1. TBN
  2. Programs
  3. Allen Jackson Ministries
  4. Episodes
  5. Allen Jackson - God Is Moving In The Earth (Part 1)
Allen Jackson Ministries

Allen Jackson - God Is Moving In The Earth (Part 1)

November 3, 2025 | 28:35

Allen Jackson - God Is Moving In The Earth (Part 1)
Pastor Allen Jackson's mission is to help people become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.
#WordofGod #Peace #RenewingtheMind #Family #Honesty #Timing #Blessing

Closed captions

Show Timecode
Allen Jackson Ministries | Allen Jackson - God Is Moving In The Earth (Part 1) | November 3, 2025
  • ...
  • 00:00:00.633 --> 00:00:02.485
  • Allen jackson: you know, when i was a child i thought christmas
  • 00:00:06.723 --> 00:00:08.792
  • Came every four years.
  • 00:00:08.792 --> 00:00:10.560
  • Now i feel like it comes about every four weeks.
  • 00:00:10.560 --> 00:00:12.962
  • Well, christmas is just around the corner.
  • 00:00:12.962 --> 00:00:15.198
  • It's a season of tremendous opportunity for those of us who
  • 00:00:15.198 --> 00:00:17.801
  • Are people of faith to remember what god has done for us and
  • 00:00:17.801 --> 00:00:20.870
  • What we're inviting him into in the midst of this
  • 00:00:20.870 --> 00:00:23.006
  • Holiday season.
  • 00:00:23.006 --> 00:00:24.607
  • Well, we've created a tool, a resource for you to lead with
  • 00:00:24.607 --> 00:00:27.477
  • Your faith at christmas.
  • 00:00:27.477 --> 00:00:29.079
  • It's a 25-day devotional along with some ideas about--from
  • 00:00:29.079 --> 00:00:33.349
  • Recipes to activities for your friends or your family.
  • 00:00:33.349 --> 00:00:36.853
  • It's just a fun way so that you can shape your faith into
  • 00:00:36.853 --> 00:00:40.156
  • The holiday.
  • 00:00:40.156 --> 00:00:41.524
  • I think all of us have a desire to see christmas be--have jesus
  • 00:00:41.524 --> 00:00:44.761
  • In the midst of it a bit more.
  • 00:00:44.761 --> 00:00:46.429
  • There's so many secular voices that speak and sometimes i think
  • 00:00:46.429 --> 00:00:48.898
  • We feel powerless to do something other than put up a
  • 00:00:48.898 --> 00:00:51.401
  • Tree or hang some lights.
  • 00:00:51.401 --> 00:00:53.036
  • Well, "lead with your faith at christmas" is a tool we created
  • 00:00:53.036 --> 00:00:56.172
  • So you can share your faith with your family, with your friends,
  • 00:00:56.172 --> 00:00:58.608
  • With coworkers.
  • 00:00:58.608 --> 00:00:59.943
  • I think it'll make this christmas season truly a way to
  • 00:00:59.943 --> 00:01:02.912
  • Honor the lord in your life.
  • 00:01:02.912 --> 00:01:04.681
  • In fact, i'm quite confident it'll be a blessing to you.
  • 00:01:04.681 --> 00:01:06.983
  • ♪♪♪
  • 00:01:07.650 --> 00:01:13.957
  • Allen: i appreciated anne leading us in worship
  • 00:01:13.957 --> 00:01:15.625
  • This morning.
  • 00:01:15.625 --> 00:01:18.261
  • You know, i don't think we should imagine that music is
  • 00:01:18.261 --> 00:01:25.735
  • A warm-up.
  • 00:01:25.735 --> 00:01:29.339
  • We call this a worship service, not because we sing through the
  • 00:01:29.339 --> 00:01:33.743
  • Whole time, but it's an invitation to god.
  • 00:01:33.743 --> 00:01:36.246
  • God inhabits the praises of his people and when someone or
  • 00:01:36.246 --> 00:01:40.350
  • Someones make the effort to create an opportunity for us to
  • 00:01:40.350 --> 00:01:44.354
  • Turn our attention and our heart to the lord, it's an opportunity
  • 00:01:44.354 --> 00:01:47.624
  • To cooperate.
  • 00:01:47.624 --> 00:01:50.059
  • It's a variety of musical styles that we have the opportunity
  • 00:01:50.059 --> 00:01:52.829
  • Because of our location in nashville to be exposed to and
  • 00:01:52.829 --> 00:01:56.733
  • In the variety of musical styles, there's an opportunity
  • 00:01:56.733 --> 00:01:59.569
  • In each one to turn our attention to the lord and come
  • 00:01:59.569 --> 00:02:02.839
  • Before him with whatever our needs are.
  • 00:02:02.839 --> 00:02:07.076
  • You know, we kind of build into our hearts these orders of
  • 00:02:07.076 --> 00:02:09.479
  • Worship and ministry happens at the end of something and i don't
  • 00:02:09.479 --> 00:02:12.982
  • Think that's helpful.
  • 00:02:12.982 --> 00:02:14.717
  • At whatever point, you know, when you come to the--when you
  • 00:02:14.717 --> 00:02:17.787
  • Make the effort to present yourself with the people of god
  • 00:02:17.787 --> 00:02:20.190
  • Before the lord, which is what i imagine a gathering like this is
  • 00:02:20.190 --> 00:02:23.026
  • About, we come to receive from god.
  • 00:02:23.026 --> 00:02:28.164
  • Whether it's strength in our bodies or peace in our minds or
  • 00:02:28.164 --> 00:02:31.301
  • Insight or understanding, it's not a study.
  • 00:02:31.301 --> 00:02:35.104
  • It's not some corporate responsibility.
  • 00:02:35.104 --> 00:02:37.340
  • We gather because we believe there's a god in heaven and it's
  • 00:02:37.340 --> 00:02:40.043
  • Significant enough that i want to be with other people that
  • 00:02:40.043 --> 00:02:41.945
  • Believe that and in the midst of those people, we find god
  • 00:02:41.945 --> 00:02:44.847
  • Moves frequently.
  • 00:02:44.847 --> 00:02:46.616
  • It's not the only place he moves.
  • 00:02:46.616 --> 00:02:49.586
  • But i wanna help--we wanna reshape a little bit
  • 00:02:49.586 --> 00:02:52.055
  • This notion.
  • 00:02:52.055 --> 00:02:53.389
  • We call it church and it's a worship service and there's
  • 00:02:53.389 --> 00:02:54.958
  • A structure to it and you didn't do this at the right place.
  • 00:02:54.958 --> 00:02:57.994
  • And we miss the presence of god sometimes.
  • 00:02:57.994 --> 00:03:03.099
  • And i stood there as anne was just very gently leading us into
  • 00:03:03.099 --> 00:03:07.837
  • The presence of the lord.
  • 00:03:07.837 --> 00:03:09.172
  • I thought, what a privilege.
  • 00:03:09.172 --> 00:03:11.174
  • What an amazing privilege.
  • 00:03:11.174 --> 00:03:14.644
  • And if you missed that, you know, it's hard.
  • 00:03:14.644 --> 00:03:15.979
  • Sometimes you're distracted.
  • 00:03:15.979 --> 00:03:17.313
  • Getting to church with a family in peace takes the help of
  • 00:03:17.313 --> 00:03:19.749
  • Almighty god.
  • 00:03:19.749 --> 00:03:22.752
  • You know, it just feels like there's a lot of disruptions and
  • 00:03:22.752 --> 00:03:24.921
  • Interruptions and then you wanna get your space and you don't get
  • 00:03:24.921 --> 00:03:27.557
  • Quite the space you wanted.
  • 00:03:27.557 --> 00:03:30.126
  • You get a little sideways about that.
  • 00:03:30.126 --> 00:03:33.129
  • You heard somebody say something on the way in or you thought
  • 00:03:33.129 --> 00:03:35.431
  • Somebody looked at you or somebody didn't look at you or
  • 00:03:35.431 --> 00:03:39.269
  • Somebody spoke to you or somebody didn't speak to you.
  • 00:03:39.269 --> 00:03:41.704
  • I mean, the devil is at work over nonsense and we miss the
  • 00:03:41.704 --> 00:03:46.109
  • Things of god.
  • 00:03:46.109 --> 00:03:48.411
  • But i don't wanna do that.
  • 00:03:48.411 --> 00:03:49.779
  • Folks, we need his help.
  • 00:03:49.779 --> 00:03:52.215
  • We so desperately need his help.
  • 00:03:52.215 --> 00:03:53.750
  • Do you know that?
  • 00:03:53.750 --> 00:03:55.351
  • We're not gonna get a good outcome unless the power of god
  • 00:03:55.351 --> 00:03:57.920
  • Is engaged with us.
  • 00:03:57.920 --> 00:04:00.056
  • We can't work hard enough or be smart enough.
  • 00:04:00.056 --> 00:04:04.494
  • Don't take this off my preaching time.
  • 00:04:04.494 --> 00:04:05.895
  • I'm just rambling.
  • 00:04:05.895 --> 00:04:09.198
  • We'll start putting that in your outlines.
  • 00:04:09.198 --> 00:04:10.566
  • It's just rambling.
  • 00:04:10.566 --> 00:04:11.901
  • You just know there's like a indeterminate period of time
  • 00:04:11.901 --> 00:04:15.138
  • When i'm gonna circle the airport, so.
  • 00:04:15.138 --> 00:04:19.776
  • No, no, don't encourage it.
  • 00:04:19.776 --> 00:04:22.445
  • We've been working through this study on shaping culture.
  • 00:04:22.445 --> 00:04:26.215
  • And to be honest, it's displayed on the walls of the church.
  • 00:04:26.215 --> 00:04:29.886
  • I've been taking various segments of the public spaces,
  • 00:04:29.886 --> 00:04:32.655
  • The lobby spaces in the church where the team worked so hard to
  • 00:04:32.655 --> 00:04:36.426
  • Take messaging that is a part of this community and has been in
  • 00:04:36.426 --> 00:04:39.462
  • Recent months, to display it in a way that hopefully we can
  • 00:04:39.462 --> 00:04:43.800
  • Remember it and take it away with us and so i've been walking
  • 00:04:43.800 --> 00:04:46.269
  • Through that with you.
  • 00:04:46.269 --> 00:04:47.637
  • We started in the atrium with young people and what god's
  • 00:04:47.637 --> 00:04:50.573
  • Doing in the hearts and in their lives and in fellowship square,
  • 00:04:50.573 --> 00:04:54.177
  • We've got the wall with israel and some points on why we stand
  • 00:04:54.177 --> 00:04:57.213
  • With the jewish people and we believe the nation of israel is
  • 00:04:57.213 --> 00:04:59.649
  • Significant, biblical reasons.
  • 00:04:59.649 --> 00:05:02.819
  • The light lobby is about hospitality.
  • 00:05:02.819 --> 00:05:07.523
  • How we're changing culture one home at a time, one household at
  • 00:05:07.523 --> 00:05:10.893
  • A time.
  • 00:05:10.893 --> 00:05:12.228
  • That's doable, folks.
  • 00:05:12.228 --> 00:05:14.197
  • We can open our lives and our hearts to the lord.
  • 00:05:14.197 --> 00:05:16.165
  • Well, in this session, i want to talk to you about the way god's
  • 00:05:16.165 --> 00:05:18.568
  • Moving in the earth.
  • 00:05:18.568 --> 00:05:19.902
  • He's doing remarkable things.
  • 00:05:19.902 --> 00:05:21.371
  • It's easy to get focused on expressions of evil, but i don't
  • 00:05:21.371 --> 00:05:23.706
  • Wanna do that.
  • 00:05:23.706 --> 00:05:25.074
  • I want to stay focused on what the lord is doing.
  • 00:05:25.074 --> 00:05:27.243
  • You know, we worship here predominantly.
  • 00:05:27.243 --> 00:05:29.078
  • This is world outreach church.
  • 00:05:29.078 --> 00:05:30.413
  • It's one congregation, it's one gathering of people.
  • 00:05:30.413 --> 00:05:32.648
  • I've been a part of this since there was 29 people.
  • 00:05:32.648 --> 00:05:36.119
  • So it's had many expressions.
  • 00:05:36.119 --> 00:05:37.520
  • It's looked a lot like a lot of different things.
  • 00:05:37.520 --> 00:05:39.655
  • We've gathered in different spaces.
  • 00:05:39.655 --> 00:05:42.291
  • There hasn't always been technology.
  • 00:05:42.291 --> 00:05:43.893
  • We didn't even always have bathrooms, i mean.
  • 00:05:43.893 --> 00:05:47.830
  • Bathrooms are a victory.
  • 00:05:47.830 --> 00:05:50.666
  • I'm telling you, when you don't have them when they're there,
  • 00:05:50.666 --> 00:05:52.935
  • That is a blessing.
  • 00:05:52.935 --> 00:05:55.438
  • And so the church isn't about structures or--it's about a
  • 00:05:55.438 --> 00:05:59.575
  • People with a heart and a desire to know the lord and all along
  • 00:05:59.575 --> 00:06:03.312
  • The way, i'm conscious, particularly at this vantage
  • 00:06:03.312 --> 00:06:05.648
  • Point that there have been lessons to be learned, that as
  • 00:06:05.648 --> 00:06:08.317
  • We have continued to grow up in the lord, he's continued to
  • 00:06:08.317 --> 00:06:10.753
  • Expand our influence.
  • 00:06:10.753 --> 00:06:12.121
  • There's a relationship in that.
  • 00:06:12.121 --> 00:06:13.456
  • If we stop growing, you forfeit opportunities.
  • 00:06:13.456 --> 00:06:16.759
  • And i don't mean growing physically.
  • 00:06:16.759 --> 00:06:18.161
  • I mean, you have to grow in the lord.
  • 00:06:18.161 --> 00:06:20.396
  • We all do.
  • 00:06:20.396 --> 00:06:21.731
  • We get content.
  • 00:06:21.731 --> 00:06:23.099
  • We think, "well, i'm going to heaven, there's nothing more
  • 00:06:23.099 --> 00:06:24.434
  • To learn."
  • 00:06:24.434 --> 00:06:25.802
  • Stop that. stop.
  • 00:06:25.802 --> 00:06:27.303
  • It'd be like the israelites, the slaves of egypt, after they got
  • 00:06:27.303 --> 00:06:29.839
  • Delivered from egyptian slavery, they just stopped at the
  • 00:06:29.839 --> 00:06:31.507
  • Red sea.
  • 00:06:31.507 --> 00:06:32.875
  • "well, there's no--we're free now."
  • 00:06:32.875 --> 00:06:34.210
  • No, there was a promised land to be taken.
  • 00:06:34.210 --> 00:06:35.912
  • There was journeys to be made.
  • 00:06:35.912 --> 00:06:37.313
  • There was tabernacle to be built.
  • 00:06:37.313 --> 00:06:39.315
  • There was principles to be learned.
  • 00:06:39.315 --> 00:06:40.783
  • There was a community to be established.
  • 00:06:40.783 --> 00:06:42.285
  • There was so much.
  • 00:06:42.285 --> 00:06:44.687
  • And there's so much in front of us.
  • 00:06:44.687 --> 00:06:46.122
  • God is moving in the most remarkable ways.
  • 00:06:46.122 --> 00:06:48.024
  • I want to start in hebrews 12.
  • 00:06:48.024 --> 00:06:50.626
  • It's a bit of an unsettling passage.
  • 00:06:50.626 --> 00:06:52.228
  • It's a prophetic passage.
  • 00:06:52.228 --> 00:06:53.596
  • It says: "at that time, his voice shook the earth, but now
  • 00:06:53.596 --> 00:06:56.032
  • He's promised, 'once more i will shake not only the earth but
  • 00:06:56.032 --> 00:06:59.836
  • Also the heavens.'"
  • 00:06:59.836 --> 00:07:01.170
  • The author of hebrews is quoting one of the hebrew prophets.
  • 00:07:01.170 --> 00:07:04.407
  • And he's borrowing a prophecy that had been made hundreds of
  • 00:07:04.407 --> 00:07:06.776
  • Years earlier and applying it to the season that was ahead of
  • 00:07:06.776 --> 00:07:09.445
  • Him, and he said, "god said, 'once more i will shake not only
  • 00:07:09.445 --> 00:07:12.882
  • The earth but also the heavens,' and the word "once more"
  • 00:07:12.882 --> 00:07:15.384
  • Indicate that the removing of what can be shaken--that is,
  • 00:07:15.384 --> 00:07:19.088
  • Created things--so that what cannot be shaken may remain.
  • 00:07:19.088 --> 00:07:23.092
  • Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot
  • 00:07:23.092 --> 00:07:25.728
  • Be shaken, let us be thankful."
  • 00:07:25.728 --> 00:07:27.630
  • Thankful about what?
  • 00:07:27.630 --> 00:07:28.998
  • That god's shaking the earth.
  • 00:07:28.998 --> 00:07:32.401
  • That the things that we thought were unshakable are crumbling in
  • 00:07:32.401 --> 00:07:35.605
  • The midst of the trembling.
  • 00:07:35.605 --> 00:07:38.241
  • And it's not evil shaking the earth.
  • 00:07:38.241 --> 00:07:40.009
  • God is shaking the earth.
  • 00:07:40.009 --> 00:07:42.778
  • The threats look like evil to me because they're unsettling,
  • 00:07:42.778 --> 00:07:46.916
  • They're uncomfortable, they're awkward.
  • 00:07:46.916 --> 00:07:48.718
  • There are things that i thought were trustworthy that have
  • 00:07:48.718 --> 00:07:51.988
  • Proven not to be trustworthy.
  • 00:07:51.988 --> 00:07:55.358
  • In my opinion, at least, it seems like covid 2020 was the
  • 00:07:55.358 --> 00:07:59.061
  • Beginning of a new series of episodes of shaking.
  • 00:07:59.061 --> 00:08:03.165
  • Tremors is the imagery i use.
  • 00:08:03.165 --> 00:08:06.002
  • You know, if there's an earthquake, often there are
  • 00:08:06.002 --> 00:08:07.637
  • Multiple tremors following that, and we heard about a virus
  • 00:08:07.637 --> 00:08:11.240
  • Coming from wuhan and we were told, remember this, they said
  • 00:08:11.240 --> 00:08:13.876
  • If you go home, shelter in place for a week and we'll be okay.
  • 00:08:13.876 --> 00:08:18.981
  • I remember that.
  • 00:08:18.981 --> 00:08:20.349
  • We all went home for a week.
  • 00:08:20.349 --> 00:08:22.385
  • Streets were empty, you know, i'm not the best rule follower,
  • 00:08:22.385 --> 00:08:24.720
  • So i got out and went for a drive.
  • 00:08:24.720 --> 00:08:26.088
  • It's wonderful.
  • 00:08:26.088 --> 00:08:27.423
  • No traffic in murfreesboro.
  • 00:08:27.423 --> 00:08:29.458
  • I was waving at all the people sheltered in place.
  • 00:08:29.458 --> 00:08:33.596
  • But it turned out to be a lot more than that and there were a
  • 00:08:33.596 --> 00:08:37.767
  • Lot of things that became unclear the further we walked
  • 00:08:37.767 --> 00:08:41.003
  • Into that.
  • 00:08:41.003 --> 00:08:42.505
  • It was a shaking.
  • 00:08:42.505 --> 00:08:43.873
  • Things that we thought were absolutely trustworthy proved
  • 00:08:43.873 --> 00:08:45.741
  • Not to be so, across a whole spectrum of things
  • 00:08:45.741 --> 00:08:49.478
  • Including churches.
  • 00:08:49.478 --> 00:08:51.747
  • I never imagined if that someone said churches were non-essential
  • 00:08:51.747 --> 00:08:54.283
  • That we would say "okay" and close our doors.
  • 00:08:54.283 --> 00:08:57.119
  • It never occurred to me.
  • 00:08:57.119 --> 00:08:59.855
  • It never occurred to me until it did.
  • 00:08:59.855 --> 00:09:03.659
  • And then i think october 7th was another tremor.
  • 00:09:03.659 --> 00:09:07.363
  • I wasn't surprised by terrorism or hatred of the middle east.
  • 00:09:07.363 --> 00:09:09.999
  • That's--it's been a part of the middle east for my
  • 00:09:09.999 --> 00:09:13.636
  • Entire lifetime.
  • 00:09:13.636 --> 00:09:15.304
  • But i wasn't prepared for the hatred of the jewish people that
  • 00:09:15.304 --> 00:09:17.607
  • Emerged after that.
  • 00:09:17.607 --> 00:09:19.775
  • That emerged in this nation, that emerged from on college
  • 00:09:19.775 --> 00:09:22.712
  • Campuses and has emerged within the church.
  • 00:09:22.712 --> 00:09:24.814
  • And i wasn't prepared for--i didn't imagine that.
  • 00:09:24.814 --> 00:09:28.551
  • Perhaps i should have.
  • 00:09:28.551 --> 00:09:29.885
  • It's been a historical reality, but i didn't imagine that.
  • 00:09:29.885 --> 00:09:34.457
  • I think charlie kirk's martyrdom was another tremor.
  • 00:09:34.457 --> 00:09:39.795
  • I wasn't prepared for that, for a 31-year-old man who was not a
  • 00:09:39.795 --> 00:09:43.499
  • Politician or a leader in the christian church, didn't hold an
  • 00:09:43.499 --> 00:09:46.302
  • Office, to be assassinated because he took a biblical
  • 00:09:46.302 --> 00:09:50.940
  • Worldview to college campuses.
  • 00:09:50.940 --> 00:09:53.809
  • That should not cause you to be the recipient of violence.
  • 00:09:53.809 --> 00:09:56.345
  • It shouldn't cause you to be hunted.
  • 00:09:56.345 --> 00:09:59.281
  • Then i was completely unprepared for the celebrations that took
  • 00:09:59.281 --> 00:10:02.018
  • Place after his death.
  • 00:10:02.018 --> 00:10:05.287
  • I didn't imagine that the depth of the problem on our college
  • 00:10:05.287 --> 00:10:08.324
  • Campuses was that deep.
  • 00:10:08.324 --> 00:10:10.493
  • But it is.
  • 00:10:10.493 --> 00:10:12.094
  • God is shaking the earth.
  • 00:10:12.094 --> 00:10:13.829
  • What's he doing?
  • 00:10:13.829 --> 00:10:15.164
  • What's he about?
  • 00:10:15.164 --> 00:10:16.532
  • Well, he's showing us the things that we have trusted in that we
  • 00:10:16.532 --> 00:10:19.001
  • Thought established us, that caused us to be civilized and
  • 00:10:19.001 --> 00:10:22.538
  • Were trustworthy.
  • 00:10:22.538 --> 00:10:23.906
  • In reality, they're not trustworthy.
  • 00:10:23.906 --> 00:10:27.076
  • And he's revealing those things that will stand the test.
  • 00:10:27.076 --> 00:10:31.647
  • In the passage, it says that it's an expression of
  • 00:10:31.647 --> 00:10:34.350
  • God's power.
  • 00:10:34.350 --> 00:10:35.685
  • He's the only one that can shake the whole earth.
  • 00:10:35.685 --> 00:10:37.787
  • I mean, putin thinks he can, but not so much.
  • 00:10:37.787 --> 00:10:41.257
  • I mean, he can cause horrible suffering and great death and a
  • 00:10:41.257 --> 00:10:44.827
  • Million people perish as a result of that or boko haram in
  • 00:10:44.827 --> 00:10:48.130
  • Nigeria can kill multiplied thousands of christians and
  • 00:10:48.130 --> 00:10:52.334
  • Annihilate hundreds of christians of churches and try
  • 00:10:52.334 --> 00:10:54.470
  • To wipe christianity from the face of the earth.
  • 00:10:54.470 --> 00:10:56.972
  • They will fail ultimately.
  • 00:10:56.972 --> 00:10:59.875
  • But there is a power in the earth, the power of
  • 00:10:59.875 --> 00:11:01.777
  • Almighty god.
  • 00:11:01.777 --> 00:11:04.113
  • And when he shakes the earth, he's doing it for a purpose that
  • 00:11:04.113 --> 00:11:06.716
  • His kingdom might be established.
  • 00:11:06.716 --> 00:11:09.585
  • It makes truth more precious.
  • 00:11:09.585 --> 00:11:11.854
  • It makes it more valuable.
  • 00:11:11.854 --> 00:11:13.222
  • If you're a person of the truth, you won't have to step forward.
  • 00:11:13.222 --> 00:11:16.125
  • Everybody else is stepping back.
  • 00:11:16.125 --> 00:11:17.660
  • The world is shaking and they're trying to find stability, and if
  • 00:11:17.660 --> 00:11:20.262
  • They're not anchored by the eternal kingdom of god, they're
  • 00:11:20.262 --> 00:11:23.733
  • Losing ground.
  • 00:11:23.733 --> 00:11:25.601
  • We are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken.
  • 00:11:25.601 --> 00:11:30.172
  • It's important.
  • 00:11:30.172 --> 00:11:31.507
  • I mean, we're a church in murfreesboro, tennessee.
  • 00:11:31.507 --> 00:11:34.443
  • Most people i meet can't even pronounce it.
  • 00:11:34.443 --> 00:11:38.147
  • You know, the local people say, "why do you say you're
  • 00:11:38.147 --> 00:11:40.082
  • From nashville?"
  • 00:11:40.082 --> 00:11:41.417
  • And i'm saying, "because if you're not from here, you can't
  • 00:11:41.417 --> 00:11:42.885
  • Say murfreesboro," right?
  • 00:11:42.885 --> 00:11:46.155
  • It's mur-frees-boro.
  • 00:11:46.155 --> 00:11:49.058
  • Or murfrees-bo-ro.
  • 00:11:49.058 --> 00:11:51.594
  • I mean, i've heard it so many ways.
  • 00:11:51.594 --> 00:11:53.062
  • I'm like, "just say nashville."
  • 00:11:53.062 --> 00:11:57.566
  • Allen: have you ever said that christmas is too secular and
  • 00:12:01.771 --> 00:12:04.173
  • You're tired of it?
  • 00:12:04.173 --> 00:12:05.508
  • Well, we've got a solution or at least something that can help.
  • 00:12:05.508 --> 00:12:08.043
  • We've written a book.
  • 00:12:08.043 --> 00:12:09.411
  • It's called "how to lead with your faith at christmas."
  • 00:12:09.411 --> 00:12:11.447
  • It's 25 days of devotionals that you can read, you can share them
  • 00:12:11.447 --> 00:12:14.150
  • With family, your friends, coworkers.
  • 00:12:14.150 --> 00:12:16.218
  • Then there's some ideas, even recipes, activities.
  • 00:12:16.218 --> 00:12:19.121
  • It's a fun--it's like a--it's a starter kit for bringing your
  • 00:12:19.121 --> 00:12:21.857
  • Faith to bear this christmas season.
  • 00:12:21.857 --> 00:12:24.360
  • Don't stand on the sidelines and complain.
  • 00:12:24.360 --> 00:12:26.595
  • Let's lead with our faith this christmas season.
  • 00:12:26.595 --> 00:12:28.731
  • Let's honor the lord and see the blessings that he brings to all
  • 00:12:28.731 --> 00:12:31.934
  • Of our lives.
  • 00:12:31.934 --> 00:12:33.269
  • Female announcer: christmas comes quickly and it's easy to
  • 00:12:33.269 --> 00:12:35.237
  • Let the season slip by without focusing on what matters most.
  • 00:12:35.237 --> 00:12:39.175
  • Pastor allen's new book, "lead with faith at christmas," is a
  • 00:12:39.175 --> 00:12:42.545
  • 25-day advent devotional that will help you bring jesus more
  • 00:12:42.545 --> 00:12:46.182
  • Fully into the season.
  • 00:12:46.182 --> 00:12:47.883
  • Inside you'll find scriptures, devotionals, prayers, recipes,
  • 00:12:47.883 --> 00:12:52.688
  • And practical things you can do to make the holidays
  • 00:12:52.688 --> 00:12:55.491
  • More meaningful.
  • 00:12:55.491 --> 00:12:56.826
  • It also makes a fantastic gift.
  • 00:12:56.826 --> 00:12:59.395
  • It's time to stop repeating the same stale traditions and get
  • 00:12:59.395 --> 00:13:02.665
  • Ready to put your faith into action in new ways
  • 00:13:02.665 --> 00:13:05.334
  • This christmas.
  • 00:13:05.334 --> 00:13:06.769
  • Request your copy when you donate $30 or more today at
  • 00:13:06.769 --> 00:13:10.105
  • Allenjackson.com or by calling...
  • 00:13:10.105 --> 00:13:16.579
  • Allen: i mean, i never imagined god would do what we're seeing
  • 00:13:16.645 --> 00:13:20.015
  • Him do.
  • 00:13:20.015 --> 00:13:21.383
  • It's festival time around here, which means we go outside and
  • 00:13:21.383 --> 00:13:23.485
  • Have church.
  • 00:13:23.485 --> 00:13:24.820
  • I didn't really plan that, that grew out of that shaking
  • 00:13:24.820 --> 00:13:27.156
  • In 2020.
  • 00:13:27.156 --> 00:13:28.724
  • It was the safest way to be together.
  • 00:13:28.724 --> 00:13:32.027
  • There were a lot of details we didn't know and we didn't want
  • 00:13:32.027 --> 00:13:34.430
  • To be reckless, so we went outside and put up a stage and
  • 00:13:34.430 --> 00:13:37.132
  • Put chairs on the lines in the parking lot.
  • 00:13:37.132 --> 00:13:38.834
  • Said, "don't touch one another.
  • 00:13:38.834 --> 00:13:40.870
  • Wave."
  • 00:13:40.870 --> 00:13:43.839
  • We didn't know.
  • 00:13:43.839 --> 00:13:45.174
  • We were learning together.
  • 00:13:45.174 --> 00:13:46.542
  • We thought it'd be for a few days and it tended to be a
  • 00:13:46.542 --> 00:13:48.711
  • Little longer.
  • 00:13:48.711 --> 00:13:50.246
  • We were outside through all the seasons.
  • 00:13:50.246 --> 00:13:52.915
  • Some of you sat in the rain.
  • 00:13:56.552 --> 00:13:57.887
  • Your mothers didn't teach you any better.
  • 00:13:57.887 --> 00:14:01.557
  • We were outside on a christmas eve when it was so cold even the
  • 00:14:01.557 --> 00:14:05.661
  • Angels didn't come sing.
  • 00:14:05.661 --> 00:14:07.062
  • And that turned into a season in the spring and the fall.
  • 00:14:10.266 --> 00:14:13.102
  • The weather's a bit more moderate, but we found that god
  • 00:14:13.102 --> 00:14:16.005
  • Had met us in those ways and we wanted to continue to present
  • 00:14:16.005 --> 00:14:19.308
  • Ourselves and now people come from all over the country and
  • 00:14:19.308 --> 00:14:21.277
  • All over the region.
  • 00:14:21.277 --> 00:14:23.646
  • I never imagined we would do that.
  • 00:14:23.646 --> 00:14:26.048
  • It's just a recent expression of what god invited us to several
  • 00:14:26.048 --> 00:14:29.018
  • Decades ago, reaching our community and beyond with the
  • 00:14:29.018 --> 00:14:32.354
  • Good news of jesus and how he changes our lives.
  • 00:14:32.354 --> 00:14:34.823
  • It's not really new.
  • 00:14:34.823 --> 00:14:36.158
  • It's the mission we've been on since we started with a handful
  • 00:14:36.158 --> 00:14:38.627
  • Of people.
  • 00:14:38.627 --> 00:14:40.262
  • We've done all sorts of crazy things.
  • 00:14:40.262 --> 00:14:41.797
  • We used to do an alternative to halloween.
  • 00:14:41.797 --> 00:14:44.700
  • When i was a kid, halloween was a day when you could knock on a
  • 00:14:44.700 --> 00:14:47.002
  • Stranger's door and they would give you candy.
  • 00:14:47.002 --> 00:14:49.238
  • That was a god day, right?
  • 00:14:49.238 --> 00:14:52.374
  • When i was little, we lived in a college town.
  • 00:14:52.374 --> 00:14:54.343
  • I'd go to everybody that had a door.
  • 00:14:54.343 --> 00:14:57.079
  • I'd get more candy than i could carry.
  • 00:14:57.079 --> 00:15:00.549
  • That's back when you could eat candy that strangers gave you.
  • 00:15:00.549 --> 00:15:05.287
  • Well, i grew up and we're in church and i heard parents
  • 00:15:05.287 --> 00:15:07.523
  • Saying to their kids, "well, you can't participate in halloween,
  • 00:15:07.523 --> 00:15:09.525
  • It's the devil's holiday."
  • 00:15:09.525 --> 00:15:11.760
  • I thought, "oh no, strangers giving me candy, that's a
  • 00:15:11.760 --> 00:15:13.963
  • Godly day."
  • 00:15:13.963 --> 00:15:17.833
  • And if the only thing we say to our children is no without any
  • 00:15:17.833 --> 00:15:20.669
  • Explanation, when they're old enough to vote with their feet,
  • 00:15:20.669 --> 00:15:22.571
  • They'll walk away from faith.
  • 00:15:22.571 --> 00:15:25.107
  • So we started having a little party for kids on halloween as
  • 00:15:25.107 --> 00:15:27.643
  • An alternative, a safe way to get the kids together.
  • 00:15:27.643 --> 00:15:29.845
  • The first time we did it, we probably didn't have 200
  • 00:15:29.845 --> 00:15:32.614
  • People involved.
  • 00:15:32.614 --> 00:15:33.949
  • I went and bought the candy it fit in the trunk of my car.
  • 00:15:33.949 --> 00:15:37.019
  • Twenty years later we were renting--we had every
  • 00:15:37.019 --> 00:15:39.788
  • Inflatable game in a three-state area.
  • 00:15:39.788 --> 00:15:43.092
  • We bought popcorn by the truckload.
  • 00:15:43.092 --> 00:15:46.528
  • We had tents and tens of thousands of people and
  • 00:15:46.528 --> 00:15:50.432
  • Thousands of volunteers and we celebrated.
  • 00:15:50.432 --> 00:15:54.636
  • The city asked us to move it off of halloween for
  • 00:15:54.636 --> 00:15:58.273
  • Traffic purposes.
  • 00:15:58.273 --> 00:15:59.975
  • That's fun when you can move enough people for jesus, the
  • 00:15:59.975 --> 00:16:01.910
  • Traffic wants--the city wants to help you with traffic.
  • 00:16:01.910 --> 00:16:04.380
  • The festivals are just kind of an updated expression of those
  • 00:16:07.683 --> 00:16:10.586
  • Lessons we learned.
  • 00:16:10.586 --> 00:16:11.920
  • I didn't know 40 food trucks would come and help us get fat
  • 00:16:11.920 --> 00:16:14.056
  • For jesus.
  • 00:16:14.056 --> 00:16:17.559
  • We've done crazy things.
  • 00:16:17.559 --> 00:16:18.894
  • We went to the malls at christmas time and set up shop
  • 00:16:18.894 --> 00:16:21.330
  • And wrapped packages for free for thousands of people.
  • 00:16:21.330 --> 00:16:26.035
  • They wanna know what our angle was.
  • 00:16:26.035 --> 00:16:27.669
  • No, it's christmastime and jesus loves you.
  • 00:16:27.669 --> 00:16:30.105
  • "yeah, but what's your angle?"
  • 00:16:30.105 --> 00:16:32.474
  • No, really, it's christmastime and jesus loves you.
  • 00:16:32.474 --> 00:16:36.545
  • We used to have wrapping school at church so they could teach
  • 00:16:36.545 --> 00:16:38.881
  • People like me how to wrap a package.
  • 00:16:38.881 --> 00:16:41.650
  • I forgot.
  • 00:16:41.650 --> 00:16:43.018
  • Don't ask me now.
  • 00:16:43.018 --> 00:16:44.887
  • We've done all sorts of things through the years.
  • 00:16:44.887 --> 00:16:47.923
  • We've given away tons of food to people who need it.
  • 00:16:47.923 --> 00:16:50.659
  • We've given away tens of thousands of toys at christmas
  • 00:16:50.659 --> 00:16:53.162
  • Time to families who would need it.
  • 00:16:53.162 --> 00:16:57.166
  • Wherever the lord presented an opportunity, we've done our best
  • 00:16:57.166 --> 00:16:59.868
  • To respond.
  • 00:16:59.868 --> 00:17:01.503
  • And we're still continuing to do that, to learn and grow and try
  • 00:17:01.503 --> 00:17:04.640
  • To understand that god is shaking the earth and the way we
  • 00:17:04.640 --> 00:17:08.677
  • Were 5 years ago or 10 years ago doesn't exactly fit the
  • 00:17:08.677 --> 00:17:11.680
  • Circumstances of today.
  • 00:17:11.680 --> 00:17:13.015
  • The message hasn't changed, but the containers do.
  • 00:17:13.015 --> 00:17:18.253
  • It's not unsettling to me.
  • 00:17:18.253 --> 00:17:19.588
  • It's exciting.
  • 00:17:19.588 --> 00:17:20.956
  • We're still learning, we're still following.
  • 00:17:20.956 --> 00:17:22.858
  • We're becoming what god is asking us to be.
  • 00:17:22.858 --> 00:17:25.094
  • It's what's on the walls of the lobby.
  • 00:17:25.094 --> 00:17:26.628
  • We didn't always paper the walls with messages.
  • 00:17:26.628 --> 00:17:30.232
  • We pay interior designers to make them look good, then we
  • 00:17:30.232 --> 00:17:32.801
  • Cover them up.
  • 00:17:32.801 --> 00:17:35.637
  • Because there's something about church that's gonna have to grow
  • 00:17:35.637 --> 00:17:38.307
  • Beyond sermons, folks.
  • 00:17:38.307 --> 00:17:40.976
  • Our cultures used to reinforce biblical worldviews.
  • 00:17:40.976 --> 00:17:43.445
  • It used to be in our schools and our universities and our
  • 00:17:43.445 --> 00:17:45.848
  • Corporate boardrooms, in the halls of our hospital, in the
  • 00:17:45.848 --> 00:17:49.318
  • Courtrooms, and it used to be a part of what we taught
  • 00:17:49.318 --> 00:17:52.020
  • Our children.
  • 00:17:52.020 --> 00:17:53.355
  • We played sports and we don't do those things anymore.
  • 00:17:53.355 --> 00:17:57.926
  • So we can't any longer just huddle for sermons and imagine
  • 00:17:57.926 --> 00:18:00.762
  • That little block is gonna be enough for the kids or enough
  • 00:18:00.762 --> 00:18:04.600
  • For us.
  • 00:18:04.600 --> 00:18:07.002
  • Imagine if you could only eat once a week and you only got
  • 00:18:07.002 --> 00:18:09.304
  • 20 minutes.
  • 00:18:09.304 --> 00:18:11.807
  • We'd be emaciated, malnourished.
  • 00:18:11.807 --> 00:18:15.010
  • It's no wonder to me that spiritually we're struggling,
  • 00:18:15.010 --> 00:18:18.213
  • That we've lost sight of the power of god and the authority
  • 00:18:18.213 --> 00:18:20.983
  • Of god, and we've changed our dialogue.
  • 00:18:20.983 --> 00:18:23.752
  • Mostly we just talk about eternity.
  • 00:18:23.752 --> 00:18:25.254
  • Well, i got my ticket punched because there's not enough
  • 00:18:25.254 --> 00:18:27.723
  • Messaging to give us any more information than that.
  • 00:18:27.723 --> 00:18:29.658
  • We're not hungry enough.
  • 00:18:29.658 --> 00:18:32.694
  • So i came to remind us as a community of faith, why would we
  • 00:18:32.694 --> 00:18:35.497
  • Go outside?
  • 00:18:35.497 --> 00:18:36.865
  • Why would we go to the effort?
  • 00:18:36.865 --> 00:18:39.468
  • Why would we go to the expense and the hassle of doing all of
  • 00:18:39.468 --> 00:18:42.337
  • Those things?
  • 00:18:42.337 --> 00:18:43.705
  • Because we're learning and following and becoming--it's on
  • 00:18:43.705 --> 00:18:45.707
  • The walls of the building.
  • 00:18:45.707 --> 00:18:48.277
  • You step outside the lobby in three crosses, there's a dozen
  • 00:18:48.277 --> 00:18:51.380
  • Statements on the wall with great big pictures of people
  • 00:18:51.380 --> 00:18:54.316
  • Expressing that, that we will shape culture.
  • 00:18:54.316 --> 00:18:56.985
  • We don't intend to be shaped by culture.
  • 00:18:56.985 --> 00:18:58.620
  • We intend to shape culture.
  • 00:18:58.620 --> 00:19:01.657
  • We are the conscience of the culture.
  • 00:19:01.657 --> 00:19:03.325
  • If you don't like the way the conscience--the culture is
  • 00:19:03.325 --> 00:19:05.460
  • Thinking, it's because the conscience has been seared.
  • 00:19:05.460 --> 00:19:08.263
  • We're too quiet.
  • 00:19:08.263 --> 00:19:11.166
  • Oh we don't want to offend it.
  • 00:19:11.166 --> 00:19:12.501
  • We don't wanna be judgy.
  • 00:19:12.501 --> 00:19:14.803
  • Folks, it's not judgy to hear the truth.
  • 00:19:14.803 --> 00:19:18.473
  • If you go to the doctor, he says, "you need
  • 00:19:18.473 --> 00:19:19.908
  • To lose 10 pounds."
  • 00:19:19.908 --> 00:19:21.276
  • "you're so judgy.
  • 00:19:21.276 --> 00:19:23.612
  • I'm not fat, i'm just short."
  • 00:19:27.282 --> 00:19:29.084
  • We'll read our bibles daily, consistently, as if it mattered,
  • 00:19:32.688 --> 00:19:39.094
  • As if it's as important as our physical nutrition.
  • 00:19:39.094 --> 00:19:42.397
  • Our personal hygiene, we believe our prayers make a difference,
  • 00:19:42.397 --> 00:19:45.734
  • That they're not perfunctory, that they're not just matters of
  • 00:19:45.734 --> 00:19:49.104
  • Formal religious expression.
  • 00:19:49.104 --> 00:19:51.707
  • We'll teach our children about the lord.
  • 00:19:51.707 --> 00:19:54.743
  • Before we'll teach him how to hit a curveball.
  • 00:19:54.743 --> 00:19:57.813
  • Before we'll teach them about fashion, we will teach our
  • 00:19:57.813 --> 00:20:00.148
  • Children about the lord.
  • 00:20:00.148 --> 00:20:01.483
  • It's an assignment.
  • 00:20:01.483 --> 00:20:02.851
  • "so i don't feel adequate."
  • 00:20:02.851 --> 00:20:04.186
  • Learn.
  • 00:20:04.186 --> 00:20:06.021
  • Get a coach, find a tutor, find a church that will help you.
  • 00:20:06.021 --> 00:20:10.125
  • Engage, join the people, most of us have been involved with
  • 00:20:10.125 --> 00:20:12.995
  • Helping kids learn things that we didn't know much about.
  • 00:20:12.995 --> 00:20:16.765
  • I've coached volleyball and all i knew about volleyball is
  • 00:20:16.765 --> 00:20:18.700
  • There's a net and a ball.
  • 00:20:18.700 --> 00:20:21.036
  • And i think the ball was supposed to go over the net.
  • 00:20:21.036 --> 00:20:24.506
  • They called me coach, off we go.
  • 00:20:24.506 --> 00:20:27.876
  • Help the children learn, not just your children.
  • 00:20:27.876 --> 00:20:31.046
  • We'll make jesus lord of our lives.
  • 00:20:31.046 --> 00:20:33.882
  • Not just some part of eternity, important, important ideas.
  • 00:20:33.882 --> 00:20:38.987
  • Important ideas.
  • 00:20:38.987 --> 00:20:41.089
  • How does that happen?
  • 00:20:41.089 --> 00:20:42.457
  • We feel small and like our voices are small and our
  • 00:20:42.457 --> 00:20:45.527
  • Platforms aren't large enough.
  • 00:20:45.527 --> 00:20:47.262
  • It happens one household at a time.
  • 00:20:47.262 --> 00:20:50.532
  • One household at a time.
  • 00:20:50.532 --> 00:20:51.867
  • That's how darkness grows.
  • 00:20:51.867 --> 00:20:53.235
  • It's how evil flourishes.
  • 00:20:53.235 --> 00:20:55.404
  • One household at a time.
  • 00:20:55.404 --> 00:20:56.738
  • I've invited you once a week, every family, one meal to gather
  • 00:20:56.738 --> 00:21:00.609
  • At a table, no devices.
  • 00:21:00.609 --> 00:21:03.312
  • I know, it's gonna mess with your schedules.
  • 00:21:03.312 --> 00:21:09.351
  • It's not easy to do.
  • 00:21:09.351 --> 00:21:10.719
  • It's a lot of work.
  • 00:21:10.719 --> 00:21:12.788
  • It's gonna take a family effort.
  • 00:21:12.788 --> 00:21:15.557
  • If your kids are old enough they'll roll their eyes.
  • 00:21:15.557 --> 00:21:18.727
  • If they're young enough and you haven't been doing it, they
  • 00:21:18.727 --> 00:21:20.495
  • Won't understand.
  • 00:21:20.495 --> 00:21:22.431
  • It'll be a battle to establish a new habit.
  • 00:21:22.431 --> 00:21:24.733
  • Folks, new habits, new expressions of discipline,
  • 00:21:24.733 --> 00:21:26.868
  • Are painful.
  • 00:21:26.868 --> 00:21:28.737
  • If you don't believe it, start exercising in a way you
  • 00:21:28.737 --> 00:21:31.106
  • Haven't been.
  • 00:21:31.106 --> 00:21:32.474
  • Your body will complain.
  • 00:21:32.474 --> 00:21:34.276
  • It'll complain while you're doing it: "this is not fun.
  • 00:21:34.276 --> 00:21:38.146
  • I'm not liking this.
  • 00:21:38.146 --> 00:21:40.716
  • This is uncomfortable.
  • 00:21:40.716 --> 00:21:42.084
  • You should sit down."
  • 00:21:42.084 --> 00:21:44.486
  • But the really cruel part is 3 days later, your body will
  • 00:21:44.486 --> 00:21:47.322
  • Punish you for what you did 3 days ago.
  • 00:21:47.322 --> 00:21:50.392
  • You'll try to get up and your body will go, "feel this,
  • 00:21:50.392 --> 00:21:54.363
  • Exercise boy."
  • 00:21:54.363 --> 00:21:55.764
  • Well, if you try to bring a spiritual discipline into your
  • 00:21:59.301 --> 00:22:02.070
  • Life, it will be equally uncomfortable when you
  • 00:22:02.070 --> 00:22:05.207
  • Initiate it.
  • 00:22:05.207 --> 00:22:06.575
  • It won't feel normal.
  • 00:22:06.575 --> 00:22:08.143
  • Everybody won't cheer.
  • 00:22:08.143 --> 00:22:10.145
  • The benefits may not emerge after week 1 or week 2. but
  • 00:22:10.145 --> 00:22:14.983
  • It's worthwhile.
  • 00:22:14.983 --> 00:22:16.918
  • It's a wellness check.
  • 00:22:16.918 --> 00:22:18.253
  • How are you?
  • 00:22:18.253 --> 00:22:19.621
  • How you been?
  • 00:22:19.621 --> 00:22:21.022
  • What'd you do since we were here last?
  • 00:22:21.022 --> 00:22:23.925
  • What have you celebrated?
  • 00:22:23.925 --> 00:22:25.794
  • What did you weep about?
  • 00:22:25.794 --> 00:22:27.129
  • Who'd you meet?
  • 00:22:27.129 --> 00:22:28.497
  • What'd you learn?
  • 00:22:28.497 --> 00:22:30.499
  • Maybe before you leave the table, you even have a prayer
  • 00:22:30.499 --> 00:22:32.768
  • Over the things you glean.
  • 00:22:32.768 --> 00:22:34.136
  • What are the challenges you've got this week?
  • 00:22:34.136 --> 00:22:37.205
  • If that's a conversation too old for your crew, you'll know the
  • 00:22:37.205 --> 00:22:40.609
  • Conversation that's appropriate.
  • 00:22:40.609 --> 00:22:42.978
  • If you're old enough that your kids have left the house and
  • 00:22:42.978 --> 00:22:45.280
  • There's nobody there, you got one of those empty nests, then
  • 00:22:45.280 --> 00:22:47.783
  • You get to practice hospitality.
  • 00:22:47.783 --> 00:22:51.453
  • Once a week at a table with other believers.
  • 00:22:51.453 --> 00:22:55.323
  • What's happening in your life?
  • 00:22:55.323 --> 00:22:56.658
  • We call them small groups, you can call it whatever,
  • 00:22:56.658 --> 00:22:58.059
  • You can call it a dinner club, you can call it hospitality.
  • 00:22:58.059 --> 00:23:00.295
  • You can call it practicing christianity, for all i care.
  • 00:23:00.295 --> 00:23:03.765
  • One household at a time.
  • 00:23:03.765 --> 00:23:06.635
  • The discipline to invite god into our homes, into our lives,
  • 00:23:06.635 --> 00:23:11.006
  • Into our family systems, on purpose.
  • 00:23:11.006 --> 00:23:13.675
  • We're not powerless.
  • 00:23:13.675 --> 00:23:16.311
  • God is shaking the earth.
  • 00:23:16.311 --> 00:23:18.847
  • And if you haven't recognized that the devil is doing
  • 00:23:18.847 --> 00:23:21.650
  • Everything he can to shake the family into dissolution, you're
  • 00:23:21.650 --> 00:23:25.387
  • Not paying attention.
  • 00:23:25.387 --> 00:23:27.522
  • He's trying to redefine marriage, redefine family,
  • 00:23:27.522 --> 00:23:30.459
  • Redefine parental authority, redefine goals for our children,
  • 00:23:30.459 --> 00:23:34.963
  • Redefine objectives.
  • 00:23:34.963 --> 00:23:37.566
  • Within the christian community, we have accepted voices of
  • 00:23:37.566 --> 00:23:40.735
  • Authority that don't belong in our homes.
  • 00:23:40.735 --> 00:23:45.340
  • We're accepting the same voices of authority that our secular
  • 00:23:45.340 --> 00:23:48.410
  • Culture is accepting.
  • 00:23:48.410 --> 00:23:50.946
  • And we've lost the discernment.
  • 00:23:50.946 --> 00:23:52.514
  • We've lost the sensitivity to even recognize that.
  • 00:23:52.514 --> 00:23:55.083
  • What makes us distinctive.
  • 00:23:55.083 --> 00:23:58.086
  • The building where we sit for a few minutes on a weekend?
  • 00:23:58.086 --> 00:24:00.655
  • I don't think that's sufficient.
  • 00:24:00.655 --> 00:24:03.959
  • God is moving, we want to move with him.
  • 00:24:03.959 --> 00:24:08.129
  • He is.
  • 00:24:08.129 --> 00:24:10.866
  • I'm gonna run out of time.
  • 00:24:10.866 --> 00:24:12.234
  • This is not good.
  • 00:24:12.234 --> 00:24:13.568
  • There's so many expressions of that.
  • 00:24:13.568 --> 00:24:14.936
  • We're adding to our buildings on our campus.
  • 00:24:14.936 --> 00:24:17.105
  • Churches aren't about buildings.
  • 00:24:17.105 --> 00:24:18.540
  • I was here when we had none.
  • 00:24:18.540 --> 00:24:19.908
  • We had a tent.
  • 00:24:19.908 --> 00:24:21.243
  • I used to water the grass in the tent.
  • 00:24:21.243 --> 00:24:23.845
  • For real.
  • 00:24:23.845 --> 00:24:25.480
  • I filled a horse trough.
  • 00:24:25.480 --> 00:24:26.815
  • I put a horse trough in a trailer behind the tractor and
  • 00:24:26.815 --> 00:24:29.484
  • Filled the trough with water and took a garden sprinkler and
  • 00:24:29.484 --> 00:24:32.187
  • Dipped it in the horse trough and watered the tent.
  • 00:24:32.187 --> 00:24:36.224
  • "pastor, you've just always served a big church."
  • 00:24:36.224 --> 00:24:38.159
  • I did, it was a big tent, 50 by 80.
  • 00:24:38.159 --> 00:24:43.798
  • I was as proud of that as if it was the cathedral of notre dame.
  • 00:24:43.798 --> 00:24:49.571
  • Because i knew it was an expression of god's mercy in
  • 00:24:49.571 --> 00:24:51.940
  • My life.
  • 00:24:51.940 --> 00:24:53.975
  • I don't feel much differently today,
  • 00:24:53.975 --> 00:24:56.177
  • But we're adding to the space.
  • 00:24:56.177 --> 00:24:57.679
  • It's on the wall in the lobby as well.
  • 00:24:57.679 --> 00:24:59.014
  • If you go to the west end of the lobby,
  • 00:24:59.014 --> 00:25:00.348
  • The whole end of the room is covered with a picture.
  • 00:25:00.348 --> 00:25:02.250
  • They can put one on the screen.
  • 00:25:02.250 --> 00:25:03.585
  • You can't see much, but it's there.
  • 00:25:03.585 --> 00:25:04.920
  • You can check it out after church.
  • 00:25:04.920 --> 00:25:06.254
  • More than 100,000 square feet, new tools, they're just tools,
  • 00:25:06.254 --> 00:25:09.257
  • Buildings are tools.
  • 00:25:09.257 --> 00:25:11.660
  • We can do things with buildings we couldn't do without them.
  • 00:25:11.660 --> 00:25:13.862
  • We have new parking lots.
  • 00:25:13.862 --> 00:25:15.196
  • They're helpful.
  • 00:25:15.196 --> 00:25:17.732
  • I parked on the edge of the newest parking lot last night.
  • 00:25:17.732 --> 00:25:20.068
  • I wanna tell you how smart i am.
  • 00:25:20.068 --> 00:25:21.403
  • I'm one--i'm a leader.
  • 00:25:21.403 --> 00:25:26.575
  • I got here early yesterday.
  • 00:25:26.575 --> 00:25:27.909
  • I don't know how many steps i walked, but a few.
  • 00:25:27.909 --> 00:25:31.746
  • Time for me to go, i go grab my things.
  • 00:25:31.746 --> 00:25:34.583
  • I walked to my car and i realized that i'd left my key on
  • 00:25:34.583 --> 00:25:37.886
  • My desk, three counties away.
  • 00:25:37.886 --> 00:25:41.957
  • So with the joy of the lord, i walked back through the
  • 00:25:45.594 --> 00:25:47.829
  • Parking lot.
  • 00:25:47.829 --> 00:25:50.198
  • Don't have to be smart to have my job.
  • 00:25:54.069 --> 00:25:57.005
  • We're expanding the building, but it's more than a building.
  • 00:25:57.005 --> 00:25:59.074
  • We're adding more than 20 acres outside so we can worship
  • 00:25:59.074 --> 00:26:02.143
  • Outdoors and involve more people.
  • 00:26:02.143 --> 00:26:04.379
  • We're building an area for children to be engaged, more
  • 00:26:04.379 --> 00:26:06.748
  • Bathrooms outside.
  • 00:26:06.748 --> 00:26:09.250
  • To make those outdoor opportunities something that you
  • 00:26:09.250 --> 00:26:11.753
  • Can bring guests and friends to in a simpler way
  • 00:26:11.753 --> 00:26:13.955
  • Than we can do it now.
  • 00:26:13.955 --> 00:26:15.357
  • Why would we do that?
  • 00:26:15.357 --> 00:26:16.691
  • Because god's moving in the earth.
  • 00:26:16.691 --> 00:26:19.127
  • Allen: you know, it's almost christmastime and year after
  • 00:26:19.194 --> 00:26:22.197
  • Year when i interact with people through the holiday season, the
  • 00:26:22.197 --> 00:26:24.599
  • Thing that is said to me most frequently is "pastor, i feel
  • 00:26:24.599 --> 00:26:27.669
  • Like our faith has been pushed to the periphery of the
  • 00:26:27.669 --> 00:26:30.171
  • Holiday season.
  • 00:26:30.171 --> 00:26:31.506
  • You know they start showing us in the stores all the
  • 00:26:31.506 --> 00:26:33.408
  • Decorations in july and by the time we get to december we've
  • 00:26:33.408 --> 00:26:37.178
  • Lost the whole tone."
  • 00:26:37.178 --> 00:26:38.513
  • Well, we've created a tool to help with that.
  • 00:26:38.513 --> 00:26:40.815
  • It's "how to lead with your faith at christmas."
  • 00:26:40.815 --> 00:26:43.218
  • It's a devotional.
  • 00:26:43.218 --> 00:26:44.586
  • It has some recipes in it.
  • 00:26:44.586 --> 00:26:45.920
  • It's got some activities, things you can do with your family,
  • 00:26:45.920 --> 00:26:47.856
  • Your friends, your neighbors, your coworkers.
  • 00:26:47.856 --> 00:26:50.058
  • It's actually a way to bring your faith into the center of
  • 00:26:50.058 --> 00:26:52.927
  • This christmas season.
  • 00:26:52.927 --> 00:26:54.729
  • It's not helpful to rage against the darkness and complain about
  • 00:26:54.729 --> 00:26:57.265
  • The secularist.
  • 00:26:57.265 --> 00:26:58.633
  • Let's turn up the light of faith in our lives, and this little
  • 00:26:58.633 --> 00:27:01.336
  • Tool is built precisely to help you do that.
  • 00:27:01.336 --> 00:27:04.839
  • I believe it'll be a blessing to you.
  • 00:27:04.839 --> 00:27:06.241
  • I wanna join, i wanna pray with you that jesus will be in the
  • 00:27:06.241 --> 00:27:08.877
  • Midst of this christmas more than ever before.
  • 00:27:08.877 --> 00:27:11.479
  • Let's pray.
  • 00:27:11.479 --> 00:27:12.814
  • Heavenly father, we invite you into the midst of this
  • 00:27:12.814 --> 00:27:14.416
  • Holiday season.
  • 00:27:14.416 --> 00:27:15.750
  • I pray that your name will be lifted up, that your peace will
  • 00:27:15.750 --> 00:27:18.086
  • Come to all with whom we gather, in jesus's name, amen.
  • 00:27:18.086 --> 00:27:27.395