Archive for Vision
Alabama Disaster Relief–Time For NewSpring To Step Up! May 4, 2011
OK NewSpring Church…disaster has happened right in our own backyard and it’s time for us to step up. We’ve purposefully waited about a week to respond so that we could make sure we were able to try to meet the greatest needs that were unfolding as the dust from the disaster began to settle.
We are partnering with Church of the Highlands in this effort. Their pastor, Chris Hodges, is one of the greatest men of God that I know…and I fully trust him, the staff the Lord has given him and the amazing volunteers at his church.
I’m asking as many people as possible to help out this Sunday by bringing at least one of the items on the list below to the campus you attend.
- Flavored drinks, either Gatorade or Powerade (We’ve been told that they have PLENTY of bottled water!)
- Diapers
- Baby Formula (I was told this is a tremendous need!)
- Packaged juices
- Baby food
Also…our church is going to be giving Church of the Highlands a donation for $25,000 to help in other areas of disaster relief as they see fit. If you would like to give additional dollars to assist in their efforts to meet needs “on the ground” then here is a link where you can give directly to the disaster relief effort. I can promise you that 100% of what you donate will go directly to disaster relief…and that Church of the Highlands will do an amazing job of stewarding every dollar you donate well.
So…NewSpring Church…let’s step up BIG TIME this Sunday. Let’s “BE THE CHURCH” and meet the needs that are right in front of us.
See you Sunday!
Seven Questions To Discuss In Your Next Leadership Meeting April 28, 2011
#1 – What is the next step we need to take in order to stay in step with the vision the Lord has given us?
#2 – What is the ONE THING that we want to happen and need to happen…but it would take a move of God for it to happen? (Finding the answer to this question will definitely give your prayer life direction!)
#3 – Is there any unresolved conflict in this room? (If you don’t have a healthy culture it will eventually spread to your staff and then your entire church!)
#4 – Is there anything that we need to stop doing? (Are there any programs that no one is really excited about, that are not growing but are simply being maintained because “we’ve always had that program.” If the horse is dead…get off the horse. DO NOT form a committee to study the horse. Don’t try a different saddle on the horse…DISMOUNT!)
#5 – Are there any obvious problems that we are trying to deny that simply need to be dealt with? (There are some things you cannot “pray away!”)
#6 – Do we know the vision and values of our church and can we recite them from memory? (If you don’t know them and/or they are unclear then there is around a 100% chance that your church is not really moving forward with a unified vision!)
#7 – Who should be be learning from? (My advice…stay away from the philosophers, you know, the people who write books and have websites that tell people how to do things they’ve never actually done!!! Stick with the people who have fought the fights and paid the price…and do whatever it takes to learn from others!!! See Proverbs 4:7!)
WOW…THAT Happened! April 25, 2011
I just received an email that absolutely blew me away…
This year for our Easter services one of my opening illustrations was taken from the movie “Smokey and the Bandit.” I talked about how in 1977 that I really wanted the Trans Am that was in that movie…and thought that if I could have it then I would never want anything else again. (The message will be online and on itunes by noon tomorrow.)
Anyway, a family had been inviting a friend of theirs to NewSpring for three years and he finally came to a service last night. (Don’t EVER give up on people!!!) He did not pray to receive Christ during the service…HOWEVER…
On the way home he was listening to the radio and “East Bound & Down” by Jerry Reed (The theme song for “Smokey & the Bandit”) came on! When that happened he pulled his car over on the side of the road and surrendered his life to Christ!
John 5:17 is true…God is ALWAYS at work!!!
Four Reasons I Have Such A HOPE For The Church April 21, 2011
(AND…in honor of Rick Warren, aka. Mr. Acrostic, I have listed my four reasons as H-O-P-E! Here we go…)
H = Hunger – I am seeing a hunger in pastors and church leaders like I’ve NEVER seen before. There seems to be a willingness to admit among many now that “if we always do what we’ve always done then we’ll always get what we’ve always got” and so, because of that, there is a desire to grow, learn and change. Denomination preferences are being put aside and people who would not even speak to one another 20 years ago are now sitting down at the table together to learn from each other. AND…church leaders are becoming more dependent on REVELATION from God and not just the IMITATION of others!
O = Optimism – There is a growing sense of optimism among church leaders unlike anything I’ve ever seen. There are more and more people reading their Bibles and beginning to see that God has WAY MORE in store for the church than we are currently experiencing (see John 14:12), that the book of Acts isn’t something we’re supposed to get back to…but rather was the launching pad that the church STARTED from! Badmouthing the church has gotten way uncool…and church leaders are now beginning to ignore the “experts” who merely want to badmouth the church on their website…but then ask the church to help them when they need to sell a book, CD or schedule a consulting gig!
P = Perseverance – When I was first introduced to work in the church world I believe the average stay for a pastor in a church was around 22 months (a youth pastor was 17 months!) Church leaders were not bought into the churches they were leading…many of them were merely using those churches as a stepping stone to further their ministry career and eventually wind up in their “dream job” at the “perfect church.” However, today I am seeing pastors and church leaders dedicate their lives to a vision, to a cause…and I’m seeing a willingness in leaders to fight through the difficult times and a desire to stay and fight the wolves rather than abandoning the flock so that they can be devoured. (See John 10:11-13) Church leaders are actually loving the people in their churches and are willing to work through the hard times so that they can see God do more than they could ever imagine.
E = Expectation – Church leaders are seemingly becoming more and more unsatisfied with unfruitful ministry! We are understanding more and more that IF the Bible is true, IF Jesus died on the cross to reconcile people to Himself (II Corinthians 5:15-21), IF He desires people to come to a knowledge of the truth (I Timothy 2:3-7), IF He has commanded us to reach the world (Acts 1:8), IF He has risen from the dead (I Corinthians 15:3-4), IF He has given us the Holy Spirit (Acts 2) and IF He has empowered us to do His work (II Timothy 1:7) then to expect NOTHING to happen is simply inconsistant with Scripture, His commands and His character! There is a building sense of expectation of NOT just a revival in our land…but a brand new awakening/reformation!!!
I honestly believe the greatest days of the church are yet to be experienced!!!
The best really is yet to come!
An Update From Cardiff March 21, 2011
The Lord has allowed us here at NewSpring Church to partner with Freedom Church in Hereford to plant a church in Cardiff. Gary & Heather Snowzell were with us two Sunday’s ago in our services…and…I received an email from Gary this morning that I wanted to share with you. I AM PUMPED UP!!!
Pastor Perry,
Well we launched Cardiff campus with a bang, great turn out, people from all sorts of backgrounds. We had about 200 in attendance, many from Freedom who had travelled to support but approx 60 visitors! The greatest thing of all we witnessed another 5 precious souls rescued from Hell & most of these people came in from the street!
There was such excitement in the house where this was the first time the gospel had been preached, we had a Muslim man come & although didn’t get the preach he enjoyed the worship so is returning with friends next week, come on God save some Muslims.
We also has several people who have been praying for a church in Cardiff for years & this is just what they have been waiting for, some great contacts.
We had 20 people sign up for Tuesday midweek connect plus our own team.
Amber approx 17 was a girl who travelled with her mum 50 minutes on the train & then walked along way just to be there last night & gave her life to Jesus!
This is just the start of what God is going to do in Cardiff.
Thank you Pastor Perry & Thank You Newspring for loving His church!!!!
SO thankful for this! God is moving all over the world. I can’t WAIT to get over there and see this work!
Heaven Went CRAZY Yesterday… February 28, 2011
Just got this email from my assistant…absolutely fired me up, Luke 15 says that when one sinner repents the angels in heaven rejoice!!!
Just wanted to keep you updated…
there were 2 salvations in Greenville and 2 salvations in Florence yesterday.
Every one counts! Yay Jesus!
THAT NEVER GETS OLD!!!
THIS SUNDAY We’re Taking It To The NEXT LEVEL!!! February 24, 2011
Interested in an upgrade?
I’ve said it before and I will say it again…hardly anyone reading this still has an eight track player in their car. (In fact, many of you have no idea what in the heck that is!!! Google it!) I haven’t seen any Sony walkman tape players in the gym. AND…I haven’t heard ANYONE under the age of 12 ask anyone to come and play their Atari lately. Why? Because, although these products used to have value we have BETTER OPTIONS today…we’ve UPGRADED!!!
Yet…what is sad is that we’ve embraced upgrades in nearly every area of our lives, yet so many of us have never really thought about/considered what it might look like to upgrade our walk with God…to step into what Jesus promised us in John 10:10…
BUT…this Sunday we’re going to DIVE INTO how to make that a reality in our lives as we examine things such as…
- How in the world am I supposed to forgive “that person” after all of the hurt they brought into my life? How can I break through the bondage of bitterness?
- How in the world can I break free from financial bondage, debt AND believing the lie that having “more” will solve all of my problems?
- I hear people say “I heard from God” a lot…and yet I’ve never heard His voice–how can I hear Him speak to me?
- If God wants me to be successful then why is my life the way it is right now? Am I the exception?
- I keep struggling with the same sin–why can’t I seem to get past this?
- I am so concerned for my friend/family member who does not seem to “get it.” I don’t want to push them away; however, I desperately want them to meet Christ…how in the world do I manage that tension?
- I want the life I am living TODAY to matter in 100 years…how can I do that?
So…make plans on being here AND bringing people with you (remember, FOUND PEOPLE FIND PEOPLE!!!)
Cannot wait!