… To why Elevation is growing and why God is blessing us, you’ll need to show up 3 hours before our first service or 10 minutes after our last service.
If you only come for the music and slip out during the last song you might think:
“Ok, I get it. A skilled modern rock band, club show vibe, tasteful motion backs… that’s why they’re growing.”
Sorry, you’ve missed it.
Trust me, music and media are high priority to us… but they are not-I repeat-not the key to God’s hand of blessing.
If you sit through the sermon, you’re likely to deduce:
“Well, I know that’s not the secret, it’s gotta be something else!”
And you’d be right.
It must be cool marketing.
Nope.
Although our marketing is cool, because Damion and Ryan are very talented, and uber hip.
And we don’t apologize for trying our best to be slicker than snot.
God deserves excellence, and people need relevance.
Good facilities/location?
Hardly.
There are dozens of churches within 3 square miles of our meeting place.
Some of the parking lots could accommodate hundreds of extra cars at 11:00.
Other churches cause traffic jams for miles, and have to shuttle people ¾ of a mile to the auditorium. Then they have to seat them in the overflow room.
One church explodes with new growth, the other dies a slow death, side by side.
It’s not about location.
The secret to Elevation’s growth is hidden to the unsuspecting eye.
But look closer. I’ll show you the secret:
You see that guy in the orange shirt? The one sweating profusely, lifting a soundboard 1 ½ times his body weight and loading it into the trailer?
He used to play in the NFL.
He got here at 5:00 this morning. And he’ll be one of the last ones to leave.
He’s the secret.
Look in the atrium.
You see that lady working fast and furious to set up the resource area?
She’s a single mom.
She had to make arrangements for someone to watch her kids, get them ready and bring them to church this morning… so she could make sure the resource area was set up to exact specifications. It’s her ministry.
She’s the secret.
Oh, and guess what the staff is eating for lunch today?
A refrigerator full of amazing home cooking prepared especially for us by Brandy Briscoe’s small group. Along with it came a stack of encouraging cards (complete with Hi Pastor Steven spelled out in every imaginable variety of magic marker colors :)) about how privileged they feel to be a part of this mission.
These ladies are really something special.
They’re the secret.
To our army of over 500 volunteers between our Central and Union campuses, you’re the secret.
You’re the reason 227 people have given their lives to Christ in the last 2 months (!) and the reason hundreds more will make the same decision in the next few months.
You’re the reason we’re already averaging over 400 people in worship at our Union campus!
(To the idiot who’s mumbling: “Jesus is the reason lives are being changed, not your volunteers.” Yes, Jesus is the reason, but volunteers are the vehicle. Go listen to another Piper sermon on your iPod and get over yourself.)
You parking lot guys who smile and wave and put up signage in the pouring rain are the secret.
You Union E-Kidz volunteers who have to listen to the sermon on the way home because you’re changing diapers while I’m preaching… you’re the secret.
Some days being a pastor is draining and lonely.
Other days you realize that to step down from your job to be the President of the United States of America would be a demotion because you are doing the most significant thing possible with the most incredible people on the planet.
I feel that way today.
