1 00:00:05,040 --> 00:00:06,280 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Stephen Ferdick. 2 00:00:06,280 --> 00:00:09,360 Speaker 2: I'm the pastor of Elevation Church and this is our podcast. 3 00:00:09,520 --> 00:00:10,000 Speaker 1: Be sure to. 4 00:00:09,960 --> 00:00:13,680 Speaker 2: Subscribe so we can get you these new sermons every week. 5 00:00:13,880 --> 00:00:16,440 Speaker 3: I hope you're blessed today. 6 00:00:20,200 --> 00:00:23,799 Speaker 4: I'm so grateful to be here with you all this morning, 7 00:00:24,480 --> 00:00:30,120 Speaker 4: just already so encouraged by what God is doing through 8 00:00:30,320 --> 00:00:35,879 Speaker 4: his church in Charlotte, North Carolina and throughout the world. 9 00:00:37,840 --> 00:00:41,839 Speaker 4: I'm encouraged by it, refueled by it, refreshed by you. 10 00:00:42,720 --> 00:00:47,640 Speaker 4: And I can't say enough how much gratitude I carry 11 00:00:47,680 --> 00:00:52,239 Speaker 4: with me up onto this stage this morning, and the 12 00:00:52,560 --> 00:00:59,320 Speaker 4: tremendous affection that I have for your pastor, his wife, 13 00:00:59,680 --> 00:01:04,480 Speaker 4: this team, and for you. I really feel like it 14 00:01:04,600 --> 00:01:08,600 Speaker 4: is a supernatural love that this morning is easy for me, 15 00:01:09,959 --> 00:01:13,959 Speaker 4: and it's difficult because I feel like I'm preaching to 16 00:01:14,160 --> 00:01:18,080 Speaker 4: people I love and you may not know me. I'm 17 00:01:18,160 --> 00:01:22,039 Speaker 4: just your little beige, five foot something cousin that just 18 00:01:22,160 --> 00:01:25,600 Speaker 4: pulled up real quick with some high waters on to 19 00:01:25,760 --> 00:01:27,479 Speaker 4: deliver the word of God. 20 00:01:28,520 --> 00:01:29,920 Speaker 1: But I'm grateful for you. 21 00:01:29,959 --> 00:01:33,360 Speaker 4: Pastor Steven Holly, thank you so much for your friendship, 22 00:01:33,480 --> 00:01:38,959 Speaker 4: your kindness, and for giving your boy an opportunity to 23 00:01:39,080 --> 00:01:47,640 Speaker 4: speak today. I love this team, Chris dot Brown, John Soal, 24 00:01:48,000 --> 00:01:53,400 Speaker 4: Jenna tiff lj. I mean I could literally list one 25 00:01:53,480 --> 00:01:57,240 Speaker 4: hundred people right now. Chunks, thank you for coordinating this 26 00:01:57,640 --> 00:02:00,560 Speaker 4: getting me in the room. 27 00:02:00,680 --> 00:02:02,520 Speaker 1: Are you ready to hear the word of God today? 28 00:02:04,200 --> 00:02:07,920 Speaker 4: Now before you skip to a previous sermon Pastor Stephen 29 00:02:08,800 --> 00:02:12,640 Speaker 4: recorded on YouTube, just give you boy a minute, because 30 00:02:12,680 --> 00:02:15,480 Speaker 4: I do feel like I have a word for this 31 00:02:15,800 --> 00:02:20,320 Speaker 4: church for this time, and I wondered if you would join. 32 00:02:20,200 --> 00:02:22,280 Speaker 1: With me in prayer very quickly for. 33 00:02:22,280 --> 00:02:25,280 Speaker 4: What God wants to do in the next few moments. Jesus, 34 00:02:26,040 --> 00:02:29,519 Speaker 4: we give you this stage, this platform, this room, every 35 00:02:29,639 --> 00:02:33,160 Speaker 4: room around the world where this message is reaching. And 36 00:02:33,280 --> 00:02:37,520 Speaker 4: more than that, God, we give you our hearts, our hearts, devotion, 37 00:02:37,760 --> 00:02:39,399 Speaker 4: our mind's attention. 38 00:02:39,600 --> 00:02:43,799 Speaker 1: Our focus is set on you. But I pray that our. 39 00:02:43,720 --> 00:02:48,080 Speaker 4: Faith would be reinvigorated this morning, that there would be 40 00:02:48,120 --> 00:02:53,720 Speaker 4: a supernatural transfer of passion and love for the thing 41 00:02:53,880 --> 00:02:58,680 Speaker 4: that you love most. God, we give you glory and 42 00:02:58,720 --> 00:03:02,000 Speaker 4: it's in your name. We pray a to the men. 43 00:03:03,000 --> 00:03:06,600 Speaker 4: Touch two people and sit down. Touch two people, just 44 00:03:06,600 --> 00:03:10,280 Speaker 4: one two, just a quick one two. Take a seat, 45 00:03:11,760 --> 00:03:16,800 Speaker 4: take a seat, going to read from the scripture today 46 00:03:16,919 --> 00:03:21,919 Speaker 4: in the Book of Ephesians. Spend all year last year 47 00:03:21,960 --> 00:03:27,919 Speaker 4: in Ephesians. Because I am a slow reader. It is 48 00:03:28,040 --> 00:03:34,040 Speaker 4: only six chapters. But I dwelled and I've got marks 49 00:03:34,160 --> 00:03:39,040 Speaker 4: all throughout this text. And God has been preparing this 50 00:03:39,120 --> 00:03:41,160 Speaker 4: word in my heart. And as soon as I got 51 00:03:41,160 --> 00:03:44,320 Speaker 4: the invitation to be here with you today, I knew 52 00:03:44,320 --> 00:03:48,000 Speaker 4: exactly what I was preaching. And I feel like I 53 00:03:48,040 --> 00:03:51,800 Speaker 4: have a mandate from Heaven to communicate this word to you. 54 00:03:51,920 --> 00:03:53,320 Speaker 1: So are you ready? 55 00:03:54,160 --> 00:03:59,760 Speaker 4: The Book of Ephesians, Chapter one, verse twenty two, y'all 56 00:03:59,760 --> 00:04:03,040 Speaker 4: got you also bring bibles? Or I mean, there's no judgment. 57 00:04:03,080 --> 00:04:05,240 Speaker 4: I just wondered if you got your phone, you got 58 00:04:05,280 --> 00:04:08,840 Speaker 4: your bible. It's on the screen. Pesians one twenty two. 59 00:04:09,360 --> 00:04:16,359 Speaker 4: And God put all things under Christ's feet and gave 60 00:04:16,480 --> 00:04:23,800 Speaker 4: him to the Church as head over all things. What 61 00:04:24,040 --> 00:04:29,560 Speaker 4: priority the church must have if after God gave Jesus 62 00:04:29,680 --> 00:04:33,840 Speaker 4: full dominion over everything in the world, the first thing 63 00:04:33,920 --> 00:04:35,560 Speaker 4: that he assigned him to. 64 00:04:37,120 --> 00:04:45,440 Speaker 1: Was the church. Now the Church is his body. 65 00:04:46,640 --> 00:04:50,960 Speaker 4: And the fullness of Him who fills all in all. 66 00:04:51,120 --> 00:04:54,080 Speaker 4: You see, there was a time when the humanity of 67 00:04:54,200 --> 00:05:00,320 Speaker 4: Christ actually lived on the earth. It's documented it's SCIENTI. 68 00:05:00,520 --> 00:05:05,400 Speaker 4: It's historical that the person, the god man Jesus, actually 69 00:05:05,600 --> 00:05:08,400 Speaker 4: dwelled in the spaces. 70 00:05:07,920 --> 00:05:12,200 Speaker 1: And places that we traverse through. 71 00:05:13,360 --> 00:05:17,520 Speaker 4: But as he was crucified, put in the tomb, and resurrected, 72 00:05:18,680 --> 00:05:24,760 Speaker 4: he breathed into a new living organism, not into just 73 00:05:25,240 --> 00:05:28,640 Speaker 4: brick and mortar spaces like the buildings we may find 74 00:05:28,680 --> 00:05:32,279 Speaker 4: ourselves in today, but into flesh and bone like you 75 00:05:33,000 --> 00:05:39,120 Speaker 4: and I. Now the Church say that's me is his body. 76 00:05:39,800 --> 00:05:45,360 Speaker 4: We're gonna fast forward chapter two. Y'all love the words 77 00:05:47,040 --> 00:05:53,240 Speaker 4: and verse nineteen. So then you are no longer foreigners 78 00:05:53,240 --> 00:05:59,400 Speaker 4: and non citizens, but you are fellow citizens with the 79 00:05:59,520 --> 00:06:07,800 Speaker 4: Saint and members of God's household, because you have been 80 00:06:08,520 --> 00:06:15,159 Speaker 4: built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with 81 00:06:15,440 --> 00:06:24,880 Speaker 4: Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. In him, the whole building, 82 00:06:25,560 --> 00:06:31,760 Speaker 4: being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 83 00:06:32,279 --> 00:06:34,080 Speaker 1: And I love this part in. 84 00:06:34,120 --> 00:06:41,200 Speaker 4: Whom you also are being built together into a dwelling place. 85 00:06:42,400 --> 00:06:45,160 Speaker 1: Of God in the spirit. 86 00:06:46,279 --> 00:06:49,479 Speaker 4: It's amazing to me that, as Paul writes to the 87 00:06:49,560 --> 00:06:54,160 Speaker 4: Church in Ephesus, that he uses these particular words because 88 00:06:54,200 --> 00:06:59,800 Speaker 4: you have been built on the foundation of the politicians. 89 00:07:02,320 --> 00:07:05,120 Speaker 1: No, he didn't say that. 90 00:07:07,120 --> 00:07:11,840 Speaker 4: You have been built upon the foundation of ethnicity and culture. 91 00:07:14,440 --> 00:07:17,080 Speaker 1: No, he didn't say that. 92 00:07:19,360 --> 00:07:22,560 Speaker 4: Because all of the things that we believe make us 93 00:07:22,760 --> 00:07:27,520 Speaker 4: us are actually just superficial layers that exist at the surface, 94 00:07:28,480 --> 00:07:34,080 Speaker 4: not at the foundation. You see, underneath all of this 95 00:07:34,360 --> 00:07:37,280 Speaker 4: is this thing that the apostles. 96 00:07:36,640 --> 00:07:38,720 Speaker 1: Preached and died for. 97 00:07:40,080 --> 00:07:45,960 Speaker 4: That the prophets preached and died for, that Jesus Christ 98 00:07:46,040 --> 00:07:52,440 Speaker 4: himself preached and died for. This foundation that was laid 99 00:07:52,560 --> 00:07:55,560 Speaker 4: for the Church was put together. 100 00:07:55,200 --> 00:07:58,360 Speaker 1: By flesh and blood. 101 00:07:58,320 --> 00:08:03,240 Speaker 4: Sacrifice, tears, and we are being built on it to 102 00:08:03,280 --> 00:08:05,080 Speaker 4: do something extraordinary. 103 00:08:05,200 --> 00:08:07,360 Speaker 1: This has just captured my heart. 104 00:08:08,640 --> 00:08:12,280 Speaker 4: God is fitly framing it together to create a space 105 00:08:14,320 --> 00:08:22,960 Speaker 4: that He inhabits, dwells in, lives in, moves in, breathes 106 00:08:23,160 --> 00:08:30,480 Speaker 4: in two It's beautiful. I actually still love the church. 107 00:08:32,520 --> 00:08:38,640 Speaker 4: I know the Church is under scrutiny. I've been a 108 00:08:38,720 --> 00:08:47,120 Speaker 4: part of the church now for twenty years, just long 109 00:08:47,240 --> 00:08:54,160 Speaker 4: enough to be cynical, just long enough to be critical. 110 00:08:54,240 --> 00:08:59,600 Speaker 4: If I could find some things, boy, I could find them. 111 00:09:00,520 --> 00:09:02,880 Speaker 4: I know about things that happened in the church that 112 00:09:02,960 --> 00:09:06,360 Speaker 4: would make you limp in your faith. If you only 113 00:09:06,520 --> 00:09:08,840 Speaker 4: knew some of the bumps and the bruises and the 114 00:09:08,920 --> 00:09:12,120 Speaker 4: scrapes and the scars that comes along with being fitly 115 00:09:12,840 --> 00:09:18,120 Speaker 4: framed together as a dwelling place for the spirit of God. 116 00:09:19,360 --> 00:09:23,520 Speaker 4: I was nine years old and my dad ruined my weekend. 117 00:09:24,720 --> 00:09:28,840 Speaker 4: He came home on a Saturday from the gym and said, rhn, 118 00:09:30,200 --> 00:09:36,599 Speaker 4: you can't call me that. Just my grandma and my dad, Rena. 119 00:09:36,960 --> 00:09:37,719 Speaker 1: We're going to. 120 00:09:37,840 --> 00:09:44,440 Speaker 4: Church tomorrow, I said, Dad, with thought due respect, Because 121 00:09:44,480 --> 00:09:48,240 Speaker 4: I like living and breathing. I don't think I can 122 00:09:48,280 --> 00:09:53,480 Speaker 4: do that. I gotta play street hockey with my friends. 123 00:09:53,800 --> 00:09:56,480 Speaker 4: It's Mighty Duck season, and I gotta get out there. 124 00:09:56,520 --> 00:09:59,240 Speaker 4: With the Goofy movie soundtrack and skate. 125 00:10:00,679 --> 00:10:01,400 Speaker 1: Stead that. 126 00:10:03,760 --> 00:10:07,679 Speaker 4: Some people have called me power line in the previous life. 127 00:10:08,880 --> 00:10:12,160 Speaker 4: I showed it to my kids and we were getting 128 00:10:12,160 --> 00:10:13,280 Speaker 4: ready to do a talent show. 129 00:10:13,320 --> 00:10:14,920 Speaker 1: My son lost, and I said. 130 00:10:14,679 --> 00:10:17,840 Speaker 4: Hey, if it goes bad, just do the perfect cast. 131 00:10:18,720 --> 00:10:20,600 Speaker 4: Some of y'all don't know what that is. That's all right, 132 00:10:20,800 --> 00:10:24,160 Speaker 4: go watch the Goofy movie. Shout out Tevin Campbell. 133 00:10:27,400 --> 00:10:30,440 Speaker 1: So he says we're going to church. I can't do it. 134 00:10:30,840 --> 00:10:33,200 Speaker 4: He's like, well, we're gonna go to the mall first 135 00:10:33,200 --> 00:10:36,320 Speaker 4: and get you, get you a new look. I said, okay, 136 00:10:39,040 --> 00:10:41,000 Speaker 4: because as you can see, I don't put on clothes. 137 00:10:41,040 --> 00:10:44,480 Speaker 1: I put on outfits. Fits this. 138 00:10:46,280 --> 00:10:48,680 Speaker 4: Yeah, boy, I'd be throwing fits like a toddler. 139 00:10:48,920 --> 00:10:51,199 Speaker 1: Just fits. 140 00:10:53,800 --> 00:10:58,920 Speaker 4: So we went to j. C. Penney, you know before 141 00:10:59,000 --> 00:11:07,400 Speaker 4: the rebrand when everything was just brown. Started walking through. 142 00:11:08,120 --> 00:11:10,880 Speaker 4: Found my little navy blue blazer. 143 00:11:11,360 --> 00:11:12,959 Speaker 1: With the gold buttons. 144 00:11:15,559 --> 00:11:20,080 Speaker 4: Ain't nobody in this church put on my little khaki pants. 145 00:11:20,120 --> 00:11:22,880 Speaker 1: Got them creased up, so I want to get a whooping. 146 00:11:25,440 --> 00:11:29,800 Speaker 4: And then we went down to Ricest Shoes downtown Battle Creek, Michigan. 147 00:11:30,880 --> 00:11:32,839 Speaker 1: Picked up some Swede. 148 00:11:32,440 --> 00:11:37,520 Speaker 4: Loafers that nice light tan with the rust bottom. 149 00:11:37,600 --> 00:11:41,880 Speaker 1: You can't scuff them. So boy was ready to go 150 00:11:41,960 --> 00:11:42,720 Speaker 1: to church. 151 00:11:43,000 --> 00:11:47,800 Speaker 4: But walked into the back of this little Pentecostal church, 152 00:11:49,440 --> 00:11:54,040 Speaker 4: about seventy people in there. I was definitely the youngest, 153 00:11:56,240 --> 00:11:58,560 Speaker 4: and my dad and I were the only people who 154 00:11:58,600 --> 00:12:00,280 Speaker 4: looked like us in the room. 155 00:12:01,920 --> 00:12:04,280 Speaker 1: Then it seemed to bother my dad, so it didn't 156 00:12:04,360 --> 00:12:04,840 Speaker 1: bother me. 157 00:12:04,960 --> 00:12:07,480 Speaker 4: And I can tell you when I walked through those 158 00:12:07,559 --> 00:12:13,440 Speaker 4: doors and I slid into that second to last green pew, 159 00:12:15,200 --> 00:12:20,959 Speaker 4: I felt something I never felt before. There was a comfort, 160 00:12:21,240 --> 00:12:26,200 Speaker 4: a sense of belonging that I felt that I had 161 00:12:26,240 --> 00:12:29,199 Speaker 4: never felt. See. My parents separated when I was little 162 00:12:29,240 --> 00:12:33,920 Speaker 4: and things were unstable, and God changed the directory of 163 00:12:34,080 --> 00:12:38,560 Speaker 4: my life through my father's decision to step outside of 164 00:12:39,000 --> 00:12:45,080 Speaker 4: his dysfunctional habits to say we're going to church. I 165 00:12:45,120 --> 00:12:47,679 Speaker 4: walked into that church and I fell in love with 166 00:12:47,800 --> 00:12:54,160 Speaker 4: the church. And I still loved the church, still love it. 167 00:12:55,800 --> 00:13:00,600 Speaker 4: Later on that year, I went to church camp. Now 168 00:13:00,760 --> 00:13:04,960 Speaker 4: I heard y'all talking about youth X. It's the last 169 00:13:04,960 --> 00:13:06,560 Speaker 4: week to sign up to make sure you get your 170 00:13:06,600 --> 00:13:07,280 Speaker 4: registration in. 171 00:13:09,800 --> 00:13:11,360 Speaker 1: Only about five hundred seats left. 172 00:13:11,400 --> 00:13:17,520 Speaker 4: So so I was I was fired up to go 173 00:13:17,559 --> 00:13:18,319 Speaker 4: to church camp. 174 00:13:18,320 --> 00:13:21,560 Speaker 1: Man, it was not youth X. 175 00:13:24,960 --> 00:13:30,320 Speaker 4: We had basketball, sweat and anointing oil. 176 00:13:32,320 --> 00:13:33,040 Speaker 1: That was it. 177 00:13:34,360 --> 00:13:41,680 Speaker 4: That was recreation and church showers. Optional showers were terrible. 178 00:13:41,840 --> 00:13:44,000 Speaker 4: You didn't want to go in there. You came out 179 00:13:44,040 --> 00:13:48,120 Speaker 4: more dirty than when you went in because I took 180 00:13:48,160 --> 00:13:54,160 Speaker 4: one once and there's just a trough running down to 181 00:13:54,240 --> 00:13:58,280 Speaker 4: the main drain down there. You want to stay out 182 00:13:58,320 --> 00:14:02,520 Speaker 4: of the showers. Don't worry about the girls. I was 183 00:14:02,640 --> 00:14:06,600 Speaker 4: nine years old and I was just living my best 184 00:14:06,640 --> 00:14:12,040 Speaker 4: life at church camp. Now, Remember definitively the moment that 185 00:14:12,120 --> 00:14:15,640 Speaker 4: I responded to an altar call. Don't remember what my 186 00:14:15,720 --> 00:14:20,000 Speaker 4: man preached, don't remember the sermon title, but I remember 187 00:14:20,120 --> 00:14:24,480 Speaker 4: the carpet that I was standing on as Jesus filled 188 00:14:24,520 --> 00:14:28,760 Speaker 4: me with his spirit, as I was baptized in the 189 00:14:28,800 --> 00:14:35,000 Speaker 4: Holy Spirit, and it was an undeniable experience that has 190 00:14:35,160 --> 00:14:39,880 Speaker 4: given me direction and purpose. That same week, I got 191 00:14:39,920 --> 00:14:47,760 Speaker 4: my first solo in the camp choir. Oh yeah, you 192 00:14:47,880 --> 00:14:50,520 Speaker 4: think fully grown, Torren sings Hi. 193 00:14:52,320 --> 00:14:53,800 Speaker 1: Little nine year old Tea. 194 00:14:53,760 --> 00:14:58,720 Speaker 4: Was straight soprana and I was saying, Praise the Lord, 195 00:14:59,600 --> 00:15:04,360 Speaker 4: pray a lot, let everything that has breath, prayers a load. 196 00:15:04,760 --> 00:15:08,920 Speaker 4: I had to share a soulo with a girl, so 197 00:15:09,040 --> 00:15:13,120 Speaker 4: I was not happy about but it was the first 198 00:15:13,160 --> 00:15:19,920 Speaker 4: time that I felt my soul aligned with a gift 199 00:15:20,360 --> 00:15:25,200 Speaker 4: in service of the Giver for the ministry of the church. 200 00:15:26,400 --> 00:15:29,560 Speaker 4: And I wonder if you have ever had that moment 201 00:15:29,720 --> 00:15:33,200 Speaker 4: in your life, a definitive moment, a moment that you 202 00:15:33,240 --> 00:15:37,200 Speaker 4: would remember, a moment that would be ingrained in your 203 00:15:37,360 --> 00:15:41,000 Speaker 4: mind and in your heart, that you realize that God 204 00:15:41,080 --> 00:15:46,800 Speaker 4: had called you into something bigger than yourself, to accomplish 205 00:15:46,840 --> 00:15:52,520 Speaker 4: something bigger than yourself. Your gift and soul aligned with 206 00:15:52,960 --> 00:15:56,040 Speaker 4: the giver for the ministry of the church. 207 00:15:58,360 --> 00:16:02,480 Speaker 1: I still love the church at this point. 208 00:16:02,520 --> 00:16:11,240 Speaker 4: I've been to hundreds of camps, conferences, church services, rehearsals, 209 00:16:12,440 --> 00:16:21,880 Speaker 4: award shows, prayer meetings, small groups, and I still love 210 00:16:23,200 --> 00:16:28,880 Speaker 4: the church. Yes, I've experienced the shadow side of church 211 00:16:31,720 --> 00:16:35,880 Speaker 4: because some of us started becoming worship leaders before you 212 00:16:36,000 --> 00:16:40,680 Speaker 4: knew you could win a Grammy. 213 00:16:40,960 --> 00:16:41,200 Speaker 3: Ah. 214 00:16:45,600 --> 00:16:48,640 Speaker 4: When I was fourteen years old writing songs for my 215 00:16:48,720 --> 00:16:52,840 Speaker 4: youth group, the music industry was something that happened on. 216 00:16:52,840 --> 00:16:54,560 Speaker 1: Another planet somewhere. 217 00:16:56,480 --> 00:16:59,600 Speaker 4: So to show up anywhere on a red carpet or 218 00:16:59,640 --> 00:17:03,280 Speaker 4: on a stage or a TV screen was so far 219 00:17:03,400 --> 00:17:06,520 Speaker 4: out that I didn't even have the awareness to dream 220 00:17:06,600 --> 00:17:10,719 Speaker 4: those types of dreams. You know what, I loved the church. 221 00:17:13,720 --> 00:17:17,800 Speaker 4: That's what I love about this church. Elevation worship isn't 222 00:17:17,840 --> 00:17:21,640 Speaker 4: writing songs to win Grammys, although if anyone's gonna win 223 00:17:21,720 --> 00:17:22,879 Speaker 4: some and might as. 224 00:17:22,760 --> 00:17:23,720 Speaker 1: Well be thelmed. 225 00:17:24,119 --> 00:17:26,680 Speaker 4: But I've talked to Pastor Stephen and he said, every 226 00:17:26,760 --> 00:17:29,520 Speaker 4: time he closes his eyes to write a song for 227 00:17:29,680 --> 00:17:33,360 Speaker 4: this church, he's thinking about this church. 228 00:17:36,800 --> 00:17:39,200 Speaker 1: So I have a suspicion he still loves the church. 229 00:17:42,000 --> 00:17:46,159 Speaker 4: I was getting ready to lead worship at this major 230 00:17:46,359 --> 00:17:50,880 Speaker 4: gathering of young people, one of the biggest gatherings in 231 00:17:50,920 --> 00:17:53,680 Speaker 4: North America, and I was so excited about it. Was 232 00:17:53,720 --> 00:17:56,800 Speaker 4: gonna be leading worship on a Friday night. I was 233 00:17:57,280 --> 00:18:00,080 Speaker 4: twenty three years old, and this would have been the 234 00:18:00,080 --> 00:18:02,560 Speaker 4: biggest room that I ever would have been in, far 235 00:18:02,680 --> 00:18:09,560 Speaker 4: beyond my wildest dreams. And because I had been going 236 00:18:09,560 --> 00:18:17,200 Speaker 4: to churches with my band and dancing, I got canceled 237 00:18:19,119 --> 00:18:23,479 Speaker 4: from the event. And it wasn't even like choreographed dancing. 238 00:18:24,480 --> 00:18:26,440 Speaker 4: It was just, you know, a little, just a little, 239 00:18:27,000 --> 00:18:28,800 Speaker 4: just had nothing major. 240 00:18:33,320 --> 00:18:34,320 Speaker 1: It's funny in church. 241 00:18:34,400 --> 00:18:37,280 Speaker 4: You know, you can dance as long as you don't 242 00:18:37,320 --> 00:18:41,760 Speaker 4: know what you're doing. We want everyone else to be 243 00:18:41,840 --> 00:18:45,359 Speaker 4: good except for the dancers. Somehow being good is wrong, 244 00:18:47,720 --> 00:18:53,440 Speaker 4: So leave Davite alone. Let him do his thing. He's 245 00:18:53,600 --> 00:18:59,440 Speaker 4: it's the joy of the Lord. But I got pulled 246 00:18:59,480 --> 00:19:05,800 Speaker 4: out of that conference. It was someone from the church 247 00:19:06,800 --> 00:19:09,280 Speaker 4: that had to sit down with me and tell me, hey, 248 00:19:09,359 --> 00:19:11,200 Speaker 4: you know, hips don't. 249 00:19:11,080 --> 00:19:19,639 Speaker 1: Lie, and you're not leading worship. Pulled. 250 00:19:20,880 --> 00:19:29,040 Speaker 4: The same week, I found myself in Sony Music's executive 251 00:19:29,760 --> 00:19:35,879 Speaker 4: office sitting down with a record label having conversations about 252 00:19:35,880 --> 00:19:41,000 Speaker 4: how my band could partner with provident music and carry 253 00:19:41,000 --> 00:19:44,600 Speaker 4: what we're doing all over the world. I only tell 254 00:19:44,640 --> 00:19:47,840 Speaker 4: you that story to tell you this. The Church hurt 255 00:19:47,920 --> 00:19:55,800 Speaker 4: me and the church helped me. I've seen the shadows 256 00:19:55,840 --> 00:19:59,520 Speaker 4: side of the church. I told you all this the 257 00:19:59,600 --> 00:20:02,000 Speaker 4: last time I was here with my wife. 258 00:20:01,800 --> 00:20:04,000 Speaker 1: And I got married. We had our wedding. 259 00:20:04,040 --> 00:20:08,960 Speaker 4: Invitations mailed back to us from church people because black 260 00:20:09,280 --> 00:20:14,600 Speaker 4: and white folks shouldn't be doing all that. I've felt 261 00:20:14,640 --> 00:20:20,479 Speaker 4: the shadow side of the church. I've seen headlines that 262 00:20:20,600 --> 00:20:26,720 Speaker 4: have broken my heart. I have been bruised by believers. 263 00:20:28,680 --> 00:20:35,080 Speaker 4: I've been shocked by the politics surrounding the church. I've 264 00:20:35,119 --> 00:20:41,119 Speaker 4: been stunned by reactions and mindseps and missteps by the church. 265 00:20:43,200 --> 00:20:48,280 Speaker 4: I'm still confused as to how some Christians managed to 266 00:20:48,480 --> 00:20:52,639 Speaker 4: carry the weight of the cross and still possess the 267 00:20:52,800 --> 00:20:57,720 Speaker 4: strength to hurl stones at their brothers and sisters who 268 00:20:57,760 --> 00:21:02,639 Speaker 4: are trying to follow Jesus as imperfectly as it may be. 269 00:21:05,320 --> 00:21:07,560 Speaker 1: But I've learned that I. 270 00:21:07,520 --> 00:21:13,359 Speaker 4: Cannot judge the majority who are trying to do it 271 00:21:13,560 --> 00:21:18,040 Speaker 4: right by the minority who got it wrong. 272 00:21:19,320 --> 00:21:20,639 Speaker 1: I still love the church. 273 00:21:21,480 --> 00:21:25,080 Speaker 4: I love the church because the Church has outlived empires 274 00:21:25,440 --> 00:21:31,639 Speaker 4: and philosophical systems and persecution and sabotages from within it 275 00:21:31,640 --> 00:21:37,400 Speaker 4: its traverse countries and continents. It's transcended kingdoms and cultures. 276 00:21:37,760 --> 00:21:41,480 Speaker 4: From its inception on the day of Pentecost to today, 277 00:21:41,600 --> 00:21:45,119 Speaker 4: the Church has moved by the wind of heaven to 278 00:21:45,280 --> 00:21:48,320 Speaker 4: accomplish the mandate that Jesus. 279 00:21:47,960 --> 00:21:49,600 Speaker 1: Himself said when he. 280 00:21:49,680 --> 00:21:55,000 Speaker 4: Said, go into all the world and make perfect people, 281 00:21:55,520 --> 00:22:00,640 Speaker 4: know disciples, and give. 282 00:22:00,520 --> 00:22:07,080 Speaker 1: God some praise for his charge. I still love the church. 283 00:22:08,200 --> 00:22:12,040 Speaker 1: The Church is not dead. The Church is not atrophied. 284 00:22:12,320 --> 00:22:14,080 Speaker 1: The Church is not irrelevant. 285 00:22:14,320 --> 00:22:17,040 Speaker 4: I can look around this room today and I can 286 00:22:17,080 --> 00:22:18,240 Speaker 4: tell you that the. 287 00:22:18,320 --> 00:22:30,520 Speaker 1: Church is alive. I still love the Church. 288 00:22:31,840 --> 00:22:34,879 Speaker 4: I couldn't sleep last night because I was so excited 289 00:22:35,080 --> 00:22:38,520 Speaker 4: to get here. I told my wife last week it 290 00:22:38,560 --> 00:22:40,639 Speaker 4: was a Saturday, I'm like, I'm just getting excited for 291 00:22:40,760 --> 00:22:44,119 Speaker 4: church tomorrow. It was like I had to wake up 292 00:22:44,160 --> 00:22:46,840 Speaker 4: at four point thirty to get to our rehearsal at 293 00:22:46,840 --> 00:22:47,560 Speaker 4: six point twenty. 294 00:22:48,680 --> 00:22:51,880 Speaker 1: I never missed my alarm on a Sunday morning. I'm 295 00:22:51,960 --> 00:22:56,479 Speaker 1: just excited about it because I love the church. 296 00:22:57,680 --> 00:23:02,359 Speaker 4: I love the church because it's not a political platform. 297 00:23:02,440 --> 00:23:05,720 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, Yeah. It's not a political platform. 298 00:23:06,640 --> 00:23:12,080 Speaker 4: It is the expression and embodiment of the Kingdom of Heaven, 299 00:23:12,320 --> 00:23:16,600 Speaker 4: alive and active in the earth. The church is not 300 00:23:16,680 --> 00:23:20,440 Speaker 4: a museum filled with ancient relics of what God. 301 00:23:20,480 --> 00:23:21,280 Speaker 1: Used to do. 302 00:23:21,960 --> 00:23:25,840 Speaker 4: It's a movement of selfless believers who have decided to 303 00:23:26,000 --> 00:23:30,120 Speaker 4: follow Jesus, carry the cross and tell the world that 304 00:23:30,320 --> 00:23:34,639 Speaker 4: Jesus says. The church is not a showroom for pretty 305 00:23:34,760 --> 00:23:39,200 Speaker 4: perfect people. It is the beautiful, living, breathing. 306 00:23:38,920 --> 00:23:40,000 Speaker 1: Bride of Christ. 307 00:23:45,440 --> 00:23:53,679 Speaker 4: The church is in some empty ritualistic routine. It's not 308 00:23:53,840 --> 00:23:59,200 Speaker 4: the equivalent of a nonprofit or philanthropic organization, although those 309 00:23:59,200 --> 00:24:04,879 Speaker 4: are grown and they're great partners for the Church. But 310 00:24:05,000 --> 00:24:12,480 Speaker 4: the church has the exclusive mission and mandate to elevate Christ, 311 00:24:13,080 --> 00:24:18,000 Speaker 4: to preach him crucified, and to tell the world Jesus 312 00:24:18,200 --> 00:24:19,520 Speaker 4: still say. 313 00:24:22,760 --> 00:24:24,719 Speaker 1: I still love the Church. 314 00:24:29,119 --> 00:24:36,120 Speaker 4: The Church is the imperfect amplifier of truth, justice, and 315 00:24:36,160 --> 00:24:42,720 Speaker 4: the sovereignty of God. The Church is Jesus' love on display. 316 00:24:43,840 --> 00:24:48,520 Speaker 4: It is a symbol of grace, a conduit of mercity 317 00:24:48,680 --> 00:24:52,760 Speaker 4: of mercy, a hospital for the broken, a family for 318 00:24:52,840 --> 00:25:03,680 Speaker 4: the lonely, and the place where captives find freedom. 319 00:25:03,760 --> 00:25:05,040 Speaker 1: I still love the Church. 320 00:25:07,480 --> 00:25:12,160 Speaker 4: I still love the church because Jesus loves the church. 321 00:25:14,240 --> 00:25:16,240 Speaker 1: The church is his treasure. 322 00:25:18,840 --> 00:25:22,639 Speaker 4: The Church is his bride, The Church is his love, 323 00:25:22,800 --> 00:25:26,560 Speaker 4: The Church is his dream. 324 00:25:29,920 --> 00:25:31,880 Speaker 1: I've come to the realization. 325 00:25:33,080 --> 00:25:39,520 Speaker 4: That I don't want to spend my life building my dream. 326 00:25:41,760 --> 00:25:43,840 Speaker 1: Put my dream in the coffin. 327 00:25:46,240 --> 00:25:51,920 Speaker 4: And bury it six feet under, because God will use 328 00:25:52,160 --> 00:26:00,879 Speaker 4: buried dreams to resurrect better dreams. I want to be 329 00:26:00,920 --> 00:26:05,400 Speaker 4: a part of what he loves, of what he's doing, 330 00:26:06,480 --> 00:26:08,880 Speaker 4: of making his name great. 331 00:26:08,760 --> 00:26:09,480 Speaker 1: Not my own. 332 00:26:11,359 --> 00:26:14,760 Speaker 4: If that's a byproduct of my obedience, so be it. 333 00:26:15,840 --> 00:26:17,800 Speaker 1: I'll live with the perks and. 334 00:26:17,640 --> 00:26:22,240 Speaker 4: The consequences because it comes. 335 00:26:21,920 --> 00:26:22,600 Speaker 1: With the cost. 336 00:26:24,560 --> 00:26:30,840 Speaker 4: But I want to build God's church. He died for it, 337 00:26:31,320 --> 00:26:35,480 Speaker 4: I might as well live for it. The church belongs 338 00:26:35,560 --> 00:26:40,200 Speaker 4: to him. I still love the church because I need 339 00:26:40,240 --> 00:26:40,879 Speaker 4: the church. 340 00:26:42,760 --> 00:26:47,800 Speaker 1: Oh hear me today, I need it. We need one another, 341 00:26:48,000 --> 00:26:49,040 Speaker 1: We need each other. 342 00:26:49,359 --> 00:26:54,600 Speaker 4: You want to look like Jesus, Get around some church 343 00:26:54,680 --> 00:26:59,040 Speaker 4: folks who will pocash you and tell you when you 344 00:26:59,119 --> 00:27:01,040 Speaker 4: gain it a little too more, wait and tell you 345 00:27:01,080 --> 00:27:03,320 Speaker 4: when you need to be praying and when you need 346 00:27:03,359 --> 00:27:03,960 Speaker 4: to wash. 347 00:27:03,840 --> 00:27:06,600 Speaker 1: Your car, And wow, you look a lot better than 348 00:27:06,600 --> 00:27:07,320 Speaker 1: you used to. 349 00:27:08,640 --> 00:27:16,600 Speaker 4: People have said that to me in church. But I 350 00:27:17,200 --> 00:27:23,520 Speaker 4: need the church. Some people say faith is a crutch. Yeah, 351 00:27:23,600 --> 00:27:29,480 Speaker 4: because we're all wounded and limping and hurting and carrying pain. 352 00:27:29,640 --> 00:27:33,000 Speaker 4: So yeah, I need something to lean on that's bigger 353 00:27:33,040 --> 00:27:33,320 Speaker 4: than me. 354 00:27:34,760 --> 00:27:37,840 Speaker 1: But I also need the church as a crucible. 355 00:27:37,320 --> 00:27:41,280 Speaker 4: That melts me down to make me pliable to be 356 00:27:41,480 --> 00:27:46,199 Speaker 4: conformed to the character of Christ. I can't look like 357 00:27:46,480 --> 00:27:51,199 Speaker 4: Jesus and not love his church. I can't look like 358 00:27:51,400 --> 00:27:54,879 Speaker 4: Jesus and not be in relationship with his people. 359 00:27:55,840 --> 00:27:57,280 Speaker 1: I still love the church. 360 00:27:58,800 --> 00:28:02,280 Speaker 4: I went to a the job site a few years back. 361 00:28:02,880 --> 00:28:06,400 Speaker 4: We were building a house somewhere in Houston. We only 362 00:28:06,440 --> 00:28:08,600 Speaker 4: live in houses for about a year and then we moved, 363 00:28:08,920 --> 00:28:11,240 Speaker 4: so we weren't there for very long. But I went 364 00:28:11,280 --> 00:28:14,320 Speaker 4: to that job site. And I don't know if any 365 00:28:14,320 --> 00:28:16,520 Speaker 4: of y'all have been on a construction site. I'm not 366 00:28:16,600 --> 00:28:19,040 Speaker 4: Bob the builder. So can we build it? 367 00:28:19,200 --> 00:28:19,919 Speaker 1: No, we can't. 368 00:28:20,160 --> 00:28:23,359 Speaker 4: But I went around this job site and it was 369 00:28:23,560 --> 00:28:28,080 Speaker 4: absolutely disgusting. I mean, the workers are all in. 370 00:28:27,920 --> 00:28:32,840 Speaker 1: There doing god knows what. They weren't building the house, 371 00:28:32,960 --> 00:28:34,480 Speaker 1: that's for sure. It took forever. 372 00:28:35,160 --> 00:28:38,080 Speaker 4: But I was walking around and everything's muddy and there's 373 00:28:38,120 --> 00:28:41,760 Speaker 4: stuff tracked off through and things are exposed, wires are 374 00:28:41,800 --> 00:28:44,880 Speaker 4: hanging in the bathtub is filled with filth, and I'm like, 375 00:28:44,960 --> 00:28:49,400 Speaker 4: this is a mess. I'm supposed to live here. How 376 00:28:49,440 --> 00:28:51,840 Speaker 4: am I ever gonna take a bath in that? 377 00:28:51,840 --> 00:28:59,600 Speaker 1: That's disgusting, But it was in process of beam. 378 00:29:02,720 --> 00:29:07,680 Speaker 4: We cannot come into the church and expect to apply 379 00:29:07,920 --> 00:29:13,000 Speaker 4: ourselves to a finished product. By the time we got 380 00:29:13,080 --> 00:29:16,280 Speaker 4: though at that house, it was beautiful and we loved 381 00:29:16,360 --> 00:29:19,560 Speaker 4: being in it, and we couldn't never imagine leaving it. 382 00:29:19,600 --> 00:29:23,600 Speaker 4: But it was fitly framed together, and it was noisy 383 00:29:23,640 --> 00:29:26,960 Speaker 4: and loud, and they were banging stuff together and nailing 384 00:29:27,080 --> 00:29:31,720 Speaker 4: things through walls, and it was messy and imperfect, but 385 00:29:31,880 --> 00:29:38,960 Speaker 4: when it was presented, wasn't a blemish to be seen. 386 00:29:42,120 --> 00:29:48,239 Speaker 4: In the same way God is building us together, you 387 00:29:48,280 --> 00:29:53,680 Speaker 4: can expect the mess, you can expect the bumps. You 388 00:29:53,720 --> 00:29:57,479 Speaker 4: can expect things to be challenging and difficult at times, 389 00:29:57,520 --> 00:30:03,640 Speaker 4: because God is using the church to make us like him. 390 00:30:03,680 --> 00:30:11,040 Speaker 4: Being a part of the church means sacrifice. Oh God, 391 00:30:12,080 --> 00:30:15,520 Speaker 4: I know we hate that word because it means the 392 00:30:15,680 --> 00:30:17,320 Speaker 4: church is gonna cost. 393 00:30:17,040 --> 00:30:20,280 Speaker 1: Us something, But that's what it is. 394 00:30:20,920 --> 00:30:25,760 Speaker 4: What Christ did Jesus pay for the church everything, So. 395 00:30:25,760 --> 00:30:28,360 Speaker 1: What should I be willing to pay for his church? 396 00:30:29,800 --> 00:30:38,640 Speaker 1: Coming early, standing in a line, having to wait to park, to. 397 00:30:38,680 --> 00:30:44,080 Speaker 4: Be a part of something greater than me, that's no cost. 398 00:30:45,320 --> 00:30:47,920 Speaker 4: Being a part of the church means commitment when it's hard, 399 00:30:50,200 --> 00:30:54,520 Speaker 4: laying down your personal preferences, not because they don't matter, 400 00:30:55,680 --> 00:31:01,000 Speaker 4: but because you've decided something matters more. It means showing 401 00:31:01,120 --> 00:31:04,720 Speaker 4: up when you don't want to, serving when you feel 402 00:31:04,760 --> 00:31:09,560 Speaker 4: taken for granted, being honest and vulnerable, when you can 403 00:31:09,640 --> 00:31:16,000 Speaker 4: build real relationships, accepting shortcomings and imperfections of others. 404 00:31:17,440 --> 00:31:19,080 Speaker 1: A mentor told me this recently. 405 00:31:19,120 --> 00:31:23,720 Speaker 4: He said, if you follow Jesus long enough, everything that 406 00:31:23,840 --> 00:31:26,760 Speaker 4: happened to him will happen to you. 407 00:31:31,560 --> 00:31:32,920 Speaker 1: I want to be a part of the church. 408 00:31:34,760 --> 00:31:39,360 Speaker 4: I still love the church because God uses the Church 409 00:31:39,720 --> 00:31:46,000 Speaker 4: to bring us into His presence, and I love the 410 00:31:46,040 --> 00:31:52,080 Speaker 4: presence of God. The presence of God is the promise 411 00:31:52,640 --> 00:31:54,560 Speaker 4: of the gathered church. 412 00:31:55,920 --> 00:31:57,680 Speaker 1: Can he meet you by yourself? 413 00:31:58,120 --> 00:32:02,960 Speaker 4: Absolutely, But something happens when two or three get together 414 00:32:03,600 --> 00:32:09,840 Speaker 4: and touch any one thing. It commands the authority, the blessing, 415 00:32:10,240 --> 00:32:13,680 Speaker 4: the favor, and the presence of God to show up. 416 00:32:13,880 --> 00:32:19,400 Speaker 1: Wherever you are gathered. I was shocked by this, y'all. 417 00:32:19,480 --> 00:32:23,480 Speaker 4: I know, pandemic was crazy, COVID was wild, and now 418 00:32:23,600 --> 00:32:27,720 Speaker 4: this search engine algorithm is going to bury this message. 419 00:32:27,800 --> 00:32:32,280 Speaker 4: But the average church member today, these are people like 420 00:32:32,320 --> 00:32:34,400 Speaker 4: you and me who say, I love the church and 421 00:32:34,440 --> 00:32:36,600 Speaker 4: I'm committed to it. 422 00:32:36,720 --> 00:32:37,960 Speaker 1: People's elevation Church. 423 00:32:38,000 --> 00:32:42,320 Speaker 4: That's my church, man, it's my pastor, Stephen Fredickman, that's 424 00:32:42,360 --> 00:32:52,960 Speaker 4: my pastor. On average, we attend church once every six weeks. 425 00:32:55,120 --> 00:33:00,240 Speaker 4: I know you don't think that's true, but if you 426 00:33:00,240 --> 00:33:06,000 Speaker 4: actually looked at the time, the average once every six weeks, 427 00:33:06,040 --> 00:33:08,520 Speaker 4: that's about eight times a year. 428 00:33:11,760 --> 00:33:14,320 Speaker 1: That means your kids. 429 00:33:15,880 --> 00:33:21,640 Speaker 4: Are in Sunday school learning the foundations of the faith. 430 00:33:23,200 --> 00:33:24,760 Speaker 1: In a community of their. 431 00:33:24,640 --> 00:33:32,640 Speaker 4: Peers eight days out of three hundred and sixty five. 432 00:33:35,400 --> 00:33:39,040 Speaker 4: What does this say about the future of the church. 433 00:33:39,840 --> 00:33:46,720 Speaker 4: If this is the present reality of the church. Now, 434 00:33:46,760 --> 00:33:48,600 Speaker 4: you could say I'm weak because I need the church. 435 00:33:48,680 --> 00:33:50,920 Speaker 4: You could say, man, you know you're really sure. I 436 00:33:51,000 --> 00:33:53,280 Speaker 4: can't believe you need the church. You know, haven't you 437 00:33:53,360 --> 00:33:56,360 Speaker 4: seen this and read that and heard that? Yeah, but 438 00:33:56,440 --> 00:34:05,880 Speaker 4: I follow Jesus, not headlines. I live according to the 439 00:34:05,920 --> 00:34:12,400 Speaker 4: principles of the prophets, the apostles, and the chief priest, 440 00:34:12,600 --> 00:34:20,040 Speaker 4: Jesus himself, not producers in Hollywood. And when Jesus stands 441 00:34:20,120 --> 00:34:24,480 Speaker 4: up to speak before the people in the synagogue, the 442 00:34:24,520 --> 00:34:34,040 Speaker 4: writer of Luke writes something very interesting. He says, and 443 00:34:34,200 --> 00:34:37,080 Speaker 4: he came speaking of Jesus to Nazareth, where he had 444 00:34:37,080 --> 00:34:42,800 Speaker 4: been brought up, and as was his custom, he went 445 00:34:43,400 --> 00:34:52,239 Speaker 4: into the synagogue. On the Sabbath day, Jesus went to church. Well, 446 00:34:52,280 --> 00:34:54,520 Speaker 4: I don't need the church. It's just me and Jesus. 447 00:34:55,440 --> 00:35:01,440 Speaker 1: Jesus to the truck. 448 00:35:06,800 --> 00:35:10,480 Speaker 4: And then after the Holy Spirit wind blew into the 449 00:35:10,560 --> 00:35:16,120 Speaker 4: upper room, and the New Testament church was birthed. The 450 00:35:16,160 --> 00:35:20,080 Speaker 4: scripture goes on to say, with one accord, they continue 451 00:35:20,200 --> 00:35:22,720 Speaker 4: to meet not weakly. 452 00:35:24,040 --> 00:35:28,560 Speaker 1: Daily in the Temple chords, and. 453 00:35:28,600 --> 00:35:32,560 Speaker 4: To break bread from house to house. So we have 454 00:35:32,680 --> 00:35:36,880 Speaker 4: theological tribes that say it's church on Sundays, and we 455 00:35:36,920 --> 00:35:40,640 Speaker 4: have other tribes that say this should be house to house. Well, 456 00:35:40,680 --> 00:35:43,880 Speaker 4: if I look at the Scripture, which is the authority 457 00:35:43,960 --> 00:35:47,080 Speaker 4: for my thinking and my paradigm, it tells me they 458 00:35:47,080 --> 00:35:48,680 Speaker 4: didn't just meet at houses. 459 00:35:49,160 --> 00:35:51,239 Speaker 1: They met in churches. 460 00:35:52,600 --> 00:35:55,880 Speaker 4: Okay, this is where I knew this was gonna happen. 461 00:35:56,960 --> 00:36:01,279 Speaker 4: So Jesus went to church, the New test Believers went 462 00:36:01,320 --> 00:36:07,360 Speaker 4: to church. Paul started planted and pastor churches. A quarter 463 00:36:07,520 --> 00:36:11,320 Speaker 4: of our Bible is God's instructions to churches. 464 00:36:13,640 --> 00:36:15,239 Speaker 1: So what should that say. 465 00:36:15,040 --> 00:36:19,800 Speaker 4: About our instruction, our imperative. 466 00:36:22,000 --> 00:36:23,800 Speaker 1: We can't reject the New. 467 00:36:23,680 --> 00:36:36,520 Speaker 4: Testament church's priorities and expect their power. We can't reject Jesus' 468 00:36:36,640 --> 00:36:45,799 Speaker 4: priorities and expect his provision. I was in Louisiana recently, Lafayette, Louisiana. 469 00:36:46,600 --> 00:36:49,960 Speaker 4: Laura and I were there, which Lorna is here with me, 470 00:36:50,080 --> 00:36:50,839 Speaker 4: my beautiful wife. 471 00:36:50,880 --> 00:36:53,560 Speaker 1: Can you just give her a hand for being anointed 472 00:36:54,120 --> 00:36:54,759 Speaker 1: and beautiful? 473 00:36:55,480 --> 00:36:59,440 Speaker 4: Lafayete, Louisiana, and we were announcing the launch of the 474 00:36:59,560 --> 00:37:04,160 Speaker 4: church with our friends, and it was an incredible morning. 475 00:37:04,200 --> 00:37:06,000 Speaker 4: And I got up and I told the people that 476 00:37:06,040 --> 00:37:08,760 Speaker 4: we were planting a church, and everyone was so excited 477 00:37:08,760 --> 00:37:10,840 Speaker 4: and they clapped and all that. And there was a 478 00:37:10,880 --> 00:37:13,560 Speaker 4: guy apparently sitting in the room, and he said, when 479 00:37:13,560 --> 00:37:15,640 Speaker 4: you said you were planning a church, I thought, I'm 480 00:37:15,680 --> 00:37:18,759 Speaker 4: going to give you a thousand dollars. And he told 481 00:37:18,760 --> 00:37:20,800 Speaker 4: me this after and I was like, wow, a thousand 482 00:37:20,800 --> 00:37:22,400 Speaker 4: dollars that'd be absolutely amazing. 483 00:37:22,480 --> 00:37:24,520 Speaker 1: You know, that's an. 484 00:37:23,960 --> 00:37:27,640 Speaker 4: Incredible We can buy goldfish for the children's ministry for 485 00:37:27,680 --> 00:37:31,480 Speaker 4: a week with that, that'd be phenomenal. So then he 486 00:37:31,520 --> 00:37:34,080 Speaker 4: comes back and he actually gets a picture with us, 487 00:37:34,120 --> 00:37:36,400 Speaker 4: and he's like, when I walked away from the picture, 488 00:37:36,880 --> 00:37:39,040 Speaker 4: God spoke to me and said, don't give him a thousand, 489 00:37:39,120 --> 00:37:42,400 Speaker 4: give him ten thousand. So I thought, okay, I'm going 490 00:37:42,480 --> 00:37:44,560 Speaker 4: to give you ten thousand dollars. And he told me 491 00:37:44,600 --> 00:37:46,440 Speaker 4: that right before we snapped the picture. I'm gonna give 492 00:37:46,480 --> 00:37:48,600 Speaker 4: you ten thousand dollars. I'm like, oh my goodness, this 493 00:37:48,640 --> 00:37:52,320 Speaker 4: is absolutely incredible. It's amazing. Well, later on that evening, 494 00:37:52,520 --> 00:37:54,640 Speaker 4: we went out to dinner with the pastor. He said, 495 00:37:54,680 --> 00:37:56,799 Speaker 4: I can't wait till the end of this meal because 496 00:37:56,840 --> 00:37:59,280 Speaker 4: I'm going to tell you something that's going to absolutely 497 00:37:59,320 --> 00:38:00,000 Speaker 4: blow you away. 498 00:38:00,280 --> 00:38:01,880 Speaker 1: I'm like, awesome, I can't wait to hear it. 499 00:38:01,880 --> 00:38:03,719 Speaker 4: Do we have to wait till the end because I'm 500 00:38:03,719 --> 00:38:06,080 Speaker 4: on the Daniel Fast and this whole thing is torture. 501 00:38:06,440 --> 00:38:08,440 Speaker 4: So if you could give me some good news, no, no, 502 00:38:08,560 --> 00:38:11,600 Speaker 4: I won't be angry. So we get to the end 503 00:38:11,680 --> 00:38:13,840 Speaker 4: of the dinner and he says, two people call me 504 00:38:13,880 --> 00:38:18,920 Speaker 4: today from the church. Each of them are going to 505 00:38:19,000 --> 00:38:21,520 Speaker 4: give you one hundred thousand dollars to start your church. 506 00:38:23,440 --> 00:38:34,200 Speaker 4: I was in Ruth Christ make our brother shot. So 507 00:38:34,239 --> 00:38:36,360 Speaker 4: I was talking to the guy that was a thousand 508 00:38:36,360 --> 00:38:40,960 Speaker 4: and then ten thousand. I found out it was him. 509 00:38:41,440 --> 00:38:41,759 Speaker 1: He said. 510 00:38:41,800 --> 00:38:44,120 Speaker 4: I was thinking about it, and God started talking to me. 511 00:38:46,200 --> 00:38:50,719 Speaker 4: He says, a businessman owned several businesses, sold several businesses. 512 00:38:50,719 --> 00:38:53,160 Speaker 1: He said, the Lord said, you. 513 00:38:53,160 --> 00:38:59,480 Speaker 4: Invest one hundred thousand dollars in businesses every year. Why 514 00:38:59,520 --> 00:39:10,799 Speaker 4: don't you invest in my kingdom? And he was so 515 00:39:11,040 --> 00:39:15,440 Speaker 4: excited about it. Most people would write one hundred thousand 516 00:39:15,440 --> 00:39:18,760 Speaker 4: dollars check with dread and trembling hands. 517 00:39:20,280 --> 00:39:24,319 Speaker 1: He was so pumped. Why because he felt his soul. 518 00:39:25,520 --> 00:39:30,719 Speaker 4: Aligned with a gift and service of the Giver for 519 00:39:30,840 --> 00:39:36,320 Speaker 4: the ministry of the church. I still love the church 520 00:39:36,440 --> 00:39:41,080 Speaker 4: because God uses the church to connect us to our purpose. 521 00:39:43,360 --> 00:39:47,960 Speaker 4: God uses the church as the context for the gifts 522 00:39:47,960 --> 00:39:54,520 Speaker 4: of his people to be discovered, developed and distributed. We 523 00:39:54,560 --> 00:39:58,360 Speaker 4: shouldn't have to go into musical theater to develop believers 524 00:39:58,360 --> 00:40:02,680 Speaker 4: who love arts. We shouldn't have to go to coding 525 00:40:02,800 --> 00:40:06,440 Speaker 4: camps to learn how to do technological things that I 526 00:40:06,480 --> 00:40:08,880 Speaker 4: don't understand. 527 00:40:10,160 --> 00:40:14,360 Speaker 5: We should be able to excavate the gifts of the 528 00:40:14,480 --> 00:40:18,000 Speaker 5: people within the body of the church to meet the 529 00:40:18,040 --> 00:40:21,080 Speaker 5: needs not only of the people in the church, but 530 00:40:21,400 --> 00:40:22,080 Speaker 5: beyond it. 531 00:40:24,200 --> 00:40:30,280 Speaker 4: You want purpose get your soul aligned with the gift 532 00:40:31,040 --> 00:40:32,840 Speaker 4: in service of the giver. 533 00:40:33,280 --> 00:40:38,000 Speaker 1: Ministering to the church. Now, I've got these. 534 00:40:39,480 --> 00:40:44,120 Speaker 4: Guitar strings here, thank you creative team for pulling this together. 535 00:40:45,000 --> 00:40:49,480 Speaker 4: And these are elixures, so they're they're really nice premium 536 00:40:49,840 --> 00:40:57,440 Speaker 4: premium strings here. And it's actually they're guitar strings. So 537 00:40:57,520 --> 00:41:02,799 Speaker 4: you have to know the context so that you can 538 00:41:02,880 --> 00:41:09,440 Speaker 4: understand the design. But what's amazing about this string is 539 00:41:09,480 --> 00:41:18,920 Speaker 4: that it's free. Doesn't it look free. It's just it's free. 540 00:41:19,360 --> 00:41:23,279 Speaker 4: It can move, it responds, it reacts. 541 00:41:24,000 --> 00:41:27,920 Speaker 1: You could probably do things with it. I don't know. 542 00:41:28,280 --> 00:41:31,080 Speaker 4: Maybe you would want to lock your kids in the 543 00:41:31,120 --> 00:41:34,200 Speaker 4: pantry with it so that you can enjoy ten minutes. 544 00:41:33,840 --> 00:41:36,399 Speaker 1: Of peace and quiet. It's just the thought. I'd never 545 00:41:36,480 --> 00:41:36,879 Speaker 1: do it. 546 00:41:40,280 --> 00:41:42,200 Speaker 4: Or maybe if you were balling on a budget and 547 00:41:42,239 --> 00:41:44,879 Speaker 4: you found the one, you could cut it and make 548 00:41:44,920 --> 00:41:49,640 Speaker 4: a little guitar engagement ring. Because it's love, that's all 549 00:41:49,680 --> 00:41:59,560 Speaker 4: that matters. I'm sure that it could be useful for 550 00:41:59,640 --> 00:42:11,440 Speaker 4: a lot of things, but it's only designed for one. 551 00:42:11,800 --> 00:42:12,960 Speaker 1: See. 552 00:42:13,280 --> 00:42:19,400 Speaker 4: This string is free to do what it wants, but 553 00:42:19,560 --> 00:42:21,480 Speaker 4: it was created. 554 00:42:22,600 --> 00:42:23,799 Speaker 1: To be connected. 555 00:42:27,040 --> 00:42:32,920 Speaker 4: And we will never see the full potential of this 556 00:42:33,480 --> 00:42:42,120 Speaker 4: single string until it is connected to something greater than itself. 557 00:42:42,200 --> 00:42:45,560 Speaker 1: Come on, E, where's E come out here? Yeah? 558 00:42:45,600 --> 00:42:47,640 Speaker 4: Yeah, yeah, grab your Grab the guitar. 559 00:42:48,440 --> 00:42:51,000 Speaker 1: Grab the guitar, because we're about to preach. 560 00:42:52,440 --> 00:42:56,520 Speaker 4: Some of you have been trying to operate in your 561 00:42:56,600 --> 00:43:03,440 Speaker 4: maximum capacity and you feel limited. You're not limited when 562 00:43:03,520 --> 00:43:08,400 Speaker 4: you get connected. You're limited when you're disconnected. 563 00:43:09,280 --> 00:43:10,399 Speaker 1: There's only so. 564 00:43:10,560 --> 00:43:15,520 Speaker 4: Much this thing can do by itself, but it's only 565 00:43:15,760 --> 00:43:22,200 Speaker 4: activated in its purpose when it's connected to the guitar. 566 00:43:24,160 --> 00:43:27,440 Speaker 4: Now here's the beautiful thing. Can you got some rope? 567 00:43:27,640 --> 00:43:28,640 Speaker 4: Can come out here a little bit? 568 00:43:28,680 --> 00:43:29,239 Speaker 1: You turned up? 569 00:43:29,480 --> 00:43:34,719 Speaker 4: Yeah, because you're about to shred. Here's the amazing thing. 570 00:43:36,880 --> 00:43:43,560 Speaker 4: This is called a headstop. It's the head of the guitar. 571 00:43:45,360 --> 00:43:52,000 Speaker 4: This is called the body. There is a connection point 572 00:43:53,160 --> 00:43:59,640 Speaker 4: between the head and the body, and it's a guitar string. 573 00:44:01,120 --> 00:44:03,879 Speaker 1: And the only way for the string. 574 00:44:03,719 --> 00:44:07,640 Speaker 4: To operate and its potential is to not just be 575 00:44:07,760 --> 00:44:11,880 Speaker 4: connected to the head, which is where most of Christianity 576 00:44:12,000 --> 00:44:15,319 Speaker 4: is right now. Me and Jesus got a thing going on. 577 00:44:15,800 --> 00:44:19,760 Speaker 4: Me and Jesus just walk together and talk together, driving 578 00:44:19,800 --> 00:44:22,680 Speaker 4: the car together, and don't really go to church. It's 579 00:44:22,719 --> 00:44:25,680 Speaker 4: more of my grandmother's thing. That's not really for me. 580 00:44:25,880 --> 00:44:29,480 Speaker 4: And we think that that's the definition of following Jesus. 581 00:44:29,920 --> 00:44:33,400 Speaker 4: But will never be fully connected to our purpose until 582 00:44:33,440 --> 00:44:36,920 Speaker 4: we take what is connected to the head and connected 583 00:44:37,040 --> 00:44:43,280 Speaker 4: to the body. You gotta get connected to the body. 584 00:44:43,760 --> 00:44:48,320 Speaker 4: This is the living, breathing body of Christ. He doesn't 585 00:44:48,360 --> 00:44:51,240 Speaker 4: just fill buildings, He fills people. 586 00:44:51,120 --> 00:44:53,000 Speaker 1: With his spirit. And when you. 587 00:44:53,080 --> 00:45:00,720 Speaker 4: Get connected to the house, you operate to your maximum capacity. 588 00:45:01,480 --> 00:45:06,840 Speaker 4: Come on and give God some praise right now. Hey, 589 00:45:07,719 --> 00:45:12,080 Speaker 4: he gave you a purpose, but your purpose is connected 590 00:45:12,120 --> 00:45:13,120 Speaker 4: to other people. 591 00:45:14,560 --> 00:45:17,200 Speaker 1: Here's the problem with our society. 592 00:45:17,719 --> 00:45:25,680 Speaker 4: We have elevated individualism over everything else. Being you and 593 00:45:25,800 --> 00:45:29,640 Speaker 4: being an individual is at the highest. 594 00:45:29,120 --> 00:45:31,080 Speaker 1: Premium and value. 595 00:45:31,239 --> 00:45:36,880 Speaker 4: The problem with that is when individualism is the highest value. 596 00:45:38,040 --> 00:45:45,160 Speaker 4: Oh God help me say this, we end up cannibalizing 597 00:45:46,320 --> 00:45:53,160 Speaker 4: each other our gifts, our talents, and our dreams to 598 00:45:53,360 --> 00:45:57,800 Speaker 4: climb to the top of the tower of success, only 599 00:45:57,880 --> 00:46:01,120 Speaker 4: to find out that loneliness is the name of the 600 00:46:01,239 --> 00:46:05,480 Speaker 4: hotel and there is no one else there but us. 601 00:46:05,960 --> 00:46:14,919 Speaker 4: We made it, but we're alone. I want to be connected. 602 00:46:17,560 --> 00:46:26,680 Speaker 4: We want autonomy, not attachment. That's why we've been datinger 603 00:46:27,760 --> 00:46:31,839 Speaker 4: for ten years. I got a guitar string right here, 604 00:46:32,960 --> 00:46:42,480 Speaker 4: we can get it right today. That's why we go 605 00:46:42,560 --> 00:46:48,799 Speaker 4: into the job looking for the back door, because we 606 00:46:48,880 --> 00:46:53,320 Speaker 4: think autonomy is the greatest aspiration. 607 00:46:54,600 --> 00:46:55,279 Speaker 1: God. 608 00:46:57,760 --> 00:47:04,600 Speaker 4: But when that happens, we limit ourselves. Now here's the 609 00:47:04,600 --> 00:47:13,400 Speaker 4: beautiful thing. You just play one string, just one. Wow, 610 00:47:16,480 --> 00:47:22,600 Speaker 4: isn't that impressive? Play that string one more time? 611 00:47:25,080 --> 00:47:27,480 Speaker 1: Special, it's special. 612 00:47:29,680 --> 00:47:32,360 Speaker 4: Now, now play it in harmony with some other strings, 613 00:47:32,400 --> 00:47:37,680 Speaker 4: like maybe just a chord. Okay, so that it's a 614 00:47:37,760 --> 00:47:40,960 Speaker 4: little bit better. Okay, Now give me just like a 615 00:47:41,040 --> 00:47:44,399 Speaker 4: little something where you use the fretboard a little bit 616 00:47:44,440 --> 00:47:46,160 Speaker 4: and just move on it just a little bit. 617 00:47:47,239 --> 00:48:10,200 Speaker 1: Uh huh, go ahead, eat you better play Yay, I'll 618 00:48:10,239 --> 00:48:11,480 Speaker 1: catch the hole it goes right. 619 00:48:11,520 --> 00:48:11,719 Speaker 3: Now. 620 00:48:16,440 --> 00:48:21,760 Speaker 1: Here's the interesting thing. You know, what creates the sound, 621 00:48:23,960 --> 00:48:24,520 Speaker 1: the tension. 622 00:48:29,760 --> 00:48:33,319 Speaker 4: See, so many of us want autonomy and not attachment 623 00:48:33,400 --> 00:48:44,040 Speaker 4: because we don't want tension. But where you feel the 624 00:48:44,200 --> 00:48:56,000 Speaker 4: tension is where you find your purpose. I'm not free 625 00:48:59,040 --> 00:49:03,439 Speaker 4: to just fling around out here and do my thing. 626 00:49:04,360 --> 00:49:09,200 Speaker 4: There's no sound that can be developed because there is 627 00:49:09,280 --> 00:49:15,520 Speaker 4: no tension. But when you are connected to Christ, who 628 00:49:15,640 --> 00:49:19,480 Speaker 4: has become the head of the church, and you are 629 00:49:19,640 --> 00:49:23,959 Speaker 4: connected to the body, and you are willing to put 630 00:49:24,000 --> 00:49:31,399 Speaker 4: yourself in tension, you become God's in tension for the 631 00:49:31,440 --> 00:49:32,560 Speaker 4: body that. 632 00:49:32,520 --> 00:49:35,359 Speaker 1: You are serving. Here's how I want to tell you. 633 00:49:35,920 --> 00:49:42,279 Speaker 1: If you see a problem, you're probably the solution. If 634 00:49:42,280 --> 00:49:43,560 Speaker 1: you wish my church. 635 00:49:43,360 --> 00:49:46,399 Speaker 4: Did this, and my church did that, and my church 636 00:49:46,520 --> 00:49:48,520 Speaker 4: did this, and my church did that. 637 00:49:48,840 --> 00:49:49,920 Speaker 1: If you're able to. 638 00:49:49,960 --> 00:49:54,399 Speaker 4: Recognize the problem, why don't you recognize yourself as the 639 00:49:54,480 --> 00:49:58,239 Speaker 4: solution Because the thing that you see is the thing 640 00:49:58,280 --> 00:50:06,239 Speaker 4: that you can solve. So instead of criticizing what the 641 00:50:06,360 --> 00:50:10,160 Speaker 4: church isn't doing, why need you get yourself connected to 642 00:50:10,280 --> 00:50:15,319 Speaker 4: the body so that He can do something supernatural through you. 643 00:50:17,880 --> 00:50:20,880 Speaker 1: Come on and give doc pray for the church. I 644 00:50:21,600 --> 00:50:28,720 Speaker 1: still love the church. I still love the church. Where's 645 00:50:28,760 --> 00:50:29,280 Speaker 1: the band? 646 00:50:29,360 --> 00:50:29,560 Speaker 3: Then? 647 00:50:32,719 --> 00:50:33,600 Speaker 1: Clock is right? 648 00:50:39,440 --> 00:50:39,600 Speaker 3: Who? 649 00:50:40,719 --> 00:50:44,560 Speaker 4: God wants to accomplish something and He's going to use 650 00:50:44,640 --> 00:50:48,080 Speaker 4: his church to do it. Your gift was designed to 651 00:50:48,239 --> 00:50:52,400 Speaker 4: impact the church, not just the culture. 652 00:50:54,239 --> 00:50:55,200 Speaker 1: Don't let your. 653 00:50:55,080 --> 00:50:59,120 Speaker 4: Life down for the culture. Don't let your family down 654 00:50:59,160 --> 00:51:03,480 Speaker 4: for the culture. Lay it down for the church. Because 655 00:51:03,520 --> 00:51:07,120 Speaker 4: God has designed the church to declare Jesus on the 656 00:51:07,239 --> 00:51:12,480 Speaker 4: mountain and Jesus in the streets, Jesus in the ghetto, 657 00:51:13,120 --> 00:51:18,520 Speaker 4: Jesus in the white House, Jesus in every country, Jesus 658 00:51:18,680 --> 00:51:19,880 Speaker 4: on every continent. 659 00:51:20,160 --> 00:51:22,320 Speaker 1: He wants to use you to do it. 660 00:51:22,320 --> 00:51:26,680 Speaker 4: It's more revolutionary than apple, It's more valuable than an NFT, 661 00:51:27,239 --> 00:51:28,400 Speaker 4: It's more virtuous in. 662 00:51:28,440 --> 00:51:32,200 Speaker 1: A social agenda. It's more accelearating than space X. 663 00:51:32,600 --> 00:51:37,720 Speaker 4: It is His son, and the case up Hell shall 664 00:51:37,880 --> 00:51:40,120 Speaker 4: not prevail against it. 665 00:51:40,760 --> 00:51:44,080 Speaker 1: From on eleft the church, raise a sound. 666 00:51:43,760 --> 00:51:46,839 Speaker 4: Of praise in a worship in this place as a 667 00:51:46,880 --> 00:51:50,359 Speaker 4: fresh commitment to what God wants to do wrong. 668 00:51:54,000 --> 00:51:56,560 Speaker 2: Hey, I hope you enjoyed the podcast, and if you did, 669 00:51:57,080 --> 00:51:59,640 Speaker 2: make sure to share it and subscribe so we can 670 00:51:59,680 --> 00:52:02,319 Speaker 2: get you all of these new messages as soon as 671 00:52:02,320 --> 00:52:05,120 Speaker 2: they're available. I also want to take a moment and 672 00:52:05,200 --> 00:52:07,000 Speaker 2: thank all of you who are a part of Elevation. 673 00:52:07,520 --> 00:52:10,840 Speaker 2: Whether you support us financially, or serve with us, or 674 00:52:11,239 --> 00:52:13,960 Speaker 2: just share these messages, it's because of you that we're 675 00:52:13,960 --> 00:52:16,920 Speaker 2: able to reach people all around the world. And if 676 00:52:16,920 --> 00:52:19,439 Speaker 2: you want more information on how to be a part 677 00:52:19,440 --> 00:52:21,719 Speaker 2: of Elevation, click the link. 678 00:52:21,600 --> 00:52:22,360 Speaker 3: In the description. 679 00:52:22,880 --> 00:52:23,880 Speaker 1: Thanks again for listening. 680 00:52:23,880 --> 00:52:27,239 Speaker 2: Make sure to leave a review, share the message and subscribe. 681 00:52:27,520 --> 00:52:36,960 Speaker 3: God bless you.