I AM Free

1. I'm getting free from the day to day stuff of the church so that I can give more of my time to studying, preaching & teaching, prayer and vision casting. I met yesterday with our Executive Team, which consists of our Programming Director, who is in charge of EVERYTHING that happens in the auditorium, and our Executive Pastor, who is in charge of the ENTIRE operations of the church. Of course, both are under my leadership and work closely with me, but I have turned them loose to be the leaders God has wired and called them to be. These two men share my vision and heart and are loyal men who are incredible leaders. You have to have leaders around you that you trust with YOUR LIFE, YOUR WIFE and with a KNIFE :)!

2. One of the best hires we made at People's Church was to bring on a full-time Care Pastor. Shelby Johnson does our pre-marital coaching and biblical coaching for people who are in need of it. Any real counseling Shelby refers our church people to a few Christian counselors who are trained and qualified. NONE OF OUR PASTORS ARE TRAINED AND QUALIFIED TO COUNSEL PEOPLE! Shelby also performs most of our weddings and funerals. Some of our other staff pastors perform weddings and funerals, but Shelby performs the bulk of them. Shelby also heads up our Hospital Ministry. He makes sure that any person, who attends our church that we are made aware of, is visited and cared for while they are in the hospital. Our Community Groups do the bulk of visiting their own group in times of need, but Shelby does have a team of people who visits people who are not involved in a CG. Frankly, the ABSOLUTE best way people are cared for at People's Church is by getting plugged into a CG. We hired Shelby when we were around 750 people in weekend attendance. This hire freed me up to focus on what God called me to do. I can't do it all, and I'm not going to pretend like I can! This hire was key in helping our church break the 1000 barrier.

3. I'm free from allowing people to control me. I know very clearly what God has called us to accomplish at People's Church and I'm finally free of feeling like I should be catering to church people's wants or wishes. I love people, but God didn't call me to start a church that spent all of its time focusing on church people's wants (IT'S IMPOSSIBLE ANYWAYS, IT REALLY IS). Even though most of the time I haven't catered to church peoples wants, I felt guilty because I didn't. NO MORE GUILT FOR ME! I'm not trying to please people (nor am I out to offend them), but I'm trying with everything within me to please and honor my Heavenly Father. I want to complete the assignment He has called me too. I find myself very nicely but sometimes firmly telling people that this is not the church for you if you can't get on board and buy into the vision that God has called People's Church to accomplish. UNITY IS KEY TO ANY HEALTHY CHURCH! I WILL PROTECT THE UNITY OF OUR CHURCH! I AM FREE, and there's no better feeling!