The Return of Dan The Man

Looking forward to this weekend tremendously because Dan Southerland will be teaching at NLC.

Dan was one of the founding pastors of Next Level and our first lead teaching pastor. God called Dan to lead Westside Family Church in Kansas City - which is awesome - but we still miss his friendship and daily presence in Charlotte.

Which makes the few times a year he comes back here all the more sweet. Dan is a world class leader and an internationally known speaker, sure, but he is an even better person. Let me tell you a few reasons why I love and respect him so much.

He is RELATIONAL.
Maybe the most relational guy I have ever known. High level leaders can often tend to forget "little people". Dan never forgets anybody.

He is an ENCOURAGER.
He is maybe the most encouraging person I have ever known in my life. Those of us who are Dan's friends joke that when he talks about us to others we come across as a combination Mother Teresa/Billy Graham/Nobel Peace Price winner. But the fact is he loves and believes in his friends and always lets them know.

He is a COMMUNICATOR.
Dan has a sharp and inquisitive mind but is incredibly skilled at putting complex truths into an easy to understand package.

He is a FRIEND.
Dan's friends know that they could call him in trouble at three in the morning and he would be on the next plane. That is not a cliche', because more than once in the years I have known Dan he has actually gotten on the next plane to rush to the side of a friend who needed him.

If it strikes you that those qualities I listed above describe Jesus Christ pretty well, that would not be an accident.

Dan's wrapping up our It's Personal series with a great message on what to do when you feel the intensity and passion of your relationship with God slipping. Make sure you are there on Sunday to hear God's Word taught excellently by our great friend Dan!