The Zombie Church

Good morning.

We're here.

We are here.

You are there.

And it is in November.

It is November.

November.

Let me ask you a question.

I don't want to get you personally.

Hey, that's why we didn't know what we did.

I don't recommend things I don't recommend yet for Christmas season.

And anyone can listen to that.

And if you resonate with this, then you know at least you know you're not alone.

I don't recommend getting a puppy later.

And then putting a pre Christmas tree.

I don't recommend having a kid.

I don't recommend having the ornamental lower.

Yeah, well, they look at course.

Yeah, I've got these like our ornaments.

And they look like this is a toy.

I'm gonna throw this.

I'm gonna throw it.

I'm gonna throw it in the room.

Or trying to put it back in the tree.

But anyway.

That's pretty good.

He's working his way into our hand.

We are so glad you're here.

My name's Brandon.

And we are part of the Christmas season.

We are moving to the holiday season.

And lots of stuff going on.

It's gonna be so much fun.

We do have a lot of things planned.

So we want to make sure that you are aware of all that.

So first things first, um, you're gonna take it.

First things first, download the app.

Uh you can find everything that you need to know about what is going on in the life of our character.

You can do uh you can do a very quick way to do that.

You can also uh make sure you do that.

Uh you can do index that you might need to have uh becoming a couple things that are going on if they want to make you uh you can have the hero coming out.

December second, first weekend, first weekend in December, first time in December, I think we can be awesome.

Yes, we can edit that.

Okay.

It is the coolest one of the coolest things we do all year.

Um we would love to invite you to be a part of that.

You can find the details on the app.

Um I said it like that.

You can find those details on the app.

Um we need volunteers.

It takes an army to pull this to them off.

Um there won't be an army there.

There might be salvation.

Wait, was that a Christian joke?

Yeah, I don't know.

Okay, alright.

That are the actual make sure you sign up to your part.

So job salvation army, is that just like a one-time thing, or is that like a everyday kind of thing?

Maybe it's all your thing.

Okay, I don't know, it's seasonal.

See what you did.

Um sign up to your part.

We also need donations, we're raising money uh to put this event on, and basically we get to come alongside uh some some kids in our community and help them get to have Christmas and be able to give Christmas to their family.

And so uh make sure you find out all the details about that.

Sign up.

The other thing, we've got Thrive, our Thrive Women's Gathering is happening this week, this Tuesday night, uh, for their Friendsgiving event.

And so that will be at the social circle campus and make sure you find out all the details about that.

Um and the last thing is Operation Christmas Child is happening.

And so if you've gotten a box, uh or if you need a box, make sure you pick one up.

But those need to be returned next Sunday, November 19th, as the latest date we can get those in.

So make sure you're doing that.

That's another awesome way.

Invest in someone around the around the globe, invest in the kid around the globe, and give them the gospel, and so make sure you just make it.

Hey, you you know what?

Um We're so excited that you guys are hanging out with us this morning.

Go ahead and share it.

Get us the link or whatever it is you cool techniques do these days.

Like, is there a copy and paste the thing?

Yeah, like a copy to your keyboard.

Yeah.

Do that and then um share this with someone.

Uh we are continuing our series in seven.

Is that right?

Yeah.

Sometimes I'm not in the note, so that was uh I took a leap.

You know, maybe maybe the Lord is calling you to take a leap just like that.

Um so uh we're gonna continue our sermon in uh series seven.

It's been so good, and um, I would dare say just a totally different take on the book of Revelation, which is very refreshing from a someone who's a part of the church.

I've appreciated it, and it's uh caused um great conversation in our household and on the way home.

It's also uh fantastic.

So if you haven't um had a chance to listen to those, you can see we switched this money, yes.

If you haven't had a chance to listen to those, uh go back um on the archives.

You can find those on the app, um, website, and you know, anywhere in Church of the Grove.

Um you can listen to um some of the pastor music.

So good.

And so um yeah, we're so glad that you guys are here.

Lean in, share this link with someone.

We're about to jump into some worship and then into uh the sermon, and um, we just can't wait to see what the Lord does through that.

Yeah.

Let's go.

I speak to your name is power, your name is Speed, your name is Break every strong, shine through the shadows, burn I just want to speak the name of Jesus over fear and all anxiety soul help divide oppression I speak to your name is power, your name is your name is every stroll, shine shadow, your name is power, your name is your name is every show, shine through the shadows, shall Jesus from the mountains, Jesus in the streets, Jesus in the darkness over every enemy, and Jesus for my family, I speak the holy name, Jesus from the mountains, and Jesus in the streets, Jesus in the darkness over everywhere Jesus from the family, I stream to hold your name, your store is showing shine to the shadows.

I just want to speak the name of Jesus.

Come on, church over every heart and every mind.

Cause I know there is peace within your presence.

I speak Jesus never shout Jesus from the mountain, Jesus, Jesus.

Good morning.

You're c y'all are close.

I need a mint.

Okay, as I said, my name is Rush, and and one of the pastors here.

So so excited to have all of you here.

If you're here for the first time, maybe second time, we're very, very excited you're here.

And um we we want you to experience the new life that we just celebrated as we as we baptize Dakota.

What what a great young man as I've gotten to know him and what a great God that has worked in his life.

And so but you know what?

I I he got Dakota surrendered, and and and when we surrender, God can do amazing things.

And so Revelation chapter three.

We enjoy bed and breakfast.

And so when we got married, I didn't know what a bed and breakfast was.

And she she said, let's go to one, and it scared me, but I went and I loved it.

And so we we uh we we went and then we my I like I like going back to the same place over and over and over.

One of my favorite places is called Glenn Ellis Springs.

It's up in Clarksville, uh Cleveland, North Georgia Mountains area.

I would just go back to that same place over and over, and so my wife says, let's go somewhere new, let's try somewhere different.

And so we look we look up a new place online, and man, the pictures were beautiful, and everything looks really good, and so, but then we show up, and it's not what was represented in the pictures.

I mean, the landscaping was had grown up.

Um you know, there's a long story to that, it was awful, and and basically the the point is um things things are are not always as they seem.

Things are not always as they seem, and it's the same for our life.

So we we've been talking about um these letters that that Jesus through the Apostle John wrote to the church, and and in some of these letters he is correcting, uh some of the letters he's commending, and and some of the letters he's giving some correction, and he's commending.

And so he he's he's doing a little bit of both, but but but he we get to this letter, and and it's it's it's it's very different.

Um and so churches, churches are are are kind of like the the bed and breakfast.

Sometimes for the outside things look one way, but when you get inside, it's very different.

It's quite different.

And so it's just it's the same thing.

Churches can look great from the outside, whether they're small or whether they're medium or whether they're large.

Um, things can look great, but on the inside there isn't any life.

And so it this morning um we're looking at this letter that Jesus writes to the church at Sardis.

Sardis is the name of the church, and so um I won't go back over the background, but but John is on the island of Patmos.

He's writing these letters to the seven churches in that time.

It's called Asia Minor.

Today it's modern day Turkey, and these letters, these churches are rather close together, and and so um let me just pray for us.

Can I pray for us, Lord?

We desire to be a people that are alive, that are alive in Christ, that we we're living in the fullness of the life that you and you alone can bring.

So open our hearts and our minds this morning as we open your word, reveal areas in which we might appear to be okay, but we're actually dead.

Lord, wake us up, wake us up, wake the church up in the depths of our souls, in the areas that are not surrendered to you.

Breathe life in those areas.

In Jesus' name, amen.

And so we're looking at the church called Sardis.

It was it was once one of the greatest cities in the world, and it had been the capital of the ancient kingdom of what was called Lydia at the time.

And so it was a proud city.

It was a city that was wealthy, lots, lots of money, lots of financial wealth.

Maybe that's why it was a proud city.

It was proud, not because of its position.

It was confident that it could not be attacked.

Maybe that's one of the reasons it was so proud.

So much that it would regularly fail to guard the city walls.

And so Jesus is sending a message to this church, and we'll see that this letter is challenging this church, and this church is marked by complacency.

Out of all the seven churches that are addressed by Jesus in Revelation 2 and 3, this church is the least attractive out of all seven.

There's nothing good to say that Jesus has for this church.

Nothing he has to say that is good for this church.

Revelation 3, verse 1.

Revelation 3:1

He says, write this letter.

This is this is um Jesus, and he he's speaking through the apostle John.

John had been a follower of Jesus since he was 18, 19 years old.

He was in the inner circle with Jesus.

Um he had been that uh the Domitian, the Roman Emperor, had boiled him in a vat of boiling water, tried to kill him.

Miraculously, it did not kill him, so they sent him and they exiled him to the Isle of Patmos, and he wrote these seven letters.

He says, Write this letter to the angel of the church in Sardis.

This is the message from the one who has the sevenfold Spirit of God and the seven stars.

And so as Jonah did such a great job opening this series up, he said, picture, just picture Jesus.

Jesus is holding the seven stars in his hand.

These, this, you know, and imagine these are the angels, and he's walking among these seven churches to bring messages to them.

And here's the message from Jesus.

He says, I know all the things you do, and I know you have a reputation for being alive, but you are dead.

Let's all say that together.

You are dead.

That's what he's saying in this church.

You think you're alive, you've got stuff going on, you have vacation Bible school, you've got other activities going on.

He says, you have a reputation for being alive, but you are dead.

Jesus looks at this church and has nothing positive to say to them.

You know, have you ever had to have a tough conversation?

Any of you that are bosses, you know, if you're a boss or or or or or you want to have you have to have a tough conversation with somebody, you know, this is what I was taught.

You know, if you've got to criticize somebody or correct somebody, uh you create this compliment sandwich.

And so you say something good about somebody, and then you direct, you give them the negative, give them the correction, and then you close with a compliment.

Jesus doesn't give any compliments.

He says, you are dead.

You're dead.

Sardis has a reputation for being alive, but Jesus saw right through their works and knew them to be dead.

This church does not fool Jesus, but looks right at the heart of the matter.

And this tells me this church probably appeared to be somewhat of a normal church.

And so they had, they maybe they had some of the same activities that other churches have.

But he says, I look, I look through all that and I see that you are dead.

Jesus, here's one of the things I've that this is true.

Jesus does not look at our outward appearance, he looks at the heart.

1 Samuel 16, 7, and this is the this comes from the story where King David is a child, and he is going to be anointed as the king.

But the Lord said to Samuel, don't judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him.

Talking about some of his brothers who were big and strong, he said, the Lord doesn't see things the way you see them.

People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.

Throughout Scripture, we see this theme at work.

We see that God is never, he's never mesmerized by the outward appearance, but he sees through the exterior and he looks at the heart.

That's why we, when we plant this church, we're just, we're, you know what?

I said, we're not gonna be a, we're not gonna dress up.

We're not gonna dress a different way on Sunday.

And I'm not, I have nothing against traditional churches and dressing up and nothing wrong with that.

I understand the meaning behind that.

Put on your best for Lord.

He deserves the best.

I understand that.

But we let's just be who we are.

Let's don't put on a fake exterior and try to be something we're not.

A lot of people, the mantra of the culture is fake it until you make it.

Well, that is not work in the kingdom of God.

It's one thing to be able to fool other people.

It's an entirely different thing to think that you can fool God.

Everyone may think that you have your life all figured out and that you are the model follower of Jesus, but Jesus sees the motive of our hearts.

And the church in artists had a reputation for looking like it was alive, but it's dead.

So I wanted maybe to look at some of the characteristics of a potentially dead church.

What are some of the characteristics of a church might look like it's alive, but it's dead.

Here's number one.

Focus on building your own name.

Focus on building your own name, your own platform.

Remember, this church has a positive reputation, but Jesus has nothing positive to say about them.

We live in a world that is obsessed with our image.

We're obsessed with with um you know uh allowing people to perceive us.

It's what social media does.

We we we you know uh I'm so thankful when I hear people share things from their heart that are just honest on social media.

I heard a testimony from a friend and he shared about, he shared about just uh the honest stuff in his life and his past.

And then he talked about how God's grace had sustained him.

We actually had a person that came, uh a consultant that came, you know, we we brought in somebody to help us talk about um uh some of the future things in a church, and this person said that you in today's world you must master the humble brag.

All right, I said, I said, hey, we're we're we don't need your services anymore.

Um, thank you for coming.

We really enjoyed the first part.

We don't I mean, I'm just being honest.

And I'm not anti-social media.

Social media is is kind of neutral.

It can be good and bad.

Uh but I don't think the Bible is against promoting, I don't think the Bible, I don't think the Bible is against promoting what's going on at your church.

However, we must never lose.

We must never lose the reality of the story.

I don't want people to see our good works and think, man, that's a great group of people.

I want people to see our good works and say, man, that is a great God.

Jesus is the one that grows the church.

Jesus is the one that takes care of all those things.

And Griffin says, a glowing reputation and a full house are worthless if they are only the toe tags of a dead church.

Everybody said, hmm.

All right, second thing, second sign of a possible dead church.

When our faith is about ritual and not relationship, I believe that one of the biggest issues facing the Bible Belt South, and, you know, probably all of our country, but especially in the Bible Belt South, is that our faith is less about a relationship and it's more about jumping through a bunch of religious hoops.

We've got to dress a certain way, we've got to behave a certain way.

We have a proverbial checklist that we check off.

And if we check them all off rightly, that we're we're doing okay spiritually.

And you can do a lot, you can have a lot of spiritual disciplines, but it doesn't necessarily mean that you're spiritually growing.

And so obviously, we should read our Bible, we should pray, we should attend church, we should give.

Jonah talked about generosity, but those things in and of themselves can become ritual, and we lose track of the relationship.

Our faith is not about ritual, it's about a relationship.

So these disciplines are our tools to enhance the relationship.

They're not the to-dos to check off.

The reason we read our Bible is because it is the word of God, and God speaks to us through the word of God.

He speaks to us through the Bible.

When we open this book, God opens his mouth and he speaks.

We have communion with the Heavenly Father.

The reason we attend church is because we need one another.

We need family.

We need, we, that's this, man.

I love how you celebrate when someone goes through the baptismal waters.

I just, I'm sitting here thinking, man, I my heart, I, Dakota, I want you to know I love you and I hope you felt love today.

Man, this church just, I mean, they came unglued, man.

Thank you for your honesty.

Thank you for your vulnerability.

Thank you for your openness and your story.

We love you.

I want you here.

I want you to be a part of our family.

Another sign of a dead church is when Jesus no longer stirs our emotions.

When Jesus no longer stirs our emotions, and I know, listen, I know emotions get a uh can get a bad rap and certain circles.

Uh people will teach that when we respond emotionally to certain situations, we're we're we're potentially allowing ourselves to go down a road that is not not the path that Jesus wants for us.

Um it in the heat of our emotions, we can say and do hurtful and evil things.

And I so I understand that.

Understand that.

Um emotions are are can be negative, emotions can lead us down a path that's not healthy.

But but let's be honest.

If we remove emotion, just think about marriages, think about relationships, think about how you love your kids.

Your heart is stirred, your affections are stirred.

Jesus gave his life for you.

That ought to stir your heart.

Now listen, emotions, I love what Sissy Gall says.

She says, emotions can ride, but they can't drive.

They don't drive.

But when we think of Jesus and the sacrifice he's made on our behalf, it should stir something in our heart.

If you can talk about the gospel and yawn at the same time, something might be wrong.

If you can talk out your testimony and just be kind of like, yeah, yeah, there's something, there is a problem.

And please hear me.

I'm not talking about how we um that you're completely ruled by by your emotions.

But hopefully we will not lose the wonder and the awe and the power and the majesty of who God is, and it won't fade away over time.

Here's one thing that I've come to learn the more time that I spend with Jesus, the longer that I talk with him, and the longer I walk with him, it's more apparent that my sins become a reality, and the more overwhelmed I am because of his grace and his salvation in my life.

Lord, may I never lose a sense of what he's done in a way that it wouldn't stir my heart.

Another way that a church might be dead, you might notice a church is dead, is when pragmatism becomes the common practice.

Pragmatism becomes the common practice.

We live in a culture where that is that is hyper-focused on pragmatism.

Pragmatism is when we do the most logical thing to get the desired results we want.

Now, listen, pragmatism has a purpose.

God's given us a brain.

We need to use our brain.

God has put certain natural and spiritual laws in place, and we should operate from those.

I understand that.

However, if our faith is reduced to only logic and reasoning, then we entirely miss the work of God.

Thomas Jefferson was a pragmatist.

And I don't know if you know this, but Thomas Jefferson, he just struggled with the areas of Scripture where supernatural things happened.

So much so, he took his Bible.

Thomas Jefferson took his Bible and he literally cut out all of the miracles and the supernatural works, and all was left was the practical teachings of Jesus.

Now that is a pragmatist to the nth degree.

Jesus didn't work like that.

You read the pages of scripture and repeatedly and see that God calls his followers to do crazy things, to do things that are that are outside of the realm of just being pragmatic.

Jesus himself.

Somebody's blind.

I mean, this is pragmatic, right?

I'm gonna spit in my hand, rub some dirt in it, and rub it on the guy's eyes.

That's pragmatic, isn't it?

That's crazy.

That's what Jesus did.

Healed him.

Healed him.

I'm not telling you to go spit in somebody's eyes.

Matter of fact, if you if I if I if I you come to me and I and I just kind of hear I'm out, I'm I'm I'm I'm getting out of I'm out of here.

Another sign that the church might be dead is when the memories exceed the dreams.

So my pastor, one of my pastors taught me this.

He said, Russ, when a church's memories exceed its dreams, it begins to die.

And when when all you do is celebrate the past, and there's nothing in the present, the future, no vision, no change, no moving forward, the church will begin to die.

We can be guilty of looking so intently at the things the Lord has done in the past that we limit what he wants to do in the future or even right now.

While God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and the message of Jesus is unchanging, the methods God uses they change over time.

Our culture has changed.

We don't live in the same culture that our grandparents did.

We don't even live in the same culture that we had a few years ago.

I mean, pre-COVID, post-COVID, different worlds, different worlds.

And so it's the same, it's the same for the church.

We've got to look forward.

We've got to look forward to what God has in store.

That's why we we we it's time.

It's time for us to make room for our children to be able to have space to gather.

It's time.

It's time for us to prepare for the future.

I don't want our church to just wither on the vine.

I want us to be prepared to reach generations to come.

Listen, I I have the vantage point.

So I have two men in this church that are men who have given their life to helping churches.

So Larry Black is one right here.

Larry, raise your hand up.

So the other's Larry Cheek.

Both of these men are heroes of mine.

They're mentors.

Larry Cheek, I've known Larry since before we ever planted the church, and now he's a member of our church.

And so these these guys know.

They know the stories.

They know the stories.

And so, and you, here's what a lot of us think.

When we started the, when we started the whole idea of planting this church, people said, Russ, there's churches everywhere.

The landscape is dotted with steeples.

Why in the world do we need another church?

And I said, um I said, I understand what you're saying, but let me let me clear something up.

You're talking about buildings.

So go peek under that steeple and see what's going on.

And so a couple of times, Larry and Larry, they have been involved in coaching, encouraging, trying to help churches that are literally dead, try to bring them back to life.

And a couple of times, they said, listen, it might be in the best interest of your church to merge and either become part of Church at the Grove or become a campus of Church at the Grove.

And so one time there was a conversation that was had, and one of the leaders of that church, they're called deacons.

You've ever heard of the, you've heard of deacons.

So one of the head deacons, he said in response to what Larry suggested, he said, let me tell you something.

You will get the keys to this church when you pry them out of my cold, dead hands.

Yep.

Now, that is a scary.

Scary statement.

Another time, one of the leaders was trying to, we're trying to help this church.

And so I they invited us.

When I say us, they took myself, Reese, and a couple other our musicians went down to lead worship, and there's probably 15 or 16 people left in this church.

And so I preached.

Reese led worship.

Reese, pretty much a dead church, right?

I mean, just quite different from the environment that we experienced this morning.

And I'm not being critical of that church.

I'm not critical.

There were four people.

So I was in a meeting with probably about 12 or 14 of people.

Four of those people were godly.

They were, I mean, they were sweet.

They were, they had a, you could just see Christ in them.

Now the other people that were in that meeting, they were mean.

They didn't know how to smile.

Have you been to a church and you and you just walked up?

One time I remember going to church and I and the person I was with that that was familiar with that church, I said, Who are who are those people over there?

They're they just look so unhappy.

He said, Those are some of the deacons.

True story.

The essence of a church is not a building.

It's not its programs, it's not past achievements, reputation, institutional greatness, or formal doctrinal correctness.

All those things are important.

But it's spiritual life.

It's spiritual life.

This life comes only through the fellowship with the living Christ and is demonstrated through the seriousness of repentance.

Quote from Vern Poethras.

All this to say that we can appear one way, but really be dead inside.

So what's the message?

I've only covered, I think, one verse.

So what's the message?

Verse two.

Verse two.

It's two words.

It's two words that are the essence of what we need.

What a dead church needs.

What the church in America needs.

What Walton County needs.

Two words.

Let's say it together.

Wake up.

Jesus says, wake up.

Wake up.

Wake up, church.

What does that mean?

It means come to life.

Let's have a revival.

Let's see God work.

I think we are seeing God work.

We celebrate a new life.

You know what?

We got three more baptisms at the next service.

Yes.

But here's what Jesus says.

He says, wake up, strengthen what little remains, for even what is left is almost dead.

That's what he's telling this church at Sardis.

He says, I find that your actions do not meet the requirements of my God.

Go back, here's listen, listen.

Go back to what you heard and believed at first.

Hold to it firmly.

Repent and turn to me again.

Remember when you got saved?

Remember when you got baptized?

Remember what Jesus had done in your heart, the life.

Remember, some of you are you're on fire right now.

Jesus is working in your life.

And if you're not, just go back to your to when you were first saved and say, God, start with that.

Jesus tells his church, wake up.

He says, if you don't wake up, I will come to you suddenly as an unexpected as unexpected as a thief.

It's the image we see.

It's the picture of Jesus coming.

That's the image we see.

When Jesus comes back, you see it all through Scripture.

He comes like a thief.

Which means we're a bit surprised.

We've got to be ready.

It's this idea of imminent judgment.

Jesus will return, and the church needs to be ready.

Verse 4, yet there are some in the church in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes with evil.

They will walk with me in white, for they are worthy.

All who are victorious will be clothed in white.

I will never erase their names from the book of life, but I will announce before my Father and his angels that they are mine.

Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches.

So dressed in white means it's righteousness.

It's just image of the fact that Jesus has taken your sin away.

He's taken sin off of you, and he has put his righteousness on you.

And it says, we'll never erase their name.

I want to make sure that we that we have some time.

That we don't rush to the end of this time.

And that we listen to what the Spirit is saying to us.

That we listen to what Jesus wants for us.

Just as he spoke to these churches, he's got a word for Church of the Grove.

He's got a word for you.

And I want to tell you that Jesus, the word he has is good.

Jesus says, Come to me, all of you who are weary and are heavy laden.

And I will give you rest for your souls.

I don't come to add weight to you.

I don't come to add more religion to you.

He says, I I come to release you from that.

He says, for I am gentle and lowly in heart.

Jesus is gentle.

Jesus is gentle.

Jesus is gentle.

And so he's got, he's still working.

He is still working.

He's still speaking.

He's got something for you today.

Can we just spend a moment?

We're about to sing a song.

House of Miracles.

You know that Jesus still does miracles.

He still does miracles.

While your eyes are closed, just close your eyes, bow your heads.

Can I just ask you, if you need a miracle, would you just slip your hand up?

If you need a miracle, man, hands everywhere.

Hands everywhere.

Hold it up for a second.

You need a miracle.

Hold your hand up just for a second.

Father, I pray.

I pray for these individuals.

God, I pray for their situation, God.

I pray that you would pour out your spirit.

God, I pray that you would move in such a way in their lives, in the lives of the people, in their family or their friendship circle.

The people around them, God, the person that they are praying for.

I pray over their situation.

I pray if it's financial, you would do a miracle.

I pray, God, if it's their salvation, you would do a miracle.

But God, I pray that you start with us.

God, wake us up if we need it.

Wake us up individually and wake us up as a church.

If you would like for for somebody to pray for you, if you would like for somebody to pray for you, and I'm gonna I'm gonna ask, give you a chance to do this voluntarily.

If you would like for somebody to pray for you, just stand up.

Just stand up where you are.

You say, I want I want somebody to pray for me.

Stand up.

Don't be shy if you've got a situation going on.

Let's not be shy about it.

You want somebody to pray for you?

Let's be the church today.

Let's be a church that's alive.

So let's minister to one another.

So if you are close by somebody that's standing, let's just a couple of people gather.

This doesn't have to be weird.

Let's just maybe a person come around and just put your hand on their shoulder.

Let's make sure somebody, everybody has somebody.

Everybody.

Right back here in the back.

My friend Grace.

Thank you.

Let's pray for a miracle.

Father, we I don't know all the all the circumstances in the lives of these people.

Lord, we pray.

We pray.

We pray, God, according to your will.

We pray for a miracle.

We pray for power.

We pray for a move of the Spirit of God.

We pray for hearts to be broken, hearts to be humbled.

God, we pray for lives to be changed.

I pray for where for where there is a physical, a physical ailment.

God, I pray for supernatural healing.

I pray for a touch of Jesus in the life of that person.

We pray for healing.

We pray that Jesus would touch them.

I pray for deliverance.

I pray for people that are under spiritual bondage or spiritual attack.

I pray for deliverance.

I pray for the for the enemy, Satan, the devil, demons to be pushed back.

In the name of Jesus.

Father, we pray, we pray, God, for your Holy Spirit to work.

God, help us to walk in the fullness of your power and your spirit.

Help us to be people that don't just do ministry inside the walls of the church, but that when we're doing life, that we'll be sensitive to have a conversation and maybe just say, hey, can I pray for you?

Help us to be the church out in the streets.

And so, Father, I pray over the needs of the people that were willing to stand.

I pray that you would move in their life, move in their family's life, move in their hearts.

I pray for freedom.

I pray for forgiveness.

I pray for redemption.

God, we pray for stories and testimonies to come out of this time of prayer.

We pray for miracles to take place.

God, we thank you.

We thank you.

In Jesus' name.

In Jesus' name we pray.

You guys can have a seat.

If you're standing, have a seat.

Thank you guys so much for this morning.

What a great word.

This whole idea of repentance.

Growing up in the Bible though, it's always been like a almost like a st a stench, you know, like repent because you're terrible and you're the worst and you sin and blah blah blah.

But like the idea that this is part of a believer's like walk.

Yeah.

It's been great.

It's been nice.

Like again, like I said, this whole series has been refreshing.

Um and if hopefully if you're new to to this whole following Jesus thing, like this is a perfect thing for you to jump into.

Uh because it's just laying the groundwork um so nicely.

And again, just a very unique take on Revelation, and I have appreciated it.

And I've been going to church my entire life.

Yeah.

So that's been fantastic.

So we hear that word, and we always think of like um, you know, that God is angry, God is upset, and all these things, but I mean, you know, Paul tells us that it's his kindness that leads us to repentance.

And the whole idea of like that that that uh the root word there, uh Greek or Hebrew, I'm not a scholar, but mean like changing your mind, like it just goes right along with like Romans 12, 1, where it's you know, where Paul's talking about renewing your mind and all.

It's just it's funny how the Bible works together.

Yeah, it's a beautiful citation.

Yeah, just yeah, you're right.

So anyway, so we're just uh we're just so thankful that you guys are hanging out with us.

And if um if you need to make a decision or if you uh have questions or you just want, you know, whatever, wherever you may be, um, if you need to talk to someone, please text in start to follow to 9700.

Uh start to follow all on to 9700.

We'd love to be able to have a conversation with you wherever you are, whether you've been doing this for decades like me.

Decades?

Or you just now started following Jesus and you just have questions, we would love to be able to resource you in any way that we can.

Um so just please reach out and let us know because we're here for you.

Yep.

And that's how we do it.

We switched roles this way.

Great job.

That's so good.

Everybody's got a next step.

What is God calling you to?

We want to miss it.

This is great.

Can we um we just want to be able to partner with you to help you take your next step?

Speaking of next steps, a couple things that we mentioned at the top uh going on this season.

I would love to invite you to be a part of.

Make sure if you're participating in Operation Christmas Child that you have your box back to church campus um next Sunday.

That's the latest date that we can um be able to get those shipped out.

Uh and then also we got Thrive, our women's gathering.

On Tuesday night, there's been a Friendsgiving gathering.

It's gonna be amazing.

The team's been planning and prepping, it's gonna be awesome.

So, you women out there, make sure you participate in that.

And then uh um and then lastly, Shop of the Heroes coming up on December 2nd, a first weekend in December.

And so um make sure that you find out any more details about that that you need to know.

They're on the app or website.

Sign up, please sign up to participate in that.

Um, and also if you feel led to donate to help uh make this a reality, um, help Christmas become a reality for some of these kids and their families, um, make sure you do that as well.

We'd love to invite you into that.

But we love you guys.

If there's anything we can do for you a week ahead, let us know.

Um man, yeah.

That's it.

Sweet.

We're done here.

Hope you guys have a great day.

You just came to a screeching.

Screeching right there, okay.

We're done here.

Sorry.

I was like.

We switched, we switched to that.

We did switch up.

Yeah.

But you just like a middle school boy who ended up the relationship.

Hey girl, we're done here.

We got stories, Tommy.

Stories.

Yeah.