September 26 - 5 Point
Yesterday was one of those days. I started my day off great. Read God's Word for close to an hour early and then took Jacob to school. Headed to Pickens to meet with a group of 30 - 40 pastors about 5 Point. Started by giving a testimony about what God is doing at 5 Point. I bragged on God, our church and our volunteers. I love you guys and love being a part of this church.
The floor was opened up for questions. Understand the majority of these pastors were very traditional church minded and there is nothing wrong with that, just stuck in their ways. They began the interrogations:
1. Why don't you use church or Baptist in your church name?
2. Your slogan is, experience the difference, you are trying to put down our churches.
3. Why are you bringing the world into the church with the stuff your doing?
4. How are you so much different from us?
5. How are you supporting missions?
6. Why would you put on your marquee that your a church for the unchurched?
7. Why do you have a poster up of a woman outside the church?
etc. etc. etc. I felt as if me, our staff and church were being put onto trial. You'd been proud of me, I just let them ask an answered from my heart. I did finally get tired of one pastor asking why we had experience the difference on our banners.
So, I answered the question by stating the obvious. We're different in the following ways:
* our seats are lazy boy reclining theater seats verses hard pews
* we have a movie screen for our words and videos
* the pastor wears jeans and not a suit
* we serve coffee and donuts - free of charge
* we have a very high energy band with smoke and lights
* we show video clips during the message time on a regular basis
* we meet in a movie theater and not a church with a steeple
The list could go on but I think they all got the message. We are different.
I want everyone to understand there is nothing wrong with any of the above listed items. We just don't have them and that is on purpose. I didn't want 5 Point to be like any other church. I want everything about 5 Point to be different, including the people. I was very adoment that I encourage our people on a regual basis to not be like other people, but to be like Jesus. I don't want to be like other pastors. In fact, every pastor had on pants except me. I was in shorts and a t-shirt as usual. Why? That is just me. If Jesus were in the flesh on a 91 degree day I truly belie he'd wear a pair of shorts, flip flops and a t-shirt. He wor what the crowd wore while walking on earth so why would it be any different today? The only way I want to be like other churches is that we preach the love of Jesus to a hurting community.
The coolest part of the day was when a youth pastor in the group stood up and gave a testimony about our church. Said I had met him before at his work place. It didn't click at first but I recognized him while he spoke. Told the group how he had been witnessing to one of his co-workers. The man finally went to his church and afterwards said he didn't enjoy it. Not his cup of tea. Later on that year he began coming to 5 Point. Actually gave his life to Christ and was very faithful until he and his wife moved from the area. Told all those pastors that this man would not attend any of their churches but attended ours because it was different. WOW! Now that is cool.
When I finally got back to the church I had a message from another pastor to please call him. I immediately did and was shocked at his response. He begged for my forgiveness. Said he had made pre-conceived notions about me and our church. Had actually prayed for God to close 5 Point. This man was broken as he apologized. He continued to say he remembered when he had the same passion I did about reaching the lost and wanted that fervor once again. I was jacked up about this. Not too many days I get phone calls like that.
Were going to have lunch in the next couple of weeks to try and grow God's kingdom together.
After the meeting was over I spoke with Chuck, Tim and George who attended also. All of us agreed that there were only four or five who would be against us. The rest would support how we are different yet reaching people for the Lord.
I am excited about 5 Point Fellowship and our future. I'm jacked up about preaching God's Word to a group of people who are different. And I'm real excited about opening God's Word this week and seeing what it says about sex.
Sex is great because it is a gift from God!
The floor was opened up for questions. Understand the majority of these pastors were very traditional church minded and there is nothing wrong with that, just stuck in their ways. They began the interrogations:
1. Why don't you use church or Baptist in your church name?
2. Your slogan is, experience the difference, you are trying to put down our churches.
3. Why are you bringing the world into the church with the stuff your doing?
4. How are you so much different from us?
5. How are you supporting missions?
6. Why would you put on your marquee that your a church for the unchurched?
7. Why do you have a poster up of a woman outside the church?
etc. etc. etc. I felt as if me, our staff and church were being put onto trial. You'd been proud of me, I just let them ask an answered from my heart. I did finally get tired of one pastor asking why we had experience the difference on our banners.
So, I answered the question by stating the obvious. We're different in the following ways:
* our seats are lazy boy reclining theater seats verses hard pews
* we have a movie screen for our words and videos
* the pastor wears jeans and not a suit
* we serve coffee and donuts - free of charge
* we have a very high energy band with smoke and lights
* we show video clips during the message time on a regular basis
* we meet in a movie theater and not a church with a steeple
The list could go on but I think they all got the message. We are different.
I want everyone to understand there is nothing wrong with any of the above listed items. We just don't have them and that is on purpose. I didn't want 5 Point to be like any other church. I want everything about 5 Point to be different, including the people. I was very adoment that I encourage our people on a regual basis to not be like other people, but to be like Jesus. I don't want to be like other pastors. In fact, every pastor had on pants except me. I was in shorts and a t-shirt as usual. Why? That is just me. If Jesus were in the flesh on a 91 degree day I truly belie he'd wear a pair of shorts, flip flops and a t-shirt. He wor what the crowd wore while walking on earth so why would it be any different today? The only way I want to be like other churches is that we preach the love of Jesus to a hurting community.
The coolest part of the day was when a youth pastor in the group stood up and gave a testimony about our church. Said I had met him before at his work place. It didn't click at first but I recognized him while he spoke. Told the group how he had been witnessing to one of his co-workers. The man finally went to his church and afterwards said he didn't enjoy it. Not his cup of tea. Later on that year he began coming to 5 Point. Actually gave his life to Christ and was very faithful until he and his wife moved from the area. Told all those pastors that this man would not attend any of their churches but attended ours because it was different. WOW! Now that is cool.
When I finally got back to the church I had a message from another pastor to please call him. I immediately did and was shocked at his response. He begged for my forgiveness. Said he had made pre-conceived notions about me and our church. Had actually prayed for God to close 5 Point. This man was broken as he apologized. He continued to say he remembered when he had the same passion I did about reaching the lost and wanted that fervor once again. I was jacked up about this. Not too many days I get phone calls like that.
Were going to have lunch in the next couple of weeks to try and grow God's kingdom together.
After the meeting was over I spoke with Chuck, Tim and George who attended also. All of us agreed that there were only four or five who would be against us. The rest would support how we are different yet reaching people for the Lord.
I am excited about 5 Point Fellowship and our future. I'm jacked up about preaching God's Word to a group of people who are different. And I'm real excited about opening God's Word this week and seeing what it says about sex.
Sex is great because it is a gift from God!
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