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THE DAHLONEGA CHURCH PLANT UPDATE

THANK YOU!
Thank you for your support of the Dahlonega Church Plant! Kristy and I are overwhelmed with the interest in this ministry, not only from friends around the southeast, but also from people in the Dahlonega community. Each week we are contacted by people who are interested in participating with us in the mission "to glorify God by helping people come alive to the beauty, wonder and power of the gospel." Each new contact is a encouragement to press on with our present season of raising up a team of ministry partners who will support us through prayer and funding. So thank you so much for your support!

FUNDING STATUS
On the eve of our first major support raising trip, we are around 50% of our needed financial pledges to launch the new church. Although we hope to have 100% pledged by the time we move to the Dahlonega area, we must have at least 80% pledged before we get the green light to relocate. Our goal is to be "on the field" by August in time for the fall semester at North Georgia College and State University.

ROAD TRIP TO MISSISSIPPI
We leave this week for a trip to see friends and family in several towns in Mississippi (Jackson, Greenwood, and Tupelo), and to share with them the exciting vision for this new church in the Dahlonega, GA, area. We expect this trip to play a significant role in raising both prayer and financial supporters.

HERE IS HOW YOU CAN PRAY... RIGHT NOW!
"Father, I do pray that you would give the Castons a safe trip to Mississippi this week, and that they would be encouraged by seeing friends and family. I desire with them that you would raise up many people who would share their vision and would partner with them in prayer and with funding."

"Father, although funding is a critical aspect of beginning a new church, I primarily pray for the Caston's hearts. I pray that they would be freshly convicted of their sin and need for a Savior. And I pray that they would believe deeply that they have such a Savior in Jesus, who stands as their righteousness—and that this grace-saturated gospel would provide fuel for their lives and ministry."

"Also, Father, I pray that You would keep the Castons free from worry and fear. Give them gospel peace, joy and hope as they share the vision, not only for a church, but for a life of living out of weakness and need as the chief of sinners so that they might be living examples for others who are in need of the same grace. May they truly live as if the ground really is level at the foot of the cross."

"It is through the name of Jesus that I pray. Amen."

Contact Information

McKay Caston
mckaycaston@mac.com


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"Losing My Religion"

In his book, Soul Talk, Larry Crabb says,

"Religion is the invention of the Devil."

Steve Brown agrees, saying, "I hate religion." That was the discussion for last week's Caston Family Discipleship gathering after dinner. I asked my kids what makes the Gospel different from "religion." I was delighted when they answered, "Grace!" Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, and every other religious ism say, "If I obey and sacrifice, then I will be accepted and blessed." To the contrary, the gospel says, "I am accepted and blessed not because of my obedience and sacrifice, but on the basis of the obedience and sacrifice of Jesus." However, there is a religious virus in the church, because there is a religious virus in people like me. It is so easy for me to take the gospel and moralize it. To make the gospel a religion. That is why Jesus called the Pharisees children of the Devil." They were rule-keepers, not grace-lovers. They demanded to stand before God on their own works. And so it appears as if Larry Crabb is right. Religion is the invention of the Devil. And I have been duped plenty. So my prayer is that I would lose my religion, and embrace the gospel afresh today. If I must live by works, let them be the works of Jesus.



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