Last night 321 leaders and emerging leaders of Quest Community Church got to gather together to pray for Code Orange Revival. I loved seeing our leaders pray and cheer on what God is doing in Charlotte, NC through Pastor Steven Furtick and the phenomenal team at Elevation. (If you haven’t gotten to take part in Code Orange Revival yet, there’s still time…the 12 night revival is broadcast live on the web every night and there are still 5 nights to go!)

My good friend, Pastor Perry Noble of NewSpring Church in Anderson, SC, got to speak at the revival last night and spur Elevation on, honoring God and the work He’s doing through Pastor Steven and their great church. It was a rare moment. In the Bride of Christ, we’re called to spur each other on to good works, but all too often churches finds themselves fighting against each other instead. We should be THE most honoring, encouraging people on the planet!

Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. – Hebrews 10:24

Uprising pastors and leaders…when was the last time you spurred on what God was doing in another pastor, church or ministry? Go for it! Send them a text, tweet about them, write them a letter to cheer on God’s work in their life and community, commit to pray for an event on their behalf…invite them to The Uprising this April. It’s the whole reason we launched The Uprising to begin with…to spur on pastors and leaders, to help them accomplish all God is calling them to do in their communities!

You’re invited to join us Thursday, April 19 in Lexington for The Uprising. Bring your team (you won’t believe what it does in your church to have them with you!) Invite a pastor from another church. In fact…buy them a ticket. Invest in their ministry in a tangible way. Let God do a new thing in you as you invest in His Bride. (Tickets are available NOW for just two more weeks at our Super-Early Bird rate of just $59.)

It’s an honor to serve Jesus together in their great cause. Let’s spur each other on in new ways this week!

A few random thoughts on this Friday afternoon…

1. I absolutely LOVE our church! This week I got to be a part of two Christmas celebrations…one for our leaders and one for our volunteers. As I spent time in those settings, I could not get the thought out of my head how much I love this community! You are remarkable people, and so many of you are living out God’s dreams for your life. I am so proud of you! Thank you for making this community what it is. You are an integral part of what God is doing here, Questers!

2. Being Christmas gifts are being delivered today! Pray for students in Lexington & Frankfort who are receiving the overflow of God’s love for them through your lavish generosity! Don’t you wish you could see their faces?! I can’t wait to hear the stories! Let’s finish this year’s Being Christmas initiatives with strength, giving generously and sacrificially and fully resourcing all of our ministries in Lexington. Go all out in giving back to the One who gave His life for you!

3. As my friend Steven Furtick wrote earlier this week, I want to challenge you to Be a  Bringer!!  Steven ripped off that phrase-be a bringer- from @KevinGerald. He uses it to remind his church of their responsibility to be witnesses for Christ. Not only should we invite people to come to church this Christmas – we should bring them with us. We should do whatever we can to compel them to come. We’ll be doing our very best to make Jesus crystal clear this weekend and over all of our Christmas Eve worship experiences…and when people see Jesus for who He really is, they want Him. Let’s be bringers this Christmas. Your invitation could make all the difference!

Extreme Unity… not a topic the enemy is thrilled to have discussed in the local church. Earlier this year Transformation Pastor Helen Musick taught on this topic and she was red-hot! While she spoke, a storm that felt like it could take out the city passed over QCC – it felt like a physical reality of what was happening in the spiritual world as God fought for this topic to ring out.

For 12+ years as a church, we’ve lived in a culture of redemption where from the beginning, unity was a non-negotiable.  I believe it is an essential ingredient in why more than 12,000 people in the U.S. alone have come to Christ in 12 years here. (And not with out a few storms here and there!) Unity is something we fight for because there is an enemy for fights against it, an enemy who knows and fears the power of unity. The enemy knows if we will be the answer to Jesus’ John 17 prayer, people see who He really is and why He came…they’ll see that the Father loves US as much as He loved His own boy! (UNREAL)

Need a little review?  Here’s some great questions Helen gave us when she taught on this topic. I hope they’ll help you see how you’re doing in this area:

Extreme unity actively works for unity and is marked by a love that is reckless and irrational.

Extreme unity lives without lines.

• What are the lines in my heart?
• Who is it that I find difficult to accept because they are different than me?
• Where are there lines in my heart that keep me from loving recklessly and irrationally?

Potential Action Steps: Seek to add value to everyone you meet today.

Extreme unity joyfully honors those that lead.

• Do I find myself critical because of my perceptions and preferences regarding some aspect of the church?
• Do I pray for those God has given the position of leadership?
• Do I joyfully honor those that lead me?

Potential Action Step: Write a letter or make a phone call to thank a leader in your life for building into you.

Extreme unity assumes the best and is quick to forgive.

• Do I take things personally and find myself easily offended?
• Am I able to love others by assuming the best of them?
• How quick am I at forgiving?

Potential Action Step: The next time you’re unsure of someone’s motives or you’re feeling offended, actively BELIEVE THE BEST.

Will you choose to be an answer to Jesus John 17 prayer?  If you do, you’ll find His love irresistible through you and to you!

In Matthew 14, Peter takes a step of faith that has wrecked me as a leader. Peter did what no other human in history has ever done besides Jesus Himself…he walked on the WATER. He stepped into an audacious faith and went places with Jesus no one else has ever gone!

If you want to walk on water with Jesus, you must do these three things:

1. Obey Jesus. Go where He tells you to go. Follow Him into the unknown. Peter and the other eleven disciples were in the boat in the middle of a storm because JESUS sent them there. Peter was right where Jesus told him to be!
2. Recognize Him. Faced with terrifying circumstances, Peter recognizes Jesus for who He is…the One walking on the water in the middle of the storm.
3. Respond to Jesus. Critical piece to understand about audacious faith – it’s not faith in you, it’s faith in Him.  You are not called to have faith in your own ability or character or skills, but to put your faith in the One who walks on water.

As FUSED gets ready for their retreat, THE CODE, this weekend…100s of them will be gathered in the chapel tonight, drawing close to God, exploring His plans and purposes for their lives and doing life in community.

Wonder how your church feels about your potential, students? Here’s a quick reminder:

Fused Answers The Challenge from Quest Community Church on Vimeo.

Your church believes in you. You have the potential to change the world…your leaders see it in you. I see it in you. Invite everyone you know to FUSED tonight. Keep investing in people who need to experience the love of God for themselves. Press into Jesus and live out the plans and dreams He has for you. Your church can’t wait to see what’s next for you.

We’re cheering you on!

In awe of this beautiful community lately – and loving where God is taking us in our new series, JESUS. This weekend I got to be at our Frankfort campus with Pastor Ken Land and we had an amazing time. It was one of my favorite Frankfort moments in our history there. Congratulations to all of you who responded when Jesus called for me to make a move and give you the opportunity to ask Jesus into your hearts. I loved being so close to His pursuit and your response. Breathtaking!

While I was at Frankfort, Transformation Pastor Helen Musick spoke from our Lexington campus on our misconceptions about Jesus – and how important it is to throw out our false ideas, pressing for clarity so we can see Him for who He really is. Here are Pastor Helen’s reflections on this weekend:

When Pastor Pete gave me this weekend to teach “Jesus: Our Misconceptions” to be honest, I felt overwhelmed by the topic.  It seemed too big, more philosophical than practical and “not me”.  But as I spent time with it over the past weeks, my reading, studying and processing led me to understand that this topic is key to so much of what it means for seekers and follower alike to experience the fullness of what Jesus offers in a relationship with Him.  Thank you Pastor Pete for the entrustment.

This weekend changed me.  I know Jesus better and as a result, I love Him more.  Like the disciples, in alarm and amazement [Luke 8:25], I’m asking on a new level, “Who is this man?”  I hope you are too.

Our misconceptions leave us thinking Jesus is something He is not.  And when these misconceptions lead our seeking and/or following, we can find ourselves asking the question:  What’s wrong with Jesus?  The answer?  Nothing’s wrong with Jesus, it’s our image that is distorted.  Getting an accurate image of the real Jesus is key in living freely with Him.

While there are many misconceptions about Jesus, these two have the power to distort so much:

• Misconception #1 – Jesus was a good teacher and moral leader.  But He was not divine, He was not God.
• Misconception #2 -  Jesus was divine, fully God, but He is distant, unavailable and indifferent towards us.

I wonder – do either of these misconception ring out as true for you?  The reason we must clear of the distortion is because where misconceptions linger they become the lenses through which we see Jesus and when that happens, everything is blurred.

Misinformation and misfortune lead to missed opportunities with Jesus.  The source of our misconceptions is often one of these two – misinformation and misfortune.   We get how misinformation can cause us to have the wrong opinion of Jesus.  But the power of misfortune for many of us has a stronger hold on freedom.  Remember: If your misfortune is your starting point in defining God’s character, your perception of God will be skewed every time.  You must begin with the character of God first and allow His character to define your misfortune.

So, fight for clarity.  Do the work clarity requires. Go to the Source. Be around people who know Him in a way you want to, and learn from them. And…be honest about the misconception in your life.  Need to borrow courage? Listen again to the stories of Stacey, Amanda and Chuck – they fought for clarity and will help you want to do the same when you see the beauty of His redemption in their lives.

Praying for you to begin to see Jesus for who He really is over this great series! Get here next weekend as Pastor Pete helps us understand How Heaven Sees Him! Get ready for Jesus to blow your mind!

Need a reminder of why we do what we do what we do?

I Have Decided… from Quest Community Church on Vimeo.

As a pastor, people come to me all the time mixed up about who Jesus is – who He was. Whether it’s people who’ve been led to believe Jesus is angry at them or people who think that if He loved them, He would do whatever they want…many of us don’t have a clear picture of the Son of God.

Could it be that the reason you’ve pushed Jesus away, the reason you’ve kept Jesus at arms’ length is because you don’t know Him for who He really is? It’s time to see Jesus in a whole new light. As Quest launches into a brand new series, we’re going to spend weeks looking at the core of a revolutionary who turned the world upside down with His life and with His death.

Get ready…pull out the gospels and start reading the words in red. Jesus Himself wants to rewrite your understanding of who He is and who He wants to be in your life. The truth about Jesus is something you don’t want to miss!

Start spreading the word, Quest. We’re about to launch into a series called, simply: JESUS!

Jesus Teaser Promo from Quest Community Church on Vimeo.

In our second week of our 30 Days to Live series we took the internal, spiritual step of offering (& receiving) the forgiveness we only find in the cross…leaving what God saved us FROM behind. Christ forgave us so we forgive others, cutting the ropes. So many people finding freedom! And just this past weekend, we looked at what to do with that freedom – making the prioritizing decisions and taking action steps to live out the life God wants to free us FOR. As theologian William Barclay said, “There are two great days in a person’s life…the day we are born and the day we discover why.”

Christ designed us to make ripples…to live out the hand-crafted plans He has for us that we read about in Ephesians 2:10, “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

To do that we must arrange our lives, respond to the passions God has placed in us, take action and make ripples for Him. Like my friend, Shaun King says, “Find a cause that captures your heart, then act like it.”

I loved highlighting people around Quest who’ve done just that:

• Brian (welcoming others to the place he found grace)
• Sandra (reaching out to women trapped in the sex industry)
• Scott (leaving the business world to care for the business of the church)
• Kristi (providing resources for 1000s to grow through The Source)
• Danni-Sue (reaching out to other women who’ve had abortions, redeeming the choice)

Need more examples? Think of any example you need to from scripture where they decide at some point, we only live out God’s Jeremiah 29:11 plans for our lives if we receive them, take action & act on it.

I got to look at 3,400 people over the weekend and say – take action. Believe that God prepared good works in advance for us to do and offer ourselves as living sacrifices for that to happen. (Loved giving props to Keith Green…he had such a substantial influence on my journey!)

Trading in the self plan for the God plan is the only way we don’t give into fear and insecurity and self-hyphenation. If we don’t, we’ll end up like the kings we read about in the Old Testament – doing what is right in our own eyes, and going far off-track.

You were made to be a ripple-maker. There’s a whole world out there who doesn’t know that Christ’s death and overwhelming love that sent Him to the cross was for them. We get to live it out by taking action. If you’re going to abandon your shadow mission for God’s unique mission for your life it will take effort and intentionality. You will need to begin with a marking step. Take action.

Maybe it will require that you stop doing something so you have time to start doing what God crafted you for. Maybe you have a way with kids, helping them feel loved and cared for. Or maybe you’d love making people feel welcome, giving them a cup of coffee or helping them feel at home. Perhaps you love to design and build things like our set team. Or maybe you were designed to make our City Reach ministries thrive. Perhaps you’ve got an eye for lighting or sound – or you love graphic design or video…He’s got great dreams for you! What if you let HIM use the gifts He’s given you for His purposes?! Take hold of God’s Jeremiah 29:11 plans.

Go for it. Go make some ripples in the name of Jesus for the cause of Christ. Living a life of causing ripples is pretty exciting.

Last weekend at Quest, a couple of dozen Questers took the courageous step to write their sins in the sand on stage during our worship experiences. Someone on my team said they got distracted while that was happening and looked away for a couple of minutes. When they looked back up, they realized the sins had continued the whole time…as if we sin constantly, even we are unaware. It’s true. We do. And God’s grace covers our sin over and over again.

Infinite forgiveness. Infinite grace. Simply unreal.

The outrage of forgiveness is that our loving God does not give us what we deserve. He took what we deserve for us. Think of your greatest, deepest, darkest sin. Jesus paid the price. Jesus chose the lash, the thorns and the nails…for you. He did it for your criticism, for your hate, for your stealing, for your lust, for your abuse, for your great sin. You were the violator. He was innocent.

I watch people, seekers and Christians alike, try to avoid the truth of their own sin. It always creates distance between them and God. But in God’s economy, admitters don’t get busted, they get forgiven. This is the outrage of forgiveness, the heartbeat of the gospel. Jesus died so violators and sinners like you and me could be forgiven. What we could never earn, He offers freely.

Feeling distant from God? Step into His forgiveness. No matter who you are or what you’ve done, you can be forgiven. You’ll find infinite forgiveness and infinite grace at the cross! And THAT will open the door to the life you’ve always dreamed of.