Overwhelmed July 31, 2005

There have been very few times in my life I have been speechless.

One of the times I was speechless was when I saw Lucretia coming down the aisle on our wedding day! If you have ever been a groom you know what I mean–the door opens and WOW! (That is why at weddings I do not turn and look at the bride–I always watch the groom!)

Another time I was speechless was when I returned from a vacation once at 2:30 in the morning and some people in the church had gotten together and purchased at big screen television for me, along with surround sound, a DVD player–and high definition TV. (There were so many remote controls I literally could not figure out how to cut the thing on!)

And then there was the time my favorite football team, Clemson, beat Carolina…oh wait–that isn’t overwhelming anymore–it pretty much happens every year now! :-)

However, I would have to say that without a doubt that yesterday was one of the most overwhelming days of my life. I cannot express to each of you that were in attendance how I felt when you stood and applauded for me…and I hadn’t even given the message! :-) That happened all four services…and all four times it got to me.

Yesterday was amazing…and through it I just wanted to share several random thoughts with you.

#1 – It is a privilege to serve as the pastor of New Spring! I have said it before…and I will say it again without apology…I believe New Spring is the best church in the world–and NOT because I am the pastor–but because of the awesome PEOPLE that attend every week. I am so blessed–and I am not going anywhere! My heart is at this church!

#2 – God is at work…and I feel yesterday was just the beginning. I told Lucretia while in the hospital that I felt as if God was going to use my suffering to draw people into His kingdom AND to grow our church. Well–there were so many salvations yesterday that I could not count them…and we shattered our attendance record with a crowd of 4,387 people. Yeah God!

#3 – My energy is not quite back at 100%. This is not a complaint–it is more of a prayer request. I was very tired after the second service and then after the third I came straight home and took a nap. I feel about 90%–pray that the extra 10% will come around this week because I am PUMPED about this coming Sunday! (Don’t forget–if you like ice cream you will LOVE church this Sunday…and that is all of the details that I am sharing about that!)

#4 – People give the creative process too much credit at times!

We had an unusual amount of distractions in our services yesterday. While I was describing what happened to me during my ordeal we had a person pass out in the second service…and two more passed out in the third service. Props to our security team and our ushers…everything was handled in a very quick manner and the people received immediate medical attention. (We have a lot of doctors and nurses in our church!)

What is sort of amazing is this–there were actually people asking after the service if we had staged these things…sort of like we told people, “Hey–we need some really cool effects here–when Perry gets to this point in his message–PASS OUT!”

I know, I know–our church does some REALLY creative things from time to time. We have had a lot of fun with creativity; however, let me assure you that we would never deceive people into thinking that someone’s health, even their life, is at risk in order to stir up emotion in the crowd. We will continue to push the creative edge…but asking people to fake a health problem is way beyond the boundries of a creative church service!

Let me assure you that what happened to those people was very real…and at last check everyone is doing well.

#5 – People invite people to church when they expect something big. So go ahead…begin inviting people for next week–I promise you will see something you have never seen before…and it is our prayer that Jesus will rock their world. (Uh, do you like ice cream?)

I’ve Never Understood Computers (Super Cool Person Of The Week!) July 28, 2005

Our executive pastor, Jason Moorhead, has a baseball bat in his office for some reason. I have yet to figure out why; however, one thing I do know is that it is a good thing that the bat isn’t in my office. Why? Because if it were then my computer would no longer exist.

Be honest with me–if you own or use a computer of some sort–hasn’t there been a time or two when you wished for a bat…or a stick of dynamite…or a sledgehammer? It seems that these instruments know exactly how to make our lives miserable…and they seem to crash in the moments when we need them the most.

I know, I know–some geek out there is going to e-mail me and try to convince me that computers are our friends…don’t waste your time.

In all seriousness–I don’t really understand computers. I can’t talk the lingo that our “geek squad” at church can talk. I know how to turn my on…check e-mail…and do a little surfing on the net–but when you begin talking about operating systems or how much RAM I have…you are WAY over my head. (I always thought a ram was a wild animal!)

I said all of that to say this–my super cool person of the week is a dude named Jared Barden.

I know most of you are scratching your head going, YEAH…uh…who exactly is Jared Barden? Is he the dude that lost all that weight at Subway? Sorry–wrong Jared!

Jared is our “computer guy” at New Spring. He handles the small problems around the office. (I have had a couple recently. Once my printer would not print…I called Jared…he came in, surveyed the situation…discovered my printer was not turned on–and after turning it on it began to operate just fine! Another time my internet would not work…and he discovered that my network cable wasn’t even plugged into the wall! I told you I was an idiot when it came to computers!)

Jared is one of those guys I love to see serve. He will probably never preach a sermon at New Spring…nor will he sing a song or do any type of dancing in really tight clothes. (OK, for those of you that do not go to New Spring–we do not dance…especially in tight clothes!)

The point is that Jared is not in the spotlight a lot…and he is totally content with that. He does not mind doing his deal behind the scenes so that the people who “lead the charge” can do so with a computer that works…and that is networked–whatever that means!

Jared also serves our media area on Saturday’s and Sunday’s as well. He often works countless hours making sure all of the things on stage that require wires are operating just right. I feel that our church is so blessed to have this guy working with us. He never complains about long hours…and whenever he faces an extremely challenging task he always has an awesome attitude and keeps his cool.

We recently purchased an in house server…and oh wow…I don’t think he’s stopped smiling yet. You should have seen him–he was like a kid at Christmas. Isn’t that awesome–God wired me to get excited over leadership and speaking, He wired Lee to get excited over leading worship, He designed Paul Marshall, our CFO, to get excited about money…and He wired Jared to get excited about computers, networking, servers…and other things that have wires! And just as He has wired all of us…He uses all of us to make things happen and to advance His kingdom!

Thanks Jared for not limiting ministry to preaching, teaching, and singing–God uses guys like you because He knew there were guys like me who would simply be in trouble without you!

Some of you are wondering, “Where did you find this guy?” Actually we found him a few years ago…he was a starving college student who volunteered some time in our youth department. After watching his work ethic we decided that we wanted to bring him on part time…and when he graduated, full time.

(By the way pastors and church leaders–the best hires are NOT usually at other churches–but within your church!)

So props to Jared for being so awesome at what he does. He is officially the perrynoble.com super cool person of the week!

Have a great weekend–don’t miss this Sunday! If you do then you can go to our church website to get the message…or I may even have it available here.

Don’t miss my post next week on my top 10 favorite blogs!!!

Words Are Powerful July 28, 2005

During my recent experience over the past several weeks I feel like God has been able to speak to my heart and teach me a lot. One of the things that He has made very evident to me is the power of words.

All too often I think we go throughout the day and do not consider what we say to other people…or HOW we say things to other people. Both are important! Let me share with you what I consider to be some of the most powerful words on earth.

#1 – I Love You – DUH! You knew those three were going to be on the list, didn’t you? I believe that people can’t hear these words enough! One of the greatest desires of the human heart is to be loved…and people don’t know that they are loved unless it is both spoken and demonstrated.
I NEVER leave my house without telling Lucretia that I love her. I never go to sleep without telling her the same. During my near death experience a few weeks ago I realized that I can check out of planet earth at any time God says my stay is over…and if I leave this planet before my wife does then I want the last words that she ever hears me say to be, “I love you!”

But I don’t just say it to Lucretia…when Clayton King, my accountability partner & I talk we always end our conversations with, “Hey man, I love ya!” And no–this is not an attempt for us to get in touch with our female side–it is one Christian man speaking the truth to another. Why are we so afraid to say these words?

Don’t get me wrong–I don’t walk up to random strangers and say this–that is a recipe for a full blown freak out…but I believe that people need to know…and the way that this is best communicated is through the spoken word!

#2 – Thank You! My wife taught me this! I remember I asked once to do bring me a glass of water, and after she did she just sort of stood there and look at me. I have to admit that this was a little weird…I had no idea what she was doing. I had always thought she was a stable individual…but now she’s just standing there–staring at me with some sort of look of expectation on her face. What did she want? A tip?

So I asked her, “What’s wrong?” and she said two words, “Thank you!” It was then that I realized that she didn’t mind bringing me the water–but she wanted to feel appreciated…and “thank you” was the best way to accomplish that.

And not just a regular old “thank you,” but a sincere thank you.

So now I say these words a lot–I say them to the server who refills my glass of sweet tea (the drink of angels), I say it to staff members when they do things that I request of them, I said it a lot to the doctors and nurses who took care of me in the hospital. (Side note–nurses are awesome! If you are ever in the hospital OR in a doctors office–be nice to the nurse, remember, they have needles!!!)

People want to feel appreciated–period. And two words, spoken with a sincere heart can accomplish that–thank you!

#3 – “Great Idea!” Not everyone will be able to identify with these two words–but if you are a leader in any sort of capacity then these two words are powerful! Let me explain what I mean.

Leaders are typically forward thinkers–we are not just thinking about what we are going to do tomorrow–we are thinking about what is going to be happening in and around us over the next five years. We are constantly in the state of planning and brainstorming about the future.

When we get in this mode we often develop some great ideas…but we don’t really tell them to anyone for one reason or another. Then, maybe weeks or months later, we will be in a meeting and someone will come up with one of the same ideas we thought about way back when…and when this happens an insecure leader will say, “I have already been thinking about that.”

I have done that in the past–and I have seen the results…it makes people feel unappreciated, it makes them feel as if they are merely a pawn of your leadership and they should remain quiet about any other good ideas that they may have because you, obviously, are the smartest person on the planet.

The goal of a leader should never be to try to convince your team about how smart you are–but rather the goal SHOULD be to make each member of your team feel valuable, smart, and appreciated.

So I have learned that when someone comes up with an idea that I have already thought about to say, “Awesome idea–let’s explore that!” And then I have a chance to develop the idea with the team instead of having to try to prove my leadership by denouncing another individuals ability to think.

#4 – “Will You Come To Church With Me On Sunday?” Just thought I would throw this one in! :-)

Seriously, these are powerful words…and if you are in or near Anderson, SC then I hope you will be at New Spring this weekend…and that you will say those words to at least 10 people. If you will get them to church this Sunday then I promise they will hear one of the most creative and relevant presentations of the Gospel ever!

One more thought…I am all about marketing! And here at New Spring we do things to get our name out in the community–we have done billboards, newspaper ads, direct mail…you name it. However, according to surveys that people have filled out for us in the past over 90% of the people who visit our church do so as a result of a personal invitation. These words are powerful.

And finally, some of my favorite words ever…

#5 – “Hey Perry, you want’ to go to lunch–I’m BUYING!!!”

Kids–Are They Worth It? July 27, 2005

Lucretia and I had supper last night with a couple who attends our church. One of the things that came up in the course of our conversation was how excited this family was about our children’s ministry at New Spring.

I thought about children’s ministry a lot on the way home and then again this morning during my quiet time. So today I would like to share with you four common myths about children’s ministry…and also share with you a little about what goes on in our children’s ministry here at New Spring.

Before I get started let me say that at New Spring we have a unique vision for our children’s ministry. We do not allow children into our worship services because we want them to learn about Jesus in a creative, relevant environment in which they can fully grasp the Gospel. For a further reading as to why this is a part of our vision–please visit my archives section and review my post from June 13 and 14

Myth #1 – A Church Does Not Really Need A Dynamic Children’s Ministry

Nothing could be further from the truth! I remember a consultant that we hired early on at New Spring telling me, “Perry, if you want to reach this community then you MUST have an incredible children’s ministry.

He sold me on the idea…and I believe every church should be sold on this!

We pay attention to details, for example–we want our children’s area to be clean. We are currently meeting in rented facilities and have no control over what happens in the rooms in which we meet during the week–but we have a team of volunteers that goes into this area before the children get there and clean like crazy! It upsets me so much when I visit a church and see a dirty nursery and then hear people pass if off this way, “Well, it’s just church–this is the way it’s always been.” No way! If a church is going to reach the unchurched in its community then it must have clean facilities. Isn’t it sad that the unchurched have higher standards for children’s ministry than many who have been in the church for a while?

We also are not afraid to spend money on children! Statistics show that if someone does not accept Christ before the age of 18 then there is about a 90% chance that they will never do so. A churches largest area of missions is their children’s area, followed closely by the youth group! It bothers me when churches take away from the children’s budget to pay for things such as stained glass windows or a new organ, you know, things that REALLY bring people into the kingdom.

And get this–our children’s staff (more on them later) spend time on preparation! They do not get up on Sunday morning and read some lesson that a person in some office who hasn’t worked with kids in 15 years has written…nope…they spends weeks and months planning and preparing for Sunday…and it shows.

We look at it this way–the entertainment world is not afraid to spend time, effort, and cash on kids–and what message have they ever had that changed a life? We have so much more to offer–so we should take the time to put the effort into it.

Myth #2 – Children’s Ministry Is Just A Babysitting Service

Wrong! Children’s ministry at New Spring is exactly that–Children’s MINISTRY! Michael Brown, our children’s minister has a vision for our children’s ministry that is incredible and that his entire team owns.

Their vision is for the children in attendance every week to be able to answer two questions, the first being, “What did you learn?” They know if 3, 4, and 5 year olds can articulate a spiritual principal that parents will be impressed and want their kids to come back for more.

The second question that must be answered in a positive manner is, “Did you have fun?” Parents want their kids to enjoy church…and if a creative and exciting envirnoment can be created then you will see that family again soon!

Myth #3 – Anyone Can Work With Children

This one REALLY bothers me…and yet I am amazed at how many churches will let just anyone waltz into their church and say they want to work with kids…and before you know it that person is the unpaid children’s minister…and no one knows anything about them.

It is our goal to create a safe environment for our children…and so to work with them at New Spring you have to go through a formal interview and then agree to let the church do a federal background check on you. Why? Because we have been told by law enforcement officials that child molesters target churches because of the people being so naive!

You may ask, “Well, what if someone won’t go through an interview or do a background check?” It’s really simple–they can’t work with our children. “Well–what if they get upset and leave?” My attitude is, “Don’t let the door hit you where the good Lord split you!” In others words…if a person does not like this–they can leave…and I will celebrate their leaving. We will do whatever it takes to provide a safe environment…and if someone seems to have something to hide–they just can’t work with our kids. (By the way…I have never met a parent in our church who had a problem with this!!!)

Myth #4 – OK–We Need A Children’s Minister, So Let’s Hire A Part Time Youth, Children’s, Senior Adult, Activities, And Family Minister.

I can’t help but get angry every time I type one of these myths! Too many churches hire one man or woman, pay them part time…and then divide their interest all over the church. And let’s be honest–the only reason they do this is because…they…are…CHEAP!!!

We have an enormous children’s staff at New Spring, I believe there are currently four full time and four part time staff…I am not sure…there could be more. And get this–their area is children’s ministry–that’s it. We don’t ask them to do anything other than work with children, recruit volunteers to work with children, answer questions that parents have about our children’s ministry…get the picture? They specifically work with kids!

And let me say this–they are awesome, every single one of them! They are completely dedicated to making the children’s ministry the most exciting thing that a child encounters during their entire week. And for those of you who attend New Spring…you think it’s good now, just wait a few months until we get into the building. They have some plans that will knock your socks off!

Those are my thoughts on children’s ministry–what are yours?

Anticipation July 25, 2005

As a child I would have to say that the toughest night to sleep was Christmas Eve! Do you remember that? You could not get up at 7:00 for school…or even 8:30 for church…but on Christmas morning you could somehow manage to be ready for action between 5-6!!!

Why is this? Simple–anticipation!

I think about things that we are excited about–graduation, starting a new job…honeymoon night! (That’s right–I said it! And don’t even try to pretend that you were not excited about honeymoon night. And please don’t even try to come off as “holy” and say, “I can’t believe a pastor would say such a thing!” Get over it–GOD designed sex–it was His idea (thank you Jesus)! BUT He designed it to be between one man, one woman, in the bonds of marriage…and there is no other alternative plan. My advice…before marriage it’s hands off! (That’s Biblical!) After marriage, buy some Gatorade and multi-vitamins; put it into 5th gear–and make up for lost time!!! (That’s Biblical as well–for further reading I would like to point you to the Song of Solomon!)

Some of you might be saying, “I have never heard a pastor say such things.” Well–maybe you’ve never had a happy pastor! :-)

Back to my story…what was I talking about?

Oh yeah–anticipation!

When we anticipate something BIG is going to happen–whether it’s Christmas Eve or the honeymoon–we can’t stop talking about it. Speak with any child in December and what do they talk about the most? You guessed it–what Santa is bringing! Speak to any couple before the marriage (especially the guy) and what do they talk about the most? You guessed it–the honeymoon! All this has to do with anticipation.

I have said all of that to say this…

#1 – It is my passion as the pastor of New Spring to always create a sense of anticipation at our church. If you are a pastor or staff member of another church and are reading this…my challenge to you is create anticipation. Do something on a Sunday that causes people to look forward to the following Sunday & want to invite others to join them for an incredible experience. We do this through announcements, videos, and a host of other things. Actually, the creativity team I serve with usually comes up with amazing ideas that facilitate this excitement. (I highly recommend team preparation!)

#2 – I am REALLY looking forward to this Sunday! I am anticipating God doing something awesome and amazing…and not because I am speaking–BUT because I really feel that He is going to speak to a lot of hearts–and a lot of people’s lives will be changed. I seriously feel like a kid at Christmas–in fact, I didn’t really sleep that well last night just thinking about all that could take place. (Pray for my rest this week–especially Saturday night!)

As we said Sunday…if you are a New Spring member or attender…please make plans to be there EARLY this week…you don’t want to miss one single minute–AND I promise that if you will bring your friends and family members that are lost and/or unchurched that we are going to do our best to package the most creative, relevant, and excellent worship experience that they have ever seen.

I am so pumped! Keep me in your prayers this week that I will be completely sensitive to the Holy Spirit in my preparation!

A few questions before I go…what is it that you look the most forward to? What is it that excites you the most? What is it that you find yourself talking to your friends about the most? If you really want to live–then let me make a suggestion. About two months ago I began to ask God to make His passions my passions…and my outlook on a lot of stuff has changed. When you get His mind & heart inside your mind & heart things will change–and you will begin to anticipate things that really do make a difference!

What Matters? July 24, 2005

I have to admit that while I was following doctor’s orders and not “overdoing” it that I flipped through the television channels a lot, trying to find something that would hold my attention for more than 15 seconds.

I wasn’t very successful!

One of the things that I think perplexed me the most was a new reality show on some network entitled, “Being Bobby Brown.” When I saw the show being advertised the first thing that came out of my mouth was, “Who in the world would watch a show about that dude? When was the last good song he performed? Is ghostbusters going to make a comeback?” But reality is–to some people out there–that show really does matter!

Then it hit me–I feel that all too often we all get caught up in things that do not matter–and we will let those things dominate our feelings, our emotions…OUR LIVES.

For instance–men, when we compete in athletic events. Let me be very clear, when I play a game I have one purpose–to win! I do not play for fun…if I want fun then I will go to a carnival! If you and I are on opposite teams then I consider you my mortal enemy…and it is my goal to defeat you!

And get this–there is nothing wrong with this attitude–unless it controls you. For instance, I used to let my being competitive get the best of me…and so when things were not going my way or my team was not playing well I would have a sour attitude–I would talk junk, yell at the referees–basically make a rear end out of myself. And why–over a stupid game.

I had to finally realize that in the end the results of the particular game I was playing in did not matter…they were not going to make the headlines of the next day’s newspaper–and so I decided a few years back that I was going to play hard–be competitive–desire to win… but if I didn’t then it did not matter.

The bottom line here is that many people get caught up in things that do not matter. We become passionate about certain people who do not know us…and never will (such as movie stars and rock stars), we get caught up in activities that are meant to be enjoyed–but can become unhealthy obsessions (golf), and we buy shirts, hats, and blankets of our favorite ball teams and spend unhealthy amounts of money attending athletic events…and in the end what is accomplished on the field does not directly effect us…it just doesn’t matter.

Please don’t get me wrong. I am not saying that any of these things are wrong. It is not a sin to play golf or attend football games–the problem comes in when we become so passionate about these things that we forget the one thing that should matter the most–that Jesus Christ created each of us with passion and purpose…and our passion and desire in life should be to discover why we are on this planet and then pursue that purpose with all our soul! That is what should matter.

However, I often meet so many people who are not getting the most out of life–they seem to be merely existing and not living…and I submit that maybe one of the reasons could be that they are passionate about pursuing things that just do not matter.

So how about you? Are you passionate about something that one day just will not matter? If I had to make a list I would say the things I am most passionate about are…

#1 – My relationship with Jesus Christ…and according to Scripture–this matters!

#2 – My Wife! Trust me–this matters! I will NEVER allow a hobby or a job trump Lucretia, she is the most important human relationship I have on this planet! And according to Scripture, she matters!

#3 – New Spring Community Church–I am committed to the church as a whole, I honestly believe that Jesus Christ being taught through the local church is the hope of the world. However, I am specifically passionate about New Spring…this church consumes my thoughts and emotions…and I am so thankful that God has allowed me to have a part in what is taking place.

Those are my top three–all of them matter–my challenge today–make your list…and then begin to revolve your life around the things that matter! (And if Jesus isn’t at the top of your list–e-mail me so I can share with you how to get Him there!!!)

I believe if we will pursue what matters then life will matter more to us! Saying all of the above to say this–sorry Bobby Brown, your show just doesn’t matter!

Dealing With The Unexpected (Super Cool Person Of The Week!) July 22, 2005

I had a good friend, Jason Wilson, over at my house last night. Lucretia went out for a little while, Vanessa Brown, our children’s ministers’ wife, hosted several ladies in her home for desert & so I was left alone.

So I bribed Jason into coming over…it wasn’t hard…I told him that I had two pieces of peanut butter pie from Sullivan’s and that I needed help in eating them…he was in my living room in less than 30 minutes.

We goofed off, watched Texas hold-em poker (interesting), and looked at some Google site on-line where you could see satellite images of the town you are in–funky! (I felt like a nerd!) Lucretia came home around 9:00 and Jason decided to take off.

BUT before he left I asked him to please take some of the food that we had in our fridge with him. You’ve got to understand–we have been taken care of in an awesome way by our church, and we have so much food that I actually considered opening a restaurant. Well, being the munchy boy that Jason is–he took several dishes with him. He pulled out of our driveway a happy man…and Lucretia and I began to get ready for bed.

(Disclaimer–please do not get the wrong picture of Jason…he does eat a lot–all the time! BUT he is a freak of nature–he is built like a house–runs all the time–basically he is in excellent shape. Sort of makes me sick–I can look at a candy bar and gain five pounds–Jason can eat that same candy bar once every thirty minutes and never show any signs of it!!! Oh yeah–ladies, he’s already married–sorry!)

Back to my story…

So my phone rang right before I was going to get into bed…I did not make it to the phone and the person did not leave a message–so I checked caller ID (a gift from the Lord) and it was Jason…so I called him back.

Jason had just wanted to say thanks for the food…and also wanted to tell me that he wished he could enjoy it…but that is was all over the floor of his truck as a result of him just creaming a deer that was standing in the middle of the road. (I’ve hit a deer before–it’s a pretty dramatic experience.)

I know Jason was a little upset about the food–but what got me the most was his attitude–he was sort of laughing. I asked him, “Are you ok,” and he said he was. Then I asked about the deer–uh, sorry animal lovers–but another one bites the dust. And then I asked him the question that every southern boy MUST ask, “Hey man, did it mess up your truck?” His reply was awesome–he laughed and said, “Oh, it was already messed up–it’s just an ‘ole truck!”

To me that is an awesome attitude! Jason lost a lot last night–he lost some incredible food, another piece of peanut butter pie…and he definitely did some damage to his truck…this was totally unexpected–seriously, he didn’t say to me right before leaving my house, “Hey man, got to go–there is a deer in the road that I want to mow down!” This came out of left field…yet his attitude was incredible.

So how about you–how do you deal with the unexpected? When something little…or big…happens in your life that you didn’t count on–do you scream, cry, get bitter at God…or do you just role with it? The Bible says in Philippians 2:5 that our attitude should be the same as Christ Jesus! I will admit that this isn’t always easy; however, it is always right.

I was reading in a book the other day that someone said, “God chooses what we go through–we choose how we go through it.” That is so true–the attitude that we have is our choice! We can’t blame it on circumstances–if we are negative and whiney–we chose to be that way–and that is a problem we must repair.

So I said all that to say this–I am naming Jason Wilson my very first “Super Cool Person of the Week.” (This will be a post that I do every Friday!) Thanks Jason for your awesome attitude, for not letting things get to you! You are a great example–keep up the great work!