You’ve probably heard that UNLEASH 09 is coming!
It’s going to ROCK.
And, I found out today from Tony that the ridiculously-low-super-duper-early-bird-registration ($39) ends Oct. 29th.
That’s a week from Wednesday for all you non-number people. You might want to take advantage of that.
You can register or get more info on Tony’s blog here. YEAH!
I sent an email the other day to my sister’s friend Caroline.
She is unchurched.
She is in law school.
Upon seeing “Majestic Programming Director” in my signature, she replied:
thanks for the pics.
hope things are good with you. i intend to require the word “majestic” in all of my future job titles.
caro
future majestic attorney at law
Interesting outside perspective, huh?
Brands matter.
Here’s the download from this weekend:
- Jesus moved in the service yesterday. Giving a van to a family with a disabled son AND giving a house to a single mom and her son was over the top. No one other than Jesus can get credit for that. It all points back to him.
- The video at the end of the service that recapped the food drive, homeland park Christmas, the playground, the home group service day, and cast vision for Greenville and Florence messed me up!
- Jesus really is making a difference in this community through NewSpring – one life at a time.
- I talked to a 6th grader yesterday who wanted a bible to give to her friend who doesn’t know Jesus. She actually has 2 friends who needed them. I think her comment was, “I need 2 bibles because I want to talk to my friends about Jesus.” OH MY DANG! That is so awesome….in the SIXTH GRADE!!!!!
- Yesterday was my last Sunday in Guest Services. It’s been a great run! Colleen will be coming in to take my place as I transition over to the kid’s area. Definitely bitter sweet, but it’s gonna be good!
- God hit me with this challenge over the weekend:
“Words are not mere words, you know. If they’re not backed by a godly life, they accumulate as poison in the soul.” 2 Tim 2:14
YIKES. Does your life match your words? Detox anyone?
In roaming around the office this morning I happened to bump into Mark – he’s the Chaplain at the prison in FL where this letter originated. Recap:
- He and about 70 guys gather every Tuesday to watch NewSpring sermons.
- Recently, 6 guys stood up to receive Christ during an Illuminate message.
- He was at NewSpring yesterday to see it firsthand.
- He came to the office this morning before heading back to FL.
A few of us talked with him for about 30 minutes and I was absolutely blown away by the insight he shared
- He works at a maximum security prison.
- About 75% of the inmates are serving a life sentence.
- Anyone who attends their chapel service has to plan ahead to get permission to go.
- About 70 guys attend regularly.
- There are over 1,700 inmates total.
It was incredible to talk to him.
NewSpring, we’ve caught another glimpse of how God is using this church to change peoples’ lives far beyond Anderson. Even so far as prisoners in FL.
What an honor it is to be a part of something so huge.
Look at this letter that came in from a prisoner at Century Correctional Institution in Century, Florida:
“Hello NewSpring, I hope this letter finds all of you doing well. We watch NewSpring every Tuesday morning and it’s always a blessing. Lee McDerment and the rest of the guys rock. We are convinced the one gal who sings (the brunette) is the woman from the group Watermark. Please tell them we have had our “faces melted off!”
Today, due to some crazy weather, we had to improvise our afternoon chapel service. We showed week two of the illuminate series, you preached on, “nailing it down”, putting Jesus into our heart and receiving Christ. When you gave the call to stand up six men in our chapel stood up and received Christ. It was amazing!
I am chapel clerk (kind of like a deacon, only I don’t smoke or curse). It is moments like the one today that makes me love my job. I look forward to continuing in a similar position when I am released. It’s all about Jesus!”
Praise the LORD! God is doing a HUGE work that is bigger than any of us can imagine!
God taught me a valuable lesson this past Sunday.
THE NUGGET: Walk in confidence when the Lord speaks because He is the one who will finish the work.
Now, before I get into the story you need to know that I hate (loath/detest/despise/abhor/cringe at/can’t stand) confrontation. God did not wire me to embrace it and see it as “an opportunity for success.” Although those are healthy responses to conflict, they are not my natural tendencies. I WANT TO RUN! QUICKLY! IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION!!
I’m sure no one else perceives conflict that way though.
So…to make a long story even longer…I’ve sensed the Lord telling me that all this cowardly foolishness of running away from confrontation is over. It’s time to learn to deal with it. It’s time to woman up and tackle the tough conversations that God has placed before me. It’s time to lead.
It’s about obedience. It’s about listening to what the Lord says and then doing it. Presenting the truth in love.
And then…when push back comes we can walk forward in confidence because of what the Lord has done. When we know it’s from him, we know the results are up to him and the hearts involved belong to him. It isn’t a reflection of me because I’m not the one doing it. It is the Lord.
It’s a glorious thing.
Just got back from an off site retreat with my team.
#1. They are awesome
#2. All women = laying out at lunch
#3. Holy crap…lot’s to do!
My friend/co-worker Shane Duffey blogs now.
You should read what he writes.
Regularly.
Here’s a download of what I’ve been reading in the Message lately – specifically, Romans 12-16:
- “The only accurate way to understand ourselves is by what God is and by what he does for us, not by what we are and what we do for him.”
- “Love from the center of who you are. Don’t fake it.”
- “Don’t burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant. Don’t quit in hard times; pray all the harder.”
- “Discover beauty in everyone.”
- “Don’t run up debts, except for the huge debt of love you owe each other.”
- “The night is about over, dawn is about to break. Be up and awake to what God is doing.” (not easy for us night people!)
- “Welcome with open arms fellow believers who don’t see things the way you do.”
- “You’re fortunate if your behavior and your belief are coherent. But if you’re not sure, if you notice that you are acting in ways inconsistent with what you believe – some days trying to impose your opinions on others, other days just trying to please them – then you know that you’re out of line. If the way you live isn’t consistent with what you believe, then it’s wrong.”
- “Strength is for service, not status. Each one of us needs to look after the good of the people around us, asking ourselves, ‘How can I help?’ That’s exactly what Jesus did.”
- “All the nations of the world can now know the truth and be brought into obedient belief.”
The trip to Charlotte was amazing, on so many levels.
For starters, Skye, Catherine and I are a dangerous trio. We work well and play well together which is a great combo for ministry. Plus, I like to play so that works out well. Our abs hurt from laughing so hard, and that was just in the car ride on the way up.
On the flip side, they are both incredibly sharp and when we put our heads together we get to 30,000 feet. That’s where big ideas happen.
Here are some random highlights from the trip:
- Did you know that Canadian geese hang out at the Wal-Marts in Charlotte? We cut across to get coffee at a nearby Dunkin Donuts and we almost hit one. It just stood there in the middle of the aisle. Whattheheck.
- Elevation’s office building looks like it came straight out of Plesantville. And everything is orange. I appreciated that.
- They have cool stuff on the walls at their office. A framed poster from every series and a story board.
- Larry, Candice, and Gene were incredibly professional and well prepared.
- Portable meetings are another world, especially when they’re in an old folks home. 🙂
- 36 of 50 Guest Services leaders attended. I saw real passion on their faces. They came ready to take notes and listen. They are the real deal.
- We drove Skye’s car because my radiator has been acting up. On the way home her car overheated. How ironic.
Here are some quotes that I took from our meeting:
- “You and I who know Christ are here to create an environment where people can meet him.”
- “I want you so captivated by the gospel that you are willing to do whatever it takes to make it happen.”
- “If you’re a leader, you will get your people will feel what you feel.”
- “If all you see is a checklist, you’re not a leader.”
Dang. More to come.
Sydneyolin.com 