Archive for June, 2011
DO IT!!! June 30, 2011
I’ve got to be honest here…MOST church leaders do not lack the wisdom to do what they need to do, they just lack the courage to do it.
In the hundreds and hundreds of conversations I’ve had with church leaders there has very seldom been a time where a situation was presented to me and I was able to share some new information with a leader about their particular set of circumstances. In fact, I will usually listen and then look at them and say, “well, you know what you need to do” and they will begin to nod their head and say, “yeah, I know…but…”
Like I said…most of the time it’s not necessarily that we lack the wisdom. We just lack the courage.
Let me be VERY clear…it’s not easy doing what God has called us to do! Moses begged God to send someone else. Jeremiah accused God of deceiving him! Paul got the absolute snot beat out of him on several occasions…and let’s not forget that the one we say we follow actually went to the cross.
It’s not easy…that’s why God calls, equips and leads leaders! And…if He has called you, equipped you, enabled you and brought you to the place of making the decision that you know you need to make then He will be with you through that decision and will NEVER leave your side.
In other words…if He called you to it then He will lead you through it! (Philippians 1:6)
Take a second to read Judges 4:15-16 (actually the whole chapter is awesome) and NOTICE WHEN GOD began to move…it wasn’t BEFORE the leader made a move that required both faith and courage…it was AFTER!
As church leaders we should beg God for HIS wisdom in leading His church (James 1:5)…but…when He reveals Himself to us and we know what we need to do…then we’ve GOT to do it OR we are living in the land of disobedience!
Remember…delayed obedience is disobedience!
So…what’s He calling you to?
- Start a church?
- Begin a new campus?
- Hire a staff member?
- Have a difficult conversation with a staff member/volunteer?
- Confess/repent of sin in your life?
I could go on and on! Just remember…the steps of faith He commands us to take are never really easy! EVER!!! Seriously, where in the Scriptures did God EVER ask a leader to do something that was completely within his or her grasp of being able to pull off by themselves?
He ALWAYS calls us to do the impossible so that HE can get the glory when all is said and done.
So…whatever He is calling you to do…DO IT! (See John 2:5)
God’s Faithfulness June 29, 2011
I turned 40 last Friday…and a few people have asked me, “in 40 years of life what is the one thing you’ve learned about God?” I know a lot of people might have to take some time and think about an answer to give; however, every time someone asks me that my reply is always the same…
GOD IS FAITHFUL!
I spent some time reading Lamentations 3:19-27 the day I turned 40 and have pretty much been glued to that passage since that day. In this text the prophet Jeremiah is in a pretty bad situation…things are not “ideal” in his world…and yet He declares that God is faithful, that His mercies are made new every morning and He will wait on the Lord.
God has been incredibly faithful to me in my 40 years on this planet…in good times and in bad.
When my mother passed away from cancer in 1982, He was faithful to me.
When my house burned down in 1984 and my father and I lost everything we had, He was faithful to me.
When my dad was arrested for selling drugs in 1988 and I had to watch him walk out of our home in handcuffs and put in a police car, He was faithful to me. (AND He was faithful to my dad as I was able to see him repent several years later!)
When I was homeless my senior year in high school and just lived with whoever I could live with, He was faithful to me.
When I “happened” to sit behind a guy in school who began inviting me to play basketball at church, He was faithful to me.
When He loved me enough to draw me into a church that preached the GOSPEL and revealed to me that I was a sinner and was unable to save myself from my sins, He was faithful to me.
When He called me into the ministry, He was faithful to me and has always been with me and has never left me or forsaken me.
In hard times in ministry He has been faithful to me (II Corinthians 4:16-18).
When I had no money and no ability to go to college, He absolutely blew open the doors and made it possible…He was faithful to me. (Revelation 3:8)
When I knew He was calling me to start a church, He was faithful to me…we had no experience, money or strategy…but what we had was HIS Word, HIS Holy Spirit and HIS promise that HE would build HIS church! He is doing it!!!
When I got married, He was faithful to me…I had no idea what I was doing and still struggle to be the husband He has called me to be, but He gave me an incredibly patient and godly spouse who loves me and has walked with me through good and bad times. I am so thankful for HIS gift to me in allowing me to marry her.
He has been faithful to me in giving me an amazing daughter and is teaching me through her that HE is a good Father who desires to give good gifts to His children.
He has been faithful to me in surrounding me with godly men and women who love HIM and then love me…who speak truth to me even when it hurts! Who love this church as much as I do and want to see HIS KINGDOM ENLARGED!
He has been faithful to me in teaching me that it’s His voice and not the voice of the critic that matters (see THIS post!) He is the One who has called me, saved me and will define me…and if I am focused on “them” then I won’t be focused on Him!
He has been faithful to me in showing me that even though NewSpring Church has seen some amazing things take place that IT’S NOT OVER, in fact, we’ve only just gotten started. Isaiah 49:6, Isaiah 54:2-3 and Luke 12:48 have been screaming to me lately!
We have a faithful God…in His mercy He pursues us for the purpose of saving us AND sanctifying us. He is patient with us (II Peter 3:9) and HIS kindness is the very thing that allowed me to repent and come to Him (Romans 2:4!)
God IS faithful! My circumstances do not dictate His character!!! I can always trust Him and know that He is in complete control of the universe…and that ALL things are ultimately for HIS GLORY and my good (Romans 8:28!)
GOD IS FAITHFUL!!!
A Letter From Pastor P To NewSpring Church June 28, 2011
Howdy NewSpring Church…five things I want to share with you…
#1 – Had an absolute blast preaching in my “birthday suit” this past Sunday and leading a “worship” song. (Had to be here to understand!) In all seriousness, this past Sunday was one of my favorite vision Sunday’s EVER! I had an absolute blast talking about the vision God has for His church and how it impacts our lives. Some things I hope we can all remember is…
- “It’s not about me!” (See Philippians 2:3-5, Galatians 2:20, Acts 20:24)
- Jesus does not fully have our hearts until He has full control of our finances. (See Matthew 6:19-21…AND also read this article by James McDonald…AWESOME!!!)
- Parents are called to be the number one spiritual influence in the lives of their kids. (See Deuteronomy 6:4-7, Ephesians 6:4)
- Jesus said do not hinder children in coming to Him (Matthew 19:14)…children’s ministry should be done with passion, excellent and intension in regards to teaching kids who Jesus is on a level in which they can understand rather than boring them to tears.
- You can check out more today around 12:00 if you were unable to be here by downloading the podcast on itunes or visiting our website here.
#2 – THIS SUNDAY is going to be one that is seriously going to IMPACT the life of our church. Seriously, it is an outstanding opportunity to invite friends and family to NewSpring Church so that they can see just a glimpse of what our children’s ministry looks like as KidSpring takes over the service. (AND…if you don’t have kids you STILL need to be here!!! Trust me…the “sermon” that has been prepared is going to speak to all of us!!!)
#3 – I’m super pumped about the trip to Israel, we announced it this past Sunday and already have people signing up!!! Here is the website with more information about the trip. Trust me…this trip will significantly impact your life!!! And no, you do not have to be a member or attender of NewSpring to go on this trip…it is open to anyone who wishes to sign up. I cannot wait!!!
#4 – AND…I’m super pumped about our volunteer event that is going to be taking place on Friday, July 22 at all of our campuses. We’re going to gather, reflect, celebrate…and I will also be announcing the two locations for our next NewSpring campuses. Thanks to everyone who has been praying for this…a lot of time, energy and seeking God’s face has gone into it and we’ve already hired two campus pastors and are planning to open both of these campuses by Easter (April 8) of next year! I cannot wait to share this information as this event!
#5 – The Gauntlet is getting closer and closer…and I’m honestly more excited about this years camp than I’ve ever been in my life. Jesus is doing something incredible in our youth ministry right now…and I feel like this year in Daytona we are going to see Him show off like never before. My anticipation level for this event is through the roof…and I would ask everyone in our church to PLEASE be in prayer RIGHT NOW about this event…I believe it’s going to impact our church in amazing ways!!!
That’s it…can’t wait until Sunday…I LOVE MY CHURCH!
DON’T MISS THIS!! June 27, 2011
OK…I have blogged, tweeted and talked about this on the leadership podcast…but…THIS THURSDAY (that would be June 30th) is the deadline for the early bird rate of $99 for our NewSpring Leadership Conference that we are having on Thursday, September 8th and will feature men of God who LOVE JESUS and LOVE HIS CHURCH…and have actually led something! Once again the speakers are myself along with…
- Steven Furtick
- Andy Stanley
- Jud Wilhite
- Mark Driscoll
- Judah Smith
- Craig Groeschel
And, once again…it’s ONLY $99!!! That’s right…one day, seven speakers…$99!!!
AND…get this…that $99 includes a lunch from Chick Fil A (nothing like Christian chicken at a conference)…AND it also includes refreshments between the sessions!!! BUT…after Thursday the price increases to $129!!!
So…I’ve done all I can do! I have begged, tweeted, blogged and have considered sending out carrier pigeons to get the word out. I don’t do this a whole lot on this site…but, if you are coming would you please retweet this link and help us get the word out even more. I can promise you it’s going to be one of the most amazing events you have ever attended.
Cannot wait!
Celebrate! June 23, 2011
I had this thought about two weeks ago while watching the NBA finals…
Dirk hit a three pointer in the third quarter of one particular game (in Dallas) and the crowd absolutely lost their minds! Nearly everyone in the view of the camera stood to their feet and raised both arms in the air and screamed.
It was just a three pointer…
It wasn’t the game winner…heck, if I am remembering correctly they were only winning by about two points after he hit it…and yet the crowd celebrated (I would actually describe it as a form of worship) like somehow Dirk had just saved their lives.
Now…please understand, I have NO problems with people getting emotional at a sporting event and celebrating a victory or a great play by their favorite team.
However, in the world that we live in today it seems perfectly normal for people to celebrate the performance of their favorite sports team (or even their preferred stock)…and yet when a church wants to celebrate all that God is doing they are, many times, looked down upon and spoken against…by other people IN THE CHURCH!
However, as we look at the Scriptures…God is a God who celebrates His goodness and His blessings and He commands His people to do the same. In Luke 15 (go ahead, read it) every single time the lost item was found there was a PARTY, a celebration…and Jesus Himself used these parables to teach us that the angels in heaven celebrate and rejoice every single time a sinner repents of his/her ways (see Luke 15:7, Luke 15:10!)
(One of the marks of a maturing believer is that we can celebrate what God celebrates…in other words, what is important to Him becomes important to us.)
In the OT God commands that His people have festivals (parties) to CELEBRATE His goodness.
In the NT we see just a small glimpse of heaven…and the picture is of a CELEBRATION!
So, pastor, church leaders…when God does something in/through your church…CELEBRATE, go ahead, BOAST in WHO GOD IS and WHAT GOD HAS DONE! Brag on HIS GREATNESS…celebrate…and don’t worry how you will be perceived!!!! (After all, the only people who were not happy about Dirk hitting the three point shot were the people who were pulling for the other team!!!)
When God saves someone in your church…CELEBRATE!!!
When God saves someone in your youth/children’s ministry…CELEBRATE!!!
When God moves in an incredible way in your church services…CELEBRATE!!!
When God leads people to repent of their sin and get things right with Him…CELEBRATE!!!
We should NOT allow the Dallas Mavericks (or any other sports franchise) set the bar on what a celebration should look like!!! They won an NBA championship (which will not matter in about October of this year)…we have AN EMPTY TOMB and the PROMISE of a RETURNING MESSIAH!!!
Boast in the Lord…boast in what HE HAS DONE!!!
It’s OK to celebrate…the world needs to know that we have a God who is at work doing amazing things! We are not called to keep His work concealed but rather to PROCLAIM and CELEBRATE IT!
(One more quick thought…what you celebrate displays what you value!!! I have seen Christian musicians and authors actually take shots at churches that celebrate what God is doing…and yet they celebrate their song downloads and book sales!!! I’m not saying they should NOT celebrate those things…but what I am saying is that as the Body of Christ we should spend WAY more time celebrating WHO GOD IS and WHAT GOD is doing rather than criticizing the party music, the party decorations and the excitement level at the party! If God is doing it…then let’s celebrate it!!!)
Dream Bigger Dreams…God Can Handle It. June 22, 2011
On Monday morning I selected my red Mickey Mouse T-shirt to wear for the day…and doing so prompted some thoughts…
Walt Disney dreamed big…and never apologized for it. The story of his life is pretty inspiring…how he lost just about everything he had and yet bounced back because the power of a dream propelled him to do things that still sort of hold the world in awe.
We live in a world that encourages people to dream big…Apple dreams big, fortune 500 companies dream big, humanitarian organizations dream big…and they are applauded for it…
And yet, for some reason, the church is discouraged and denounced so often for having big dreams.
WHAT THE CRAP IS GOING ON?
Walt Disney had a mouse…A MOUSE…
We (the church) have AN EMPTY TOMB, THE WORD OF GOD, THE HOLY SPIRIT & THE PROMISES OF JESUS TO BUILD HIS CHURCH!!!
If Jesus REALLY is the ONLY way to heaven (John 14:6, Acts 4:12, I Timothy 2:5)…
And if HIS CHURCH has been given the commission to take this message to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8, II Corinthians 5:18-21)…
THEN we MUST REFUSE to settle for the way things are!!!
We MUST reach the nations…
We MUST desire to see people saved…
We MUST desire greater things…
We MUST ask God to absolutely set our hearts on fire!
God, PLEASE forgive us where we have let organizations that display a mouse and a piece of fruit out-dream, out-perform and outdo YOUR church!
Isaiah 49:6 ROCKED me as I read it this past Monday!!! God has GREATER PLANS for HIS CHURCH than what we are currently experiencing!
So…let’s BEG GOD for the nations (Psalm 2:8) and, in doing so understand that God’s plans are greater than ours (Isaiah 55:8-9!)
The world should NEVER outdream God’s church! EVER!
A Letter From Pastor P To NewSpring Church June 21, 2011
Howdy NewSpring Church, seven things I wanted to share with you today…
#1 – THANK YOU to everyone who stepped up to this challenge I issued on this site last week and took the time to invite someone to church this past Sunday. It was the best Father’s Day service we’ve ever had…and we literally saw people meet Christ at every NewSpring campus. Remember…God is a GREAT God who wants GREAT things for His children!
#2 – This coming Sunday we will be continuing our “On The Farm” series by diving into some more of the FAQ’s we get around here at the church…and…the rumor is true, I will be leading every campus in a song from the piano during the service. (God help us!) :-)
#3 – Thanks to everyone who has been in prayer for my dad. For those who do not know my father has Alzheimer’s and lives in an assisted living place…and last week he fell and broke his hip. He’s already out of the hospital and physically is responding pretty well to the rehab they are taking him through…continued prayers are appreciated.
#4 – We are REALLY close to announcing where we are going to begin our next two NewSpring campuses…and I’m so excited about it I feel like I might explode. It looks like we will actually be making the announcement as to where these campuses are going to begin at the volunteer rally that we are going to have at every campus in July…if you have not received information about this event I promise that you will be receiving it soon. The one we had last year was one of the most amazing things I’ve ever seen take place in our church…and this year is going to be at the next level!
#5 – If you missed the “Ten Things” website that our communications area designed in regards to the 10 things I said that I want for every owner/member at NewSpring church then you really need to check it out here…they really put together an incredible resource for people who are serious about wanting to learn more and take their personal walk with God to the next level.
#6 – I cannot believe I turn 40 on Friday…am having several thoughts about that that I will be speaking about in church this fall; however, I can say that Psalm 90:10-12 is becoming more real than it ever has been. (As well as Isaiah 40:6-8!)
#7 – I love my church…I love WHAT I’ve been called to do and WHERE I’ve been called to serve. I love what God is doing right now in our midst and I love the vision He is absolutely setting my heart on fire with…hold on to your fork NewSpring Church…the best is yet to come!