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by Jim Hetherington https://cpcchurchimages.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/05154947/August-2-Sermon.mp3 Genesis 32:22-32 Jacob Wrestles With God 22 That night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two female servants and his eleven sons and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. 23 After he had sent them across the stream, he sent over all his possessions. 24 So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. 25 When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob's hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. 26 Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.” But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” 27 The man asked him, “What is your name?” “Jacob,” he answered. 28 Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel,[a] because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.” 29 Jacob said, “Please tell me your name.” But he replied, “Why do you ask my name?” Then he blessed him there. 30 So Jacob called the place Peniel,[b] saying, “It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared.” 31 The sun rose above him as he passed Peniel,[c] and he was limping because of his hip. 32 Therefore to this day the Israelites do not eat the tendon attached to the socket of the hip, because the socket of Jacob's hip was touched near the tendon. 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 7 or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. Transcript (Transcribed by TurboScribe) I was going to mess up for Alexander and put a name tag on it and say Mark this morning, but I thought that wouldn’t be fair to him, so I left that off. But I was thinking during the, as we were kind of going through worship and the sound was cutting out and different things, I was reminded of a time I was down in Nicaragua on a worship, on a mission trip, and we were at this place in the evening and it was storming and the power went out. So when you’re down in the middle of nowhere and the lights go out, the lights go out, like everything was out. It was complete darkness, there was no light coming anywhere, no microphone, no nothing. And so I did what any good preacher would do. I just started to breathe from the diaphragm and just projected even more and I continued to preach even in the darkness. And it was to my amazement when the lights came back on, everybody was in tears. So obviously it was in that moment that God just wanted me out of the way for a little while so he could do what he wanted to do and it was just a tremendous experience. So regardless of technology, regardless of everything that’s going on, we will get the message out. We will continue on. And so this morning I want to travel around a little bit. We’re going to check in on somebody on a road to Damascus. We’re going to check on someone at the edge of a river, forcing all his family to flee and get away. But I wanted to start with sharing a story that just happened to me recently. Just a couple weeks ago, I secured a contract with a company and got a deposit from them and took it and put it in as I usually do. Just put in the ATM and put the money in there and didn’t think anything of it, right? There’s no restrictions on my account for the amounts I put in and move around and all that stuff. So I didn’t think anything of it until the next day when I went to take those funds and get some materials and project stuff to get going on it. I didn’t have access to the money. And I thought, well, that’s odd. So this was Friday, of course, so I couldn’t get a hold of the bank. So I let it go for the weekend, figured I’ll touch base with them Monday or Tuesday and see what’s going on. I figured, you know, a human just needs to get the piece of paper out of the machine and process it. So I checked a couple days later and still no. I was told by the manager, as I was explaining my situation, that Jim with the bank, not just our bank, but the banks in general are moving away from paper checks. They want to go to e-transfers. They want everything electronically now. So it’s not like they’re punishing you, but they’re taking and holding any cash or checks. They’re holding it for five days and clearing. Even it could be cleared tomorrow, but they’re going to hold it for five days. I said, well, if I come down and take the check and get it certified, would that help speed up the process? Doesn’t matter. It could be a certified check or check written on a paper towel. It has the same weight with the banks now. And I thought, well, isn’t that interesting? You know, I’ve got all of this in my account, but I can’t access it. I can’t get to it. And I got thinking about how it is with our prayer lives, with our spiritual lives, right? We’ve got access to so much, but we don’t know how to get to it. Some of the stuff is on hold. Some of the stuff is being held back on, it seems, right? How many have ever had this dialogue in your brain? You think, well, that’s good for someone else, but it’s not good enough for me. Other people are successful in the Christian church, but not me. Other people get healings and get blessings, but you know, that’s not for me, right? So we hear those different things, and we don’t think we have access. But indeed, we do have access through Jesus. We have access to everything. But sometimes it just seems like everything is held back. And oftentimes we’ll see that through stories, through scripture, where blessings were held back for a time and a season until the person got through a situation, came to repentance, did something. There was something in their life that God was teaching them and taking them through. So I wanted to look at a couple of stories. One is Jacob. We’re going to read about him in Genesis 32. I don’t know, do we have screen now, or am I just reading it? Oh, we do have screen, right? That’s great. So it said this. It said, that night, Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two female servants, and his 11 sons and crossed the ford at Jabbok. After he had sent them across the stream, he sent over all his possessions. So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. Then the man said, let me go for his daybreak. But Jacob replied, I will not let you go until you bless me. The man asked him, what is your name? Jacob, he answered. Then the man said, your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have wrestled with God and with humans and have overcome. Jacob said, please tell me your name. But he replied, why do you ask my name? Then he blessed him there. So Jacob called that place Peniel, saying, it was because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared. Then the sun rose above him, and he passed Peniel, and he was limping because of his hip. Therefore, to this day, the Israelites do not eat the tendon attached to the socket of the hip because the socket of Jacob’s hip was touched with it. So we’re not going there with the hip sockets and with the displacement and stuff like that. But I wanted to go into the story of what brought Jacob there. You know, I think Jacob came to the end of his rope. Literally, I mean, it was the end of the land. There was only a river behind him. He was running from his brother Esau, whom he had cheated and manipulated and done all kinds of crazy things. And Jacob had done that through his entire life. He had manipulated and controlled and done all kinds of different things to accumulate his wealth, to accumulate the things that he had. And here he was at the edge with his brother in pursuit, with a few hundred men in pursuit of him, and he’s passing everything over the river to get them to safety. But he stayed there. Then it says that he wrestled with a man all night long. Now, tradition says that it could have been Esau’s guardian angel that was holding him back and wrestling with him throughout the night. Regardless of what it was, he was wrestling all night long. Now, I don’t know about you, but I did a little bit of wrestling in high school. And doing a five-minute match, that was enough. Like, I mean, you’ve got two opponents locked in, 100% energy, trying to hold them from going anywhere. So you’re trying to hold them and not allow them to get any position on you. They’re holding you and not trying to let you get any position, but you’re still trying to get a position and go on for a few minutes. That’s exhausting. After I’m done for five minutes, I’m quite happy to sit and watch someone else go through a match because it just takes so much energy. So here’s these guys that have wrestled through the entire evening. Now, it’s interesting that as daybreak was coming, the angel just touched his hip and it was over. He could have done that five minutes into it, but he let it wrestle through the entire situation. And how many times have we gone through things in life where we’re wrestling with things? We’re struggling with things. We got challenged. You know, there’s challenges coming left and right, and we don’t understand it. We continue to go through these different things, and it’s almost like we’re wrestling with God to stand our position, to make clear what we want to do or what we’re trying to do. And I really believe that what Jacob had to do was God was wrestling everything out of Jacob. He was wrestling Jacob out of Jacob. And sometimes we come to that place where you and I, we come to that end where we just have to sit and just say, I can’t fight God anymore. I’m tired of just trying to defend my position. I’m exhausted trying to keep up this prasad and trying to keep up this righteous attitude, these righteous positions. And sometimes God has to take us to the end of us before he can step in and do what he wants to do. Imagine what our lives would be like if we could access all that we could access, all that we have access to in the kingdom. Imagine what the kingdom would look like if God could wrestle out of us our stubbornness. I mean, I’m all for sticking to it, right? We all want to stick to it. We always want to see things through to the end, right? They say that failure is just a success that ran out of time. I mean, think about the diets we start, right? We start a diet. We’re doing really good. Time is going on. We’re resisting those potato chips. We’re just carrying on. And all of a sudden, somebody in the family opens up that bag of chips. We get a waft of that salty, greasy goodness. And we just say, oh, just this one time, I’ll take a couple of chips. And so that success becomes a failure because we’ve given in to the time. And we can think of that with financial goals. I’m going to put this away and I’m going to save up to buy this new Mercedes Benz. And we’re saving and saving and saving and we go, well, the Chevette will be okay because I’d really like to have that in-ground pool in the backyard. So we compromise and we end time. So failure is just a success that’s run out of time. But if we continue in time, we’ll continue to grow in successes. And Jacob was running out of time. His brother was closing in and he was running out of real estate. But he stayed there to defend his ground. And it was during that wrestling that he actually received the blessing of God. Because I think during that moment, he had that opportunity to reflect on the journey, reflect on his life. Anybody been in a room like that or been in a position like that where all of a sudden you’re reflecting going, well, yeah, I did this and that really caused this to happen. I made this choice and made this decision and that really caused this to happen. And then we reflect and all of a sudden now we’re not blaming God. We’re taking responsibility for it. Now God can move us forward into something brand new. Let’s have a look at Paul. In second Corinthians, we read this. To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations. Remember that line. There was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said, my grace is sufficient for you for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about the weaknesses so that Christ, Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses and insults and hardships and persecutions and difficulties. For when I am weak, then I made strong. I love that, that first line where he says he kept me conceited from these surpassingly great revelations. I mean, just think about it. The Bible that we read and we study and we get sermons from, that we hear teachings on, that scholars have studied for centuries. Paul was writing that stuff. He was getting those revelations from God in that moment and, and scribing all those things down so that we would have it for future tense. So, so he was getting these amazing revelations. I remember in another mission trip, Oregon, I went down and my wife and I, we had taken about 15 or 16 trips into Central America over the years, always taking high school students, building teams, all kinds of stuff going on. One year we decided we just wanted to visit the missionaries and visit the area by ourselves. So, just the two of us went through the airport and it was, it was terrible withdrawals because as we were going through, we kept looking around waiting for everybody else to catch up with us because we had never gone through an airport without having a team following us. So, we went down there and I had a sign with my wife. If we were at a service, I would look at her and I would just kind of give her the nod and she would know to take out her notepad and start taking notes. This was before, you know, smartphones. And I did that because oftentimes we would get down into Nicaragua, we get down in these areas, we thought we were just going for a visit. We thought we were just going to hang out with the missionary couples and, you know, have coffee in the morning and sit around and relax. Oh no, they put us to work. So, I was preaching and teaching and then to put these, you know, these conferences together at the last minute where we had 30 or 40 pastors and now I’m teaching a and I had nothing prepared, I had nothing with me. So, everything was fresh and new and so that’s why I had to look at Mary and go and, you know, write that down because that’s a new one and that’s probably, you know, very similar to what Paul was experiencing. It was all these fresh revelations were coming in and he was capturing and writing them all down. But to keep him from getting conceited, to keep him from getting too puffed up, God gave him this thorn in the flesh. And there’s all kinds of stories of what it was and how it was and all that. That doesn’t matter. The point is that he had something that God reminded him that he was just human and it kept him humble. When I was younger, I got hired by the safari park just outside of town here and I went through the process through the training, the zoological keeper training. So, I went through that for the summer, got hired on and I stayed there for the season and the next year I was called back and then I was appointed a supervisor of the lion, tiger, cheetah section. And it was really quite an appointment. It was a real anointing time. We were gathered around a particular thing, the supervisor and a couple of other workers. The main head game warden came in and he looked at the supervisor and said, you’re out. And he looked at me and said, you’re in. And that was my appointment. That was my appointment as supervisor. He’s out, you’re in. And I became supervisor in that moment. And then the next year I was appointed the assistant head game warden. So, when my boss was off for his two days, I took his responsibility for the entire park. With that came this really nice truck, the coveted truck of the park. And I was just so proud of myself driving that truck around. It roared, it soared, it looked so cool. And I remember parking it and there was something broken at the side of one of the pathways. So, I got out of the truck and went over and I picked it up and I looked back at that truck and I went, oh, that truck is so cool. It’s so amazing. It’s so coveted. Everybody wants to be in this truck. And as I went to step into the truck, I stepped up a little bit too high, cracked my head across the roof of the truck as I was going in. I remember sitting there seeing stars and I was wise enough in my young, early Christian walk to go, I better pay attention to that, not get too conceited, not get too puffed up. God was just knocking some sense into me as it were. And I’ve needed that from time to time. I don’t know if anybody else here, I’m sure none of you have needed that be hit over the head with a two by four anytime at all in your journey. But, you know, occasionally I need to be knocked over the head. And that’s what was happening with Paul here. That was what’s happening with Jacob. He was at the end of his rope. He came to the end of himself. And Paul, as much as he pleaded with God to take this thorn from him, he said, no, my grace is sufficient. I need to keep you under control. I need to keep something in line so that you don’t get too puffed up and too crazy because what you’re handling is so big and it’s so amazing. It’s so powerful. It’s going to affect generations and centuries to come. So what you’re writing is too valuable for me to let you go along with your conceited attitude. And he kept it in check. Sometimes we go through experiences and we just say, I can get through this. I can handle this. You dig in a little bit deeper. It could be stubborn nature, could be pride. I think there’s a difference between being proud and being prideful, right? Being proud of our achievements or accomplishments and things that we’ve done. I think that is a good thing. Being proud of our children, our grandchildren, being proud of our partners. I think that’s a good thing. But the prideful thing, that becomes an arrogance thing, doesn’t it? That becomes a look at me, like me hopping into that truck, getting cracked on the head. That becomes a look at me. And what God is wanting is the attention, the glory, the honour. And how often do we try to rob that in our Christian life, saying, look at me, or rob them in our professional lives, going, look at me, or rob them in our personal lives, going, look at me, rather than giving him the glory in all the situations. So oftentimes we hit the end of those roads. And I think it’s God wanting to wrestle us out of us so that we come to a new place of humility, a new place of just honouring him for who he is. I’m reading a good book right now. The guy’s name is Jeff Henderson, I think. Sorry, I wrote his name down. I always forget his name. And I wrote it down here somewhere, and now I can’t find it. Yes, Jeff Henderson. And he’s written this book called Know What You’re For, F-O-R. And this guy’s had the opportunity to work with some amazing organisations over the years, like Chick-fil-A, the Atlanta Braves, and most notably, he’s worked with North Point Church in the U.S. And they’ve got about 50,000 members and about 150 locations, satellite locations, across the world. So they’re doing okay as a church. How many would say a 50K membership, that’s not a bad deal, right? So he was able to work with them. But he’s challenged them with two questions. And he challenges every organisation, every individual, every church, with two questions. What do you want to be known for? That’s the first question. And it’s something that we can ask ourselves. What do we want to be known for? What do you want to be known for? What does Central want to be known for? The companies that we create, or maybe we operate, we founded, what do we want that company to be known for? And the second question is the opposite. It’s what are you known for? So one is your vision, your purpose, your mission, your goals. What is it you want to be known for? The other is what are other people saying about you? When you leave the room, what are they saying when you’ve left the room? Do they miss you? Are they glad you’re gone? What are they saying about your company? Would they deal with you again, or are they glad the contract’s done? What are they saying about your church? Are they glad to be here, or are they glad to leave? I jokingly said that when I first stepped out of leadership, Mary and I, we had to step out of the church that we served at, because every time we showed up, they tried to put us to work. I mean, they forgot, they didn’t get the memo that we no longer served in leadership. And they every time we’d show up, we could show up four months later, and they would try to put us to work. It’s like, wait a second, I don’t work and serve here anymore. So we ended up leaving, looking around, and we started going to a number of churches in the region. And I’m not going to name any names, and I drop any of those things, but we jokingly said we were going to start a secret church shopping network. We were going to start a company called Secret Church Shoppers. We went to some horrendous churches. You think they’re all welcoming and goosebumpy like this place? No. There were some churches we were happy to leave. I hate to say it, but we were just as excited to, we were more excited to leave than we were to go. So the questions are really important to look at. Because even as individuals, we have a brand. A brand isn’t what you say about yourself. A brand is what others say about you. So what is your brand? What are people saying about you when you’re not in the room? When they’re on the telephone talking about you, what are they saying? And you say, well, Jim, it doesn’t matter to me. I don’t care what other people think. Well, you should. Paul again encourages us to live such good lives among the pagans, among the non-believers, that on the day of judgement, they’ve got no excuse. They can’t look and say, well, Nancy was just such a hypocrite. I was just never showing the truth. I was never exposed to the truth. It’s all Nancy’s fault. No, you need to live such good lives among the pagans that when they stand before God, they can’t say it was Alexander’s fault. It was central church’s fault. They’ve got no excuse. So I want to encourage us to look at the circumstances and the experiences that we’re going through right now and ask ourselves, is there too much of me that I’m carrying in this situation? Is there something in this situation that I need to let go of so that I can allow God to rise up? It’s all about the humbling, the submissive thing. And I know we don’t like that word, submissive. We don’t like to use that word because it has such a negative feeling to it. If I’m submissive to somebody, it means I’m under their thumb. I’m under their control. It’s actually the opposite. When we submit to someone, what we’re doing is we’re pushing them up. We’re elevating them up so that they become the very best version of who they are. We respect and we honour them for who they are. And as they become their very best, guess what? We become our very best, because as we follow in them, we grow in greater successes. And as we honour God and lift him up, now we can begin to follow him. And as scripture says, success will follow us all the days of our lives. As we begin to walk in what he has for us, rather than creating something and saying, God, I’m going to do this, this, and this, and I want you to bless me. That’s why I entitled today’s thing, titled today’s sermon, are we directing or are we praying? Because oftentimes we get in our prayer closets and we’re just directing God. Well, God, you’re going to do this. God, you’re going to bless this. God, I need you to provide this. I need you to give me this. Rather than coming to the end of ourselves and saying, God, what it is that you want? I would suggest as individuals, we need to come to that place. And certainly as a church, we need to come to that place. As we look to hire on new leadership, we need to ask ourselves and be clear on what do we want to be known for? And we need to be honest and look around the neighbourhood and say, what are they saying about us? Because when we can align what we are for and align that with the person that we’re going to bring in and leadership, then the church will go to that next level. I had an experience in a church that we used to attend when I was younger. Mary and I, when we first got married, attended the church and we had a great pastor. He was a wonderful man. And a couple of years into going to that church, he felt called to move off into some other place a little bit further north. And so he was moving away. So the church started looking for a new pastor. And they thought, well, you know, this guy laid some good foundational stuff here. So we’re ready to go to that next level. So we want a really scholarly person. We want someone with some real deep education that can take us in and teach us the deeper things of God. So they hired someone that could do that. I built a relationship with this pastor over the years when he served there. And he was telling me that when he first served there, the first few weeks, he realised that what he was teaching was way up here. Their comprehension was way down here. It was nowhere near what they thought it was. So he brought it down a level. Only to discover a few weeks later that that wasn’t far enough. He had to bring it down a little bit further. So they thought they were ready for meat rather than milk, but they weren’t ready for the meat. And so he had to adjust it. And there was great tension between that leadership because their visions didn’t align. What they were for didn’t align. And so I want to encourage us to to come to a place, and I’m hoping that, you know, as leadership is here or maybe watching this on recording afterwards, that they would consider to look at what you were for. What do we want to be known for? Because then we can align with what it is that God is doing rather than trying to make up a wish list and saying, God, you fill this, you do this, you get this, and everything will be peachy. You know, Scripture tells us to pray without ceasing. How many of us could pray without ceasing? I know after 10-15 minutes, I’m running out of stuff. I’m really stretching. You know, we start the same prayers. Oh, thank you for today. Thank you for the food. Thank you for the blessings. Thank you for the opportunity. Thank you for our church. Thank you for all these things. After a few minutes, like the wrestling of Jacob, we run out of things. But as we go deeper and begin to rely on the Holy Spirit to feed us with ideas and feed us with things to pray, then we come in alignment with what God is wanting to do and is doing. And what a difference that would make as we come into that vision. In Proverbs 3, 5-6, it says, Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways submit to him and he will make your path straight. Wouldn’t that be a great way to live? In all our ways submit to him. Does that mean that he doesn’t want us to go back to school and get that degree? Probably not. Maybe not. Does it mean that he doesn’t want us to have this relationship with this particular person? Who knows? But as we submit things to God, as we surrender to him, we’re just saying now, okay, God, this is where I am. Where do you want me to go? And that’s a whole different trajectory. Now we’re not being like Jacob, feeling that we’ve got people in hot pursuit because we’re always creating sticky messes everywhere we’re going. We’re not trying to push through something, maybe physical, maybe mental, maybe relational, that we need to just lay down and just look at honestly and just allow God’s truth to wash in there. So I want us to encourage us with that. And I’m going to end a little bit earlier just because it’s so warm in here. I just want to be aware of that. So let’s pray. Father, we come before you this morning and Lord, if there’s a little bit of a Jacob in us, we ask your forgiveness. We just want to confess. If there’s deals we’ve made, if there’s things that we’ve created, if there’s ways that we’ve pursued that aren’t of you, that aren’t of your highest, we ask that you would reveal them to us this morning. Even now, Lord, as we pray, I ask that you would put your finger on one or two of those things that maybe we’re walking to. Maybe it’s a relationship thing. Maybe it’s a financial thing. Maybe it’s a relationship thing with you. Maybe it’s a church thing. Whatever it is, Father, we just want to lay it down before you. And we ask that you would speak into that. For those that are wrestling with physical challenges right now, we ask that you would speak into those. Sometimes physical things can be your way of getting our attention so that we will spend time with you. Whatever it is, Father, we ask that you would bring your Holy Spirit, allow your Holy Spirit to just speak to those things in our hearts, in our lives. And we confess them to you. We ask your forgiveness for relying on our own strength, relying on our own knowledge, our own understanding, thinking that our way is far better than yours. Father, we ask your forgiveness for being like a lump of clay, but laying in front of you, dictating what you’re going to create, what you’re going to mould, what you’re going to shape. We just want to give you permission today to mould us, to shape us, and to use us. And we surrender. We choose to get out of the way and allow you to work. And for those of us here today that have never surrendered completely to you, Lord Jesus, we want to take a moment and just pray. We’re going to pray and confess our sin to you, confess that we have been trying to earn our way into your kingdom. We ask your forgiveness. And we turn to you, Lord Jesus, and we accept you and receive you, and we choose to make you Lord of our lives. We ask that you would rule and reign in our hearts.  

Brian Williams is the speaker for the Monday night service at the 2026 National Convention. He shares about his ministry at NorthPoint Church and previews his message from John 17, "Focus on the Church." #NAFWB #BetterTogether #Focus #Church #Ministry

How does one of the most influential mega-churches in the country handle their production, and what makes their team culture so unique?In this episode, we are joined by Bailey Binder of North Point Church. We dive into the personal journey of making the massive decision to move out of state for a new ministry role. Then, we pull back the curtain on North Point, breaking down what makes their church culture so wildly different, how their massive church tech setups are designed, and the exact strategies they use to manage their production volunteers.In this episode you'll hear: 0:00 Intro: Blake & Toby's Lifetime Achievement Awards4:45 Bailey Binder (North Point Church) Joins11:00 Navigating a Move to an Out-of-State Church Role15:30 What Makes North Point Church's Culture So Different?25:30 Behind the Scenes: The North Point Church Tech Setup28:15 How North Point Manages Production Volunteers34:15 Church Tech Disaster Story37:30 Keep Sundays Running: The Importance of Self-CareGet expert help and care on your next integration project with our friends at HouseRight here.  Get more money back in your budget and more space in your closet by selling us your used gear here. Resources for your Church Tech MinistrySell Us Gear: Does your church have used gear that you need to convert into new ministry dollars? We can make you an offer here. Buy Our Gear: Do you need some production gear but lack the budget to buy new gear? You can shop our gear store here.  Connect with us: Sales Bulletin: Get better deals than the public and get them earlier too here!Early Service: Get our best gear before it goes live on our site here. Instagram: Hangout with us on the gram here! Reviews: Leaving us a review on the podcast player you're listening to us on really helps the show. If you enjoyed this episode, you can say thank you with a review! 

Discipleship: Trusting and Receiving with Robbie Eng | Disciple Makers Podcast In this insightful episode of the Disciple Makers Podcast, host Josh engages in a deep conversation with Robbie Eng from True Face. Robbie shares his personal journey and the pivotal shift from a performance-based faith to one rooted in trusting and receiving God's love. They discuss the importance of correct beliefs and philosophy in creating effective discipleship environments and the impact of leaders' personal spiritual health on their ministry. Robbie emphasizes a relationship with God based on trust and receiving over merely knowing more and doing better. Tune in to discover practical ways to foster healthy discipleship cultures in your ministry and personal life. 00:00 Introduction and Welcome 01:05 Meet Robbie Eng: A Journey of Faith 02:41 The Importance of Small Groups in Discipleship 03:34 Understanding True Face and Its Impact 05:03 The Core of Discipleship: Beliefs and Philosophy 10:05 Practical Applications and Leader Development 12:02 The Role of Identity in Ministry 16:10 Creating a Culture of Trust and Receiving 32:24 Final Thoughts and Resources Get Discipleship.org's premium Podcast Feed: https://disciplemakerspodcast.supercast.com/  Check out the following eBooks from Discipleship.org: -- What Is Church? And How Important Is It?  https://discipleship.org/shop/what-is-church-and-how-important-is-it/ -- Family Discipleship Blueprint: A Year-by-Year Guide to Family Discipleship https://discipleship.org/shop/family-discipleship-blueprint-a-year-by-year-guide-to-family-discipleship/ -- Becoming a Disciple Maker https://discipleship.org/shop/becoming-a-disciple-maker/ In this episode of the Disciple Makers Podcast, host Josh welcomes Robby Angle, president of True Face, for a deep and candid conversation about cultivating authentic discipleship by aligning personal identity with ministry practice. The discussion opens with lighthearted banter, quickly establishing a tone of vulnerability and friendship that sets the stage for the episode's core themes. Robby shares his journey through various ministry roles, from Young Life staff to international disaster response with Samaritan's Purse, professional counseling, and leading small groups at North Point Church. He describes how his experiences shaped his understanding that spiritual growth is most effective in the context of authentic relationships, but also acknowledges the widespread problem of “lame” small groups that fail to foster real transformation. The heart of the episode centers on the subtle but critical distinction between doing ministry for God out of a sense of earning versus operating from a place of received identity and grace. Robby and Josh both reflect on how easy it is for ministry leaders to derive their sense of worth from their roles and achievements, rather than from their identity as beloved children of God. Robby recounts a pivotal moment during his time in Pakistan, where he realized that his drive to “do more and know more” for God was rooted in pride and a misunderstanding of the gospel. He emphasizes that true discipleship is not about earning God's love, but about trusting and receiving it, which then naturally overflows into loving action. The conversation unpacks how beliefs about God and self form the foundation for ministry philosophy and, ultimately, the environments and outcomes in churches. Robby argues that most leaders focus on tweaking environments or adopting new resources, but the real transformation comes from regularly revisiting and realigning core beliefs and philosophies. He illustrates how a leader's internal posture—whether rooted in striving or in secure identity—directly shapes the culture and effectiveness of their groups. Josh and Robby discuss practical implications for church leaders, highlighting the importance of developing leaders who are secure in their identity and philosophy before focusing on group formation or equipping. Robby outlines four key areas for churches: developing leaders, supporting leaders, getting people into groups, and equipping those groups, stressing that leader development is the most crucial and often overlooked step. The episode concludes with practical resources, including True Face's “The Cure” and discipleshipframework.com, and an invitation for leaders to reach out for support. Ultimately, the conversation calls ministry leaders to examine their motives, root their identity in Christ, and lead others from a place of freedom, trust, and genuine love. More Discipleship.org Resources:  -- Recreated to Be like God: Making Disciples in the Image of Jesus https://a.co/d/6DDvUrC Stay informed - Get our newsletter:  http://eepurl.com/hPViAr Listen - Disciple Maker's Podcast:  https://discipleship.org/resources/podcast/

In this episode, Brady teams up with Josh Klein from  @FreethinkingMinistries to respond to a leaked LGBTQ+ youth leader training video from North Point Community Church — led by the influential Andy Stanley.We break down the language, theology, and cultural shifts revealed in the training and offer a biblical response rooted in truth and love. This is a critical conversation for anyone involved in youth ministry, Christian parenting, or church leadership.⏱️ Timestamps00:00 Intro02:05 Why this conversation matters10:59 Overview of North Point's LGBTQ+ training29:30 Discipleship vs. affirmation42:48 Gender dysphoria and youth identity52:29 Puberty blockers and medical harm1:05:15 The tragic consequences of “loving affirmation”1:15:01 What churches must do moving forward

The website and X account protestia.com got ahold of a training video from Andy Stanley's hugely influential North Point Church on how middle school leaders should respond to trans-identifying kids and their families. The video features Britt Kitchen, the middle school ministry director at North Point, effectively encouraging leaders to affirm trans identities (I say effectively because he doesn't explicitly say that, but it's the implication of all he's presenting). In this episode, I play and respond to 6 brief clips from the video. It's a tragic case study of how unbiblical ideas are being pushed from within the church.Watch the original 6-minute video the clips are pulled from here: https://x.com/Protestia/status/1905574394732118425

Corey Lucas and Kaj Carlson sit down in the Cedar Run Lounge with Jason Zimmer lead pastor at North Point Church in Plainwell, Michigan and avid upland hunter.Jason leads a growing church in southwest Michigan where he never stops seeking God's will and that pursuit carries over to his passion for chasing upland birds throughout the United States . We discuss his life's journey and purpose and he leaves the fellas on The Corey & Kaj Podcast with some much valued words of encouragement. Impactful conversation with a genuinely caring person...North Point Church website: https://www.northpointchurch.net/Podcast produced by @claytonbeaird

In today's episode, I had the joy of interviewing the dynamic mother-daughter duo: Allie (Cooney) & Sandra Stanley. Being in the same family as influential pastor Andy Stanley, founder of North Point Church, Allie talks about the unique experiences, expectations and lessons learned from growing up in a family defined by faith, leadership and public attention.Allie, now married with a daughter of her own, has written a book with her mom exploring the dynamics of mother-daughter relationships. During our time together, they share heartfelt stories, practical advice, and offer a glimpse into what it was like being raised in an environment where Christian principles are not just taught, but lived.Allie drills down into why she still loves the church and has chosen to stay when so many others - especially pastor's kids - have walked away.Grab a copy of Sandra and Allie's book: Meet Me in the MiddleThanks to our amazing partners on this episode: International Justice Mission & Generous CoffeeInternational Justice Mission is a global nonprofit working to end slavery and violence around the world, taking special care of survivors from the moment they're rescued all the way through their healing and restoration. To learn more and support their mission, visit ijm.org Generous Coffee sells some of the best coffee in the world AND 100% of profits are donated to nonprofit organizations that are fighting injustice facing humans around the world. You can find out more (including purchasing in bulk) at generousmovement.com Subscribe to The Conversation on YouTube and watch the full interview with Sandra & Allie: youtube.com/@adamaweber Sign up for The Crew: adamweber.com/thecrew  

What do you say to a gay son or daughter when they come out? With the benefit of hindsight Linda Robertson shares her thoughts on what she wishes she had said to her 12-year-old son Ryan when he came out. This podcast is extracted from an interview with Doctor Becky Astae on her podcast, Your Breakthrough Blueprint, from an emotional episode called, Can I love God and my gay son too? The complete interview is available on: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0O222LNg1w96K5VjlTOIkK?si=JZW0jHFnTvOhUDb3td-FLA And Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/your-breakthrough-blueprint-with-becky-aste-for-the/id1676348200?i=1000664115395 Additional resources: Linda's website and original post: https://justbecausehebreathes.com/ Helpful resources recommended by Linda: https://justbecausehebreathes.com/resources/ https://reformationproject.org/resources/ https://www.qchristian.org/ Linda and Ryan's Story: Linda's blog: https://justbecausehebreathes.com/blog-posts/ Long version filmed at Towne View Baptist Church in Kennesaw, GA in May 2022: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3xiDek0aXg Shorter version at NorthPoint Church in Atlanta from May 2021, which includes a question-and-answer session (helpful for parents): https://youtu.be/wNS77sfT2zY?si=gzqrA6Yn1dzoRTYa You can also view their story as part of the movie: For They Know Not What They Do, available on: Amazon: https://smile.amazon.com/They-Know-Not-What-Do/dp/B08HQYQJLC/ and iTunes: https://tv.apple.com/us/movie/for-they-know-not-what-they-do/umc.cmc.2fm6il6v1aw47v5nvdv16w1nc Linda's Parent Support Group that meets every Wednesday: https://fs9.formsite.com/4BUph1/amlfznmjbc/index.html The QChristian Fellowship: https://www.qchristian.org/ The QChristian Fellowship Parent team: https://www.qchristian.org/parents Podcast produced by: ⁠⁠⁠Elton Sherwin⁠⁠⁠ Audio edited and enhanced with: ⁠⁠⁠Descript Studio Sound ⁠⁠⁠ #Bible #Christian #Affirming

Troy Hartman's story is full of tragedy and hope. His story of alcoholism and the horror it brought to his life is powerful, and it's one he shares so people can understand the darkness in which he traveled until the power of forgiveness changed his life. That forgiveness grew from the death of a close friend while attending College of the Ozarks in Branson, Missouri, where he went to a local church and began to serve. In 2003, Troy had the opportunity to help start North Point Church in Springfield, Missouri, and met his wife, Lacey, while serving. The Hartmans were on staff at NPC for 11 years but felt God asking them to leave a place they loved to start a new church. Troy and Lacey and their daughters Jovi and Jade moved to Manhattan in 2015, knowing one person. In the first few months, they lived in Manhattan, a team of 40 people committed to the launch of Rock Hills Church. Rock Hills officially started September 13, 2015, at the Boys and Girls Club of Manhattan, and over the years, the church has welcomed thousands of men, women, children, military personnel, and college students to find and follow Jesus. Rock Hills relocated to the former Seth Child Cinema in Manhattan in 2017, and after several years of month-to-month rent, the church was able to purchase its "Nine Acres of Hope." The remarkable growth of Rock Hills has now led the church to renovate two theaters into one larger auditorium for their three services per Sunday, which are typically packed with a wonderful congregation of believers of many ages and different backgrounds. That congregation now includes Tim and Becky Fitzgerald, as well as Tim's older sister, Amy, who recently moved to Manhattan to teach at Kansas State. *** Tim Fitzgerald is a sports journalist who writes, does TV, radio, daily YouTube videos, and is a long-time podcaster. He has served as publisher of GoPowercat.com, a website that focuses on Kansas State sports, for more than 25 years. Fitz also has metastatic Stage Four prostate cancer, so during the initial stages of the pandemic, his doctors advised him to stay home and lay low. Now, after a brief period of remission, Fitz is back in the fight for his life, but this podcast lives on. Welcome to his life and the Life of Fitz podcast. Sign up for GoPowercat VIP access and get your first month for just $1! Want the latest Kansas State headlines sent to your inbox? Click to sign up for GoPowercat's daily newsletter!  Make sure you subscribe to Life of Fitz at your favorite podcast provider, including Apple, Spotify or Amazon. Follow @LifeofFitz To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Christian Outlook - August 17, 2024 Greg Seltz and David Harsanyi of The Federalist discuss the importance of faith in politics, arguing that excluding religious values from political decisions is absurd. Harsanyi emphasizes that shared ideals, often rooted in faith, are crucial for national unity. Dr. Albert Mohler discusses voting your Christian conscience in the 2024 presidential election. He critiques David French's argument for voting Democratic to save conservatism, asserting that true conservatism must be rooted in theism and cannot align with the Democratic Party's views on reality and morality. Eric Metaxas discusses with Megan Basham, author of “Shepherds for Sale: How Evangelical Leaders Traded the Truth for a Leftist Agenda” how certain prominent evangelical churches, like Andy Stanley's North Point Church and Rick Warren's Saddleback Church, are increasingly influenced by LGBTQ-affirming and progressive agendas. For the full interview, check out Eric Metaxas' podcast.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I am 12-years old and gay. In 2001, Ryan Robertson, 12-years old, reached out to his mother on Instant Messenger. Their lives forever changed. Then, 11 years later, Linda Robertson told their story publicly on Facebook, hoping that it would help other families avoid the missteps and pain they experienced. Here is the original Facebook post, read and dramatized by AI generated voices. I have changed only a few words for clarity. Linda's website and original FB post: https://justbecausehebreathes.com/ Helpful resources recommended by Linda: https://justbecausehebreathes.com/resources/ https://reformationproject.org/resources/ https://www.qchristian.org/ Linda and Ryan's Story: Linda's blog: https://justbecausehebreathes.com/blog-posts/ Long version filmed at Towne View Baptist Church in Kennesaw, GA in May 2022: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3xiDek0aXg Shorter version at NorthPoint Church in Atlanta from May 2021, which includes a question-and-answer session (helpful for parents): https://youtu.be/wNS77sfT2zY?si=gzqrA6Yn1dzoRTYa You can also view their story as part of the movie: For They Know Not What They Do, available on: Amazon: https://smile.amazon.com/They-Know-Not-What-Do/dp/B08HQYQJLC/ and iTunes: https://tv.apple.com/us/movie/for-they-know-not-what-they-do/umc.cmc.2fm6il6v1aw47v5nvdv16w1nc Linda's Parent Support Group that meets every Wednesday: https://fs9.formsite.com/4BUph1/amlfznmjbc/index.html The QChristian Fellowship: https://www.qchristian.org/ The QChristian Fellowship Parent team: https://www.qchristian.org/parents Podcast produced by: ⁠⁠Elton Sherwin⁠⁠ Audio edited and enhanced with: ⁠⁠Descript Studio Sound ⁠⁠  AI synthesized speech: ⁠⁠Speechelo⁠⁠ and Descrpt #Bible #Christian #Affirming

In this episode, I'm talking about walking with Jesus together with others. My guest, Robby Angle is the President and CEO of TrueFace and the former Groups Pastor at North Point Church in Atlanta, GA where he oversaw more than 800 small groups! If anyone can encourage us to gather our people and grow in our faith, it is this man! Regardless of where you are on your journey, whether you are a church leader looking to grow a strong small groups program or a new believer just looking for some others to learn with, don't miss all the good and practical advice Robby has for us on how to effectively and easily build Christian community. Find all Scripture references from this episode at http://jennyzentz.com/podcast-building-Christian-community   *Resources mentioned in this episode: - http://www.trueface.org - Get your own FREE RightNow Media account compliments of Rock Harbor Church FL - Embark Groups Study with RightNow Media - Robby's Book: TheCure For Groups - TrueFace Conversations - Leadership Development Pipeline for Churches https://www.trueface.org/resources/trueface-journey - Bo's Café - The TrueFace Podcast Connect with Robby LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robby-angle-a55b1433/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/truefacecommunity Twitter: https://twitter.com/Truefaced Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truefacelife/ YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/Trueface   This expert guest was booked via The Expert Bookers, www.expertbookers.com.    And please don't forget to subscribe, share, rate and review. Together we can help more women discover practical ways to apply the power of God's Word to our everyday stuff! *Please note resource links may be affiliate links. I will receive a small percentage from purchases made through them to help compensate for content creation time, effort, and cost. Happy Shopping!

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings are joined by Preston Ulmer, author of Deconstruct Faith, Discover Jesus, founder and director of the Doubters' Club, pastor at North Point Church in Springfield, MO, and many pastoral roles before that.Deconstruct Faith, Discover Jesus by Preston UlmerThe Doubters' Club (website)The Doubters' Club (book) by Preston UlmerEncanto (2021 film)Conversational Intelligence by Judith E. GlaserPreston on Instagram Special Guest: Preston Ulmer.

In this episode, the first long-form conversation with the Bearded Bible Thinker, we'll discuss the recent (and not so recent) controversy surrounding Andy Stanley and the Unconditional Conference hosted by his North Point Church in the Atlanta area.

Here is a live podcast I did with Dr. Robert Gagnon. We discuss his response to Andy Stanley's recent statement at Northpoint Church on human sexuality and the church. You can find that article here: https://wbs.edu/news/andy-stanleys-circles-and-lines/Check out my book released just this past summer. You can buy it HERE on Amazon. Contender: Going Deeper in the Book of Jude is important for our time because the people Jude was writing to were dealing with many issues relevant to what we are experiencing in the church today. Jude calls us to Contend for the Faith once delivered to the saints! This book of the Bible is small but mighty and I unpack it all in this new book I've written.Take a look at my new video course for small groups, Heaven and Other Destinations: A Biblical Journey Beyond this World. Included is five full length teaching sessions, bonus teaching videos, PDF discussion guides, and a discussion board where you can leave comments and ask me questions!

Pastor Andy Stanley's involvement in the Unconditional Conference, an event for parents of LGBTQ+ kids and ministry leaders, has made waves throughout the Christian world, with some questioning Stanley's position on biblical marriage and relationships and how his house of worship, North Point Community Church, is tackling the issue.Christian Post reporter Ian M. Giatti joins "The Inside Story" to break down the controversy, explain Stanley's response to critique, and further explore the many facets of this complex story. "I think it's clear that, whatever the larger ... strategy for Stanley and North Point Church is, there's definitely a blurring of the lines as far as his stance on traditional marriage," Giatti said. Listen to the conversation on "The Inside Story."

John and Maria discuss the hotly debated conference at Andy Stanley's North Point Community Church. How is boredom affecting American education? And science is facing a lack of trust over a series of questionable studies.   - Recommendations - Lighthouse Voices: The Genesis of Gender with Dr. Abigail Favale Micah Mattix on Substack Section 1 - North Point Church's “Unconditional” Conference  Andy Stanley's “Unconditional” Contradiction  Andy Stanley's Unconditional Conference: Deep Dive Response  A Sober Response of Gospel Importance  Section 2 - Leisure and Liberality Leisure and Liberality “Why Boredom Matters” by Kevin Hood Gary Section 3 - The Crisis of Trust in Science The Crisis of Trust in Science  The Band of Debunkers Busting Bad Scientists  Section 4 - Reflecting on Lighthouse Voices with Abigail Favale Lighthouse Voices: Dr. Abigail Favale

Andy Stanley's Church, North Point, hosted a conference put on by Embracing the Journey called Unconditional. The conference was aimed at parents of Queer children helping them navigate a better way forward in their love and affirmation for their kids without compromising their commitment to following Jesus. This triggered the Brovangelicals and they responded in force.  Pastor Zach Lamber joins Tim Whitaker to respond to some of the critics who attended the Unconditional Conference Hosted by North Point Church.  Were their assessments accurate?   Support Our Work  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's program, we take a look at the 50 largest evangelism and discipleship organizations in the nation.  We also have details regarding the suspension of celebrity pastor Albert Tate. And the state of California has sued pregnancy care centers in the state. The lawsuit could have chilling effect on pregnancy resource centers around the country. And do you remember Mark Driscoll, the disgraced former pastor of Seattle's Mars Hill Church?  Well, he's back, and we'll fill you in what he's been up to. We begin today with Andy Stanley's controversial conference Unconditional Love, which took place at Stanley's North Point Church near Atlanta last weekend.  FINAL THOUGHTS: It's a new month, and we have a new gift for our donors. MinistryWatch has published a booklet called “75 Red Flags To Consider Before Donating To A Christian Ministry.” We'll send you that booklet as our thank you for any gift to MinistryWatch during the month of October. This is a great tool for Christian donors. We use the questions in this booklet every day here at MinistryWatch to help us evaluate ministries. To get your copy, just go to the MinistryWatch website and hit the donate button at the top of the page. The producers for today's program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh.  We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Liz Lykins, Chris Moody, John Stonestreet, Timothy Padgett, Kim Roberts, Kathryn Post, Steve Rabey, Christina Darnell, and Rod Pitzer. A special thanks to Religion UnPlugged and Breakpoint with the Colson Center for Christian Worldview for contributing material for this week's podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

Andy Stanley embraced homosexuality as more than just an acceptable orientation for Christians in his Oct 1, 2023 sermon at North Point Church. Stanley is a well-known name in evangelicalism and his father, Charles Stanley, was a key leader during the Southern Baptist Convention's Conservative Resurgence. This new position marks a shift. Andy Stanley's Sermon Audio: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dw05bu9T-ss&feature=youtu.beTo Support the Podcast: https://www.worldviewconversation.com/support/#andystanley #homosexuality #northpointchurch #romancatholicism #concupiscenceSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/conversations-that-matter8971/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

On today's program, new conflicts between Liberty University and Jerry Falwell, Jr. Now his brother Jonathan Falwell is in the mix. Andy Stanley, the pastor of Northpoint Church in Atlanta, is facing criticism for hosting a conference that many observers say affirms homosexuality. Plus, the Episcopal Church continues its decades-long decline, we'll have facts and numbers. And the Southern Baptist's leaders met last week in Nashville, and – well – things are still a mess. We'll have a report. We begin today with news that Sen. Chuck Grassley wants to investigate the Christian ministry World Vision. FINAL THOUGHTS: It's a new month, and we have a new gift for donors. This month, we'll be sending a copy of my book “Restoring All Things” to you if you make a gift of any size during the month of September. I wrote this book with my friend and former Colson Center colleague John Stonestreet, and I think you'll find it to be a blessing. It highlights how God is using ministries and individuals to make a positive difference in the world. Just go to the MinistryWatch website and hit the donate button at the top of the page. And THANKS to all of you who attended our webinar this week. How to Find and Read A Form 990. It was a lively discussion, and we'll do it again soon. The producers for today's program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh.  We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Bob Smietana, Kim Roberts, Steve Rabey, Yonat Shimron, Daniel Ritchie, Jeffrey Walton, Christina Darnell, and Rod Pitzer. A special thanks to the Institute for Religion & Democracy for contributing material for this week's podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

Colorado representative Lauren Boebert is caught in a precarious situation when she is seen in public performing acts of indecency that could help swing the House of Representatives over to the left. Also Andy Stanley continues down the road of apostasy as North Point Church holds an LGBTQ conference. Andy Stanley's Gay Affirming Church (Full Episode) https://youtu.be/d03sb-mK2gY?si=H7cPY9xWC3Svvjaw 

Sandra Stanley has been in ministry with her husband Andy at North Point Church since 1995. They have led movements, raised kids, and created a platform that speaks out for the local church.  In our conversation we talk about what it means to raise the next generation, how to parent with the relationship in mind, and keeping your kids in the local church.    https://northpoint.org/resources https://www.sandrastanley.com/ https://andystanley.com/ https://www.instagram.com/sandrawstanley/   Links:  Follow 2 Lead Coaching https://www.follow2leadcoaching.com/   Spirit and Truth Substack https://spiritandtruth.substack.com/   Tony on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/twmilt/   Be sure to leave us a review on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/reclamation-podcast-reclaiming-good-practices-for-following/id1429933082

Join ALL ACCESS! Are you ready to unlock your ministry's potential? Our ALL ACCESS plan includes  courses from Steve Gladen and leading small group pastors from across the country. workshops quarterly coaching premium articles live digital events.  All for the price of $49 a month or $490 annually.You even get half off in person events like the LOBBY and ACCELERATEAnd to make it an even better deal, that one low price is a churchwide license. Everyone at your church is included. PLUS your WHOLE team gets half off the events. Meaning with this plan, your church can SAVE money and get your whole team trained and equipped.Check it out today at https://smallgroupnetwork.com/allaccess ... your community, unlocked!A lot has changed since Creating Community, by Andy Stanley and Bill Willits was published 16 years ago describing the North Point Church's vision and strategies for group life. New realities, cultural shifts, technological changes, sociological dynamics, and organizational challenges have caused us to reevaluate our assumptions and strategies about small groups ministries. Listen to Bill share North Point's learnings and how we can adapt strategically and creatively for a thriving small groups ministry today.  Guest: Bill Willits is the Executive Director of Adult Ministry Environments for North Point Ministries (NPM). One of the founding staff members of North Point, Bill is a graduate of Florida State University and Dallas Theological Seminary. He is also the co-author of the book, Creating Community with Andy Stanley, which was re-released in an updated and expanded edition in July, 2021. He and his team have helped connect thousands of adults into the benefits of group life.   ALIGN + ACCELERATE July 11-13, 2023ALIGN is the small groups ministry essentials workshop. Perfect for people new to groups or who are considering launching groups at their church.ACCELERATE is a 2 day intensive workshop for a small group point person who wants to develop an 18 month strategic plan for growth or revitalization.Your team can attend ALIGN or ACCELERATE or get a discounted rate for attending both. For those attending all 3, lodging and lunches are included in the price! And don't forget, ALL ACCESS members always get 50% off all events.We'll see you there! https://smallgroupnetwork.com/conferences/

“The Incarnation declares that God loves us, isn't scared of us, and wants us to be unafraid of him. So how do we declare these truths to the masters of suspicion in our age? The deconstructing, disoriented, disengaged skeptic,” writes Preston Ulmer. He goes to say, surprisingly, “We become like him, minus the skepticism.” In this episode of the Influence Podcast, I'm talking with Preston Ulmer about the spiritual discipline of deconstruction, based on his new book, Deconstruct Faith, Discover Jesus, published recently by NavPress. I'm George P. Wood, executive editor of Influence magazine and your host. Preston Ulmer is the founder and director of The Doubters' Club, an organization that teaches Christians and atheists to model friendship and pursue truth together. He is also on staff at North Point Church in Springfield, Missouri. ----- This episode of the Influence Podcast is brought to you by The General Council of the Assemblies of God. General Council is the AG's premier conference. It occurs every two years the first week in August and incorporates spiritual inspiration, practical leadership training, and denominational business. The theme of the 2023 General Council is “Our Church, Our Family.” The conference will take place July 31–August 4 in Columbus, Ohio. Visit GeneralCouncil.AG.org for more information and to register.

How do you constantly improve your mixing skills in a cutting edge environment like North Point Church? David Stagl mixed at North Point for years before striking off on his own now as a freelance mix engineer for live and studio settings. In this episode you'll hear: 1:00 Electrocution, Shaq's crew costs and near robbery 7:15 David Stagl joins us! 15:40 Northpoint disaster story 22:00 Pioneering at Northpoint 27:50 Studio vs Live sound 30:15 Improving your skills in live and studio 34:10 Preparing for a freelance gig 35:50 Going live and live streaming simultaneously40:00 David's approach to mixing in a live setting 44:00 Mixing in surround for live stream? 47:45 Disaster story on “cutting yourself off at the knees”51:30 Tech Takeaway on expectations Plugs: Connect with him on Instagram, his site, and go to 11 with him!What if your bank account had a leak in it?If you have used production gear sitting in your storage closet, that is exactly what is happening right now. We paid churches over a million dollars in 2022 for their used production gear. Head to our site, make your gear list, and let us come pay your church.

Sean Seay, the Lead Pastor of Athens Church, is this week's guest on Next Step Leadership. Sean's story, wisdom, and leadership role all make him a great voice for this podcast's audience. He tells about his journey, inviting listeners to his narrative. He grew up in a broken home, knew very little about Christianity, found Jesus during his college years, and became involved with the discipleship ministry of Andy Stanley. After seminary, Sean moved back to Georgia and became involved in Northpoint Church, eventually accepting his role to start Athens Church. Sean and his team wake up thinking about the people who are “not there yet.” They also see leadership health and soul care as crucial. Years of the past are still influencing each person. Hear his story. Learn from his heart. Find practical ways to apply principles from Sean Seay. https://athenschurch.comTwitter - @seanseayInstagram - seanseayRuthless Elimination of Hurry - John Mark Comer book - HERERobb Reimer - Soul Care book - HERESoul Keeping - John Ortberg book - HERE

Join Jason Squires this week as he sits down with Todd Fields. Todd was on staff at North Point Church in Atlanta, GA for over 20 years. Now Todd runs a ministry called Worship Circle mentoring worship leaders all over the globe. Join this conversation as Jason and Todd continue this month's topic on leading your team spiritually. You can find out more about Worship Circle by visiting www.worshipcircle.com.

Going through the long thread on twitter from Ryan Visconti, exposing what Andy has been believing for years at this point. later playing a longer than planed clip from Allie Beth Stuckey interviewing Becket Cook, who used to live the gay lifestyle before God saved him.

Jon Martz , Campus Pastor at North Point Church in Springfield, MO, talks about having an "Attitude of Gratitude"....  "Regardless of your situation; JUST DO IT!" Praise the Lord. Gives thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.  Psalm 106:1 #Pastor #Church #podcast #Faith #justdoit #blessed #servanthood #leadership #Nike #encouragement https://www.victorymission.com/powerlessyetunstoppable/

How do you go from swearing you'll never work in a church to being a church tech for over 15 years? Brendon Petty is the Technical Director at North Point Church in Atlanta. In this episode you'll hear: 1:00 Toby does something unspeakable on stage 7:45 North Point Ministries Technical Director Brendon Petty joins us! 14:45 Brendon's journey to North Point Church 18:20 Live Streaming at North Point  during Covid23:30 Working with Pastor Andy 26:00 Longevity in the Church Tech life33:40 Christmas at North Point  37:00 Surviving Christmas as a tech director 38:25 Church Tech Disaster Story 40:15 Tech Takeaway on improving your live stream with lightingJoin North Point's "Be Rich" campaign. Resources for your Church Tech MinistryDoes your church have used gear that you need to convert into new ministry dollars? We can make you an offer here. Do you need some production gear but lack the budget to buy new gear? You can get Certified Church Owned gear here.Connect with us: Follow us on FacebookHang out with us on InstagramSee all the ways we can serve your church on our WebsiteGet our best gear sent to your inbox each Monday before it goes public via the Early Service

A lot has changed since Creating Community, by Andy Stanley and Bill Willits was published 16 years ago describing the North Point Church's vision and strategies for group life. New realities, cultural shifts, technological changes, sociological dynamics, and organizational challenges have caused us to reevaluate our assumptions and strategies about small groups ministries. Listen to Bill share North Point's learnings and how we can adapt strategically and creatively for a thriving small groups ministry today.  Guest: Bill Willits is the Executive Director of Adult Ministry Environments for North Point Ministries (NPM). One of the founding staff members of North Point, Bill is a graduate of Florida State University and Dallas Theological Seminary. He is also the co-author of the book, Creating Community with Andy Stanley, which was re-released in an updated and expanded edition in July, 2021. He and his team have helped connect thousands of adults into the benefits of group life.  NOTES:North Point Small Group ResourcesWhy God Why PodcastVirtual Lobby

Whether you are surviving a middle school lunch room or trying to navigate the adult relationships in your life, there will always be mean people. Based on an excellent sermon on the same topic from Andy Stanley at North Point Church, I walk through insights about getting even vs. giving love. We look at how attempting to get even almost cost David his future kingdom. Finally we consider the following set of questions to help us deal with the mean people in our lives: Do you want to be even with someone you don't even like? How much control are you giving this person in your head? When this is nothing more than a story to tell, what story do you want to tell? What would it look like to return good for for? Is Jesus your king… really?   Resources Mentioned: North Point Church: Mean People and What to do about them: https://bit.ly/3c24UeT  Better Decisions, Fewer Regrets by Andy Stanley: https://amzn.to/3AtzUhq Sign up for my Things for Thursday Email: https://tinyurl.com/292kv68y Support Let's Parent on Purpose! https://letsparentonpurpose.com/support/

The Upstream Leader Podcast's Heath Alloway talks with Jeremy Johnson, the lead pastor at North Point Church, on defining and finding purpose-driven leadership. It is easy to get confused on the quest for significance if you focus on your own agenda. Jeremy shares how he found purpose in refocusing everything from the inside to help someone in need. Get the full show notes and more resources at TheUpstreamLeader.com

1 Thessalonians 5:24 says, “The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.” Listen as Pastor Bill Willits discusses how this promise from Scripture has been lived out in the launch and growth of Northpoint Church in Metro Atlanta. Episode 3-28 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brilliant.gaze.5 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brilliantgazepod/  Twitter: https://twitter.com/brilliantgaze

A great Q&A episode with Jeremy and Justin as they tackle recent questions submitted to The Riff. Lots of great riffing on all sorts of topics in this episode! Show Notes Submit A Question To The Riff www.northpointchurch.tv/podcast BEMA Podcast www.bemadiscipleship.com Resources from NorthPointChurch.tv www.northpointchurch.tv/resources

Bestselling author and North Point Church founder Andy Stanley weighs in on the new metrics of ministry for the future church, and talks about how politics, partisanship, ideology and the drive...Read the whole entry... »

Jeremy walks through what empathy means, and how we can develop empathy correctly as a means to reflect Jesus.

#AndyStanley pastor of #NorthPoint Church gives another controversial sermons. Years ago, he stated that we should unhitch from the Old Testament. Well it seems he's arguing that we should unhitch from the whole Bible! #Inerrancy Subscribe & click

Hey mama, have you ever tried to figure out your child? How they tick, why they act the way they do? And better yet, trying to meld your parenting skills with your child's temperament? It can't be difficult to navigate at times. Today, I'm interviewing Karen Stubbs, founder of Birds on a Wire Moms. She discusses all the types of colors that represent our kid's temperament and how to successfully  partner with our children to guide them from toddlers, to tweens, teens and beyond.Are your kids stubborn, a born leader, moody, easy going, a procrastinator, or needs harmony to be happy? Check out this week's episode, where Karen shares different scenarios to help you more suitably connect with your child. Give Away: Karen is sharing her Color Quizz Assessment. Check it out.  Steph's Bio:Stephanie Pletka is a motivational speaker and author of Living Your Best Life. With humor, she tells relatable stories to help women let go of what doesn't serve them, to chase their dreams and write their story. She's a mom of 4 who who turned her pain into a platform of change to help moms find the goodness in the hard places. A family of 6, they hit the road for a life of adventure, traveling, educating and working on the road, visiting 45 states and 10 countries. She now resides in Scottsdale, AZ enjoying the beauty of the West.@stephaniepletka IGstephaniepletka.comstephaie@stephaniepletka.comContact me at: 480-788-1805 for sponsorship, show ideas & speaking engagements. Karen Stubb's Bio:Karen Stubbs is the founder and leader of Birds on a Wire (BOAW), a ministry designed to equip moms through truth, encouragement and community.  Karen has been married for 33 years to Greg Stubbs, they have four children, and four grandchildren.After Karen graduated from Auburn University, she and Greg moved to Virginia Beach where Greg served in the Navy as a fighter pilot. Through these early Navy years Karen gained her passion for motherhood and grew in her reliance on God as she raised their four children. Karen moved back to Atlanta and was on staff at North Point Church for 11 years.  She is passionate about challenging moms to experience motherhood in the way God intended it for them and their families.Karen founded Birds on a Wire in 2011, and since then she has been speaking to moms through her devotional book, Moments with God for Moms, six DVD small group curriculum, traveling the country speaking to churches and has a weekly podcast, Wire Talk, where she answers mom's questions about motherhood. She has grown this ministry to reach moms in all 50 states, and 70 countries.  Karen's message is practical parenting advice that she has learned over 29 years of parenting along with Godly wisdom from the Bible. IG @birdsonawiremomsShe's also host of the Wire Talk podcast. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wire-talk-with-karen-stubbs/id1101953069See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You may not know Greg by name or reputation but he's already impacted your life. A seasoned disciplemaker, church planter and holder of a Ph.D. in psychometrics he's crafted assessment tools that most of us have used directly or indirectly. From a DISC test to the Becoming Level 5 tool to a new disciplemaking assessment for NorthPoint Church, Greg has touched us all. In this interview, Greg uncovers a disciple maker's journey from CRU to church planting to discovering his unique place in the body of Christ. Eventually, he came to develop assessment tools to uncover strengths and weaknesses in an effort to guide you to your desired outcomes. A partial list of tools Greg has created include:Becoming a Level 5 Multiplying Church (B5) for ExponentialBecoming a DiscipleMaker (DM5) for Exponential & Discipleship.orgHeroMaker (HM5) for Exponential and Dave Ferguson/Warren ByrdMultiplier (M5) for ExponentialTrueWiring suite of instruments (DISC, Motivators, EQ & Conflict Profile)TrueWiring4Churches suite (DISC, Motivators, EQ, Conflict Profile & Spiritual Gifts) for Rock RMS and TrueWiringSpiritual GiftsChurch LifeCycle–Five Stages of development and decline360 Discipleship Assessment for ECO-Evangelical Covenant Order of PresbyteriansFlourishing Church Assessment for ECO-Evangelical Covenant Order of PresbyteriansMission Gap Assessment Lite for World Vision & Healthy Growing LeadersMission Gap Assessment (MGA) for World Vision & Healthy Growing LeadersFinancial Health Assessment for Indiana Ministries & Healthy Growing Leaders Part 2 of the interview is especially interesting when the discussion turns toward the most fruitful decades in the life of a leader. You may be surprised to learn how many of Paul's disciples mentioned in the New Testament, or the bulk of his epistles, are the fruit of the last ten years of his ministry. I've known Greg for several years. I've benefited from several of the tools he created. But this interview is the most personally fulfilling time I've spent with him. His heart and his instruction will bless you - I promise! For more from Greg, you can visit https://truewiring.com or https://healthygrowingleaders.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You may not know Greg by name or reputation but he's already impacted your life.A seasoned disciplemaker, church planter and holder of a Ph.D. in psychometrics he's crafted assessment tools that most of us have used directly or indirectly. From a DISC test to the Becoming Level 5 tool to a new disciplemaking assessment for NorthPoint Church, Greg has touched us all.In this interview, Greg uncovers a disciple maker's journey from CRU to church planting to discovering his unique place in the body of Christ. Eventually, he came to develop assessment tools to uncover strengths and weaknesses in an effort to guide you to your desired outcomes. A partial list of tools Greg has created include:Becoming a Level 5 Multiplying Church (B5) for ExponentialBecoming a DiscipleMaker (DM5) for Exponential & Discipleship.orgHeroMaker (HM5) for Exponential and Dave Ferguson/Warren ByrdMultiplier (M5) for ExponentialTrueWiring suite of instruments (DISC, Motivators, EQ & Conflict Profile)TrueWiring4Churches suite (DISC, Motivators, EQ, Conflict Profile & Spiritual Gifts) for Rock RMS and TrueWiringSpiritual GiftsChurch LifeCycle–Five Stages of development and decline360 Discipleship Assessment for ECO-Evangelical Covenant Order of PresbyteriansFlourishing Church Assessment for ECO-Evangelical Covenant Order of PresbyteriansMission Gap Assessment Lite for World Vision & Healthy Growing LeadersMission Gap Assessment (MGA) for World Vision & Healthy Growing LeadersFinancial Health Assessment for Indiana Ministries & Healthy Growing LeadersPart 2 of the interview is especially interesting when the discussion turns toward the most fruitful decades in the life of a leader. You may be surprised to learn how many of Paul's disciples mentioned in the New Testament, or the bulk of his epistles, are the fruit of the last ten years of his ministry. I've known Greg for several years. I've benefited from several of the tools he created. But this interview is the most personally fulfilling time I've spent with him. His heart and his instruction will bless you - I promise!For more from Greg, you can visit https://truewiring.com or https://healthygrowingleaders.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

About Erica McCurdy: She is absolutely passionate about the potential of people. While she started her career as an executive in the telecom industry, she found her passion in entrepreneurism and in helping others explore their passion. As an ICF Certified Coach, Erica is an expert at helping high-performing people achieve their goals and find their best next step. She has built several companies across multiple industries including her favorite, Georgia Sanitation. After taking time to work on staff at North Point Church, she opened her own practice helping others in career and life transition, including our senior Navy SEALs in partnership with the SEAL Future Foundation. Erica's expert advice can be found in over 100 publications such as US News, Forbes, Entrepreneur.com, AARP, Recruiter.com, Business News Daily, and more.Erica attended the Westminster Schools, University of Georgia, and Mercer University. She is passionate about her family and community and makes an annual commitment to give a minimum of 100 hours to those in need. As a Rotarian, she serves on the local board, Rotary Means Business committee, and is a Paul Harris Fellow. She is also a board member of the PCBA, the Gwinnett County Library Foundation, and serves on the National Board of National Charity League, our nation's oldest mother-daughter service organization as part of their National Nominating Committee.Erica and her husband Phil have three wonderful children in college, all of whom have continued the family tradition of community service and mentorship. When not working or playing tennis, Erica is currently working on her goal of reading the entire list of Pulitzer Prize Winning Novels, she is about halfway through. In this episode Jason and Erica McCurdy discuss:A serial entrepreneur's secretFinding your strength in who you are Builders and accelerators Getting over decision paralysis  Key Takeaways: The way forward - towards your dreams - is always by barging through your limiting beliefs. Getting past your internal hindrances can only be done by challenging your doubts on what is actually possible. Something that doesn't involve any hardship or challenges may not be worth doing - but that doesn't mean that doing something that's draining the life out of you daily is worth doing either. It's important to not waste your time pretending to be what you aren't. The things that make you unique are your strengths. In the same way, letting people be them means delegating tasks that they might be better at than you are.Builders are the ones that put the building blocks together and the accelerators try to keep the business going - you need to figure out which one you are. Are you going to be doing the work or leading the work? As a leader, if your schedule is full of tasks, you will have no ability to strategize and assess the future. We drive ourselves crazy with our second-guessing and overanalysis of our decisions - there comes a time where you just gotta do it already. At least, take one step.  “If we can get something done, even if it's not done perfectly,  we can fix the little things. But we can't fix ‘not doing', so we just have to get something done... It's easy to confuse busy with productive.” - Erica McCurdy Connect with Erica McCurdy:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mccurdygroup/Website: http://www.mccurdysolutions.com/Email: erica@mccurdysolutions.com Connect with Steve and Jason:LinkedIn: Jason or SteveWebsite: Rewire, Inc.: Transformed Thinking Email: grow@rewireinc.com  Show notes by Podcastologist: Justine TallaAudio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

Did You know it was the last time? Savor the Moments.On this week's episode, we'll talk about how a woman in Target changed my life and she can change yours too!No one told me it was the last laugh, the last vacation. Life doesn't hold up a white flag as a warning to notify us when it's the last time. Don't be Focused so much on the doing. Make it more about the Being. We are here to create memories, build a legacy. Let's Savor the Moments.Scripture:Ecclesiastes 9:7 reminds us to: Relish life with those you love for each and every day of your precarious life, is a gift.You can't edit out the negatives of life. Life is Messy, and Hard, but it's also Beautiful and Good. Life is a Mess and a Masterpiece. God doesn't waste any experience.Resources:~ Andy Stanley, North Point Church said: His words collide with my worries, freeing them from the tether I had been holding tight. ~ Bob Goff, author of Love Does, reminds us that Love is a Verb.3 Actionable Steps to Seeing the Goodness In the Hard Places Stephanie is author of Living Your Best Life. Grab a copy or download your audible for moms on the go.  Subscribe to stephaniepletka.com for more mom hacks, tips and upcoming events. About the Show:Stephanie Pletka is a motivational speaker, author of Living Your Best Life and radio show host of Motherhood Mindset on Faith Talk Radio 1360 in Phoenix. She produces a weekly podcast to help women navigate the messy parts of motherhood. Get ready for entertaining stories and 3 actionable steps to finding the goodness in the hard places. It's time to be inspired to chase your dreams and write your story.Support this podcast: buymeacoffee.com/StephaniePletka         Write a Review https://ratethispodcast.com/motherhood/appleWebsite: stephaniepletka.comEmail: stephanie@stephaniepletka.comSocial Media: https://www.instagram.com/stephaniepletka/Contact: 480-788-1805 (show ideas, sponsorships, speaking engagements) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

**I made a mistake in this video. I said North Point Church, pastored by Andy Stanley, is an SBC church. It was just pointed out to me that it is nondenominational. I thought that it was SBC because Andy's father, Charles Stanley, was an SBC pastor for many years and was a former president of the SBC. I apologize for my error. The issues regarding the softening of the SBC on homosexuality, however, remain and are documented in this video and others. Justin Peters Ministries: https://justinpeters.org Kootenai Community Church https://kootenaichurch.org Kootenai Community Church YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgx1FkHSzaEHw4YsDsU86bg Original video of James Merritt encouraging plagiarism: https://youtu.be/ip_luFFF3K8 The full interview with Ed Litton on SBC This Week: https://sbcthisweek.com/an-interview-with-ed-litton/ ==> Subscribe to the Justin Peters Ministries Odyseee Channel: https://odysee.com/@JustinPetersMinistries:2 ==> Subscribe to the Justin Peters Ministries YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNNardZimg4BbwZmrTkjPOw ==> Like Justin Peters Ministries on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JustinPetersMin ==> Visit Justin Peters Ministries Website: https://justinpeters.org ==> Buy Justin's books Do Not Hinder Them and Santa Pause on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/justinpetersmin ==> Donate to Justin Peters Ministries: http://bit.ly/jpmdonate 

The Bible says that zeal without knowledge can be “dangerous.” (Proverbs 19:2) Those are some strong words suggesting that it's entirely possible for our passion for the work we're doing to outpace our capacity to fully understand, support or sustain that work. Ultimately, our aim is to build, grow, and lead lasting, sustainable ministries that serve and support children and families for a long, long time. Of course the question ensues...How do we do that? One of the ways we can do that is by having the right leaders in the right places who are overseeing vital areas of the ministry we are working to build and grow. These structures can ultimately help funnel the passion for our ministry in focused, guided ways that help result in quality, effectiveness and sustainability. So, why is having clearly defined leadership structures in place important to maintain a healthy and thriving foster care ministry? What kinds of on-boarding and accountability processes do we need to implement for volunteers who are working within the ministry? How do we lead as volunteers or staff members within our church when we're not fully in charge of all the decisions that are made in the church? Questions like these are important ones for us as church leaders to consider as we take steps towards becoming more actively engaged in foster care. In episode 6 of The Fostering Church Podcast, the Jasons talk with Lesli Reece who is on staff at NorthPoint Church in Atlanta, GA as the Director of the Fostering Together Ministry. Lesli not only has an extensive background in leadership within the local church setting, but her years in marketplace management prior to her role at Northpoint proved to inform and shape how she would build teams, manage volunteers and work to shape and grow the ministry within the larger context of the church as a whole. Lesli provides nuggets of leadership gold throughout this interview, and perhaps what makes them most impactful are the very practical insights and applications she shares for how leadership works on the ground, in the real world, with real people. You will walk away from this episode feeling encouraged to grow in your leadership and inspired to build structures of ministry that will be effective and sustainable for years to come. Get the shownotes: https://morethanenough.cafo.org/podcasts/the-fostering-church-podcast/

Jeremy Johnson is the lead pastor of North Point Church. A multi-site church in Springfield, MO. Pastor Jeremy is a gifted communicator. He has a unique gift of preaching The Word in a way that stirs the heart. He may, in fact, be the most funny preacher you have ever heard.*There was a problem with the first part of this recording. That is why it picks up mid sermon.