What would happen if….

The ministry of Jesus, to the Father, through the Holy Spirit for the sake of the world. (Steve Seamands, Ministry in the Image of God: The Trinitarian Shape of Christian Service.)

The church should exist for those who are not yet its members.

The value and need for community is ever growing within the post-modern culture. Leslie Newbigin said it this way: "I am suggesting that the only answer, the only hermeneutic of the gospel, is a congregation of men and women who believe it and live by it…Jesus…did not write a book but formed a community." ( Leslie Newbigin, The Gospel in a Pluralist Society) McLaren agrees by stating "the greatest apologetic for the gospel is and always has been a community that actually lives by the gospel." (Brain McLaren, Church on the Other Side)

What if we could see ministry and belonging to the church in a new way? Inherently, we see the church as existing for our needs and fulfillment. I'm not necessarily against that. I like feeling fulfilled and taken care of. I enjoy being blessed and nurtured. But what if these became results, secondary, by products of fulfilling the actual mission of the church. What would really happen if we started serving God with everything? I mean, even causing people to talk. Maybe good talk, maybe some bad. But if we got to a place that we just went for it. You know, didn't care about what others thought, but just loved people, served God, obeyed that intuition to help someone, that voice saying 'ask them if they're okay'. What would happen?

Could God contain His joy? Could He keep from dancing and laughing? Would His tears of joy rain on us and truly bring blessing? We think we experience His blessing now, what would happen if we caused Him to leap for joy? If we stopped hording Him to ourselves and lived to share, what would happen? What would happen if we did exist for those that are not yet our members, brothers and sisters?

 

I think we would surely start to ask about "their" needs. I think we would surely start to listen instead of doing all the talking. I think we would surely start caring instead of judging.

 

My prayer is for God to change our attitudes, change my heart, o God. Help me to love who You love. Help me to love how You love. I know that in loving and serving those You have purposed for me to reach, every need I have will be cared for. I realize that if I seek Your kingdom and righteousness all my needs and everything else will be added to me. I pray for God's heart and will to be accomplished through our community of faith. Faith is active. It is purposeful. Lord, help us to move and live in You, fulfilling Your heart for those who are not yet connected to You. Give us the grace to live this way…..

Hearing from you…

I would love to hear from anyone that actually reads these things that attended one of our first two services. Especially if you picked up a Vision shirt. I would like to know what word you wrote on the back. What's the story behind the word? What do you sense God saying and doing in your life? What might He be preparing you to do? Remember, we are on the same team, God, most likely, is preparing you for a work in and through our local body. Ephesians 4 has long been an inspiration and standard for ministry fruit in my life. Am I equipping the saints to do the work of ministry? Am I serving as a resource hub to administer, coach and orchestrate the vision of God and the role of the follower in the corporate body? Drop me an email and let me know what God is doing in your life. I especially want to hear from those that God is drawing back to His heart. Baptism is approaching quickly and I would love to fill the baptistery with more than water. People and testimonies are definitely on the menu. Pray, talk with me and let's see what God has in store for those that believe. I trust God is moving in your heart as He is in mine.

 

Love His Presence

Staying in the Spirit

I was reading back over the blog and thought....that title sounds a little ridiculous. "We made it". Like after two weeks we've arrived. My dad and I were talking studying for Sunday. (Its pretty cool to be in the next office knowing that he's studying to preach at the same time I am). And he mentioned premature celebrations that caused competitors to lose their focus just long enough to lose the match or game. Arnold Palmer had a 2 stroke lead walking up to the eighteen fairway when a long time friend in the gallery stuck out his hand and congratulations. He knew that he had lost his focus. He went on to shank into the bunker, then another bad shot, finally he lost the match. That got my head spinning. I thought about the Bluegrass Miracle in 02. LSU won; 76 yards in 2 plays. Oh yeah, Kentucky gave their coach a Gatorade bath just before the kickoff to LSU. Can you imagine, both coaches shaking hands soaked in Gatorade!! YouTube has some great video from ESPN while they even comment on the fans rushing the field for Kentucky. All that said, we shouldn't think more highly of ourselves than we ought (that's in the Bible, by the way). God exalts the humble. I got to thinking about Galatians. Paul reminds us to continue in the Spirit. He says something like, why do you think you can complete or continue this work that God began in the Spirit now by the means of the flesh (paraphrased, of course.) I thought about Zech 4:6 it is not by might, nor by power, but by the Spirit of God. God simply says to us today, "Continue to live and move in this ministry in prayer, what was created, birthed and blessed in prayer must continue to live by prayer"

Thanks. God bless

Week two….we made it

Week two. Things moved along even smoother than last week's set up/tear down. I have arrived both weeks at about 8 and haven't even been needed around there! It's pretty sweet to be leading and not be needed (I think?) Generally things went well today. Of course, the worship was phenomenal. I only heard great things about KidMax. We had quite a few new guests this week. I really look forward to getting to know everyone. I hope that folks are reading these to learn a little about me. But, you know, it's impossible for me to get to know 225-250 people in under an hour. I think our Going Deeper services on the last Sunday night of the month will give us some time to connect. I am excited about these services. Baptism is so important in the life of the believer. I pray for conversions and testimonies of transformed, renewed and restored lives. (Anyone wanting to be baptized needs to email me @ Jeremy@turkeycreekchurch.org. ) Over the next weeks I want to develop Community Groups. These groups will gatherings of people desiring to study God's Word together, maybe taking the sermon a little further and holding one another accountable. Maybe this is done @ Turkey Creek restaurants immediately following the service over a nice lunch. Maybe it's done in the home or even lunch breaks at work. Whatever really works for each group. I really just see this vision of people connecting with one another intentionally around the Word of God through the Spirit of God. Community is a must for this church to thrive. I am already praying and planning week three's sermon. I am so excited to be a part of this God thing. It is incredible. I am still learning the leading thing. There are little things I can do better to move toward excellence. Thank you for your prayers and your commitment to God's Chazown for TC3. The future is very exciting and bright. God bless.

Oil change…

Well, I'm sitting getting my oil changed and can't turn the wheels off in my mind. Really am looking forward to Sunday. I am actually staying on schedule for sermons. (Of course, that's not saying all that much since this is just week two!!) All that really means is that I want to not be studying and preparing for Sunday for the first time on Saturday. I want to know where we are going on Sunday by Wednesday. I hope and pray that the Lord allows us to pretty much stay in series and focus on developing a systematic plan to move toward implementing His Word throughout our lives.

Studying purpose could keep us busy until He returns. Seriously, it's the main thing. It holds our perspective, keeps us on target and gives motivation to get out of bed. Knowing who we are, why we are here and what we are to do with that knowledge relieves outside pressure and silences all voices but the right one. My prayer is that this initial study shapes the future of our community of faith, our corporate vision and our individual roles. I trust that we will discover our purpose and not just strive toward it but achieve the very thing that God has in store for us. I keep hearing God say, everyone is great; some just don't know it yet. We haven't fully bought into the vision-chazown-dream-revelation that He has for us. Once we see what He thinks about us, what He sees in us; His very Presence and gift; we will arise in His power and purpose and see His Hand at work.

Baptism…

If God has started something new in your life through this community of faith, I would love to hear about it. I sense that God is drawing people into relationship with Him. I sense He is restoring purpose, passion and personality. We each are created with a unique design. God has a specific, individual and significant purpose for each of us. There is this God-given passion that lies deep within us; this drive and desire that often becomes starved and silenced with the years of failures and lies. Our unique personality often becomes marred by our broken and violated relationships. Injuries and disappointments shape our personality rather than the encouragement and promises of God.

If God has begun to reconcile your purpose, passion and personality to your present existence then let me know. It just might be time to be baptized or re-baptized. TC3 will be holding our first baptismal service January 27^th (the last Sunday night of the month) @ Park West Church on Middlebrook. This service will be a special time of worship, baptism and teaching. We are calling these Sunday events: Going Deeper. For more information and scheduling please drop me a note: Jeremy@turkeycreekchurch.org or give us a call @ 865-862-770 or 865-693-0144 (and mention Turkey Creek Church). I know God is doing some wonderful things, let's celebrate together.

What a day….

I cannot believe how incredible Sunday was. We had our first service and I didn't stress, things didn't blow up, and people showed up!! When I rolled up at 8:00 am things were hopping. Our hostesses greeted me very enthusiastically. Things were ninety percent ready to go an hour and a half early! And remember, this was our first Sunday. We had no problems. God's favor and presence is awesome. We had someone commit to following Christ! (For all of you church folk-they got saved!) Park West truly supported us. We must have had a hundred people from PW just to support this first Sunday. Again, I was truly amazed at the attendance. The worship was incredible. People truly worshipping and rejoicing. Hands raised, jumping, weeping and pressing in. The emails keep pouring in of people God touched and ministered to. Some felt the Holy Spirit for the first time in their lives! Others, that are seasoned, stated its some of the best worship they have ever experienced. I tell you, it is amazingly easy and enjoyable to speak after worship like that. That's what I am used to @ PW. Sunday felt natural, like that's what I was born to do, like we had done it for years already. (Except it is still totally exciting!) Well, I hope you keep showing up, yeah you, but You too. We really need God to show up. Without Him there is no Presence, there is no changed lives, just talented and entertaining music and motivational speaking. We really must have Him there at every moment. From set-up to tear down, He is the most important. For with God all things are possible. The Chazown He has given will come to pass, without Him even my earthly plans will fail. Without you then it simply becomes a small group thing of PW people. We want to be God's missionary outpost to advance the kingdom of God and destroy the works of the enemy. Help us connect people to the God that cares deeply for them.

 

We have many opportunities to serve, Gear team, media team (if you can double-click your mouse and read this then you can learn our media program), sound team and small group leadership. We will soon be launching weekly small group meetings. Contact me if you are interested in serving in any of these areas. Jeremy@turkeycreekchurch.org

 

God bless you.

Birthday time…Thanks Dad

Well, ready or not it's here!! Tomorrow morning we give birth. TC3 comes out of the womb of PW and enters the world. God's appointed time has arrived. Rehearsals, meetings, shopping sprees, prayer meetings and studying have all ended. Tomorrow morning 9:30 am God brings forth TC3. Pastor Josh will lead us in worshipping the King then I, well, then it's my turn to stand and talk. To enter into my destiny. Vision 08: Without Vision people perish. This is becoming more than a launch sermon title; it's becoming an anthem. It rings in my ears: Lead or Die! Quit hiding (matter of fact, all hiding places have been stripped). Not just speaking a message, I've done that plenty of times. But, this time, I become Pastor. I put on the mantle. Sure, we are still covered under the authority and leadership of Dad, but I feel it. I know why his face has had that look so many times. It's not a bad stress. Its concern, responsibility, care, love and nurture. I guess the best way to say it is he is a true shepherd. I hope that's what I feel. I want to feel that. I want to love and care and lead like that. Definitely not want to feel stress because I want to impress, but I want to feel stress because I care and want to nurture as he does. I think that's what I feel. I pray to love more than the idea of TC3. I want to love each and every individual. He set the shepherd bar high. I want to lead with excellence and professionalism. I want to care and nurture as a father and shepherd. I think I feel the right pressure. I think I feel the right stress. Yeah, it's the right one, thanks Dad.

 

You know I work out. I know the difference between the right pressure and stress and pain in my muscles and the wrong type. That's easy to discern. This is different. But I think all his mentoring, parenting and leading has paid off. I think I feel the right stress. Speaking of birthdays…this event keeps reminding me of looking down and holding that little girl. She truly melted me. I recall the day I found out we were pregnant. We went for a walk in the rain. I remember Heather entering and showing me the pregnancy test. I was napping in our chair studying for seminary. As we walked I remember talking to Heather and telling her that only that baby in her belly could name me Daddy. Any denomination could name me bishop, any church could call me pastor and any school could give me the title doctor. But only that little girl could name me Daddy. Well, now, Luke has come along and joined the game as well. And, yeah its true that I could go to a church and be their pastor. But TC3 is the only church that can first name me Pastor. Sure, I've been Pastor Jeremy @ Park West. But that's different. I'm the associate. Sure, I love and care for Park West, I grew up there. It's like my younger brother (27yrs old). But only a Dad can love a son. Only a parent's love will do. That's what TC3 is doing to me. I love PW, but TC3 is mine. Don't misunderstand me, I know that it's God's. I used to always get upset when a Pastor would speak of "my church". I would think, "Doesn't he know that it's God's. He doesn't own it." But now I know. It's a godly pride thing. I parental pride thing. You don't know the love and pride I feel for TC3 and it's not fully here yet. I have spent time with the leadership team: Pastor Josh, Pastor Jason, Pastors Jason and Ginny, Misty, Tim, Lee, Justin and Brandon (even though they technically have to stay at PW)-the whole worship team, the hospitality team, the Gear Team, prayer team and others. I love them, I know them and God is birthing this church first thing in the morning.

 

Well, time for one more prayer, few more thoughts on the order of service and rehearsing the sermon in my head a little and then off to bed to see this thing happen.

 

WOW, I'm really stoked now.

 

God bless,