Quest Community Church…did you ever have any idea church could be like this?? I HATED missing the QCC Music Team bringing the quintessential music of My Generation this weekend…VAN HALEN! (And Journey:)) Anyerin Drury and Robbie Docherty KILLED it! And…Sharon Clements, our Worship and Arts Pastor, hit it out of the park teaching on RISK. If you missed it, check it out here…there are God-sized risks waiting for you right now!

Here are a few reflections from Sharon’s unique perspective…

• I felt full-on like I was at the Prom when I heard that Journey/Van Halen music!!  The QCC music team killed it, taking us through guitar medleys (Eruption!!) & songs ’til we were all singing along.  I LOVED it!!

• Steve Perry, David Lee Roth, Sammy Hagar – they all point us toward living life on the edge… living lives of risk.  And while every risk isn’t a good one (check out Anyerin’s risky outfit here!), it rang out loud & clear to us that God designed us to live extraordinary lives – and that taking risky steps of trust with Him can change the world.

• I loved watching so many people wrestle with the question:  “What if God wants to do something extraordinary through me?” God was stirring up HIS dreams & plans – whispering deep secrets – in the hearts of ordinary people this weekend – and we could feel it happening.

• In learning to say YES to the offers of God, don’t forget…
  • Avoiding will always bite you. You’ll miss out on the adventure, and your kids, your church, & this world will pay the price if you don’t respond.  (And guys, PLEASE learn from my husband: always be sure your girlfriend knows it if you break up with her! Everyone will thank you later!)
  • You have to let go of what your gripping so you can jump I know in my life I had to put my treasures in God’s hands so that He could put HIS treasures in mine.
  • If you’re hearing the voice of fear taunting you, it’s  because the enemy is afraid of YOU. The enemy knows the power of a simple, humble, trusting YES to God.  It’s been his downfall from the beginning, and he is afraid of ordinary people trusting a loving Father who is saying, “You can do it!  Jump to Me! I’ll catch you every time!!”

• And…you did it!!! I’ve heard so many stories of people saying YES to the offer of God to jump – signing up for a LifeGroup, asking someone on a date:), courageously admitting you need help on your spiritual journey, volunteering to serve, finally saying yes to inviting Jesus into your heart… way to go!!  I think heaven heard your LOUD, COURAGEOUS YESES.

Thanks for letting your love be loud to God, Questers. If trust really is His love language, He is feeling the love through your lives. Let’s be the loudest church on the planet, taking risky steps of trust that SHOUT our love to the One who has only ever proven Himself trustworthy to us.

P.S.  Congratulations to Anyerin & Jamie-Lea Drury who shared their great news with us that they are having another baby!:)

P.P.S. I can’t BELIEVE our Pastor was on Study month and had to miss VAN HALEN in church!! I think he must really love Jesus & our church to be away investing instead of rocking it out here with us in person.:) Mark your calendars now…it’s only 25 days til Pastor Pete is back for IMPACT WEEKEND!

Over my annual Study Month this July, I’ll be taking time out to get alone with Jesus, spend time in His Word and visit great churches and leaders to learn and grow. It’s hard to quantify the impact this time makes…from the big ideas that come along the way, to the refueling that comes from extended, uninterrupted time with Jesus and the growth that’s sparked meeting with other leaders who are passionate about leading people to Christ.

God is doing so much in Uprising and advancing churches and leaders all over the world. I’m eager to learn all God has for me/us from these awesome leaders and Kingdom-minded churches. Even though it’s hard to be away from the community I love, the impact is win-win.

Advancing leaders for the cause of Christ must always aim to be teachable and humble. The most effective Christ-followers and leaders are consummate learners…life long students (no matter how they did in school:)).

If you’re leading on the front lines, it’s essential to learn to work with the rhythms of ministry to make space to study, learn from others and hear from God – not just to write a better sermon or come up with the next new idea, but to fall in love with Jesus. I’m so grateful for the Core Team of Quest who sends me off every year to learn and grow as I connect with God’s heart in a singular way and let Him restore me. I can’t WAIT for all God has in store!

Thanks for sending me off, Core Team, and thanks for praying for your pastor, Questers!

My Generation continued this week with rap artists Jay z, Eminem and Kanye West…AND Quest’s new Frankfort pastor Ken Land was in the house! I loved entrusting this weekend to a guy who is completely sold out for God’s dreams for his life and who has never recovered from his rescue 12 years ago. Ken received God’s offer to exchange his sin and self-reliance for God’s grace and leadership, and he has never been the same again. Thanks for leading us, Ken!

I asked Kenny to share a little bit of what it was like to teach from Quest’s stage for the first time and here is a glimpse at what he had to say:

• Just over a year ago I sat at The Uprising, my tear-covered face in my hands as God re-broke my heart for people. A church planter, I had been consumed by “ministry” and had pushed people to a back-burner in my heart. This weekend, I got to stand before the same people that served me that day, sharing the love of the Father for his children. It was overwhelming.

• As I stepped on stage, the funny thing was, it felt like home. If you have done much teaching, you realize it is always different when you step into a room where you don’t know anyone. A thousand thoughts run through your mind because you don’t know where people are, what they have been hearing, if they even know Jesus. This didn’t feel anything like that. It felt like I have been a part of this beautiful community for years.

• It was great to look out during the talk and see hearts breaking, tears streaming, and hearts pounding. I knew God was showing people that Jesus wants the broken pieces of our life to be brought back to Him, so He can make us the sons and daughters He always intended us to be. I loved hearing reports of people at both campuses giving their whole hearts to Jesus!

• Of course it was no surprise that folks were blown away at my mad dancing skills (I kid, I kid):)

• Overall, the day was marked by grace. The grace God shows prodigal sons and daughters as He puts a coat on their backs and rings on their fingers. The grace that invites us, as Pastor Pete says, “to rest in the leadership of another.” The grace that was poured out on my life 12 years ago, on July 4th, 1999 when I walked into the arms of a loving Father. And the grace that brought me to Quest Community Church to be a part of the most authentic Acts 2 community I have ever laid eyes on.

• Those who have experienced His grace are given the joy of telling the world of His love. If you have encountered Jesus for yourself, never recover. Don’t back down in the place of adversity. Don’t cower, but have courage. You are His treasure and He has displayed you as His masterpiece to the world.

• It all boils down to 3 words: Rep The King.

Questapalooza, a fantastic region-wide party with great bands, rides, and attractions, will take place this year on Saturday, September 3rd in Lexington, KY. (Labor Day Weekend!) No matter who you are or where you come from, you’re invited to a day of fun in the heart of Lexington on the campus of Quest Community Church.

Remedy Drive will kick off the day, followed by Nicole C. Mullen and headlining our 6th annual Questapalooza is Third Day! It’s going to be a day to remember and you’re invited. Make plans to spend your Labor Day weekend with us and invite your friends.

Here’s a little preview of what you can expect:

Thursday is the deadline, but…

EACH DAY UNTIL THEN, WE’RE GIVING AWAY FREE TICKETS TO QUESTAPALOOZA!

Help us promote our Early Bird deadline & you could win!
HERE’S HOW:

1. TWEET THIS: I’m getting my tix to @QPZA before Early Bird ends Thursday, June 30! {link to graphic} RT & enter to WIN A TICKET!

2. EACH DAY BETWEEN NOW AND THE DEADLINE, we will choose a random winners (1 ticket each) from those who tweeted.

THIS THURSDAY, JUNE 30 is your LAST CHANCE to get the best price on tickets! Get your today and then RT for a chance to win an additional ticket for a friend!

As a pastor, I sometimes watch people spend an unbelievable amount of time and energy fighting battles they were never meant to fight — pouring over harmful words that have been spoken and focusing on how to defend themselves — or finding themselves so off course that they are willing victims of the sin they claim to want to fight. It matters what battles we choose. Some are crafted by God for us to partner with Him — and some we have no business being near.

In 1 Samuel 17, David passes up the false battles that present themselves to him – the taunts of his brother, the laughter of Saul, the voices that said he was too young, too unqualified – and he steps up to fight the battle God laid out before him. This is a remarkable story most people are familiar with, but truth is, David would never have fought Goliath if he’d been caught up in the smaller battles that were trying to distract him.

When insecurity offered itself up, he didn’t bite. When he was accused of pride and deceit, he didn’t choose to make defending himself his priority. But in the face of Goliath’s taunts, David experienced a holy discontent – and he stepped into the battle he was made for.

Listen to this great line of David’s, “Today the Lord will conquer you, and I will kill you….and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel! And everyone assembled here will know that the Lord rescues His people, but not with sword and spear. This is the Lord’s battle, and He will give you to us!” (1 Samuel 17:46-47, nlt)

Fight the battle God designed you to fight today…HIS battle!

This weekend QCC’s Transformation Pastor, Helen Musick, was in her element bringing our second week of the summer with My Generation: The Beatles. Helen focused on a key truth that is at the heart of God’s good news for us…God made you to love you. (If you’re on vacation and missed this weekend, you can watch online here!)

Here are a few of Helen’s reflections and favorite moments from the weekend:

The Beatles! YOU voted them #1 in our contest and our artists went all out bringing it this weekend!  Between Yesterday and It’s Been a Hard Days Night, we were back in time for sure!

Yes, I knew every word to every song.  And I am proud of it!

I loved the picture of hope this weekend held for parents who wonder if brokenness between them and their child can really ever be mended. Thanks Ben and Trevor for giving us all a picture of what that looks like. Redemption in our relationships really is possible!

Hey Jude…three dads…three sons and lots of tears as we watched the joy of Fathers’ Day come alive right before us.

Two simple facts: (1) God’s love for you is a fact. (2) You were made to experience the reality of God’s love in your life. You might resist, reject, mistrust, and even deny but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s true.

Our pastor asked a question in “Cracking the Code” that made it’s way back this weekend:  “How valuable is a love that is never felt or experienced?” God’s love was meant to be experienced, life changing and a reality in our lives.

Take steps to to live in that reality…

1. Identify where unbelief is robbing you of the reality and experience of His love.

2. Cultivate the experience of love. Do the work that loves requires.

Don’t miss the love of a lifetime that God has in mind for you!

In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, he starts with a simple, reorienting line. In  just the 6^th word of the letter – Paul says, Want to know a core truth about me? My real identity? …

I am “chosen.”

Is there anything quite like being chosen? Chosen…by a friend or a team, picked as a date for the prom, selected for a certain school, drafted for the NFL.  How much more awesome is it when God Almighty Himself chooses you?

Ephesians 1:4-5 goes on to say, “Long ago, even before He made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in His eyes. His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ.

Did you hear Paul…God has chosen you…for all who reject you, betray you, deny you, pass over you…God has chosen you! Millions of years before Genesis 1:1 you were chosen. This is the antidote for insecurity, for fear, performance, acceptance…God has chosen you!

For everyone who’s ever broken vows to you, God will be trustworthy. Even when you’ve been unfaithful, He will be true. It’s the best news on planet…He chose you!

Paul is saying, “Remember who you are.” It reorients everything else and frees you to trust Him. God chose you before the beginning of time…before you could prove yourself…knowing you would screw up!

What would happen if you lived out THIS day as the chosen one of God?

As men everywhere mourn the conclusion of The Man Series 2.0, we rolled out a new and improved version of a QCC favorite. My Generation is back! This year we’re taking a closer look at the artists who have shaped our lives — and Assistant Pastor Justin McCarty kicked us off with the King of Pop himself: Michael Jackson. Were you seeing what he was seeing?

• Holy moly our artists are TALENTED people! From a brand new set (that looks like a rock concert if I’ve ever seen one) to a troupe of break-dancing dancers to an incredible versatile band that pulled off NINE Michael Jackson songs in a row — thank you!! You are amazing people!

• Dance competitions are apparently much more difficult than you’d think! Thanks to every contestant who gave it a valiant effort! [Even still, doesn't it already make you long for push-ups, races and arm wrestling, though?? ]

• That video of Michael Jackson’s morphing face was disturbing for sure (check it out here). But it gives you a good sense of how God sees our “corrective surgeries of the heart” to become the people we want to be.

• I don’t think any pastor anywhere has ever linked Michael Jackson and Moses! Thanks, QCC, for allowing me to be the first!:)

• A quick recap of the three identity lessons we looked at from Moses’ life:
  1. Who You Are Begins With Who He Is
  2. Stop Arguing and Start Listening
  3. Weakness Isn’t a Limit

• Because God is God, what He says goes. Which means: who He says we are — we are. When we offer suggestions or objections to what God says about us, we only find ourselves arguing with God.

• “Look at Me!” — it’s what God is whispering (or perhaps shouting) to every person you’ve ever met, including you and me. The identity we’re looking for doesn’t come from ourselves — it only comes from seeing and knowing God — “I AM WHO I AM.” It’s only in Him that we find who we are and what we’re living for.

My Generation is just getting warmed up! Next week…don’t miss an unforgettable look at the artists that have shaped decades of music and changed the world: The Beatles!!

The Man Series 2.0 was simply remarkable. I couldn’t believe how ready men were to hear the straight truth about everything from pride to lust to the battles men fight and really grapple with the unique challenges and callings of men. Almost 100 gave their lives to Christ during this series alone…it was just phenomenal.

• I loved concluding The Man Series with a week on declarations, opening up the way for men and women alike to step forward in baptism. Those baptisms were a remarkable ending that I’ll never forget.

• Van Halen’s Right Now was a fantastically challenging worship song. Seriously that intro heading into baptisms couldn’t have been more on target…don’t wait for some tomorrow // right now is your magic moment. (Thanks Ani and Quest Band…you guys nailed it!)

• Women, you were so supportive during this whole series. Thanks for cheering on the men in your lives. I had so many women explaining to me that this series wasn’t just for men. Here’s the secret, women…we knew it would be life-giving to everyone, but we wanted a unique chance to speak to men.

• 1 Samuel 17:46 is one of my favorite new passages of scripture: “Today the Lord will conquer you and I will kill you.” What a fantastic verse to mark this series and to mark our lives, men. The battle is the Lord’s, but sometimes…He lets us kill the giant.

• Don’t spend your lives trying to be “the man.” Bow a humble knee to The Man. Man up and kneel before a Holy God, and He will invite you into remarkable battles with Him.