Brent Parsley's Blog

Welcome back to the Heartwork Mission.

This week at _tag we launched our latest thematic goal in full force. We spent the last two months of our new season just talking about Jesus. It's been so great! And somewhere along the way, when you keep talking about Jesus, something happens. You just can't keep talking without doing.t

That's where we are.

We've launched our new initiative and can't wait to tell the stories of what Jesus is doing. This is where we're going over the next few months. We simply call it Heartwork.

The Heartwork Mission has 3 big ideas:

One Friend: Expose One Friend to Jesus.
Our goal is to share 1,000 stories of lives around us touched by the Gospel of Jesus. We all know people that need to know Jesus. We do know Him. It's time to introduce Him.

One Community: Gather 10 meals for families in need.
We're challenging every member of _tag to gather 10 meals for a family of four. The current need is great in our community and we want to help. So we're partnering with the Salvation Army to do just that.

One World: Build 5 homes for widowed mothers in Uganda.
Partnering with some incredible people on the ground in Uganda, we're going to build 5 homes for widows and their children.These homes will also serve as ministry centers in that community for churches to gather for small groups and discipleship.

We will run with this Vision through the end of May. Excitement is already off the charts. I can't wait to watch Jesus at work through our family.

Heartwork is here. I hope you will be too.

That's How Winning is Done.

Last week I found myself re-watching the movie, Rocky Balboa. Yes, this was my second viewing of the film, and yes, I did do it on purpose. I’m not talking about the train wreck we all know as Rocky V with Tommy Gunn and the street fight. I’m talking about the very last Rocky movie. In one of my favorite scenes Rocky delivers a powerful Father / Son talk in which he says, “Life’s not about how hard you hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward…That’s how winning is done!” That idea sums up the entire, incredible (Rocky V excluded) Rocky story. And I think youth pastors can learn something from the Italian Stallion.

We know a little bit about endurance around here at New LIfe. The past two years have been chock full of struggles and difficulties. But we are still here outlasting the trials. One of the reasons we have done so is found in 1 Samuel Chapter 30.

David is at the lowest of the low. He has the promise to be King one day, but he is living far away from that promise in the enemy’s territory. It doesn’t get much worse. Or does it? Through a series of events David and his men actually end up losing their town, their livestock, and their wives and children. OK. That has to be the bottom. Or does it? Next, his faithful army decides that they should probably stone him for his excellent decision-making skills. OK. Bottom achieved. 

We may not all have first hand knowledge of this type of difficult situation, but we all know how it feels. Whether we have lived through losing it all or just feel like we have, it is easy to quickly identify with David. But the end of verse 6 uncovers the key that kept David and keeps guys like Rocky and me moving forward.

BUT David found strength in the LORD his God.

Where do you go when it seems you have lost it all? It’s an important question because the place you run to determines the outcome of the circumstances you face.

There is a place you can reside where you won’t be governed by life’s circumstances.
Look at some of the great leaders through history and you will catch a glimpse of what that means. Peek into the persecuted church and you’ll see it. Examine the stories of martyrs for Jesus and you’ll discover it. They lived above the fray with a strength that doesn’t come from this world. It resides solely in the LORD. Yes, circumstances hit  hard and you feel them. But they won’t knock you out.

Our perspective of our circumstances cannot determine our level of faith.
Our belief in God must determine the level of our faith.
David found strength in the LORD his God.

David had a personal responsibility to act. He moved forward into the LORD. But it was God who strengthened him. There are a few specific things that David did to find that strength that we can all learn from. That’s for another day and another post.

For today, where are you running? Strength exists. The LORD your God wants to give it to you. Run to Him until you get it.

That’s how winning is done.