Now, I know that I have been a bad little blogger lately and haven’t posted much material but tonight definitely warrants a new entry. I feel like I have a message and a perspective on the future of GenesisChurch.TV that can help others as we make this transition.

It was announced tonight that GenesisChurch.TV’s two campuses, West and Midtown, will be merging into a single location at our Blountstown Hwy facility in just 24 short days. February 1, 2009 will be opening day for the new, combined super-church with an overabundance of volunteers, equipment, and passion for God. This does present some challenges as well as many benefits.

We will be one church… just as we have been since we embarked upon the multi-site merger of GCTV and Encounter Community Church back in June 2008. We will be led by the same Spirit-filled staff that has been in place all along and all of the leaders from both campuses will retain leadership roles as we prepare for God to blow the roof off this thing immediately. With the regrettable but God-led departure of a man that I admire greatly, Pastor Phil Harris, and the leadership surplus that this merger creates, there will have to be some changes to our infrastructure but this should not be interpreted as any leader or volunteer, from either campus, “getting the boot”.

If you’d talked to me a couple of days ago, I may not have been as confident. I confess to an initial feeling of demotion and dejection when I learned that the Lead Worshipper position for our one church would be entrusted to the capable hands of Pastor Jerad Collier, formerly of GCTV Midtown. Many of you know that I’ve poured myself into faithful service at Words of Life / Encounter / GCTV West on Blountstown Hwy for nearly a year and a half now. When I accepted the opportunity to work with Pastor Ben Liles in August of 2007, I felt called to minister to these people… to develop and serve this branch of the body of Christ. And even as I catch my breath and rehydrate for this next leg of the race, I do not sense that that call is lifted.

If you comprehend anything that I convey herein, get this:

Whatever God’s purpose for me is in this change, I am willing to be used. I am not required, in any way, to stay at GenesisChurch.TV, to appreciate the unsolicited relief from my post, or to continue to invest my time, talent, and treasure into this ministry… but, my God, I want to!

If I could just express to you the excitement and anticipation that I feel for the very near future of GenesisChurch.TV, I know you’d agree that this is a God thing. I wanted to feel hurt… I wanted to feel second-rate and I’d understand completely if those same feelings seemed appealing to some of you in this time of transition… but I cannot feel anything but blessed and highly favored by the grace and miraculous love of God as I watch His plan… not Pastor Brian’s or Pastor Ben’s or the DLT’s… God’s plan… unfold. We are living in a divine moment in which God is about to take a body of believers who were struck a financial death-blow just a short time ago and restore them to a place beyond their grandest vision.

GenesisChurch.TV will survive and thrive. GenesisChurch.TV will continue to be a positive force in this city of broken people that accurately teaches and enacts the community and compassion of Christ and the early church. GenesisChurch.TV will soon become everything that God has destined it to be at this moment in time… and I just can’t help wanting to be a part… any part… of that.

This merger will generate fresh excitement and relationships among the membership of both former campuses, develop a more stable financial base for GenesisChurch.TV, protect the jobs of the existing paid staff members, enhance the quality of worship experiences and ministry programs at GCTV through a leadership and equipment surplus, and fulfill several prophecies concerning this church and this location. It’s synergy and it’s holy obedience and it’s responsible stewardship and it’s a truly faith-filled step toward the mission and vision that God has for us here in Tallahassee. Make no mistake… We are in His will.

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I love you all…

To my former Westees, it has been an honor to be your chief leader in the pursuit of honest musical worship from week to week and I appreciate your trust in me, a young, crazy-haired Christ-follower, to competently guide you to the very throne of God. It is with great care and confidence that I am now humbly handing over that responsibility to my friend, Pastor Jerad. I will still be a constant, integral component of the team of true worshippers that passionately lead you from the stage on Sundays and all of my former team members will have the opportunity to continue be a part of our Worship Arts Department. Let any defense or resistence in your hearts on my behalf be laid to rest with the understanding that I am thrilled about the possibilities that this merge creates and look forward to carving out my new role at GCTV in typical, customized Arron fashion.

To the former Midtown crew with whom I am acquainted through Diverge and such and to the great staff with whom I work during the week only to separate on Sundays, I cannot wait to worship with you all! There are so many great people that I look forward to getting to know even better as I work with and continue or begin to lead the members of this previously segregated congregation of GenesisChurch.TV. Together we will welcome, minister to, disciple, and enlist hundreds and thousands of new Tallahasseeans at GCTV.

Above all, I challenge the members of both former campuses to immediately begin ridding yourselves of that exclusive identity. No longer are we in a season of separation, but of oneness. No good will come of clinging to cliques, refusing the unfamiliar, and resisting this merge. Change is a core value at GenesisChurch.TV and I believe in your ability and willingness to make this happen without incident.

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Finally, from a guy who knows well the anointing, talent, charisma, commitment, and knowledge that worship leadership takes, I ask that you show up on day one fully prepared to seek God under Pastor Jerad’s guidance. Prepare your hearts to receive and to give as Pastor Brian, kicks off a series about Christ-like compassion for others called “Love, the Movement”. May we mature and assert a greater interest in being Christ’s helping hand to our community through this challenging series.

Come with an agenda… I am expecting miracles of healing, deliverance, salvation, redemption, restoration, and spiritual gifting. I am believing in my God, who is mighty to save, for the complete physical healing of Pastors Brian and Scott Hunter and for all those in our body who need His touch in their own health. I am confident that, just as was the case with the early church, we will grow exponentially as the unchurched in our city come to find out what all the fuss is about and leave changed forever. I am certain, based on the promises of God, that our faithful obedience to His direction will not go unrewarded. Get ready… this is the Kingdom come down… This is God-life.

Sincerely,

Arron Archer