Archive for News
Four Transitions We SHOULD NOT Want To Make–Part Two September 24, 2008
#2 – “It’s All About Jesus,” to, “It’s All About Me!”
Leadership CAN be intoxicating…especially when things are moving up and to the right. The overwhelming temptation is to begin to take personal credit for all that is going on.
NOTHING could be more dangerous for the church than this!
It’s easy to be “all about Jesus” when we begin ministry, heck, we don’t have anything! However, when crowds begin to gather, buildings are built and staff are employeed a huge transition is tempted with is, “I can handle this!”
And we can’t!
When we begin to fall into the “all about me” trap there is always a pressure to perform. The next series HAS to be better than the last one. You can’t rest on Sunday night because you are thinking about how next weeks message can be better. Your next blog post has to have more hits than ever before…
The focus is shifted from the power of God to our ability to perform…and eventually that will kill the drive of every leader out there every time.
Hold on! It’s not wrong to desire to preach great messages and have captivating series that people can invite others to…but when THOSE things become the proverbial tail that wags the dog–SERIOUS problems emerge.
Our goal, as leaders, should be to make the name of Jesus famous–period.
Unleash! July 23, 2008
Gotta be honest here…I’m already getting excited about Unleash 2009!!!
I’ve been praying about the direction of the talks ever since the last Unleash ended and I really feel that God is going to, once again, do something pretty awesome this year.
And…we lowered the price! Yep…that’s right–lowered it!!! Why? Because we want pastors and leaders to bring as many volunteers with them as possible.
And…this year we are going to try a few different things…such as…
We will be doing our normal Unleash conference at our Anderson campus…but we will also have Unleash sessions going at our Greenville campus as well!!! The music in Greenville will be live…and the messages will be streamed in live just like we do for a Sunday service.
I will be hosting the event in Anderson…and we will be doing breakouts and such…and Tony will be in Greenville where the focus will be more directed at how we are currently doing multi site…and all of the good, the bad and the ugly associated with that kind of stuff.
One conference, two locations…and thousands of people!!!
Mark the date down, Thursday, March 12th…and plan to bring as many people as possible with you! (AND…register early–we sold out last year and are expecting to do the same this year.) We will be opening registration next month!!!
One more thing…if you want to view the sessions from the two previous years (for free) you can go here! Seriously, I can’t WAIT for this…it’s gonna be so much fun!
Travel Highlights From Day Four… May 22, 2008
I am sitting in the ATL airport waiting to hop a flight to GSP…here are a few thoughts before I do.
- CHALLENGING week…six separate flights (no lost luggage), hotel beds, rental cars and totally out of my workout and sleeping routine.
- I REALLY missed ‘Cretia and Charisse–REALLY!
- Today was incredible…I do love conferences…but I love them just as much for the connections that I make as well as the lessons that I learn.
- I had a great lunch today with Scott Hodge!
Uh…that’s it…except…
NewSpring…wow…I just wanted to communicate that I LOVE THIS CHURCH! I seriously could not live this life…the one of planes and hotels. I know these weeks will come up in my future from time to time…but at the end of the day all I want to do is love Jesus, love ‘Cretia, love Charisse and love this church.
God has set me on fire…my mind is racing…I believe there are areas of potential that we haven’t tapped into yet…and I can’t wait to get my thoughts OUT on paper and then share them as they become more and more clear.
Jesus is up to something HUGE…and we get to be a part of it! Now…gotta go catch a flight!!!
Travel Highlights From Day Two… May 21, 2008
Here are a few thoughts before hitting the hay…
- Had a GREAT night of sleep. Got up & decided to go for a run outside and breath in the smog.
- Halfway through my run I remembered that I really needed to get some new running shoes!
- Our host pastor from Saddleback brought Tony and I coffee from Starbucks this morning…which IS evidence that these people out here REALLY love Jesus!
- Rick Warren brought the heat today…I posted notes from his first and second session…trust me, it is worth the time it takes to read them–ESPECIALLY if you are a pastor.
- I was able to have a brief conversations with Mark Driscoll, Erwin McManus, Mark Batterson, Bobby Gruenwald and some guy who said he knew Gary Lamb!!!
- Got to participate on a panel with pastors today on Saddlebacks stage and discuss the aspect of fellowship in the church…I took a lot of notes…those guys were SMART!
- I had a guy tell me today that his father received Christ three weeks ago after listening to a NewSpring podcast…I nearly lost it!
- Another guy from Yuma, Arizona told me that he listens to our services every week–AMAZING.
- Had supper tonight with Tony & Los at Lucile’s Smokehouse BBQ…awesome stuff.
- Got to head to bed…getting up at 3:00!!! Our flight leaves at 6:30…going to be on an airplane ALL DAY LONG…don’t get into DC until around 6:30–please pray for me!!! :-)
One more thing…I can honestly say that Rick Warren is one of the most humble and straight forward guys I’ve ever met. God used him today to SERIOUSLY challenge my heart and my leadership. If you are a member or regular attender of NewSpring…pray for Rick today…it’s through leaders like him that God usually speaks to me & takes me to uncomfortable places in which I’ve never been…
And…today…God used him to set me on fire!!! I have a lot to think about…and the vision for NewSpring Church JUST GOT BIGGER!!!!
Excited About WiBo April 2, 2008
Several months ago I was contacted by my friend Ben who asked me to consider speaking at a conference he was in charge of putting together called, “The Whiteboard Sessions.”
When he explained the format to me…AND then told me about everyone else who was going to be there I pretty much committed on the spot–which is something I never do! Why am I so pumped about it.
#1 – I trust Ben – the “who” behind a conference is just as important as the conference itself. Ben put this thing together with the right heart and motives.
#2 – The format – eight speakers, 30 minutes a piece…WOW…I LOVE this type of environment. I am pretty much going to be taking notes like CRAZY! I can’t wait to learn from some of these guys!
#3 – The speakers – Ben did an excellent job of assembling a group of guys from various backgrounds–there should be something for everyone.
(By the way Ed–I DO have new glasses!!!)
Oh yeah–there’s a rumor that THIS GUY is going to introduce me!!! Dude, you had better bring me some Starbucks!!!
What I Wish Someone Would Have Told Me (Part Seven) February 19, 2008
We are coming to the conclusion of this series regarding the question most church planters ask me, “Perry, what do you wish you would have known before starting this ministry.” It’s been fun…
#7 – Be True To Who God Designed You To Be
Pastors/church leaders (OR ANYONE for that matter) – please read this next sentence very carefully – you will never, I mean EVER, do life and/or ministry in such a way that wins the approval of everyone–so STOP TRYING. (Please see Galatians 1:10)
(I wrote an entire post on this back in April of last year entitled, “Playing for an audience of one,” if you want to read more about that!)
Early on in ministry I actually fell into the trap that it was actually my calling to make sure that everyone liked me–and that successful ministry was equal to being popular among everyone who darkened the doors of NewSpring Church.
Like it or not–EVERYONE wants to be liked by EVERYONE…seriously, I hate the fact that, at times, I disappoint people…and at one time I allowed pleasing people to consume me…and in doing so I was FAILING in two ways because, #1 – No one can ever please everyone and… #2 – In trying to please people I was greatly displeasing God.
God wired me in a unique way. I use comedy. I laugh a lot. I am A-D-D. I am not “deep.” I love Clemson. I hate cats (yes, even yours!) I wear blue jeans. I make fun of religious idiots. I am “abrasive” at times. I get emotional about the church and what I perceive to be God’s passion for it.
Bottom line…I am who God made me, and when I try to deviate from His shaping of my life to try to be what others expect I always make everyone around me miserable…and I dishonor God.
I’ve had people tell me before that I should never say I hate cats (I do–even yours) and that I should NEVER declare what football team is my favorite (GO TIGERS!) I could go on…but pastors, I promise you that you will say or do something each and every week that will offend the personal preferences of someone in your church.
First of all…I think that we should never purposefully try to offend another individual from the stage…but if you are being true to who God has called you to be and are, with all your heart trying to honor Jesus Christ…then let people get offended.
The apostle Paul did…
Jesus did…
And if it is our goal to be more like Him then we need to have our eyes locked on God and become exactly who He designed us to be! I cannot help who does and does not like me…but I can help whether or not I am becoming who I feel that Jesus has created me to be. I am not perfect…but I am striving to do what Paul talked about in Philippians 3:12-14…and if THIS is my goal and NOT pleasing others…somehow I think that is what God wants.
Who has God called you to be? Are you being true to His calling?
Sunday Night (and Year End) Reflections December 30, 2007
Today was special…that is the only way I know how to say it. I can honestly say that I am more excited about this upcoming year of ministry than I have EVER been about ANY coming year in the history of our church. I know I say that a lot–but in my opinion a pastor can either be excited about the past, thus the church he serves becomes a monument to what God DID…or he can be excited about the future, this the church he serves becoming a MOVEMENT of God.
I can’t describe today…to me it was so awesome to sit back and reflect on how good God has been to us…some of the things I will never forget as long as I live from this past year are…
- HANDS DOWN…announcing the birth of our daughter was the HIGHLIGHT of my year! WOW…I had no idea I could love a child like this!
- When we wrote the names of our lost family members and friends on the walls of our sanctuary during our “What If” series…there are over 6,000 names currently, with more being added just about every week.
- The week after that seeing 250 people receive Christ (this was when I smashed the car on the stage.)
- Our Unleash Conference…we planned it in January–expected around 100 people…and around 900 church leaders from all over America showed up! Our volunteers stepped up HUGE…and I believe everyone had a blast. We are doing it again this year–March 13th…and we already have around 550 signed up!!!
- Seeing over 10,000 people show up for Easter. Folks…when we began NewSpring Church I NEVER dreamed that we would ever serve this many people in a weekend. In fact, our ten year goals say that if we could reach 1,000 people by 2010 that we would be successful. LESSON LEARNED–when making plans with God…make them BIG!!!
- Giving away a house to a single mom for Mother’s Day…I honestly don’t think there was a dry eye in the house.
- Our youth trip to the beach…nine charter buses full of teenagers and chaperone’s, games on the beach, incredible times of worship…and a baptism service where over 70 teenagers confessed “Jesus Christ is my Savior and Lord” out loud!!!
- Our Illuminate series where we had nearly 800 people come to Christ, I came out of a coffin, our band played “Hells Bells” and we had fire on the stage!
- The Baptism service where I asked people to show up and tailgate just like a football game…and they did! That day we baptized 562 people…it took six pastors and hour and a half to do so…it was by far one of the most memorable days of my life.
- Gametime–where we shared the vision God has placed on our hearts to build a children’s facility, youth facility, begin a Greenville campus and give away 10% of every dime that comes in to missions…and we, as a church, pledged $14.3 million dollars! WOW!
- Going to Homeland Park Elementary School and putting a brand new pair of shoes on the feet of nearly every child there…and giving them a jacket and some toys as well.
- Seeing 12,795 people show up for one of our Christmas services!
- KNOWING that God has even more in store!
I could literally go on and on…and I am sure you could as well. God has been so good to us…and I know that our best days are ahead. I can’t wait to see what He does next…I am so amazed that He would allow a screw up like me to be a part of this! Thank You Jesus!!!