Wow where do i start? God is doing something new in New Life.

• His Spirit is bothering me lately (at night waking me up for prayer) about us giving Him More room in our lives and our services.
• Had communion and God  gave us a word from His throng.
• Some people chose not to be a part of it and thats better than partaking of it in unworthy manner.
• Seen some old faces that have not been in church for a while
• Ilia and the Worship Team introduced their new Praise song and i had to turn to Tanya and ask her if they are playing a song i heard on the radio. She said its our song. It was awesome.
• One of my old friends a pastor from down south contacted me today with an encouraging word & so i invited him to preach for us in January. He is a really good preacher.
• Zeck was in the service today and i specifically told him not to come,(you will never hear me say that again) because 2 weeks ago he broke his back and he still showed up, so all of you with a little sniffles need to get to church on sunday.
• Zeck gave a testimony about how he was millimeters away from being paralyzed, what a testimony  of how God is Good.
• Dave Ramsey was on fire today and specially when he showed a video of cheetah chasing a gazelle and gazelle gets away. It was powerful, everybody started yelling and clapping.
• We are enjoying the freedom that Christ has given us – Go New Lifers
• Big week for our team as we are going on a leaders retreat. (Far away)
• Pray for us because we are on the front lines in spiritual warfare.
• Getting ready to do something again with night prayer
• Vikings won today & Its like Favre is getting better and wiser the older he gets. Sorry Pastor Andre
• Get ready for week 3 with Dave Ramsey next Sunday
• Good night

If you’re going through a time of testing right now, keep this in mind:

The way you respond to this test
Determines what you get to do next.

If you fail the test, you must repeat the grade level.  Or, you can pick up the credit hours in summer school.  Either way, wouldn’t you rather just do it right the first time around?

You can’t clep out of any of the courses in God’s divine degree program.  Whatever you’re going through today is a prerequisite for the next level of His plan for your life.

Show up early.  Stay late.  Get a tutor.  Do your homework.  Sharpen your #2 pencils.  And hang in there through your test.

Graduation day is closer than you think…

By Steven Firtick

We know that Joy is a fruit of the Spirit but many of us grownups ignore this powerful energy in our lives.

A marathon runner would not even think about going on a 20k run without first eating a proper diet. A camper would never go on a week long camping trip without stocking up on certain foods. However many Christians when faced with spiritual warfare in their life go without a proper diet for month and years. Many of us are in spiritual malnutrition. Thats why we loose the battle and go through it again. And God will not play around with you without making you wholly/totally what He  wants you to be.

A horse thats been in a training but has not learned anything will not be ridden by my kids. So is with God 60 % passed the test is not good enough. We become just good enough to be dangerous. You want to ride a horse thats been tested.

James 1:2 Dear brothers and sisters, whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy.

In this scripture God give us a clue on how to persevere when trials and testing come our way. He says its this fruit called Joy. In Nehamaih 8:10 it teaches us that “Joy of the Lord is our Strength”

The point in the testing – is to pass it and get a good grade. Most Christiens think “I have taken a the test” but thats not the same as i have passed the test.

Joy will give us energy to make sure we pass the test.

When I meet people from our church, they often tell me more with their words than they realize.

They almost always say one of two things:

• “I go to your church.”
• “I love our church.”

When they say, “I go to your church,” I know this person is not likely very engaged in the life of the church. In most cases, they aren’t serving, participating, or giving. They are simply attending a church that is not yet “theirs.”

When they say, “I love our church,” they are usually very involved. The church doesn’t belong to someone else. It is “their” church.

I’m asking God to empower me to move people from “going to church” to “being the church.” When they stop going and start being, the church goes from yours to mine.

by Craig Groeschel

What a great Day, we had 7 people give there life to Jesus Christ, Many new visitors.

• Our people are great in inviting new People
• Band had a new sound on guitar and it was great
• Presence of God was felt more than usual
• Tanya R. came-out and gave a touching testimony about how she found New LIfe; she thanked people who invited her to church; and some of our girls abducted her and gave her a makeover – it was emotional.
• Im going to get that poem that she wrote about New LIfe Family
• I think my preaching has made some people upset, but I’m not going to sell myself for a paycheck – i have to be obedient to my Commander and Chef Jesus Christ
• Many people who come to New Life don’t expect to hear me challenge them to grow & some get offended. But Jesus said that His Word is offensive, but “Blessed is he who is not offended because of Me“
• Word of God is going to make you mad, it will challenge you from time to time – its not there only to tell you how good you are.
• Be here next week because it will be more intense
• Got to do some other things today & i hope Farve wins today

I love this post by Steven Firtick

Here’s one of the most frequent questions we get from church planters:
What position should I hire first in my church?

It’s taken me almost 4 years of reflection, but I think I’ve finally formulated my answer.  Any guesses?  I’ll bet some of you immediately thought: Worship Leader.  Nope.  Important, but not most important.  You can pray and preach your way into the presence of God without any music for a while if you have to.  Children’s Pastor?  Again, it’s definitely a priority.  But not the first priority.  At least, not in my experience.

The very first position any church planter needs to fill is the Minister of GCD.  That’s short for Getting Crap Done.

Notice I didn’t advocate a Minister of GTT (Getting Thoughts Thunk) or HLM (Having Lunch Meetings).  The most important thing a senior pastor needs in the earliest days of starting a church is a support person that will enable him to fly at a high altitude.  A good GCD Pastor is willing to be your children’s pastor, administrative assistant, executive director, and custodian.  In the same day.  A natural born CGD (Crap Getter Done) will learn to live for the thrill of freeing up the leader to do what only the leader can do.  And the vision will flourish.

Over time, your needs will become much more sophisticated.  You’ll want to hire specialists and people who deal in big ideas.  But in the first year or so, you don’t need theorists.  There’s no room for that on the payroll.

The more limited the budget, the more important it is to fire the show horses and hire folks who know how to execute.  Someone who specializes in follow through.  Someone who’s not afraid to get his/her hands dirty, and can morph into whatever is needed from moment to moment.

This post is dedicated to my GCD Team at Elevation.  You know who you are.

By Perry Noble

#1 – Never Apologize For Dreaming Big!

We have a HUGE GOD who can do things that are absolutely MIND BLOWING…and if we focus on HIS POWER rather than our limitations we will always be willing to hear what He says and then do it…even though we don’t have all of our questions answered.

He’s God…He wants more for the church than we want for it…ask big!

#2 – Never Apologize For Your Passion!

I once had a guy tell me, “Dude, I think you would be more effective as a leader/communicator if you would just calm down a little.”

Here’s the problem…I can’t!  Jeremiah 20:9 is my verse…Jesus began a fire inside of me on May 27, 1990…and it’s only gotten hotter.

You can be consumed with passion…or be content with being passive.  One Jesus will use to change the world…the other the enemy will use to dull your soul.

#3 – Never Apologize For Wanting To Lead!

If you are called by God & gifted by God to lead…THEN LEAD!  Here’s the deal…someone is going to make the decisions.  Someone is going to call the shots…and if that is the call that God has put on your life then DO IT!

BTW…when you do this it IS going to make people mad.  AND…if you can’t handle the fact that people ARE going to hate you simply because you try your best to listen to Jesus and then do what He says…you may not be called to lead!

#4 – Never Apologize For Not Embracing Someone Else’s Agenda!

You have got to understand that, as a leader, if you experience any level of success then other people will always want to attach themselves and their agenda to you.  I often tell people, “your burden is not my passion!”

As a leader we are responsible for embracing God’s vision for our lives…not everyone else’s!

I am not saying everyone else’s idea is bad…or even wrong…it’s just that you can’t embrace something that God didn’t truly birth inside of you…and doing so will only lead to personal frustration and your organization trying to manufacture energy for something that they hate!

#5 – Never Apologize For Expecting The Best From Others!

Leaders cannot be afraid to set high standards…EVER!  I believe it is WRONG to expect perfection from others…we’re all humans, we screw up!  BUT…it isn’t wrong to expect others to give their best.  (BTW…MOST of the time if people see the leader giving their best it will inspire them to do the same!)

#6 – Never Apologize For Wanting To Reach More People!

From time to time people will take a shot at me for wanting to see more people come to church…and…

I AM GUILTY AS CHARGED!

I can’t help it…the change in life that Jesus has brought about in me…I want as many people as possible to hear about it!  I want as many people as possible to have their lives changed.  I want as many people as possible to KNOW that they KNOW JESUS!  I just don’t see anywhere in Scripture where that is a bad thing.

Don’t EVER apologize for embracing the fact that God has called us to RECONCILE (not REVILE) the world!  (II Corinthians 5:16-21!)

#7 – Never Apologize For Saying “No” To What You KNOW You Need To Say “No” to!

One of the biggest frustrations I’ve ever had as a leader is when I commit “sins of obligation,” you know, when I do something because I feel like I have to rather than doing it because I truly feel led to do it because of the Holy Spirit’s leadership in my life.

Just because we have opportunities doesn’t mean we need to embrace them…because saying “yes” to everything often means we have to say “no” to the things that are REALLY important.

Dr. Robb Thompson

“Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13-14 (NKJV)

They’re open, 24/7-all-night gas stations, round-the-clock supermarkets, year-round pharmacies. As believers, doesn’t God also call us to faithfully press forward, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week?

Many believers are content to stay as ordinary as battery-run wall clocks, only enjoying fleeting moments of greatness, without ever living a fantastic life. The common visit excellence momentarily, although in their minds, they think they do great all the time. They always think about the nice things they did last week or last month. At the same time, they wonder why they annually wait in vain for someone to finally recognize their vast achievements. But what they don’t realize is that their pride and their refusal of correction make them utterly unapproachable.

This is a sad observation, but it still stands true-there is absolutely no advancement or promotion without embracing correction. Without embracing the correction and modification that Captain Wingate made in Moshe Dayan’s military life, certain battles might have never been won, and where would Israel be today? Remember, none of us are perfect. Every one of us has imperfections we must face. However, as long as we continue to pursue excellence, we are headed in the direction that will consistently make us more like Jesus.

This Sunday was one of the most fulfiling Sundays ever in my Ministry so far. For some reason i was in total peace because i trusted God & our Leaders/Volunteers to come through.  And they did in a big way. We had our parking lot full of people. We were grilling out, Kids church was selling cookies, Kids were playing on a Gigantic Inflatable Castle. Young people were throwing a football. We ran out of Hamburgers and drinks so we had to go buy more food. It was great.

• Just wanted to thank all of our people – you guys are amazing
• I have to believe that we had doubled the crowd, That means our people are inviting there friends (Great Job Church)
• That means 8 more people who were far from God – will spend eternity with Jesus
• So many kids and young people
• The Band did a great job
• The energy in the building was amazing, people were on fire, they were loud & laughed at my jokes
• People were participating in my sermon more than usual; Must be God
• People were telling me about how this message has touched them (If you missed it, listen to it on our website)
• People are signing up to volunteer
• There is a new energy level in New Life (keep it up church)
• Many of you are coming to me with a testimonies of what God is doing in your life
• Many of you are on fire for God & as a pastor it brings me so much Joy.
• People are connecting to one another & new Relationships are being Build
• Spirit of God is moving
• God is Awesome

• This Friday we are going to a Youth Retreat and will be back by Saturday night
• Invite & Bring One person with you to church this Sunday
• God is doing something Amazing

By Tony Morgan

For the record, I’m a big fan of Hillsong. If you’ve been on my blog for any length of time in the past, you likely know I love sharing what’s happening in their ministry particularly with their worship ministry. This post isn’t about Hillsong.

That said, I’ve had the opportunity to travel to many different churches and conferences over the last several months. Here’s what I’m beginning to wonder… Does anyone in the United States write worship music anymore?

Every place I go, it seems that I’m hearing the same music that was written by the folks at Hillsong. Don’t get me wrong. It’s good music. I have it on my iPod. I’m just wondering why it’s the only music I seem to be hearing everyplace I go.

And, I’m not just talking about small churches here. I’m talking about very big churches too. They’re the churches that you would think would have both the talent and the resources to be creating some of their own worship music. Why aren’t they helping us sing a new song? [btw... There are exceptions like Lincoln Brewster, Kari Jobe, Israel Houghton and some of my other friends from the Integrity label.]

I’m just speculating, but here are some factors that may be contributing to this phenomenon. Hillsong…

• Has made raising up new worship teams a priority.
• Has made it part of their church’s DNA to distribute their music worldwide.
• Sees it as part of their worship leaders’ responsibilities to write new music.
• Is led by a senior pastor who values (and likely expects) this type of creativity.

Maybe there are other factors. Maybe the biggest factor is that U.S. churches see the success of Hillsong and think they’re the church to copy right now. Whatever the case, it seems that we should be asking ourselves why so many churches are relying so heavily on Hillsong for the vast majority of our worship music.

Are there other barriers that are preventing U.S. churches from generating new worship music? Is this even an issue that should be a part of our conversation? Or, is this just a jealous rage because my wife seems to be smitten by guys with Australian accents?

What are your thoughts?