Questacular

Don't be surprised. This is not the first time i have coined a new word. At NorthStar, we are on a quest to fulfill the purpose of God for our church and it is a spectacular, awesome journey.  A couple of weeks ago when we had a record in house attendance of 731, (other than Easter Sunday) and baptized 9, it was questacular!  In fact, the stuff God is doing here is indescribable. Each Sunday, as I prepare to go on stage, my heart beats fast because I know God is doing some pretty incredible things in our church. I am asked by those outside our church, "What do you contribute the success to? Is it your worship band? Oh, it is your speaking right? (just kidding) Is it your children's ministry?"  My answer is, "It is a Work of God" This is not some spiritual answer I know to give, rather it is the truth.  The reality is that no man, band, or plan could do what is being done here.
God has a divine purpose for His church to reach those outside the church.  When God's people catch the vision of fulfilling His purpose for their lives, things begin to happen.  We have a passion for the lost and we want to do something about it.  One of the things we have purposed to do and be a part of is starting new churches with the same passion.  We have had some part in three different church starts over the past four and a half years.   From commissioning members to go, to pre-launch groups checking us out, we have been blessed to have some part in what God is doing in other areas around our region.  We have even seen churches start in the Philippines as a result of our work there.  As I announced Sunday, we are embarking on a brand new partnership with a brand new church start in Huntsville Alabama.  The Ignite City Church will launch early spring in Huntsville and we are pumped about working with them.
God is at work here and for this we are thankful. It is Questacular!!!!

Where Are You?

You will never discover God's best for your life until you take a serious look at where you are in life.  God's desire for your life is greater than you could ever imagine. God has greater dreams for us than we are living.  Jesus told us that He desires to bring us life to the full.  We talked about this past Sunday three zones that we could find ourselves. The Dream Zone, is where God wants us to live.  It is in this zone where we have a strong passion for God. The Drained Zone is that place where 70-80% of Christ followers find themselves. It is here that we feel frustrated, tired, overwhelmed, discouraged and overworked.  We try to hang on by keeping the plates spinning and we feel there is no way out. What happens when we are in this zone is usually we are ineffective at what we do and vulnerable to the attacks of the enemy. The Danger Zone is where things really start to unravel. Usually there is unconfessed sin in our lives. If you find yourself in the danger zone, it is time to confess, repent and refocus on Christ.  If you find yourself in the drained zone, it is time to put your eyes on the vision, prioritize and hear from God.  If you are in the dream zone, keep your eye on Christ, walk closely with Him and allow Him to renew you, speak to you and take you where He wants you to be.

What Is Important Is Not Who Is In The White House, But Who Is In The Church House

I said this past Sunday, as we kicked off our brand new series "In Rhythm", "What is important is not who is in the White House, but who is in the Church House." For too long our church culture has been yelling at the non-christians in the world telling them how they are living like non-chiristians.  What we need to do is take a hard look inside the church to make sure we are right with God.  We then need to take the cross to the world and let them know there is room at the cross for them. It is then that they will listen to us. I am pumped about this series.  We are looking at how we, the church,  can walk in sync with our Creator.  It is when we get in rhythm with Him that we can be what He wants us to be. I believe our church is about to go to a HNL.  God wants us to take it to a new level. I believe He is going to use NorthStar Church to be a major difference maker in our city, county and region. We must never forget it is God that is making it happen.  We just need to be in step with Him.

What Am I Doing And Why Am I Doing It?

God is the only one that can bring true meaning to life.  It is in Him we find identity, significance and purpose. However, sometimes we tend to forget how important it is to give Him all of our lives. Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'Matthew 22:37 (NIV)
There are some dangers we face as we try to live in the zone with God. We often live our lives seeking the  approval of others. We do this to the point that we spend a lot of our time doing things that will make them happy rather than asking ourselves "what do we need to do to please God?". Another danger is being busy but not necessarily doing the best things.  We get so busy doing so many important things that sometimes we fail to do the best things God has for us. I know in my  life I find myself really busy doing a lot of things.  I need to consistently make an evaluation of my life.  I need to evaluate my motive and my actions.  I need to make sure I am trying to please God and if I am spending my time wisely.  Am I following God's vision, purpose and priorities for my life?