lot while BLANK should be ignored.  And if you ever stop preaching my view of the Word I will leave and tell others that you don’t preach the Word!”

What They Say:  “Lot’s of people have been coming to me and saying they don’t like is…”

What They Mean:  “I basically only have three friends…and all of them think exactly like me.  The other night we were enjoying a time of self righteousness because, after all, we are right about everything…and were also slandering you (in the form of prayer requests) and thought it would be wise to approach you with our pet peeve.  We’ve actually talked to no one else about this but said “lots” because we wanted to validate our dysfunction.”

What They Say:  “I’m leaving the church.”

What They Mean:  “Beg me to stay.  If you will just ask me I will share with you several ways you can compromise God’s vision that He’s given you, thus becoming nothing more than a people pleasing pastor who is more interested in popularity than obedience.  If you don’t bow to my demands I will remind you that I tithe and that the church needs my money, reducing you to a mere preaching whore…one who is paid for a service for the pleasure of another person.”

What They Say:  “I want a church that is more focused on discipleship.”

What They Mean:  “I want a church where everyone knows me and how important I am!  I don’t want to reach people who are different from me, be it economic class or race or even musical preference.  I already know WAY more than I do…but I somehow equate spirituality with knowledge rather than application and I rather enjoy feeling intellectually superior to those who don’t know as much as me.”

What They Say:  “Don’t take this personally…but…”

What They Mean:  “I am about to lower the BOOM on you…but you can’t get angry because I told you not to take it personally.  Even though you have dedicated your life to this and pretty much invest every ounce of energy you have to this cause…and I think about it once or twice a week…you need to receive my attacks, even when they are personal…and you cannot retaliate because, remember, it’s not personal.”

OKAY, that was fun!  I typed it all with a smile.  Trust me…I’m not mad or frustrated with anyone…I just thought a pastor or two MIGHT get a smile out of this.  :-)