Archive for August, 2008
Leadership Thoughts From Brian Houston August 25, 2008
Last week I was able to spend some time with Brian Houston and quite a few other incredible leaders…here are some things that really stuck out to me…some are quotes…some are thoughts that I had. (For the record…the quotes from him will actually be in quotes!) :-)
- He said the most positive change he’s seen in the church in America in the past 20 years is the fact that leaders seem to be more interested in developing relationships with one another.
- “God has a heart for His house!”
- “The church should be a place of magnificence and excitement–not something that is moving towards being a remnant.”
- One of the biggest challenges in leading a church is finding time to be visionary and not focusing on what is already there.
- Are we becoming who God has called us to be & doing what God called us to do? THIS is what I need to be obsessed with…because in doing so we will reach more people for Christ.
- “Be patient about planting.”
- “Our role is to keep lifting the ceiling in people’s lives.”
- “Our youth group is our biggest nursery for leadership!”
- “You don’t keep things fresh by organizing them!”
- “It’s not what people say that you have to worry about – it’s what they say that’s true.”
- “The devil doesn’t care how big your church is – he cares how influential it is.”
- He said one of the questions he constantly asks himself is, “Am I being a good steward of the platform God has given me?”
- “Authenticity is essential to the soul!”
- “Leadership is proven in the valleys, not at the mountaintop!”
Sunday Night Reflections August 24, 2008
WOW! That’s really all I can say!
OK, I lied…I can say more! (Hey, I’m a preacher, back off!) Here are a few thoughts from the day…
- “Amazing” does not describe what happened today! Louie Giglio spoke (via video) and it was, hands down, one of the most powerful Sunday’s EVER in the history of NewSpring Church!
- We were 150 people away from 10,000 people today…there were around 200 people sitting in the lobby at 11:15 at our Anderson campus because the sanctuary was FULL.
- Honestly, I think today was a great warm up for what we are going to see the Lord do next week! Trust me on this one!
- We had several people receive Christ today!
- I made the announcement today that we are starting a 4th service on the Anderson campus in two weeks! We’ve GOT TO!
- And when we do…we are going to need several of you to COMMIT to attending that service! We will announce the new time this week!
- We thought that when we started the Greenville campus that we would have more room in Anderson…but the attendance actually INCREASED…which blew our minds.
- Greenville campus had over 1,600 people today…amazing!
- I feel like this fall is going to be one of the most amazing seasons of ministry we’ve ever seen here at NewSpring Church…GREAT THINGS are in store.
- It was awesome to have Reggie Joyner and his wife with us all day today…our leadership team has a meeting with him in the morning so that we can pick his brain on leadership & such…can’t wait!
- I love our church! I seriously love our church!
- I am in awe that God is allowing me to be a part of this!
- There are still TONS of people in Anderson, Greenville and Florence…AND the surrounding areas that need Christ…let’s do all we can to reach out to them!!!
And finally! Please be patient with us over the next few weeks as we try our best to accommodate the record crowds of people that are showing up to our services.
Parking will be crazy!
Children’s check in will be crazy!
Getting seated will be crazy!
BUT…while all of this is going on please keep in mind…this is CHURCH! AMAZING! Who would have thought the things above would ever be associated with church? A football game or a special event, yes….but CHURCH!
We’re seeing Matthew 16:18 fulfilled!
I told you in ONE PRAYER that we need to hold onto our fork because the best is yet to come…and I believe God is JUST GETTING STARTED!!! YESSSSSSSS!
Dang it…now I’m pumped up…I hope I can sleep!
“Why Can’t I See God?” August 22, 2008
One of the most common questions I get as a pastor/minister is, “Perry, you say you see God in BLANK…or that you hear from God…why don’t I have the same things happen to me?”
My response isn’t always what people want to hear, nonetheless it remains the same, “Maybe you just aren’t looking for Him.”
I once heard John Maxwell teach a lesson and one of His points was, “We see what we are prepared to see.” The older I get the more I am convinced that is true. In fact, I had an experience with Charisse the other day that illustrated this so clearly.
As I have often talked about on this site and at church…Charisse loves birds! (By the way, thanks Greg for the purple bird–she LOVE’S IT!!!) Bird was one of the first words she said that I am fully convinced she knew what it meant.
So…one day we were in the front yard and I quickly glanced up at the sky to see if I could find a bird…but I didn’t see one.
Within a matter of seconds her eyes got huge & she pointed to the sky saying, “bird, bird!”
I smiled at her “imagination” and was about to explain to her that there were no birds in the sky…but before doing so I looked at the direction she was pointing and there were literally about 20 birds flying around.
There is a reason I didn’t see the birds & she did…she was purposefully looking for them–I wasn’t!
It’s the same thing with us and our relationship with God. You see, God is ALWAYS at work (John 5:17), He is ALWAYS speaking. He is ALWAYS obvious–even in the ordinary! (Seriously, the sunsets He paints every evening are AMAZING!)
It’s just that often times we aren’t really looking for Him…but merely giving quick glances His way…
Questions for you…if you don’t mind…
- When was the last time you came to church & begged God to reveal Himself to you? Or…is it your goal to get in and get out?
- When was the last time you prayed over your food and GENUINELY did so with a thankful heart? Or…are you still using that prayer you memorized 20 years ago? (“Bless us, help us and guide us…”)
- When was the last time you prayed before reading the Scriptures and asked God to get personal? Or…do you read the Bible to try and see what is wrong with “those other people?”
- When was the last time you allowed God to place HIS passion into you? Or…are you to busy trying to instill your passion into Him?
We see what we are prepared to see!
God isn’t playing some game of hide & go seek!!! He WANTS us to know HIM!!! (Jeremiah 29:13 is a hint as to how! He WANTS us to see Him!!! He WANTS us to grow in Him!
Maybe our prayer needs to stop being for Him to reveal Himself and switch to begging Him to let us see what’s He’s already tried to make obvious.
THAT WOULD BE LIFE CHANGING!
A Few Reminders… August 21, 2008
Here are a few things I just wanted to throw out one more time…
- Get to church EARLY this weekend…seriously, at LEAST 10 minutes! The service is actually going to be a “little different” and we don’t want anyone missing one single second!!!
- We are expecting HUGE crowds on both campuses…so be nice and be happy! :-)
- If you normally attend the 11:15 service in Anderson…give either 9:15 or 6:00 a shot for the next two weeks!
- PRAY!!! Seriously! I believe God is going to do a work in our church over the next several weeks like we’ve never seen! Pray all weekend that God will draw people to Himself…and that He will do an UNBELIEVABLE and UNDENIABLE work among us!
- INVITE!!! Fill up your car with people this weekend! Call people! Bribe them! Do what it takes to get people in the doors!
- LOOK!!! If you attend the Anderson campus…take a look at the children’s building and the youth building…GREAT THINGS are headed our way!
- REALIZE!!! If you attend the Greenville campus…take a second when you pull in the parking lot this weekend that what mankind intended to be a grocery store…God intended to be a church…and He has amazing plans in store! (No pun intended!)
Exposing Lies That Singles Believe August 21, 2008
Is that you? Are you single? Are you OK with it…or are you always complaining to God and others about your condition?
Just asking! :-)
I honestly believe one of the biggest dangers that singles face is believing lies from the enemy. Jesus said in John 8:44 that satan is a liar and the father of lies…let me expose three lies that all singles WILL believe at some point if the TRUTH isn’t taught…
#1 – “It’s wrong for me to want to be married.”
I once heard a speaker say this and I wanted to punch him…in the throat! He was married…and was telling singles that they should not want what he had. (Which, in retrospect, was incredibly hypocritical!)
Singles…it is NOT wrong to want to be married one day. And…it’s NOT wrong to tell God you want to be married. (By the way–He already knows–be honest!!!)
Some people have completely butchered God’s Word on this subject, claiming that the Bible teaches that being single is a good thing and should be the desire of every single…and only the immature people get married.
That’s just not true! There were both cultural and contextual reasons that the Apostle Paul wrote what he wrote about some people not getting married…and I can assure you it had nothing to do with being stronger or weaker in the faith!
If God created you to be with someone on this planet…then I would say it is RIGHT to have a desire to be joined with the person God custom designed for you!
#2 – “He/She Will Do I Guess…”
Let me say this very clearly…the day we begin to STOP looking for the Ephesians 3:20 type of person and begin to look for “good enough” is the day when things will go VERY BADLY for us in regards to future relationships and marriage.
I always tell people when it comes to dating and marriage–DO NOT SETTLE FOR A “FIXER-UPPER” WHEN GOD HAS SO MUCH MORE!!!
Most often a single will feel forced that they MUST settle for good enough because of a sexually active past, a divorce or just a sense of desperation. BUT…
Let me just say that it is usually the female who wrestles with this one! Ladies–let me say it CLEARLY…if you are a follower of Christ then that makes you a daughter of the KING of the UNIVERSE! A princess is worth the pursuit of a prince…she’s worthy of honor and respect and should NEVER stoop down and search through the dumpsters because she’s feeling a little alone on the weekend!!!
#3 – “Taking Risks Always Ends Badly!”
AND…it’s usually the guy who struggles with this one!
I know so many guys who will talk ABOUT asking a girl out–they will talk to her friends about asking her out (which was cool in 1st grade)–they will pray about asking her out…but they just won’t ever ask the girl about because they are afraid of rejection!!!
Dude–if you want to ask a girl out–take a risk, ASK HER! (And PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE don’t have a friend do it!!!) If she says “yes,” then it is a WONDERFUL IDEA to have a plan! And, if she says “no” then at least you don’t have to spend hours and hours wondering about it anymore.
Seriously bro…a part of being a man is facing your fears…so GO FOR IT!
And…dude, if she says “no” then LEAVE HER THE HECK ALONE! Seriously, move on! Don’t be the freak that followers her and believes, “If I will just post about how obsessed I am with her on Facebook she will see the light…”
Seriously–STOP IT!!! You are freaking her out!!
Ask her…take a risk…and go from there.
(By the way dude…if a young lady emails you this blog post and HIGHLIGHTS this point–she’s DROPPING YOU A FLIPPIN’ HINT…ASK HER OUT!!!)
(By the way…we are currently working on a singles series for the fall of 2009! And yes, I KNOW many of you are hoping you will be married by then!!! Don’t worry–there will be lots in there for married peeps too!)
Three Things A Speaker Should Do August 20, 2008
The mind battles that are fought before and after a message are intense…always!!! Some of the highest of highs and lowest of lows are while a message is being prepared, delivered and the days (and even weeks) that follow. Here are a few pieces of advice…
#1 – Get alone with God and let Him set you on fire.
John Wesley once said, “I just set myself on fire and people come to watch me burn.” We NEED that in our speakers today.
I’m afraid too many of us are dominated by the thought, “what is so and so going to think if I say this.” And we become WAY more obsessed with not offending people…and in doing so we are perfectly willing to offend Jesus.
My advice…get ALONE with God and let Him absolutely put a message inside of your that absolutely burns your very soul…and you feel like you will explode if you don’t get what He’s put in you out of you!
One more thing before I move on…FIRE BURNS!!! If you preach what God has burned into your heart God will use it to purify some…and burn others! You & I can NOT EVER being more concerned with people’s comfort & neglect God’s command.
#2 – Understand That People Will ALWAYS Misunderstand What You Say…And Even Get Angry!
This may come as a complete shock to you…but I offend people every Sunday! Yes, it IS true! I know that is SO hard to believe. But…here’s the kicker…
Often times I offend people that I didn’t really know I was offending…and most (not all) of the time it’s because they took an element of what I said…just a small piece and blew it COMPLETELY out of context. Oh yeah…it’s going to happen.
For example, just the other week I made the comment from stage that the Democratic Party was way more organized and direct with what they were trying to communicate that the Republican party. I was in NO WAY endorsing either party; however, we actually had a few people think I was endorsing Democrats!!!
Pastors, people will always tell you AFTER you speak what you should and should not have said! Anyone can be an “arm chair quarterback” and “call the plays” from the comfort of their living room! But, once again, allow God to get you on fire, to put HIS WORDS in YOUR HEART, don’t feel like you need to throw out a disclaimer for every other statement.
#3 – Keep The “One Day” Principle In Mind
I say it all of the time–but Hebrews 13:17 is a verse that every pastor SHOULD memorize!!!
Pastors, one day we will stand before God and be held accountable for how we lead and communicate.
Every message I prepare and deliver I have to say, “Would I be willing to stand in front of the Almighty right now with a clear conscience in regards to this message?”
You see, when we preach–HE is the ONE we are called to honor…not the deacons, church board or the largest giver!
One day I will stand in front of God…and if you are settled in your heart in regards to that–then step out and speak with confidence and conviction, knowing that you can NEVER, I mean EVER please God and people!
By the way…before I close let me say that I am FULLY CONVINCED that it is a great idea for pastors to bounce their messages off of a group of people for the purpose of clarity and getting new ideas and thoughts…but dude, they will not stand beside you one day when you go before God…it will be you and Him…so always make sure that you are doing what you do for His honor…HIS ALONE!
Five Minutes and A Different Service Time August 19, 2008
NewSpringers…please take three minutes and read this…and then forward the link to as many people as possible so that we can get the word out! Thanks!
This past Sunday on our NewSpring campuses was absolutely amazing…to see that many people say “yes” to Jesus NEVER gets old–EVER!
And I believe the next couple of Sunday’s could be just as incredible…
HOWEVER, keeping that in mind I am asking for just a little help…I need you to do two things….
First of all–no matter what campus you attend…for the next two weeks (and probably until Jesus comes back) would you make your best effort to get to church five minutes earlier than normal?
The next two weeks are going to be “unusual” as we are going to be beginning the actual message portion earlier…and we want to try and get as many people seated as possible…AND…as many kids checked into their rooms.
Seriously–five minutes earlier!?!?!? AND…for the ones who say you will…but you know already you will run five minutes late anyway…go for 10 minutes earlier!!! :-)
I can’t stress it enough…do whatever it takes to get to church earlier (or on time for some!!!) :-)
Second of all…if you currently attend the Anderson campus at 11:15…we need for many of you to make a switch to either the 9:15 service or the 6:00 service. This past week we literally filled nearly every seat in the sanctuary and had people viewing the television screens in the lobby at 11:15.
(There is actually more room in the 9:15 service than the 6:00 service! WOW…this is blowing our minds!)
AND…it is our goal to seat and serve as many people as possible at each service. I know that many of you can make the switch…even for just a month or so…to help us have more seats for people who desperately need Jesus.
I’m not asking anyone to give thousands of dollars and fly halfway around the world to see someone come to Christ (yet!), all I’m asking is for some to adjust their schedules…and I’m confident that in doing so we will see unbelievable things take place.
Before I close let me just confess that I am absolutely amazed at all that God is doing on our two campuses. AND…I can honestly say that the atmosphere is more electric and exciting than it has been in our history…anticipation levels are off the chain!
AND I love the fact that we have traffic issues AT CHURCH!!! I mean, you would expect them at a football game…but AT CHURCH! WOW! Thank You Jesus!!! If you think about it…it does actually make more sense to sit in a line for church than a football game because A LOT more happens that will impact eternity on Sunday than it does on Saturday!
Looking forward to this Sunday. We are going to be doing something a bit unusual…and I am praying that God will use it in incredible ways!
Can’t wait!!!