For the past six months I have been serving as the Care Pastor for NewSpring Church. I dove right in and started immersing myself in all that we do for care at NewSpring Church. I have learned so much about myself and also for caring for people. We have made some subtle changes that I believe will really enhance how we are able to care for people that attend our church.

Six months ago, I also wrote a post titled, “Change is Good!!”. In that post I stated, “One of the things that I love about NewSpring Church is that we are not afraid to change to meet the growing needs that our church has.” If you are unwilling to change, you will die! If you are unwilling to see the growing needs of your church and change to meet them, then you will fail. God is about change. He desires to change our lives from death to life. He desires for us to change as people…to be people of growth in wisdom, knowledge, etc.

In the previous post mentioned, I also stated, “The characteristic of our leadership team that is so prevalent is that they SOAK every decision in prayer. If they are going to change, they make sure it is what God is calling them to do. Now, understand that our leadership team is tasked with leading our church, which sometimes requires change without getting approval from everyone and their momma. They do not have time to get everyone’s approval because we are in desperate times…people are dying and going to Hell. My trust is in the Lord God Almighty and if God told them that we need to do something or change something, then lets strap on the boots and get to work! The church has the solution, and I am so thankful that our leadership team will not sit on the sidelines and watch people die and go to Hell! Because it is GAMETIME!!!”

With that said, I am making another transition at NewSpring Church. I am transitioning to our Greenville Campus, to serve as the Associate Campus Pastor. I will be serving directly under Howard Frist, Greenville Campus Pastor. Some of the tasks that I have been asked to tackle and lead are:

• Care Ministry:
  • Counseling
  • Pre-Marital Counseling
  • Baptism
  • Development of Bereavement Team
  • Development of Hospital Team
  • Development of Meals Ministry
  • Sunday Care Team
  • Recruitment and Training Care Ministry Volunteers
• Home Groups Ministry:
  • Starting new groups
  • Shepherding current and future group leaders
  • Monitor the health of all Greenville groups
• Membership Process
• Benevolence Process
• Of course, the little line in any job description: anything else that is deemed necessary.

I am looking forward to this new opportunity as I believe that it is the BEST move for NewSpring Church and myself. I really think that it will challenge and stretch my leadership. I am looking forward to the development that I will have over the next couple of years as I serve at our Greenville Campus. Multi-site ministry is something that has ALWAYS fascinated me and I look forward to learning more about it and helping Howard Frist lead the Greenville Campus.

Catalyst this year was probably the BEST conference that I have attended.  They had a GREAT line-up of speakers: Steven Furtick, Craig Groschel, Andy Stanley, Seth Godin, Jim Collins, and Matt Chandler.  There was so much information that was presented that I will be processing for a LONG time.  I am looking forward to being able to process the information, but also talk with some of the other NewSpring peeps that were there and get their perspective as well!!

Highlights of the Conference:

• Andy Stanley’s messages
• Matt Chandler live…WOW
• Seeing Aaron Keyes lead worship
• Seeing Jonathan Herron for the first time in 3 years
• Dahara Children’s Choir…I cried like a baby
• Listening to Steven Furtick…dude was amazing
• Fogo De Chao…amazing dead cow
• Dave Ramsey was dead on!!
• Meeting some of the folks at Northpoint Community Church’s Pastoral Care area
• Hearing all the speakers doing a RAP in video form!  INTERESTING!!

Catalyst, GREAT job with the conference!  Looking forward to next year.

Coming up on October 4th we are having a HUGE baptism. It is going to be awesome. We have asked our people to join in the parking lot for some tailgating before we get the baptism rolling and if last year is an indication….DANG….it will be AWESOME!!! Last week we had over 400 people sign up for the baptism and we are expecting more to come in the very near future.

If you want more information on baptism, go to this link or if you know that you need to be baptized, go to this link and sign-up today!! We would love to have you join us.

So bring out the RV’s, tents, frisbees, grills, footballs, golf carts, and all the food you can. Tailgating will begin at 3PM and Baptism at 5PM!!! Don’t miss it!

Also here is an article about LAST year’s baptism!!

There is a guy over in Greenville that is doing some awesome stuff with our students! Do yourself a favor and stop by the Internet home of Davey Blackburn, Student Pastor at NewSpring Greenville. You will be abel to get an inside look at all they are doing to reach students for Jesus in the Greenville area. I am very excited about some of the things that they are trying! I look forward to seeing how it all plays out! Also here is a post that Tony Morgan wrote about what we are trying in Greenville>

Keep up the great work Davey!!!

Also for your enjoyment here are the 3 latest videos that he has produced for their small groups that meet on Wednesday Nights:

TwoADays #1:

Two A Days from Davey Blackburn on Vimeo.

TwoADays #2:

TwoADays_Wk2 from Davey Blackburn on Vimeo.

TwoADays #3:

FuseGroups Wk3 from Davey Blackburn on Vimeo.

I was reading in Matthew 10 and in this chapter Jesus gives his disciples instructions for their ministry. In 38 verses, Jesus makes it VERY clear about where to go (v. 6), what to say (v.7), what to do (v.8), and what not to take (v.9). He also does not sugar coat it! He tells them the truth…brutal and strong!

Take a moment to read what Jesus tells them about the opposition they will face, “Be on your guard against men; they will hand you over to the local councils and flog you in their synagogues. On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.” Matthew 10:17-20

Seriously, Jesus tells them you will get thrown under bus, get beaten, thrown in jail, and put on trial, but when that happens…DON’T WORRY! When you face the crap of your life and people want to beat the mess out of you…DON’T WORRY! When people accuse of you doing wrong and tell you that you are wrong for following Jesus…DON’T WORRY!

DON’T WORRY…because I will have your back, I will give you the words to say, and I will show you exactly how to say it! WOW!!! Jesus knows what we will face and knows exactly how He is going to respond to it! All we have to do is listen and do as He says. We should all take comfort in that truth and be able to say “Bring it on!”

This is an interview from Larry King Live with the Chapman Family, talking about their tragic loss of a child in May. I thought it was a great interview and awesome opportunity for the Chapman Family to share their faith! Take a moment to watch the videos and to continue to pray for the Chapman Family, you will be blessed!

Part 1:

Part 2:

Part 3:

Part 4:

Part 5:

Part 6:

I am going on vacation next week and I will have to miss an ordination service that we will be having at NewSpring next week for some of our staff members.  With that in mind, I made an intentional effort to sit down with the guys who are getting ordained and read some scripture and pray over them.  I used this time to encourage them, but also challenge them with the gravity of what they are being privileged enough to go through.  I wanted them to feel blessed, encouraged, humble, and thankful all at the same time…which is a weird to describe and explain!

With that said, there is something powerful when you read scripture and pray over someone.  I think that God knew what he was doing when he planned it out.  I will be sharing some of the thoughts that I shared with the guys, as soon as I can meet with one more.

So many times we allow things to get in our way of our desire and passion. Questions I have would be, “What is my true desire? What do I truly desire to see happen in my life, my family, my relationships, my ministry, my whatever? Do I know that? Does that desire sink up with the desire that God has for my life?”

Sometimes it is easy to get upset, mad, or angry when a decision, action, or plan goes against what our desires. Which sometimes is justified, but sometimes it is NOT justified. Just because those plans or actions go against your desires does NOT mean they are wrong. It does NOT mean that the people who made them are out to get you. I know, I know, I know that it is hard to believe that, especially in the moment! Sometimes we have to trust, sometimes we have to have faith (trusting without seeing the end result, trusting without seeing the reasons)! That is what God is calling us to do.

I will pose this question to you, do you believe that your desires are the desires of God? Do you believe that the things you long for in your life, ministry, relationships, etc are the things that God desires for you? Maybe they are, maybe they are not. I can’t tell you and neither can anyone else, but God DESIRES to tell you! He DESIRES to give you HIS DESIRES!

At some point in all of our lives, we all get pulled away from the desires that God would have for us, but that doesn’t mean we have to stay that way! When I was thinking about desires, I was reminded of a song by Jeremy Camp titled, “My Desire.” Here are the lyrics to that song. Read them, let them soak into your mind, your heart, and your soul! For the sake of your desires…lay it all down before the KING!!!

“My Desire” by: Jeremy Camp

You want to be real
You want to be empty inside
You want to be someone laying down your pride
You want to be someone someday
Then lay it all down before the King
You want to be whole
You want to have purpose inside
You want to have virtue and purify your mind
You want to be set free today then lay it all down before the King

This is my desire
This is my return
This is my desire to be used by you

You want to be real
You want to be emptied inside
And I know my heart is to feel you near
And I know my life
It’s to do your will
It’s to do your will

All my life I have seen where you’ve taken me
Beyond all I have hoped and there’s more left unseen
There’s not much I can do to repay all you’ve done so I give my hands to use