March 4, 2011 - LEADERSHIP RALLY SERMON

In the fall of 2000, I found myself profoundly impacted by going to the National Missionary Convention in TN that year. I learned a lot about city kids and hammers (tell story). But for me, 2 important things happened during that weekend:
1) I was introduced to Lost and Found (S&G kind of 2 man group) that sang 4 kinds of songs: spell out words, clap twice, say “no” and slow songs… one of their songs was called COST… the verses are fun and interesting, but the chorus is this: “Count the cost. Count the cost. Count of love before it breaks your heart.” Which leads me to #2
2) The preacher that weekend told a sermon about getting out of the saltshaker… you see he said that we were all salt in this giant 5,000 seat auditorium that needed to get shaken out and bring our FLAVOR to the world…

So what did I need to do? I needed to COUNT THE COST of how I was going to serve Jesus with my life…

You see, we count the cost in every single thing that we do…
• For that trip I had counted…
• We do for food, clothing, shelter… budget
• Cars, houses, toys, stereos, video games, televisions… big purchases/debt.
• But it’s more that that! What about marriage, children, adoption… the huge stuff.
• Taking or leaving a job… friendships… relationships… moving/staying
• In all of our life we must count the cost.

As leaders, we have to count the cost of what it means to fully give our lives to the gospel of Jesus…
Tonight is a leadership Rally. Which means, we want to thank you, thank you, thank you for giving your time, talents and money to serve at the Vineyard. We want this weekend to be FUN. We want it to be empowering and life-giving to your ministry. Tomorrow, we want you to see how you are joining with this incredible move of God’s Kingdom across Illinois. (Mention all campuses).

But, I want to ask you
“Have you counted the cost of the love it will take to lose your life for the gospel of Jesus? Have you counted the cost of losing your life for the good news?

…and it is good news, ya know 
Jesus died for us. He ransomed all of us from sin and death. He conquered evil and every dark think because He loves us and wants all of human history as a part of his family. That’s really, really good news.

PRAYER

 
Tonight, if you’ve got your Bibles, we are going to be in the gospel (the good news) of Mark.

This passage is Jesus talking to his team and asking them ARE THEY READY to count the cost? Before he sends them out to do Kingdom stuff. This is where we find Jesus in today’s passage. He’s asking them questions. Are they ready to hear what Jesus will ultimately do on his mission to bring about God’s Kingdom?


27 Jesus and his disciples left Galilee and went up to the villages near Caesarea Philippi. As they were walking along, he asked them, “Who do people say I am?”
28 “Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say you are one of the other prophets.”
29 Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?”
Peter replied, “You are the Messiah.”
30 But Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.
31 Then Jesus began to tell them that the Son of Man must suffer many terrible things and be rejected by the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but three days later he would rise from the dead. 32 As he talked about this openly with his disciples, Peter took him aside and began to reprimand him for saying such things,
33 Jesus turned around and looked at his disciples, then reprimanded Peter. “Get away from me, Satan!” he said. “You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.”
34 Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. 35 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it. 36 And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? 37 Is anything worth more than your soul? 38 If anyone is ashamed of me and my message in these adulterous and sinful days, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when he returns in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”
9:1 Jesus went on to say, “I tell you the truth, some standing here right now will not die before they see the Kingdom of God arrive in great power!”
 
(Foot in mouth disease )Peter says, YES… but he wasn’t ready. Peter didn’t realize 3 truths…

The cost of following Jesus is losing control.
• Jesus’ question led to Peter’s confession… ok, maybe they are ready to hear the cost.
• Peter’s confession led to Christ opening up about his suffering… his cost.
• Christ’s openness led to Peter’s questioning… we’re not ready for that cost.
• Peter led to Christ’s revelations on the Kingdom… Here’s what it will cost!
• brings the crowds into the convo.  It’s time to get in line! (get behind me and follow).
• It’s time for our faith to become our faith. Not our parents, our church’s or our friends…ours.
• Jesus knows his role in the Kingdom is to LEAD. The disciples (we) seem to forget that we are followers and need Jesus. As Matthew 5:1 says – “God blesses those who realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is given to them.” Are you ready to be a floater?

The cost of following Jesus is no earthly reward.
• (cross video) M. Moore: Join the revolution whose leader chose to die… grab a cross (guillotine, electric chair) and join a movement that is destined to end in you losing your life for the cause. (wearing a cross necklace)
• If you do this, you will find TRUE LIFE in Christ. If you don’t, you will lose everything this world holds dear at some point… it all ends in ashes, meaningless.
• Your soul matters… your flesh does not! Are you ready to serve without a crown?

The cost of following Jesus is stepping out of your comfort zone!
• Initial Leadership Requirements are: Taking core classes (KH, SG Train), become a member at Beginnings, becoming a tither, and then after coming to VLT/Rally.
• But after that: Boldness matters… standing up for the King and his Kingdom matters!
• Many of us need to let go of our lives and let the Holy Spirit fill us.
• Are you ready to step out in faith? (How to train Dragon) Are you ready to lose everything for what you believe in?

CONCLUSION
Is it worth it?!
YES
9:1 –see the Kingdom
Matthew 16 –keys to the Kingdom
End with beginnings talk?

9:1 – The Kingdom will come in power upon those who (a)choose to follow, (b)submit completely to the will of Christ, and (c)who walk boldly with His gospel

OR as Bob Shimmin put it this week… “We enter the Kingdom with a bowed head, a bent knee and a willingness to serve.”

January 2, 2011 -- SURPRISE!

Here's the VIDEO friends of my sermon last week.

Introduce myself and welcome the multi-sites.

Surprising my mom.
I can only think of a couple of times in my life when I was really able to surprise my mother.
Tell the story of getting engaged to Corrie. Tell the story of her 60th birthday party.
Today, we want to begin to make 2011 a year of surprises. A year where we do something both heaven and earth will react powerfully to…


Surprise your Father by how you react to trouble. Read text (Acts 4:23-24a)
 Distress forces us into difficult decisions: Introduce the trial of Acts 4. Then, share personal story of how we reacted during our church planting years.
 Regress and run? How will you live out this year when trials come?
 Or talk with dad? We need to build our conversation with Jesus… our commitment to conversation with the Father… remind audience of the surprise of parents when a child actually asks for help.

Surprise your Father by how you pray. Read text (Acts 4: 24b-30)
 To become a house of prayer, we must praise. See Acts 4 story and how they began. Plus “do not be anxious” thoughts.
 To become a house of prayer, we must have a perspective change. Realize that our struggles and attacks are against God‟s Kingdom… not us personally.
 To become a house of prayer, we must pray “otherly.” Jesus and the apostles were always teaching us to encourage each other, love each other, be patient with each other… but it all starts with us praying for God to affect others! Notice how they didn‟t pray for their own protection, but rather that God‟s Kingdom would come in preaching and power. Good reminder that national Vineyard is emphasizing reaching.

Be surprised by your Father’s reaction! Read text (Acts 4:31-35) Every time I read this story, I get the impression of God sitting on the edge of his throne in anticipation…
 He comes with power beyond our understanding. He sends earthquakes, wow (Rev 8)… and he fills them with the Holy Spirit, did they ask for that?
 He comes with better answers than our questions. Unity, boldness, no poverty!
 He comes with the Kingdom. Look at how POWERFULLY the Father blessed their prayers! Their prayers were simple, but the reaction of heaven was not. When God‟s Kingdom breaks in, it looks like nothing we can possibly imagine under our own power… Illustration of a child coloring with daddy/mommy.

Begin your year with a commitment to deeper conversation with the Father.
 For many of us, this is a conversation that hasn‟t started yet: a call to salvation.
 For others, we need to stop neglecting this conversation: a call to break apathy.
 For some, you feel the need to grow really deep: a call to our prayer opportunities/meetings.




The Believers Pray for Courage – ACTS 4
23 As soon as they were freed, Peter and John returned to the other believers and told them what the leading priests and elders had said. 24 When they heard the report, all the believers lifted their voices together in prayer to God:
“O Sovereign Lord, Creator of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them—25 you spoke long ago by the Holy Spirit through our ancestor David, your servant, saying, „Why were the nations so angry? Why did they waste their time with futile plans? 26 The kings of the earth prepared for battle; the rulers gathered together against the Lord and against his Messiah.‟
27 “In fact, this has happened here in this very city! For Herod Antipas, Pontius Pilate the governor, the Gentiles, and the people of Israel were all united against Jesus, your holy servant, whom you anointed. 28 But everything they did was determined beforehand according to your will. 29 And now, O Lord, hear their threats, and give us, your servants, great boldness in preaching your word. 30 Stretch out your hand with healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
31 After this prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they preached the word of God with boldness. 32 All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had. 33 The apostles testified powerfully to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God‟s great blessing was upon them all. 34 There were no needy people among them, because those who owned land or houses would sell them 35 and bring the money to the apostles to give to those in need.

Titus sermon from Bloomington Campus - July 18, 2010

Introduce me and my family

Story on Mentoring

Lets examine the way we pursue the mentor and mentored relationship.

**Unpack the importance of this relationship.

**I want to unpack how a 2010 relationship can flourish.

**I want to unpack how Paul empowered Titus to do the stuff.

Who is Titus?

**Titus 1:4-5

**One of the first Gentile converts.

**Brother of Luke.

**Sent by Paul to the Corinthian church.

**An apostle who planted churches in Dalmatia (2 Timothy), who disciplined the body (2 Corinthians), and who appointed pastors (Titus 1).

Unpacking the Mentoring Relationship in Greater Detail

The mentoring relationship within the church becomes one of the most important tools for our future and our health.

The mentoring relationship will take time.

 The mentoring relationship will flourish when you trust them…

With the living of the gospel.

With decision making in tough circumstances.

To lead other leaders:

Unpacking how Paul empowered Titus: A Case Study for 2010.

**Look for people of character to appoint as leaders (Titus 1:6-10).

**Teach and encourage the entire body with the authority of Christ (Titus 2).

**Remember the Spirit has empowered you to good deeds/good works (Titus 3:3-7).

Closing

**Do you have a spiritual mentor?

**Are you mentoring anyone?

**Character vs. Competency - What is possibly holding you back?

Doing Ministry Together

Watch and Listen Online: http://www.thevineyardchurch.us/podcast

June 10-11, 2010 with

Ben Hoerr and Adam Waters

Paul and Timothy

I. Introduction

A. Doing Ministry Together

B. 2 Timothy 2:2

II. What it means to be a Paul

A. Change our thinking about maturity

B. Recognize this is something that we can all do

C. Be intentional

D. Ask the Holy Spirit what you should do

III. What it means to be a Timothy

A. We must be intentional about our time as our mentors are

B. We must imitate their character, not just their

methods (1 Timothy 4:6-16)

C. We must understand this is a life-long process (2 Timothy 4)

VI. Conclusion