You Don't Have to Be a People-pleaser

 

He is the God of the Miraculous

Yesterday morning, during my prayer time, I was captivated by God's miraculous nature.  I was preparing for my day and anticipating having lunch with Pastor Chris and a friend who has been a tremendous blessing to Transformation House over the past 9 months.  At the same time, I didn't want this to just be another ho-hum day.  In my prayer I began to rehearse miracles from Biblical times:  blind eyes that were opened, lame people who were healed, children who were raised from the dead, the day the sun stood still. 

"God, if you did all those things, You are certainly capable of opening doors for me today and leading me to divine appointments with the right people, at the right time."

This phrase came to my mind, "He is able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all that we are able to ask or think according to the power that works within us."

Lunch on Main Street, Greenville

Well, I met Pastor Chris and our friend for lunch.  We shared our hopes and vision for future ministry opportunities in downtown Greenville.  Our friend said, "There's somebody you need to meet."  He picked up his phone and made a call then asked if we wanted to ride a few blocks to meet this guy.  Of course we did!

I won't go into the details here, but before the afternoon was over, we had met three different people who are investing blood, sweat, tears, and dollars in ministry to people in downtown Greenville.  Each one of these men were encouraging and offered their support as we take our next leap of faith.  Chris and I spent the entire afternoon downtown.  We now have four different buildings that are possible locations for Transformation House.  And that's just the beginning!

Our families went to RWOC for the evening service.  One of the first songs we sang was He's Able by Deitrick Haddon.  Then, Pastor Steven Ward got up and told us that we need to keep knocking until God opens the door but that we shouldn't expect Him to open a door if we aren't knocking. 

After worship, Pastor Ben Miller preached a GREAT word on dealing with frustrations.  I won't describe his message here because I believe every word was straight from God's heart to mine.  But, he ended by reading Ephesians 3:20 - you know, the verse that says God is "able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us."

At Transformation House, we are believing for great things.  While we're believing, we're working as if it depends on us, knocking and expecting the door to open, asking knowing He will answer, bleeding because it's a cause worth dying for, praying because we know it depends on God alone, giving because if it's worth having, someone else needs it too, and living like King's kids.

Wouldn't you like to be a Transformer too?

O Come Let Us Adore Him

Since I grew up in church, and I have spent many years as a pastor and worship leader, I kind of think that I've seen it all.  I have worshiped in small, quiet chapels and in stadiums with up to 60,000 people.  I've sat all alone on the beach meditating on God's word, and I've sung and prayed at the top of my lungs while driving down a busy Interstate.  I have stood quietly with tears streaming down my cheeks as I contemplated God's goodness.  Sometimes, I just can't be still or quiet; God's grace is so overwhelming that the joy inside can only be expressed through jumping or dancing or running or clapping or lifting my hands.

As I said, I've been in church for quite a few years.  I've seen it all - and even participating in some of it!  During some of those years, I thought there was a right way and a wrong way to worship God.  I've even heard other ministers ridicule from the pulpit a worship style that was different from theirs.  I read books and heard sermons on the "worship war" - in fact, I think I even preached one myself. 

After all these years, I've come to this conclusion: God loves variety.  If you think one particular style is the only correct one, you probably should read the Book again.  If you can worship only when you're comfortable, you're probably not worshiping God in the first place.  It sounds more like you're worshiping yourself.  I think that's really the only worship war: the war over who we will worship.

Chris and I recently met with a member of my advisory team.  We discussed the kind of music we want to use at Transformation House, and I asked him about the worship at his church.  During the conversation, he said, "I don't think the style is what matters. What matters is that you give people an encounter with God during the worship time."  Exactly! 

FAMILY FUN DAY

Today we had an afternoon in Cleveland Park in downtown Greenville. The kids had a great time on the playground. Gavin fell from the top of the bars and claimed he broke his finger. (He was fine.) But we weren't there just for fun; we had a family meeting to discuss how to carry out the vision God has given us.

We are looking forward to having a place of ministry in downtown Greenville and believe that it is now time to step out in faith to see it happen. We will be having weekly family meetings that will become open Bible studies in time. This is how we believe the Lord is directing us to start Greenville's Transformation House, a church that we hope will eventually have continual ministry 24/7.