Archive for April, 2009

23
Apr

Obedience leads to Salvation

By Alden 0 Comments
Categories: Ministry and NewSpring

I received an email from one of our Greenville Campus Volunteers, her name is Erin Woods, telling a story about how God places us at the right place and the right time for a purpose.  I thought it was awesome, so check it out below!

On Sunday, I always go to Earth Fare after church.  While in Earth Fare - I ran into Tara from Biggest Loser this season - basically, I just wanted to say “Hi” and that she’s doing great & offer some encouragement.  Well - little did I know - that wasn’t the plan.  After about 10 - 15 minutes later & tears shed along w/us talking about God, I was asking her to hold my coffee (yes - I always love going into Earth Fare for the free samples of stuff including their coffee!!) and pulling out a “Free Coffee” coupon for NewSpring (go figure :))  and telling her that she had to come to the 6:00 service tonight - it’s what she needed.  Her mom then showed up from around the corner & got to talk some more & also giving her a card for a coffee.  I wrote down my name & number on the back of the card I gave her & told her I’d leave it up to her but she could call me & I’d go back w/her tonight if she wanted - I’d love too!  (There’s been occasions when I have gone back to church before to meet someone so this wasn’t strange for me).  She never called but I wasn’t expecting it - in fact, I thought that was it!  While I was talking w/her, I remember thinking — Why is this happening God & what do you want me to do here b/c the conversation was totally out of the normal?!  He led me to do what was done & I thought I did my part - God is always at work. I was really excited & called Heather - got to share w/her about what happened.  Well - guess what???  She ended up coming to the 6:00 service w/her mom and Amy from last season and sat right behind Heather!!!  Whoa - that’s pretty cool…….but that’s not even the coolest part.  The message was on the Gospel & from Matthew 7 and I knew that our pastor Perry was going to give an invitation at the end for those that needed to make Jesus their Savior & Lord of their life.  Now, that would be just too crazy for all that to take place, right?  Heck no!!!!!!!  Tara stood up @ the end of the service & gave her life to Christ & Heather got to hear her say it out loud!!  I mean to tell you - their isn’t anything that  is not possible of God when we partner w/Him & listen to His promptings in our lives! I wanted to tell you guys b/c I shared w/everyone that I have been praying for opportunities to share w/people since reading our last book “Becoming a Contagious Christian”.  So, He’s answered my prayers in more ways than one & really hope and pray that this is just the beginning b/c I had the best high I have ever had after hearing what happened Sunday evening - when we allow God to actually use us for His great purposes…nothing is too big for Him or out of His reach!!!! And as I am reading thru the Bible again - I realize - God isn’t “normal” and Jesus did, does & will do the craziest & coolest things ever done on this earth!! All for the love of Jesus!

Erin, thank you for your obedience in listening to the Lord and His promptings in your life!! Also I appreciate you sharing this story with me…it has definitely encouraged me and many others!!

23
Apr

Jesus Empty Me

By Alden 0 Comments
Categories: Personal

As a follow up to my post yesterday, God placed a song in my path that I heard before, but really didn’t listen to the meaning…through this process of refinement it has placed a whole new perspective in me.  Not much else to say, but here are some of the lyrics for “Empty Me” by Jeremy Camp.

Holy Fire, burn away,
my desire for anything
that is not of you and is of me.
I want more of you and less of me, yeah.
Empty me,
Empty me, yeah.
Fill, won’t you fill me, with you, with you, empty me now.

Well won’t you empty me, well won’t you empty me now.
I want more, I want more, I want more of you, Jesus.
I want more, I want more, oh.
Thank you, Jesus.
Thank you, Jesus, oh yeah,
Thank you, Jesus, yeah.
Holy Fire, Holy Fire, Holy Fire, Holy Fire.

Also here is a link to the song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cg2kCAiB1Kw

22
Apr

Where am I at?

By Alden 0 Comments
Categories: Uncategorized

Over the past couple of weeks, I have been getting a lot of questions asked of me in regards to the upcoming transitions in my life that include: Baby Bryce, Columbia Campus, selling our house, moving to Columbia, etc. The crazy part for the majority of the questions I get is that I do not have an answer for some of them!

The way most of the questions are worded is very similar to: “Alden, where are you at with ________?” So since most of the questions are worded like that I am going to answer that question on my blog….Here is where I am at?

Right now I am in the FIRE!I heard someone once say, “God saves us from the fire of hell, to be placed in the fire of refinement.”  I am in the fire of refinement.  Over the past couple of weeks, I have felt a lot of frustration and anxiety about a lot of different things in my life.  I am being refined over and over and over again!!  God is working on some things in me and working some things out of me!  Although it is painful and sometimes frustrating…it is worth it!

Some times all any of us have the the calling that God has placed on us, but then we convoluted that calling with other things…so, it is necessary for us to be walked through the fires of refinement so the other stuff can be burned away and out calling and passion for Jesus remain!

I just know even through this refinement there will be nothing that can shake my confidence in my calling to go to Columbia and lead the Campus for NewSpring Church.  I truly believe that God’s refinement will confirm my calling and deepen the passion He has placed in me!

Where are you at?

Are you walking through refinement with Jesus?  Are you scared of that process?  Do you dread that process?  I don’t know where you are at, but this is the best and the craziest place I have been in some time and I am thankful for it!

For the record, I believe that our walk with Jesus is a continuous refinement process, although sometimes the fire needs to be hotter than others. The reason I believe that is because my life is to mirror Jesus and none of us, especially me,  are close to that goal…so, I say, let the refinement c0ntinue!

21
Apr

My Little Man!!

By Alden 2 Comments
Categories: Baby Ellis

Deanna and I are so excited about the arrival of our little man!  In preparation for Bryce we have finished his nursery, had two baby showers (getting ready for another), and just talking about him a WHOLE lot!! I love to watch Deanna’s belly just move around…Bryce is an active little baby!

We decided a couple of weeks ago that we would try to get a 4D picture of Bryce, well after three attempts we got a pretty decent shot. In all the other attempts he kept his hand in front of his face or would not move around, but today was a different story, we were actually able to grab a quick shot before he moved his hand, so here it is!

baby_9

Call it being his daddy, but my boy is adorable!! I cannot wait to hold my little man! Only a couple of weeks left and he will arrive, so much change is coming and it will be the best change ever!!

Also here is a video from our second attempt of getting a picture of Bryce. Allow me to set it up…Bryce was being very difficult to work with during the ultrasound, he would not move his face, hand, anything for us to get a good shot. Finally, we get a shot of his face and this is what he does…


Did He Just Do That? from Alden Ellis on Vimeo.

Yes, he stuck his tongue out at us!  That is my boy!!

16
Apr

Church Service is too LOUD!!

By Alden 0 Comments
Categories: Uncategorized

My buddy, Trey Kelly, is the Lead Pastor for Wellspring Church and they held their Easter service…well they were a little too loud for the neighbors, so they called the cops. I spoke with Trey yesterday about it and is was a great story…by the way they had 80 people attend and had 10 people accept Christ…AWESOME! You can read his thoughts on their service here.  Also here is the news story done on the church…great job Trey!  Keep rocking it out!!

14
Apr

Easter

By Alden 0 Comments
Categories: NewSpring, News and Videos

I have always LOVED Easter!  I will be honest that I have never fully liked the whole “Early Sunrise Service”, but I know that a lot of people enjoy it.  Anyways, I digress!  I hope that all of you had a GREAT Easter becuase I will be honest and say that this Easter at NewSpring Church was AWESOME.  I got to experience the service from our Greenville Campus and I LOVED it!  I basically knew what was coming and was still blown away.  Here are some quick “hits” from the day:

  • Total NewSpring Church Attendance: 15,473
  • Each campus hit a record!
  • Greenville Campus had 3183…that is our first time over 3,000 and we are still not a year old!
  • Florence has 455…Florence is only a couple of months old!
  • Our web campus had 813 participate in worship….ONLINE!!  CRAZY!!
  • We saw 324 salvations over the weekend! SERIOUSLY??
  • I got to see a gentleman who attended the Greenville Campus accept Christ….here is the awesome part…he had never attended church before Easter and his first question after accepting Christ was, “Where is the best place to start reading in the Bible?” WOW!!
  • Also we opened our service with “Highway to Hell.”  Justin Land was NAILS, so here is the clip from the Greenville Campus:


HIGHWAY2HELL_JUSTIN from Jiggle Snort on Vimeo.

09
Apr

Would you be able to forgive??

By Alden 0 Comments
Categories: News and Videos

Would you be able to forgive like this woman?  Thought this was powerful!!

08
Apr

Easter…Yes sir!

By Alden 0 Comments
Categories: Uncategorized

I am so excited about this weekend!! I truly believe that this weekend is going to be HUGE! Of course, Easter is always a great time of year, but I love it because there are always people who are more willing to attend church just because it is Easter and we get the opportunity to share Jesus with them! It is an opportunity to see LIFE CHANGE happen and the church is in the business of LIFE CHANGE!

So, you have a couple of days…who do you know that needs to be at church?  Invite them!  Don’t be afraid to ask, man up or woman up and make the “ask”! At NewSpring, we have plenty of space for everyone…14 services in 4 locations!!!

Here are the times for the NewSpring Easter Services:

  • Anderson Campus: Saturday 4/11 at 4:00pm & 6:00pm and Sunday 4/12 at 9:15am, 11:15am & 6:00pm
  • Florence Campus: Sunday 4/12 at 9:30am &11:15am
  • Greenville Campus: Saturday 4/11 at 6:00pm and Sunday 4/12 9:15am, 11:15am & 6:00pm
  • Web Campus: Sunday 4/12 at 11:15am & 6:00pm EST and 11:00am Pacific

You can get your tickets here!! You don’t want to miss it as begin our new series called, “The Gospel“.  Look forward to worshiping with you!!

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