It’s Official–God Kicked My Butt! April 25, 2007

At times I am the world’s worse hypocrite!  (Stay with me…this is going somewhere, I promise!)

I really do believe in what we are doing here at NewSpring Church.  I believe that lives are being changed.  I believe that Jesus is being lifted up.  I believe that the word “church” is taking on a new meaning in the community of Anderson, SC…and even the upstate.  I believe so much in what we are doing that I can’t even sleep most nights…I am consumed.

And so when people want to speak against our church and attack what God is doing here I usually have one response–FIGHT!

I wish that wasn’t me.  I really do wish I could let that stuff slide…but I can’t because I have dedicated my life to what we are doing…and I sincerely believe it is the right thing.

SO…because of this I have spent an unhealthy amount of time over the past year or so trying to defend what we are doing here…and in doing so I believe I have managed to convince exactly zero detractors.  I have allowed the enemy to distract me and get me so unfocused–and it has done this church AND the Kingdom no good at all.

The Lord has been dealing with me on this BIG time…

Lee sent me an e-mail about a month ago basically telling me to stop it!!!  He reminded me to look around and see what God is doing here…that we have nearly doubled in a year…that hundreds are being saved and that I should stop wasting my time answering people who have exactly zero going on in their church…that is the reason they have time to look at ours!

Lucretia, my wife, made a comment to me the other day when I asked her opinion regarding what I should blog about, “Write about something happy.”  When I asked her what she meant she told me that my site had taken sort of a negative tone and that she felt I had spent too much time trying to defend this church.  OUCH!

I had a friend that I have known for years come by and see me the other day.  After talking for about an hour he was about to leave–but before he did he turned around and said, “I read your blog everyday, I love it…but dude, STOP DEFENDING THIS CHURCH!”  DANG!

And then Monday’s meeting with John Maxwell was the icing on the cake…he said…

• Very few attacks are worth fighting over
• If you start answering every critic–all you’ll get is more critics
• If you explain yourself then all you’ll do is explain yourself
• The more successful you are the more criticism you will attract
• NOTHING frustrates the critic more than them not getting an answer

He said a few other things about the subject…but these are the ones that I wanted to share here because God used them to kick me in the gut!!!

One of the things I have discovered about the internet is that it is pretty much a place for cowards.  People have written things about me and to me that they would never say to my face.  The internet provides anonymity–which is NEVER a good qualification for someone who actually thinks they have something of value to say and cares about the person they are saying it to.
I share this for several reasons…

#1 – To ask for your prayers.  I am going to try harder not to let stuff get to me.  I know as soon as I say this all hell will probably break loose…but hey, I’ve got to learn to handle this somehow, right.

#2 – To let you know that this does not mean I will not continue to cast strong vision!  I will continue to be on the offensive against religion without Jesus…I will continue to go after churches who want to stay the same…I will continue to share our vision here at NewSpring and invite people to either get on board or go elsewhere…I will continue to challenge pastors to do their part to fulfill the Great Commission.

BUT…I will no longer respond to detractors here.  Sure, I will make fun of some of the stuff you say (like this post), but like it or not–God is at work here and I MUST focus on reaching people for Christ and leading this church…and so that means that critics no longer matter.

#3 – To inform people that if NewSpring Church can help out in any way with your life, your church, ANYTHING then we are just an e-mail or phone call away.  However, myself NOR our pastoral care staff will waste no more time answering to people who don’t attend here OR sincerely want to learn what is going on.

NewSpring…I apologize for allowing the enemy to distract me.  I am repenting of this attitude and asking for your forgiveness.  We are going to press forward from now on…this site will be used for casting vision, encouragement and church leadership.  (And some personal stuff–did I mention I am going to be a dad?)

I love this place…and I can’t wait to see what God is going to do next!!!