Here are a few thoughts before I drag myself to bed! :-)
- Amazing day at NewSpring Church…we were SLAMMED in nearly every service!
- Greenville pretty much shattered their attendance record today…starting a third service there on January 18th!
- We’re bringing back the 4:15 service in Anderson on January 18th as well…we’ve got to…we’re out of room.
- Today was a day that I really felt the Lord tell me to preach strong vision…to tell the history of the church and seriously lay out some challenges!
- For the record, I did say the phrase, “get the hell out of this church!” You’ll need to listen to the podcast to catch it in context…and, just in case you are wondering…I meant exactly what I said!
- I really do believe that 2009 is going to be our most fruitful year of ministry EVER.
- Yes, we really are going to do the song, “Highway to Hell” this year.
- Yes, I really do feel that denominations are pretty much dead…they’re so political that they’ve missed Jesus!
- Yes, I really do believe that the church ought to be the most crowded place on the planet EVERY single Sunday!
- Yes, I really do believe that the church should be a place where people are invited to take steps that get them close to Jesus…NOT a country club where we all pretend that our lives are perfect.
- God OFTEN takes the most imperfect people on the planet and uses them for His glory…the disciples were NOT perfect people, just guys who responded to Jesus’ call to follow Him.
- If a churches goal is to keep the Christians happy…then God probably isn’t happy!
- Yes, I did say today that we should “practice safe text!” (Once again, you’ll have to listen!)
- Yes, I did scream a lot today…I can’t help it…I am so freakin’ fired up right now…SERIOUSLY!
- My passion is to see people meet Jesus and have their lives changed. God wants this!!! If a church is going to be successful then what matters to God HAS to matter to the church!
- If you have a really fast car and would love someone to drive it for you…I will gladly make myself available! :-) (Another sermon reference!)
- I DID enjoy going off on racist people today! Probably a sermon coming this year on the subject!!!
- DON’T MISS NEXT SUNDAY!!! We’re going to pick up where we left off this week…looking at Matthew 5:3-8.
- Going to run tomorrow…haven’t decided 6 or 8 miles yet!
One more thing…
NewSpring Church, like I said at the end of every service today…I love you! I am not perfect, I screw things up…but the desire of my heart is to one day stand in front of God will a clear conscience, knowing that I did exactly what He wanted me to do!
I love this church! I will shepherd this church! I will fight for this church! I will do all that I can to make sure we do exactly what God wants us to do. It may not always be the church you want it to be…but by God’s grace we will always be the church HE wants us to be.
I would definitely appreciate your prayers this next year. I am in a place where I’ve never been…I’m over my head, I have been since we started this thing…and I am desperate for God’s continual wisdom and direction.
Thanks for allowing me to serve as your pastor…we’re going to STOMP IT THIS YEAR!!! God’s got so much more in store! Anderson, Greenville, Florence, Columbia, the internet…and who knows what’s next…
The answer is “yes” Lord!!! Now what is the command?