Today was absolutely incredible…WHAT a Mother’s Day!!! Here are some of the highlights…
- We had chocolate covered strawberries and two minute massages for all of the ladies in the church (YES, we will do something special for the dads for Father’s Day!)
- We had a total of 8,106 people show up for one of our four services
- We saw around 50 people give their lives to Jesus
- We gave away a house to a single mom
Let me comment on the last one because I know someone read that & thought, “Wait a minute—there is no way they gave away a house…churches do not do that…churches CAN NOT do that!”
Well—IT HAPPENED!!! (You can watch the video here on Tuesday!)
One of the things we have always done here at NewSpring Church is DREAM BIG...we serve a God who is able to do so much more than repaint restrooms and send second hand clothes overseas!!!
I remember saying back when we first began the church that I really wanted to see God use us to make a difference in this community…and that making a difference in a community happens ONE LIFE AT A TIME!
SO…for years I have been casting vision that we wanted to do something like this…and about six months ago I went for the ask during a weekend service…I asked someone to give the church a house so that we could give it to someone who needed it.
Some people laughed…others believed…and about three months ago the phone rang & after the conversation someone had given NewSpring a house!!!
We met together to pray and brainstorm about who we should give it to…and the staff really felt led to give it to a lady in our church named Mika. Mika has a really unique story in that she comes from a past in which she suffered through an abusive relationship…and two years ago ON MOTHER’S DAY her husband left her with two kids and no means of supporting them.
During these past few years someone cared enough about Mika to invite her to NewSpring—where she was changed by meeting Jesus. AND we have been able to witness as a staff the incredible spiritual journey that she is on.
I will have to say that Mika is one of the most giving people I have ever met in my life. NOW…keep in mind that she is a single mom, gets up everyday at around 4:00 to take her kids to a friends house where she drops them off and then heads out to work (which is about an hour away.) THEN she comes home, picks up the kids—helps them with homework, prepares supper and then gets them to bed.
AND…after all this…she still finds time to volunteer at NewSpring every single week…AND about once a month she makes the staff several trays of cookies…which we all fight over!!! (Seriously, it gets pretty violent!) By the way…I have a HARD time when people tell me that they can’t find time to volunteer when I see Mika busting it every week…she loves Jesus too much to make excuses!!!
SO…Jamie Salmon, one of our staff members, led the project of completely remodeling this house. It was not in great shape when we got it…NOT AT ALL…but over 100 people came together to volunteer their time, money, resources, carpet, furniture…and a ton of other things…and in around three or four weeks this house was turned into something incredible.
A HUGE thank you to everyone who donated time and resources…seriously—THANK YOU!!!
Brad Cooper, our high school pastor, said it best today when he said, “There is NOTHING the body of Christ can’t accomplish when we all work together!” Amen Brad!!! I am sick and tired of LAZY Christians sitting around and telling God what He can’t do—we are called to dream big AND to take big steps!!!
It was so cool to see our church come together the way it did…and so, this Mother’s Day, instead of giving a flower to the oldest and youngest mother—we GAVE a house to a single mom. Once again…the way you make a difference in a community is ONE LIFE AT A TIME!!! We didn’t reach every single mom in Anderson…but I’ll bet you that if asked Mika and her two kids how good God is that they would give you an earful!!! :-)
NewSpring…it was SO amazing to see this happen…and I honestly believe that God isn’t finished with this yet. I know there are SO many more opportunities for our church to do something like this…and so, anyone else have a house they want to give away? :-)
Two more things before I close…
#1 - I need to address an issue that came up this week with a local paper, the Anderson Journal. It was falsely reported in the journal that we allowed the graduates of Anderson University to sign the walls of our church. This is simply not true. The names on the walls of our church are the names of people that we have written that we want to see accept Christ. We’ve had several people asking about this…and so I just wanted to get the facts out. Someone made a mistake…and it’s really no big deal…nothing to be mad about—heck, it was free publicity—even if it was wrong.
#2 - Today Lee McDerment has been working at NewSpring for seven years. Lee was the first person I asked to come on staff and be full time…he had just graduated from college and we offered him a job. It was one of the best decisions I have ever made as a leader. Lee is the best worship leader I have ever seen…I mean that!!!
Lee…I love you man, more than you will ever know. You inspire me to love Jesus more. You challenge me to think about Scripture. I love having you around…I love the way we just crack up at stupid stuff…and I love the way that we have seen God do what He has done so far. Just think dude—what is it going to be like in the next seven years…I can’t wait!!! I love doing ministry with you!!! (AND I am praying for you go find a wife!!!) :-)