Howdy NewSpring Church…eight things I wanted to share today…
#1 - This is EASTER WEEK! The TOMB IS EMPTY! It is a reminder that WE WIN because HE WON! We’re not fighting FOR victory…we’re fighting FROM victory! Let’s CELEBRATE who HE is all week long and ANTICIPATE what He is going to do this week on all of our campuses as we gather for our Easter services. (Here is a list of the service times for each campus and a link to get tickets if you have not yet done so.)
#2 - As we said this past Sunday Revelation = Responsibility! If God has put someone on your heart that does not know Christ OR that once walked with Christ but has “strayed off the path” then you are responsible to have a conversation with that person. You are NOT responsible for their reaction…but you are responsible to be obedience to what God has said. Remember what Jesus said in Luke 14:23 (go and MAKE them come in) and what James, the brother of Jesus said in James 5:19-20!
#3 - I am SO thankful that God is a God of second chances. As we talked about Sunday Mark quit, he walked away…but Barnabas believed in him enough to not just pray for him…but to pursue him and bring him back to the faith. AND…God used Mark in an incredible way…and his impact is even being felt across the world even today (as we have the Gospel of Mark!) Who needs you to be Barnabas for them today? Who needs someone to step into their lives and TELL THEM that God wants them to come home? (See Luke 15:11-32)
#4 - I want to acknowledge that sharing Christ with someone and/or inviting them to church is uncomfortable. AND…the better we are acquainted with someone the more difficult it seems to be; however, we cannot say we love someone if we are willing to sit back and be passive as they destroy their lives and continue down a road that is paved with destruction that ultimately leads to a place of ultimate destruction. I’m praying that all of us will have the courage this week to step up and dive into uncomfortable situations so that other people may ultimately be reconciled to God. JESUS wasn’t concerned with His comfort…that’s why He went to the cross. As His followers we cannot be obsessed with our comfort!
#5 - Please keep our Easter services in your prayers this week! We had been working on an incredibly creative Gospel presentation unlike anything we had ever attempted and it was going awesome…until this past Wednesday I really felt the Lord pressing me in a different direction in regards to the message He wanted me to share on Easter. After sharing this with our creative team here at NewSpring everyone was in agreement that this was the direction we needed to go in…and so there is a TON of excitement around here as we KNOW that God is going to do something amazing!!! (For Pastors and church leaders…please see Proverbs 21:31—He has brought that verse to my mind all throughout this process!)
#6 - This series we are beginning on Easter is entitled, “MORE!” In this series we will dive into the fact that God has so much more in mind for us that we are experiencing!
#7 - The “Night of Worship” at each campus was simply amazing as we gathered together to BEG GOD to do something SO amazing on our campuses in this Easter season that only He could get credit for it! Let’s keep BEGGING HIM to do this ALL WEEK LONG! How awesome would it be if He chose to save at least 1,000 people this Easter season???
#8 - This May I will be traveling to Israel for the first time in my life…I’m excited. The reason for this trip is because next year (2012) NewSpring Church will be doing a trip over there where I will be teaching and we will get to experience that amazing place together. More trip details and information will be forthcoming…just wanted you guys to know so that you can be praying for our trip that will be taking place in mid-May.