I have been asked before, “Why do you do what you do?” It’s simple—I am CONSUMED with a vision that God has placed inside of me. Understand that NewSpring was NOT my idea—heck, at one time I hated church; however, God rearranged everything in my life—and once I surrendered my dreams and submitted to His…He set me on fire!!!
Many nights I lay awake in bed and think about it—I talk about it with every person I can—HIS church, HIS bride…and I want her to be radiant and shine, not sit in some closet and stay silent. I dream of a church that…
#1 - “Sinners” Love & Religious People Hate.
Where in the world did I get an idea like that? Simple—JESUS.
In reading through the gospels it is so evident that the only people who hated Jesus were the self righteous religious nuts who thought they were “right.” They hated Jesus, hated His work—and were eventually responsible for His murder.
But “sinners,” the prostitutes, the tax collectors, the lepers—those people LOVED Him. He was actually looked down upon by the religious group for hanging out with “those people,” but that never stopped Him. (Matthew 9:9-13)
I want a church like that—where broken people, people who feel hopeless, people who KNOW they don’t have it all together, people who don’t even know the difference between the OT & the NT…I want a place for them…and we have it in NewSpring.
I am sick and tired of people who don’t know Christ being excluded and those who do know Him pretending that their poop does not stink! In many cases I have met Christians who are more screwed up that those outside of the kingdom! (And in many cases, once that is discovered in a church, they are thrown out!)
One time someone made a comment trying to tear us down that actually pumped me up—they said, “Yeah—NewSpring is that church where the sinners go!”
THANKS!
I understand that the way we do church is offensive to some…and I am fine with that. As my friend Mark Batterson says—we need to choose who we offend…and given that choice, I will offend the Pharisee to reach the “sinner” every time.
Oh yeah…one more thing…Jesus only once directly answered a question that the Pharisees had for him—that is why some of you who hate me and read this site every day (which I really don’t understand…but hey, it’s your life) and then send an e-mail never get a response…we’re too busy trying to reach people for Christ! :-) AND…if you are the person I described above…seriously, I love you!!!
#2 - Where Life Change Takes Place
I saw it Sunday…a guy who had been on the fence spiritually for years…and here he was at NewSpring, excited, fired up…ready for whatever…his life has been changed and there are some Sunday’s we have to make him go home!
Then there was the guy who used to be addicted to drugs…but the Lord set him free and now he has an incredible marriage.
And then there was the family who did not go to church anywhere…but now the dad—THE DAD is leading his wife and children to church every week.
I could go on—but the bottom line with any church in my mind is life change. Jesus changes lives…and if lives are not being changed in a church then maybe it is because Jesus is not there—just a thought.
I want to see people meet Jesus. I want to see addicts set free. I want to see marriages restored. I want to see people fall in love with God’s Word. I want to see people get their finances in order. I want to see singles marry the right person…and STAY married. I want to see children raised by BOTH parents! I want to see the church be the church!!!
More about this tomorrow…