Archive for March, 2007
Friday Mind Dump… March 30, 2007
OK, it’s Friday and SO many things are running through my mind…
- I have had three conversations during the past month with men in the gym who do not attend NewSpring, and each one of them have told me that they LOVE what our church is doing and are praying for me–wow–it looks like there ARE some people out there who realize that we are on the same team.
- I’ve never seen this much pollen in my life!!!
- Easter at NewSpring is going to be incredible! We are going to have five services–4 & 6 on Saturday evening & 9:15, 11:15 & 1:15 on Sunday!
- For Easter weekend only we will NOT do Sunday night services…we are moving them to Saturday…and then we will resume the normal schedule the following week.
- We have titled the series, “America’s Idol.” I will have to say we have pulled out all the stops…including having the audience vote on the songs that will be used in the service the following week!
- AND…we will be doing a very non-typical Easter message. Someone once asked, “Do we celebrate the resurrection on Easter?” The answer is NO–we celebrate the resurrection EVERY SUNDAY…Easter is the day that the rest of the world gets in on it!
- I have the privilege of speaking that “The Gauntlet” this summer for our middle and high school students…it was one of the most incredible events of my year last year…and this year will be no exception. Parents–make sure your kids get to go to this.
- I am going to be a dad!!!
- Sunday is going to ROCK! We will actually begin the voting process for America’s Idol this weekend…and we will be finishing an incredible series.
That’s about it–happy weekend…see you Sunday!
What I Learned In Vegas–Part One March 29, 2007
Lucretia and I went to “sin city” last week…which I have renamed “grace city” after meeting Jud Wilhite, who pastors this church–wow–talk about an amazing guy…but more on that later…
Anyway, we got to hang out in Vegas…see some shows & sights and basically relax…BUT…while I was out there I managed to learn a thing or two…and I will be sharing them in a series of posts over the next week or two.
If you have ever been to Vegas then you understand that EVERYTHING that happens in Vegas has a purpose behind it…nothing is an accident…everything is intentional and well thought out–and excellence is a core value there.
MAYBE that is why the day we arrived we did so with about 50,000 other people…and the cab driver told us that they were expecting over 80,000 the next day!
MAYBE that is why on the first night of the NCAA tournament over $400 million dollars were bet on the games in Vegas alone.
MAYBE that is why we stayed right next to a construction project that is being built that, when it is completed…the bill will be around $7.4 BILLION dollars!!! Folks–read that again, BILLION!!!
I was blown away by the sheer numbers of people–seriously, everywhere I went there were scores of people…it was even crowded in the restrooms!!!
AND so I had this thought…there are many churches across America that say that church isn’t about the numbers…and it shows because with over 80% of our churches in decline the fact is obvious–numbers simply do not matter.
BUT Vegas doesn’t seem to have a problem with people OR money…why is that? Some would say, “It’s just the devil.” But hold on…doesn’t the church belong to Jesus? Isn’t He more powerful than the dude in the red suit? The last time I checked God kicked his sinful butt out of heaven…and the last chapter in the BOOK says that he’s due for another butt beating.
AND if it is the devil…well…the church has the power of the HOLY SPIRIT who brings dead things back to life…so saying that it is all spiritual is merely a cop out because in doing so one actually admits that he believes that satan is more powerful and creative than God.
Some would say that people just go to Vegas to be entertained. AND there is NO LACK of entertainment out there; however, I believe people go to Vegas to meet a need–they want to accomplish something, they want to laugh, they want to enjoy themselves…uh…why can’t they do those things in church? MAYBE it’s because the church in general has shut itself down to the idea that reaching people should be our primary objective.
It’s like this…if a restaurant opens up and people do not go then it is safe to assume that it is a bad restaurant…and the workers in the restaurant can complain all they want about the “stupid” people outside who do not like the food…but in the end–if the restaurant doesn’t change–it will go bankrupt.
It’s the same with a church…if people are not going then something about the church needs to change. AND I personally think it is the attitude of those inside the church–realizing that what the church does should be done with passion, excellence…and with a desire to bring those who are outside inside.
Vegas understands this…and just take a trip out there and you will see the results.
Am I saying that we should be doing church like Vegas? NO–I am saying that we should be doing it BETTER!!! Our services should be better than there shows! People should want to come to church more than they want to go to a casino! Our passion to bring people in should be greater than theirs! Our music should be better than theirs! Our message IS greater than theirs. Our God is greater than their god. Our facilities should be NICER than theirs…and I would argue larger than theirs.
We should take a look at Vegas and use it to challenge us to be better!!! If you think I am saying that we need to be more worldly…then STOP IT…I am NOT…I am saying we should look at the things of this world and say, “Is THAT all you’ve got!!! I am so sorry that you are limited in your creativity and excellence!!!”
It is MY passion that the church can turn the corner on this one and make so many necessary changes that Hollywood and Vegas begin to look at the church for ideas!!! THIS CAN HAPPEN! THIS SHOULD HAPPEN!!! OUR GOD IS THAT BIG!!! That is our passion here at NewSpring…and I can’t wait to see what happens next!
A True Love Story March 28, 2007
America is WAY too fascinated with Hollywood and the “love stories” that keep coming out of there…sort of like vomit coming out of someone with food poisoning. Basically…all the tabloids are reporting is who is screwing who this month…and for some reason we are obsessed with it.
And movies…those are horrible as well when it comes to “love stories.” Remember the movie Titanic? Yep, quite a love story…girl meets guy on a boat & has sex with him without even knowing him (can anyone say “ho” boys & girls) and then swears she will never let him go! And when he dies…uh…she lets him go!!! And everyone in the theatre cried because they thought that was love.
Our world is so screwed up when it comes to identifying love…what true love is and how it makes a difference. Too many have equated love with a feeling…and when the feeling is gone then the love must be as well–so they jump from one relationship to the next, forgetting the vows they took before God and friends on their wedding day…and doing damage to their lives.
BUT yesterday–WOW–I heard a love story that put a lump in my throat. I am about to cry right now just thinking about it…and I want to share it with you.
Jason Wilson (Executive Pastor) and his brother Ken (Graphics/motion engineer) both work here at NewSpring. In fact, both of them were in the original group that met in a living room a little over seven years ago.
I’ve always told them that their family was “dysfunctional.” You see…their grandparents are still living on both sides…and there has been no divorce in their family…and their family actually loves hanging out with each other–isn’t that weird?
Anyway, their grandparents on their father’s side are the only set of grandparents that I have met…and they are two of the coolest people in the world. He is in his early 90’s and she is in her mid 80’s…and they are STILL together…still in love…and have established a legacy that is the same. I remember meeting them several years ago and being impressed with how full of life they were!
On Monday Jason had to leave the office rather quickly–he told us that his grandmother had fell as a result of a massive stroke and was in the hospital…and that they were not expecting her to make it through the night.
Yesterday morning he came in and we asked him what happened. He told us that she had fallen as a result of the stroke. The grandfather cannot hear very well–so he can’t make a phone call. And he could not pick her up because, well, he’s 92 I believe. So when Jason’s aunt could not reach the grandmother by phone she became concerned and went over to the house and found her mother lying in the floor…and her husband standing there right beside her. He refused to leave the side of his bride–for better or worse, in sickness and in health…’till death do us part!
They took her to the hospital and admitted her into ICU. After the entire family had gotten there they brought Jason’s grandfather into the room. He had to be brought in by wheel chair…and when they rolled him up by her bedside he got up out of the chair, leaned over his bride, kissed her and said, “I love you!”
THAT is a love story! Hearing that made me want to leave my desk & go home & hold my wife. I remember saying to Jason when he told me his story, “I want that so bad for my marriage–I want the only thing that can separate us to be death…and even when it tries it will know it has been in a fight!”
Love is not jumping from bedroom to bedroom…love is a commitment that sticks through whatever situation life throws at you. Ken & Jason were able to witness first hand the power of true love–Jason said when his grandfather kissed his grandmother that there was not a dry eye in the room…why…because true love is motivating!!!
Singles–my challenge to you is HOLD OUT for what is REAL! If he’s trying to get in your pants…or your relationship is based on something other than true love–then you may have what Hollywood has…vomit…and the pain that it will bring will leave a scar.
And if you are married–I challenge you right now to stop what you are doing–right now, pick up the phone & call your spouse & tell them that you love them…and that you always will!!!
I am not sure how Jason & Ken’s grandmother is doing right now…but please keep them in your prayers…and when you are doing so–thank God for allowing us to see a demonstration of the kind of love He has for us…a love that will not leave us…no matter what!
Charisse (My Daughter) Wants Ice Cream & Is Fully Alive! March 27, 2007
‘Cretia and I were just getting into bed last night & she said, “I felt her move…she’s either punching me or kicking me…but she’s moving.”
Automatically I was pumped! I put my hands on ‘Cretia’s belly and…and…and…NOTHING! (She’s already being defiant!!!)
So I talked to her & said that I was her daddy and that I wanted her to move…NOTHING!
I told her that she needed to be a good girl and give me five…NOTHING!
Finally I said, “Charisse…I want you to move & if you do then I will take you to Baskin Robbins.” WHAM!!! She was out of control…I think she must have delivered a right cross, whatever it was–it was STRONG! (Yes, this is a true story…NO, I am NOT making this up–it really happened!)
I could hardly sleep last night because, for the first time, I felt my little girl move. The time is getting closer and closer for her arrival…and there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think about and pray for her. It was so obvious last night that a life is forming within Lucretia…and one day she will come forth, nothing will be able to hold her back…and once she gets here there is unlimited potential for her!!!
You know, there are some spiritual implications here…
Once we meet Jesus the journey is not over–it has only just begun…and according to John 10:10–He wants us to live a full and complete life.
I believe deep within the soul of every Christian is something that Lord places inside…life…purpose…His plan…and it’s moving, stirring, wanting to come out & be fully developed.
I know people who know they are on this planet to accomplish more than they are doing–but they are afraid to let the life that God has placed inside of them come out…afraid of the results…afraid of how that life might changes things (new life does changes things!)
SO…what is sad is that many people meet Christ & never fully reach their potential because they deny the stirring in their soul.
I learned a few years ago that if you ever want to make God laugh…tell Him your plans. Too often we think Christianity is about getting God on our side and forcing Him to adopt our agenda by quoting obscure verses (prayer of Jabez) and singing songs that will manipulate His holiness to conform to our unholy desires. (”Lord, I know he’s not a Christian, but He’s cute…and I can…”)
BUT…being a follower of Jesus is about confessing Christ…and then carrying that confession through every area of our lives for the rest of our life. It’s about letting the life and desires that He has placed inside of us come out…and then pursuing those desires and dreams with all our hearts!
What is inside of you? What is kicking and punching and wanting to come out? Is it you changing your major? Is it a career move? Is it accepting that job? Is it pursuing (or calling off) that relationship? What is it? Seek it…discover it…because we will never be fully alive until we allow Him to live through us on a daily basis!
Charisee is on her way–that is undeniable…she is fully alive! Are you?
Sunday Night Reflections–This NEVER Gets Old! March 25, 2007
Amazed…simply amazed!
Let me begin by saying that we saw over 100 people accept Christ today at NewSpring Church. It was one of the most powerful invitations I have ever seen…God was all over the place!
And let me follow up that statement by saying that I did not preach today…and Lee did not lead worship…and yet God moved in a way that was undeniable! (Props to Justin, Roseangela & Clayton for leading us today!)
Pastors, it is not about how things go when you are there…but rather how things function when you are not there. I have not spoke in two weeks and I will have to say that they have been two of the best weeks our church has ever had.
One of the things I have realized in ministry is this--I am not necessary for God to move. God reigns, He is Sovereign, Supreme…and He is not limited to a particular personality. He didn’t look down from heaven today and say, “Dang, Perry isn’t preaching–shucks, I can’t move now!” Nope–He took this opportunity to show our church that it isn’t about me…it’s about HIM…and HE can move whenever and however He chooses.
Pastors, one of the things we MUST get past is the idea that our church cannot function without us. If you are of that mindset then you NEED to be NEEDED…you probably have some sort of cell phone that allows you to check e-mail…and you sleep with it beside your bed just in case someone needs to send you a text message about their sick cat in the middle of that night…and if that is you then you need to cut that crap out!
God has called us to train and equip people to do the work of the ministry (see Ephesians 4:11-16), not TO DO all of the work of the ministry and watch the people do nothing except for show up to business meetings (never seen one of those in Scripture) and serve on committees that talk about ministry…but never actually do anything!
I literally had a pastor tell me once, “My church cannot survive without me preaching there every week.” The first thought in my mind was, “Those poor people,” and the second thought in my mind is, “God, please change his mind or he is going to burn out.” (I will hit more on this later this week!)
All I have done at NewSpring is tried to make JESUS the main focus…surround myself with godly leadership…continue to cast vision for volunteers to get involved and OWN ministry…and through this God keeps doing incredible and awesome things.
A church does not need a particular personality profiled…it needs to lift up Jesus…preach the Bible, make it to where people can understand…and in THAT type of situation God moves and does things that only He can get credit for.
I will be back next week…but not to “rescue a church that can’t make it without me,” but rather to resume what God has been doing for the past two weeks without me! We will wrap up the series this Sunday…and then next week–EASTER…WOW, hold on to your hats!!! It’s going to be off the charts!
I am STOKED…over 100 people accepted Christ! That’s awesome…and ONLY GOD can do that! I know I talk about people receiving Christ on this blog a lot…but people–THAT IS WHY THIS CHURCH EXISTS…to see more and more people meet Christ!!! WOW! DANG!!!
Home March 23, 2007
Dorothy said in the “Wizard of Oz” that there’s no place like home–and she was right!!! Lucretia and I finally got back home last night after being out of town since last Friday.
Where did we go? Las Vegas of course!!! Lucretia had never been to “sin city” & so we decided several months ago to take off out there. We usually go for some place tropical in the spring…but she wasn’t all that excited about being pregnant and in a bathing suit–so we headed out to somewhere she had never been but had always wanted to go.
NO–we did not gamble…except for riding in the Taxi’s and drinking the water!
YES–we did see a few shows…I will be posting more about that next week.
YES–we did have a good time for MOST of the vacation. You see, we left Friday morning…and that is when I got sick–VERY sick, I am talking enormous amounts of snot flying out of my nose, coughing up a lung…the headache from the pits of hell…you name it. I felt like a truck hit me–backed up…and then did it again just to make sure.
BUT…by Monday I started coming out of it! Thank You Jesus!
We checked out an incredible church on Sunday…and ‘Cretia and I had supper with he and his family on Monday night–more about that next week as well. I can say this…this guy is one of the most awesome guys I have ever met…his ministry is SMOKIN’…and he’s done something that many pastors who have tried never live to tell about it!!!
We saw some strange sights!
AND…believe it or not–we saw two couples at separate times out there who go to NewSpring!!! NO, I am not making that up!!! Small world!!!
Anyway, it is Friday and I have to get adjusted back to east coast time. Dang…I love Anderson! It’s good to be back home.
Can’t wait until Sunday…AND I CAN’T WAIT UNTIL EASTER!!!
My Journey Through Scripture… March 22, 2007
The Bible is the MOST amazing book ever written…and EVERY time I read it, well, it rocks my world. Back in January I went and bought a new Bible…and made sure it was a translation I was not familiar with. I felt like the Lord wanted me to start in Genesis and read it through…
AND IT HAS BEEN AWESOME!
I am just about through the book of Deuteronomy right now…and here are a few things that He has been teaching me…
In the first chapter of Genesis God makes it clear that this world–everything–is ALL ABOUT HIM! The phrase, “And God said” appears 32 times in chapter one…and there are 31 verses…so there is an average of one per verse…and He threw an extra one in to prove His point! MY LIFE IS NOT MY LIFE…I am HIS!
Also in Genesis chapter one God commands His creation to be fruitful and multiply twice…and there is a third remark made about creation being fruitful as well…looks like God from the very beginning wants anything He creates to GROW & MULTIPLY & not stay the same…uh, didn’t He create the church? :-)
God is sovereign!
When you think your life is bad–read the story of Joseph in Genesis 37-50! What a man!!! Talk about faithfulness to God DESPITE circumstances. It’s EASY to follow God when things are going well–but when things are bad I wonder would I react like Joseph reacted.
God desires to set His people free!
God gave His Law to the Israelites AFTER He had set them free–not before. In other words He didn’t say, “Do this list of rules and you will be free.” He set them free and then gave them commands because He loved them and wanted to protect them…and He does the same today.
If God can put an interstate highway through the Red Sea then I think that pretty much qualifies Him to handle anything I will be facing today.
If we forget God’s faithfulness in our past then we will always doubt Him with our future. The Israelites saw Him destroy the largest army in the world–and in less than a week were doubting whether or not He could feed them!
When God wants to do something–NOTHING can get in His way…look @ the story of Moses!
I laughed when I read Leviticus 15:19-27 because it reminded me of an entire message I preached on that text last year–when I read it in our auditorium you could have heard a pin drop!
The high priest had a VERY BUSY JOB…in fact, He probably never got to sit down–that is why it is so cool that when Jesus, our High Priest, got back to heaven He sat down–meaning the work is finished, sin is paid for!
One of the most common phrases in Exodus through Deuteronomy is, “And the Lord said to Moses…” Moses was a great leader–BUT ONLY because he did exactly what God told him to do–leadership is as easy as listening to God.
The command to keep the Sabbath is the longest command–God’s serious about us getting rest.
Tithing is a Biblical concept that is established BEFORE the Law; in fact, it happens twice in the book of Genesis…and the Law isn’t even given until the book of Exodus. And God set it up NOT because He wants our money–but so that we can tangibly say, “I love you.” Giving is worship.
When a sacrifice was made to God–He demanded the very best a person has to offer. The words most commonly used to describe the lambs that were to be sacrificed are “unblemished” and “without defect.” God despises our leftovers in any area of our lives.
Life is so much better when we do what is right in God’s eyes!
Some denominations are fighting as to whether or not God is a man or a woman…after reading Deuteronomy 25:11-12 there is no doubt in my mind–God is a man!!!
I am going to preach a message on Deuteronomy 23:12-14! Seriously…it will be soon…at NewSpring we preach the WHOLE BIBLE!!!
Those are just a few of the things I have been learning. Oh yeah…I know some will ask…I am studying through the ESV…and I normally preach out of the NIV. (I also love the NLT.)