Bumpy Start...

Rick is about ready. Worship is in full swing.

Wait. What's this?

A woman coming to our table...

The campus volunteers are doing their jobs with passion and fervor.  Looks like we're at a table for bloggers (since Rob and I are blogging) but Sheila and Michelle are only our wives so they were asked to leave.  Huh?

I wonder if there is a conflict of values at play here. Seems like sitting with my wife and team is helpful...but maybe it's only helpful to us. 

Bottom line. I can't believe they asked my wife to sit somewhere else.

I'll have to get past this or I won't be a very happy person.  Good for me...apparently I have a chance to grow in my faith.

Now...on to Rick's first session.

"At Saddleback we're fast, fluid and flexible. We don't know what's going to happen tomorrow so I don't believe in long-range planning. Vision is not the ability to predict the future; it is the ability to see the opportunity in that moment and take advantage of it." - Rick Warren

We are to become like Jesus.
Convictions = Thinking like Jesus
Character = Feeling like Jesus
Conduct = Acting like Jesus

"It is easy to be biblical if you don't care about being relevant. It is easy to be relevant if you don't care about being biblical. It is important to be both biblical and relevant." - Rick Warren

"I don't need more ought-to preaching. I need more how-to preaching." - Rick Warren

"Knowledge without application produces pride. Because knowledge puffs up but love builds up." - Rick Warren

"Knowledge without application bring judgment. With deeper knowledge comes additional responsibility." - Rick Warren
"Anyone who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins." (James 4:17)

"The goal of preaching is obedience. It is not to know. It is to obey." - Rick Warren
"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and TEACHING THEM TO OBEY everything I have commanded you." (Matt. 28:19-20)

"Always preach for a response." - Rick Warren

What I've learned about preaching for Life-Change....

1. All behavior is based on a belief. There is a belief behind every behavior.

2. Behind every sin is a lie that I'm believing. When I sin - at that moment - I think that is the best thing I can do.
"At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures." (Titus 3:3)
The though part of preaching is figuring out the lie behind the behavior.

3. Change always starts in the mind.
"...be transformed by the renewing of your mind." (Romans 12:2)
         Think...Feel...Act

4. To help people change, we must change their beliefs first. The battle of sin always starts in the mind. Preaching exposes the lie they are believing.

5. Trying to change people's behavior without changing their belief is a waste of time.
"What people say with their mouths comes from the way they think: and these are the things that make people unclean." (Matt. 15:18 NCV)
It's not hard to obey when your mind is renewed. It's impossible to obey when it's not. You can't be good without God's Spirit in your life.

6. The Bible term for "changing your mind" is called "repentance."
          metanoia = "to change your mind."
          Notice: Repentance is not "change your behavior."
          It is actually "change your mind."  It's a paradigm shift.
We are in the mind-changing-business.

7. You don't change people's minds; the applied Word of God does.

8. Changing the way I act is the result, or fruit, of repentance.
Technically, the word "repentance" is not a behavioral change; it means a change of the mind. If you have changed your mind, let's see the results of your new thinking.

9. The deepest kind of preaching is for repentance.
    Repentance: the central message of the NT preachers
John the Baptist
   "Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is near." (Matt. 3:2)
Jesus
   "From that time on Jesus began to preach, 'Repent...'" (Matt. 4:17)
   "Repent and believe the Good News!" (Mark 1:15
The 70 
   "They went out and preached that people should repent." (Mark 6:12)
Peter
   "Repent and be baptized, every one of you..." (Acts 2:38)
Paul
   "I preached that they should repent..." (Acts 26:20b)
John 
    "Repent!" (Revelation 2-3

"Jesus told them, 'This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations...'" (Luke 24:46-47)

10. To produce lasting life-change you must enlighten the mind (knowing element), engage the emotions (feeling element) and challenge the will (doing element).

You must ask the question, "Will you do this?  Will you?"

Comments

[JG]

Mark! Our ushers are at times ... well, overzealous. While I'm sure this was a great chance to grow in your faith - I'm SO sorry that happened! I think this will also be a good learning for us ... argh ... I hate it when we do that. :)

Thanks SO much for coming to the Summit!

JG