1
00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:15,440
Welcome to Hub City Vineyard.

2
00:00:15,440 --> 00:00:23,060
To get connected or to give online, go to connect.hcv.church or give.hcv.church.

3
00:00:23,060 --> 00:00:27,360
If at any point during this message you feel called to make a change in your life, text

4
00:00:27,360 --> 00:00:30,840
change me to 970-00.

5
00:00:30,840 --> 00:00:32,400
Thank you and enjoy the message.

6
00:00:32,400 --> 00:00:35,520
Alright, alright, wait for it, wait for it.

7
00:00:35,520 --> 00:00:37,960
Good morning Hub City Vineyard!

8
00:00:37,960 --> 00:00:38,960
Surprise!

9
00:00:38,960 --> 00:00:44,080
It's me, Kelsey, here with not your morning announcements but with the Sunday morning

10
00:00:44,080 --> 00:00:45,080
message.

11
00:00:45,080 --> 00:00:46,080
What!

12
00:00:46,080 --> 00:00:52,520
Hey, when the passers are away, I mean, right, right?

13
00:00:52,520 --> 00:00:56,640
Hey, so listen, I hope you've had your coffee this morning.

14
00:00:56,640 --> 00:00:57,840
So you're going to need it.

15
00:00:57,840 --> 00:01:00,840
So cheers!

16
00:01:00,840 --> 00:01:04,120
Welcome to everybody watching online for wherever you are in the world.

17
00:01:04,120 --> 00:01:06,120
Thank you for joining us.

18
00:01:06,120 --> 00:01:09,720
And obviously Chris and Jess, we know you're watching too, so hey guys.

19
00:01:09,720 --> 00:01:10,720
Yeah.

20
00:01:10,720 --> 00:01:17,520
Alright, if this is your first time here, online or in person, just to be clear, I am

21
00:01:17,520 --> 00:01:19,640
not the pastor.

22
00:01:19,640 --> 00:01:21,900
He's on vacation, in fact, with his family.

23
00:01:21,900 --> 00:01:25,700
Not even a preacher, but I do know exactly who I am.

24
00:01:25,700 --> 00:01:32,280
I'm a communicator, I'm a motivator, I'm a teacher, a coach, a speaker.

25
00:01:32,280 --> 00:01:41,440
And today I'm here to inspire you, you, you, you, you, and even you.

26
00:01:41,440 --> 00:01:43,200
Yep, that's right.

27
00:01:43,200 --> 00:01:50,280
We're going to motivate you to take action, motivate you to give, motivate you to serve,

28
00:01:50,280 --> 00:01:58,200
motivated to do just one thing differently at the end of this service and this message.

29
00:01:58,200 --> 00:01:59,200
We ready?

30
00:01:59,200 --> 00:02:00,680
Alright, good.

31
00:02:00,680 --> 00:02:04,840
I was waiting for you at 9 a.m., not nearly as excited as you guys, so you got to keep

32
00:02:04,840 --> 00:02:06,120
bringing that energy, okay?

33
00:02:06,120 --> 00:02:07,120
Alright, yeah, good.

34
00:02:07,120 --> 00:02:14,080
As a motivational guest speaker, Kelsey has so much to say on this topic.

35
00:02:14,080 --> 00:02:20,720
So first, let's pray and invite God and the Holy Spirit to join us before we get started.

36
00:02:20,720 --> 00:02:25,320
Join me in putting your hands out, ready to receive what God has for you today.

37
00:02:25,320 --> 00:02:33,200
Remember, open hands equals an open heart, an open mind, and open ears.

38
00:02:33,200 --> 00:02:34,200
Come Holy Spirit.

39
00:02:34,200 --> 00:02:40,480
Lord God, I just thank you for this opportunity today, and I pray that you use me, but use

40
00:02:40,480 --> 00:02:49,000
me with your words, your intentions, your motivation, Lord, and your accountability,

41
00:02:49,000 --> 00:02:50,000
not mine.

42
00:02:50,000 --> 00:02:53,440
God, I thank you for everybody who's here today, who's watching online.

43
00:02:53,440 --> 00:02:58,000
Lord, let this message just deliver an impact where people want to take action.

44
00:02:58,000 --> 00:03:02,480
Lord, that they just pick one thing to do differently when they leave today.

45
00:03:02,480 --> 00:03:07,380
Lord, I can't do this without you, and I thank you very much for everything, all the blessings

46
00:03:07,380 --> 00:03:09,120
you brought to my life.

47
00:03:09,120 --> 00:03:11,240
Thank you, Jesus, in your name.

48
00:03:11,240 --> 00:03:12,240
Amen.

49
00:03:12,240 --> 00:03:14,240
Yeah, all right.

50
00:03:14,240 --> 00:03:17,480
Oh, it says breathe on my notes, so I got to breathe.

51
00:03:17,480 --> 00:03:18,480
All right, yeah.

52
00:03:18,480 --> 00:03:19,480
Breathe.

53
00:03:19,480 --> 00:03:20,480
All right.

54
00:03:20,480 --> 00:03:25,480
First, I want to deliver a heartfelt thank you to Chris and Jessica for this opportunity.

55
00:03:25,480 --> 00:03:27,560
Cried First Service, I think it's out of my system now.

56
00:03:27,560 --> 00:03:32,680
They may be on vacation, but again, trust, we know they're watching.

57
00:03:32,680 --> 00:03:36,560
We've been praying for rest and relaxation for you guys over the past couple weeks, your

58
00:03:36,560 --> 00:03:37,920
entire family.

59
00:03:37,920 --> 00:03:42,880
We hope you're enjoying your time away together so you can come back refreshed and ready for

60
00:03:42,880 --> 00:03:46,060
all that's going to be waiting for you.

61
00:03:46,060 --> 00:03:50,720
You guys are such a huge blessing in my life, and I couldn't feel more privileged to be

62
00:03:50,720 --> 00:03:53,640
able to speak on your behalf today.

63
00:03:53,640 --> 00:03:59,000
Thanks for constantly challenging me and for your continued encouragement to do the things

64
00:03:59,000 --> 00:04:03,320
in order to grow both in my personal faith and in serving others.

65
00:04:03,320 --> 00:04:04,320
All right.

66
00:04:04,320 --> 00:04:05,320
Now, that's over.

67
00:04:05,320 --> 00:04:10,200
When you guys, let me tell you the honest truth, when they approached me and told me

68
00:04:10,200 --> 00:04:15,400
their plan for the message topic to end the generous series, I just giggled.

69
00:04:15,400 --> 00:04:17,680
I'm going to be honest.

70
00:04:17,680 --> 00:04:21,960
They could have said anything to me, and I would have at least considered it for the

71
00:04:21,960 --> 00:04:25,160
ability to share my heart with all of you.

72
00:04:25,160 --> 00:04:31,000
But when they said, hey, Kels, we want you to share about being generous with your time

73
00:04:31,000 --> 00:04:34,320
and talents by serving our community of faith.

74
00:04:34,320 --> 00:04:37,080
I almost jumped at the chance.

75
00:04:37,080 --> 00:04:39,520
But then calmly, I said, I'll pray about it.

76
00:04:39,520 --> 00:04:40,520
I'll let you guys know.

77
00:04:40,520 --> 00:04:44,840
I mean, for real, how to play it cool, right?

78
00:04:44,840 --> 00:04:47,720
I'm pretty sure the look in my eyes said it all.

79
00:04:47,720 --> 00:04:55,640
A spark, a spark to speak life and truth to all of my friends in hopes of changing the

80
00:04:55,640 --> 00:04:59,040
perception about serving.

81
00:04:59,040 --> 00:05:01,520
God has such a sense of humor, doesn't he?

82
00:05:01,520 --> 00:05:08,120
He knows he always knows this one topic that I'm super passionate about.

83
00:05:08,120 --> 00:05:11,360
It's literally who I am as a child of God.

84
00:05:11,360 --> 00:05:12,400
I'm sure of it.

85
00:05:12,400 --> 00:05:17,720
It's his plan for me to live my life abundant by serving others.

86
00:05:17,720 --> 00:05:21,360
In fact, I have been serving my whole life in different ways.

87
00:05:21,360 --> 00:05:26,180
And now I have the opportunity to share my serving heart and my story about how it's

88
00:05:26,180 --> 00:05:30,480
challenged and changed me and made me into who I am today.

89
00:05:30,480 --> 00:05:32,200
All ready for it?

90
00:05:32,200 --> 00:05:33,960
All right.

91
00:05:33,960 --> 00:05:34,960
Let's go.

92
00:05:34,960 --> 00:05:36,440
It also says let's go in here.

93
00:05:36,440 --> 00:05:41,120
For those of you who follow directions to our welcome team and grabbed a program when

94
00:05:41,120 --> 00:05:44,800
you came in today, I want you to open it up.

95
00:05:44,800 --> 00:05:46,380
You will see a couple things.

96
00:05:46,380 --> 00:05:50,000
If you didn't grab one and you want to participate, you can run out to one of the doors real quick

97
00:05:50,000 --> 00:05:51,000
and grab one.

98
00:05:51,000 --> 00:05:52,000
All right.

99
00:05:52,000 --> 00:05:54,040
First thing, you'll see a couple things.

100
00:05:54,040 --> 00:05:56,380
Number one, a post it.

101
00:05:56,380 --> 00:05:57,380
Don't do anything with that.

102
00:05:57,380 --> 00:05:58,860
We'll get to it later.

103
00:05:58,860 --> 00:06:05,280
Number two, a sentence under the heading, just one thing, and it starts with the gift

104
00:06:05,280 --> 00:06:06,280
of serving.

105
00:06:06,280 --> 00:06:12,480
So take a few seconds, please, and just read that to yourselves.

106
00:06:12,480 --> 00:06:18,440
We have it up here if you did not grab a program and you're not fast to run out the door.

107
00:06:18,440 --> 00:06:19,440
Okay.

108
00:06:19,440 --> 00:06:20,520
Hopefully you had turn.

109
00:06:20,520 --> 00:06:22,280
Now it's my turn.

110
00:06:22,280 --> 00:06:31,360
The gift of serving is the divine strength or abilities to do small or great tasks in

111
00:06:31,360 --> 00:06:35,980
working for the overall good of the body of Christ.

112
00:06:35,980 --> 00:06:39,520
If you're new for Sunday, you're like, oh, here we go.

113
00:06:39,520 --> 00:06:42,920
Listen, now this is the audience participation part.

114
00:06:42,920 --> 00:06:43,920
Everybody's going to join me.

115
00:06:43,920 --> 00:06:44,920
We're going to read it together.

116
00:06:44,920 --> 00:06:45,920
You ready?

117
00:06:45,920 --> 00:06:55,480
The gift of serving is the divine strength or abilities to do small or great tasks in

118
00:06:55,480 --> 00:06:59,760
working for the overall good of the body of Christ.

119
00:06:59,760 --> 00:07:03,240
Yeah, I know it's a lot.

120
00:07:03,240 --> 00:07:05,360
How about in layman's terms?

121
00:07:05,360 --> 00:07:12,520
Anything small or large that you contribute towards serving others makes a difference.

122
00:07:12,520 --> 00:07:14,400
It makes a difference in this church.

123
00:07:14,400 --> 00:07:19,800
It makes a difference in this community, and it makes a difference in your lives too.

124
00:07:19,800 --> 00:07:24,800
The part that makes this difficult is your different perceptions.

125
00:07:24,800 --> 00:07:30,000
Something that's small to one of you may be very great to someone else.

126
00:07:30,000 --> 00:07:37,760
Divine strength may lead some of you to believe that you need a miracle to physically meet

127
00:07:37,760 --> 00:07:41,980
the perceived requirements of what we're asking you to do.

128
00:07:41,980 --> 00:07:45,880
How would you even interpret working for the overall good?

129
00:07:45,880 --> 00:07:49,920
That seems like a lot of work needed, and honestly, I'm not sure I really have time

130
00:07:49,920 --> 00:07:52,000
for all that.

131
00:07:52,000 --> 00:07:53,000
Don't worry.

132
00:07:53,000 --> 00:07:55,320
You don't have to do it all yourself.

133
00:07:55,320 --> 00:07:59,320
All you have to do is pick just one thing.

134
00:07:59,320 --> 00:08:02,400
Can you do that?

135
00:08:02,400 --> 00:08:04,760
All right, point one.

136
00:08:04,760 --> 00:08:12,280
To live an abundant life, we must first change our mindset.

137
00:08:12,280 --> 00:08:13,280
What Kelsey?

138
00:08:13,280 --> 00:08:14,920
First we're talking about change in mindset.

139
00:08:14,920 --> 00:08:16,400
Yep, we're getting into it.

140
00:08:16,400 --> 00:08:17,400
I warned you all.

141
00:08:17,400 --> 00:08:19,120
I'll be deep today.

142
00:08:19,120 --> 00:08:22,140
We all have an opinion of volunteering.

143
00:08:22,140 --> 00:08:25,920
Some of you, unfortunately not so inspiring.

144
00:08:25,920 --> 00:08:30,800
I used to have a coworker who would always tell me every time I asked him, Kelsey, you

145
00:08:30,800 --> 00:08:32,960
know what they say about volunteering?

146
00:08:32,960 --> 00:08:37,080
It just doesn't pay.

147
00:08:37,080 --> 00:08:40,040
You guys were a little later on that one than 9 a.m.

148
00:08:40,040 --> 00:08:41,040
I roll.

149
00:08:41,040 --> 00:08:43,600
I mean, he is kind of right.

150
00:08:43,600 --> 00:08:48,160
So I would laugh and respond with, respectfully, I disagree.

151
00:08:48,160 --> 00:08:52,600
It's just that it pays in non-monetary ways.

152
00:08:52,600 --> 00:09:00,600
See, in my opinion, serving is one of the best dopamine boosts that you can ever receive.

153
00:09:00,600 --> 00:09:03,280
It genuinely feels good.

154
00:09:03,280 --> 00:09:07,760
And as we've heard, it's better to give than to receive.

155
00:09:07,760 --> 00:09:15,100
It's actually scientifically proven that volunteering your time and your talents by choosing to

156
00:09:15,100 --> 00:09:17,120
serve others makes you happier.

157
00:09:17,120 --> 00:09:19,360
All right, I got to sit down for this.

158
00:09:19,360 --> 00:09:21,680
This is the science part.

159
00:09:21,680 --> 00:09:27,560
Evidence shows that helping others can benefit our own mental health and well-being.

160
00:09:27,560 --> 00:09:33,400
For example, it can reduce stress as well as improve your mood, boost self-esteem, and

161
00:09:33,400 --> 00:09:35,240
your happiness levels.

162
00:09:35,240 --> 00:09:36,720
Sounds good so far.

163
00:09:36,720 --> 00:09:45,920
Focusing on someone else can disrupt tension-producing patterns and release dopamine, which can increase

164
00:09:45,920 --> 00:09:48,040
your positive feelings.

165
00:09:48,040 --> 00:09:53,240
Plus, reduced stress can lower the risk of physical and mental health problems such as

166
00:09:53,240 --> 00:10:00,280
heart disease, strokes, depression, anxiety, and just general illness.

167
00:10:00,280 --> 00:10:06,760
Positive emotions like optimism and joy like Kelsey can actually strengthen the immune

168
00:10:06,760 --> 00:10:07,760
system.

169
00:10:07,760 --> 00:10:10,760
Sign me up!

170
00:10:10,760 --> 00:10:14,880
Okay, now that everyone's feeling all warm and fuzzy inside, did that on purpose, let's

171
00:10:14,880 --> 00:10:18,320
get back to those program post-its, right?

172
00:10:18,320 --> 00:10:19,320
Program post-its.

173
00:10:19,320 --> 00:10:20,320
Okay, you ready?

174
00:10:20,320 --> 00:10:26,880
Write down just one thing, one thing that is stopping you from serving others in your

175
00:10:26,880 --> 00:10:28,320
daily life.

176
00:10:28,320 --> 00:10:29,320
Wow!

177
00:10:29,320 --> 00:10:30,320
Wow!

178
00:10:30,320 --> 00:10:32,920
Yeah, I'll say it again.

179
00:10:32,920 --> 00:10:39,720
Just one thing that is stopping you from serving others with your time and talents in your

180
00:10:39,720 --> 00:10:41,720
daily life.

181
00:10:41,720 --> 00:10:43,720
Perhaps I'll give you a second.

182
00:10:43,720 --> 00:10:44,960
Take your time.

183
00:10:44,960 --> 00:10:50,560
Perhaps it's what you respond with when someone's approached you here from HCV to ask you to

184
00:10:50,560 --> 00:10:53,240
help with any of the following.

185
00:10:53,240 --> 00:10:57,200
A special event, kids camp, yikes!

186
00:10:57,200 --> 00:11:02,240
Serving on a Sunday morning volunteer team, joining a growth group, playing softball on

187
00:11:02,240 --> 00:11:06,400
Mondays and then b-ball on Tuesdays.

188
00:11:06,400 --> 00:11:10,900
How about coming to the Thursday night community dinner just to help set up teardown tables

189
00:11:10,900 --> 00:11:14,000
and maybe help feed some people?

190
00:11:14,000 --> 00:11:18,000
Just that one thing that's stopping you from doing it.

191
00:11:18,000 --> 00:11:23,840
Now, although your answers will be different, chances are I can sum them up to one or two

192
00:11:23,840 --> 00:11:25,760
general things.

193
00:11:25,760 --> 00:11:29,120
Number one, fear of the unknown.

194
00:11:29,120 --> 00:11:32,520
Number two, lack of time.

195
00:11:32,520 --> 00:11:37,240
I know because I hear it all the time.

196
00:11:37,240 --> 00:11:39,940
Not just here but also out in the business world.

197
00:11:39,940 --> 00:11:45,020
When it comes to serving or volunteering, it just doesn't pay.

198
00:11:45,020 --> 00:11:50,720
People tend to say, I don't have time, which is the easiest reason to decline giving of

199
00:11:50,720 --> 00:11:53,080
our time and talents to others.

200
00:11:53,080 --> 00:11:55,720
Let's pause there for a second.

201
00:11:55,720 --> 00:11:59,320
Remember when Chris was talking about tithing our income a few weeks ago and giving that

202
00:11:59,320 --> 00:12:01,840
first 10% back to God?

203
00:12:01,840 --> 00:12:05,960
Tithing our time is actually similar to finances.

204
00:12:05,960 --> 00:12:12,200
And especially if you get paid for your time and talents in what you do professionally.

205
00:12:12,200 --> 00:12:17,560
Then quite literally, time really is money.

206
00:12:17,560 --> 00:12:23,080
Ironically, both of those things actually belong to God.

207
00:12:23,080 --> 00:12:24,080
That's right.

208
00:12:24,080 --> 00:12:27,600
We are borrowing them for our short time here on earth.

209
00:12:27,600 --> 00:12:33,760
If you started thinking about your time as God's time, would you second guess how you're

210
00:12:33,760 --> 00:12:36,520
spending it?

211
00:12:36,520 --> 00:12:44,400
Would 10% of your time be enough to give to God and others?

212
00:12:44,400 --> 00:12:46,080
We have the time.

213
00:12:46,080 --> 00:12:52,640
Chances are what most of you are too afraid to say is that serving just isn't a priority

214
00:12:52,640 --> 00:12:55,800
for you nor your time.

215
00:12:55,800 --> 00:12:58,920
Maybe you've done it before and it didn't go so well.

216
00:12:58,920 --> 00:12:59,920
I get it.

217
00:12:59,920 --> 00:13:01,760
Been there, done that.

218
00:13:01,760 --> 00:13:05,920
Or like my old coworker says, it just doesn't pay.

219
00:13:05,920 --> 00:13:09,380
Again, respectfully, I disagree.

220
00:13:09,380 --> 00:13:14,520
When you start serving others, you receive blessings of all sorts.

221
00:13:14,520 --> 00:13:17,120
But you don't have to take my word for it.

222
00:13:17,120 --> 00:13:20,240
Ask anyone who's actively serving.

223
00:13:20,240 --> 00:13:25,320
Trust that they will have a story to share with you about what happened in their life

224
00:13:25,320 --> 00:13:29,260
after they gave their time to someone else.

225
00:13:29,260 --> 00:13:31,920
Which gets us to our first verse.

226
00:13:31,920 --> 00:13:35,200
Romans, we're going to stay in chapter 12 today for the most part, guys.

227
00:13:35,200 --> 00:13:38,040
So hey, it's a big fan.

228
00:13:38,040 --> 00:13:43,920
Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new

229
00:13:43,920 --> 00:13:47,000
person by changing the way you think.

230
00:13:47,000 --> 00:13:53,800
Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

231
00:13:53,800 --> 00:13:57,960
Okay, now, let me give you a real life example here.

232
00:13:57,960 --> 00:14:01,800
We'll put it up on the screen here too as well.

233
00:14:01,800 --> 00:14:08,240
First of maybe a few, what I like to refer to as hashtag serving selfies.

234
00:14:08,240 --> 00:14:09,240
Feel free to use that.

235
00:14:09,240 --> 00:14:11,760
Just be sure to tag Hub City Vineyard.

236
00:14:11,760 --> 00:14:13,760
Thank you and good night.

237
00:14:13,760 --> 00:14:15,440
No, I'm just kidding.

238
00:14:15,440 --> 00:14:17,080
We have this image here.

239
00:14:17,080 --> 00:14:18,080
Yeah.

240
00:14:18,080 --> 00:14:19,080
Why?

241
00:14:19,080 --> 00:14:20,080
Because we're all visual learners, right?

242
00:14:20,080 --> 00:14:22,760
You want to look at something pretty, get tired of looking at me, fine.

243
00:14:22,760 --> 00:14:25,560
I'm sure you have all heard of Gandhi.

244
00:14:25,560 --> 00:14:28,680
Maybe even this famous quote of his.

245
00:14:28,680 --> 00:14:34,200
The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.

246
00:14:34,200 --> 00:14:41,360
Now realistically, I know he was not around in the time of cell phones, hashtags, social

247
00:14:41,360 --> 00:14:43,360
media, obviously, right?

248
00:14:43,360 --> 00:14:45,240
Like, yeah, I get that.

249
00:14:45,240 --> 00:14:46,240
Stick with me here.

250
00:14:46,240 --> 00:14:48,000
I called them serving selfies for a reason.

251
00:14:48,000 --> 00:14:49,720
You'll see where I'm going with this.

252
00:14:49,720 --> 00:14:55,280
Mahatma Gandhi was born in 1869 and assassinated in 1948.

253
00:14:55,280 --> 00:15:02,240
The perception of him in many parts of the world, Gandhi is seen as a decent, open-minded,

254
00:15:02,240 --> 00:15:09,120
reasonable person who advocated for nonviolence, justice, and peace.

255
00:15:09,120 --> 00:15:15,240
But some thought he was proposing too much change too quickly, while others thought he

256
00:15:15,240 --> 00:15:20,240
was promising enough change, not quickly enough.

257
00:15:20,240 --> 00:15:22,840
So how did Gandhi change the world, you ask?

258
00:15:22,840 --> 00:15:28,560
While leading nationwide campaigns to ease poverty, expand women's rights, build religious

259
00:15:28,560 --> 00:15:35,400
and ethnic harmony, and eliminate the injustices of the caste system, Gandhi supremely applied

260
00:15:35,400 --> 00:15:40,960
the principles of nonviolent civil disobedience, playing a key role in freeing India from foreign

261
00:15:40,960 --> 00:15:41,960
domination.

262
00:15:41,960 --> 00:15:42,960
Yeah, I know, that's a lot.

263
00:15:42,960 --> 00:15:44,400
It's a lot for me to say.

264
00:15:44,400 --> 00:15:45,400
Disobedience.

265
00:15:45,400 --> 00:15:47,760
But was he obedient?

266
00:15:47,760 --> 00:15:52,520
All without any social platforms, he accomplished all of that.

267
00:15:52,520 --> 00:15:53,520
No mass media.

268
00:15:53,520 --> 00:15:54,520
Hmm.

269
00:15:54,520 --> 00:15:55,760
Think about that one for a minute.

270
00:15:55,760 --> 00:15:58,360
How did he get his message across?

271
00:15:58,360 --> 00:16:00,320
The craziest thing?

272
00:16:00,320 --> 00:16:01,880
Gandhi's biggest fear?

273
00:16:01,880 --> 00:16:05,680
He suffered from stage fright and talking in front of people.

274
00:16:05,680 --> 00:16:10,940
Yet he didn't let that stop him from changing the world and having people talk about him

275
00:16:10,940 --> 00:16:13,480
all these years later.

276
00:16:13,480 --> 00:16:16,040
His legacy speaks volumes.

277
00:16:16,040 --> 00:16:21,680
And with all those responsibilities that I listed, he still found the time and the ability

278
00:16:21,680 --> 00:16:23,400
to serve people.

279
00:16:23,400 --> 00:16:28,960
To lose himself, in fact, in the service of others.

280
00:16:28,960 --> 00:16:35,480
I'm guessing that wasn't just a one-time volunteer opportunity.

281
00:16:35,480 --> 00:16:43,880
In 2 Timothy 1, 7, we read, for God did not give us a spirit of fear.

282
00:16:43,880 --> 00:16:49,440
He gave us a spirit of power and love and of a good mind.

283
00:16:49,440 --> 00:16:52,820
A good mind and a growth mind.

284
00:16:52,820 --> 00:16:54,480
Not a fixed mind.

285
00:16:54,480 --> 00:16:59,300
Surprisingly, when you wake up every single day, you have a choice.

286
00:16:59,300 --> 00:17:04,760
You can choose how you respond to God's little nudges.

287
00:17:04,760 --> 00:17:10,720
You know, those feelings you get that there's an action to take saying, Gary?

288
00:17:10,720 --> 00:17:14,360
Saying yes!

289
00:17:14,360 --> 00:17:15,480
He's my assistant today.

290
00:17:15,480 --> 00:17:20,520
To a new and different opportunity, praying for that stranger in the store, reaching out

291
00:17:20,520 --> 00:17:26,660
to an old friend to ask for forgiveness, being honest in understanding that each of us has

292
00:17:26,660 --> 00:17:28,200
something to give.

293
00:17:28,200 --> 00:17:33,440
The only thing standing in most of our ways is fear.

294
00:17:33,440 --> 00:17:36,160
Point 2.

295
00:17:36,160 --> 00:17:44,520
Tithing our time allows us to serve others in humility, obedience, and love.

296
00:17:44,520 --> 00:17:45,640
Quick story.

297
00:17:45,640 --> 00:17:51,320
A few months back, during our mental health series, Stretched Thin, Chris invited a senior

298
00:17:51,320 --> 00:17:56,080
vineyard pastor from New York to come down and spend a couple days with the staff.

299
00:17:56,080 --> 00:17:58,520
The conversations were so beneficial.

300
00:17:58,520 --> 00:18:02,060
And this one thing that he said has truly stuck with me.

301
00:18:02,060 --> 00:18:08,040
When working with church staff and ministry leaders all over the world, he would hear

302
00:18:08,040 --> 00:18:13,600
that the jobs we do within the church tend to stretch a lot of people thin.

303
00:18:13,600 --> 00:18:15,280
Less than out even.

304
00:18:15,280 --> 00:18:18,400
Maybe to the point where they might want to quit.

305
00:18:18,400 --> 00:18:22,840
When he would talk to someone who had been overly stressed out, he would ask them one

306
00:18:22,840 --> 00:18:24,460
simple question.

307
00:18:24,460 --> 00:18:26,880
Where are you serving?

308
00:18:26,880 --> 00:18:31,800
Not are you serving, but where are you serving?

309
00:18:31,800 --> 00:18:37,080
If they said that they weren't, his first suggestion was to eliminate the stress would

310
00:18:37,080 --> 00:18:42,200
be go find a place or a group of people and serve.

311
00:18:42,200 --> 00:18:48,800
In his experiences, those who did what he instructed became less stressed and even happier

312
00:18:48,800 --> 00:18:52,640
in life and their roles in the church.

313
00:18:52,640 --> 00:18:58,440
Remember that example from before, serving has positive health benefits for us all.

314
00:18:58,440 --> 00:19:04,600
Now in all my recruiting interviews that I do for my clients, one of my main questions,

315
00:19:04,600 --> 00:19:08,000
where are you serving?

316
00:19:08,000 --> 00:19:11,720
Take this to Romans 12 verses 3 through 5.

317
00:19:11,720 --> 00:19:17,120
Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning.

318
00:19:17,120 --> 00:19:19,240
Don't think you are better than you really are.

319
00:19:19,240 --> 00:19:24,720
Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has

320
00:19:24,720 --> 00:19:26,120
given us.

321
00:19:26,120 --> 00:19:31,760
Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with

322
00:19:31,760 --> 00:19:33,300
Christ's body.

323
00:19:33,300 --> 00:19:34,400
That's all of you.

324
00:19:34,400 --> 00:19:39,080
We are many parts of one body and we all belong to one another.

325
00:19:39,080 --> 00:19:42,320
Okay, who has been watching the Olympics?

326
00:19:42,320 --> 00:19:43,320
USA!

327
00:19:43,320 --> 00:19:44,320
USA!

328
00:19:44,320 --> 00:19:47,320
Okay, you guys aren't good at that either.

329
00:19:47,320 --> 00:19:48,320
Okay, that's all right.

330
00:19:48,320 --> 00:19:49,320
We'll come back to it.

331
00:19:49,320 --> 00:19:52,440
Next version is lots more needed participation.

332
00:19:52,440 --> 00:19:56,400
As you may know, you can stream different competitions 24 hours a day, depending on the

333
00:19:56,400 --> 00:19:58,400
right streaming service, etc.

334
00:19:58,400 --> 00:20:03,400
I think we covered in the email last Thursday that I'm one of those psycho weirdos that

335
00:20:03,400 --> 00:20:06,000
tends to get up super duper early in the morning.

336
00:20:06,000 --> 00:20:08,320
I do that for multiple reasons.

337
00:20:08,320 --> 00:20:14,160
One of the reasons that I didn't share with you yet is because it's my uninterrupted time

338
00:20:14,160 --> 00:20:15,160
with God.

339
00:20:15,160 --> 00:20:17,200
Coffee and Jesus.

340
00:20:17,200 --> 00:20:19,280
Yes, shameless plug for the growth group.

341
00:20:19,280 --> 00:20:24,200
I co-lead here with Rudy and Matt Walker one Saturday a month called Coffee and Jesus.

342
00:20:24,200 --> 00:20:25,200
I mean, I had to.

343
00:20:25,200 --> 00:20:26,200
I had the audience.

344
00:20:26,200 --> 00:20:27,200
Okay.

345
00:20:27,200 --> 00:20:34,120
Anyway, yesterday at 5 a.m., I started watching the qualifications for the USA men's gymnastics

346
00:20:34,120 --> 00:20:35,120
team.

347
00:20:35,120 --> 00:20:36,660
Full disclosure here.

348
00:20:36,660 --> 00:20:39,280
I am not a gymnast.

349
00:20:39,280 --> 00:20:41,040
I do go to the gym.

350
00:20:41,040 --> 00:20:47,880
And in fact, there happens to be gymnastics there, but I wouldn't say I really get it.

351
00:20:47,880 --> 00:20:53,880
So I watched as one by one, each member of our team did their best to qualify for placement

352
00:20:53,880 --> 00:20:57,680
individually in the upcoming official Olympic competition.

353
00:20:57,680 --> 00:21:03,120
As a coach myself, I quickly became involved watching the dynamics of this team.

354
00:21:03,120 --> 00:21:07,040
The commentators were talking about the team captain Brody Malone.

355
00:21:07,040 --> 00:21:08,040
Cool name, right?

356
00:21:08,040 --> 00:21:10,000
Like he was destined to be an athlete.

357
00:21:10,000 --> 00:21:15,960
Anyway, he was the golden ticket to get Team USA into the main competition and himself

358
00:21:15,960 --> 00:21:21,440
individually, with highest possible scores anticipated all around on three different

359
00:21:21,440 --> 00:21:24,960
events, the pommel horse, the floor exercise, and his signature event, the high bar.

360
00:21:24,960 --> 00:21:29,120
But after a shocking performance, that chance was gone.

361
00:21:29,120 --> 00:21:35,240
Malone, the only returning member of the previous Olympic team, failed to qualify for the individual

362
00:21:35,240 --> 00:21:42,000
all around final by finishing third among U.S. athletes on the first day of competition.

363
00:21:42,000 --> 00:21:50,200
Unfortunately, only two athletes from each country can proceed to the finals.

364
00:21:50,200 --> 00:21:56,160
The commentators then continued to explain that the fact that he was even at the Olympics

365
00:21:56,160 --> 00:22:02,800
was a miracle due to a gruesome knee injury, one that doctors in fact were sure that wouldn't

366
00:22:02,800 --> 00:22:04,800
allow him to walk on his own.

367
00:22:04,800 --> 00:22:11,280
Brody only recently returned to competitive gymnastics in June when he won his third national

368
00:22:11,280 --> 00:22:12,720
title.

369
00:22:12,720 --> 00:22:18,200
The qualifier was not the outcome he had anticipated.

370
00:22:18,200 --> 00:22:20,000
It was hard to watch.

371
00:22:20,000 --> 00:22:23,600
A champion failing.

372
00:22:23,600 --> 00:22:26,640
Not just once, but multiple times.

373
00:22:26,640 --> 00:22:31,080
He literally slipped and fell twice on one exercise.

374
00:22:31,080 --> 00:22:35,040
His signature event, the one he was supposed to be the best at.

375
00:22:35,040 --> 00:22:37,720
Then, on the floor, he couldn't stick the landings.

376
00:22:37,720 --> 00:22:40,920
I would say a very humbling experience indeed.

377
00:22:40,920 --> 00:22:45,520
But what came next, I was not prepared for.

378
00:22:45,520 --> 00:22:50,440
The cameras caught a team huddle with Captain Brody at the center of it, encouraging the

379
00:22:50,440 --> 00:22:53,240
rest of his team to push forward.

380
00:22:53,240 --> 00:22:58,480
He said he knew his performance had not only let him down personally, but his entire team

381
00:22:58,480 --> 00:22:59,800
too.

382
00:22:59,800 --> 00:23:04,040
Something that could ruin their chances in fact to make it to the next level towards

383
00:23:04,040 --> 00:23:07,800
a team USA Olympic gold medal.

384
00:23:07,800 --> 00:23:15,360
However, the way he put his individual pride aside, for the overall good of the team was

385
00:23:15,360 --> 00:23:17,300
remarkable to watch.

386
00:23:17,300 --> 00:23:18,800
So motivating.

387
00:23:18,800 --> 00:23:24,760
It made me realize in preparing for today's talk, that's how we should see ourselves.

388
00:23:24,760 --> 00:23:30,720
Humbly and willing to put our own goals and our own aspirations aside for our team.

389
00:23:30,720 --> 00:23:31,720
For God.

390
00:23:31,720 --> 00:23:34,240
For God's team.

391
00:23:34,240 --> 00:23:41,840
An individual whose impact, small or great, through our own strength and abilities, won't

392
00:23:41,840 --> 00:23:45,280
always get the overall good accomplished.

393
00:23:45,280 --> 00:23:46,620
We all play a role.

394
00:23:46,620 --> 00:23:51,320
We all have an ability to set ourselves apart like Brody did to support and motivate his

395
00:23:51,320 --> 00:23:58,440
team towards greatness and immediately following his failure and to do it with grace.

396
00:23:58,440 --> 00:24:00,920
We are part of team God.

397
00:24:00,920 --> 00:24:03,200
That's going to be the next chant.

398
00:24:03,200 --> 00:24:09,280
We are called to serve not just in humility, but also in obedience and love for others.

399
00:24:09,280 --> 00:24:10,280
Ready?

400
00:24:10,280 --> 00:24:11,280
Team God.

401
00:24:11,280 --> 00:24:12,280
Team God.

402
00:24:12,280 --> 00:24:13,280
Team God.

403
00:24:13,280 --> 00:24:14,280
Way better.

404
00:24:14,280 --> 00:24:15,280
Yes.

405
00:24:15,280 --> 00:24:16,280
Okay.

406
00:24:16,280 --> 00:24:17,280
All right.

407
00:24:17,280 --> 00:24:18,280
Way better than first service.

408
00:24:18,280 --> 00:24:19,280
All right.

409
00:24:19,280 --> 00:24:20,280
Next verse.

410
00:24:20,280 --> 00:24:22,080
Galatians 6-10.

411
00:24:22,080 --> 00:24:28,880
Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those

412
00:24:28,880 --> 00:24:31,920
who belong to the family of believers.

413
00:24:31,920 --> 00:24:34,760
I promise we are going to take action today.

414
00:24:34,760 --> 00:24:40,400
Our 2024 motto here at HCV in our community of faith is to go deeper.

415
00:24:40,400 --> 00:24:42,720
Raise your hand if you think you've gone deeper since January.

416
00:24:42,720 --> 00:24:43,720
Hallelujah.

417
00:24:43,720 --> 00:24:44,720
Amen.

418
00:24:44,720 --> 00:24:45,720
Yeah.

419
00:24:45,720 --> 00:24:46,720
So, we're sent first service.

420
00:24:46,720 --> 00:24:47,720
You guys, much better.

421
00:24:47,720 --> 00:24:48,720
Thank you.

422
00:24:48,720 --> 00:24:49,720
Thank you.

423
00:24:49,720 --> 00:24:50,720
All right.

424
00:24:50,720 --> 00:24:54,040
So, well, we're more than halfway through the year now, so I'm going to motivate you

425
00:24:54,040 --> 00:24:59,000
today for the next five months to instead grow deeper.

426
00:24:59,000 --> 00:25:00,000
What?

427
00:25:00,000 --> 00:25:03,560
Here's what I mean.

428
00:25:03,560 --> 00:25:06,400
Action steps to growing deeper.

429
00:25:06,400 --> 00:25:13,400
Number one, as Jesus followers, we are expected to take action.

430
00:25:13,400 --> 00:25:17,080
It's hard to believe, but this year marks my 10-year anniversary coming to Hub City

431
00:25:17,080 --> 00:25:18,080
Vineyard.

432
00:25:18,080 --> 00:25:19,080
Yeah.

433
00:25:19,080 --> 00:25:20,080
Okay.

434
00:25:20,080 --> 00:25:21,080
Yeah.

435
00:25:21,080 --> 00:25:22,080
Thank you.

436
00:25:22,080 --> 00:25:24,880
All I did was show up most of the time, but it's cool.

437
00:25:24,880 --> 00:25:29,560
My first Sunday gathering at Bauer Avenue was January of 2014.

438
00:25:29,560 --> 00:25:31,240
Thanks Matt Walker for inviting me.

439
00:25:31,240 --> 00:25:36,600
And like most of you, I immediately felt at home as soon as I walked through those doors.

440
00:25:36,600 --> 00:25:38,320
Free coffee and snacks?

441
00:25:38,320 --> 00:25:39,800
Yes, please.

442
00:25:39,800 --> 00:25:42,760
Then friendly hippies high-fiving for Jesus?

443
00:25:42,760 --> 00:25:45,280
I thought to myself, where am I?

444
00:25:45,280 --> 00:25:47,600
Is this for real?

445
00:25:47,600 --> 00:25:53,960
Maybe like week number three, attending church, a girl walks up to me and says, hey, you look

446
00:25:53,960 --> 00:25:54,960
fun.

447
00:25:54,960 --> 00:25:56,320
You should be on our welcome team.

448
00:25:56,320 --> 00:25:57,320
Hey, girl.

449
00:25:57,320 --> 00:26:03,280
I don't remember now how I responded then, but again, like most of you, I would guess

450
00:26:03,280 --> 00:26:08,120
I said something to the effects of, but I haven't even been here a month yet.

451
00:26:08,120 --> 00:26:09,560
She said, so what?

452
00:26:09,560 --> 00:26:11,040
You'll catch on quick.

453
00:26:11,040 --> 00:26:16,720
All you need to do is smile and welcome people, give high-fives and hand them a program.

454
00:26:16,720 --> 00:26:22,760
So the next week, I was on the welcome team being trained by our very own Mr. Rick Troxel

455
00:26:22,760 --> 00:26:24,920
on how to give correct high-fives.

456
00:26:24,920 --> 00:26:28,560
Yes, if you don't know, there is a science behind it.

457
00:26:28,560 --> 00:26:33,080
I was welcoming people and handing out programs because that's what they said to do.

458
00:26:33,080 --> 00:26:35,440
Let's just say I was a quick learner.

459
00:26:35,440 --> 00:26:41,920
Today, 10 years later, I'm still on the welcome team and even the church staff member who

460
00:26:41,920 --> 00:26:42,920
oversees it.

461
00:26:42,920 --> 00:26:47,480
Shout out to my volunteer teams and my leader, Michael Swain, who's been with us since the

462
00:26:47,480 --> 00:26:48,480
South High days.

463
00:26:48,480 --> 00:26:49,840
Buddy, you rock my socks.

464
00:26:49,840 --> 00:26:52,100
I'm so thankful for you.

465
00:26:52,100 --> 00:26:54,120
My point, yeah, go ahead.

466
00:26:54,120 --> 00:26:55,120
Yeah, yeah, clap.

467
00:26:55,120 --> 00:26:57,480
Audience participation, bring it.

468
00:26:57,480 --> 00:26:59,500
Lots of clapping.

469
00:26:59,500 --> 00:27:03,420
So my point, it doesn't have to be complicated.

470
00:27:03,420 --> 00:27:08,320
It's actually quite simple, just say to one thing.

471
00:27:08,320 --> 00:27:09,920
Man, this is so easy.

472
00:27:09,920 --> 00:27:11,640
I just point and it's good.

473
00:27:11,640 --> 00:27:13,680
Gary, I love you, man.

474
00:27:13,680 --> 00:27:14,680
All right.

475
00:27:14,680 --> 00:27:17,720
One opportunity, one way to serve.

476
00:27:17,720 --> 00:27:21,280
Our request here at HCV for regular attendees, let me explain what that is.

477
00:27:21,280 --> 00:27:26,520
If you come once or twice a month, congratulations, you're a regular attendee, is to participate

478
00:27:26,520 --> 00:27:34,920
in one Sunday a month, one gathering, which equates to roughly two hours a month, way

479
00:27:34,920 --> 00:27:36,920
less than 10%.

480
00:27:36,920 --> 00:27:40,240
Yet, we still don't do it.

481
00:27:40,240 --> 00:27:42,760
You know, we just don't have the time.

482
00:27:42,760 --> 00:27:47,400
So Kelsey, how do you find out more about these opportunities to serve?

483
00:27:47,400 --> 00:27:51,040
Well, I'm glad you guys asked.

484
00:27:51,040 --> 00:27:56,040
In addition to our weekly email, Chris's email on Thursday mornings at 7 a.m. to be specific

485
00:27:56,040 --> 00:28:00,320
and announcements, social media website, et cetera, starting next week, there will be

486
00:28:00,320 --> 00:28:03,160
a QR code on the backs of all these chairs.

487
00:28:03,160 --> 00:28:08,040
Well, not all of them, every three chairs, I think, that will take you when you scan

488
00:28:08,040 --> 00:28:14,360
it to active links for you to sign up to serve and all the details plus registering for all

489
00:28:14,360 --> 00:28:15,360
of our events.

490
00:28:15,360 --> 00:28:16,680
Now you can clap.

491
00:28:16,680 --> 00:28:17,680
Yeah.

492
00:28:17,680 --> 00:28:18,680
We do work.

493
00:28:18,680 --> 00:28:21,240
Listen, we really do work when the pastors are away.

494
00:28:21,240 --> 00:28:22,240
I swear.

495
00:28:22,240 --> 00:28:24,840
Thank you, Stephen, for helping us out with the QR code and Aaron's going to be putting

496
00:28:24,840 --> 00:28:25,840
them on the chairs.

497
00:28:25,840 --> 00:28:26,840
We'll do it next week.

498
00:28:26,840 --> 00:28:27,840
Scan that thing.

499
00:28:27,840 --> 00:28:28,840
Yep.

500
00:28:28,840 --> 00:28:29,840
I hope it works.

501
00:28:29,840 --> 00:28:30,840
God, we can't do it without you.

502
00:28:30,840 --> 00:28:31,840
All right.

503
00:28:31,840 --> 00:28:36,880
Then another shameless plug in two weeks, Sunday, August 11th, I host Team Up, which is another

504
00:28:36,880 --> 00:28:39,480
way for you to come and learn about the different opportunities.

505
00:28:39,480 --> 00:28:41,520
It's almost like I said this before.

506
00:28:41,520 --> 00:28:46,800
Here for our Sunday morning volunteer teams as long as our, I'm sorry, as well as our

507
00:28:46,800 --> 00:28:48,880
ministry teams.

508
00:28:48,880 --> 00:28:55,760
If you have talents that don't align with any of these opportunities, that's okay.

509
00:28:55,760 --> 00:28:57,600
We're open to your ideas too.

510
00:28:57,600 --> 00:29:00,760
So in fact, I'll give you a couple of examples.

511
00:29:00,760 --> 00:29:04,400
You see all the plants around our campus, both inside and out?

512
00:29:04,400 --> 00:29:10,480
A couple came to us and proposed they could help beautify our campus.

513
00:29:10,480 --> 00:29:12,160
We said, sure.

514
00:29:12,160 --> 00:29:13,160
Thanks Mike and Sean.

515
00:29:13,160 --> 00:29:14,160
Yeah.

516
00:29:14,160 --> 00:29:19,720
I told you you were going to be clapping.

517
00:29:19,720 --> 00:29:24,220
Did you know there are people who fist bump every Sunday and spread love to everyone who

518
00:29:24,220 --> 00:29:26,720
walks through that door?

519
00:29:26,720 --> 00:29:27,720
Guess what?

520
00:29:27,720 --> 00:29:29,440
He's not even a part of our welcome team.

521
00:29:29,440 --> 00:29:32,400
He just shows up every week and does it.

522
00:29:32,400 --> 00:29:37,240
Ryan, love you buddy.

523
00:29:37,240 --> 00:29:44,460
Then you have our favorites, the fellas in the parking lot.

524
00:29:44,460 --> 00:29:49,280
Your first point of contact as you enter on Sunday mornings and aren't they gorgeous to

525
00:29:49,280 --> 00:29:50,840
look at?

526
00:29:50,840 --> 00:29:56,440
Shriver, you and the team make it easy to be your manager.

527
00:29:56,440 --> 00:30:00,760
After services, there are people who go through all the seats, cleaning up spilled drinks,

528
00:30:00,760 --> 00:30:06,600
trash and leftover programs so that the first guest experience is the same as the second

529
00:30:06,600 --> 00:30:08,640
guest experience.

530
00:30:08,640 --> 00:30:10,560
Then we have ladies.

531
00:30:10,560 --> 00:30:16,640
We refer to them as our CPOs, chief potty officers.

532
00:30:16,640 --> 00:30:17,640
That's right.

533
00:30:17,640 --> 00:30:22,720
Our chief potty who clean the bathrooms every single week after the second gathering.

534
00:30:22,720 --> 00:30:26,080
Yep, yep, yep.

535
00:30:26,080 --> 00:30:27,080
Amen.

536
00:30:27,080 --> 00:30:35,360
Talk about a dirty job, but they do it with a smile and don't expect anything in return.

537
00:30:35,360 --> 00:30:36,360
Thanks Chris and Ellen.

538
00:30:36,360 --> 00:30:40,360
We love you guys.

539
00:30:40,360 --> 00:30:43,840
Those are just a couple opportunities, a couple things that were brought to us.

540
00:30:43,840 --> 00:30:47,760
Now that's what I call a love for serving when you decide what your time and talents

541
00:30:47,760 --> 00:30:52,040
are and you tell us and we say, let's do it.

542
00:30:52,040 --> 00:30:55,100
Still also recruiting for the parking team.

543
00:30:55,100 --> 00:30:59,040
You may get hit by a car when you go out and people turn the wrong way, but it's safe.

544
00:30:59,040 --> 00:31:00,680
I promise it's safe.

545
00:31:00,680 --> 00:31:06,600
All right, next verse, Romans chapter 12, nine through 11.

546
00:31:06,600 --> 00:31:09,200
Don't just pretend to love others.

547
00:31:09,200 --> 00:31:10,520
Really love them.

548
00:31:10,520 --> 00:31:11,720
Hate what is wrong.

549
00:31:11,720 --> 00:31:13,480
Hold tightly to what is good.

550
00:31:13,480 --> 00:31:18,700
Love each other with genuine affection and take delight in honoring each other.

551
00:31:18,700 --> 00:31:24,640
Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically.

552
00:31:24,640 --> 00:31:30,720
A genuine thank you to all of our volunteers and our teams who work hard and serve the

553
00:31:30,720 --> 00:31:34,520
Lord enthusiastically here at HCV.

554
00:31:34,520 --> 00:31:35,520
Hold on, wait, hold it, hold it.

555
00:31:35,520 --> 00:31:38,040
I promise I'll give you a chance.

556
00:31:38,040 --> 00:31:45,960
I pray it brings you just as much optimism, joy and blessings that it has me.

557
00:31:45,960 --> 00:31:49,440
All right, save a little bit.

558
00:31:49,440 --> 00:31:50,440
Ready?

559
00:31:50,440 --> 00:31:51,440
This is where you're going to clap.

560
00:31:51,440 --> 00:31:55,000
We love and appreciate each and every one of you.

561
00:31:55,000 --> 00:32:02,720
Come on, let's give them a round of applause.

562
00:32:02,720 --> 00:32:03,720
All right.

563
00:32:03,720 --> 00:32:05,200
I know you're tired of listening to me talk.

564
00:32:05,200 --> 00:32:10,880
The news is I may have leaked this next super secret extra special surprise to some of you

565
00:32:10,880 --> 00:32:13,800
already now for the rest of you.

566
00:32:13,800 --> 00:32:19,080
At this time, I would like my good friend, my brother, Scott Fuzz Kretzer to share his

567
00:32:19,080 --> 00:32:23,560
testimonial with all of you about how serving has impacted his life.

568
00:32:23,560 --> 00:32:24,560
Yeah.

569
00:32:24,560 --> 00:32:31,080
I think we got to do some moving around, so just bear with me here for a second.

570
00:32:31,080 --> 00:32:34,600
As Scott gets settled up here, I left you more room this time.

571
00:32:34,600 --> 00:32:36,200
Are you happy about that?

572
00:32:36,200 --> 00:32:37,200
Okay.

573
00:32:37,200 --> 00:32:38,200
Yeah.

574
00:32:38,200 --> 00:32:42,000
I didn't bring last time I had like three drinks and all kinds of stuff up here.

575
00:32:42,000 --> 00:32:43,000
All right.

576
00:32:43,000 --> 00:32:45,000
So you'll notice this nice image on the screen.

577
00:32:45,000 --> 00:32:47,320
Yeah, let me move over so everybody can see it.

578
00:32:47,320 --> 00:32:50,520
Scott's the one on the right, obviously, and some of you may recognize that big guy on

579
00:32:50,520 --> 00:32:51,520
the left from the parking lot.

580
00:32:51,520 --> 00:32:52,520
Yeah, he's good looking.

581
00:32:52,520 --> 00:32:53,520
Oh, he is good looking.

582
00:32:53,520 --> 00:32:57,520
He's also my husband.

583
00:32:57,520 --> 00:32:59,840
So he didn't really get to volunteer.

584
00:32:59,840 --> 00:33:01,800
He was more like volun-told.

585
00:33:01,800 --> 00:33:05,800
He was going to co-lead the parking team with Shriver.

586
00:33:05,800 --> 00:33:12,680
But since then, he says that when he misses a Sunday morning serving in that capacity,

587
00:33:12,680 --> 00:33:15,880
that his weeks just aren't the same.

588
00:33:15,880 --> 00:33:16,880
That's God.

589
00:33:16,880 --> 00:33:17,880
Amen.

590
00:33:17,880 --> 00:33:18,880
God love him.

591
00:33:18,880 --> 00:33:19,880
I know I do.

592
00:33:19,880 --> 00:33:20,880
All right, Scott.

593
00:33:20,880 --> 00:33:23,080
The two things, hold on before you start actually.

594
00:33:23,080 --> 00:33:24,080
Look at us.

595
00:33:24,080 --> 00:33:25,080
We're way ahead.

596
00:33:25,080 --> 00:33:26,080
Way ahead.

597
00:33:26,080 --> 00:33:27,080
All right.

598
00:33:27,080 --> 00:33:28,080
We were a little late for service.

599
00:33:28,080 --> 00:33:29,080
We'll fix it.

600
00:33:29,080 --> 00:33:30,080
We got it this time.

601
00:33:30,080 --> 00:33:31,080
Okay.

602
00:33:31,080 --> 00:33:37,080
So, the thing these two have in common is at a very young age, they were taught the

603
00:33:37,080 --> 00:33:38,580
meaning of service.

604
00:33:38,580 --> 00:33:50,480
As veterans of the most elite branch of the US military, our United States Marines.

605
00:33:50,480 --> 00:33:54,680
They still get giddy like little school girls when they have the opportunity to serve together.

606
00:33:54,680 --> 00:33:59,000
Hence, when I received this picture, the first night Scott volunteered at the Maryland Theater

607
00:33:59,000 --> 00:34:00,520
where my husband was working.

608
00:34:00,520 --> 00:34:03,040
The rest, I'll let him share with you.

609
00:34:03,040 --> 00:34:04,040
Welcome, Scott.

610
00:34:04,040 --> 00:34:07,520
Thanks for saying yes to this opportunity.

611
00:34:07,520 --> 00:34:08,520
Take it away, bud.

612
00:34:08,520 --> 00:34:11,600
The first thing I want to say is thank you.

613
00:34:11,600 --> 00:34:13,000
It's been awesome this week.

614
00:34:13,000 --> 00:34:15,440
It's been nuts.

615
00:34:15,440 --> 00:34:16,840
So much practice.

616
00:34:16,840 --> 00:34:19,600
But we showed up this morning kind of coordinated.

617
00:34:19,600 --> 00:34:22,280
We didn't even make the phone call.

618
00:34:22,280 --> 00:34:24,640
But anyway, my name's Scott Kretzer.

619
00:34:24,640 --> 00:34:28,440
I'll get to my story here because the last service, I think I seen the red light back

620
00:34:28,440 --> 00:34:29,720
there going, it's time.

621
00:34:29,720 --> 00:34:30,720
It's time.

622
00:34:30,720 --> 00:34:31,720
It's time.

623
00:34:31,720 --> 00:34:32,720
But any which way.

624
00:34:32,720 --> 00:34:33,720
I did.

625
00:34:33,720 --> 00:34:34,720
I talked faster.

626
00:34:34,720 --> 00:34:37,160
Yeah, I got a little breathing room.

627
00:34:37,160 --> 00:34:40,320
So I grew up in the church at an early age.

628
00:34:40,320 --> 00:34:46,520
My parents were divorced early, but they both led examples of Christ.

629
00:34:46,520 --> 00:34:52,480
So I was able to see how that was portrayed and how I was supposed to live.

630
00:34:52,480 --> 00:34:58,880
I went through my teen years as a lot of us did and just set that all aside and figured

631
00:34:58,880 --> 00:35:00,280
I'd come back to it later.

632
00:35:00,280 --> 00:35:07,240
So they led by example and planted a real good seed at the time.

633
00:35:07,240 --> 00:35:12,720
Before I attended Hub City, I went to another church.

634
00:35:12,720 --> 00:35:16,960
It was a very spirit-filled church.

635
00:35:16,960 --> 00:35:25,680
And I just got to the point after about two years where I wasn't being fed.

636
00:35:25,680 --> 00:35:30,920
I'd volunteer a little bit here and there, but I remember talking to my mom and I asked

637
00:35:30,920 --> 00:35:37,280
her, Mom, this church, I'm kind of at a stagnant point, not really going anywhere.

638
00:35:37,280 --> 00:35:41,040
The church is not giving me anything.

639
00:35:41,040 --> 00:35:49,600
So mom looked at me kindly and she said, son, the church is not designed to give you anything.

640
00:35:49,600 --> 00:35:54,160
My question to you is, what are you giving your church?

641
00:35:54,160 --> 00:35:59,240
And bam, I let it go through one ear, right out the other.

642
00:35:59,240 --> 00:36:01,200
That's what we do with moms, right?

643
00:36:01,200 --> 00:36:04,480
She doesn't know what she's talking about.

644
00:36:04,480 --> 00:36:10,320
So at that point, I consider myself a taker.

645
00:36:10,320 --> 00:36:11,840
And I'll come back to that.

646
00:36:11,840 --> 00:36:15,600
But at that point in my walk, I am a taker.

647
00:36:15,600 --> 00:36:19,360
So I show up here at Hub City.

648
00:36:19,360 --> 00:36:20,360
I'm a veteran now.

649
00:36:20,360 --> 00:36:23,200
I'm 12 years in, so I've got some time here.

650
00:36:23,200 --> 00:36:28,120
Same thing, volunteered a little bit here, a little bit there, where it was comfortable

651
00:36:28,120 --> 00:36:31,080
when I had time.

652
00:36:31,080 --> 00:36:39,080
And often, Chris over at Bauer Avenue would catch me after service and he would say, hey,

653
00:36:39,080 --> 00:36:40,880
God's calling you to serve.

654
00:36:40,880 --> 00:36:44,160
Okay, so the next week I would serve.

655
00:36:44,160 --> 00:36:45,720
That was about it.

656
00:36:45,720 --> 00:36:50,240
So it fit my schedule and my level of comfortability.

657
00:36:50,240 --> 00:36:56,200
And then I can remember like two years ago, you guys know Patricia Benchoff?

658
00:36:56,200 --> 00:37:03,480
Well, she hit me with one of her, well, we all know her as the mother of the church,

659
00:37:03,480 --> 00:37:04,480
you know, pretty much.

660
00:37:04,480 --> 00:37:08,520
I think everyone knows her as mom of the church, you know.

661
00:37:08,520 --> 00:37:16,000
But to me, yeah, she's the fairy godmother of church because of how she approaches things

662
00:37:16,000 --> 00:37:17,040
personally with me.

663
00:37:17,040 --> 00:37:21,640
She just kind of sneaks up behind you and she drops these little things in your, you

664
00:37:21,640 --> 00:37:25,920
know, back here, kind of give you the chills and all that.

665
00:37:25,920 --> 00:37:31,200
And she met me out in the lobby out there and she passed by behind me and she was like,

666
00:37:31,200 --> 00:37:35,600
hey, go check out the School of Kingdom Ministry table.

667
00:37:35,600 --> 00:37:38,400
I looked for her and she was gone.

668
00:37:38,400 --> 00:37:39,400
Where'd that come from?

669
00:37:39,400 --> 00:37:41,680
Yeah, that had to be Patricia's.

670
00:37:41,680 --> 00:37:42,680
That's one of those nudges.

671
00:37:42,680 --> 00:37:45,200
Yeah, so I looked around the lobby.

672
00:37:45,200 --> 00:37:46,200
I seen the table.

673
00:37:46,200 --> 00:37:53,680
I went over and I checked it out and it's amazing how God works in all of our lives.

674
00:37:53,680 --> 00:38:02,680
But at that moment in my Bible study, I was kind of at a dead end.

675
00:38:02,680 --> 00:38:05,640
My days are structured just like military.

676
00:38:05,640 --> 00:38:07,080
I wake up at a certain time.

677
00:38:07,080 --> 00:38:08,640
I take a shower at a certain time.

678
00:38:08,640 --> 00:38:11,200
I get in the Bible at a certain time and then I get to work.

679
00:38:11,200 --> 00:38:13,920
I work from home so I can lay that all out.

680
00:38:13,920 --> 00:38:18,520
So my Bible study at the time was kind of stagnant, wasn't really boosted.

681
00:38:18,520 --> 00:38:28,080
So I signed up for the School of Kingdom Ministry and it didn't take long to realize my Bible

682
00:38:28,080 --> 00:38:30,520
study is on fire now.

683
00:38:30,520 --> 00:38:31,520
It's different.

684
00:38:31,520 --> 00:38:32,520
Hallelujah.

685
00:38:32,520 --> 00:38:33,520
It's a lot different.

686
00:38:33,520 --> 00:38:34,520
Yeah.

687
00:38:34,520 --> 00:38:35,520
Yes.

688
00:38:35,520 --> 00:38:38,200
So it was just really, really crazy at the time.

689
00:38:38,200 --> 00:38:48,080
But during this school, the one thing that really stood out to me early was at the end

690
00:38:48,080 --> 00:38:54,240
of the school year, we were going to be challenged to go out into public spaces, the malls, and

691
00:38:54,240 --> 00:38:56,760
pray for complete strangers.

692
00:38:56,760 --> 00:39:01,540
That was going to be our big challenge of the whole year.

693
00:39:01,540 --> 00:39:03,560
To me at the time, I was down.

694
00:39:03,560 --> 00:39:08,000
I was like, cool, this is going to be exactly what I need, exactly what I want.

695
00:39:08,000 --> 00:39:10,800
I'm ready for the challenge.

696
00:39:10,800 --> 00:39:14,080
But the time came and I backed out.

697
00:39:14,080 --> 00:39:15,800
I found every excuse to get out of it.

698
00:39:15,800 --> 00:39:18,320
It was very intimidating to me.

699
00:39:18,320 --> 00:39:20,120
And so I got out of it.

700
00:39:20,120 --> 00:39:21,120
Yeah.

701
00:39:21,120 --> 00:39:22,120
Walk, walk, walk.

702
00:39:22,120 --> 00:39:23,960
Yeah, walk, walk, walk.

703
00:39:23,960 --> 00:39:24,960
So again...

704
00:39:24,960 --> 00:39:29,480
I was just waiting patiently to throw that in there.

705
00:39:29,480 --> 00:39:31,840
So at this time, I'm still a taker.

706
00:39:31,840 --> 00:39:34,640
I'm still a taker.

707
00:39:34,640 --> 00:39:35,960
Okay?

708
00:39:35,960 --> 00:39:37,360
Switch gears here.

709
00:39:37,360 --> 00:39:39,760
I know all of you feel the same way I do.

710
00:39:39,760 --> 00:39:43,720
There's sometimes Chris is looking at you and you only when he's preaching.

711
00:39:43,720 --> 00:39:46,080
The room is empty, but you and him.

712
00:39:46,080 --> 00:39:48,260
Okay, well, Chris...

713
00:39:48,260 --> 00:39:57,720
In my time here, Chris has never spoke that I have heard about marijuana.

714
00:39:57,720 --> 00:40:04,520
And we were finishing up the 21 Days of Freedom in January.

715
00:40:04,520 --> 00:40:09,200
And Chris was doing a sermon and he looked right at me.

716
00:40:09,200 --> 00:40:11,240
He said, nobody else was here, I believe.

717
00:40:11,240 --> 00:40:12,400
I didn't feel it.

718
00:40:12,400 --> 00:40:13,400
Yeah.

719
00:40:13,400 --> 00:40:22,040
And he looked at me and he said, stop believing the lies that you need marijuana to relax,

720
00:40:22,040 --> 00:40:25,800
to sleep, to exist.

721
00:40:25,800 --> 00:40:29,920
And I was very convicted at the time, very convicted at the time.

722
00:40:29,920 --> 00:40:35,880
That week to end that series, Chris had what was called Freedom Night.

723
00:40:35,880 --> 00:40:40,960
And along the front of the stage here, there was a ton of trash cans, a couple of dumpsters.

724
00:40:40,960 --> 00:40:44,000
And I came with two armloads that night.

725
00:40:44,000 --> 00:40:47,160
I remember you coming in actually and I was like, bro, you got a lot to work with.

726
00:40:47,160 --> 00:40:48,720
Yeah, I had a backpack full.

727
00:40:48,720 --> 00:40:52,000
I was coming to get rid of some stuff, some baggage.

728
00:40:52,000 --> 00:40:53,600
Throw it out.

729
00:40:53,600 --> 00:40:54,600
Yeah.

730
00:40:54,600 --> 00:41:02,440
And a 20-year-old prayer to release them demons from me, stop believing the lies was

731
00:41:02,440 --> 00:41:04,600
answered that night.

732
00:41:04,600 --> 00:41:05,600
I walked out.

733
00:41:05,600 --> 00:41:06,600
Yeah.

734
00:41:06,600 --> 00:41:07,600
Yes.

735
00:41:07,600 --> 00:41:12,800
I gave up marijuana and I gave up tobacco all in the same night.

736
00:41:12,800 --> 00:41:14,160
And it was fantastic.

737
00:41:14,160 --> 00:41:16,960
I walked out of here a different person.

738
00:41:16,960 --> 00:41:17,960
Heck yeah.

739
00:41:17,960 --> 00:41:21,200
Yeah, it was fantastic.

740
00:41:21,200 --> 00:41:22,840
You guys read Fortune Cookies?

741
00:41:22,840 --> 00:41:23,840
Okay.

742
00:41:23,840 --> 00:41:24,840
I do sometimes.

743
00:41:24,840 --> 00:41:25,840
I saved some.

744
00:41:25,840 --> 00:41:26,840
Is that weird?

745
00:41:26,840 --> 00:41:27,840
Yeah, I have two.

746
00:41:27,840 --> 00:41:28,840
I have two.

747
00:41:28,840 --> 00:41:32,920
One is an old one that my nanny gave me when I was about 25, I believe.

748
00:41:32,920 --> 00:41:36,000
And it runs through my mind all the time.

749
00:41:36,000 --> 00:41:37,960
You can barely see it anymore, but I still have it.

750
00:41:37,960 --> 00:41:44,880
And it says, if you continually give, you will continually have.

751
00:41:44,880 --> 00:41:49,040
And I've carried that with me for years and years and years.

752
00:41:49,040 --> 00:41:54,480
And when I feel that I'm not giving, I revisit that.

753
00:41:54,480 --> 00:42:03,040
The other one, Fortune Cookie, it also reads, some of us are blessed to be givers and some

754
00:42:03,040 --> 00:42:06,680
of us are cursed to be takers.

755
00:42:06,680 --> 00:42:08,720
Wow.

756
00:42:08,720 --> 00:42:11,120
That night I became a giver.

757
00:42:11,120 --> 00:42:13,080
I am no longer a taker.

758
00:42:13,080 --> 00:42:14,440
That night that I gave up...

759
00:42:14,440 --> 00:42:15,440
Yeah.

760
00:42:15,440 --> 00:42:16,440
That was bad.

761
00:42:16,440 --> 00:42:17,440
We didn't do that.

762
00:42:17,440 --> 00:42:18,440
Yes.

763
00:42:18,440 --> 00:42:19,440
Yeah.

764
00:42:19,440 --> 00:42:20,440
So I became a giver that night.

765
00:42:20,440 --> 00:42:21,440
Cheers to giving.

766
00:42:21,440 --> 00:42:22,440
Yes.

767
00:42:22,440 --> 00:42:23,440
Yeah.

768
00:42:23,440 --> 00:42:25,360
All right, Scott, I'm going to stop you for a second because that's the perfect lead in

769
00:42:25,360 --> 00:42:27,080
to our next action step.

770
00:42:27,080 --> 00:42:28,080
We get very excited up here.

771
00:42:28,080 --> 00:42:30,000
We got to stay on track.

772
00:42:30,000 --> 00:42:32,480
Number two, action.

773
00:42:32,480 --> 00:42:39,480
Awareness and accountability helps us to learn and grow deeper in our faith.

774
00:42:39,480 --> 00:42:41,920
I'm going to go ahead and do the Bible verse as well.

775
00:42:41,920 --> 00:42:45,700
Again, Romans chapter 12, verses six through eight.

776
00:42:45,700 --> 00:42:52,040
In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well.

777
00:42:52,040 --> 00:42:58,600
So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given

778
00:42:58,600 --> 00:42:59,600
you.

779
00:42:59,600 --> 00:43:03,500
If your gift is serving others, serve them well.

780
00:43:03,500 --> 00:43:07,500
If you are a teacher, teach well.

781
00:43:07,500 --> 00:43:11,680
If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging.

782
00:43:11,680 --> 00:43:14,820
If it is giving, give generously.

783
00:43:14,820 --> 00:43:20,920
If God has given you leadership ability, take that responsibility seriously.

784
00:43:20,920 --> 00:43:26,320
And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.

785
00:43:26,320 --> 00:43:30,600
All right, you can continue now.

786
00:43:30,600 --> 00:43:33,960
All right.

787
00:43:33,960 --> 00:43:41,760
One of the other areas I volunteered for early was the night to shine.

788
00:43:41,760 --> 00:43:43,760
Tim Tebow's night.

789
00:43:43,760 --> 00:43:44,760
What an amazing night.

790
00:43:44,760 --> 00:43:45,880
We skipped this the first time.

791
00:43:45,880 --> 00:43:50,880
Can you put that picture of somebody that you might recognize up on the screen for me,

792
00:43:50,880 --> 00:43:51,880
Trent?

793
00:43:51,880 --> 00:43:53,720
This is from night to, no, the other one.

794
00:43:53,720 --> 00:43:54,720
Sorry.

795
00:43:54,720 --> 00:43:55,720
The other one.

796
00:43:55,720 --> 00:43:56,720
Oh, there it is.

797
00:43:56,720 --> 00:43:57,720
This is from night to shine.

798
00:43:57,720 --> 00:44:03,760
I didn't use it for service, but I felt the need to show the joy from serving at night

799
00:44:03,760 --> 00:44:04,760
to shine.

800
00:44:04,760 --> 00:44:06,960
So February, we're definitely doing it again.

801
00:44:06,960 --> 00:44:09,880
Be sure to put it on your calendars.

802
00:44:09,880 --> 00:44:10,880
Attack Tracy at the welcome hub.

803
00:44:10,880 --> 00:44:12,480
She'll get you all the info you need to know.

804
00:44:12,480 --> 00:44:13,480
All right, back to you.

805
00:44:13,480 --> 00:44:18,520
Night to shine was one of those nights where I did not know, I knew nothing about special

806
00:44:18,520 --> 00:44:19,520
needs.

807
00:44:19,520 --> 00:44:22,440
I just felt it was a good time to serve.

808
00:44:22,440 --> 00:44:25,000
So I came and walked away.

809
00:44:25,000 --> 00:44:26,000
Amazing.

810
00:44:26,000 --> 00:44:27,000
Pretty wild.

811
00:44:27,000 --> 00:44:28,640
How many times did you cry?

812
00:44:28,640 --> 00:44:29,640
The whole week after.

813
00:44:29,640 --> 00:44:30,640
The whole week after.

814
00:44:30,640 --> 00:44:31,640
I was in awe.

815
00:44:31,640 --> 00:44:32,640
So good.

816
00:44:32,640 --> 00:44:33,640
The whole week after.

817
00:44:33,640 --> 00:44:34,640
It was very, very heavy.

818
00:44:34,640 --> 00:44:35,640
All right.

819
00:44:35,640 --> 00:44:40,840
As you've seen in the picture earlier, I also saw volunteer at the Maryland theater.

820
00:44:40,840 --> 00:44:45,960
My mom, she introduced me to the arts and theater at an early age.

821
00:44:45,960 --> 00:44:51,840
Just for my appreciation for that, I decided to hear that I would volunteer there as well

822
00:44:51,840 --> 00:44:57,120
and just give time back to them and the community there.

823
00:44:57,120 --> 00:44:58,600
It's been very rewarding.

824
00:44:58,600 --> 00:45:00,160
What's your favorite part again?

825
00:45:00,160 --> 00:45:01,160
You get in free.

826
00:45:01,160 --> 00:45:02,160
Oh, you get to watch all the shows.

827
00:45:02,160 --> 00:45:03,160
You get to watch all the stuff for free.

828
00:45:03,160 --> 00:45:04,160
Hey, they have some really good shows at the Maryland theater.

829
00:45:04,160 --> 00:45:05,160
Oh, and the vest.

830
00:45:05,160 --> 00:45:06,160
Yeah, you get a cool vest.

831
00:45:06,160 --> 00:45:07,160
The vest, that's really his favorite.

832
00:45:07,160 --> 00:45:08,160
The name tag.

833
00:45:08,160 --> 00:45:09,160
The vest and the name tag.

834
00:45:09,160 --> 00:45:10,160
Oh, yeah, yeah.

835
00:45:10,160 --> 00:45:11,160
You look stylish, man.

836
00:45:11,160 --> 00:45:12,160
Look at that.

837
00:45:12,160 --> 00:45:13,160
I was so happy to get that vest.

838
00:45:13,160 --> 00:45:14,160
So classic.

839
00:45:14,160 --> 00:45:15,160
So classic.

840
00:45:15,160 --> 00:45:16,160
All right, go.

841
00:45:16,160 --> 00:45:22,120
Our church also has, we volunteer, I don't know if everyone knows this, but we also volunteer

842
00:45:22,120 --> 00:45:27,720
in at the Hagerstown Home, Hagerstown Health Care, Health Center.

843
00:45:27,720 --> 00:45:29,280
And it is in off the dual highway.

844
00:45:29,280 --> 00:45:31,920
So you better give them a shout out.

845
00:45:31,920 --> 00:45:32,920
Yeah.

846
00:45:32,920 --> 00:45:33,920
Hey, guys.

847
00:45:33,920 --> 00:45:34,920
Good to see you guys.

848
00:45:34,920 --> 00:45:35,920
I missed you this week.

849
00:45:35,920 --> 00:45:37,480
Hopefully I'm there next week.

850
00:45:37,480 --> 00:45:39,280
But it's very rewarding.

851
00:45:39,280 --> 00:45:44,880
And to me, it was when Chris talked about it, then Rudy talked about it, Rudy headed

852
00:45:44,880 --> 00:45:45,880
it up.

853
00:45:45,880 --> 00:45:48,760
So I decided, you know, it should be easy.

854
00:45:48,760 --> 00:45:50,200
You know, I should be able to do it.

855
00:45:50,200 --> 00:45:51,200
Great reason to volunteer and serve.

856
00:45:51,200 --> 00:45:52,200
Yeah, it should be easy.

857
00:45:52,200 --> 00:45:53,200
You know, you just go in.

858
00:45:53,200 --> 00:45:54,200
It should be easy.

859
00:45:54,200 --> 00:45:57,280
Turn the TV on, let them live stream, say hi, bye.

860
00:45:57,280 --> 00:46:01,040
And you know, well, it wasn't that.

861
00:46:01,040 --> 00:46:05,320
This is, the story goes, it's God doing God things.

862
00:46:05,320 --> 00:46:08,360
And what happened?

863
00:46:08,360 --> 00:46:09,360
Truly amazing.

864
00:46:09,360 --> 00:46:14,840
I was in there by myself and because we don't have very many people serving in there.

865
00:46:14,840 --> 00:46:17,640
So it would be nice.

866
00:46:17,640 --> 00:46:18,960
Any which way, I'm sitting there.

867
00:46:18,960 --> 00:46:22,200
And after the service was over, I was wrapping things up.

868
00:46:22,200 --> 00:46:26,440
And one of the nurses came up to me with a little sheet of paper and it had two residents

869
00:46:26,440 --> 00:46:27,940
names and their room numbers.

870
00:46:27,940 --> 00:46:33,880
And she asked me, would you be so kind to go to their rooms and pray for them?

871
00:46:33,880 --> 00:46:36,400
They can't physically make it down here to watch the service.

872
00:46:36,400 --> 00:46:41,560
So I was like, all right, God, give me strength.

873
00:46:41,560 --> 00:46:45,340
I failed in at the Socom class at the mall.

874
00:46:45,340 --> 00:46:48,000
So I asked for opportunities.

875
00:46:48,000 --> 00:46:49,000
That's right.

876
00:46:49,000 --> 00:46:50,000
He knew you didn't have an opportunity.

877
00:46:50,000 --> 00:46:51,000
Here we go.

878
00:46:51,000 --> 00:46:52,000
Here we go.

879
00:46:52,000 --> 00:46:53,000
I said, absolutely.

880
00:46:53,000 --> 00:46:54,000
Oh yeah, I got this.

881
00:46:54,000 --> 00:46:55,000
I do it all the time.

882
00:46:55,000 --> 00:47:00,080
So I actually, I went to the rooms and, and we gave to each other.

883
00:47:00,080 --> 00:47:08,720
I mean, it was a step of faith, boldness, I felt, but it also blessed two young people,

884
00:47:08,720 --> 00:47:11,800
you know, in their walk.

885
00:47:11,800 --> 00:47:16,840
So where am I at now?

886
00:47:16,840 --> 00:47:21,360
I might've mixed up the order a little bit, but I feel like last time it was not as easy.

887
00:47:21,360 --> 00:47:23,360
So this time it's gonna be better.

888
00:47:23,360 --> 00:47:24,360
Go.

889
00:47:24,360 --> 00:47:26,760
This, this is my last one.

890
00:47:26,760 --> 00:47:27,920
Now this is Kelsey comes in.

891
00:47:27,920 --> 00:47:28,920
You got something to say here?

892
00:47:28,920 --> 00:47:31,040
I'll just jump in.

893
00:47:31,040 --> 00:47:32,040
Okay.

894
00:47:32,040 --> 00:47:33,040
Yeah, go ahead.

895
00:47:33,040 --> 00:47:34,040
All right.

896
00:47:34,040 --> 00:47:42,360
But my favorite, the one that hits my heart the most is the story goes one February, I

897
00:47:42,360 --> 00:47:45,680
wake up out of bed and the Lord put it on my heart.

898
00:47:45,680 --> 00:47:49,560
He put a word on my heart and the word was abandoned.

899
00:47:49,560 --> 00:47:51,920
Had no idea what that was.

900
00:47:51,920 --> 00:47:57,280
Went did my shower, went to my Bible, went to prayer time, ask God, what, what do you

901
00:47:57,280 --> 00:47:59,680
mean, you know, speak to me.

902
00:47:59,680 --> 00:48:01,680
Nothing, nothing.

903
00:48:01,680 --> 00:48:07,240
Same thing the next morning I woke up and the word had changed and it's the word today

904
00:48:07,240 --> 00:48:11,960
was a band of men.

905
00:48:11,960 --> 00:48:15,960
So you went from abandoned to a band of men.

906
00:48:15,960 --> 00:48:18,400
Do you mean a boy band?

907
00:48:18,400 --> 00:48:21,280
Like in sync or backstreet boys?

908
00:48:21,280 --> 00:48:22,280
No.

909
00:48:22,280 --> 00:48:23,280
Oh, no.

910
00:48:23,280 --> 00:48:24,280
All right.

911
00:48:24,280 --> 00:48:25,280
Well, explain that.

912
00:48:25,280 --> 00:48:26,280
A band of men.

913
00:48:26,280 --> 00:48:27,960
Well, I didn't know either.

914
00:48:27,960 --> 00:48:32,360
So I had to go back into my prayer room and find out.

915
00:48:32,360 --> 00:48:40,600
So later that day it was put on my heart, hey, get in your phone and start texting men

916
00:48:40,600 --> 00:48:42,840
that do not attend church.

917
00:48:42,840 --> 00:48:46,320
Men that you know struggle in their faith.

918
00:48:46,320 --> 00:48:50,560
Men that you know are scared to talk about their faith.

919
00:48:50,560 --> 00:48:54,920
Men that are pissed off, clueless, sit in the back.

920
00:48:54,920 --> 00:48:58,000
So I did and the response was phenomenal.

921
00:48:58,000 --> 00:49:05,680
I had men, I had men calling me that I didn't even text saying, hey, I heard you have a

922
00:49:05,680 --> 00:49:08,040
group going, you got room for me.

923
00:49:08,040 --> 00:49:10,240
I'm like, absolutely.

924
00:49:10,240 --> 00:49:17,040
So two months into it, I, I were very, very nice.

925
00:49:17,040 --> 00:49:21,800
Sometimes there's 10 men, sometimes there's me in one, you know, but my wife sees it and

926
00:49:21,800 --> 00:49:25,560
she goes, I want a Bible study.

927
00:49:25,560 --> 00:49:29,400
I'm like, okay, babe, we got a Bible study for you.

928
00:49:29,400 --> 00:49:35,200
So her and I, we meet once a week, we go to the local coffee shop, we have our Bible study.

929
00:49:35,200 --> 00:49:36,200
I actually interrupted.

930
00:49:36,200 --> 00:49:40,600
And then I heard about what they were doing and that he started this men's group.

931
00:49:40,600 --> 00:49:41,760
I said, can I be part of it?

932
00:49:41,760 --> 00:49:44,580
He says, well, first, Kelsey, you're not a man.

933
00:49:44,580 --> 00:49:46,380
And secondly, you're already in church.

934
00:49:46,380 --> 00:49:49,440
So no, I was like, rude, but fine.

935
00:49:49,440 --> 00:49:54,560
But the cool thing is I see, I see faces of these men in my church right now.

936
00:49:54,560 --> 00:49:57,640
So it's, yeah, they're here.

937
00:49:57,640 --> 00:49:58,640
There's some of them here.

938
00:49:58,640 --> 00:50:00,920
So that's awesome.

939
00:50:00,920 --> 00:50:08,960
So my wife gets hers, her Bible study and my children see it and they ask the same thing.

940
00:50:08,960 --> 00:50:11,040
Hey, where's our Bible study?

941
00:50:11,040 --> 00:50:16,020
So now there's a lot of Bible studies going on in my house with, you know, with just the

942
00:50:16,020 --> 00:50:24,440
simple fact of hearing and obeying and the take the risk, take the risk.

943
00:50:24,440 --> 00:50:31,920
So I'm going to close my side up of this.

944
00:50:31,920 --> 00:50:37,880
And the way I'm going to do that is I'm going to challenge you all if you're, if you're

945
00:50:37,880 --> 00:50:42,760
waiting for a blessing from God, if you're waiting for something, you waiting to hear

946
00:50:42,760 --> 00:50:46,440
something, do what waiters do and serve.

947
00:50:46,440 --> 00:50:50,520
I was trying not to say anything.

948
00:50:50,520 --> 00:50:51,520
Yeah.

949
00:50:51,520 --> 00:50:52,520
All right.

950
00:50:52,520 --> 00:50:53,520
I'll do it.

951
00:50:53,520 --> 00:50:54,520
It's on the screen this time.

952
00:50:54,520 --> 00:50:55,520
Look how quick.

953
00:50:55,520 --> 00:51:01,960
If you're waiting to hear or you're waiting for a blessing, do what waiters do.

954
00:51:01,960 --> 00:51:02,960
Serve.

955
00:51:02,960 --> 00:51:03,960
Oh, amen.

956
00:51:03,960 --> 00:51:04,960
Gosh.

957
00:51:04,960 --> 00:51:05,960
All right.

958
00:51:05,960 --> 00:51:06,960
We're wrapping up.

959
00:51:06,960 --> 00:51:08,240
Look, we're way ahead now.

960
00:51:08,240 --> 00:51:09,240
We're way ahead.

961
00:51:09,240 --> 00:51:10,240
All right.

962
00:51:10,240 --> 00:51:11,240
So good.

963
00:51:11,240 --> 00:51:12,240
Thanks, Scott, for sharing.

964
00:51:12,240 --> 00:51:13,240
Thanks, Scott, for a final action set.

965
00:51:13,240 --> 00:51:14,240
You don't have a choice.

966
00:51:14,240 --> 00:51:15,240
We can't get you off stage.

967
00:51:15,240 --> 00:51:16,240
All right.

968
00:51:16,240 --> 00:51:19,040
So step number three, serve selfishly.

969
00:51:19,040 --> 00:51:20,040
What, Kelsey?

970
00:51:20,040 --> 00:51:21,040
Selfish?

971
00:51:21,040 --> 00:51:23,160
That's not how you're supposed to serve.

972
00:51:23,160 --> 00:51:27,600
Scott, remember in Acts chapter 20, when Paul quotes Jesus to the Ephesians, leaving

973
00:51:27,600 --> 00:51:33,240
them an example of hard work and sacrifice to demonstrate the value of generous living.

974
00:51:33,240 --> 00:51:36,920
It's more blessed to give than to receive.

975
00:51:36,920 --> 00:51:40,480
Are you looking for a way to give your time and talents?

976
00:51:40,480 --> 00:51:42,320
We got you.

977
00:51:42,320 --> 00:51:44,600
There's this thing called the backpack giveaway.

978
00:51:44,600 --> 00:51:46,960
I'm not sure if you've heard about it.

979
00:51:46,960 --> 00:51:49,440
She's not in here, but I know because I asked the first time.

980
00:51:49,440 --> 00:51:52,200
Tracy says we have 500 and some backpacks.

981
00:51:52,200 --> 00:51:53,200
Go ahead.

982
00:51:53,200 --> 00:51:54,200
Give yourselves a round of applause.

983
00:51:54,200 --> 00:51:55,200
That's awesome.

984
00:51:55,200 --> 00:51:56,200
I'm sorry.

985
00:51:56,200 --> 00:51:57,200
How many?

986
00:51:57,200 --> 00:51:58,200
627 since last service.

987
00:51:58,200 --> 00:51:59,200
Yeah.

988
00:51:59,200 --> 00:52:00,200
All right.

989
00:52:00,200 --> 00:52:06,300
Here's the moment of truth.

990
00:52:06,300 --> 00:52:10,160
Our goal is 1200 and we've got two weeks.

991
00:52:10,160 --> 00:52:11,720
So not just backpacks.

992
00:52:11,720 --> 00:52:15,080
There's tons of opportunities to serve, to volunteer.

993
00:52:15,080 --> 00:52:18,040
Please just go see everybody at the Welcome Hub and they can help you out with that.

994
00:52:18,040 --> 00:52:22,280
In fact, everyone sitting here, we like to challenge people, right Scott?

995
00:52:22,280 --> 00:52:27,120
We've been challenged by Chris on a regular basis, so why not just do it again?

996
00:52:27,120 --> 00:52:33,960
If everyone sitting here today and watching online chose to do just one thing over the

997
00:52:33,960 --> 00:52:41,400
next year to give their time and talents to one thing, get this, we would never have to

998
00:52:41,400 --> 00:52:44,080
ask for volunteers.

999
00:52:44,080 --> 00:52:45,600
I challenge you.

1000
00:52:45,600 --> 00:52:51,280
The next time you are asked to serve, you should say yes.

1001
00:52:51,280 --> 00:52:55,240
All right.

1002
00:52:55,240 --> 00:52:57,640
Last thing because I know we had to rush the last time.

1003
00:52:57,640 --> 00:52:58,640
You ready?

1004
00:52:58,640 --> 00:53:00,840
Ephesians 320.

1005
00:53:00,840 --> 00:53:03,180
Some of you might say that sounds familiar.

1006
00:53:03,180 --> 00:53:08,200
That's because Chris about roughly a year ago said, hey, you should set something in

1007
00:53:08,200 --> 00:53:13,480
your phone so that you get a text alert or something in your calendar every day at 320

1008
00:53:13,480 --> 00:53:14,480
and read this verse.

1009
00:53:14,480 --> 00:53:18,640
So we're going to read it and then I'm going to have Scott pray us out.

1010
00:53:18,640 --> 00:53:26,840
Now all glory to God who is able through his mighty power at work within us to accomplish

1011
00:53:26,840 --> 00:53:31,800
infinitely more than we might ask or think.

1012
00:53:31,800 --> 00:53:37,640
God knows, he always knows, we have to find that one thing that we can do differently

1013
00:53:37,640 --> 00:53:43,880
to experience all that is in store for us when we choose to serve others with our time

1014
00:53:43,880 --> 00:53:44,880
and talents.

1015
00:53:44,880 --> 00:53:45,880
All right.

1016
00:53:45,880 --> 00:53:46,880
You ready?

1017
00:53:46,880 --> 00:53:47,880
You're going to pray us out.

1018
00:53:47,880 --> 00:53:50,760
First reminder, if at any point during this message, it's almost like again, you hear

1019
00:53:50,760 --> 00:53:54,280
me say this on the announcements, you're called for life change.

1020
00:53:54,280 --> 00:53:57,920
Take out your phone, text change me, 9700.

1021
00:53:57,920 --> 00:54:01,400
And as always, the prayer team is going to be up here on the right.

1022
00:54:01,400 --> 00:54:05,280
So if you have questions about what your gifts and talents are, or you just need prayer for

1023
00:54:05,280 --> 00:54:09,360
health or anything, please come up here and please get prayer today.

1024
00:54:09,360 --> 00:54:10,360
All right, Scott.

1025
00:54:10,360 --> 00:54:11,360
All right.

1026
00:54:11,360 --> 00:54:14,320
You please stand up and join me.

1027
00:54:14,320 --> 00:54:19,560
Open hands, open heart, open mind, open ears.

1028
00:54:19,560 --> 00:54:26,160
Dear heavenly father, Lord, I want to give thanks today for opportunities, Lord.

1029
00:54:26,160 --> 00:54:28,600
Risky opportunities, Lord.

1030
00:54:28,600 --> 00:54:32,720
And I give thanks for the change that they make when you obey.

1031
00:54:32,720 --> 00:54:40,320
Lord, I want to give thanks for all the hands that are present in this house that help all

1032
00:54:40,320 --> 00:54:47,800
the behind scenes people that give their time without any recognition, Lord.

1033
00:54:47,800 --> 00:54:48,920
That's how this place operates.

1034
00:54:48,920 --> 00:54:56,840
Lord, I ask for a burning desire in each one of our hearts, Lord, to be bold, be brave

1035
00:54:56,840 --> 00:55:00,800
and step out and take a chance.

1036
00:55:00,800 --> 00:55:02,480
Give your time, Lord.

1037
00:55:02,480 --> 00:55:06,400
Forgive us when we hear your word and we do not act.

1038
00:55:06,400 --> 00:55:09,920
Lord, I ask all these things in your name.

1039
00:55:09,920 --> 00:55:10,920
Amen.

1040
00:55:10,920 --> 00:55:11,920
Yes, Jesus.

1041
00:55:11,920 --> 00:55:12,920
Thank you.

1042
00:55:12,920 --> 00:55:13,920
Hey, have a great week.

1043
00:55:13,920 --> 00:55:14,920
There's no impossible.

1044
00:55:14,920 --> 00:55:15,920
I believe that you are working now.

1045
00:55:15,920 --> 00:55:16,920
Supporting you is the only way.

1046
00:55:16,920 --> 00:55:17,920
You are working now.

1047
00:55:17,920 --> 00:55:18,920
You are working now.

1048
00:55:18,920 --> 00:55:19,920
You are working now.

1049
00:55:19,920 --> 00:55:20,920
You are working now.

1050
00:55:20,920 --> 00:55:21,920
You are working now.

1051
00:55:21,920 --> 00:55:22,920
You are working now.

1052
00:55:22,920 --> 00:55:23,920
You are working now.

1053
00:55:23,920 --> 00:55:24,920
You are working now.

1054
00:55:24,920 --> 00:55:25,920
You are working now.

1055
00:55:25,920 --> 00:55:26,920
You are working now.

1056
00:55:26,920 --> 00:55:31,920
Pour it out, oh pour it out