There are language differences between the North and the South
Shagging in the South means to “dance” – in the North it means “bow chicka wow wow”
There’s been a major breakdown in communication between Jesus and his church.
Matthew 16 – Jesus said I will build my church and Hell will not overcome it.
The Communication breakdown is, instead of asking Jesus to build his church, we are asking him to build our church.
We’ve stripped the bride down of her wedding garments and placed cheap lingerie on her to make her a cheap slut!
3 Questions for the Church:
1. Are we willing to embrace change? (Vs. 3)
The # of Christians is declining and its the church’s (corporately) fault. We’ve been unwilling to change!
Every denomination has been declining for 30+ years, if it were our money we would have done something about it!
We have to be willing to embrace change.
Everyone can look at other churches and call the change they need to make, but can you look at your own church?
Most people cannot change because they are married to an idea, not to Jesus
Churches have a choice, change or die. – God had to kill off an entire generation before he could take the Israelites into the promised land.
Grandparents would you give up your life for your grandkids? How about your music in church? We are losing a generation because people want change.
You cannot manage, orchestrate, or create a move of God…it just happens.
Acts 1:14-15; Acts 2:41-
You’ve got to be comfortable being uncomfortable – (My note) YES!!!
You think this freakin’ building just dropped out of the sky? Do you think we just prayed about a youth building and it just appeared?
You have to make financial changes!
Church planters don’t let money guide your decisions, let Jesus.
The Pastor cannot do everything – If the church is going to be effective the pastor has to get out of the day to day operations of the church.
New Spring’s youth went from 200 to 800, because Perry hired a Godly youth pastor let him hire a team and moved out of the way.
If you think a video screen can stop the anointing of God on a man’s life who is called to preach, your God is too small. Multi-site does not stop a move of God.
The church has to stop competing with one another and start completing one another!
2. Are We Willing to Work? (Vs. 5)
The church is more willing to pray about something than actually doing it.
Is there anything in your church that you are manufacturing energy for in your church?
We are worried about hurting someone’s feelings but Jesus was not (See Matthew 23)
Is there anyone on your stage that cannot sing?
Pastors: A) Have people who investigate the obvious.
Pastors: B) Ignore the Jackass
You’re only as deep as the last person you served.
Do you think when Jesus was dying on the cross he said, “Now my people have someone to preach their funeral?”
3. Are we serious about reaching the world?
Terms that get overplayed in church:
Contemporary = Our pastor wears a sweater vest, our pastor gets his underpants from Victoria Secret, and we treat him like our boyfriend rather than our King.
Blended = No one in our church actually possesses a set and will proclaim where we stand, so in an effort to keep everyone happy we reach no one.
Missional = Most overplayed term in the church. No one is showing up, so we sought out a term to disguise our disfunction.
Emergent = We’re a bunch of spoiled former church kids who have a problem with authority, even the authority of the Bible, and because of their movement Hell is going to be fuller because we’ve sided with Satan in questioning the Bible.
Perry, “I’m obsessed with numbers because I was one of those numbers”
If numbers is not important then why are Numbers all through ACTS?!?!
The church for years has been cruising around, but it is like a sports car, they have so much power in them, if they would just stomp it, God would use them for things that would blow your mind.
Don’t compare yourself with New Spring, because he probably wants to do greater things with your church!
