Posts Tagged ‘REVOLUTION’

WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL WITH DROPPING BOMBS?

Posted: July 14, 2011 in Faith, Life, Ministry, People, Spirituality, The Bible
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What’s the big deal with dropping bombs? AKA…swearing, cursing, having a potty mouth, using fowl language, etc.

I mean…they’re just words, right? One day somebody somewhere just made them up. What possible damage could they cause others or myself?

To be honest, this is kind of a tricky subject to tackle because the Bible doesn’t really give us a list of words to say and words to not say. Although the Bible doesn’t say to stay away from a specific list of words, the Bible does say a lot about what comes out of our mouths – our words.

So…what’s the big deal with our words?

1. YOUR WORDS REFLECT YOUR HEART.

Whatever is in your heart (on the inside) will come out in your speech. The question isn’t “Are you full of it?” The question is “What are you full of?” If you are full of bad things like anger, pride, perversion, and disrespect, then your words will be full of those things. If you are full of good things like love, joy, peace, purity, kindness, God’s Word, and holiness, then your words will reflect that.

Jesus puts it this way in Matthew 12:34-37…”For whatever is in your heart determines what you say. A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak. The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you.”

2. YOUR WORDS AFFECT YOUR INFLUENCE.

Influence is everything. We all have influence. The questions isn’t if we have influence; the question is what we do with our influence. Everything we say effects our influence either positively or negatively. Every word you say either adds or subtracts your influence. Every Facebook status update, every tweet can affect your influence.

As a Christian, your influence can lead to other people getting saved. Your influence can lead to more people spending eternity in heaven. And every single soul is a big deal. Our goal should be to see as many people saved and having the hope & life that can only come through a relationship with Jesus.

3. YOUR WORDS BRING EITHER LIFE OR DEATH.

The very words you speak have the power to immediately bring life or bring death into whatever situation you are in. Your words can literally change the atmosphere. Proverbs 18:21 says…”The tongue can bring death or life.”

Q: How do we make sure we are bringing life with our words and not death?

A: We T-H-I-N-K before we speak.

  • Truth of God’s Word – Is what I say going to line up with the Bible?
  • Helpful – Is what I say going to help someone or a situation?
  • Inspire – Is what I say going to inspire people?
  • Needed – Is what I say needed or necessary?
  • Kind – Is what I say kind?

If the answer to anyone of these questions is “NO”, then you have no business opening your mouth.

Ephesians 4:29-5:2 puts it this way…”Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them…Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.”

Trust me. Your words are a big deal.

_________________

***Message notes from REVOLUTION on Wednesday, July 13, 2011.

THE PURPOSE OF SEX

Posted: March 13, 2011 in Culture, Faith, Life, Ministry, People, Spirituality, The Bible
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The world is trying to sell us a backwards view of sex. From TV, movies, commercials, music, media, to Internet, we are constantly being bombarded with this backwards view of sex. It’s everywhere.

And we are living in a Christian community with the simple message of “don’t do it” and “just say no”. Why? Because you could get pregnant. Because you could get a disease. Because you will sin.

Growing up with this constant message of “don’t do it”, I began asking myself, “Why in the world did God create sex? It has to be more than just making babies and populating the earth.”

In this state of questioning, God began to reveal something (about the purpose of sex) that  I had never heard before. And it all starts with creation.

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

Most of us are familiar with the creation story described in the first chapter of Genesis. God creates light, sky, land, oceans, trees, plants, the sun, the moon, stars, birds, fish, animals, and everything else on Earth. After everything God created, the Bible says that he looked down and declared “THIS IS GOOD!”

But God was not done creating.

God saves his best creation for last. He (along with Jesus and the Holy Spirit) decide to make something special. Something different than everything else they had already created. Something they could love and have a relationship with. Something made in the image of God. Something that has all of God’s attributes.

So they make man (Adam).

And after God makes people, the Bible says that God looked down and declared “THIS IS VERY GOOD!”

Then God looked down at Adam and said, “You know what would be even better? Ladies!” So God puts Adam into a deep sleep, amputates a rib, and forms Eve (woman).

Here’s the point…

If man was made in the image of God and encapsulates all the great attributes of God and then God creates woman out of man, suddenly the COMPLETE image of God is now two places. Suddenly man does not have all the attributes of God – woman has some. Now there are two separate things that have different attributes of God – men don’t have the women’s and women don’t have the men’s.

Like those old school, cheesy best friend necklaces that are torn in half (one half saying “Be / Fri”, the other half saying “st / ends”), now the image of God is in two places.

Then God creates this awesome thing called sex. And the 2 become 1 by this adhesive that is so strong that it can put the image of God back together.

So the purpose of sex is so much bigger than making babies and populating the earth. Sex is the super-strong adhesive that puts the complete image of God back together.

(Material used in the REVOLUTION series – XES. Major thanks to Gateway Church student pastor Ben Pirtle for hooking me up with a lot of this material.)

 

LOVE ADVICE – PICK-UP LINES

Posted: March 1, 2011 in Funny, Life, Ministry, People
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LOVE ADVICE – COLOGNE

Posted: February 28, 2011 in Funny, Life, Ministry, People
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LOVE ADVICE – VALENTINE’S DAY

Posted: February 22, 2011 in Funny, Life, Ministry, People
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XES

Posted: February 16, 2011 in Faith, Life, Ministry, People, Spirituality
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The world is selling us a backwards view of sex (XES). We are constantly bombarded with this backwards view through TV, movies, music, advertising, and the Internet.

During the REVOLUTION February series, XES, you will hear about God’s plan for purity, dating, relationships, sexuality, and God’s view of sex. We will be answering questions like “What’s the Purpose of Sex?” and “Is there a reason to pursue purity or are we just supposed to run from impurity?”

If you are a 6th-12th grade student in the Oklahoma City metro area, check us out.

Wedne

_______________________

REVOLUTION

Wednesdays, 7:00-8:15pm (Doors open at 6:30pm)

NORTHchurch

TWOFIFTYTWO

Posted: February 6, 2011 in Books, Culture, Faith, Life, Ministry, People, Spirituality, The Bible
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In the book Essential Church, best-selling author Tom Rainer writes that some 70% of students between the ages of 18 and 22 dropout of church.

This is a statistic that I and the entire leadership at NORTHchurch want to change. That is why we have intentionality put into place opportunities for students to not disconnect from the church. Our desire is to reverse this troubling trend within our sphere of influence.

That’s where TWOFIFTYTWO comes in.

TWOFIFTYTWO is a part-time student internship for high school and college students (16-22 year olds) at NORTHchurch. This experience will add value to their lives and help them grow in their relationship with God like never before. This 12-week internship is designed to provide students with the greatest and most significant semester of their lives.

The Bible urges us to give our all to advancing the Lord’s work here on earth. However, even Jesus journeyed through a season of preparation before His ministry began. The only verse in the Bible that describes the areas in which Jesus was trained is Luke 2:52. That verse states Jesus-growth process in four areas: wisdom, stature, favor with God, and favor with men. For that reason, we focus specifically on the same four areas.

TWOFIFTYTWO is designed to disciple and help students grow through a variety of fun and exciting adventures, city-changing outreaches, dynamic classroom teaching, worship, prayer, Bible study, and active involvement at NORTHchurch.

Today started  the second semester of TWOFIFTYTWO. Last Fall, 9 incredible students completed the inaugural semester of TWOFIFTYTWO. Here is a glimpse of their experience…

I am proud to say that 21 students have stepped up to the plate. These 21 high school and college students will make up the Spring 2011 class of TWOFIFTYTWO. It is going to be an amazing semester. I can’t wait to see them grow in their relationship with God, in their relationship with each other, and use their gifts to serve the local church.

At NORTHchurch, we refuse to let our students between the ages of 16-22 years become another stat.

REVOLUTION SUMMER TOUR 2011

Posted: January 27, 2011 in Faith, Life, Ministry, People, Spirituality, Travel
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Every summer REVOLUTION offers a variety of mission trip and camp experiences that we call the REVOLUTION SUMMER TOUR. I am pumped to announce that there will be six stops (four mission trips and two camps) this summer.

Here the official stops and details of the REVOLUTION SUMMER TOUR 2011:

SULPHUR SPRINGS WORKCAMP | SSWC2011

  • facebook.com/eat.sleep.serve
  • For ALL middle school & high school students (current 6th-12th graders)
  • June 5-9, 2011
  • Sulphur Springs, Texas
  • SSWC is a low-cost, close-to-home mission trip, founded and directed by me, where students from different denominations come together to paint and restore homes in the Sulphur Springs, TX area. There will also be nightly worship experiences where students will intimately connect with God. Our annual Six Flags trip will also be combined with this experience.
  • $150 (includes Six Flags)

LOS ANGELES DREAM CENTER MISSION TRIP

  • dreamcenter.org
  • REVOLUTION students ages 15 and up
  • June 20-27, 2011
  • Los Angeles, California
  • The LA Dream Center serves the city of Los Angeles with over 273 ministries and outreaches to reach thousands of people every week. Students will be given the opportunity to work alongside the ministries of the Dream Center and to attend services at one of the largest churches in the country.
  • $1000*

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC MISSION TRIP

  • missionofmercy.org
  • All NORTHchurch Mission Trip
  • July 16-22, 2011*
  • Moca, Dominican Republic
  • This will be a NORTHchurch Medical Mission Trip with a full medical & dental clinic.
  • $1500*

HAITI MISSION TRIP

  • mohhaiti.org
  • All NORTHchurch Mission Trip
  • July 16-22, 2011*
  • Port au Prince, Haiti
  • This will be a NORTHchurch construction mission trip with special ministry to orphans. We will be rebuilding homes and ministering in the area of the epicenter of the January 2010 earthquake.
  • $1500*

REVOLUTION SUMMER CAMP – HIGH SCHOOL

  • Current 9th-12th grade high school students
  • July 7-11, 2011
  • Glen Rose, Texas
  • Students will have a blast as they grow in their relationship with God and others through a camp experience with hundreds of other students. REVOLUTION attends camp experiences with Gateway Church in Southlake, TX.
  • $300*

REVOLUTION SUMMER CAMP – MIDDLE SCHOOL

  • Current 6th-8th grade middle school students
  • July 29-August 2, 2011
  • Waxahachie, Texas
  • Students will have a blast as they grow in their relationship with God and others through a camp experience with hundreds of other students. REVOLUTION attends camp experiences with Gateway Church in Southlake, TX.
  • $300*

* = Estimated. Subject to slight change.

**Limited spots available on all trips. All trips are on a first come, first serve basis.

***ALL SIGNUPS BEGIN SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2011.

FRIENDS WHO WILL TEAR A ROOF OFF FOR YOU

Posted: January 13, 2011 in Faith, Friends, Life, Ministry, People, Spirituality, The Bible
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Friends are extremely important. In fact, your friends and relationships will determine the direction and quality of your life. Connecting with the right friends and making wise choices in your relationships is crucial.

The Bible speaks a lot about the importance of connecting with the right friends.

Check out Mark 2: 1-5 (NLT)…

When Jesus returned to Capernaum several days later, the news spread quickly that he was back home. Soon the house where he was staying was so packed with visitors that there was no more room, even outside the door. While he was preaching God’s word to them, four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man on a mat. They couldn’t bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, so they dug a hole through the roof above his head. Then they lowered the man on his mat, right down in front of Jesus. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “My child, your sins are forgiven.”

Let’s focus on the phrase “dug a hole through the roof”. Other translations say “made an opening”, “removed part of the roof”, and “uncovered the roof”.

It’s very easy to pass over this simple phrase. We often think the roof was some ancient, primitive, thatch roof. But that was not the case.

If you study 1st Century architecture, you will find that this specific roof was more than likely a mud clay (a lot like cement) roof with tiles. To lower the paralyzed man through the roof, they literally had to do major construction and demolition to the roof.

Can you imagine this picture? You’re in this packed house – wall to wall people – trying to listen to Jesus. All of a sudden you start to hear some banging on the roof. Then the roof begins to fall in on you. These friends literally tore the tiles off the roof, tore a hole in the roof, and lowered the paralyzed man by a rope into the house.

Imagine the people’s responses. I’d guess anger because they are there to listen to Jesus. They earned their spot. They got there early. He could have been in the middle of a life-changing sermon and they missed part of it because of the whole roof being torn open situation. What about that person who owned the house? That’s not a quick fix. That’s not a minor, cosmetic problem. That’s a huge hole in your roof.

Now look at Jesus’ response. “Seeing their faith…” Did you get that? The Bible does not say “seeing his faith”. No, the Bible says “seeing their faith”. Jesus didn’t rebuke them and say “Don’t you know how much a roof costs?” He didn’t say “Have you ever heard of a door?” No, he saw their faith and their lives were never the same.

Here’s the truth: the paralyzed man would have never gotten to Jesus or been healed without his friends.

DO YOU HAVE FRIENDS IN YOUR LIFE WHO WOULD TEAR OFF A ROOF FOR YOU?

From Week 2 of the REVOLUTION series CONNECT 4 entitled “Connecting with the Right Friends”.

 

CONNECT 4 STARTS TONIGHT!

Posted: January 5, 2011 in Faith, Life, Ministry, People, Spirituality
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REVOLUTION is starting a brand new 4-week series tonight called CONNECT 4.

In February 1974, Milton Bradley started selling the now popular board game “Connect Four”. The object of the game was simple: to connect four of one’s own discs of the same color next to each other vertically, horizontally, or diagonally before one’s opponent can do so. If you lined up four pieces in a row, you win.

In the series CONNECT 4 we will be discussing that if you want to win at the game of life, you need to be connected four specific ways: (1) connected to God, (2) connected with the right friends, (3) connected with the right mentors, and (4) connected to someone you have yet to meet.

CONNECT 4 is going to be an amazing series that will be filled with relevant/Biblical teaching, big surprises, a whole lot of fun, and much more.

_______________________

REVOLUTION

Wednesdays, 7:00-8:15pm (Doors open at 6:30pm)

NORTHchurch

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