The Danger of Self-Powered Ministry: A Critique of Word of Faith Theology

• Anointing and Divine Equality [00:40:32 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor asserts that God's anointing is for every child, not just a select few, and God is not a respecter of persons.
• Worldly Trends vs. Spiritual Formation [00:41:57 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor uses examples of home decor trends and sports heroes to illustrate how people follow cultural influences, contrasting this with the need to be intentionally formed by Jesus.
• The Great Commission and Discipleship [00:50:33 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor interprets Matthew 28 and John 20 as a mandate for every believer to make disciples of all nations, emphasizing that salvation is just the beginning of a lifelong process of discipleship.
• Prayer for the Nations [00:54:20 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor references Psalm 2:8, stating he has asked God for the nations as his inheritance to lay at God's feet for His glory.
• The Great Commission and Discipleship [00:55:50 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor clarifies that the Great Commission is not just about winning souls but discipling entire nations, emphasizing that salvation is just the beginning of a growing process.
• Cosmos and Cultural Infiltration [00:57:58 ▶️ 📄]
  > He defines 'cosmos' as ordered systems (political, familial, social) and argues that believers are called to infiltrate these systems with the truth of Jesus Christ.
• Universal Missionary Calling [01:00:00 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor asserts that every follower of Jesus is a missionary, not just pastors or those who travel abroad, and that the church exists unendingly in daily life.
• The Holy Spirit as Power [01:05:41 ▶️ 📄]
  > He compares the Holy Spirit to 'superhuman' power (referencing Marvel/Hawaii Five-0) that enables believers to be effective witnesses and world-changers.
• Current Life as Mission Field [01:10:22 ▶️ 📄]
  > He debunks the idea that one must quit their job or go to a foreign country, stating that one's current life, workplace, and neighborhood are their primary mission fields.
• Mission Field Location [01:10:42 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor argues that the mission field is not necessarily a foreign country but wherever God has planted the believer, including home, workplace, and community.
• Identity as Light [01:13:51 ▶️ 📄]
  > Believers are described as light that dispels darkness in their environments, such as offices or schools, by bringing the environment of Jesus Christ.
• Active Faith vs. Passive Hearing [01:19:22 ▶️ 📄]
  > Citing James 1:22, the pastor emphasizes that believers must be 'doers' of the word, not just hearers, and that faith requires moving forward and taking new territory.
• Surrender and Commission [01:20:11 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor commissions the congregation to change their surroundings and surrender their lives to God, leading into a prayer of impartation.
• Surrender and Daily Discipleship [01:25:59 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor distinguishes between initial salvation and the ongoing commitment of surrendering one's life, desires, and goals to God daily.
• Internal Intention vs. Outward Appearance [01:26:19 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor references the biblical principle that God looks at the inward intention of the heart rather than just outward appearances.
• Evangelism and Soul Winning [01:27:58 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor emphasizes that the church's purpose is not just programs or fun, but to win souls, empower believers to be bold, and bring people to the foot of the cross.

• Sermon Illustration [00:42:27 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor shares a personal anecdote about painting his house five years ago and refusing to repaint it just because Sherwin-Williams introduced new 'colors of the year,' using this to illustrate the futility of following consumer trends.
• Sermon Illustration [00:46:21 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor references a statement by author John Mark Comer: 'If we are not being intentionally formed by Jesus himself, then it is highly likely that we are being unintentionally formed by someone else or something else.'
• Sermon Illustration [00:56:08 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor uses the analogy of a newborn baby in a crib to explain that becoming a Christian is not the end of the journey but the beginning of a long process of growth and discipleship.
• Sermon Illustration [00:56:08 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor uses an analogy of a baby in a crib to explain that becoming a Christian is just being 'born' and requires significant growth (discipleship) ahead. He also references the TV show Hawaii Five-0 and Marvel movies to illustrate the 'superhuman' power of the Holy Spirit available to believers.
• Sermon Illustration [01:11:15 ▶️ 📄]
  > He contrasts the biblical examples of Abraham and Paul, who were called to leave their homelands, with the general call for every believer to be a missionary in their 'nearby world' and immediate surroundings.
• Sermon Illustration [01:14:11 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor uses the analogy of light entering a dark room: if a believer (light) enters an office (darkness), the darkness is dispelled; if the light is hidden under a basket, darkness remains.
• Sermon Illustration [01:11:15 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor references the biblical story of Abraham leaving Ur and Paul leaving Jerusalem to illustrate that while some are called to leave, all are called to be missionaries in their immediate surroundings.
• Sermon Illustration [01:24:03 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor cites James 1:22, comparing a hearer who is not a doer to a person who looks in a mirror, sees their reflection, walks away, and immediately forgets what they look like.

• Pastoral Charge [00:34:28 ▶️ 📄]
  > Come forward to the altar for anointing and prayer for healing.
• Pastoral Charge [00:55:14 ▶️ 📄]
  > Attend all three Sunday services.
• Pastoral Charge [01:03:01 ▶️ 📄]
  > Share personal testimony of salvation with those who are lost.
• Pastoral Charge [01:11:07 ▶️ 📄]
  > Stop waiting for further signs and begin evangelizing in one's current location immediately.
• Pastoral Charge [01:16:50 ▶️ 📄]
  > Turn to a neighbor and verbally affirm the core value of loving Jesus and changing the world.
• Pastoral Charge [01:18:58 ▶️ 📄]
  > Verbally confess possession of the message, power, and gifts from God.
• Pastoral Charge [01:20:52 ▶️ 📄]
  > Pray a specific declaration of identity as a world-changer and surrender to God's use.
• Pastoral Charge [01:21:12 ▶️ 📄]
  > Physically position hands palm-up to receive an impartation prayer.
• Pastoral Charge [01:26:43 ▶️ 📄]
  > Raise hand as a public sign of daily surrender and commitment to follow God.
• Pastoral Charge [01:26:28 ▶️ 📄]
  > Raise hand to signify surrender and commitment to daily followship.
• Pastoral Charge [01:28:21 ▶️ 📄]
  > Engage in simple conversations with people to ask about their day and belief in Jesus, moving beyond mere invitation to active engagement.

[00:05:13] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]
[00:05:13] Let's take a look at it as we enter into the time of praise and worship.

[00:10:06] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]
[00:10:06] Come on, you know it.
[00:14:17] Be seated all across the room. Turn to somebody and say good morning.
[00:14:22] Hey, my name is Trevor. I'm one of the pastors here at Multiply Church, and I have the special honor and privilege of welcoming a very special group of people.
[00:14:30] That's all of our first-time guests. Hey, listen, if you're joining us for the first time today, or maybe the first time in a long time, we just want to say welcome to Multiply Church.
[00:14:40] Church family, can we give all of our first-time guests a great big Multiply welcome?
[00:14:46] Amen.
[00:14:47] Just a little bit of information.
[00:14:49] If this is your first time with us today, there's a card in the seat back pocket in front of you.
[00:14:54] We call it a you card because that's exactly who we want to get to know.
[00:14:57] And that is you.
[00:14:58] So if you would be so kind to take that card, fill out the information on the back.
[00:15:03] And after service, you go out to the back of our auditorium, you'll see two green tables, a sign that says new here and some leaders there.
[00:15:09] They just want to get to know you a little bit better.
[00:15:12] Shake your hand, pray with you, get to know your story.
[00:15:14] And as a small token of appreciation for you worshiping with us, you can give that card to them for a free gift.
[00:15:21] Multiply one more time for all of our first-time guests in the room.
[00:15:24] Come on, you picked a great Sunday to be in church.
[00:15:29] Amen, amen.
[00:15:30] Well, hey, who's ready to give unto the Lord today?
[00:15:33] Come on, can we get excited about, yeah, about generosity, about giving to the Lord?
[00:15:40] Before we get into tithes, I want to kind of get some language to why we give.
[00:15:46] And so, man, we give for multiple reasons, but one of the reasons we give is because we understand at Multiply Church that we want to see the next generation experience not just church, right, but experience a move of God that moves them and pushes them into a walk with God.
[00:16:05] So when you guys give, when we're generous, we get to do things like youth camp.
[00:16:10] It's going to be up on the screen behind me.
[00:16:12] This summer, we're going to take a bunch of students to youth camp, and it's July 5th through the 9th.
[00:16:20] Parents in the room, if you have teenagers, just a little blurb, okay?
[00:16:24] This is going to be an action-packed week that your students will never forget.
[00:16:29] I've been a youth pastor for nine years, and here's what I tell parents.
[00:16:34] you can forego every other event if you'd wish but youth camp is the event that you want to invest in because this is where students come together with each other and maybe a student for the first
[00:16:50] time is going to see a 13 14 15 year old actually worshiping jesus authentically on fire and they say things like this man if that person can do it then i can do it and so we understand that
[00:17:04] we're investing in the next generation july 5th through 9th you can scan that qr code to get a little bit information and the back will have cards you can grab a card there's there's different
[00:17:14] pricing early bird and and stuff like that in there you can get all the information for youth camp but you don't want to miss youth camp if you got 6 to 12th graders you want to invest in their
[00:17:25] lives and send them to youth camp but that's why we give we give because we understand this that this is an investment into whatever god wants to do in this community and so if you are giving this
[00:17:37] morning there's three ways to give you can scan that qr code up on the screen you can text the word multiply lake norman to the number seven seven nine seven seven or as we go back into this
[00:17:48] next worship song and the ushers pass you by with the buckets you can give that way as well can i pray for us this morning? This is what the Bible says. The Bible says that we're to agree in touching
[00:18:00] anything, it shall be accomplished. And he's talking about the spiritual discipline, the act of praying as a body of believers. It doesn't say it's suggestive to be accomplished. It says it shall. That is a declarative word. And so let's pray together. Let's connect our faith together
[00:18:20] that God would use our generosity, our tithes, our first fruits to impact this community in Lake Norman and Mooresville.
[00:18:28] Amen?
[00:18:29] Let's pray together.
[00:18:30] Lord Jesus, we pray that your Holy Spirit would be here in this place today.
[00:18:37] Holy Spirit, we pray that you would, Lord, lift the spirit of heaviness.
[00:18:41] Lord God, that there would be an oil of joy that saturates this room today.
[00:18:46] Lord, we pray, Holy Spirit, Lord, that you would give us the grace upon our lives, Lord God, to go out and be believers, be Christ-like ones, be Christians in this community, because we understand we have something that the world needs,
[00:19:02] Lord God, and that you would be so gracious to use us to win souls to the kingdom of God. Lord, we pray for the tithe this morning, Lord, the giving, Lord, the offering today. Lord God,
[00:19:13] as you have graced our lives, Lord, to be able to go out and work and be diligent with our hands, Lord God, would we give it all back to you.
[00:19:22] Lord, for your use, for the kingdom's use.
[00:19:25] Lord God, that this church or this house would be fruitful.
[00:19:29] Lord, we pray that you would bless the work of the hands of those that are giving today.
[00:19:33] Lord, bless their families.
[00:19:34] Bless generations to come in the matchless, mighty name of Jesus.
[00:19:38] And all the church said, amen.

[00:19:41] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]
[00:19:41] Amen, amen.
[00:19:42] As those buckets are being passed, if you could please stand to your feet as we enter into a time of worship.

[00:19:47] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_13]
[00:19:47] Falling down in worship

[00:20:16] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]
[00:20:16] To sing the song of ages to the Lamb

[00:20:21] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_13]
[00:20:21] And all who've gone before us And all who will believe

[00:20:29] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_08]
[00:20:29] Will sing the song of ages to the Lamb

[00:20:34] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]
[00:20:34] Your name is the highest Your name is the greatest Your name stands above the walls And dominions all by Reposition to your name Stand above all creation Above them all Come on, Lake Norman, let's raise our voices this morning.
[00:30:45] Until you...

[00:33:03] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]
[00:33:03] Chapter 5, verse 14 and verse 15.
[00:33:09] There's instruction that's given by James to the church, to the body of Christ.
[00:33:18] It's an instruction that calls for, by faith, us reaching into truth and knowing that it is ours.
[00:33:28] If any is sick among you, let him call for the elders of the church.
[00:33:34] They will anoint you with oil.
[00:33:39] They will pray the prayer of faith.
[00:33:43] and the sick shall be healed. Hallelujah. And the sick shall be healed. You know, a lot of times what we do is we call the prayer team or we call the elders forward and we say, okay, if you want
[00:34:03] prayer, come. But the scripture is just the opposite. It says, if you're sick, you call for the elders. So I'm going to tell you what we're going to do this morning. Do you have a need?
[00:34:13] you have a sickness in your body do you find yourself in some need of freedom you need something broken in your life over your life because the enemy has you feeling like you're in bondage you feel oppressed or whatever
[00:34:28] you have some need you need agreement with and you need anointing for I'm going to ask you to step out as we sing and I'm going to ask you to come and once you have come then the elders
[00:34:40] of the church are going to come anoint you with oil and they're going to pray the prayer of faith and the bible says you shall be healed you will leave here healed in the name of jesus amen how many of
[00:34:55] you believe that say amen how many believe that give the lord a shout how many believe that come expecting as you come do you have a need would you come at this time i will meet you down at

[00:35:08] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_13]
[00:35:08] the altar come at this time oh yeah i just want to be king of glory fill this place god is healed i want you to give the lord a clap offering and a loud shout

[00:39:13] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]
[00:39:13] I want you to give him praise.
[00:39:15] Hallelujah.
[00:39:16] I want you to shout as if you're at the wall of Jericho.
[00:39:20] Hallelujah.
[00:39:20] Come on, church.
[00:39:22] Hallelujah.
[00:39:22] Wall, come down.
[00:39:26] Hallelujah.
[00:39:27] Wall, you're healed.
[00:39:33] You're healed.
[00:39:35] You are glorified.
[00:39:37] You are praised by the work of your son.
[00:39:40] And we give you thanks.
[00:39:43] Now, Lord, I pray, give us ears to hear.
[00:39:45] give us eyes to see what the Lord is doing among us today hallelujah let the word of God pierce our hearts hallelujah that we would respond to your word with yea and amen in our lives
[00:39:59] and God that our lives would be used for the building of your kingdom and God to make a difference hallelujah for you and your glory in Jesus name and everyone said amen turn to someone
[00:40:15] and say, I'm ready for the food.
[00:40:32] I'm not going to give you milk today.
[00:40:34] I'm going to give you meat.
[00:40:37] How many of you know that there's an anointing that comes from God and it's for his children, amen?
[00:40:43] That God is not a respecter of person.
[00:40:46] God doesn't go eeny, meeny, miny, moe.
[00:40:48] You get anointing, but the rest of you don't.
[00:40:52] God has an anointing for each and every person.
[00:40:54] Look at the person next to you and say, God has an anointing for you.
[00:41:01] That anointing is meant for the work of Jesus Christ and the greater works of Jesus Christ because he's gone to the Father and he has left us to see the building of the kingdom on earth.
[00:41:13] Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
[00:41:18] How many of you believe that that's possible?
[00:41:20] Amen.
[00:41:22] When I look at you, I know it's possible.
[00:41:26] When I look at you, I believe, but I also know because the kingdom of God is being built in you and will be built through you.
[00:41:35] Over the last two weeks, we've looked at our faith and obedience.
[00:41:42] We've been challenged by the word and its authority.
[00:41:47] Today we look at a new series called Scent.
[00:41:52] Today our topic is, I follow to go.
[00:41:57] I follow to go in this life everyone is following someone or something or some ideal every single person some of you follow trends some of you followed clothing trends some of you follow trends of how your house looks and how you decorate the houses are not decorated in the
[00:42:27] 2026 the way they were in the 1980s or the way they were in the 1950s. We follow trends. And you know what? Sherwin-Williams, every year they come up with a list of colors that are colors of
[00:42:42] the year because they want you to go in and be unhappy with the colors in your house. So you'll go buy their paint and so you'll paint your house a different color. Five years ago, when we bought
[00:42:56] the house. I painted the whole house. I'm not painting it again. It is what it is. I did it right the first time. Why do I need to do it again? The truth of the matter is we find ourselves
[00:43:12] following trends. In this life, everyone is following someone. I watched a little bit of the NFL football draft. I listened to a little bit of the commentators as they talked about trends.
[00:43:35] They took you back years ago into where we are today, and they showed you different things.
[00:43:43] Kids, both young and old, grow up with everything from sports heroes to tech heroes.
[00:43:50] They become influencers in our lives, following those who became wealthy and those who have or are reaching the pinnacle of success according to the standards of humanity and according to the standards of this world.
[00:44:07] And we find ourselves developing life principles and beliefs to fulfill our dreams, things that will mark our life as we live.
[00:44:23] As I look back over my life, I quite often take inventory of where I am and where I came from.
[00:44:31] And there are times that I find myself wondering how many things that I did and how many things I possessed, how much work that I do was truly Spirit-led or was more imposed by man.
[00:44:50] Sometimes if we're not careful, we find ourselves making decisions that are not birthed out of the Spirit or birthed out of pleasing our God, but rather out of getting acceptance from mankind.
[00:45:03] climbing a ladder. I'm not talking about being wise. I'm talking because we are to be wise. I'm not saying that we don't labor because the Bible says if you don't work, you don't eat. I'm not
[00:45:18] talking about that, but I'm talking about the things that influence who we become at heart.
[00:45:26] Sometimes we give up our dreams out of the I can't thinking.
[00:45:32] And we accept life doing the lesser.
[00:45:38] So I ask a question this morning.
[00:45:42] Who or what are you becoming?
[00:45:47] Now some of you are in the senior part of your life and you think that there's no reason to think about that question.
[00:45:54] Well, I'm going to tell you you're wrong.
[00:45:57] If anybody should be thinking about that question, it's you.
[00:46:00] because you're living in the most successful period of your life according to studies that have been made. The truth of the matter is we should never stop thinking about who I am and what I am becoming. Who or what is sharing the life you are choosing to live,
[00:46:21] shaping that life in you? There's an author, his name is John Mark Comer, and he makes this statement. If we are not being intentionally formed by Jesus himself, then it is highly likely that we are being unintentionally formed by someone else or something else. Let me say that
[00:46:49] to you again. If we, if we are not being intentionally formed by Jesus himself, then it is highly likely that we are being unintentionally formed by someone else or something else.
[00:47:13] Therefore, I ask you this question, who are you following? Who or what is forming your life?
[00:47:22] And what impact out of that formation are you making with the life that's being formed?
[00:47:31] like Jesus, are you ready to change your world? Will the next generation and the generation after that and the generation after that speak or be influenced by who you are, who you became, and what you did? Over 2,000 years later, we're still being influenced by the life of Jesus
[00:48:01] Christ. He came as a humble carpenter. He only had three years of actual ministry on the face of the earth, and this same Spirit that raised Him from the dead is the same Spirit that dwells
[00:48:18] in you. So what kind of impact by that Spirit is being made by your life that generations to come will be impacted because of what you do for the Lord Jesus Christ. Are you ready to change
[00:48:36] your world? Watch this video. It is the question that I ask you this morning.
[00:50:33] Are you ready to change your world? When Jesus stood on the mount waiting to be ascended, He spoke, and it is written in the book of Matthew, the 28th chapter.
[00:50:49] He basically said those same words.
[00:50:53] Are you ready to change your world?
[00:50:56] And he put it like this.
[00:50:59] Go, go therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you and behold I am with you always
[00:51:26] to the end of the age in John chapter 20 verse 21 Jesus said to them again peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you. Look at the person next to
[00:51:53] you and say, he has sent you. In other words, church, I don't want you to think that it's for someone else. I don't want you to think it's for the pastor. I don't want you to think it's for
[00:52:05] the apostle or the evangelist or the prophet. I don't want you to think it's for the teacher.
[00:52:11] I want you to understand it's for every single one of us. Every single one of us has received the same calling. Every one of us have the same mandate given to us. Salvation is the birthing
[00:52:24] room for each person who accepts Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior and who chooses to not only believe, rather also they become a follower of Jesus Christ. He places within us his very life.
[00:52:43] I want you to put your hand on your chest right now and say, the life of Jesus lives in me.
[00:52:48] The life of Jesus lives in me. Say it again. Tell yourself, the life of Jesus lives in me.
[00:52:54] I want you to get excited about the life of Jesus lives in me. The truth of the matter is, a lot of us don't believe that, or we don't live as if that is true in us. He has placed in us this
[00:53:08] life, His Holy Spirit, that we might by faith walk out the life and the person of Jesus Christ Himself. Jesus' words in the book of Matthew, the 28th chapter, that 19th verse, Go ye therefore and teach all nations. When you understand the fullness of that word
[00:53:31] nations, you understand that it has everything to do with not one nation. It is not just talking about a geographically located place. It expresses the idea of different customs, different cultures different civilizations it unquestionably means that the gospel is to be
[00:53:57] taken to the people of every culture every custom every civilization every race every color every ethnicity in the world and it's not for just those who are called to be missionaries or pastors but And it's every single person's mission this morning.
[00:54:20] Psalms chapter 2 verse 8 reads like this.
[00:54:24] Ask of me and I will give you the nations for your inheritance.
[00:54:30] And the ends of the earth for your possessions.
[00:54:36] How many of you have asked the Lord for nations?
[00:54:39] How many of you said, Lord, here's a promise that's in your word.
[00:54:42] here's a promise that you have given to the people of God you have said if I ask you for the nations you will give me the nations can I tell you I've asked for the nations
[00:54:53] and I look around this room and I see nations represented from all over the world I see nations represented from every single culture imaginable I'm sure there are people here from different social economic levels
[00:55:09] in this room this morning But I'm believing God to give us more.
[00:55:14] I'm believing God to pack this room out not once, not twice, but three times every single Sunday.
[00:55:22] I'm believing that our God is able, and He's not only able, He is desirous to do so.
[00:55:28] And I have asked Him for the nations.
[00:55:30] I have asked Him for the ends of the earth, for my very possession.
[00:55:34] Why?
[00:55:35] That I might lay it at His feet for His glory.
[00:55:38] That I might give it back to Him.
[00:55:40] Because it's not by might.
[00:55:41] It's not by power. It's by his spirit that it will be accomplished. It will be accomplished.
[00:55:50] Remember the great commission we read in Matthew 28, 19 through 20 was not simply a commission to win souls, but it was a commission to disciple entire nations. Some of us, we come to know the
[00:56:08] Lord and we think I've stopped. I have reached my pinnacle. I'm now a Christian. No, you've just been born. You're laying in your crib. You're an infant. You have just been born. But the truth of
[00:56:25] the matter is you got a lot of growing ahead of you. And that's why the Bible talks about discipleship. That's why the Bible talks about making disciples. You got to do more than just see people get saved. You got to teach them that they become the disciples Jesus Christ has called
[00:56:45] them to be. So this morning, I am teaching you the word of God. I'm teaching you the commission that you're going to stand before God with responsibility concerning it. You will stand before God with this word, and God will say, what did you do with my commission where I called you
[00:57:05] to go into all the world where I called you to teach and make disciples, where I called you to baptize in the name of Jesus. The truth of the matter is not just for the pastor.
[00:57:21] I want you to hear that. That is not just my responsibility. If you know Jesus Christ, it's your responsibility. If you know Jesus Christ, it was a commission unto you.
[00:57:37] Mark, the 16th chapter, the 15th verse, Mark in his writing, he uses a little bit of a different language.
[00:57:45] He says, go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
[00:57:51] Now, Matthew has used the word nations, but Mark uses the word world.
[00:57:58] The word world is cosmos.
[00:58:00] this is very significant that you understand that the word cosmos describes anything that is ordered anything that is ordered a particular political system a system of fashion a familial system a system found in any part of society such as a circle of friends or any sphere where you live
[00:58:25] and have influence. A system, wherever that system might be, we are called to infiltrate those systems with the truth of Jesus Christ. We're called to go into those systems, and those systems are to be
[00:58:39] marked for the kingdom of God. How do they get marked for the kingdom of God? They get marked for the kingdom of God by you. They get marked because you carry the kingdom of God with you.
[00:58:51] you carry the Word of God with you, you carry the person of Christ with you, you walk in the Spirit of the Most High God and in the power of that Holy Spirit to demonstrate the person
[00:59:02] of Jesus Christ. What Jesus is saying is, I'm sending you to be my voice, sending you to be my light, to carry the way wherever you live, wherever you work. Remember, He is the way,
[00:59:24] He is the truth.
[00:59:26] He is the life.
[00:59:28] So what are you carrying?
[00:59:29] You're carrying the way.
[00:59:31] You're carrying the way with you.
[00:59:34] Wherever you do community, at your school, on the ball field, wherever you are, Jesus is sending you to be his love and to be his truth.
[00:59:46] That's what he's sending you to do.
[00:59:51] Jesus didn't just save you.
[00:59:55] He sent you.
[00:59:57] Jesus sent you.
[01:00:00] Number two, every follower, every believer is a missionary.
[01:00:09] Look at that person sitting next to you and down the road from you.
[01:00:13] Do you know they're a missionary?
[01:00:15] Look in front of you.
[01:00:16] Look behind you.
[01:00:17] There they are.
[01:00:19] There's the missionaries.
[01:00:21] In Matthew 28, 19, and 20, as a directive for every Christian, every believer, is saying to them, you have a divine calling. You have a divine calling to be an active participant in spreading the gospel. Sometimes we do church on Sunday. Sometimes we do church twice a month
[01:00:56] on Sunday. Sometimes we do church when nothing else stands in the way. And the truth of the matter is you are the church, and you're called to do church unendingly. It's like the scripture says, pray without ceasing. It's talking about the awareness of God, that I am constantly aware
[01:01:22] that I am standing and living and walking in the presence of God, because the presence of God is in me. The presence of God goes with me wherever I go, and therefore I protect that presence by
[01:01:39] only going to the places that God would have me to go, to be in the places that he considers holy, that he considers righteous, that he is sending me to. The responsibility to share Christ
[01:01:55] is to exist in your immediate sphere of influence and beyond, carrying Christ with you.
[01:02:08] Who is hurting where you work? Have you reached out in the healing love of Jesus Christ?
[01:02:14] have you brought them in through that? Who has a need where you live? Have you sat down and listened and have you had words of prayer and sharing life and shared Jesus Christ with them? How about where
[01:02:31] you play? Who needs a friend to care? Who needs to be the recipient of the compassion of Christ?
[01:02:41] Or how about who is lost where you live and where you work and where you go and in the grocery store?
[01:02:47] that person across the counter that you see on a regular basis who is lost and needs the light of God, needs to know the way of God, needs the truth of God shared with them. Well, pastor, I don't know
[01:03:01] what to say. Tell them your story. Tell them how once you were lost, but now you're found. Tell them how once you lived in darkness, but now you live in the light. How about they don't respond
[01:03:13] and give their heart to Jesus Christ? Then as you walk off, say, God, thank you that I was able to plant a seed. Now, I call the Holy Spirit to water that seed. I call God to take that seed
[01:03:25] from the point of it being planted to fruition. Hallelujah. That that person would come to know Christ and not only come to know Christ, but in time that person's life will bear fruit for the
[01:03:36] kingdom of God. You see, you don't stop with just planting the seed. We have a responsibility as missionaries, as God followers, as people who literally have this treasure inside of us to share that treasure. To be the missionary God has called you to be is not a one-time thing.
[01:04:03] It's not a one-time event. It's an ongoing commitment to reach the lost, to bring healing to the hurting, to share love with the unloved. And as you live day by day, whatever you are doing
[01:04:23] through that day, that God would use you to share Jesus Christ with those you come in contact with.
[01:04:35] Wherever you are, you can share Jesus and the love of God. Don't make it a difficult thing.
[01:04:44] Don't make it a hard thing. Don't become so busy that you miss the important thing, that you miss the responsibility of sharing the love of God and the person of Christ.
[01:05:01] Don't get so busy that your time is bought up, that your energy is bought up, and at the end of day, the only thing you have to show for is what you have done in the natural and not what
[01:05:12] has been accomplished by the Spirit. It's absolutely important for us. You and I are the word of God and the love of God in action, called to be bold, to be eager to answer and ready to
[01:05:28] tell the good news to those who you rub elbows with every single day. Every single person that knows you, every single person that you work with should know that you know Jesus Christ and that
[01:05:41] he is your Lord and Savior and that he is the answer. Every believer is given the Holy Spirit and it's like an explosive, super, how many of you like watching Marvel? How many of you like
[01:05:54] all that superhuman stuff? You like seeing all that kind of stuff? You see, I like more the reality stuff. I kind of like the superhuman ways of McGarrett in Hawaii Five-0. I like when it
[01:06:13] looks impossible, he makes it possible. Y'all think I'm crazy, don't you? Well, I probably am, you know. But the truth of the matter is, I like that. I like that strength. I like the fact that
[01:06:24] he thinks everything can be conquered. Everything. How about the body of Christ had that same mindset? How about we had the mindset that every single person that I know can come to know the Lord Jesus Christ. I can be used by God to lead them to the Lord Jesus Christ. God can use me to
[01:06:46] do that. How many of you would like to believe that this church can be filled up three times over and that people are waiting to get in the door for the second service and the third service?
[01:06:57] Amen. Do you know last week, 10 people raised their hand at the call of salvation here at this church. Every believer is given the Holy Spirit, this explosive superhuman power of God that created the heavens and the earth and raised Christ from the dead. That is the power that is
[01:07:29] living in you. And it is a power that is needed to effectively share the gospel, the word of God, the person of Jesus Christ alive in you, to enable you as an active missionary, a witness
[01:07:50] that changes the world. When I look at you this morning, what I see is world changers. What I see is empowered people that can change their world, where they work, where they live. What I see
[01:08:03] is that when you go to lunch today, if you go somewhere outside of your home, I see a world changer, going into a restaurant, sharing the Lord Jesus Christ with somebody. I see a person
[01:08:15] wherever it's at in your neighborhood when you see Joe and Sally next door that you just don't wave and walk by, but you take the time to share the love of the Lord Jesus Christ, especially if
[01:08:26] you didn't know that they do not know the Lord Jesus Christ. That's what I see. The Word of God, the person of Jesus, is alive in you to enable you to be the active missionary that God has called
[01:08:43] you to be, to have a passion for the lost, is essential for a victorious Christian life.
[01:08:55] You know, I can't imagine standing before God and not hearing, well done, thou good and faithful servant. I can't imagine doing that. But when I stand before God, if I've not obeyed his word, If I've not fulfilled the commission that He's placed in my hands to fulfill
[01:09:20] and that He's empowered me to fulfill, when I stand before Him, if my life has become more about me and mine instead of Him, will I hear Him say, well done, thou good and faithful servant?
[01:09:38] Will I get the approval of God upon my life because of what I have done?
[01:09:44] I have done for the building of His kingdom.
[01:09:47] because when I prayed the prayer, Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
[01:09:56] Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven, that I embrace the will of God on earth and that I was a part of seeing it come to earth as it is in heaven.
[01:10:10] Will I find myself standing for God knowing that this is what I'm going to hear?
[01:10:21] So where do I do this?
[01:10:22] what country do I go to? Are you telling me to quit my job and go? No. Some will be called to leave their home. Some will be called to go to other nations and other countries. But I'm telling
[01:10:42] you, your mission field is next door. Your mission field is your home, and your mission field is next door. Your mission field is wherever God has planted you. Your current life equals your mission filled. Well, you know, pastor, I'm just waiting for God to show me. Well, he's already shown you.
[01:11:07] Stop using that as an excuse. He's already shown you. Your current life is your mission filled.
[01:11:15] You don't have to look far to find your mission filled. It's wherever you are. It's wherever you are. You know, Abraham was one of those that God called to leave his home, to leave Ur to go to the
[01:11:31] land that God was going to show him. Paul had to leave his homeland. He had to leave Jerusalem. He had to leave his homeland, and he had to go where God called him to go. And he traveled all throughout
[01:11:44] the Mediterranean, developing and building the church as a missionary. But every believer is called to be a missionary in their nearby world. In the surroundings, in the workplace, in the community God has placed you in. Each of you find yourself placed in one of the gates. We call it
[01:12:04] the gates, or we could call it the mountains, but it's the place where God has placed you. Some of you, your place is right at home. Some of you mothers get the privilege of being
[01:12:18] homemakers and get to stay home, and you're fostering safety and values, and you're building a society that has the foundation of Jesus Christ. Some of you, the place that God has put you is in
[01:12:33] the place of faith and maybe the church or religion. You're influencing worship and you're setting holy moral foundations that when other people want those moral foundation walls to be torn down and relaxed, you hold and you stand. And when you've done all to stand, you stand because
[01:12:51] the standard is not of man, it is of God. And God says, when we've done all to stand, what do we do?
[01:12:56] To stand. Because God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and that doesn't change.
[01:13:04] Maybe it's the hall of education. And if God knows, our halls of education needs believers.
[01:13:12] Our halls of education need people who will stand for truths. And the principles that are taught should be principles that are based on righteousness in our governments, in the area of media, arts and entertainment, in the area of business, in the area of health care. Many of you have been placed in all
[01:13:36] of those areas. And can I tell you, your first purpose is not a paycheck. Your first purpose is Jesus Christ. Your first purpose is to change the environment you work in by bringing in the
[01:13:51] environment of Jesus Christ, by bringing in the Holy Spirit to make a difference. What happens to darkness when light comes in? The Bible says it is dispelled. Well, if you are light and you walk into an office that's full of darkness, guess what happens to that darkness? You as the light
[01:14:11] come in and you dispel the darkness. Now, if you come in and put your light under a basket and sit at your desk with the light under a basket, guess what's going to continue to exist? Darkness. So
[01:14:24] when you come in, you let your light shine. You let love shine. You let truth shine. You let the work of the Holy Spirit shine. Wherever you go, you let who Christ is shine through you, for he
[01:14:37] is the light of the world. We are to utilize every available means to spread the gospel and the love of God. Church is not a dead mission. The mission involves being active, being empowered to win
[01:14:58] souls, being empowered to lay hands on the sick and see them recovered. Well, pastor, isn't that just for the pastors? No. Look at your hands and say, God, make these hands healing hands.
[01:15:12] Make these hands healing hands, that I may lay these hands on the sick where I work. I may lay these hands on the ball fields where I play ball, that I may lay these hands, God, wherever it is
[01:15:26] that you take me, and that we will see the sick recover, and they will come to know that it's not man, but such as I have, give I unto them in the name of Jesus Christ be healed. You see what I'm
[01:15:40] saying? It's a mindset and how we think. Put on the mind of Christ. Let this mind be in you, which was in Christ Jesus our Lord, for he has already empowered us. Remember this this morning.
[01:15:57] It is the heartbeat of our God to build his church.
[01:16:02] And because it is the heartbeat of God, because it is the mind of God, that all would believe and none would perish, but that all would come to salvation.
[01:16:15] He has not only enabled you, he has empowered you because he has called you to do that work.
[01:16:24] He has called you to do that work.
[01:16:28] He says, I will never leave you nor forsake you.
[01:16:30] In other words, wherever you go, I'm going with you.
[01:16:33] I'm going to make it happen.
[01:16:36] This is why one of the core values of multiplied church, both multiplied church, Lake Norman, and the multiply global family, is to love Jesus and change the world.
[01:16:50] Look at the person next to you and say, you've got to love Jesus and change the world.
[01:16:55] Come on, you've got to love Jesus and change the world.
[01:16:58] Every believer has direct access to God and the authority to come to God with worship and in serving Him directly.
[01:17:06] Every believer has been given faith and faith requires constantly moving forward and taking new territory for the kingdom of God.
[01:17:17] What territory did you take this past week?
[01:17:20] What conquering did you do this past week in the name of Jesus called by faith to take the new territory for the kingdom of God and rather than sitting idle and complacent thinking that the privilege and the responsibility
[01:17:39] belongs to someone else, it is your responsibility, it's my responsibility to move forward by sharing the message of Christ.
[01:17:52] From the very beginning of creation, God's first mandate to man, Genesis 1, 28, be fruitful and multiply.
[01:18:06] replenish the earth. We are called, and God has equipped us to multiply His kingdom.
[01:18:19] Pastor Doug Witherup, who is the senior lead over the Multiply Global family, has written a book called Multipliers, and it's just come out. And next week, we will have it available for those of you who would like to purchase it. It's an excellent book. It's on
[01:18:39] unlocking the five mindsets of multiplication. In other words, how to make your life effective in multiplying. God has given us the message. Can you say that? Say, I have the message.
[01:18:58] God has empowered us. Say, I have the power. God has gifted us. Say, I am gifted. And now we embrace by going and doing, by fulfilling the commission. It is a sign of our faith when we do.
[01:19:22] For James 1.22 says this, do not just be hearers, but be doers of the word. God has sent his son, called you to believe in his son, and has loved you sacrificially, each and every one of you.
[01:19:44] He has not called you to condemnation.
[01:19:47] He has not called you to laziness.
[01:19:52] He has called you to freedom and to do the work of the Lord Jesus Christ.
[01:19:58] He has made you a vessel of honor that with him, you, you, you can change the world.
[01:20:09] So what do we do?
[01:20:11] We just do it.
[01:20:16] with God, I commission you. Change where you live. With God, I commission you. Change where you work.
[01:20:29] With God, I commission you. Change wherever you are. Dare to say to God, dare to say to God humbly and prayerfully, God, I am a world changer because you are a world changer and you are in me.
[01:20:52] So God, change the world through me.
[01:21:00] It's time, church.
[01:21:06] Let's love Jesus and change the world.
[01:21:12] Would you turn your hands, palm up?
[01:21:17] Just hold them.
[01:21:19] I'm going to pray an impartation upon the church.
[01:21:24] As the pastor anointed to lead this church, I'm going to pray an impartation an anointing to be world changers so father I come to you in the name that is above every name the name of Jesus
[01:21:43] and I thank you for this church for this people I thank you that your love for them is perfect and I thank you God that you have given this shepherd a love for his sheep
[01:21:59] for your sheep for this people and I thank you Lord that you live in them and the Spirit of God resides in them and has empowered them.
[01:22:14] And this morning, I pray an impartation of a renewed awakening of the Spirit of God that is in them.
[01:22:25] I impart unto them boldness and courage.
[01:22:29] I impart unto them, Lord Jesus, the leading of the Holy Spirit, God, and the sensitivity, Lord, of awareness of those around them to share the Lord Jesus Christ, hallelujah, with them, God, that they would come to know you, Lord.
[01:22:45] I pray, God, hallelujah, and I impart a boldness for seed planting, for watering, and for harvesting among this congregation. I impart, God, the fullness of every gift of the Spirit residing in them, coming to pass, O God, in action, Lord, not only being hearers, but being doers as well,
[01:23:06] that they would be fruit bearers of all the fruit of the spirit God walking in love and joy and peace and gentleness and meekness and kindness and goodness and temperance and self-control God I thank you Lord Jesus
[01:23:21] for this impartation of power this impartation of anointing upon your church that we would be the world changers that you have called us to be for the building of your kingdom right here right now today in Jesus name and everyone said amen give the Lord a clap offering

[01:23:44] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]
[01:23:44] of praise and thanksgiving for him come on can we can we clap it up for that message this morning I love that scripture in James 1 pastor Bill just mentioned it talks about if you're a hero of the
[01:24:03] word but you're not a doer of the word and then he goes on to equate it to something like this he says, this person is like a person that goes into the mirror. He sees his reflection in the mirror
[01:24:15] and then he walks away and he forgets what he looks like. The reason we have an identity crisis in our world today is because we as believers haven't done the best job doing the work. We hear
[01:24:33] like we're sitting in this church right now, hearing the preached word. But man, if we would go out and apply the words of Jesus and partner with the Holy Spirit and understanding that every step that I take is ground for the kingdom of God in my workplace, in my school, wherever I'm at.
[01:24:55] If somebody runs into me, that is a divine appointment for them to meet Jesus Christ.
[01:25:01] And if we would walk with that authority, man, we wouldn't worry about who's showing up to church.
[01:25:07] we wouldn't worry about of hey there was a gap in this section of the auditorium and there's a gap in that section we wouldn't worry about any of that stuff because we'd understand we live on
[01:25:18] mission knowing who we are in christ we don't forget when we leave this room who we are because we're doers of the word not just hearers only and so this is what i feel like the spirit
[01:25:27] wants us to do and really commit to jesus says that if any man would come after me he must take up his cross deny himself and follow me and a lot of times man we get into church settings
[01:25:40] and it's comfortable and we check a box and it's good and then we go back and we go through our week and it's hard and there's so much stuff going on and we come back on sunday to get our fix but
[01:25:49] here's the reality is that jesus didn't die just for you to get a fix of him he died for you for you to lay your life down to walk with him and give your whole life to him and so i feel like
[01:25:59] to call this morning is for us to surrender our lives again this isn't about salvation this is about committing our hearts and our lives to laying down trevor's wants trevor's desires trevor's goals so that the kingdom of god can advance through me and through us so this is
[01:26:19] what i want to say i want all of us to stand across the room and listen the holy spirit is here and god says that man looks on the outward what god looks on the inward so he sees the
[01:26:28] intention of a heart and so if you mean this i want you to raise your hand if you would say i want to surrender my life i understand i want to deny myself daily daily to follow god daily to
[01:26:43] follow god i want you to raise your hand just pop it up in the air this is between you and god this is nothing about daily i want to daily follow the lord because i know what god has called me to
[01:26:56] i know who god has called me and told me who i am i know that and because i know that i can go change the world for jesus i see all those hands you can put those hands down and this is what i
[01:27:06] want us to do i just want us to pray together that the holy spirit the holy spirit you know the bible says that christ in you is the hope of glory christ in you christ coming out of you is
[01:27:19] that hope being made manifest and so i just want to pray over us today pastor bill he already commissioned us but i just want to i want to pray to seal that thing seal let's pray together father
[01:27:31] we love you jesus thank you lord you are the king of kings and the lord of lords you ascended into heaven and you sit at the right hand of the father lord god and the father has made all of your
[01:27:43] enemies his your footstool lord today you have chosen us lord the people of this church multiply lake norman lord god in the church abroad lord god to win souls to the kingdom of god lord god
[01:27:58] it's not about the programs or the fun stuff that we do lord god all those those things can be used as discipleship tools look how we understand that you desire that none shall perish but all
[01:28:09] would come into the knowledge and saving work of jesus christ lord and we can do that today lord grace us to do that lord god let us not just be inviters or god but let us bring people to church
[01:28:21] Lord God because we understand that only you have what they need Lord give us the power to be bold as lions like your word says empowered by the Holy Spirit Lord God to just have simple conversations
[01:28:34] with people ask them how their day is ask them what do they mean by that Lord God and ask them if they believe in Jesus Lord God would you empower us to be your hands and feet Lord God
[01:28:48] that we would be a church, Lord, that brings people to the foot of the cross.
[01:28:55] God, we thank you for that in all your glory.
[01:28:58] And everybody said amen.
[01:29:01] Amen.
[01:29:01] Hey, before you go, really quick, if you are being baptized, meet in the VHQ in about five minutes.
[01:29:06] We're going to baptize a couple more people.
[01:29:08] Hey, feel free to stick around.
[01:29:09] Feel free to stick around and watch people be baptized, celebrate with us.
[01:29:12] Also, Youth Camp, sign up for Youth Camp.
[01:29:15] Parents, if you've got teenagers, there's cards in the back.
[01:29:17] You can take one.
[01:29:19] Church, continue to love Jesus and change the world.
[01:29:22] We'll see you guys next week.