Southview Connect

Is The Church Forceful Enough?

Recently Pastor William provided copies of Mark Batterson's book "In A Pit WIth A Lion On A Snowy Day" to all of the Elders to read.  As I read it I was reminded of an early lesson I recieved from a pastor, mentor, and dear friend who greatly influenced my early Christian growth, Brother Bob Orr.  It was a teaching on Matthew 16:18, "And I say also unto thee that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it."  I had always read that verse to mean that the church was safe from Satan's attacks and that Hell could not defeat the Church.  Brother Bob showed me, however, that gates are a defensive measure and never attack anything, and that the verse is actually Christ telling us we are to be on the offensive and crash even the gates of hell to find and save the lost for Him.

Christ also taught in Matthew 11:12b that "the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it." Suddenly a picture begins to develop about Christ followers that is the opposite of what many hold as the current view of Christianity - that is that we are to avoid conflict, don't make waves, maintain a certain level of "righteous" and stick to doing things inside the Church on Sundays.  But I'm beginning to realize that Christ is calling us to get going, and to get going into places and after people "church people" wouldn't think of going after.

Christ's last command before his ascenscion into heaven was Matthew 28:19 "Go" he told his disciples, "and make disciples of all nations" not just the nice people across the street.  Even Paul teaches us that we are to put on the "full armour of God" and that we are to run the race hard enough and fast enough to win the prize.  Clearly being a Christ follower is something that requires aggression, attitude, initiative, determination and discipline if we are indeed to win the race that's set before us.  This is the time Christ has called us to at Southview, the time to reach out, go out, and aggressively seek the lost and dying, and to do it forcefully.  I'm excited about what God is doing and preparing to do at Southview and I can already see that it's going to be a great deal more dynamic and far reaching than any of us have ever imagined.  Advancing the Kingdom of God in a mighty way - now how cool is that!

--Wes Husted

One Prayer

This summer at Southview, we're going to do something we've never done before.  Starting June 8, we will be partnering with over 800 churches in 18 countries around the world in a simultaneous series called "One Prayer."  The premise of the series is, "If God would answer one prayer for the church at large, what would you pray?"

Initiated by Craig Groeschel and LifeChurch.tv, a church that God is using mightily in Oklahoma and around the country, this series will unite Kingdom churches in a way that has never happened.  We will be fasting, praying, and seeking God in concert with tens of thousands of other Christ-followers - what an amazing thing!  I am really looking forward to this series.

We'll do this on Sunday nights in June, beginning June 8 and running through June 29, at 6 p.m. each night.  We will have a full time of worship, corporate prayer, and teaching.  You will not want to miss this - trust me!  Childcare will be provided for kids (infants through age 5). 

Mark your calendars and plan to be here as churches in the Kingdom of God do a "new thing" together!

--Pastor William

Jesus Where Do We Drop Our Nets?

These past several weeks we’ve been meeting as the new Elders and examining the roles the church and Christ has lain upon us.  As we seek His wisdom providing the spiritual leadership of the church at Southview we’ve come to quickly realize that evangelism is and must be at the core of everything we as a church aspire to be and do.  Excited by the possibilities and blessed by all that God has done for the church these past two years under William’s pastoral leadership we are in awe of all that we’ve seen God do in our midst.  We’ve committed to be in constant prayer asking God for His leadership as we seek His desire for us and we search for the specific work in His kingdom he’s called us to do. 

This morning as I listened to William preach and teach on Haggai and the need to consider the job ahead of building a new work I remembered again what we as Elders had just discussed the prior Sunday afternoon.  The need to be evangelic, to reach out looking for the lost, and to spread the Good News of Jesus.  Where to begin, what to do, how to do it?  All questions we are asking ourselves.  And today I realized that we are as Jesus early disciples were, prepared to fish but lacking the knowledge of where the fish are.  It occurred to me we need to ask Jesus where should we cast our nets? 

You may recall in Matthew 4:19 Jesus tells us, “Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”  That calling is as true for us at Southview today as it was for Jesus’ early disciples.  Later you may also recall that as Jesus was teaching, it tells us in Luke chapter 5 that he instructed Peter and the others to row their fishing boats out to a certain place and to drop their nets for a catch.  What a ridiculous and seemingly meaningless thing to ask seasoned fisherman as Jesus was pointing them back to the very spot they had fished all night and caught nothing – that very same spot, and yet when they did what Jesus asked, when they went where he sent them, and at the time they were supposed to go, that very same spot yielded a catch of fish so large two boats could not hold it and they actually got so heavy they took on water and almost sank.  Imagine, from the exact same fishing spot where professional had fished all night. 

Today God laid on my heart that that is what we must do – if we want to be fishers of men, and finders of the lost sheep, we need to ask the one who knows where they are to point us in the right direction and at the right time – and when he says go there and drop your nets we are to go immediately and do as he says, even if it means returning to the exact same place we fished before.  I’m excited about the days ahead; clearly anyone who looks back over the past two years at Southview can see God’s hand at work.  Where will He lead us, what will He call us do, is it going to be soon and are we ready? 

Let’s pray today and ask Jesus to show us where to drop our nets so that we can have a catch of lost souls so heavy no one would believe it, a catch so large no single church could hold them all – let’s ask the Master Fisherman, then let’s be ready for the biggest catch we’ve ever imagined!  Show us Lord Jesus today, where do we drop our nets, we’re ready and willing to follow you.

Circles or Dots

I just came back from listening to Ravi Zacharias at a conference held by the C.S. Lewis Institute. I truly enjoy listening to Ravi and can't help being challenged each time he speaks. And this time was no different...

What does it mean to be Christian? The challenge comes from how we live our faith. How important is it for us to be Christians? And how is that reflected in our lives? They are pertinent questions that we sometimes ignore. We take it for granted, and sometimes treat our faith much like the t-shirt we wear or the pair of sneakers we put on without thinking about it. In other words, there's me, and then, a part of me or within me, there's the Christian me. 

In reality though, the opposite should be the case. I am a part, I am within, Christianity. All of me being emcompassed by the big picture of my faith. So that instead of my faith being the sneakers I wear, it's me. It's all of who I am.

Even though these two pictures may look the same, there is a significant difference...

A New Thing

"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.  See, I am doing a new thing!  Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?  I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland."   (Isaiah 43:18-19)

This verse has been coming to mind a lot lately.  I've been dwelling on it, meditating on it, listening to what God is saying, and trying to learn what He is teaching me. 

This Sunday, we'll begin a new study series on the book of Haggai, called "Major Truths from a Minor Prophet."  I am more excited about this series than I have been in a year!  I am more excited about what God is teaching me and showing me these days about what is to come, both for me and for Southview, and I cannot wait until Sunday morning.  I've been hunkered down for days on end reading, praying, listening, and learning, and Sunday the floodgates will begin to open. 

You are not going to want to miss what will begin Sunday.  I believe that God has been preparing us for the last few years for what is about to begin.  The verse above from the prophet Isaiah is speaking volumes to me these days.  Be praying - be ready - a new thing is coming.  God is not finished with Southview.  He is only beginning.  Get on board, and let's go where He's leading.

--Pastor William

May is approaching fast!

Hi all,

During the month of May, we’re going to be looking at the book of Haggai in worship.  The books we know as the “minor prophets” are hardly that - these were godly, on fire, passionate men of God who stood firm with His message.  I’ve taught through these books in classrooms in the past, and I’m really looking forward to this series. 

In May, we’ve got a lot going on at Southview.  We’ll kick off the month with the National Day of Prayer on May 1.  Our sanctuary will be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. that day for you and members of our community to come and pray for our nation, our elected leaders, our church, and our community. Plan to take advantage of this opportunity to come to the throne of our God and pray.

Our monthly Second Saturday Workday will be May 10 - and this is the big one!  We’re calling for all hands on deck to come and help with the properties and grounds.  We’ve got big projects and small - everyone can do something on our list.  Make it a family event if you can - we want to make the building and grounds look great for Mother’s Day on May 11. 

In May we’ll be focusing on one of our ministry partner organizations, First Choice Pregnancy Health Center (formerly LifeLine).  They are a life-focused organization that helps countless people who are considering abortions to choose life.  We’ll be participating in the baby bottle campaign as we’ve done in years past, and we’ll also be hosting a Family Fun night at church on Sunday, May 18 at 5:30 p.m. in the Quad.  We will have food, info on the center with ways for people to volunteer/help, and games.  Plan to come and learn more about how you can support this worthy ministry.

So much going on - there’s no way I can list it all.  Check out the website and the newsletter and see what all is happening - see where you can plug in and be a part.  These are great days at Southview - and the best is yet to come!

Serving Him with you,

--Pastor William

Wrapping Up Psalm 23

What a year of ministry so far - wow.  In meeting with the leaders of many of our ministries over the last week, I've been amazed to hear about what God is doing at Southview in so many areas.  Our Elders are hard at work, and our Leadership Team will be meeting this weekend to finalize the 2008 fall calendar.  Almost everywhere I look I see good things happening - and God's people are being so faithful to serve and to be on mission where He's calling.  Thanks for being a part of our team here - we're working hard, as one favorite teacher of mine has said, to bring "up there down here."  We want to see God's Kingdom come today for so many who are living far from God.

This Sunday we'll be wrapping up our series on Psalm 23.  We'll be looking at verse 6 closely and seeing what God will teach us about doing life in His presence.  It'll be a memorable day, and I'm excited about what I'm teaching this weekend.  I'll hope to see you there!

--William