We Had a Banjo!! (Sun Nite, Oct 2)

HALLELUJAH!!!! I'm shoutin' with all I have that it's not God AND me, it's God IN me!! (I hope you are as well).

It's Sunday nite, I am absolutely wiped out but I wanted to share with my friends all that which fills my heart to overflowing. Jesus is alive, He's changing lives and I CANNOT believe that He allows me to be part of this move that happens weekly at Vertical Church. I hope that you were there, if not, here's what you missed:

• Today was the kickoff of our new series, "Real Holiness" and it was slammin'.
• I started the message off by sharing that our sermon roll-in for this series makes me a little uncomfortable. The reason it bothers me is that it's doing it's job by pushing my "buttons", creating tension - it's doing exactly what it was created to do.
• The reason that video makes some of us uncomfortable is because we have a screwed up vision about what real holiness actually is.
• The atmosphere for today's service was totally different - the stage set with stained glass windows (amazing job Kelly and team), the big pulpit I preached behind (don't know where Brandon scored that from), the band playing acoustic gospel music (which they did awesomely). We wanted to give our people some of the things that we normally classify/associate with holiness within the church.
• A church that sings from a hymn book is not more reverent than a church that reads words off a screen. Churches that meet in "church buildings" are not more holy than churches that meet in movie theaters or schools. NOR IS A CHURCH THAT MEETS IN A MOVIE THEATER BETTER THAN CHURCHES WHO MEET IN A TRADITIONAL BUILDING. People... NONE of this has anything to do with holiness.
• Our church gets accused of being new, modern, cutting edge, as I heard this week, a “church person” told someone that they just think what we do is a great big show. And that’s a shame... that person doesn’t see the work that GOD is doing in our midst - they don’t experience the passionate worship, the stories of life change you regularly see on the screens - they didn’t witness last weekend people praying to receive Jesus, JUMPING UP from their seats to be immediately and obediently baptized into their new faith - THEY DON’T KNOW... 
• I know that WE ARE different than most, but I believe us to be very old school in what we believe in as a church because Vertical Church believes that God’s people should be holy. We believe that God has called the people who are Jesus followers to be changed, different.
• We literally tackled Leviticus 19 today, to which I said after announcing it, "and all God's people said, "ewwwwww!" I think we did a good job of taking a tough passage and helping people see it in a different way.
• My Worship Pastor Jon Lloyd (who does have a tattoo) just texted me and said, "so, is it a sin to have a tattoo? I don't think you ever said." Answer: No. Let me clarify again: When God said you shall not tattoo your body He was referring to a Caananite religious ritual.
• Nor do you have to grow out the hair from your temples or grow a beard (grin). 
• Thank You Jesus for Your Word!

As obedient children, let yourselves be pulled into a way of life shaped by God's life, a life energetic and blazing with holiness. God said, "I am holy; you be holy." How is my life being shaped by God’s life? Is your life blazing with God’s holiness?!?

• It's not God AND you, it's God IN you. I hope this phrase changes your relationship with Jesus Christ this week. If you missed it I hope that you'll check out the podcast which should be up by Tuesday.
• Today's crowd was huge again. It was almost as big as last week which is awesome because we knew that some of our people last week were there to see baptisms. 
• I guess that means our church is growing again. So much praise to the Father!!! Glory to Jesus!!!
• Also, most importantly, PEOPLE WERE SAVED AGAIN TODAY! I am always blown away because lately I have the opportunity to pray with people at the NEXT table who pray to receive Jesus every week! Thank You Jesus for Your great salvation - God is so good.
• I am just blown away by our teams every single week - today was no different. Words do not describe how happy I am to be part of the team that makes Vertical Church happen every week. Jesus is just doing an amazing work here (can't say it enough!!!)
• The banjo. It was a pleasure to have my friend Ron Stansel grace us with his talent and presence this morning. Ron was pickin' and grinnin' with Vertical Worship this morning. They were incredible. I thought that the crowd just loved it in a different type way.
• Yeah, we played some Johnny Cash this morning (grin). Jon, Justin, Robby, Bob and Bree were vertically versatile this morning bringing it a totally different way. They continue to bring people to the throne. When Bree brought a beautiful rendition of the hymn, "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus" "Softly and Tenderly" I thought we had a quartet up there singing back-ups. I sounds like I'm joking on them (and I am because it was so different and unlike them) but truly, it was beautiful.
• Music: I Saw the Light/I'll Fly Away, Will the Circle be Unbroken, Blessed Assurance, Turn Your Eyes upon Jesus. 
• Next week's worship music will be a little more in the style you have grown to love at Vertical.

This week, as you go remember, everytime you receive a text, a phone call, a tweet or a facebook, before you receive it, STOP, and say, "It not God AND me, it's God IN me... right now, Jesus, fill me with your love, take control of my thoughts, my words and my actions." May this week be the most spirit filled week of your life, in Jesus Name. I love you all.