Interesting? Awkward! Thank you, I needed to hear this. Lets get coffee, got some questions. Love you Pastor Bill, stop carrying all our burdens and give it to God as you tell us (touche'). This is the church for me. I feel so in tune with God here. I've got a lot of growing to do. I know that my sin isn't right but I'm listening. Thanks for not giving up on me. Whoa Heavy Dude. Hey I see now I need to step up Pastor, how can I help? Of all days, the air conditioning had to be broken! Love you guys. Thanks for being real! Hey, I'm ready for counseling now, where can I go? Where in the world did the Bill I know go? Thank you for putting someone in my life that is carrying a similar burden!
Here's the Deal
The truth is Pastor Bill is carrying loads. Its kind of something I've done since I was 6 years old. I guess you could say it is in my DNA and God knew even then I would be a Pastor and preach the Gospel and as the older brother in my family I always take it on. Nomad is no different. Even though there are many older people than me at Nomad, I pastor as if I am the oldest brother who must look after and care. The reality check in life is when you come to terms with your own humanity and have to remind yourself - GOD's GOT IT! That was yesterday.
Break it Down
I clearly heard from God and the sermon was ready. Then God decided to do something that I will never be able to do. He took my arrogant self and let me trip a bit on stage and in doing so said, watch me work "Pastor!" Humbling isn't it. Yes, and awesome!
You see what I'm trying to say is, I really do believe God spoke and has been speaking and even though I was trying to lead, he knew something else extraordinary was going to happen. And happen it did. The church was packed, the AC was broken, the spiritual warfare was huge. Satan, can't believe Nomad is still here and God continues to give us grace to learn, grow and lead.
Since Sunday at 11:40 people have been making calls, reaching out, praying and studying scripture together. The intentional conversations have begun and as proud of Nomad as I was last week, I'm even more proud today.
The Next 100 Days
As a leader I've been carrying the burden of how to help my little brother Theo while lead the church people in what their going through. I've seen far too many times how a church fixates itself to one thing like an illness of a prominent member, building program or mission endeavor and it consumes them from the inside out. Then the event gets done and the church's spiritual, physical and financial resources are so depleted they spend the next decade going through the proverbial motions. I've been trying to fight this happening at Nomad and in doing so didn't see what God was trying to do. You see, we can't just stop life, right? But that is what God was wanting me to see. So check it out, through Theo's situation God has shown us what our job is over the next 100 days. It is building-up people, building community, relationships, disciples and leaders. Yesterday God spoke to me and our team about how this can happen and not consume our church. I look forward to returning from tour next week and getting started on doing just this. Sit back Nomad, its going to be a life transforming ride and I'm glad we are on it together.
Summer of Love
This week join Nomad as Dan talks about the outreach of Love INC. and shows how we can continue to reach out to our community. Then the week after, I'll be back and am excited to teach with our team through a different kind of service we've affectionately called Encounter Sunday. You don't want to miss this. Mark your calendar and be at Nomad the next 2 weeks so we can pray together, study and hold each other accountable to what God has spoken. Come encounter God with us. Good, bad or indifferent, it is a day we should not soon forget. Why? Because it was a day God did something none of us could imagine.
Love,
Pastor Bill
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