• You absolutely are in love with the way things are
• You are increasingly obsessed with the people who hate and criticize you the most.  (Here are 7 difference between a coach and a critic, PART ONE & PART TWO & PART THREE)
• You are not hungry for wisdom. (Proverbs 4:5-7)
• You are not willing to make uncomfortable decisions. (Galatians 1:10)
• You are a people pleaser. (Proverbs 29:25)
• You are not willing to accept responsibility for where you are right now.  (The person who always has to blame is always lame!)
• You are not willing to speak the truth in love. (Ephesians 4:25)
• You are using people rather than valuing them.
• You are more in love with comfort than carrying your cross. (Luke 9:23)
• You never allow yourself to be exposed to new ideas and methods. (Isaiah 42:9, Isaiah 43:19, Isaiah 48:6)
• You take shortcuts (see Exodus 13:17-18)
• You expect people to read your mind and then hold them accountable for things you never actually said but rather just assumed they knew.  (Great leaders will leave you if you do this.)
• You do not hold people accountable to what they have said they will do.
• You are always looking for a fight instead of a solution. (II timothy 2:23)
• You are not begging God to reveal more of Himself to you.

#2 – Stop Asking God To Fix Your Spouse And Ask Him To Fix You – no one in any marriage is perfect…and when we stop pointing out all of our spouses perceived inadequacies it really does make us a much better person to be around.  (Psalm 139:23-24 is a GREAT prayer to pray when asking God to show you your very own “opportunities for improvement.”)

#3 – Ask For Help – you are NOT the first married couple that has ever struggled, you WON’T be the last.  The problem is that (especially in church) we are so obsessed with what people may say or think that we will allow our relationships to implode.  We cannot allow our desire for appearance to distort the reality that we need help!

#4 – Ask The Lord To Allow You To See Your Spouse Through His Eyes – this can/will absolutely CHANGE your perspective on who you are married to…because you see them less and less as your spouse and more and more as a son/daughter of the KING!!!  How do you think He wants His child to be treated?

#5 – Choose Right Now That You Are Always Going To Believe The Best About Your Spouse - Love always assumes the best about a person (see I Corinthians 13,) if you are always assuming the worst about the person you are married to then you have a major problem and are placing them in a no win situation.

#6 – Stop Seeing Your Spouse As Your Servant But Rather Your Opportunity To Serve – As long as you see them as your servant you will always be tempted to point out their shortcomings in regards to the ways they are not meeting your perceived needs.  However, if you see them as your opportunity to serve it will completely change the dynamic and temperature of the relationship.

#7 - Do WHATEVER IT TAKES To Get To Our REAL MARRIAGE EVENT (details here!) – trust me, this event is going to be one of THE BEST events our church has ever hosted, Mark & Grace Driscoll are great friends and what they are going to be sharing that weekend has the power and potential to revolutionize your marriage!!!  (As of now over 1,400 people have registered, that means there are less than 700 spots available, this event will sell out so I would recommend getting signed up ASAP!)

(And singles, this is for you as well…the best way to HAVE a great marriage is to actually prepare beforehand!)

#1 – This past Sunday was an AMAZING conclusion to our “All In” series as we saw 296 people stand and publicly acknowledge that they had repented of their sins and trusted Jesus as their Savior!  I’m still so excited I can’t see straight…we literally had someone receive Christ at every campus during every service!

#2 – A HUGE thank you to everyone who went all out to bring people this past Sunday…it impacted a lot of lives.  AND…for the ones who invited and the person didn’t come with you…OR they did come and did not respond, remember II Peter 3:9 and be patient with them as the Lord was patient with you!

#3 – AND…that 296 number does not include several salvations that happened after the service across all of our campuses…

• For example, I was able to talk with a woman who had been a Jehovah’s witness for years, came to NewSpring on Sunday, heard the Gospel and finally understood it wasn’t by her works but rather by grace she was saved.
• I had the honor of speaking to another woman on Sunday who came to NewSpring for the first time because her son invited her…she did not stand up and acknowledge she had surrendered her life to Christ…but after the service she did so by coming to the place we have for 1st time guests and letting a volunteer know

#4 – As I said all throughout this series it really is my prayer as your pastor that 2012 will be the GREATEST year of spiritual growth that you have ever experienced in your life!  I do praise God for a growing church; however, my biggest prayer is to have growing people in a growing church!!  I know that as a result of this series I will never look at the words of Jesus in Mark 12:30 the same way as He clearly challenges us to GO ALL IN!!!

#5 – If you did not get to see the service on Sunday then I would STRONGLY encourage you to go to the NewSpring Church website and watch!  Three people shared their stories (one of them being my incredible wife) about how they met Christ and I can honestly say it was one of the most powerful services we’ve ever experienced in our church.  AND…since then I have met so many people who have related to Lucretia’s story…how she had been in church all of her life but had never actually trusted Christ as her Lord and Savior!

#6 – This Sunday we begin a new series entitled, “Overwhelmed.”  (I wrote about it here yesterday in case you missed it.) I would ask you to keep me in your prayers this week as I am preparing to talk about issues that have so many people feeling hopeless and worthless.  This Sunday (February 12) I am going to specifically address how to stop feeling like you are dominated by everything that life throws at you…and then next Sunday (February 19) I am going to specifically deal with how I arrived at a place of depression and anxiety, what I learned in that time and what brought me through.  I’m continuing to pray through the specifics of this particular message; however, what I can tell you is that I keep feeling the Lord press into me to be as transparent and vulnerable as possible.  Saying that…I can promise you it’s going to be one of the most real and raw messages I’ve ever preached…and I’m begging Jesus to use it to bring hope and healing to people.

#7 – If you are the parents of a teenager (or if you are a teen) then PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE get registered for the Gauntlet (right here) ASAP!  It’s $275 until the end of March…and that’s when the price increases.  So…by getting signed up early you save some cash AND you solidify your spot on the list (last year we literally filled every space and had a HUGE waiting list!)  It’s going to be incredible…it’s absolutely one of my favorite weeks of the year!

That’s it for today…I LOVE MY CHURCH, the best is yet to come!!

AND…the most depressed and overwhelmed!

On Sunday, February 12 (THIS COMING SUNDAY) we are beginning a brand new series based out of the book of Daniel entitled, “Overwhelmed!” In it we are going to take a hard look at what the Scriptures say about worry, fear, anxiety and depression…and I am going to be sharing more of my three year battle with depression than I ever have in a public setting. PLEASE be in prayer for this series as we are expecting hundreds of people to meet Christ and many hundreds to find that they have hope because they are not alone in what they are battling through.

We can be overwhelmed OR we can overcome…and this Sunday the rubber meets the road!  I really am praying for hundreds of people to be set free in this series from issues that have kept people locked into a prison of anxiety, worry and fear!!!

I can’t wait!!!

• The goal of a leader isn’t to keep people happy but to keep people moving, which often times makes them not happy!
• The goal of a leader isn’t to get something out of people but rather to invest in them!
• The goal of a leader isn’t to DO all of the work, but to DELEGATE the work to the right people who can do it better than them anyway.
• The goal of a leader isn’t to merely identify problems but rather to initiate the solution to the problems.
• The goal of a leader isn’t to declare what he is against but rather define what he is for.
• The goal of a leader isn’t to fight but to figure out how to learn from those who have different opinions…and are actually willing to sit down and, in love, talk about the issues.
• The goal of a leader isn’t to be perfect but rather to give his best effort, knowing that he falls incredibly short unless God is involved.
• The goal of a leader isn’t to model perfection but rather to admit weaknesses, mistakes and shortcomings.
• The goal of a leader isn’t to solve every problem but rather to seek the counsel of those who know how to fix the problem.
• The goal of a leader isn’t to tear down but rather to build up.
• The goal of a leader isn’t to avoid tough conversations and situations but rather to take them head on with both conviction and compassion!
• The goal of a leader isn’t to wish for more time but rather to use his time wisely.
• The goal of a leader isn’t to make excuses but rather to make progress.
• The goal of a leader isn’t to get bitter but to get better when faced with an “opportunity for improvement.”
• The goal of a leader isn’t to be envious but rather to be a student of all that God is blessing.
• The goal of a leader isn’t to be secluded but rather to surround himself with the right time.
• The goal of a leader isn’t to be original but rather to understand that there really is nothing new under the sun!
• The goal of a leader isn’t to restrain the people he works with but rather to figure out how to UNLEASH them!

Just a few goals I am working on personally!  :-)

#1 – Acts 4:29-31…let’s be bold in the prayers we pray and the words we say and do all that we can to bring people to church this weekend as we are believing that God is going to do GREAT things as the Gospel is clearly communicated and lives will be impacted for eternity!

#2 – Anderson and Columbia campuses…remember that for this week only we will be moving our normal Sunday evening services to Saturday evening.  So, Columbia will have services this weekend on Saturday night at 6:00 and then Sunday at 9:15 & 11:15 with no Sunday night services.  Our Anderson campus will have services on Saturday evening at 4:00 and 6:00 and then Sunday at 9:15 & 11:15 with no Sunday night services.

(We will go back to our regular schedule the following Sunday!)  :-)

For those who are new to NewSpring I would love to take a minute or two to explain why we made the decision to do this…

This coming Sunday night is the Super Bowl, one of the most highly televised events in America.

I’ve been in church work for over 20 years and the one thing I can say is that attendance on Super Bowl Sunday night in church has always been awful!  (AND…the people who are there are pretending to be looking at youversion on their phone…but they are really checking the score of the game!)  :-)

One of the things that I heard Andy Stanley say last year is that one of the things the early church was obsessed with is making a difference and not making a point!  And that’s exactly what we feel like God has called us to do here at NewSpring Church…

Our church has existed for 12 years and anytime we’ve tried to compete with the Super Bowl…well, it just hasn’t gone well.  We’ve tried different approaches to remedy this, but nothing has worked, people just have NOT came to church…until…

Last year we made the decision to NOT try to make a point but rather make a difference!  We want people to come to church, and we think church should do whatever it takes to get people in the doors.  With that in mind we had the idea of moving our worship services from Sunday night to Saturday night.

When we did so a very small number of people raised a concern that this could be viewed as some sort of “compromise;” however, nothing could be further from the truth.  There isn’t a specific verse as to the number of services or service times a church has to have.  AND…we knew that in making this move that people were more likely to attend church on a Saturday evening and bring their friends with them…which meant more people hearing about Jesus…which meant more possibility for changed lives…which we’re all going to agree is a major WIN!

Yes, we could make a point by having a service in direct competition with the Super Bowl…or we could make a difference by making a change that allows us to reach more people and in no way compromises any Biblical command or precept.

AND, what’s even greater is that this move allows hundreds of small groups across every campus to host Super Bowl parties, which is another on ramp where they can invite their friends and family members who do not know Christ to come and experience Christian community.  Once again, that’s a win.

We will have more people at our church this weekend, more people hear about JESUS and more people meet Him as their Savior because we as a body of believers decided to not try to make a point but to make a difference…we did what we could to leverage what God has given us to reach more people for Jesus…

AND…none of us will have to miss those awesome commercial!

Can’t wait for this weekend!  I LOVE MY CHURCH!

#1 – He Uses The Phrase, “The Ball Is Now In Your Court!”

This usually means that he is tired of pursuing you…and so he is going to abdicate his role as the man and actually wants you to pursue him!  DON’T DO IT!!  You are worth the pursuit and if you wind up pursuing him now then he is, most likely, not going to pursue you after you get married. (And GREAT marriages always include pursuit…by the man!)

#2 – He Says He Has “Issues” But They Will Get Better Once You Are Married.

Marriage is a magnifier–period!  If he is addicted to porn now it’s not going to disappear when you get married.  If he has racked up a massive amount of debt on credit cards and is unwilling to address it and make changes then you are headed for a financial train wreck…and unfortunately bankruptcy and divorce LOVE to hang out together!

#3 – You Have To Tell Him To “Stop” Because He Is Making You Uncomfortable!

He should NEVER put you in that position.  He is not struggling for purity if he isn’t fighting for it!

#4 – The Closer You Get To The Wedding The More Uninterested In You He Seems!

If he is slacking off in his efforts to make you feel special today…it’s not going to get better after the ceremony tomorrow!

#5 – You Only Know Him Through An Online Relationship

Anyone can be anyone online!  You have no idea who that person really is until you have spent an extended amount of time with then.  How do they handle anger?  Hurt?  Disappointment?  DO NOT allow yourself to be swept away by a guy you don’t really know!!!

#6 – You Have To Talk Yourself Into Being With Him (enough said!)

#7 – You Have To Drag Him To Church (enough said!)

#8 – He Lies To You

Trust is HUGE…and, ONCE AGAIN please understand that it won’t “get better” when you get married!!!  If he does not love and respect you to tell you to truth about him now…then you can’t trust him, period.  And a relationship that is not built on trust will crash!

#1 – Remember, Acts 4:29-31 all week long.  Let’s be bold in the prayers we pray and the words we say!  AND…boldness is not arrogance but rather confidence is who Jesus is and what He has called/commanded/commissioned us to do!

#2 – GET PEOPLE HERE SUNDAY!!!  Remember, we are going all out to present the Gospel in a way that is going to connect with everyone who walks in the doors.  I’m asking everyone in our church to pray HUGE PRAYERS for this weekend and make some HUGE attempts to get people here, take a look at Mark 2:1-12 and see what happens when people get passionate about doing whatever it takes to get people to a place where they can meet Jesus!

(AND…Anderson and Columbia campuses, remember that for this week only we are switching our Sunday night services to Saturday night!  We are doing so because the Super Bowl is on Sunday night, and while I don’t care about either team I really don’t want to miss the commercials!)

#3 – Our “All In” series based on Mark 12:30 has been one of my favorites.  This past Sunday we talked about loving Jesus with all our soul, on the deepest level possible!!  Remember, intimacy comes about through consistency.  The more time we spend with Him the more our relationship with Him will grow…and…if we are in an intimate relationship with Him then we will care about what He cares about!  (See Luke 19:10!!)  If He cared about people far from God then we have to as well.

#4 – On Sunday, February 12 we will begin a series entitled “Overwhelmed” in which we will be diving into some subjects that typically are not talked about.  It’s going to be real, raw and will help a lot of people.  Subjects like…

• How To Prevent Becoming Overwhelmed By Circumstances (You either need this message…or you will!)
• How To Deal With Depression!  (I am going to talk about my three year battle, how I got there, what the Lord taught me, how I was able to break free and how you can too!)
• How to Stop Worrying About The Economy!
• How To Walk Through The Scariest Situations In Life!

And a ton more.  Seriously…I can’t wait!

#5 – Our band released it’s new CD this past weekend, “No Other Name!”  It’s one of THE MOST AMAZING worship CD’s EVER!  If you didn’t get one yet you will be able to purchase on on your campus Sunday…or you can go to Itunes right now and download it!!!

#6 – One more time, Acts 4:29-31 all week long!!!  I love seeing green bracelets everywhere…and the glow sticks at the end of the service will be forever stuck in my mind!!!

#7 – Going to go ahead and throw this out there, we may be doing a Michael Jackson song for Easter!!  :-)

I love my church!

The best is yet to come!

These Nine Things Are True About EVERYONE Who Is In Christ (And are true for those who do not know Christ!)

#1 – I Was Dead –  Ephesians 2:1

#2 – I Was An Object Of Wrath – Ephesians 2:2-9

#3 – I Had No Purpose –Ephesians 2:10

#4 – I Was Separate From Christ – Ephesians 2:11-12

#5 – I Was Excluded From Citizenship – Ephesians 2:12

#6 – I Was A Foreigner –  Ephesians 2:12

#7 – I Was Without Hope –  Ephesians 2:12

#8 – I Was Without God –  Ephesians 2:12

#9 – I Was Far Away –  Ephesians 2:13

AND…JESUS IS THE ONE WHO BROUGHT ME NEAR – Ephesians 2:13

• You do not enjoy being around one another.
• You hardly ever have any fun together.
• You think everyone in the room (except for you) is a complete moron.
• You don’t trust each other.
• You constantly interrupt each other without letting the other person actually complete their thoughts.
• You rehearse the fights you perceive to be coming in your mind before the meeting.
• You have no one on the team that will actually speak the truth.
• You always look for the easy solution rather than the right one.
• You are not fully engaged in the meetings that you are involved in.  (If you are checking email, facebook and tweeting during a meeting then you are NOT fully engaged and are under-serving as a leader!)
• You are obsessed with being recognized rather than seeing how you can serve.
• You constantly come up with solutions that make your job easier and puts more strain on the people whom you have given the responsibility to lead.
• You always try to make sure everyone around the table is always happy with every decision that is made.
• You have people at the table that are personally irresponsible with their finances.  If they are responsible with their own…then why would it be any different when it comes to the churches?
• You have a resume.  (I recently told our entire staff, “if you have a resume then I either want you to destroy it or send it out!”  If you have a resume that simply means there is always a thought in your mind of going somewhere else!!!  ”But what if they fire me,” you ask?  I say if you are an awesome worker then you won’t need a resume, people will find you!  See Proverbs 22:29)

So, how’s your team?