Pastor Perry Noble

This year at the Newspring Leadership Conference, Pastor Perry Noble was the first speaker.  Pastor Perry Noble is the pastor at Newspring Church.  Newspring has five locations across South Carolina.  His church is 11 years old and they average 12,000 people in attendance in a weekend.

Five Things We Need to Create a Church That is on Fire... John 2:1-11

1. An awareness of presence (John 2:1-2)
Jesus never showed up and the place got more boring! When the presence of Jesus is there, there is potential for a miracle.  Focusing on the presence of Jesus will make us fearless.  Why fear something so small when our God is so big?  We don't want to do church without Jesus.

2. A desperation for His voice (John 2:3-5)
We are more desperate for a code or a fix than just letting God do His thing.  The Bible says to do whatever He tells you!  We need to spend more time on our face asking Him what He wants our church to do.

3. A realization of what He has given us (John 2:6)
The vessel for the miracle was already in the house.  We focus too much time on what we do not have.  Be faithful and use what we already fave!  God has planted potential for a miracle in our House!

4. A desire to work hard (John 2:7-10)
Jesus told them to fill the jars.  It would have taken them hours and hundreds of trips to fill all the jars.  They were willing to work hard.  We don't think about working hard.  The servants were willing to work for the miracle.  It wasn't easy to fill the jars.  We need to be willing to perspire!  We have to be ready to make tough calls and have difficult conversations.

5. A desire for people to see Him clearly (John 2:11)
You have to talk to Jesus and use His name!  The amount of wine they had amounted to 908 bottles.  The reason He made 908 bottles of wine wasn't to have 908 bottles of wine.  It was so they would see Him clearly!  Who could deny that??  We are a temporary container.  Life is a gift.  Eternity is reality.  If our life sucks - we probably had a part in that!

Can people walk into the church and just see Jesus?


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All of that is directly from my notes.  It is all straight from Pastor Perry Nobles mouth.  It was an amazing sermon.  This can apply to anyone.  A church staff member, a church volunteer, a small group leader, or just someone who attends a church! 

As an Elevator, number 3 made me think of The Code, "We think inside the box." 

Tomorrow, I will speak about Pastor Steven Furtick's message! 

Newspring Leadership Conference 2011

Last year, I had the priveledge of attending the Newspring Leadership Conference as a guest of Elevation.  It was incredible.  This year, I debated buying the $99 ticket to attend this year.  I kept putting it off, and then the price went up.  I just didn't have the money to buy the tickets.

Two weeks before the conference, Jessica Bealer emailed me and asked me to attend as her guest.  I hesitated.  I knew how special it was to be asked to attend again.  But, I didn't want to overstep my boundaries at work.  They are so good to me, I didn't want to ask!  After persuasion from family and friends, I decided to ask.  My boss said yes! 

So, last Thursday, I had the privilege of attending the Newspring Leadership Conference, AGAIN!  It was an amazing day.  Seven amazing pastors from around our country poured into a thousand plus leaders in the church.  It was amazing. 

This week, I am going to write about one speaker a day.  Please come back tomorrow to hear what Pastor Perry Noble of Newspring church in South Carolina had to say.

Prayer

Keep alert and pray.

Otherwise temptation will overpower you.

For though the spirit is willing enough, the body is weak!

Matthew 26:41

God put it on my heart to come before you today and tell you to keep praying.  I don't know who this is for, or what your situation is.  But, keep praying. 

Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer,

believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

Mark 11:24



Many of you know about the situation I was in at work.  In case you don't, I will bring you up to speed.  At my previous job, I was constantly being tested by God to remain faithful.  I hated my job.  I would leave work crying on a daily basis, and several days a week I would break down in tears at work.  I hated my job.  I would pray the drive to work, the whole day at work, and the entire drive home for Him to rescue me from the situation I was in.  I strongly believe that the Lord feels our pain.  So, I was confident He felt my pain.  I just couldn't understand why for over a year I had to endure that pain.  I never lost faith.  I knew that He put me there for a reason.  For over a year, I would pray constantly that He show me what I need to be doing differently and bring me out of that situation.

Another thing that I believe is that the longer we endure a difficult situation, the greater the reward will be in the end.  The shred of hope that I held onto was that when I was able to leave there, my reward was going to be far greater than I could ever imagine.

Guess what!  He came through!  At the beginning of the summer, He brought me out of my previous job and a job far greater than I could ever imagine.  I have yet to regret the decision of leaving.  Everyday I come before Him with thanksgiving.  He didn't have to do all the He has done for me.

I tell you this story as I story of encouragement.  I spent over a year in what I thought was hell on Earth.  I stayed because He instructed me to.  I had faith that He had a plan.  I was confident that He would pull me out when the time was right.  I knew that He would reward me for staying faithful.

Please.... Don't give up.  He is a good and faithful God.  He will bring you out of this.  Stay faithful.  Continue to pray.  Expect that He will do nothing that the best for you.  You will come out of your struggle are much stronger person.  I promise!!!

Rejoice always,

pray continually,

give thanks in all circumstances;

for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

If you need a partner in prayer, please leave a comment or email me.  I am more than happy to partner with you in prayer.  I will stand beside you in whatever you are struggling with.  The Lord is a good God.  No matter what you are dealing with, I know that He will come through for you, too!

The Good Life

Happy Labor Day!

The past couple weeks I have had the song, Good Life by One Republic stuck in my head and on my heart to write about.  I typically would post the video to the song, but today Blogger is being difficult.  So, you will have to click the link above and watch the video for yourself!  Sorry!!

Oh this has gotta be the good life
This has gotta be the good life
This could really be a good life, good life

That is the chorus to this catchy new song.  There are a few things that I would like to tell the guys of One Republic and you!

He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.

Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall;

but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.

They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary,

they will walk and not be faint.

Isaiah 40:29-31

How powerful is that?  This is the good life!!  The guys of One Republic seem unsure if this is the good life or not.  I want to assure you that we are the redeemed.  We live the good life.  If we are in Christ Jesus, we have the good life!  We have the unfailing love of Jesus Christ. 

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:37-39

Nothing separates us from the love of Jesus.  This is the good life!!!  Take comfort in Romans 8:37-39.  There isn't anything that you can do to make Him leave you.  There isn't anything that you can do to make Him hate you.  We are living the good life.  We have the love of Jesus Christ on our side. 

But whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease,

without fear of harm.

Proverbs 1:33

Can it get any simpler than that?  This is the good life!  All we have to do is listen to him.  Listen to His direction in our life, and he will keep us safe and free of harm.

My prayer for you today is that you would stop wondering if this is the good life and take confidence in the fact that this is the good life.  If you have brought Christ into your life, you are living the best life possible! 

If these three weren't good enough for you, please pull out your Bible and read any of the ones below.  Any reason to doubt that we live the good life now? 



Genesis 18:14, Exodus 33:14, Joshua 1:8, 1 Samuel 2:2, Ezra 8:22, Job 42:2, Psalm 121:8, Ecclesiastes 3:14, Jeremiah 29:11, Nahum 1:7, Zephaniah 3:17, Matthew 11:28-29, Acts 17:27-28, Romans 10:9, Philippians 4:19, 2 Peter 1:4

Check out this link for multiple promises from God in each book of the Bible! 

Thankful Thursday

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.

Psalm 100:4

It is a lovely Thankful Thursday.  I have so much to be thankful for!! 

1.  My job.  I have the best employers in the world.  They shower me with appreciate, love and gifts.  I do not deserve a job as amazing as the one that I have.  I get to influence the children on such a personal level.  It is a great feeling to have such an influence on two children, and the parents as well.

2.  My church.  I am in love with my church.  I am so grateful to have found Elevation Church.  I will never take the opportunity to be a part of Elevation for granted.  In 10 days, I will get to see Northwestern High Schools auditorium fill with people from Rock Hill.  I can't wait to see lives changed there.

3. My family.  My family is such a blessing to me.  I can't get over how much they love and support me.  They will go to the end of the earth for me, and I am so thankful for that.

What are you thankful for?