WEBVTT
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So yeah, I want to go ahead and just I like to divide people up front, you know, and so uh would you rather McDonald's or Burger King?
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Ooh, McDonald's, 100%.
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For sure.
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For sure.
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McDonald's.
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Yeah.
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Okay, here's okay, here's the hard one then.
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Okay.
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Burger King or Hardy's?
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Burger King.
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Hardy's, yeah.
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Hardee's uses this mayonnaise.
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I don't like mayonnaise, so they put mayonnaise over the burgers.
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Burger King, you can add don't have mayonnaise, I think.
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Well, when I go there, it's just a plain pizza mayonnaise.
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The uh Burger King.
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Interesting.
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Alright.
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Pizza Hut or Little Caesars.
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Ooh, Pizza Hut.
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Oh, yeah.
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Stuffed crust.
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With the cheese on the on the on the cross and everything.
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Wrong answer.
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I haven't been to Pizza Hut in so long.
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Oh dude, Pizza Hut's always good.
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Last time I went, it felt like I was just eating straight salt and I haven't been able to go back.
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Um okay, real hot take.
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Walmart or Target?
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Ooh.
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I like Walmart.
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Ooh.
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I'm a traditionalist.
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Oh man.
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Okay.
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Target.
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Target.
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Tarjeet.
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Tarje.
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Tarjet, yeah.
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See, tarjays have Starbucks in them.
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Exactly.
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So you can Target.
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Target.
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I used to like Walmart when they used to have McDonald's in the side.
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Every now and then you find one with a McDonald's or a subway.
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Yeah.
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Yeah.
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Here's one for you.
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Okay.
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Pineapple on pizza, yes or no?
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Absolutely not.
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I could have I can have one slice of Hawaiian, like the pineapple ham.
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I can have one slice and enjoy it, but I will not want a second slice.
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What?
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Oh man.
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Oh, the wet pineapple.
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No.
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The only go-to answer for pizza is bacon on anything.
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That's just food in general.
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And jalapeno is for me too on the pizza.
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I've got a weak mouth.
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Oh, banana peppers.
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Banana peppers.
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It's all good, bro.
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You're missing out.
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It's not really that spicy either.
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It's not, it's just so good.
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And then you add the jalapenos with the banana peppers.
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Solid.
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So yeah, yesterday we talked a lot about pride, division.
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We've been working through First Kings a little bit.
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And so we talked about the two guys.
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They are Jeroboam and Rehaboam.
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Hey man, nailed it.
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That guy nailed it.
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Yesterday had to do it in English and Spanish.
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And so you're doing it all, man.
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Don't ask me Spanish, though.
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So yeah, yesterday we talked about Rehoboam, Jeroboam, and the division of the kingdom of Israel.
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As God had ripped it out of Solomon's hand because he continually did what was some of the terminology you find throughout 1 Kings is uh did what was evil in the sight of the Lord.
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And so uh Solomon was not following God's demands.
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And there were consequences of those actions.
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Yeah.
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Right?
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Because sometimes, like you were saying yesterday, we say, Well, what guy is doing bad things?
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Well, it's not that he's doing bad things, it's that we are reaping what we sow, right?
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Like those are consequences of our actions.
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So that's consequences of Solomon going, bringing all those idols and into the temple.
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Like, that's a no-no.
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And then now his son is kind of doing something the same with his pride, because pride could be an idol as well.
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Oh, yeah, pride is certainly an idol.
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And you know, we could go through a whole rabbit trail even of like generational sins.
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And so what was promised to Solomon was hey, if if you don't follow my commands, the sin's gonna follow you, and the consequences of that sin will follow you and even your sons.
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Yes.
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And so, you know, as parents, what does that mean for us to to live?
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And I think that's a whole conversation we do.
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Yeah, yeah, we don't want that generational sin within our lives, within our family, within our sons and daughters.
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We don't, you know, we want to follow the commands of the Lord.
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That's why it's very important for us as parents to be cautious of how we behave at home.
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Like, do our sons see humility from us or do they see pride from us?
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And that's why even yesterday I was giving that example of the trailer with my son.
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Like, I know he saw pride, but at the same time he got to see, you know what, I do not know how to do this.
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So, how about you do it for me, right?
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He got to see humility from my side, but that's hard sometimes.
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Like, we want to show pride.
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Well, we don't want to show pride, but our pride gets in a way where it takes over everything, and we gotta be careful with that because our kids are seeing this.
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Uh, sometimes I tell this to people if I want to get to know you, all I need to do is spend time, five minutes with your kids, and I can see who you are, who you who you truly are.
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And that's that that's that hard mirror sometimes for parents.
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But you know, I'm not at the phase, yeah, your your boys are older, but I think we have to acknowledge there's a uh kind of a beautiful moment of being able to hand things off to kids and let them do that.
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You know, we we get to see Lucas doing incredible things in his life, and that's probably cool for you guys, getting to launch the oldest out and let him be awesome in doing things.
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I'll let him drive me everywhere.
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Yes, yes.
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I don't know which of my children I will let drive me in the future.
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I'll be I'll be praying over that one.
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But well, once you if you drive if your commute's an hour, trust me, you'll let one of them drive.
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Hand it off to him.
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That's what I'm doing.
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It seems like he's gonna be a responsible driver.
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I feel like Zoe is gonna be the one that gives you gray hair.
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Oh, Zoe would be the one.
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I hang on to that handle.
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Yeah, yeah.
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So, but uh yeah, so we got to talk a while yesterday about pride and that division that can creep into churches real, real easily.
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Um, I mean, just a quick story.
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Last night I was talking to somebody who was visiting us from another local church, and they were talking about some of the division that was happening in their church and their their desire for growth.
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And to me, it sounds like their pastor's doing a really good job trying to guide them towards growth.
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There, there were a smaller church out from here, and the division was uh TVs in the sanctuary.
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Uh-huh.
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And the pastors trying to say, hey, we need to get ready for other families to come in, and things like that.
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And and that's one of those little things that a lot of churches are saying, Oh, we dealt with that 10 or 20 years ago.
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But then there's other things creep the golden calves creeping in uh today.
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And so um the pride and division that happens within churches.
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How do we go after that, Yahya?
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How do we how do we start addressing it?
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How do we build that from the ground up?
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And um, I like what you were saying about Jeroboam.
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Why don't you why don't you start with that?
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Yeah, but I was saying about uh Jeroboam was that he's the one that made Israel sin.
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And that's a heavy that's man, that's that's harsh.
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You don't want to be known for the person that makes uh a whole nation sin.
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Right.
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That's Jeroboam who made the nation sin because he was fear of losing that power, that power that God gave him.
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Like he was fear of people going back to Jerusalem to worship, so he created his own golden caps, right?
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That's like that.
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You know, and sometimes going back to churches, like I remember back in the early 2000s when he was evil to have an acoustic guitar or or saxophone.
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I don't know if you remember those days, Nick.
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That back in the days I was a no-no.
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And man, sometimes uh we don't need to be afraid of change.
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Change is good when it has the right mission in mind.
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And I and I think that's it.
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If we instigate whether it's church or anybody else, but especially church, if we instigate change for the sake of change's sake, what is that?
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Yeah.
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But if it is change for the sake of mission, which is reaching the nations in the name of Jesus Christ, baptizing them in the nation uh in the name of Jesus Christ, you know, that's what it is.
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But if it is in if it's change like Jeroboam, he changed for the fear of loss of power.
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Yes.
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Fear of loss of control, fear of loss of fame and and and riches as being the leader, you know.
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Because there's good change, there's bad change, right?
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And and pride sometimes don't let you change anything, and sometimes fear will try to change you everything, but when it's centered towards you.
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But for us, the mission is Jesus, and that's something we say yesterday.
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So there's some things that we need to change to reach new people for Jesus.
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And being honest, we are in a different culture, we are in a different place.
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I mean, back I used to work at a church where you had to wear a three-piece suit, right?
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Like you had to suit up, and I understand, uh, and I knew the culture they were reaching.
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But now in today's day, we're reaching a different culture where they may not wear a three-piece suit.
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And I'm not going to allow them to be like me because I need to reach down.
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Right.
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So I want them to feel comfortable.
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So sometimes I wear jeans, I wear relaxed, I wear my Jordans or my ideas, and I'm cool and relaxed, trying to reach people, long as the message doesn't change.
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Like I'm okay to changing everything from lights, from sanctuary, from TVs, from carpets, but as long as the word of God doesn't change.
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Absolutely.
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You know, I'm not one who I don't get in the weeds of, you know, haze and lights.
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Now I think things like that can be super distracting.
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If things are distracting from the gospel message, then you know, but I'm not one who gets in the weeds of that kind of stuff.
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Now, are we going to do that at Chancellor?
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No, we don't have that at Chancellor.
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You know, but that's one of those is is that worth arguing about?
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Or belitting belittling another church, a sister church, those who are on the same mission, names on the sign don't matter.
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I'll try to say that as often as I can.
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But is it worth one brother or sister belittling another brother or sister in that church for doing it a different way?
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I don't think so.
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Yeah, I think every church is reaching their own unique uh groups of people.
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Uh, if it's working for them, it's working for them.
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And if it's working for us, it's working for us.
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And glory to God.
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At the end of the day, we're here for the kingdom.
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When we go to heaven, they don't go, they don't go ask us, oh, let me see.
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You went to Chancellor Baptist Church, check, okay, you went.
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No, they go say, Do you have Jesus in your heart?
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Peter.
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Which service did you go to?
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What service do you go to?
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You know, and and those silly things.
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Uh, you know, I think in the mornings on my way in, just on Gordon Road alone, we have what, five churches?
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And Gordon Road is four miles?
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I don't I need to look at that at some point.
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So if it's four-ish miles, we have one church for every like 0.8 miles or something like that.
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Yeah, I'm not a mathematician at all.
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But you know, uh, so just on Gordon Road alone, five churches within four-ish miles, do you think everyone who lives in a five-mile radius from here can pack into these churches?
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No.
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We should be cheering on every one of our sister churches, no matter how big, how small, if as long as they're on mission for the gospel, we cheer them on and we cheer one another on in our little family here as well.
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And here's something with as a church planter, now let me put my church planter mine cell for um hat, my church planter hat, you know.
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Uh one of the questions I've been answering to the to people who are asking me, why are you planting a church?
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There are so many churches, right?
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That's the question.
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Why are you planting another church?
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There are so many other churches.
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I'm answering the question, I'm saying to them, look, it's there's still people that need Jesus.
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So instead of me saying, Why do we have so many churches?
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I start saying, What can we do to reach more people for Jesus?
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So if we need to have more churches, glory to God, let's have a church in every corner that shares the name of Jesus and takes the gospel, because we need churches.
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And living in Northern Virginia, now I'm not sure if first we're part of the statistics, but they say that there is a 60% of people said they go to a church.
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So there's still 40% that don't.
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And that that doesn't include and people who lied on that stat, too.
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You know, everybody lies on stats.
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Yeah, and that's not even also considering the other religions.
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But there's other religions popping up in our own communities that are pushing people away from Jesus, pushing people away from God so they can truth.
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Exactly from the truth, right?
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So, yes, we need more churches and we need to encourage each other.
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And churches will be different, they'll will look different, and that's okay, right?
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I mean, I'm I think of this picture in Revelation There's gonna be people in heaven from all tribes, languages worshiping the kingdom of God.
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That's what we want to aspire to be here on.
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And and just to, you know, yesterday we did our bilingual service, and I I love when we get to do that, because in English and in and Spanish, just getting to have that little taste of heaven, that's only a sliver of what heaven will be like, you know.
00:12:53.440 --> 00:13:07.840
But as we think about that internally, externally, uh, you know, church planning, church revitalization, all of that kind of stuff, it all goes back in in John 17, as Jesus is praying, saying, Father, you and I are one.
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We're praying for for he's praying for for those.
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It's cool when we look at John 17.
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He's praying for us.
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Yeah, he is.
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He wasn't just praying for the the 12 there around him.
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When he's praying, he's praying for all of history.
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And so it's one of those beautiful moments where we kind of step back and realize these words still are echoing today.
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Yeah, because as Jesus Christ himself prayed this over us, he was saying uh you jump down to verse 20, and it's a beautiful uh prayer that he does.
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So John 17, go and read it, but you jump down to verse 20, but he says, I don't ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, and so continued on through through ministers and missionaries, and we're all uh the priesthood of believers as we get to share the gospel uh to the nations.
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And so 21, that they may all be one.
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Just as you, Father, are in me, I in you, that they also may be in us.
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We're brought into that, that they're with in with with us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.
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So the church, the capital C, the the people of God, we're not in competition with one another.
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Pride creeps in, and we say, Oh, you know, hey, we we see other pastors preach some of these big dogs, you know, these incredible communicators.
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You know, some of us are mediocre at best, and so you get to see these other big dog preachers or worship leaders that there's probably like two or three better than you.
00:14:44.960 --> 00:14:45.360
I don't know.
00:14:45.600 --> 00:14:46.399
There's maybe two.
00:14:46.799 --> 00:14:49.679
There aren't many, but you know, with the skinny jeans.
00:14:50.000 --> 00:14:50.720
You know, yeah, yeah.
00:14:50.879 --> 00:14:52.320
You gotta have some more rips in them.
00:14:52.399 --> 00:14:54.240
But uh tear up my jeans a little bit.
00:14:55.919 --> 00:15:02.879
You know, but people also look and try and compare and bring that that that pride piece in, and there's no need for that.
00:15:03.039 --> 00:15:08.960
We are not in competition, we are one in the name of Jesus.
00:15:09.200 --> 00:15:14.399
And here's the key we with that prayer of Jesus is that he's praying for us to be one, right?
00:15:14.960 --> 00:15:21.919
And churches are getting so divided among each other, and also through sister churches, right?
00:15:22.000 --> 00:15:23.519
They they are being divided.
00:15:23.600 --> 00:15:26.720
We I think the enemy has divided us.
00:15:27.120 --> 00:15:33.919
Um, I mean, I don't want to get into the realm of the SBC or that stuff, but just look into how divisive it has been.
00:15:34.000 --> 00:15:39.759
Uh, church is just dividing, the devil is the is trying to divide us, and that's why Jesus is praying.
00:15:39.840 --> 00:15:41.600
I pray that you guys are one.
00:15:42.000 --> 00:15:46.399
The way you guys love each other is how they know you are my disciples by loving each other.
00:15:46.559 --> 00:15:49.600
So we get so caught up in those secondary issues, man.
00:15:50.000 --> 00:16:20.799
I mean, we live in such a divided world, divided politically, superpolarized, even some of the silly little things within church politics, not the gospel truth, Jesus Christ, birth, death, resurrection, not the gospel truth, but the silly things of church politics of themselves, those silly things, we have become such a polarized culture that from the outside, people who don't yet know Jesus are looking in and saying, Why do I want this?
00:16:21.039 --> 00:16:27.919
And so Jesus' prayer over us is be united as one, as followers of Jesus.
00:16:28.080 --> 00:16:28.320
Yeah.
00:16:28.559 --> 00:16:32.639
The silly things of of this world, they don't matter.
00:16:32.799 --> 00:16:35.600
We focus on Jesus Christ, we live for him, and we live with the great commission.
00:16:36.000 --> 00:16:36.320
100%.
00:16:36.720 --> 00:16:39.600
And we have to also be okay to this degree.
00:16:39.679 --> 00:16:44.080
Like, I still love you, even though you're like uh Hawaiian pizza, only one, only one slide.
00:16:45.039 --> 00:16:45.360
And that's okay.
00:16:45.440 --> 00:16:46.159
I still care for you.
00:16:46.559 --> 00:16:48.960
I love for you, even though I cannot believe you eat pizza hot.
00:16:49.200 --> 00:16:51.360
But you know, there's there's grace in this bottle.
00:16:51.679 --> 00:16:52.399
But we do love Chuck E.
00:16:52.480 --> 00:16:52.720
Cheese.
00:16:52.879 --> 00:16:53.360
We love Chuck.
00:16:53.600 --> 00:16:54.080
Oh, bro.
00:16:54.240 --> 00:16:55.919
But we gotta go with Chuck Easter.
00:16:56.480 --> 00:16:58.399
We only got to go there for the pizza.
00:16:59.759 --> 00:17:03.440
Side note, I was supposed to be able to be at a birthday party a little bit back at Chuck E.
00:17:03.519 --> 00:17:05.680
Cheese, and Sarah knew I was so excited.
00:17:05.839 --> 00:17:10.880
Not to be able to just take Zoe or celebrate one of the kids in our church, but I was like, I get to go to Chuck E.
00:17:11.039 --> 00:17:11.279
Cheese.
00:17:12.400 --> 00:17:14.480
So well, he's okay to disagree.
00:17:14.720 --> 00:17:16.160
I mean, we still have brothers in Christ.
00:17:16.240 --> 00:17:18.400
I mean, I used to think of Paul and John Mark.
00:17:19.440 --> 00:17:20.319
They disagree.
00:17:20.400 --> 00:17:23.759
And Paul's doctrine matters, obviously.
00:17:23.920 --> 00:17:33.599
Like there are things that we need to stand on, but like you're saying, if it's if it's not if if somebody's not preaching a false gospel, you know, those are the things Paul stood on firmly.
00:17:33.759 --> 00:17:37.680
If there was a false gospel creeping into a church, he was gonna go after it hard.
00:17:37.839 --> 00:17:38.160
Yeah.
00:17:38.400 --> 00:17:41.119
But so often we're not we're not talking about something like that.
00:17:41.200 --> 00:17:45.039
We're talking about there are absolute truths, absolutely, I like to say.
00:17:45.200 --> 00:17:53.759
You know, but there's a whole bunch of those secondary issues that the devil uses, the enemy places out there for us to get so distracted.
00:17:53.920 --> 00:17:59.119
I challenged yesterday and it popped in my mind while you were speaking, so I didn't articulate it well at all.
00:17:59.440 --> 00:18:12.000
But, you know, just you know, I I I think of the things that we hear from folks inside church buildings, you know, when I've worked in, I grew up in church, PK, multiple, you know, and so churches are churches, people are people.
00:18:12.079 --> 00:18:19.759
And so the things that that usually the same complaints, I've been talking to a couple other churches, and I don't even need for them to finish their story.
00:18:20.000 --> 00:18:21.519
I know their story.
00:18:21.839 --> 00:18:29.680
And so the things that get brought about, the complaints or gripes, they're never about the kingdom work.
00:18:29.920 --> 00:18:36.880
Yeah, they're they're rarely about the kingdom work, they're rarely about the mission, they're rarely about the gospel.
00:18:36.960 --> 00:18:42.079
It is about prideful personal preferences, and we should not be doing that.
00:18:42.240 --> 00:18:58.079
We jump to 1 Corinthians, and Paul's writing, I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you uh that all of you agree that there be no, and now it doesn't mean agree on song selections or uh translation of scripture, even necessarily.
00:18:58.319 --> 00:19:00.720
Um, like some of those little things.
00:19:00.799 --> 00:19:13.920
It's like agree on the gospel, the absolute truths, absolutely, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you may be united in the same mind and the same judgment, again, standing on the absolute truths absolutely.
00:19:14.079 --> 00:19:15.359
He gets into the division real fast.
00:19:15.519 --> 00:19:22.640
He says, uh, for what has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there's quarreling among you, my brothers, not in a church.
00:19:22.960 --> 00:19:23.119
No.
00:19:23.279 --> 00:19:31.519
What I mean is that each one of you says, I follow Paul, I follow Apollos, I like the nine, I like the 1030, or I follow Cephas, or I follow Christ.
00:19:31.680 --> 00:19:33.279
Is Christ divided?
00:19:33.519 --> 00:19:33.839
No.
00:19:34.240 --> 00:19:35.039
Christ divided.
00:19:35.599 --> 00:19:35.759
No.
00:19:36.079 --> 00:19:36.720
I love that.
00:19:38.000 --> 00:19:38.400
Singular.
00:19:38.480 --> 00:19:39.599
Even among the Trinity.
00:19:40.319 --> 00:19:41.519
He prayed in 17.
00:19:41.599 --> 00:19:44.640
You and I are one, Father and the Spirit with them.
00:19:44.720 --> 00:19:49.039
So even the Trinity of themselves is not a there's no division in the Trinity.
00:19:49.119 --> 00:19:49.279
Yeah.
00:19:50.000 --> 00:19:51.119
Unity, only unity.
00:19:51.519 --> 00:20:06.960
I've found like in in recent years, w inviting people to church and talking to people about finding a church, is I I just in recent years there's just been more and more people in my life who I've been trying to encourage to take a church and stay there.
00:20:07.200 --> 00:20:13.519
And you always get in those conversations like, well, the we went there and the old preacher was really great, but I'm not sure we like the new preacher.
00:20:13.599 --> 00:20:17.200
I'm like, you're not you're not here to be a a a preacher critic.
00:20:17.359 --> 00:20:29.200
Like you you need to go there and get involved and and belong and f find where to serve and make uh friends with people there and become part of a community.
00:20:29.359 --> 00:20:29.440
Yeah.
00:20:29.680 --> 00:20:30.400
And it's so difficult.
00:20:30.480 --> 00:20:32.720
I find myself often speaking up in defense of mega churches.
00:20:32.799 --> 00:20:34.960
So people people I love mega churches.
00:20:35.039 --> 00:20:36.960
People will be like, oh, we don't want to go to a megachurch.
00:20:37.039 --> 00:20:39.359
I'm like, well, that might be the bet that might be the one for you.
00:20:39.440 --> 00:20:42.880
Like at least go and yeah and check it out and and meet people.
00:20:43.039 --> 00:20:47.279
Because just because it's a big church, that might be a great thing.
00:20:47.359 --> 00:20:51.519
Like, is there a if they're baptizing a lot of people and a lot of people are hearing the gospel, what's wrong with being big?
00:20:51.599 --> 00:20:52.000
Yeah, yeah.
00:20:52.240 --> 00:20:57.279
And one of the things I tell people that have issues with megachurch is something like, well, you will have issues with the church of Acts.
00:20:57.680 --> 00:20:58.079
Yeah, right.
00:20:58.160 --> 00:20:58.880
There will be some issues.
00:20:59.200 --> 00:21:00.400
We're thousands we're saved.
00:21:00.559 --> 00:21:01.039
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:21:01.359 --> 00:21:03.279
Like thousands were saved, right?
00:21:03.359 --> 00:21:06.400
And again, there's nothing wrong with a mega church, nothing wrong with a church.
00:21:06.559 --> 00:21:11.119
Um, when it gets wrong, is when the message of Christ is being changed.
00:21:11.279 --> 00:21:11.519
Yes.
00:21:11.680 --> 00:21:16.799
As long as we preach in Jesus, and I mean as a church planter, I I pray for a big church.
00:21:16.880 --> 00:21:18.559
I pray that the church plan will be big.
00:21:18.640 --> 00:21:20.799
I pray that chancer will be big, big.
00:21:20.880 --> 00:21:23.119
I mean, because that's we want yeah, we want to.
00:21:23.519 --> 00:21:27.839
Well, when you see growth is it's not about, again, change not for change's sake.
00:21:27.920 --> 00:21:28.079
Yeah.
00:21:28.319 --> 00:21:41.200
Growth not for growth's sake, but if the church is living that mission and doing it well and loving your neighbor as your yourself and coming in as a a servant, you were speaking yesterday, like we're supposed to serve.
00:21:41.359 --> 00:21:45.759
We don't come in on our high horse up here and say, Hey, you need to be like me.
00:21:45.920 --> 00:21:55.279
We go in and and and serve as Jesus did, and as we serve our neighbors and love our neighbors, we want them to get to know Jesus.
00:21:55.440 --> 00:21:59.759
And if they hopefully, you know, I I tell people, I don't care if you come to this church.
00:22:01.039 --> 00:22:01.680
Go to a church.
00:22:02.319 --> 00:22:05.759
I was doing a premarital counseling session yesterday and encouraging them to get into church.
00:22:05.839 --> 00:22:08.400
And I said, I I don't I don't care if you come to church this church.
00:22:08.480 --> 00:22:09.519
We'd love to have you here.
00:22:10.000 --> 00:22:10.880
A be in a church.
00:22:10.960 --> 00:22:11.119
Yeah.
00:22:11.279 --> 00:22:12.079
And that's what's important.
00:22:12.160 --> 00:22:12.319
Yeah.
00:22:12.640 --> 00:22:15.119
Having that family around you, the community around you.
00:22:15.519 --> 00:22:18.799
And that's where that unity comes, and that's where Jesus is praying for unity.
00:22:18.880 --> 00:22:23.519
Like for those who don't know, I I started a church two weeks ago in Northern Virginia.
00:22:23.599 --> 00:22:29.359
And one of the things I was saying to them to the church is like, hey, I know some people are not going to make it on Saturday.
00:22:29.759 --> 00:22:30.160
I get it.
00:22:30.720 --> 00:22:34.559
But there are so many other good churches on Sundays that you can invite people to.
00:22:35.119 --> 00:22:36.960
And I and I just mentioned names.
00:22:37.039 --> 00:22:42.079
And I was like, if you in Fredericksburg, we have a great church, we have a great pastor called Chancellor Baptist Church, right?
00:22:42.160 --> 00:22:45.279
If you in Stafford, I started naming church because at the end of the day, we're not here.
00:22:45.359 --> 00:22:49.039
I'm not here to just shine the grow this light community church.
00:22:49.200 --> 00:22:50.559
I'm here to grow the kingdom.
00:22:50.720 --> 00:22:51.039
Yeah.
00:22:51.359 --> 00:22:53.680
And we are one church together.
00:22:53.839 --> 00:22:55.920
And and the enemy knows that.
00:22:56.160 --> 00:22:57.279
He wants to divide us.
00:22:57.440 --> 00:22:59.279
And man, he goes to our families.
00:22:59.440 --> 00:23:00.640
He wants to divide our homes.
00:23:00.799 --> 00:23:08.319
And that's why yesterday I was talking about pride will creep into our families, into our spouse, we are spouses, we are kids, just to divide us.
00:23:08.400 --> 00:23:11.039
If he divides our house, done.
00:23:11.279 --> 00:23:11.519
Done.
00:23:11.759 --> 00:23:13.920
Yeah, pride is one of those easiest things.
00:23:14.640 --> 00:23:15.440
It just creeps in.
00:23:15.519 --> 00:23:31.359
And if you allow pride to take root, I dare say it's probably one of the hardest things to repent from because pride typically comes about it's this deep destruction, this incredible fall that happens when you find yourself stuck there.
00:23:31.440 --> 00:23:32.960
Or even when churches find themselves stuck there.
00:23:33.200 --> 00:23:41.359
Yeah, and one of the things I was standing to the 12 o'clock service, which I think mentioned at the 9 and 10 30, is that I was like, guys, I deal with pride.
00:23:41.599 --> 00:23:46.640
And I know everybody does, but I'm very, I'm very prideful, but I I like to brag.
00:23:46.720 --> 00:23:49.119
I'm not, man, man, we should go to Chancellor, man.
00:23:49.200 --> 00:23:52.160
We have bah bah bah or you should go to the Spanish service.
00:23:52.240 --> 00:23:58.240
And I like to just show off so much that there's times I have to remind myself it's not about me.
00:23:58.400 --> 00:24:03.759
And that's where kind of Nick was saying, when you follow a person or a man, that's dangerous.
00:24:03.839 --> 00:24:05.680
So I try to be away from that.
00:24:05.759 --> 00:24:08.400
And I I I'm grateful for my wife that she'll remind me.
00:24:08.480 --> 00:24:12.559
She's like, hey, she'll say this, it's you you're flying.
00:24:12.640 --> 00:24:13.440
Come on, bring it down.
00:24:13.519 --> 00:24:14.480
Yeah, yo, come down.
00:24:14.559 --> 00:24:18.480
In Spanish, we'll say, giving yourself a lot of wings.
00:24:18.640 --> 00:24:19.039
A lot of wings.
00:24:19.119 --> 00:24:19.440
I like that.
00:24:19.519 --> 00:24:19.920
I like that.
00:24:20.160 --> 00:24:21.359
Bring yourself down, right?
00:24:21.440 --> 00:24:25.680
And and sometimes as a pastor, it's easier for us because, oh, look at us.
00:24:25.759 --> 00:24:27.119
Our church is growing, it's successful.
00:24:27.279 --> 00:24:29.039
Yeah, it's growing, but not because of me.
00:24:29.759 --> 00:24:34.720
It feels good to succeed, so it's really easy for that good feeling to take you over.
00:24:35.039 --> 00:24:37.759
And there's nothing wrong to be excited about it, right?
00:24:37.839 --> 00:24:41.039
But it's but is it about who is growing things?
00:24:41.200 --> 00:24:41.359
Amen.
00:24:41.680 --> 00:24:45.200
Who is developing things, who is blessing things, who's doing all this.
00:24:45.440 --> 00:24:45.839
Exactly.
00:24:46.160 --> 00:24:46.720
Not man.
00:24:46.880 --> 00:24:47.279
Exactly.
00:24:47.440 --> 00:24:47.680
Right.
00:24:47.759 --> 00:24:56.480
I mean, uh, there's I think it's in Corinthians that's uh some planted, some water, but at the end of the day, guys makes it grow.
00:24:56.720 --> 00:24:57.119
Yeah.
00:24:57.359 --> 00:24:57.519
Yeah.
00:24:57.759 --> 00:25:07.920
So but uh and I deal with pride, and I'm always trying to remind myself, no, it's not about me, it's not about how big it is, it's all about the glory of God, and that's it, period.
00:25:08.000 --> 00:25:10.720
And as a musician, Nick, I don't know if that happens to you.
00:25:10.880 --> 00:25:12.640
We we we talented people, bro.
00:25:12.720 --> 00:25:15.440
We uh dude, I'm I play piano well and I'm bragging here.
00:25:15.519 --> 00:25:16.240
I I'm good, right?
00:25:16.559 --> 00:25:17.200
You were good, right?
00:25:17.519 --> 00:25:20.559
But but at the end of the day, God gave me the gift.
00:25:20.880 --> 00:25:25.920
Yeah, and I always I'm always a little amused when you see like a when you see like a bit like a kind of a famous worship band.
00:25:26.079 --> 00:25:32.079
We were at a experience conference the um a couple weeks ago, and like Passion was one of the bands performing.
00:25:32.240 --> 00:25:42.640
And when you see like these kind of famous worship bands, whenever they finish a song and it's a big crash out, and it's big, huge, you know, the lights are flashing and everything, and the crowd goes wild, and they're like, give Jesus a hand.
00:25:42.799 --> 00:25:44.160
I'm always a little amused by that moment.
00:25:44.480 --> 00:25:46.799
Like, but you guys know we're clapping for you.
00:25:47.039 --> 00:25:50.640
But uh, but I know, you know, the you it's it's it's kind of an exercise, like, right?
00:25:50.720 --> 00:25:52.240
Like, let me let me keep myself humble.
00:25:52.400 --> 00:25:55.359
I'm up here, I'm kind of a rock star, but I want to say, give Jesus a hand.
00:25:55.599 --> 00:25:56.960
And Nick, cheering for Jesus.
00:25:57.279 --> 00:26:09.759
A couple of years ago, when I was younger, I was uh at this show doing a performance, and the preacher came up to me and and told the whole worship band, he's like, Are you still in God's glory?
00:26:09.920 --> 00:26:10.480
Oh my god.
00:26:11.599 --> 00:26:13.599
Because all the people are clapping.
00:26:13.839 --> 00:26:16.880
Are they clapping to you or are they clapping to the Lord?
00:26:16.960 --> 00:26:18.480
Yeah, dude, that hit me hard.
00:26:18.559 --> 00:26:18.720
Wow.
00:26:18.880 --> 00:26:26.079
So while I did start doing everything, I'm I'm like, hey, I know you guys are clapping, I appreciate you guys, but let's take the glory to who it belongs to.
00:26:26.160 --> 00:26:26.799
Yeah, to God.
00:26:26.960 --> 00:26:28.000
But dude, that hit me.
00:26:28.160 --> 00:26:29.519
And since then that's a big phrase.
00:26:29.759 --> 00:26:32.400
And since then, I'm always, I don't want to steal God's glory.
00:26:32.480 --> 00:26:33.680
It's all about God's glory.
00:26:34.160 --> 00:26:37.759
And I don't know if you notice, even on Sundays where people come up to me, oh, I love your message.
00:26:37.920 --> 00:26:38.559
Glory to God.
00:26:39.039 --> 00:26:39.599
Glory to God.
00:26:39.839 --> 00:26:40.640
You have to, yeah.
00:26:41.039 --> 00:26:41.519
I mean, that's it.
00:26:41.920 --> 00:26:42.799
Pride creeps in, bro.
00:26:42.960 --> 00:26:43.359
Yeah.
00:26:43.599 --> 00:26:45.680
You know, it's on the back end of this passage.
00:26:45.759 --> 00:26:50.559
It was about these golden calves that he built, because again, he wanted it about himself.
00:26:50.960 --> 00:26:51.519
He was fear.
00:26:51.920 --> 00:26:56.160
And uh, you know, churches easily get golden calves.
00:26:56.400 --> 00:27:08.880
Uh, we all have golden calves in our lives from time to time, and we just have to address in ourselves hey, what are those things that I care more about for my personal comfort than I uh care about?
00:27:09.039 --> 00:27:13.680
Again, his glory, his kingdom, all it's all about him, and we have to address those things.
00:27:13.759 --> 00:27:16.640
For we allow pride because we let them sit there for a little while.
00:27:16.799 --> 00:27:18.559
That's when they it's a golden calf.
00:27:18.640 --> 00:27:18.880
Yeah.
00:27:19.119 --> 00:27:24.799
And we're unwilling to compromise, we're not willing to to listen and love others and and lead well.
00:27:25.039 --> 00:27:27.759
So Yayo, appreciate you.
00:27:27.839 --> 00:27:29.119
And uh thank you, brother.
00:27:29.279 --> 00:27:30.160
I appreciate you guys as well.
00:27:30.559 --> 00:27:32.319
Let's uh get you past this pizza hut, okay?
00:27:32.400 --> 00:27:32.640
Let's go.
00:27:32.720 --> 00:27:33.599
Let's go with Chucky Cheese.
00:27:33.759 --> 00:27:34.079
Chuck E.
00:27:34.160 --> 00:27:35.279
Cheese, it is, let's roll it.
00:00:05.519 --> 00:00:13.679
So yeah, I want to go ahead and just I like to divide people up front, you know, and so uh would you rather McDonald's or Burger King?
00:00:13.839 --> 00:00:15.519
Ooh, McDonald's, 100%.
00:00:15.919 --> 00:00:16.079
For sure.
00:00:16.559 --> 00:00:16.719
For sure.
00:00:16.879 --> 00:00:17.359
McDonald's.
00:00:17.839 --> 00:00:18.160
Yeah.
00:00:18.480 --> 00:00:20.239
Okay, here's okay, here's the hard one then.
00:00:20.399 --> 00:00:20.640
Okay.
00:00:20.879 --> 00:00:22.719
Burger King or Hardy's?
00:00:23.519 --> 00:00:24.399
Burger King.
00:00:24.719 --> 00:00:25.519
Hardy's, yeah.
00:00:25.760 --> 00:00:27.600
Hardee's uses this mayonnaise.
00:00:27.920 --> 00:00:30.160
I don't like mayonnaise, so they put mayonnaise over the burgers.
00:00:30.399 --> 00:00:35.039
Burger King, you can add don't have mayonnaise, I think.
00:00:35.439 --> 00:00:38.079
Well, when I go there, it's just a plain pizza mayonnaise.
00:00:38.159 --> 00:00:40.159
The uh Burger King.
00:00:40.479 --> 00:00:40.960
Interesting.
00:00:41.119 --> 00:00:41.359
Alright.
00:00:41.840 --> 00:00:43.600
Pizza Hut or Little Caesars.
00:00:43.920 --> 00:00:44.719
Ooh, Pizza Hut.
00:00:44.799 --> 00:00:45.280
Oh, yeah.
00:00:45.759 --> 00:00:46.320
Stuffed crust.
00:00:46.640 --> 00:00:48.640
With the cheese on the on the on the cross and everything.
00:00:48.960 --> 00:00:49.439
Wrong answer.
00:00:49.759 --> 00:00:51.840
I haven't been to Pizza Hut in so long.
00:00:52.000 --> 00:00:53.439
Oh dude, Pizza Hut's always good.
00:00:53.600 --> 00:00:57.600
Last time I went, it felt like I was just eating straight salt and I haven't been able to go back.
00:00:57.759 --> 00:00:59.200
Um okay, real hot take.
00:00:59.280 --> 00:01:00.479
Walmart or Target?
00:01:00.640 --> 00:01:01.039
Ooh.
00:01:01.439 --> 00:01:02.640
I like Walmart.
00:01:02.799 --> 00:01:03.119
Ooh.
00:01:03.520 --> 00:01:04.719
I'm a traditionalist.
00:01:06.400 --> 00:01:07.359
Oh man.
00:01:07.599 --> 00:01:07.920
Okay.
00:01:09.120 --> 00:01:09.760
Target.
00:01:10.000 --> 00:01:10.239
Target.
00:01:10.560 --> 00:01:11.040
Tarjeet.
00:01:11.439 --> 00:01:11.680
Tarje.
00:01:11.920 --> 00:01:12.480
Tarjet, yeah.
00:01:13.040 --> 00:01:15.120
See, tarjays have Starbucks in them.
00:01:15.439 --> 00:01:15.760
Exactly.
00:01:16.000 --> 00:01:17.280
So you can Target.
00:01:17.439 --> 00:01:17.760
Target.
00:01:18.239 --> 00:01:20.719
I used to like Walmart when they used to have McDonald's in the side.
00:01:22.719 --> 00:01:25.439
Every now and then you find one with a McDonald's or a subway.
00:01:25.599 --> 00:01:25.760
Yeah.
00:01:25.840 --> 00:01:25.920
Yeah.
00:01:26.799 --> 00:01:27.439
Here's one for you.
00:01:27.599 --> 00:01:27.920
Okay.
00:01:28.319 --> 00:01:30.560
Pineapple on pizza, yes or no?
00:01:30.879 --> 00:01:31.840
Absolutely not.
00:01:32.079 --> 00:01:36.879
I could have I can have one slice of Hawaiian, like the pineapple ham.
00:01:37.040 --> 00:01:41.040
I can have one slice and enjoy it, but I will not want a second slice.
00:01:41.200 --> 00:01:41.439
What?
00:01:41.599 --> 00:01:42.000
Oh man.
00:01:42.079 --> 00:01:43.599
Oh, the wet pineapple.
00:01:43.840 --> 00:01:44.159
No.
00:01:44.400 --> 00:01:48.400
The only go-to answer for pizza is bacon on anything.
00:01:48.879 --> 00:01:49.920
That's just food in general.
00:01:51.040 --> 00:01:52.799
And jalapeno is for me too on the pizza.
00:01:53.680 --> 00:01:54.400
I've got a weak mouth.
00:01:54.640 --> 00:01:55.519
Oh, banana peppers.
00:01:55.760 --> 00:01:56.319
Banana peppers.
00:01:56.959 --> 00:01:57.680
It's all good, bro.
00:01:57.760 --> 00:01:58.400
You're missing out.
00:01:59.200 --> 00:02:00.400
It's not really that spicy either.
00:02:00.640 --> 00:02:01.599
It's not, it's just so good.
00:02:01.680 --> 00:02:04.480
And then you add the jalapenos with the banana peppers.
00:02:05.519 --> 00:02:06.159
Solid.
00:02:07.599 --> 00:02:13.120
So yeah, yesterday we talked a lot about pride, division.
00:02:13.360 --> 00:02:16.400
We've been working through First Kings a little bit.
00:02:16.560 --> 00:02:19.039
And so we talked about the two guys.
00:02:19.199 --> 00:02:22.080
They are Jeroboam and Rehaboam.
00:02:22.240 --> 00:02:22.960
Hey man, nailed it.
00:02:23.120 --> 00:02:24.159
That guy nailed it.
00:02:24.240 --> 00:02:26.639
Yesterday had to do it in English and Spanish.
00:02:26.719 --> 00:02:28.719
And so you're doing it all, man.
00:02:29.439 --> 00:02:30.960
Don't ask me Spanish, though.
00:02:31.199 --> 00:02:37.759
So yeah, yesterday we talked about Rehoboam, Jeroboam, and the division of the kingdom of Israel.
00:02:37.919 --> 00:02:48.080
As God had ripped it out of Solomon's hand because he continually did what was some of the terminology you find throughout 1 Kings is uh did what was evil in the sight of the Lord.
00:02:48.240 --> 00:02:51.919
And so uh Solomon was not following God's demands.
00:02:52.240 --> 00:02:54.319
And there were consequences of those actions.
00:02:54.400 --> 00:02:54.560
Yeah.
00:02:54.719 --> 00:02:54.960
Right?
00:02:55.199 --> 00:02:58.159
Because sometimes, like you were saying yesterday, we say, Well, what guy is doing bad things?
00:02:58.319 --> 00:03:02.240
Well, it's not that he's doing bad things, it's that we are reaping what we sow, right?
00:03:02.319 --> 00:03:04.560
Like those are consequences of our actions.
00:03:04.639 --> 00:03:10.560
So that's consequences of Solomon going, bringing all those idols and into the temple.
00:03:10.639 --> 00:03:11.599
Like, that's a no-no.
00:03:11.759 --> 00:03:18.000
And then now his son is kind of doing something the same with his pride, because pride could be an idol as well.
00:03:18.240 --> 00:03:20.000
Oh, yeah, pride is certainly an idol.
00:03:20.080 --> 00:03:24.560
And you know, we could go through a whole rabbit trail even of like generational sins.
00:03:24.960 --> 00:03:34.960
And so what was promised to Solomon was hey, if if you don't follow my commands, the sin's gonna follow you, and the consequences of that sin will follow you and even your sons.
00:03:35.120 --> 00:03:35.360
Yes.
00:03:35.599 --> 00:03:39.680
And so, you know, as parents, what does that mean for us to to live?
00:03:39.759 --> 00:03:42.879
And I think that's a whole conversation we do.
00:03:43.039 --> 00:03:48.879
Yeah, yeah, we don't want that generational sin within our lives, within our family, within our sons and daughters.
00:03:49.039 --> 00:03:51.439
We don't, you know, we want to follow the commands of the Lord.
00:03:51.759 --> 00:03:57.599
That's why it's very important for us as parents to be cautious of how we behave at home.
00:03:58.000 --> 00:04:02.159
Like, do our sons see humility from us or do they see pride from us?
00:04:02.240 --> 00:04:05.840
And that's why even yesterday I was giving that example of the trailer with my son.
00:04:06.000 --> 00:04:10.960
Like, I know he saw pride, but at the same time he got to see, you know what, I do not know how to do this.
00:04:11.039 --> 00:04:12.479
So, how about you do it for me, right?
00:04:12.560 --> 00:04:15.599
He got to see humility from my side, but that's hard sometimes.
00:04:15.680 --> 00:04:17.920
Like, we want to show pride.
00:04:18.000 --> 00:04:25.199
Well, we don't want to show pride, but our pride gets in a way where it takes over everything, and we gotta be careful with that because our kids are seeing this.
00:04:25.360 --> 00:04:35.759
Uh, sometimes I tell this to people if I want to get to know you, all I need to do is spend time, five minutes with your kids, and I can see who you are, who you who you truly are.
00:04:36.000 --> 00:04:38.720
And that's that that's that hard mirror sometimes for parents.
00:04:38.800 --> 00:04:50.399
But you know, I'm not at the phase, yeah, your your boys are older, but I think we have to acknowledge there's a uh kind of a beautiful moment of being able to hand things off to kids and let them do that.
00:04:50.560 --> 00:05:01.040
You know, we we get to see Lucas doing incredible things in his life, and that's probably cool for you guys, getting to launch the oldest out and let him be awesome in doing things.
00:05:01.439 --> 00:05:02.959
I'll let him drive me everywhere.
00:05:03.199 --> 00:05:04.800
Yes, yes.
00:05:05.600 --> 00:05:08.560
I don't know which of my children I will let drive me in the future.
00:05:08.800 --> 00:05:11.279
I'll be I'll be praying over that one.
00:05:11.360 --> 00:05:16.800
But well, once you if you drive if your commute's an hour, trust me, you'll let one of them drive.
00:05:17.120 --> 00:05:17.839
Hand it off to him.
00:05:18.560 --> 00:05:19.120
That's what I'm doing.
00:05:19.600 --> 00:05:21.279
It seems like he's gonna be a responsible driver.
00:05:21.360 --> 00:05:23.680
I feel like Zoe is gonna be the one that gives you gray hair.
00:05:24.160 --> 00:05:25.120
Oh, Zoe would be the one.
00:05:25.199 --> 00:05:26.480
I hang on to that handle.
00:05:28.079 --> 00:05:29.040
Yeah, yeah.
00:05:29.279 --> 00:05:39.519
So, but uh yeah, so we got to talk a while yesterday about pride and that division that can creep into churches real, real easily.
00:05:39.759 --> 00:05:41.600
Um, I mean, just a quick story.
00:05:41.759 --> 00:05:53.120
Last night I was talking to somebody who was visiting us from another local church, and they were talking about some of the division that was happening in their church and their their desire for growth.
00:05:53.199 --> 00:05:57.759
And to me, it sounds like their pastor's doing a really good job trying to guide them towards growth.
00:05:57.920 --> 00:06:04.720
There, there were a smaller church out from here, and the division was uh TVs in the sanctuary.
00:06:04.959 --> 00:06:05.360
Uh-huh.
00:06:05.759 --> 00:06:12.000
And the pastors trying to say, hey, we need to get ready for other families to come in, and things like that.
00:06:12.079 --> 00:06:17.839
And and that's one of those little things that a lot of churches are saying, Oh, we dealt with that 10 or 20 years ago.
00:06:18.560 --> 00:06:23.040
But then there's other things creep the golden calves creeping in uh today.
00:06:23.120 --> 00:06:27.920
And so um the pride and division that happens within churches.
00:06:28.879 --> 00:06:30.480
How do we go after that, Yahya?
00:06:30.720 --> 00:06:32.240
How do we how do we start addressing it?
00:06:32.319 --> 00:06:34.240
How do we build that from the ground up?
00:06:34.399 --> 00:06:36.720
And um, I like what you were saying about Jeroboam.
00:06:36.800 --> 00:06:38.480
Why don't you why don't you start with that?
00:06:39.360 --> 00:06:44.800
Yeah, but I was saying about uh Jeroboam was that he's the one that made Israel sin.
00:06:45.519 --> 00:06:49.120
And that's a heavy that's man, that's that's harsh.
00:06:49.199 --> 00:06:53.279
You don't want to be known for the person that makes uh a whole nation sin.
00:06:53.439 --> 00:06:53.519
Right.
00:06:53.759 --> 00:07:00.959
That's Jeroboam who made the nation sin because he was fear of losing that power, that power that God gave him.
00:07:01.199 --> 00:07:07.360
Like he was fear of people going back to Jerusalem to worship, so he created his own golden caps, right?
00:07:07.439 --> 00:07:07.920
That's like that.
00:07:08.800 --> 00:07:16.800
You know, and sometimes going back to churches, like I remember back in the early 2000s when he was evil to have an acoustic guitar or or saxophone.
00:07:16.879 --> 00:07:18.720
I don't know if you remember those days, Nick.
00:07:18.879 --> 00:07:20.959
That back in the days I was a no-no.
00:07:21.439 --> 00:07:25.600
And man, sometimes uh we don't need to be afraid of change.
00:07:25.759 --> 00:07:29.680
Change is good when it has the right mission in mind.
00:07:29.920 --> 00:07:31.040
And I and I think that's it.
00:07:31.120 --> 00:07:40.079
If we instigate whether it's church or anybody else, but especially church, if we instigate change for the sake of change's sake, what is that?
00:07:40.240 --> 00:07:40.399
Yeah.
00:07:40.560 --> 00:07:52.000
But if it is change for the sake of mission, which is reaching the nations in the name of Jesus Christ, baptizing them in the nation uh in the name of Jesus Christ, you know, that's what it is.
00:07:52.240 --> 00:07:58.480
But if it is in if it's change like Jeroboam, he changed for the fear of loss of power.
00:07:58.639 --> 00:07:59.120
Yes.
00:07:59.360 --> 00:08:07.199
Fear of loss of control, fear of loss of fame and and and riches as being the leader, you know.
00:08:07.519 --> 00:08:09.920
Because there's good change, there's bad change, right?
00:08:10.079 --> 00:08:18.319
And and pride sometimes don't let you change anything, and sometimes fear will try to change you everything, but when it's centered towards you.
00:08:18.480 --> 00:08:22.399
But for us, the mission is Jesus, and that's something we say yesterday.
00:08:22.480 --> 00:08:27.439
So there's some things that we need to change to reach new people for Jesus.
00:08:27.680 --> 00:08:32.159
And being honest, we are in a different culture, we are in a different place.
00:08:32.320 --> 00:08:36.159
I mean, back I used to work at a church where you had to wear a three-piece suit, right?
00:08:36.240 --> 00:08:40.639
Like you had to suit up, and I understand, uh, and I knew the culture they were reaching.
00:08:40.799 --> 00:08:46.159
But now in today's day, we're reaching a different culture where they may not wear a three-piece suit.
00:08:46.240 --> 00:08:52.000
And I'm not going to allow them to be like me because I need to reach down.
00:08:52.159 --> 00:08:52.320
Right.
00:08:52.480 --> 00:08:53.919
So I want them to feel comfortable.
00:08:54.000 --> 00:09:02.960
So sometimes I wear jeans, I wear relaxed, I wear my Jordans or my ideas, and I'm cool and relaxed, trying to reach people, long as the message doesn't change.
00:09:03.039 --> 00:09:11.360
Like I'm okay to changing everything from lights, from sanctuary, from TVs, from carpets, but as long as the word of God doesn't change.
00:09:11.759 --> 00:09:12.399
Absolutely.
00:09:12.639 --> 00:09:17.039
You know, I'm not one who I don't get in the weeds of, you know, haze and lights.
00:09:17.120 --> 00:09:19.279
Now I think things like that can be super distracting.
00:09:19.440 --> 00:09:25.759
If things are distracting from the gospel message, then you know, but I'm not one who gets in the weeds of that kind of stuff.
00:09:25.919 --> 00:09:27.679
Now, are we going to do that at Chancellor?
00:09:27.919 --> 00:09:29.360
No, we don't have that at Chancellor.
00:09:29.759 --> 00:09:33.039
You know, but that's one of those is is that worth arguing about?
00:09:33.279 --> 00:09:43.039
Or belitting belittling another church, a sister church, those who are on the same mission, names on the sign don't matter.
00:09:43.120 --> 00:09:45.279
I'll try to say that as often as I can.
00:09:45.440 --> 00:09:52.240
But is it worth one brother or sister belittling another brother or sister in that church for doing it a different way?
00:09:52.480 --> 00:09:53.200
I don't think so.
00:09:53.440 --> 00:09:58.559
Yeah, I think every church is reaching their own unique uh groups of people.
00:09:58.639 --> 00:10:00.960
Uh, if it's working for them, it's working for them.
00:10:01.039 --> 00:10:02.799
And if it's working for us, it's working for us.
00:10:02.879 --> 00:10:03.679
And glory to God.
00:10:03.759 --> 00:10:05.519
At the end of the day, we're here for the kingdom.
00:10:05.919 --> 00:10:08.879
When we go to heaven, they don't go, they don't go ask us, oh, let me see.
00:10:08.960 --> 00:10:11.840
You went to Chancellor Baptist Church, check, okay, you went.
00:10:12.000 --> 00:10:14.080
No, they go say, Do you have Jesus in your heart?
00:10:14.159 --> 00:10:14.399
Peter.
00:10:14.720 --> 00:10:15.759
Which service did you go to?
00:10:16.559 --> 00:10:17.919
What service do you go to?
00:10:18.159 --> 00:10:20.159
You know, and and those silly things.
00:10:20.240 --> 00:10:26.240
Uh, you know, I think in the mornings on my way in, just on Gordon Road alone, we have what, five churches?
00:10:26.320 --> 00:10:29.279
And Gordon Road is four miles?
00:10:29.440 --> 00:10:32.240
I don't I need to look at that at some point.
00:10:32.399 --> 00:10:38.879
So if it's four-ish miles, we have one church for every like 0.8 miles or something like that.
00:10:39.279 --> 00:10:41.200
Yeah, I'm not a mathematician at all.
00:10:41.440 --> 00:10:51.759
But you know, uh, so just on Gordon Road alone, five churches within four-ish miles, do you think everyone who lives in a five-mile radius from here can pack into these churches?
00:10:52.000 --> 00:10:52.320
No.
00:10:52.480 --> 00:11:06.720
We should be cheering on every one of our sister churches, no matter how big, how small, if as long as they're on mission for the gospel, we cheer them on and we cheer one another on in our little family here as well.
00:11:07.039 --> 00:11:13.200
And here's something with as a church planter, now let me put my church planter mine cell for um hat, my church planter hat, you know.
00:11:13.360 --> 00:11:18.960
Uh one of the questions I've been answering to the to people who are asking me, why are you planting a church?
00:11:19.039 --> 00:11:20.000
There are so many churches, right?
00:11:20.080 --> 00:11:20.480
That's the question.
00:11:20.559 --> 00:11:21.679
Why are you planting another church?
00:11:21.759 --> 00:11:22.799
There are so many other churches.
00:11:24.639 --> 00:11:29.759
I'm answering the question, I'm saying to them, look, it's there's still people that need Jesus.
00:11:29.919 --> 00:11:32.799
So instead of me saying, Why do we have so many churches?
00:11:32.879 --> 00:11:36.000
I start saying, What can we do to reach more people for Jesus?
00:11:36.080 --> 00:11:44.639
So if we need to have more churches, glory to God, let's have a church in every corner that shares the name of Jesus and takes the gospel, because we need churches.
00:11:44.879 --> 00:11:55.519
And living in Northern Virginia, now I'm not sure if first we're part of the statistics, but they say that there is a 60% of people said they go to a church.
00:11:55.679 --> 00:11:57.519
So there's still 40% that don't.
00:11:57.600 --> 00:12:01.679
And that that doesn't include and people who lied on that stat, too.
00:12:01.840 --> 00:12:02.960
You know, everybody lies on stats.
00:12:03.200 --> 00:12:06.639
Yeah, and that's not even also considering the other religions.
00:12:07.200 --> 00:12:16.720
But there's other religions popping up in our own communities that are pushing people away from Jesus, pushing people away from God so they can truth.
00:12:16.960 --> 00:12:18.320
Exactly from the truth, right?
00:12:18.399 --> 00:12:21.919
So, yes, we need more churches and we need to encourage each other.
00:12:22.080 --> 00:12:27.120
And churches will be different, they'll will look different, and that's okay, right?
00:12:27.279 --> 00:12:35.759
I mean, I'm I think of this picture in Revelation There's gonna be people in heaven from all tribes, languages worshiping the kingdom of God.
00:12:35.840 --> 00:12:38.000
That's what we want to aspire to be here on.
00:12:38.240 --> 00:12:53.360
And and just to, you know, yesterday we did our bilingual service, and I I love when we get to do that, because in English and in and Spanish, just getting to have that little taste of heaven, that's only a sliver of what heaven will be like, you know.
00:12:53.440 --> 00:13:07.840
But as we think about that internally, externally, uh, you know, church planning, church revitalization, all of that kind of stuff, it all goes back in in John 17, as Jesus is praying, saying, Father, you and I are one.
00:13:08.000 --> 00:13:10.639
We're praying for for he's praying for for those.
00:13:10.720 --> 00:13:12.159
It's cool when we look at John 17.
00:13:12.240 --> 00:13:12.879
He's praying for us.
00:13:13.039 --> 00:13:13.360
Yeah, he is.
00:13:13.679 --> 00:13:17.279
He wasn't just praying for the the 12 there around him.
00:13:17.600 --> 00:13:20.480
When he's praying, he's praying for all of history.
00:13:20.559 --> 00:13:28.000
And so it's one of those beautiful moments where we kind of step back and realize these words still are echoing today.
00:13:28.080 --> 00:13:39.759
Yeah, because as Jesus Christ himself prayed this over us, he was saying uh you jump down to verse 20, and it's a beautiful uh prayer that he does.
00:13:39.840 --> 00:13:57.360
So John 17, go and read it, but you jump down to verse 20, but he says, I don't ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, and so continued on through through ministers and missionaries, and we're all uh the priesthood of believers as we get to share the gospel uh to the nations.
00:13:57.440 --> 00:14:00.799
And so 21, that they may all be one.
00:14:01.519 --> 00:14:07.519
Just as you, Father, are in me, I in you, that they also may be in us.
00:14:07.679 --> 00:14:14.799
We're brought into that, that they're with in with with us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.
00:14:16.240 --> 00:14:23.679
So the church, the capital C, the the people of God, we're not in competition with one another.
00:14:24.720 --> 00:14:35.039
Pride creeps in, and we say, Oh, you know, hey, we we see other pastors preach some of these big dogs, you know, these incredible communicators.
00:14:35.200 --> 00:14:44.879
You know, some of us are mediocre at best, and so you get to see these other big dog preachers or worship leaders that there's probably like two or three better than you.
00:14:44.960 --> 00:14:45.360
I don't know.
00:14:45.600 --> 00:14:46.399
There's maybe two.
00:14:46.799 --> 00:14:49.679
There aren't many, but you know, with the skinny jeans.
00:14:50.000 --> 00:14:50.720
You know, yeah, yeah.
00:14:50.879 --> 00:14:52.320
You gotta have some more rips in them.
00:14:52.399 --> 00:14:54.240
But uh tear up my jeans a little bit.
00:14:55.919 --> 00:15:02.879
You know, but people also look and try and compare and bring that that that pride piece in, and there's no need for that.
00:15:03.039 --> 00:15:08.960
We are not in competition, we are one in the name of Jesus.
00:15:09.200 --> 00:15:14.399
And here's the key we with that prayer of Jesus is that he's praying for us to be one, right?
00:15:14.960 --> 00:15:21.919
And churches are getting so divided among each other, and also through sister churches, right?
00:15:22.000 --> 00:15:23.519
They they are being divided.
00:15:23.600 --> 00:15:26.720
We I think the enemy has divided us.
00:15:27.120 --> 00:15:33.919
Um, I mean, I don't want to get into the realm of the SBC or that stuff, but just look into how divisive it has been.
00:15:34.000 --> 00:15:39.759
Uh, church is just dividing, the devil is the is trying to divide us, and that's why Jesus is praying.
00:15:39.840 --> 00:15:41.600
I pray that you guys are one.
00:15:42.000 --> 00:15:46.399
The way you guys love each other is how they know you are my disciples by loving each other.
00:15:46.559 --> 00:15:49.600
So we get so caught up in those secondary issues, man.
00:15:50.000 --> 00:16:20.799
I mean, we live in such a divided world, divided politically, superpolarized, even some of the silly little things within church politics, not the gospel truth, Jesus Christ, birth, death, resurrection, not the gospel truth, but the silly things of church politics of themselves, those silly things, we have become such a polarized culture that from the outside, people who don't yet know Jesus are looking in and saying, Why do I want this?
00:16:21.039 --> 00:16:27.919
And so Jesus' prayer over us is be united as one, as followers of Jesus.
00:16:28.080 --> 00:16:28.320
Yeah.
00:16:28.559 --> 00:16:32.639
The silly things of of this world, they don't matter.
00:16:32.799 --> 00:16:35.600
We focus on Jesus Christ, we live for him, and we live with the great commission.
00:16:36.000 --> 00:16:36.320
100%.
00:16:36.720 --> 00:16:39.600
And we have to also be okay to this degree.
00:16:39.679 --> 00:16:44.080
Like, I still love you, even though you're like uh Hawaiian pizza, only one, only one slide.
00:16:45.039 --> 00:16:45.360
And that's okay.
00:16:45.440 --> 00:16:46.159
I still care for you.
00:16:46.559 --> 00:16:48.960
I love for you, even though I cannot believe you eat pizza hot.
00:16:49.200 --> 00:16:51.360
But you know, there's there's grace in this bottle.
00:16:51.679 --> 00:16:52.399
But we do love Chuck E.
00:16:52.480 --> 00:16:52.720
Cheese.
00:16:52.879 --> 00:16:53.360
We love Chuck.
00:16:53.600 --> 00:16:54.080
Oh, bro.
00:16:54.240 --> 00:16:55.919
But we gotta go with Chuck Easter.
00:16:56.480 --> 00:16:58.399
We only got to go there for the pizza.
00:16:59.759 --> 00:17:03.440
Side note, I was supposed to be able to be at a birthday party a little bit back at Chuck E.
00:17:03.519 --> 00:17:05.680
Cheese, and Sarah knew I was so excited.
00:17:05.839 --> 00:17:10.880
Not to be able to just take Zoe or celebrate one of the kids in our church, but I was like, I get to go to Chuck E.
00:17:11.039 --> 00:17:11.279
Cheese.
00:17:12.400 --> 00:17:14.480
So well, he's okay to disagree.
00:17:14.720 --> 00:17:16.160
I mean, we still have brothers in Christ.
00:17:16.240 --> 00:17:18.400
I mean, I used to think of Paul and John Mark.
00:17:19.440 --> 00:17:20.319
They disagree.
00:17:20.400 --> 00:17:23.759
And Paul's doctrine matters, obviously.
00:17:23.920 --> 00:17:33.599
Like there are things that we need to stand on, but like you're saying, if it's if it's not if if somebody's not preaching a false gospel, you know, those are the things Paul stood on firmly.
00:17:33.759 --> 00:17:37.680
If there was a false gospel creeping into a church, he was gonna go after it hard.
00:17:37.839 --> 00:17:38.160
Yeah.
00:17:38.400 --> 00:17:41.119
But so often we're not we're not talking about something like that.
00:17:41.200 --> 00:17:45.039
We're talking about there are absolute truths, absolutely, I like to say.
00:17:45.200 --> 00:17:53.759
You know, but there's a whole bunch of those secondary issues that the devil uses, the enemy places out there for us to get so distracted.
00:17:53.920 --> 00:17:59.119
I challenged yesterday and it popped in my mind while you were speaking, so I didn't articulate it well at all.
00:17:59.440 --> 00:18:12.000
But, you know, just you know, I I I think of the things that we hear from folks inside church buildings, you know, when I've worked in, I grew up in church, PK, multiple, you know, and so churches are churches, people are people.
00:18:12.079 --> 00:18:19.759
And so the things that that usually the same complaints, I've been talking to a couple other churches, and I don't even need for them to finish their story.
00:18:20.000 --> 00:18:21.519
I know their story.
00:18:21.839 --> 00:18:29.680
And so the things that get brought about, the complaints or gripes, they're never about the kingdom work.
00:18:29.920 --> 00:18:36.880
Yeah, they're they're rarely about the kingdom work, they're rarely about the mission, they're rarely about the gospel.
00:18:36.960 --> 00:18:42.079
It is about prideful personal preferences, and we should not be doing that.
00:18:42.240 --> 00:18:58.079
We jump to 1 Corinthians, and Paul's writing, I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you uh that all of you agree that there be no, and now it doesn't mean agree on song selections or uh translation of scripture, even necessarily.
00:18:58.319 --> 00:19:00.720
Um, like some of those little things.
00:19:00.799 --> 00:19:13.920
It's like agree on the gospel, the absolute truths, absolutely, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you may be united in the same mind and the same judgment, again, standing on the absolute truths absolutely.
00:19:14.079 --> 00:19:15.359
He gets into the division real fast.
00:19:15.519 --> 00:19:22.640
He says, uh, for what has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there's quarreling among you, my brothers, not in a church.
00:19:22.960 --> 00:19:23.119
No.
00:19:23.279 --> 00:19:31.519
What I mean is that each one of you says, I follow Paul, I follow Apollos, I like the nine, I like the 1030, or I follow Cephas, or I follow Christ.
00:19:31.680 --> 00:19:33.279
Is Christ divided?
00:19:33.519 --> 00:19:33.839
No.
00:19:34.240 --> 00:19:35.039
Christ divided.
00:19:35.599 --> 00:19:35.759
No.
00:19:36.079 --> 00:19:36.720
I love that.
00:19:38.000 --> 00:19:38.400
Singular.
00:19:38.480 --> 00:19:39.599
Even among the Trinity.
00:19:40.319 --> 00:19:41.519
He prayed in 17.
00:19:41.599 --> 00:19:44.640
You and I are one, Father and the Spirit with them.
00:19:44.720 --> 00:19:49.039
So even the Trinity of themselves is not a there's no division in the Trinity.
00:19:49.119 --> 00:19:49.279
Yeah.
00:19:50.000 --> 00:19:51.119
Unity, only unity.
00:19:51.519 --> 00:20:06.960
I've found like in in recent years, w inviting people to church and talking to people about finding a church, is I I just in recent years there's just been more and more people in my life who I've been trying to encourage to take a church and stay there.
00:20:07.200 --> 00:20:13.519
And you always get in those conversations like, well, the we went there and the old preacher was really great, but I'm not sure we like the new preacher.
00:20:13.599 --> 00:20:17.200
I'm like, you're not you're not here to be a a a preacher critic.
00:20:17.359 --> 00:20:29.200
Like you you need to go there and get involved and and belong and f find where to serve and make uh friends with people there and become part of a community.
00:20:29.359 --> 00:20:29.440
Yeah.
00:20:29.680 --> 00:20:30.400
And it's so difficult.
00:20:30.480 --> 00:20:32.720
I find myself often speaking up in defense of mega churches.
00:20:32.799 --> 00:20:34.960
So people people I love mega churches.
00:20:35.039 --> 00:20:36.960
People will be like, oh, we don't want to go to a megachurch.
00:20:37.039 --> 00:20:39.359
I'm like, well, that might be the bet that might be the one for you.
00:20:39.440 --> 00:20:42.880
Like at least go and yeah and check it out and and meet people.
00:20:43.039 --> 00:20:47.279
Because just because it's a big church, that might be a great thing.
00:20:47.359 --> 00:20:51.519
Like, is there a if they're baptizing a lot of people and a lot of people are hearing the gospel, what's wrong with being big?
00:20:51.599 --> 00:20:52.000
Yeah, yeah.
00:20:52.240 --> 00:20:57.279
And one of the things I tell people that have issues with megachurch is something like, well, you will have issues with the church of Acts.
00:20:57.680 --> 00:20:58.079
Yeah, right.
00:20:58.160 --> 00:20:58.880
There will be some issues.
00:20:59.200 --> 00:21:00.400
We're thousands we're saved.
00:21:00.559 --> 00:21:01.039
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:21:01.359 --> 00:21:03.279
Like thousands were saved, right?
00:21:03.359 --> 00:21:06.400
And again, there's nothing wrong with a mega church, nothing wrong with a church.
00:21:06.559 --> 00:21:11.119
Um, when it gets wrong, is when the message of Christ is being changed.
00:21:11.279 --> 00:21:11.519
Yes.
00:21:11.680 --> 00:21:16.799
As long as we preach in Jesus, and I mean as a church planter, I I pray for a big church.
00:21:16.880 --> 00:21:18.559
I pray that the church plan will be big.
00:21:18.640 --> 00:21:20.799
I pray that chancer will be big, big.
00:21:20.880 --> 00:21:23.119
I mean, because that's we want yeah, we want to.
00:21:23.519 --> 00:21:27.839
Well, when you see growth is it's not about, again, change not for change's sake.
00:21:27.920 --> 00:21:28.079
Yeah.
00:21:28.319 --> 00:21:41.200
Growth not for growth's sake, but if the church is living that mission and doing it well and loving your neighbor as your yourself and coming in as a a servant, you were speaking yesterday, like we're supposed to serve.
00:21:41.359 --> 00:21:45.759
We don't come in on our high horse up here and say, Hey, you need to be like me.
00:21:45.920 --> 00:21:55.279
We go in and and and serve as Jesus did, and as we serve our neighbors and love our neighbors, we want them to get to know Jesus.
00:21:55.440 --> 00:21:59.759
And if they hopefully, you know, I I tell people, I don't care if you come to this church.
00:22:01.039 --> 00:22:01.680
Go to a church.
00:22:02.319 --> 00:22:05.759
I was doing a premarital counseling session yesterday and encouraging them to get into church.
00:22:05.839 --> 00:22:08.400
And I said, I I don't I don't care if you come to church this church.
00:22:08.480 --> 00:22:09.519
We'd love to have you here.
00:22:10.000 --> 00:22:10.880
A be in a church.
00:22:10.960 --> 00:22:11.119
Yeah.
00:22:11.279 --> 00:22:12.079
And that's what's important.
00:22:12.160 --> 00:22:12.319
Yeah.
00:22:12.640 --> 00:22:15.119
Having that family around you, the community around you.
00:22:15.519 --> 00:22:18.799
And that's where that unity comes, and that's where Jesus is praying for unity.
00:22:18.880 --> 00:22:23.519
Like for those who don't know, I I started a church two weeks ago in Northern Virginia.
00:22:23.599 --> 00:22:29.359
And one of the things I was saying to them to the church is like, hey, I know some people are not going to make it on Saturday.
00:22:29.759 --> 00:22:30.160
I get it.
00:22:30.720 --> 00:22:34.559
But there are so many other good churches on Sundays that you can invite people to.
00:22:35.119 --> 00:22:36.960
And I and I just mentioned names.
00:22:37.039 --> 00:22:42.079
And I was like, if you in Fredericksburg, we have a great church, we have a great pastor called Chancellor Baptist Church, right?
00:22:42.160 --> 00:22:45.279
If you in Stafford, I started naming church because at the end of the day, we're not here.
00:22:45.359 --> 00:22:49.039
I'm not here to just shine the grow this light community church.
00:22:49.200 --> 00:22:50.559
I'm here to grow the kingdom.
00:22:50.720 --> 00:22:51.039
Yeah.
00:22:51.359 --> 00:22:53.680
And we are one church together.
00:22:53.839 --> 00:22:55.920
And and the enemy knows that.
00:22:56.160 --> 00:22:57.279
He wants to divide us.
00:22:57.440 --> 00:22:59.279
And man, he goes to our families.
00:22:59.440 --> 00:23:00.640
He wants to divide our homes.
00:23:00.799 --> 00:23:08.319
And that's why yesterday I was talking about pride will creep into our families, into our spouse, we are spouses, we are kids, just to divide us.
00:23:08.400 --> 00:23:11.039
If he divides our house, done.
00:23:11.279 --> 00:23:11.519
Done.
00:23:11.759 --> 00:23:13.920
Yeah, pride is one of those easiest things.
00:23:14.640 --> 00:23:15.440
It just creeps in.
00:23:15.519 --> 00:23:31.359
And if you allow pride to take root, I dare say it's probably one of the hardest things to repent from because pride typically comes about it's this deep destruction, this incredible fall that happens when you find yourself stuck there.
00:23:31.440 --> 00:23:32.960
Or even when churches find themselves stuck there.
00:23:33.200 --> 00:23:41.359
Yeah, and one of the things I was standing to the 12 o'clock service, which I think mentioned at the 9 and 10 30, is that I was like, guys, I deal with pride.
00:23:41.599 --> 00:23:46.640
And I know everybody does, but I'm very, I'm very prideful, but I I like to brag.
00:23:46.720 --> 00:23:49.119
I'm not, man, man, we should go to Chancellor, man.
00:23:49.200 --> 00:23:52.160
We have bah bah bah or you should go to the Spanish service.
00:23:52.240 --> 00:23:58.240
And I like to just show off so much that there's times I have to remind myself it's not about me.
00:23:58.400 --> 00:24:03.759
And that's where kind of Nick was saying, when you follow a person or a man, that's dangerous.
00:24:03.839 --> 00:24:05.680
So I try to be away from that.
00:24:05.759 --> 00:24:08.400
And I I I'm grateful for my wife that she'll remind me.
00:24:08.480 --> 00:24:12.559
She's like, hey, she'll say this, it's you you're flying.
00:24:12.640 --> 00:24:13.440
Come on, bring it down.
00:24:13.519 --> 00:24:14.480
Yeah, yo, come down.
00:24:14.559 --> 00:24:18.480
In Spanish, we'll say, giving yourself a lot of wings.
00:24:18.640 --> 00:24:19.039
A lot of wings.
00:24:19.119 --> 00:24:19.440
I like that.
00:24:19.519 --> 00:24:19.920
I like that.
00:24:20.160 --> 00:24:21.359
Bring yourself down, right?
00:24:21.440 --> 00:24:25.680
And and sometimes as a pastor, it's easier for us because, oh, look at us.
00:24:25.759 --> 00:24:27.119
Our church is growing, it's successful.
00:24:27.279 --> 00:24:29.039
Yeah, it's growing, but not because of me.
00:24:29.759 --> 00:24:34.720
It feels good to succeed, so it's really easy for that good feeling to take you over.
00:24:35.039 --> 00:24:37.759
And there's nothing wrong to be excited about it, right?
00:24:37.839 --> 00:24:41.039
But it's but is it about who is growing things?
00:24:41.200 --> 00:24:41.359
Amen.
00:24:41.680 --> 00:24:45.200
Who is developing things, who is blessing things, who's doing all this.
00:24:45.440 --> 00:24:45.839
Exactly.
00:24:46.160 --> 00:24:46.720
Not man.
00:24:46.880 --> 00:24:47.279
Exactly.
00:24:47.440 --> 00:24:47.680
Right.
00:24:47.759 --> 00:24:56.480
I mean, uh, there's I think it's in Corinthians that's uh some planted, some water, but at the end of the day, guys makes it grow.
00:24:56.720 --> 00:24:57.119
Yeah.
00:24:57.359 --> 00:24:57.519
Yeah.
00:24:57.759 --> 00:25:07.920
So but uh and I deal with pride, and I'm always trying to remind myself, no, it's not about me, it's not about how big it is, it's all about the glory of God, and that's it, period.
00:25:08.000 --> 00:25:10.720
And as a musician, Nick, I don't know if that happens to you.
00:25:10.880 --> 00:25:12.640
We we we talented people, bro.
00:25:12.720 --> 00:25:15.440
We uh dude, I'm I play piano well and I'm bragging here.
00:25:15.519 --> 00:25:16.240
I I'm good, right?
00:25:16.559 --> 00:25:17.200
You were good, right?
00:25:17.519 --> 00:25:20.559
But but at the end of the day, God gave me the gift.
00:25:20.880 --> 00:25:25.920
Yeah, and I always I'm always a little amused when you see like a when you see like a bit like a kind of a famous worship band.
00:25:26.079 --> 00:25:32.079
We were at a experience conference the um a couple weeks ago, and like Passion was one of the bands performing.
00:25:32.240 --> 00:25:42.640
And when you see like these kind of famous worship bands, whenever they finish a song and it's a big crash out, and it's big, huge, you know, the lights are flashing and everything, and the crowd goes wild, and they're like, give Jesus a hand.
00:25:42.799 --> 00:25:44.160
I'm always a little amused by that moment.
00:25:44.480 --> 00:25:46.799
Like, but you guys know we're clapping for you.
00:25:47.039 --> 00:25:50.640
But uh, but I know, you know, the you it's it's it's kind of an exercise, like, right?
00:25:50.720 --> 00:25:52.240
Like, let me let me keep myself humble.
00:25:52.400 --> 00:25:55.359
I'm up here, I'm kind of a rock star, but I want to say, give Jesus a hand.
00:25:55.599 --> 00:25:56.960
And Nick, cheering for Jesus.
00:25:57.279 --> 00:26:09.759
A couple of years ago, when I was younger, I was uh at this show doing a performance, and the preacher came up to me and and told the whole worship band, he's like, Are you still in God's glory?
00:26:09.920 --> 00:26:10.480
Oh my god.
00:26:11.599 --> 00:26:13.599
Because all the people are clapping.
00:26:13.839 --> 00:26:16.880
Are they clapping to you or are they clapping to the Lord?
00:26:16.960 --> 00:26:18.480
Yeah, dude, that hit me hard.
00:26:18.559 --> 00:26:18.720
Wow.
00:26:18.880 --> 00:26:26.079
So while I did start doing everything, I'm I'm like, hey, I know you guys are clapping, I appreciate you guys, but let's take the glory to who it belongs to.
00:26:26.160 --> 00:26:26.799
Yeah, to God.
00:26:26.960 --> 00:26:28.000
But dude, that hit me.
00:26:28.160 --> 00:26:29.519
And since then that's a big phrase.
00:26:29.759 --> 00:26:32.400
And since then, I'm always, I don't want to steal God's glory.
00:26:32.480 --> 00:26:33.680
It's all about God's glory.
00:26:34.160 --> 00:26:37.759
And I don't know if you notice, even on Sundays where people come up to me, oh, I love your message.
00:26:37.920 --> 00:26:38.559
Glory to God.
00:26:39.039 --> 00:26:39.599
Glory to God.
00:26:39.839 --> 00:26:40.640
You have to, yeah.
00:26:41.039 --> 00:26:41.519
I mean, that's it.
00:26:41.920 --> 00:26:42.799
Pride creeps in, bro.
00:26:42.960 --> 00:26:43.359
Yeah.
00:26:43.599 --> 00:26:45.680
You know, it's on the back end of this passage.
00:26:45.759 --> 00:26:50.559
It was about these golden calves that he built, because again, he wanted it about himself.
00:26:50.960 --> 00:26:51.519
He was fear.
00:26:51.920 --> 00:26:56.160
And uh, you know, churches easily get golden calves.
00:26:56.400 --> 00:27:08.880
Uh, we all have golden calves in our lives from time to time, and we just have to address in ourselves hey, what are those things that I care more about for my personal comfort than I uh care about?
00:27:09.039 --> 00:27:13.680
Again, his glory, his kingdom, all it's all about him, and we have to address those things.
00:27:13.759 --> 00:27:16.640
For we allow pride because we let them sit there for a little while.
00:27:16.799 --> 00:27:18.559
That's when they it's a golden calf.
00:27:18.640 --> 00:27:18.880
Yeah.
00:27:19.119 --> 00:27:24.799
And we're unwilling to compromise, we're not willing to to listen and love others and and lead well.
00:27:25.039 --> 00:27:27.759
So Yayo, appreciate you.
00:27:27.839 --> 00:27:29.119
And uh thank you, brother.
00:27:29.279 --> 00:27:30.160
I appreciate you guys as well.
00:27:30.559 --> 00:27:32.319
Let's uh get you past this pizza hut, okay?
00:27:32.400 --> 00:27:32.640
Let's go.
00:27:32.720 --> 00:27:33.599
Let's go with Chucky Cheese.
00:27:33.759 --> 00:27:34.079
Chuck E.
00:27:34.160 --> 00:27:35.279
Cheese, it is, let's roll it.
