50 Days Prayer and Fasting

Join me in my annual consecration.  Beginning Easter (Resurrection) Sunday until June 4, 2017 (Pentecost Sunday) we are fasting and praying 50 days for 50 couples.  The first day is dedicated to praying for the wife of my dear friend, The Reverend Malcolm Stephens of Atlanta, Georgia.  Malcolm suddenly passed away yesterday, the day before Easter, leaving behind a wife and children.

When my mother passed away in February, Malcolm drove 12 ours from Atlanta to South Bend, Indiana to help me celebrate her life.  According to his wife, Malcolm said he needed to help with the funeral because I was an only child and alone.  He arrived Friday, served at the services Saturday, and after packing up my car drove 12 hours back to Atlanta to preach Sunday morning.  Malcolm is remembered as a man of God and a devoted and loyal friend.

Easter Sunday we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Fifty days following the celebration of Resurrection Sunday, including Sunday, April 16, Christians around the world celebrate Pentecost or Pentecost Sunday.  Pentecost is a religious holiday that celebrates the coming of the Holy Spirit on the early followers of Jesus Christ and also recognizes the day that the church was established.

Christianity Today writes, “Christians celebrate Pentecost Sunday by giving praise to God for blessing them with the Holy Spirit. This helped them preach the miracles of God and gave them the courage to spread His word even without the guidance of Jesus Christ.”  This year Pentecost Sunday falls on June 4, approximately 3 and a half months from the first official worship service of our church, Empowered Living Church.  We will spend the next seven weeks fasting and praying for 49 couples in Charlotte.  Each Charlotte couple will be confidentially partnered with another couple from the first 100 Days of Prayer in 2016.

We will spend the next seven weeks fasting and praying for 49 couples in Charlotte.  Each Charlotte couple, confidentially partnered with another couple from the first 100 Days of Prayer in 2016, will be asked to submit one to three prayer requests.  Everyone who reads this message is invited to fast and pray along with us.

As for me, I will fast between 7:00 AM and 7:00 PM.  In addition, men are invited to join The Power Movement’s morning prayer line at 6:30 AM every weekday.  To join the prayer line call (605) 475-6006 and enter code 119862#.  For over a decade men from around the country have met via conference call for prayer, accountability, and inspiration on The Power Movement’s prayer line.  Challenge yourself to rise early in the morning for prayer and spend at least one day a week fasting and praying for a couple and/or your spouse or significant other.

Vision Meeting in July

Source: Vision Meeting in July

Vision Meeting in July

 

Meet & Greet The ELC

After fasting and praying one morning I sent this letter to 100 people.  Stay tuned to learn what happens.  I am curious, too.

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This is not a typical message, invitation, or hello.  I write to invite you to a Divine Appointment scheduled for this Sunday, June 25 at 4:00 PM with the organizers of the Empowered Living Church, a new life-giving, spirit-filled church coming to Charlotte this fall.

After a year in Charlotte and meeting thousands of people, collecting several hundred business cards, and creating a database with over 1000 people through prayer I sifted through my contacts to identify the “right people” to send this request.  You are one of 100 people to receive this personal invitation because I believe you truly love the Lord, wish to expand his Kingdom, and yearn to do something else special for God’s glory.  Before sending you this message, I fasted and prayed for you.

Please accept my personal invitation and join us for a Meet & Greet featuring a delicious dinner, new and old friends, and childcare.  Click HERE to register for the gathering or cut and paste this link: https://meetandgreetjune25.eventbrite.com

Empowered Living Church – Meet & Greet

Hampton Inn & Suites – Arrowood Road

9110 Southern Pine Boulevard, Charlotte, NC 28273

(Near HWY 77 and Arrowood Road)

Sunday, June 25; 4:00 – 5:30 PM

*45 minutes conversation and 45 minutes of fellowship

What to expect?  Expect a warm welcome in a casual atmosphere filled with many people you already know and a few people you will enjoy meeting.  We planned a short, fun, and energetic program followed by a questions and answers session.  The afternoon will close with dinner and conversation with your new and old friends.  One should expect to connect with people that love the Lord, are passionate about chasing and finding success, and are entrepreneurial by nature . . . Go Getters!

Who should attend?  Some people will hold memberships at other churches, are disappointed with their current worship experiences, or yearn to make a significant impact for God through a modern, anointed, and Kingdom building focused church.  If you love the Lord Jesus Christ, are a Christian Believer, and enjoy reaching people for Jesus through love, creative initiatives, and desire to fulfill His calling (your purpose) in your life then you should attend.  If these categories do not define you, I suggest coming because . . . we are friends (smile).

What if you cannot attend?  No problem!  Send me an E-mail, text, or call me if you are interested in learning more about the Empowered Living Church, desire to be a part of this mission, or want prayer.  Personally, I want to remain connected with you because you are “good people.”

Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or our website.  Thank you for your kindness, friendship, and being your authentic you.  Feel free to share this special invitation with someone you care about.

In His service,

Barrett

“We are not the traditional, nor the future . . . we strive to be today’s standard of love, worship, and service.” Pastor Barrett Berry

—

Barrett Berry, Lead Pastor

EmpoweredLiving.Church

(704) 412-4035 office

(574) 339-7836 mobile

Barrett@EmpoweredLivingChurch.org 

Gathering of Friends

We did it again!  In the month of April, we galvanized our new and old friends for an evening of hilarious (fun) singing and a few off-off broadway karaoke superstars.  The Gathering of Friends is a family night where married and dating couples get together with their children to share great food, inspirational conversations, and business ventures.  The business ventures part happened by mere accident.  Well, it was intentional in the fact we invite people who are focused on building exceptional lives for themselves and their families.

Rachel and I are launching a new church in the Berewick Recreation Center in Southwest Charlotte on Sunday, September 17, 2017.  There are three levels of partners in the process of launching a church.  The largest level is your prayer partners.  This group is everyone you come into contact with that agrees to either stay connected by receiving your e-newsletters, donating funds to your mission or simply praying or the success of your church.  The level that will determine the success of your launch in that of your launch or dream team.  The dream team consists of people committed to you and helping to make your dream of launching a spirit-filled, life-giving church a reality.  Members of the dream team may never join your church, but they are committed to your success.  They come along side your vision by helping at and attending events, donating funds on a regular basis to the mission, volunteering with your community service activities, and simply, but profoundly being your friends.  The Gathering of Friends began as a way to cultivate new friendships in Charlotte and is evolving to place to connect with potential dream team members and their families.

The Core Team consists of your leaders.  In March, a few of us attended a leadership workshop for church leaders where we were challenged with hosting weekly meetings with our Core Team.  At the time, we did not have a Core Team, but by faith, we started meeting every Tuesday evening at 7:00 PM for dinner and 7:30 PM for an hour planning.  The Empowered Living Church is organized!  Tuesday nights are my oasis!  I leave each session inspired to chase after the dream.

Our next Gathering of Friends is on the fourth Saturday in June.  Tolearn more about the Gathering of Friends and the Empowered Living Church connect with us at www.EmpoweredLiving.Church.

Helping others become debt free

www.EmpoweredLiving.Church 

The Empowered Living Church of Charlotte launched our first Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University course in the Spring of 2016.  The first class had three registered students and me.  Every Saturday morning we arrived at our church office in the Plaza Midwood (pictured below) area with coffee, juice, muffins, and a yearning to become debt free.  Before the fourth class, all of the registered students dropped the course and I completed the course with my two students: my wife and me.

For more information or to register for the next Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University class go to https://fpu.com/1038334.

A few months later we started our second round of Financial Peace University classes, but this time we held the classes in Uptown Charlotte and Monday evenings.  The enrollment went from three students to nine, a 300% increase.  Ron and Roni, two financial advisors, led the class for the Empowered Living Church (ELC), two students dropped before the first class, and my wife Rachel and I were the other two of nine students.  The three lady that remained in the class were amazing women with strong desires to gain control of their personal finances, careers, and social lives.  Asahia, one of the students, quickly became one great friend to Rachel and I.  Every time I see her at one of our gatherings I think back to when I almost canceled hosting our first class.  We added a new night featuring the board game Cash Flow.  Chris, one of the partners of Nationwide Evictions and biggest supporters, host the evening.  As a Harvard MBA, former Wall Street banker, and current successful entrepreneur, Chris teaches the “art of financial success” through Robert Kiyosaki’s Cash Flow game.

To register for the next Financial Peace University class go to https://fpu.com/1038334.

We are currently finishing our third class this winter at the Camden Grandview building in Uptown Charlotte.  Our winter class has 23 registered students!  The class comprises a few married couples, young singles, seasoned professionals, and a bunch of new friends.  We begin each night with refreshments and fellowship followed by an opening prayer and an inspirational personal finance lesson by Dave Ramsey.  The spring 2017 class starts Tuesday, March 14!  If you are seeking financial peace, then I cannot think of a better bridge to becoming debt free and on the path to wealth creation.  Register right now!

For more information or to register for the next Financial Peace University class go to https://fpu.com/1038334.

Pre-Valentine’s Day Date Night

There is love in the air!  On Pre-Valentine’s Day, Monday, February 13 at 7:00 p.m. the Empowered Living Church (ELC) is hosting their first private movie and dinner night at the Ayrsley Grand Cinemas 14 in Southwest Charlotte.  It’s FREE!

Empowered Living Church ended 2016 with 12 Days of Giving for Christmas.  Instead of raising funds in the tradition of many non-profit groups, the ELC led a campaign of gifting free meals at local restaurants, dry cleaning, books, audio books, apartment applications, and a host of other free or discounted goods and services.  An idea emerged during the gifting campaign.  I thought, what if the church provided a venue for couples to express their love.  Within a couple of weeks, the church rented the Ayrsley Grand Cinemas 14, negotiated a deal on dining at the Piedmont Social House, and our the first private movie and dinner night was born.

Come back every 3rd Thursday for a private showing of a movie at the Ayrsley Grand Cinemas 14.  On Thursday, March 16, 2017 at 7:00 p.m. we show the film KONG: Skull Island.  And, all of the tickets to the private show are complimentary.  Tickets will be available on Eventbrite.com starting Sunday, February 12.

www.EmpoweredLiving.Church

1st Annual “Peas & Greens” Gathering

Rachel and I started 2017 with a grand evening of friends, fellowship, and fun at the first annual “Peas & Greens” gathering at Chris and Cathy Crawford’s home.  We invited some of our newest friends to celebrate the New Year in Southern style on Sunday, January 1 with a traditional meal of black-eyed peas and greens.

Many people think people in the South and Black people throughout the United States eat black-eyed peas and greens for good luck and corn bread because it represents gold.  History tells a different story.  In 1864 General Sherman was marching through the South and destroyed all of the food on the plantations.  The soldiers thought they left the people without food to eat, but they did not count on the ingenuity of the people.  Black-eyed peas were grown to feed livestock and not cultivated for food for the people.  Today, black-eyed peas, a West African foodstuff, remain a staple soul food dish throughout the United States.  We celebrate New Years by eating “peas & greens” to remind us of our good fortunes found in America through our successes in entrepreneurship, education, and spirituality, to name a few.

About a dozen children played gathered upstairs to challenge each other in Play Station, games of tag, and lightsaber battles.  Downstairs 20 adults dined on Southern cuisine, homemade desserts, sweet tea.  To our amazement, everyone in attendance migrated to Charlotte from nearly every section of America.  It was inspiring to hear people discussing potential business ventures, explaining their current innovations, and making new friends.  Things got heated when the men played the women in a round of Taboo.  The evening turned from a relaxing night of celebration to a night of shameless competition between the genders.  Guests started arriving at 4:00 p.m. and the last guests departed around 11:00 p.m.

Next year, the Empowered Living Church will hold our 2nd Peas & Greens in Charlotte.  We hope you will join us as we usher the next New Year end together.  Follow the EmpoweredLiving.Church movement by connecting with us on Facebook at Facebook.com/EmpoweredLivingChurch.

Special thanks to Bern Bean for the group picture. 

Changing of Seasons in the South

www.EmpoweredLiving.Church

There is something beautiful about the changing of the seasons in the South.  This past Fall was my first time witnessing the leaves turn from their summer green to the rustic beauty of brown, yellow, and burnt orange scenes of transition.  The following pictures were taken along the shores of Lake Wylie near the Berewick community.

One day I want to paint a portrait of a person or scene that I feel comfortable placing on the wall of my home.  Until that day arrives I am going to stand on my patio and take pictures with my iPad.  If I could paint, I would paint one of these scenes.  Would you?

 

Touring Palisades in Charlotte

Rachel and I are new to Southwest Charlotte and Steele Creek.  Actually, we are new to Charlotte, therefore with intention, we tour random neighborhoods in search of the perfect home.  We love our home and plan to be there for years . . . or decades to come.  One weekend we learned about a special tour of a few homes in the Palisades, a newer community located along the shores of Lake Wylie.

I fell in love with a home with an open living concept featuring the most amazing firepit in the backyard.  The home reminded me of Southern California living along the shores of the Pacific Ocean in Santa Monica.  For a minute I longed for my old apartment in the Belmont Shores community of Santa Monica.  We snapped a few pictures to capture the scene.  To learn more about the Palisades visit www.Palisadesnc.com.

Visit us at EmpoweredLiving.Church

The fireplace

Dining

Open concept

Closet

Bathroom

Open concept

Bedroom