Last night we had Pastor Matthew Barnett from the Dream Center in Los Angeles speak at our first Wednesday service…and afterwards I wanted to charge hell with a wash rag and kick the devil in the mid-section! He brought it…and here are some quotes and a few thoughts from the evening.
When he first got here I took him on the stage and he said to me, “This stage is huge…it is a Pentecostal pastor’s dream…I could run for days on this stage.” That cracked me up!
The MAIN POINT of the night was when he began telling his story of moving from Phoenix to LA to begin the Dream Center…and how during the first six months he “grew” his church from 18 people down to 2! He said he was having a pity party until God spoke to His heart and said, “You are addicted to a dream of being a success—let that dream die and then live to the dream of being a blessing.” DANG!
He said that when he began to seek what was good for the people instead of for him—things changed…and the church that went from 18 to 2 during the first six months went from 2 to 700 over the next six months!!!
You see, when churches get past themselves and STOP being STUPID & expecting the world to walk in the doors and be just like them…then God moves!!! Matthew began to reach out to people where they were—he didn’t expect them to change and then come to church—he brought them to church so that they could meet Jesus and THEN change!!!
One of the quotes he said was, “I know of people in the Bible who stood in the way of God’s dreams—and they died!” Uh, I don’t want that to be me!!!
Another thing he said is, “If you will reach the people that no one wants—eventually you will reach the people that everyone wants.” I about came out of my seat because that has been our intention at NewSpring since day one!!! We WANT people who are far from God in this church…we want those who have been rejected by the religious bigots in this community—we believe if they come here they WILL hear about Jesus…and they will change…and more people will come…and more people will change…and eventually this entire community will be in love with Jesus!!!!
When he said, “Give God your heart…not your plans or ideas,” I wanted to shout!!! I spent years offering my ideas to God…and He kept telling me no! But when I finally embraced His plan for my life & began to understand that He is smarter than me…things took off!!!
What is it that God wants you to do? Hint—it will not be about you—it will be about others!!!
One of the last things he said last night was, “The Gospel of Jesus Christ elevates, it lifts up, it makes everything better!” YES!!! I believe if more churches would simply preach Jesus then the world could change. The lost do not give a rip about video poker and a boycott of public schools…they want to know how to get out of the hole they are in…they need JESUS!!!!
Some of the stories he told of people in his church last night were so moving…you can check out the podcast at our website later on today or tomorrow. It will move you…this dude is DOING ministry—seeing prostitutes, gang members and pimps receive Christ. (The story he told of seeing seven pimps receive Christ one day in his church is priceless!!!)
I have spoken in his church—and it is definitely a come as you are church, not a “come as we want you to be!” The church is called to create this type of environment…and we will continue to do so at NewSpring!
He told the story of how God opened the door for him to attain the property they have…once again, listen to the podcast!!!
And when he was finished—our people went nuts! He received a standing ovation. Folks, that has never happened in the history of our church—ever!!! I was SO PUMPED UP…and I still am!!!
One more thing…as he was finishing his message I knew I was about to go up, close out the service, and then take the offering—the Lord spoke to my heart and said, “Give all the cash tonight to the Dream Center.”
So…I got up…told the people if they were giving their regular tithes and offerings to do so by check because the cash was going to the dream center…and without preparing for it our church gave the Dream Center over $9,000!!! I am so proud of you guys!!!!
When Matthew left last night he kept saying over and over, “I can’t believe what God is doing in Anderson, I am blown away…I literally travel all over the world and I have never seen God do what He is doing in a community this size—you guys are in the middle of a miracle!”
We are—and the best is yet to come!!!
Oh yeah—GET PEOPLE HERE THIS WEEKEND!!!! AND…if you want to make sure you get a seat then you might want to seriously consider the Saturday night services…OR the 1:15 on Sunday!