Guest Blogger:  Chunks Corbett

Well, the first and only THR3E event ever is officially in the books. With 24 states represented and a packed room, Pastor Steven gave everyone who made the trek to Charlotte everything he had… and then some.

In THR3E sessions totaling over 240 minutes (not to mention Q and A and meet and greet), Pastor hit everything from creating a culture of honor and generosity to what his sermon prep looks like. I’ve often wished I could let other church leaders in on our staff meetings to hear Pastor preach to the staff, lead and cast vision. Today was just that. A behind the scenes look at what has shaped Elevation in the first THR3E years.

We were able to give all attendees a jumpdrive loaded down with every document we use to operate as a church. Countless hours of work and thousands of dollars went into creating the contents on that little gem of a thumbdrive. This was just another way to honor our guests.

Pastor told us that many events can inspire and many events can inform and both are great. His hopes were to take it to another level (HNL) and impart to the attendees what God had laid on his heart. I’d say it was a success.

A special thanks to everyone that attended the event. We’re honored that you would invest your resources and time in spending a day to learn from us. I hope it was “worth the trip”.

This past Sunday Elevation Church hosted Ted and Gayle Haggard for an interview on the topics of sin, forgiveness, and the essence of the Gospel.  Thought I’d share a few reflections.

-Sin is devastating. It takes you low, low, low.  Bad decisions erase so much of the good you’ve done like a wave washes away a drawing on the shore.

-Forgiveness is powerful. Gayle Haggard is a real hero.  Her forgiveness and support of her husband is a solid apologetic for the Christian faith and a tremendous example to the watching world.  Ted’s sin represented our belief system very poorly.  His wife’s response demonstrated just the opposite.

-Our people are remarkable. Very few pastors could host an event like this with the level of support I received.  At each live service the Haggards were met with a standing ovation.  I love Elevation Church.  I can do anything with them beside me.

-The media is funny. Enough said on that.

In Acts 2, 3000 people were converted to faith in Christ and numbered with the believers.
Acts 2:42 begins the description of the strategy for discipling this throng (funny word) of new Christians:
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

Did you catch it?  They devoted themselves.  Who devoted themselves?  The new believers!  Nobody devoted them to the teaching.  They had to do it for themselves.  The apostles taught with authority, clarity, and consistency.  But the burden of discipleship rested primarily on the new believers, not the leaders of the church.

As church leaders, it is our job to create and sustain processes and systems that responsibly enable people to grow in their faith after receiving Christ.
But if a new Christian is not willing to devote himself to teaching, community, and service, it doesn’t mean we failed in discipling him.  It might mean he’s not a truly regenerated born again believer after all.  A new nature produces an insatiable appetite for the things of God.  And that’s an appetite only God can create.

Fast growing churches catch a lot of flack for failure to disciple new converts.
But Biblical discipleship isn’t about spoon feeding.
According to Acts 2:42, it’s an all you can eat self-service buffet.
Get your own plate.  Refill your own drinks.  And clean up after yourself, man.

Devote yourself!

Don’t expect anything too deep from this Friday installment.  Just musing a bit.

I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s really important for any effective ministry team to have a plethora of inside jokes.  I’m serious.  Nothing bonds a team like stuff that you, and only you, get.

For example:

I have a keyword that can trigger my entire lead staff to put their heads down on the table, and not pick ‘em up ‘til I say the other keyword.  It’s magical.  No, I won’t explain it.  You’d probably think it was mean.

If I say “coats” a certain way, Chunks will giggle.  Every time.  You had to be there.  “Mu-hammed!”  That does the trick too.

And don’t even get me started on impersonations.  Nothing makes us laugh harder than a good ole: “It’s just things like that…”
I know you don’t get it.  You’re not supposed to.  That’s the point.

I could go on and on.  John Bishop is Scottish.  Several of us are in a band called Nemesis.  This was before we became Speed of Dan.
And that’s just a fraction of the inside jokes- the ones that I even know about.
As for the Creative Department, oh my.  Their inside jokes probably aren’t so G-rated.
(But they do have thinking robes now.)

The team that shares inside jokes together stays together.
Or at very least, has a whole lot more fun for the time being.