Next message

God Wants to Give You a Gift

1 hr 11 mins 48 sec
00:00:00
01:11:34

Live a Greater Story

Remember when that guy did the thing that everyone else was doing, nothing happened, nothing changed, and no one cared? Yeah, me neither. There’s a greater call on your life, and you can’t get there by following the current of culture that just wants to sweep you out into a sea of nothingness. You can live a greater story. How? Accept the challenge in front of you and be transformed. Join Chuck Mingo as he shows us how we can step into a greater story and change the world while changing ourselves in the process.

  • 00:00:01
    - Well, hey, welcome to Crossroads.
  • 00:00:03
    Whether you're watching us online
  • 00:00:05
    or here in the room with us,
  • 00:00:06
    it's so great to be with you.
  • 00:00:08
    Hey, my name is Andy Reiter.
  • 00:00:09
    I lead our Crossroads Anywhere community,
  • 00:00:11
    which means if you're here in Oakley, man,
  • 00:00:13
    I only get to see you guys when your kids are sick.
  • 00:00:15
    So I'm glad everybody's doing well,
  • 00:00:18
    I get to be with you in person.
  • 00:00:19
    Now, I just want to say this.
  • 00:00:21
    I think I can speak for all of us pretty safely
  • 00:00:24
    when I say, like, 99.9% of us sort of have
  • 00:00:28
    an unhealthy relationship with this thing right here.
  • 00:00:30
    And throughout this whole series called Unplugged,
  • 00:00:32
    we're just sort of saying, "God, do you have anything
  • 00:00:35
    You want to say to us about it that might help us thrive,
  • 00:00:38
    that might help us flourish?"
  • 00:00:39
    And so to just start our time off, to reset
  • 00:00:42
    and to focus our attention on God,
  • 00:00:44
    we're going to start off by singing some songs.
  • 00:00:46
    And these songs are a reminder of what God says
  • 00:00:48
    is true about us and what we get to say is true about God.
  • 00:00:52
    So we'd love it if you'd stand on up and sing with us.
  • 00:00:59
    - All right, y'all ready to learn a new song together?
  • 00:01:04
    Come on, I'm gonna need your help on this one.
  • 00:07:14
    - Come on. If you know it, sing.
  • 00:12:26
    - Come on, sing it again. Sit in it.
  • 00:12:48
    - Come on, ask yourself.
  • 00:13:06
    - Come on one more time. Maybe you need it.
  • 00:13:26
    - Come on, receive His grace.
  • 00:13:48
    - Thank you, Lord. [applause]
  • 00:13:56
    - That song is super clear
  • 00:13:58
    that God doesn't want us to stay stuck.
  • 00:14:01
    Right? That's the Lord's goodness
  • 00:14:04
    that He wants to bring us to a new place.
  • 00:14:08
    Now, you might be wondering why I'm on
  • 00:14:10
    a little tiny stage that's flowering like
  • 00:14:12
    a little garden in the middle of an auditorium.
  • 00:14:14
    And I just want to tell you,
  • 00:14:15
    it's not just for the creative effect.
  • 00:14:19
    It's a visual representation of what this whole series is about,
  • 00:14:23
    that we want to go from a new place to someplace new,
  • 00:14:27
    that we don't want to stay stuck,
  • 00:14:28
    that we don't want to tend to a grave,
  • 00:14:30
    that we want God to invite us to someplace new
  • 00:14:33
    that's thriving and that's flourishing.
  • 00:14:36
    And just as you sang those words, I want you to know
  • 00:14:39
    that's what God wants for you, to invite you
  • 00:14:44
    and call you to a new place.
  • 00:14:47
    And if you're extra observant,
  • 00:14:49
    you may have also wondered why
  • 00:14:51
    whenever they've been doing this in service
  • 00:14:53
    throughout this series, do they ask me to pull out my phone?
  • 00:14:56
    Maybe the number one source of distraction in my life
  • 00:14:59
    in a series about unplugging from digital distractions?
  • 00:15:02
    Well, that's intentional too.
  • 00:15:04
    So if you would, go ahead and pull out your phone for me.
  • 00:15:09
    There's a quote that I heard recently
  • 00:15:11
    by George M. Adams that said:
  • 00:15:14
    encouragement is like oxygen to the soul.
  • 00:15:18
    And isn't that true?
  • 00:15:20
    Encouragement is like oxygen to the soul.
  • 00:15:22
    And I think we can all think of a time where
  • 00:15:24
    someone offered us just the right word
  • 00:15:27
    at just the right moment. Right?
  • 00:15:29
    And I bet we can all think of a moment
  • 00:15:32
    where that word didn't come, and we just felt stuck
  • 00:15:37
    and alone where we were.
  • 00:15:39
    Well, when we worship, we're not just singing
  • 00:15:41
    truths about God to Him.
  • 00:15:43
    We're also empowered to live out the truths
  • 00:15:46
    of who God says we are and to echo those to one another.
  • 00:15:50
    So right now, I want you to think,
  • 00:15:54
    "Who needs encouragement in my life?
  • 00:15:57
    Who could I just reach out to and send a text
  • 00:16:00
    right now, in this moment, to encourage them,
  • 00:16:04
    to invite them to go to a new place?"
  • 00:16:07
    Take a minute right now, in this moment,
  • 00:16:10
    and send someone a text of encouragement, of hope.
  • 00:16:16
    Let's do that together.
  • 00:17:24
    - Come on, say it right to him.
  • 00:22:10
    - That's who you are, Jesus, and we worship You.
  • 00:22:14
    We worship You freely.
  • 00:22:17
    We bring all of our stuff here in this room,
  • 00:22:20
    and we say none of it is more important than You.
  • 00:22:22
    None of it brings us more value or more purpose in this life.
  • 00:22:27
    No, it's You. You're the giver of purpose.
  • 00:22:32
    You're the giver of our identities.
  • 00:22:35
    They're in you. They're not in our jobs.
  • 00:22:38
    They're not in the way we choose to present ourselves
  • 00:22:41
    and our fashion.
  • 00:22:43
    And it's in following after You and being more like You,
  • 00:22:47
    we are image bearers.
  • 00:22:51
    God, you are the Creator and I just praise You.
  • 00:22:57
    I just realized how grateful that
  • 00:23:00
    my whole entire being is right now after singing to you.
  • 00:23:06
    That being so focused and locked in on you,
  • 00:23:09
    nothing else matters. There's a peace.
  • 00:23:12
    There's a weight that feels like it's lifted off of my life.
  • 00:23:17
    And no, that doesn't mean my problems
  • 00:23:19
    aren't still waiting for me.
  • 00:23:21
    But it means they don't control me, because You are good.
  • 00:23:27
    You are faithful, and I choose to believe that.
  • 00:23:33
    And I thank You for who You are
  • 00:23:35
    and for being able to sing to You freely.
  • 00:23:38
    It's a gift. And I praise You.
  • 00:23:41
    In Jesus's name. Amen. Amen.
  • 00:23:44
    Come on. Anybody else feel Him in the room?
  • 00:23:47
    Come on. Whoo!
  • 00:23:51
    He's right here with us.
  • 00:23:53
    And it's true, every good thing comes from Him.
  • 00:23:55
    And believe it or not, community comes from Him.
  • 00:23:58
    He loves it when we're together.
  • 00:24:00
    And he built us, created us that way.
  • 00:24:01
    Why don't you turn to somebody next to you,
  • 00:24:03
    give 'em a high five.
  • 00:24:05
    Maybe you don't know 'em, tell 'em your name.
  • 00:24:07
    Give 'em a fist bump.
  • 00:24:09
    Give 'em a hug if they're cool with that,
  • 00:24:11
    and then you can have a seat.
  • 00:24:17
    - Imagine completely unplugging.
  • 00:24:24
    Step away from the ordinary
  • 00:24:27
    and into an extraordinary adventure.
  • 00:24:31
    Take a break, recharge, and come home more alive.
  • 00:24:37
    Unplug and connect with God.
  • 00:24:40
    You need this.
  • 00:24:42
    Camps.us.
  • 00:24:47
    - Was that Wilford Brimley or Slingblade?
  • 00:24:51
    - No, it was John Goodman. Definitely John Goodman.
  • 00:24:53
    - Hey, agree to disagree.
  • 00:24:54
    - I'll tell you who these guys are.
  • 00:24:55
    These are two good friends of mine.
  • 00:24:57
    This is Judd and Craig, who are a big part
  • 00:24:58
    of making all of our camps what they are.
  • 00:25:00
    And guys, where did actually the idea for camps come from?
  • 00:25:03
    - We were on a bike trip in this muddy bog in Kentucky,
  • 00:25:06
    and we said, "This is amazing,"
  • 00:25:09
    in the middle of like a cold November morning
  • 00:25:11
    saying like, "More people need this.
  • 00:25:13
    They need the adventure, the challenge.
  • 00:25:14
    They need the brotherhood
  • 00:25:15
    and then the connection with God that comes on all this."
  • 00:25:18
    And so we said, "Why don't we make one?"
  • 00:25:20
    - Camps started with like a motorcycle trip and some tents
  • 00:25:23
    and grew into something that there's
  • 00:25:25
    all kinds of different camp, Man Camp, Woman Camp,
  • 00:25:27
    Couples Camp, Student Camp, Veterans' Camp,
  • 00:25:28
    Father Son Camp, Mother Daughter Camp.
  • 00:25:30
    - Family Camp. - Family Camp.
  • 00:25:31
    - Which is kind of both of those crammed together.
  • 00:25:33
    - That's right. That's right.
  • 00:25:34
    Why should somebody come to camp?
  • 00:25:36
    - Because they're awesome.
  • 00:25:37
    - Yeah, they're great, it's super fun.
  • 00:25:39
    - Do you like fun and God?
  • 00:25:40
    - It's like a festival in the woods.
  • 00:25:41
    - I mean, if you like fun and God, I think that's --
  • 00:25:43
    You're halfway there, might be two thirds of the way there.
  • 00:25:46
    - It's maybe the best thing you can do
  • 00:25:47
    if you're sick of your phone and you're distracted
  • 00:25:49
    and you need to get away from it and get a --
  • 00:25:52
    It's like sensory deprivation,
  • 00:25:53
    like get out in the actual nature that God made.
  • 00:25:57
    - So no matter where you live, no matter where you are,
  • 00:25:59
    whether you're near one of our physical sites
  • 00:26:01
    or you're part of our Anywhere community,
  • 00:26:02
    hey, I just want to tell you this is worth it.
  • 00:26:05
    I don't care if you live in Denver
  • 00:26:07
    in like prime camping zone,
  • 00:26:08
    you should in fact come to Ohio to come to one of our camps.
  • 00:26:11
    I know it sounds insane, but it's worth it.
  • 00:26:13
    Like we were just talking before this,
  • 00:26:15
    you both had stories of people
  • 00:26:16
    whose lives are different because they came to camp.
  • 00:26:18
    - Yeah, absolutely. - Yeah, yeah.
  • 00:26:20
    I mean, so speaking of the Anywhere community,
  • 00:26:22
    we had 2 or 3 camps ago.
  • 00:26:24
    I was watching baptisms in the camp and this shadow,
  • 00:26:27
    like, falls over me from behind.
  • 00:26:28
    I turn around and there's this monstrous guy in overalls.
  • 00:26:30
    And I was like, and you know what?
  • 00:26:32
    "Hey, man, how are you doing?"
  • 00:26:33
    He said, "Hey, you got to realize how important this is."
  • 00:26:36
    And I was like, "Oh, thanks."
  • 00:26:37
    He goes, "No, you see these scars on my arm, scabs?"
  • 00:26:39
    And I was like, "Yeah, yeah."
  • 00:26:40
    He goes, so this was Sunday, the prior Monday, he said,
  • 00:26:44
    "The prior Monday I came home,
  • 00:26:45
    caught my old lady in bed with my best friend,
  • 00:26:47
    went out to the garage, threw a rope
  • 00:26:49
    over the rafter in my shed and hung myself."
  • 00:26:51
    He said, "The rope snapped." This guy was a monstrous person.
  • 00:26:53
    Rope snapped, landed on all of his yard implements,
  • 00:26:55
    his mower and all this stuff and cut himself up.
  • 00:26:57
    He was kind of banged up.
  • 00:26:58
    He said, "The only reason I didn't get back up there
  • 00:27:00
    is because I remembered I was coming here this weekend,
  • 00:27:02
    and I remember what it meant to me last time I was here."
  • 00:27:05
    Because he came and, like, won arm wrestling.
  • 00:27:06
    I mean, this guy was as serious as anybody I've ever talked to.
  • 00:27:09
    So that was, that was a big deal.
  • 00:27:11
    - Gosh.
  • 00:27:12
    - Yeah, I mean, camps is great for me personally.
  • 00:27:15
    Like, my three kids have all been baptized
  • 00:27:17
    at different family camps because they wanted it,
  • 00:27:21
    they asked for it, you know?
  • 00:27:22
    And they made the decision to follow Jesus.
  • 00:27:25
    And that was an environment that made it safe and fun
  • 00:27:29
    for them to make that choice. So it's been good.
  • 00:27:32
    - You guys were telling me a story
  • 00:27:33
    about guys that were coming from new Jersey,
  • 00:27:35
    didn't know anybody. - Right.
  • 00:27:36
    - Found out that there was somebody else
  • 00:27:38
    that was on his route,
  • 00:27:39
    like his 12 hour route to Base Camp where the camps are held.
  • 00:27:42
    Picked another guy up, they became friends.
  • 00:27:44
    And then literally for the last three years
  • 00:27:46
    have been bringing more and more people on their route down.
  • 00:27:49
    So whether you know people or whether you don't, man,
  • 00:27:52
    this is the perfect place to make some new connections,
  • 00:27:55
    make some new friends, or to bring your crew
  • 00:27:58
    and go experience camp together.
  • 00:27:59
    Now, all this stuff, you were saying,
  • 00:28:01
    like, the price of your ticket for camp cover what?
  • 00:28:05
    - It covers the basics, the basic experience.
  • 00:28:08
    It doesn't cover the land.
  • 00:28:09
    It doesn't cover any of the staff that's out there.
  • 00:28:11
    - It barely covers whatever camp you're going to ish.
  • 00:28:14
    So yeah, and there's a million moving parts and pieces
  • 00:28:16
    that support camp, that allow us to have camp,
  • 00:28:20
    that allow camps to exist that none of that touches.
  • 00:28:22
    - Yeah. How many acres?
  • 00:28:24
    - We're over 800 now. - Over 800. Yeah.
  • 00:28:26
    - So over 800 acres, lots of infrastructure,
  • 00:28:28
    lots of staff, lots of stuff that happens
  • 00:28:31
    because of the faithfulness and the generosity
  • 00:28:33
    of this community that isn't included in that,
  • 00:28:35
    whatever the price for the ticket is.
  • 00:28:36
    So I just want to say, if you're part of
  • 00:28:38
    the faithful team that makes all this stuff happen
  • 00:28:40
    around Crossroads, thank you, thank you, thank you.
  • 00:28:42
    Stories like these and countless more
  • 00:28:43
    than we have time to tell you happen
  • 00:28:45
    because of your faithfulness.
  • 00:28:47
    And specifically, if you are a part of
  • 00:28:48
    our community who tithes,
  • 00:28:50
    that gives 10% of your income to your local church,
  • 00:28:53
    and you're on what's called the Blue Team.
  • 00:28:55
    You can check that out at crossroads. ne/BlueTeam
  • 00:28:58
    for more information there, or to join the team
  • 00:29:01
    of faithful givers who make all this possible.
  • 00:29:02
    Head to Crossroads.net/give.
  • 00:29:04
    - It's awesome. - Do it!
  • 00:29:05
    - Thanks, guys. - Thanks.
  • 00:29:08
    - When despair for the world grows in me
  • 00:29:10
    and I wake in the night at the least sound,
  • 00:29:13
    I go and lie down where the wood drake rests [cat]
  • 00:29:16
    his beauty on the water and the great heron feeds. [videos]
  • 00:29:20
    Come to the peace of wild things
  • 00:29:22
    who do not tax their -- [background sounds build]
  • 00:29:31
    - Distracted yet?
  • 00:29:32
    What would our lives look like
  • 00:29:34
    if we took a break from all this,
  • 00:29:36
    the 24 hour news cycle
  • 00:29:37
    and doomscrolling ourselves to death?
  • 00:29:39
    How would our lives be better if we made space
  • 00:29:41
    for talking and dancing and laughing with each other
  • 00:29:44
    until we pee our pants?
  • 00:29:46
    God wants us to experience a full life,
  • 00:29:48
    but our distractions are getting in the way.
  • 00:29:51
    It's time to kill the noise and listen for God's voice
  • 00:29:54
    echo through the pages of the Bible.
  • 00:29:56
    Let's unplug.
  • 00:29:57
    Unplug from digital distractions
  • 00:29:59
    and plug into the real life God has for us.
  • 00:30:05
    - All right, who's ready to lean in?
  • 00:30:07
    Yes, yes, yes, yes.
  • 00:30:09
    I've got a specific goal in mind for you today,
  • 00:30:13
    and that is for you to commit, for you to commit
  • 00:30:16
    to the 40 Day Digital Reset,
  • 00:30:19
    because it will transform your life.
  • 00:30:21
    So you heard the details.
  • 00:30:23
    We're going to be doing this together as a church.
  • 00:30:26
    It's an opportunity for us to reevaluate
  • 00:30:27
    our relationship with our technology.
  • 00:30:29
    It's an opportunity for us to fast, right,
  • 00:30:31
    to give up something physically,
  • 00:30:33
    but to gain something spiritually.
  • 00:30:36
    You know, I try before I speak on a weekend
  • 00:30:39
    to just ask God, "God, what do you think?
  • 00:30:41
    What's on your mind about the people that I get to speak to?"
  • 00:30:45
    And oftentimes God will give me pictures
  • 00:30:48
    or He'll give me words.
  • 00:30:49
    And I feel like the thing that God gave me
  • 00:30:51
    coming into today is this:
  • 00:30:53
    there are world changing callings
  • 00:30:56
    on the lives of people here right now.
  • 00:30:58
    I don't know if you believe that about yourself,
  • 00:30:59
    but I believe that about you.
  • 00:31:01
    I believe that there are people in here
  • 00:31:03
    who are called to set a new trajectory
  • 00:31:05
    by building a healthy family,
  • 00:31:06
    even though you've never experienced one.
  • 00:31:08
    I believe there are people in here who have
  • 00:31:10
    creative, entrepreneurial ideas, and God is going
  • 00:31:13
    to give you not just world changing ideas,
  • 00:31:15
    but industry shifting ideas for a business.
  • 00:31:18
    I believe there are people in here right now
  • 00:31:20
    that God is going to use in incredible ways
  • 00:31:23
    through your artistic gifts, to create lasting art
  • 00:31:27
    that helps people not just in this generation,
  • 00:31:29
    but in future generations, connect to the living God.
  • 00:31:32
    I believe there are world changing callings
  • 00:31:34
    on your lives in here.
  • 00:31:36
    And God just was giving me that as a picture and an image.
  • 00:31:39
    Because here's the deal.
  • 00:31:41
    If we're going to experience that,
  • 00:31:43
    we've got to find a way to shift our lives
  • 00:31:46
    from distraction into destiny.
  • 00:31:49
    And that's what I believe is an opportunity
  • 00:31:52
    that this digital fast offers for us.
  • 00:31:54
    So let's pray that that would happen for all of us.
  • 00:31:56
    God, I ask that You would speak, that You would move,
  • 00:32:01
    that You would motivate, that You would encourage,
  • 00:32:04
    that You would guide, that You would comfort,
  • 00:32:06
    that You would challenge, that You would do
  • 00:32:08
    whatever is needed for us to say yes
  • 00:32:11
    to what it is you're calling us to.
  • 00:32:13
    God, I believe there is something in this for me,
  • 00:32:17
    and I'm eager to receive it.
  • 00:32:18
    And I believe that is true
  • 00:32:19
    for every person who is listening,
  • 00:32:21
    whether they're in their house right now,
  • 00:32:23
    whether they're in a building right now.
  • 00:32:24
    There is something for all of us in this.
  • 00:32:26
    Help us to see it. Help us to receive it, God.
  • 00:32:28
    Help us to step into it.
  • 00:32:29
    In Jesus's name. Amen. Amen.
  • 00:32:33
    Romans 12:1-2 says this:
  • 00:33:01
    I don't know everybody in here personally,
  • 00:33:03
    but I'm going to take a wild guess that
  • 00:33:05
    no one listening right now wants to be a conformer.
  • 00:33:09
    Anybody want to be a conformer in here? Right?
  • 00:33:12
    I mean, we're just, like,
  • 00:33:13
    naturally don't want to be a conformer.
  • 00:33:15
    But here's the challenge or the problem we face.
  • 00:33:19
    We are. We are conformers.
  • 00:33:22
    And the question that we have to ask ourselves is,
  • 00:33:25
    right now in your life, are you conforming
  • 00:33:29
    or are you transforming?
  • 00:33:32
    Because you're doing one or the other?
  • 00:33:35
    We have more and more of our brothers and sisters
  • 00:33:37
    that come to Crossroads who speak Espanol.
  • 00:33:40
    And so in Espanol the question would be this:
  • 00:33:42
    estas confirmando o transformando de,
  • 00:33:47
    because we're doing one or the other. Uno or el otro.
  • 00:33:51
    Paul writes these words in Romans and he says,
  • 00:33:54
    I appeal to you. I am putting on my encourager hat today.
  • 00:33:57
    I want to encourage you.
  • 00:33:59
    I want to make an appeal to you.
  • 00:34:01
    I want to make an appeal to you based on the mercies of God.
  • 00:34:03
    God is for you.
  • 00:34:05
    We talked about that last week,
  • 00:34:06
    and I want to make an appeal to you
  • 00:34:08
    that requires you not just to think differently,
  • 00:34:11
    but to act differently.
  • 00:34:13
    Paul says we're to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice.
  • 00:34:16
    That means this is a full contact appeal.
  • 00:34:20
    Are you conforming or are you transforming?
  • 00:34:23
    The invitation is to transform.
  • 00:34:26
    So in the first two weeks, if you weren't here,
  • 00:34:29
    I think we did a really good job making a case that
  • 00:34:32
    we need to reevaluate our relationship with our devices.
  • 00:34:35
    There's data behind it, there's science behind it,
  • 00:34:38
    there's stories behind that.
  • 00:34:39
    If you missed the first two weeks,
  • 00:34:41
    I encourage you to go and listen to that.
  • 00:34:42
    But I think we made that case pretty clearly.
  • 00:34:44
    I do want to say one thing, technology is neutral.
  • 00:34:50
    Technology is neither bad nor good,
  • 00:34:53
    and there's a lot of good that's come from technology.
  • 00:34:55
    But how we use technology is either conforming us,
  • 00:35:01
    or it can be a part of how we are transformed.
  • 00:35:04
    And what I want to do today is not make a case
  • 00:35:06
    that you should spend less time on your phone.
  • 00:35:09
    Instead, I want to make a case for being transformed.
  • 00:35:12
    I want to invite you in to transformation.
  • 00:35:15
    Romans 12 is Paul's appeal to followers of Jesus
  • 00:35:18
    in first century Rome.
  • 00:35:20
    And let me give you some context for first century Rome,
  • 00:35:22
    so you can understand how countercultural
  • 00:35:25
    and how high challenge these words actually were.
  • 00:35:28
    Rome ruled the world in the first century.
  • 00:35:31
    The Roman Empire was the most dominant force
  • 00:35:33
    on the planet in that time, and they worshiped many gods.
  • 00:35:38
    Like, part of their culture was they worshiped trees.
  • 00:35:40
    They worshiped buildings. They worshiped different gods.
  • 00:35:43
    They worshiped rivers.
  • 00:35:44
    They worshiped even their emperor.
  • 00:35:47
    So in that time, everybody in Rome
  • 00:35:50
    who was loyal to the empire would say, "Caesar is Lord."
  • 00:35:54
    And what they meant when they said that was that
  • 00:35:56
    the man who sat on the throne, Caesar, was divine.
  • 00:35:59
    They didn't think he was just a man.
  • 00:36:01
    They would say he was a god, and they worshiped him like a god.
  • 00:36:04
    And so Roman culture was unique in a lot of ways.
  • 00:36:07
    Roman culture was a mix of sophistication
  • 00:36:10
    and at the same time, brutality.
  • 00:36:13
    I mean, there are things like the Roman aqueducts
  • 00:36:15
    and the Roman road system and all kinds of things
  • 00:36:18
    that they made kind of artistic and architectural things
  • 00:36:22
    that were just innovative for the time.
  • 00:36:23
    There's a lot of sophistication in the Roman Empire.
  • 00:36:26
    And yet this is the same empire that had
  • 00:36:29
    in the arena gladiators
  • 00:36:32
    and people who they were feeding to lions,
  • 00:36:34
    while other people cheered on and were entertained by that.
  • 00:36:38
    So it was this crazy mix of vulgarity.
  • 00:36:41
    It was also very a sexually explicit culture,
  • 00:36:44
    and the people were addicted to entertainment.
  • 00:36:46
    In fact, Caesar said the reason that they did
  • 00:36:49
    the gladiatorial games was because they wanted
  • 00:36:52
    to give the people bread and circus.
  • 00:36:54
    Because if we can get them so distracted
  • 00:36:57
    by these entertaining things, they won't be concerned
  • 00:37:00
    about the ways that we're dominating them
  • 00:37:02
    in every other area of their life.
  • 00:37:03
    So in Rome,
  • 00:37:05
    it was countercultural to be a Christian.
  • 00:37:07
    Check this out.
  • 00:37:08
    In Rome, Christians were called atheists
  • 00:37:12
    because Christians didn't worship all of the other gods
  • 00:37:16
    and the rivers and the buildings and Caesar as Lord.
  • 00:37:18
    They had the courage to say that Jesus is Lord,
  • 00:37:21
    and they were seen as atheists because of that.
  • 00:37:25
    To be a Christian in Rome was at best
  • 00:37:29
    to be a social outcast, and at worst,
  • 00:37:32
    and this was true for thousands of Christians
  • 00:37:34
    in the Roman Empire, it was to be seen as an enemy
  • 00:37:37
    of the state and killed for your faith.
  • 00:37:40
    So suffice to say, in that environment,
  • 00:37:44
    there's a lot of pressure to conform.
  • 00:37:47
    Like knife to your throat pressure to conform.
  • 00:37:51
    Like, do I want to be fed to lions tomorrow
  • 00:37:54
    pressure to conform.
  • 00:37:55
    Let alone all the social challenges of being
  • 00:37:58
    an outcast to conform, high pressure to conform.
  • 00:38:02
    And here's what I would say.
  • 00:38:03
    I think it's similar for us today
  • 00:38:06
    as people who want to go the way of Jesus.
  • 00:38:09
    Now you might be like, "Wait a second,
  • 00:38:11
    I'm not going to leave here hopefully
  • 00:38:13
    and be violently assaulted because of my faith."
  • 00:38:16
    Thank God that's likely not to happen.
  • 00:38:18
    That's likely not going to happen in our lifetime.
  • 00:38:20
    And yet, to be clear, the way of Jesus,
  • 00:38:23
    the way that Jesus calls us to His followers of His,
  • 00:38:26
    is completely countercultural to
  • 00:38:29
    the typical American culture.
  • 00:38:30
    It is not the culture of America to go the way of Jesus.
  • 00:38:34
    It isn't. It isn't.
  • 00:38:35
    And here's the thing. Here's the thing.
  • 00:38:38
    We can say we are Christians with our words,
  • 00:38:43
    but our choices and our actions tell the truth.
  • 00:38:47
    And the question is, are you conforming
  • 00:38:50
    or are you transforming?
  • 00:38:52
    Paul's appeal is very clear.
  • 00:38:54
    Do not be conformed to this world.
  • 00:38:56
    What does it mean to be conformed?
  • 00:38:58
    It means to be squeezed into the mold of the culture,
  • 00:39:02
    to be squeezed into the mold of the culture.
  • 00:39:04
    And what is the pattern of this world?
  • 00:39:06
    It's any value set, any system that is
  • 00:39:08
    inconsistent with the way of Jesus.
  • 00:39:10
    And it is true for us in our culture.
  • 00:39:12
    Let me give you a couple patterns of the world
  • 00:39:14
    that are easy to be conformed to.
  • 00:39:16
    One of them is materialism.
  • 00:39:18
    Materialism is a pattern of the world
  • 00:39:20
    because Jesus says in Matthew 6:25,
  • 00:39:23
    "I tell you, do not be anxious about your life,
  • 00:39:25
    what you will eat, or what you will drink,
  • 00:39:27
    or about your body or what you will put on.
  • 00:39:29
    Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?"
  • 00:39:32
    And yet, it's very easy to be so materialistic in our culture.
  • 00:39:36
    Here's another one.
  • 00:39:37
    Hyper individualism is a pattern of this world.
  • 00:39:40
    It is not the culture of the Kingdom
  • 00:39:42
    to have this hyper individualistic view.
  • 00:39:44
    In fact, there are whole parts of the Bible
  • 00:39:46
    that don't make sense because
  • 00:39:47
    they're not written to individuals.
  • 00:39:48
    They only make sense in community.
  • 00:39:51
    There's this whole idea of one another,
  • 00:39:53
    and you can't even do most of the commands
  • 00:39:54
    in the Bible outside of community.
  • 00:39:56
    That's why Paul says in Philippians 2:3,
  • 00:39:58
    "Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit,
  • 00:40:01
    but in humility count others more significant than yourself."
  • 00:40:06
    Hedonism, the worship of pleasure,
  • 00:40:09
    the addiction to entertainment is a pattern of this world.
  • 00:40:13
    Look at what it says in Galatians 5:17.
  • 00:40:16
    It says, "For the desires of the flesh
  • 00:40:18
    are against the, capital S, Spirit."
  • 00:40:21
    They're against the Spirit of God.
  • 00:40:23
    "And the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh.
  • 00:40:26
    These are opposed to each other."
  • 00:40:29
    And yet, let's just be honest, there is tremendous pressure
  • 00:40:33
    to be squeezed into these molds.
  • 00:40:36
    How do I know? Because I'm conformed.
  • 00:40:39
    I know because there are areas where I'm conforming
  • 00:40:42
    and not transforming.
  • 00:40:43
    Let me just give you a couple that
  • 00:40:45
    I know are are temptations for me.
  • 00:40:46
    Every time I hear the word immigration right now
  • 00:40:50
    I am being conformed to whatever the news outlet
  • 00:40:54
    is that I'm listening to,
  • 00:40:55
    and that bias or point of view and perspective.
  • 00:40:58
    It's not the full perspective.
  • 00:40:59
    But if that's what I'm listening to,
  • 00:41:01
    it's conforming my view on how to think about that,
  • 00:41:04
    not how the Bible tells me to think about that.
  • 00:41:06
    I am being conformed. I know it, I know it.
  • 00:41:09
    How about this one? I watch a lot of sports.
  • 00:41:12
    I love sports, which means I watch
  • 00:41:15
    a lot of sports commercials.
  • 00:41:17
    And sports commercials, let's be clear, many of them,
  • 00:41:20
    the majority of them want to give me a view of manhood
  • 00:41:24
    that is not consistent with the way of Jesus.
  • 00:41:26
    They certainly want to give me a view of how I view women
  • 00:41:28
    that is not consistent with the way of Jesus.
  • 00:41:30
    And they want to give me a view of
  • 00:41:32
    this thing called the good life,
  • 00:41:33
    that in many ways is not consistent
  • 00:41:35
    with the way of Jesus.
  • 00:41:36
    But do you know how many thousands of commercials
  • 00:41:38
    I've seen in my life?
  • 00:41:40
    Do you think they're not having some effect?
  • 00:41:43
    Am I somehow immune to all of that influence?
  • 00:41:47
    Here's another one. Very, very serious.
  • 00:41:50
    I walk into REI, y'all, just to browse,
  • 00:41:55
    but then soon realized that my whole survival
  • 00:41:58
    hinges on me buying a $300 ultralight titanium spork.
  • 00:42:04
    I don't even camp that much, but I need it.
  • 00:42:07
    I mean, what happens if I get lost
  • 00:42:09
    in my suburban neighborhood
  • 00:42:10
    and I have to ration out my takeout?
  • 00:42:13
    Better safe than sorry, y'all.
  • 00:42:15
    I'm getting the spork.
  • 00:42:16
    I mean, we're all conformed in some way,
  • 00:42:20
    and that's all I'm saying, is we are all conformed.
  • 00:42:22
    But Paul and I am appealing to you,
  • 00:42:25
    do not be conformed to this world,
  • 00:42:26
    but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
  • 00:42:32
    When I was a kid, I loved Transformers.
  • 00:42:35
    I loved Transformers.
  • 00:42:37
    My favorite transformer was always Optimus Prime.
  • 00:42:41
    Optimus Prime. Loved, loved, loved Optimus Prime.
  • 00:42:44
    Loved the little sound they make.
  • 00:42:45
    You know when they would, like, transform.
  • 00:42:47
    Like, I loved Transformers.
  • 00:42:48
    And I believe actually God wants you and I to be Transformers.
  • 00:42:53
    God wants you to be a transformed person.
  • 00:42:55
    He wants you to be a transformed human.
  • 00:42:57
    He wants you to be a transformed family member.
  • 00:42:59
    He wants you to be a transformed friend.
  • 00:43:00
    God wants you to be a transformer.
  • 00:43:02
    So for the rest of the time,
  • 00:43:03
    I want to encourage you to be a transformer.
  • 00:43:05
    I want to tell you three traits of transformers
  • 00:43:07
    that will be true of you if you allow yourself
  • 00:43:10
    to be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
  • 00:43:13
    And the first one is this:
  • 00:43:15
    conformers settle, but transformers soar.
  • 00:43:20
    Conformers settle, but transformers soar.
  • 00:43:24
    I want to take you to nature on this one.
  • 00:43:27
    There is a difference between the behavior
  • 00:43:31
    of an eagle and a pigeon.
  • 00:43:35
    I grew up in Philadelphia.
  • 00:43:37
    You grow up in a big city, there are pigeons all over the place.
  • 00:43:41
    And God created everything,
  • 00:43:43
    and everything He created is good.
  • 00:43:44
    But I would be fine if God created a few less pigeons.
  • 00:43:48
    Because what do pigeons do?
  • 00:43:50
    They just strut around and poop on things.
  • 00:43:55
    And you know, if there's food coming for a pigeon,
  • 00:43:57
    they, like, hurry up and try to get to the food, right?
  • 00:43:59
    And they just stick around other pigeons
  • 00:44:01
    and they never really kind of leave the ground. Right?
  • 00:44:04
    They're just kind of annoying, right?
  • 00:44:06
    They're just like pigeons. Right?
  • 00:44:07
    But here's the thing, pigeons are not
  • 00:44:10
    what you and I are called to be.
  • 00:44:12
    We're called to fly higher like eagles.
  • 00:44:14
    I hang out with some guys.
  • 00:44:15
    And one of the things that we have is a phrase regularly
  • 00:44:18
    is we talk about, hey, man, let's fly higher.
  • 00:44:20
    You know what eagles do when they get around pigeons?
  • 00:44:23
    They fly higher.
  • 00:44:25
    They fly -- or they eat them, but they fly higher.
  • 00:44:27
    They fly higher, right?
  • 00:44:29
    Eagles have the ability to soar beyond.
  • 00:44:32
    They have the ability to have a different
  • 00:44:34
    and distant long term perspective.
  • 00:44:37
    Eagles have the ability to let the wind take them higher.
  • 00:44:41
    You, my friend, are called to be an eagle, not a pigeon.
  • 00:44:47
    I love what Dave Ramsey says about this.
  • 00:44:49
    He's talking about money, but it's true about any area
  • 00:44:51
    in your life where you're willing to be transformed.
  • 00:44:54
    He says this, he says, "Live like no one else,
  • 00:44:56
    so later on you can live like no one else."
  • 00:45:01
    I love that. I love that.
  • 00:45:03
    Live like no one else. Do the weird thing now.
  • 00:45:05
    Do the thing that not many people are doing now,
  • 00:45:08
    so later on, you can live the life that no one's living now.
  • 00:45:11
    You can have the influence that people can't have now.
  • 00:45:14
    You can have the joy that people can't have now.
  • 00:45:17
    Conformers settle, but transformers soar.
  • 00:45:21
    Second thing is this: conformers choose easy change,
  • 00:45:25
    while transformers choose lasting change.
  • 00:45:29
    See, the data is very clear that if you want
  • 00:45:33
    to experience deep pleasure, deep satisfaction,
  • 00:45:37
    a fulfilled life, it does not come from quick dopamine hits,
  • 00:45:42
    that the deepest, most fulfilled life happens
  • 00:45:46
    when you do what I would call and what a pastor called
  • 00:45:49
    a long obedience in the same direction.
  • 00:45:51
    So when you're willing to walk in something faithfully
  • 00:45:55
    over a period of time, you experience the greatest rewards.
  • 00:45:59
    In fact, when you settle for the quick hit,
  • 00:46:01
    the dopamine comes in, but then it drops
  • 00:46:05
    and you actually feel less full than when you started.
  • 00:46:08
    Now, I know that because I've made that mistake
  • 00:46:11
    over and over again.
  • 00:46:12
    One of the things that I am teaching my kids is
  • 00:46:15
    how do you train your kids in delayed gratification?
  • 00:46:19
    Because here's the thing, delayed gratification
  • 00:46:22
    is the difference maker between them and their peers.
  • 00:46:26
    So what am I training my kids to be
  • 00:46:29
    delayed in their gratification of now,
  • 00:46:31
    because I know over time it's going to produce great results.
  • 00:46:34
    That's why I care about how they approach school.
  • 00:46:37
    That's why I care about how they approach
  • 00:46:39
    everything in life, because I want my kids
  • 00:46:42
    to be building skills now that are going to
  • 00:46:44
    make them great over the long haul, right?
  • 00:46:47
    And this is the opportunity we have
  • 00:46:49
    if we're willing to step into that.
  • 00:46:51
    Now, here's the thing.
  • 00:46:53
    There are times in my life,
  • 00:46:54
    and I'm sure there's times in your life,
  • 00:46:57
    where you take the short term fix,
  • 00:46:59
    where you go for the quick change, right?
  • 00:47:00
    I'm not alone in that.
  • 00:47:01
    I'm not the only weird person who's not been perfect at this.
  • 00:47:04
    Thank you. Okay. All right, just make sure.
  • 00:47:06
    And whenever I do that, whenever I do that,
  • 00:47:08
    it leads to regrettable decisions. Regrettable.
  • 00:47:11
    Let me give you a simple one, a stupid one.
  • 00:47:14
    But it happens every time.
  • 00:47:16
    I travel. Travel fairly often.
  • 00:47:19
    And when I am at an airport, I am assessing
  • 00:47:23
    the speed and pace of the various TSA lines.
  • 00:47:26
    Am I the only one, anyone with me on that?
  • 00:47:28
    And why is it that I always wind up choosing the slow line?
  • 00:47:35
    But I'm smart enough to know that what I need to do
  • 00:47:38
    is make a quick change to the other line.
  • 00:47:41
    But why is it that when I get in that line,
  • 00:47:45
    now that's the slow line, right?
  • 00:47:46
    Regrettable decision. Regrettable decision.
  • 00:47:48
    Because I'm trying to make a quick decision
  • 00:47:50
    and it never works.
  • 00:47:51
    Here's one that my wife has been trying to help
  • 00:47:53
    me with for years, and I'm starting to figure it out.
  • 00:47:56
    I would say I am good with money.
  • 00:48:00
    I would say I am a good steward of our finances.
  • 00:48:04
    My wife might say I'm cheap.
  • 00:48:08
    That's what she might say.
  • 00:48:11
    And she might be right.
  • 00:48:12
    Now here's this. I love to cook.
  • 00:48:14
    And my wife has told me for years, "Chuck,
  • 00:48:17
    the quality of the ingredients you put into the meal
  • 00:48:20
    determine the quality of the output of the meal."
  • 00:48:24
    But when something is 4 for $5 at Kroger,
  • 00:48:27
    I mean, is it really that different? Is it really?
  • 00:48:31
    Well, it turns out in some cases it is.
  • 00:48:34
    Some cases I've done the cheap thing
  • 00:48:37
    only to have a cheap tasting meal at the end.
  • 00:48:40
    And I'm like, "Oh, you know what?
  • 00:48:42
    Every vanilla extract is not the same.
  • 00:48:46
    I probably should have paid a little bit more money
  • 00:48:48
    for this vanilla extract." You know?
  • 00:48:50
    It's those kinds of things.
  • 00:48:51
    It makes regrettable decisions.
  • 00:48:53
    And here's what I'm saying in all of this.
  • 00:48:54
    All I'm saying is this, do not settle for easy change,
  • 00:48:59
    because the life you've always wanted
  • 00:49:01
    is rooted in going for lasting change.
  • 00:49:04
    You were created for a life that truly satisfies,
  • 00:49:09
    and you were created for a life where you actually
  • 00:49:13
    allow yourself the time to be transformed.
  • 00:49:16
    There's a great book, Ruthless Elimination of Hurry,
  • 00:49:19
    and one of the things it says is this:
  • 00:49:39
    I'll give you another book if you want to read it,
  • 00:49:42
    read with caution because if it challenges you
  • 00:49:45
    like it challenged me, just be ready.
  • 00:49:48
    The book is called Three Mile an Hour God.
  • 00:49:52
    Three Mile an Hour God.
  • 00:49:54
    Turns out that the average walking pace of a human
  • 00:49:58
    is about three miles an hour.
  • 00:50:00
    And the book makes the premise that God moves at
  • 00:50:06
    the pace of three miles an hour.
  • 00:50:09
    If you want to experience God,
  • 00:50:11
    you're going to have to slow down.
  • 00:50:14
    You're going to have to not buy in to
  • 00:50:16
    the faster, quicker, easier mindset.
  • 00:50:21
    But if you're like me, I want to speed God up.
  • 00:50:23
    "Come on, God," like, you know, like, "Let's go. Let's go.
  • 00:50:26
    God. Let's go. I'm here. I'm here already.
  • 00:50:27
    God, why aren't you here?"
  • 00:50:29
    But if I really want to experience God,
  • 00:50:31
    I need to walk at God's pace.
  • 00:50:35
    Because at the three mile an hour pace, I'm transformed.
  • 00:50:40
    But when I try to speed up what God wants to do,
  • 00:50:43
    I'm being conformed. Three Mile an Hour God.
  • 00:50:46
    This is the path to abundant life.
  • 00:50:48
    And why this is important is because of this,
  • 00:50:51
    the third thing, the third trait of transformers is this,
  • 00:50:53
    conform or settle for a smaller story,
  • 00:50:57
    but Transformers live a greater story.
  • 00:51:01
    You were created to live a greater story.
  • 00:51:03
    We sung about it today.
  • 00:51:05
    You were made for more, friend.
  • 00:51:07
    You were made for more. You're made for more.
  • 00:51:11
    You may have seen this before.
  • 00:51:13
    This is a common understanding of how many movie arcs go,
  • 00:51:17
    how many story arcs go.
  • 00:51:18
    Joseph Campbell wrote a book about this
  • 00:51:20
    called Hero of a Thousand Faces.
  • 00:51:21
    It's the Hero's journey.
  • 00:51:22
    And here's what I believe. I know this to be true.
  • 00:51:25
    All of us, every last one of us, the way that it works
  • 00:51:27
    in your relationship with God, the way that it works
  • 00:51:29
    if you haven't chosen a relationship with God,
  • 00:51:31
    is that there is a call on the table.
  • 00:51:34
    God is calling you.
  • 00:51:35
    Remember what I said earlier,
  • 00:51:36
    God has world changing callings in this room.
  • 00:51:39
    God has world changing callings
  • 00:51:41
    of people who are watching right now.
  • 00:51:42
    You have a choice though.
  • 00:51:44
    Will you accept the calling and all that comes with it?
  • 00:51:50
    Because that's the path of transformation.
  • 00:51:52
    That's the path of a better story.
  • 00:51:55
    Or will you reject the call, choose confirmation
  • 00:51:59
    and live a lesser story?
  • 00:52:02
    Think about the movies you love.
  • 00:52:04
    Think about a movie
  • 00:52:06
    that you could watch over and over again,
  • 00:52:07
    or think about a movie that moved your heart.
  • 00:52:10
    In every one of those stories, there is a hero
  • 00:52:14
    who is invited into a call for adventure,
  • 00:52:17
    and they have a choice to make:
  • 00:52:19
    will they accept it or will they reject it?
  • 00:52:21
    I'm going to give you a couple examples of this.
  • 00:52:23
    My kids know it's required reading and watching
  • 00:52:26
    in my house, The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien.
  • 00:52:28
    I just love it. Love it.
  • 00:52:30
    The Hobbit is us, man.
  • 00:52:31
    We are like Bilbo Baggins
  • 00:52:32
    and I love that story for that reason.
  • 00:52:34
    What do you have in The Hobbit?
  • 00:52:36
    You have a timid hobbit who likes comfort.
  • 00:52:38
    Can I get an amen, somebody?
  • 00:52:39
    Anybody like that? Right? Right.
  • 00:52:41
    A timid hobbit who likes comfort,
  • 00:52:42
    who Gandalf the wizard calls to a greater adventure,
  • 00:52:46
    "Come help the dwarves regain their homeland
  • 00:52:50
    by defeating the dragon Smaug." Right?
  • 00:52:52
    And Bilbo doesn't want to answer the call at first,
  • 00:52:55
    but he steps into the adventure
  • 00:52:57
    and we see him grow in cleverness.
  • 00:52:59
    We see him grow in courage.
  • 00:53:01
    We see him being one of the reasons why
  • 00:53:03
    the dwarves are able to defeat the dragon,
  • 00:53:05
    get the Arkenstone and restore their home. Why?
  • 00:53:08
    What happens though, if Bilbo doesn't accept that call?
  • 00:53:12
    If he doesn't accept that, call his friends, the dwarves
  • 00:53:14
    do not restore their homeland and chaos ensues.
  • 00:53:18
    Bilbo accepted the call.
  • 00:53:20
    He allowed himself to be transformed.
  • 00:53:22
    This whole story is about him being transformed,
  • 00:53:24
    and because of that, he lived a greater story.
  • 00:53:27
    Give you another example, I love Moana.
  • 00:53:30
    I love both Moanas.
  • 00:53:31
    They're both awesome, awesome movies, right?
  • 00:53:33
    What do you have in Moana?
  • 00:53:35
    You have a character who is a daughter of a chief
  • 00:53:39
    that doesn't want anybody to go into the sea,
  • 00:53:42
    and yet all in her is the calling to go into the sea.
  • 00:53:47
    [singing] See the line where the sky meets the sea,
  • 00:53:49
    it calls me, and no one knows how far it goes.
  • 00:53:57
    If the wind in my sail on the sea stays behind me,
  • 00:54:01
    one day I'll know how far it goes.
  • 00:54:06
    I mean, it's awesome. It's awesome.
  • 00:54:09
    [cheers & applause] What a great story.
  • 00:54:12
    I did that because my daughter.
  • 00:54:13
    That would make me so cool in my daughter's eyes.
  • 00:54:16
    That's why I did that just now.
  • 00:54:17
    No, but I love that movie.
  • 00:54:19
    What happens if she doesn't accept the call
  • 00:54:21
    to return to Te Fiti heart, to Te Fiti?
  • 00:54:24
    If she doesn't, then her island doesn't get rescued,
  • 00:54:27
    she doesn't find her identity and her people aren't saved.
  • 00:54:31
    But because she answered the call,
  • 00:54:33
    she got a second movie from Disney.
  • 00:54:34
    That's a big deal. [laughter]
  • 00:54:36
    It's a big freaking deal, right?
  • 00:54:38
    No. It's great. I love, love Moana.
  • 00:54:40
    And I love when we see this happen in real life.
  • 00:54:43
    Because these aren't just make believe stories,
  • 00:54:45
    this is real life.
  • 00:54:46
    So one of the movies that is on my list,
  • 00:54:48
    I haven't watched it yet, but I'm going to,
  • 00:54:50
    it's my next one is a movie called Unstoppable.
  • 00:54:52
    Anybody seen that, Unstoppable?
  • 00:54:54
    Man, I hear so many good things about this.
  • 00:54:56
    Anthony Robles was a wrestler
  • 00:54:58
    who was born without a right leg,
  • 00:55:01
    but he decides to compete in collegiate wrestling,
  • 00:55:04
    and he winds up becoming
  • 00:55:05
    a Division 1 NCAA wrestling champion.
  • 00:55:08
    What a story.
  • 00:55:10
    You know what, I bet you a million people
  • 00:55:13
    told him to choose a lesser story.
  • 00:55:16
    He probably had parents who, because they loved him
  • 00:55:18
    and didn't want his feelings to get hurt, said,
  • 00:55:20
    "You shouldn't do this. You only have one leg."
  • 00:55:23
    He might have had physicians that said to him,
  • 00:55:25
    "You shouldn't do this."
  • 00:55:27
    I'm sure there were coaches and other people who said,
  • 00:55:29
    "Why am I going to spend time on you?
  • 00:55:31
    You're limited. You can't do this."
  • 00:55:33
    I'm so glad he didn't listen to those people
  • 00:55:35
    and he chose to live a greater story.
  • 00:55:37
    He's transformed, I'm sure, in the midst of his journey.
  • 00:55:40
    I'm sure it has suffering.
  • 00:55:42
    I'm sure it has difficulty, but it also has triumph.
  • 00:55:45
    It also has triumph.
  • 00:55:47
    And because he chose not to conform
  • 00:55:50
    to what people said were his limitations,
  • 00:55:52
    but to be transformed into a champion,
  • 00:55:54
    millions are now inspired by his story.
  • 00:55:58
    Friends, this is real life. This is real life.
  • 00:56:01
    Give you one more, Gertrude Ederle.
  • 00:56:03
    Anybody seen the movie Young Woman and the Sea?
  • 00:56:06
    Oh my goodness, you need to watch this movie.
  • 00:56:07
    Young woman and the Sea.
  • 00:56:09
    This was a woman who was determined to break a barrier.
  • 00:56:12
    In the time that she was doing this it was thought
  • 00:56:15
    that a woman could not swim the entire English Channel.
  • 00:56:18
    It had never been done by a woman.
  • 00:56:20
    Not only does she swim the English Channel,
  • 00:56:22
    she sets a record in swimming the English Channel
  • 00:56:25
    and opens up the door for so many other women.
  • 00:56:28
    I love when people step into the story
  • 00:56:31
    and there's something about these movies that move us.
  • 00:56:33
    You know what it is?
  • 00:56:34
    You know why those movies move you?
  • 00:56:36
    You know why it wakes you up?
  • 00:56:38
    Because you were created to live a greater story.
  • 00:56:42
    You were not created for a settling story, a small story.
  • 00:56:47
    You weren't made to be tending a grave.
  • 00:56:49
    You've been called by name,
  • 00:56:51
    born and raised back to life again.
  • 00:56:54
    You were made for more. You were made for more.
  • 00:57:01
    How do you live a greater story, though?
  • 00:57:03
    Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
  • 00:57:08
    Not one time, but as a practice.
  • 00:57:11
    You know what we're doing with this Digital Reset?
  • 00:57:14
    We're practicing. We're practicing.
  • 00:57:16
    I'm talking about practice, man.
  • 00:57:17
    That'll never get old.
  • 00:57:19
    And if you know, you know. Right?
  • 00:57:20
    I'm talking about practice.
  • 00:57:21
    It's an opportunity for us to practice
  • 00:57:23
    in one area of our life the kind of spiritual principles
  • 00:57:26
    that make us great in many other areas of our lives.
  • 00:57:29
    How is your mind renewed?
  • 00:57:30
    Paul talks about that over and over again
  • 00:57:32
    by the renewing of your mind.
  • 00:57:33
    Your mind is renewed when you tap into a different power,
  • 00:57:36
    when you do different things,
  • 00:57:38
    and when you do it with different people.
  • 00:57:41
    What we get to do over these 40 days is tap into
  • 00:57:45
    the power of God's very Holy Spirit.
  • 00:57:47
    When you fast, you're opening yourself
  • 00:57:50
    and accessing the power of the Spirit of God
  • 00:57:53
    to help you do something that you couldn't do on your own.
  • 00:57:56
    The Bible says that the same Spirit
  • 00:57:58
    that raised Jesus from the dead lives in you.
  • 00:58:01
    If you're a follower of Jesus, the same Spirit.
  • 00:58:04
    And that's the Spirit we're tapping into.
  • 00:58:05
    And because we're tapping into that Spirit,
  • 00:58:07
    we're going to do different things.
  • 00:58:09
    We're going to reevaluate our relationship
  • 00:58:10
    with our devices.
  • 00:58:11
    We're going to do some things different
  • 00:58:13
    than what we would normally do.
  • 00:58:14
    And here's the thing. We're going to do it together.
  • 00:58:16
    You don't have to do it alone,
  • 00:58:18
    but we get to be a team in this.
  • 00:58:20
    Here's what I want to promise you.
  • 00:58:22
    I promise you this reset will renew your mind.
  • 00:58:25
    I promise you it will renew your mind.
  • 00:58:28
    And I promise you this reset
  • 00:58:30
    will have profound spiritual benefits.
  • 00:58:33
    You'll hear the voice of God
  • 00:58:34
    in a way that you haven't before.
  • 00:58:37
    You'll be able to understand how to be peaceful
  • 00:58:41
    in the midst of the chaos and the distraction
  • 00:58:43
    that we all live in, all the time.
  • 00:58:45
    You're going to learn some things.
  • 00:58:46
    You're going to have different, and I believe,
  • 00:58:49
    better relationships with the people closest to you
  • 00:58:51
    if you step in and do this.
  • 00:58:53
    So how do you step in? You commit.
  • 00:58:57
    How do you do this? You commit.
  • 00:58:58
    If you listen to this and say this is interesting,
  • 00:59:01
    you will not be transformed.
  • 00:59:04
    If you leave here and don't make a decision to do this
  • 00:59:07
    in a way that works for you, but to do something,
  • 00:59:09
    you will not be transformed.
  • 00:59:11
    There's a saying in recovery.
  • 00:59:12
    It says, "It works if you work it."
  • 00:59:15
    This is only going to work if you work it.
  • 00:59:17
    This is only going to work if you step in and do it.
  • 00:59:19
    You know what, you commit in a time where people
  • 00:59:22
    are losing the ability to commit to anything,
  • 00:59:25
    you choose to be a committer.
  • 00:59:26
    Who's willing to be a committer?
  • 00:59:28
    Who's willing to go against the cultural norm right now?
  • 00:59:32
    The cultural norm right now is to not commit.
  • 00:59:35
    Let me just give you some statistics on this.
  • 00:59:37
    I'm hearing that millennials, the research says
  • 00:59:39
    millennials are choosing domestic partnerships
  • 00:59:42
    over marriage. You know why?
  • 00:59:44
    Because the domestic partnership is a contract
  • 00:59:46
    you can get out of when things get tough.
  • 00:59:48
    But marriage is a covenant that you commit to for life.
  • 00:59:51
    And so people are committing less to marriages.
  • 00:59:54
    There's decreased church attendance.
  • 00:59:56
    There's actually decreased membership in anything.
  • 00:59:58
    Here's one that really got under my goat.
  • 01:00:00
    One of the principles I have as a parent and with my kids,
  • 01:00:03
    if you try a sport and don't like it,
  • 01:00:05
    you're going to finish the season.
  • 01:00:07
    You're not going to quit mid-season.
  • 01:00:08
    Well, more and more kids are having the permission
  • 01:00:11
    to quit mid-season now.
  • 01:00:13
    Man, that is not good for
  • 01:00:14
    the character development of these kids.
  • 01:00:16
    Locally, how about this, the Flying Pig Marathon,
  • 01:00:19
    there are fewer people committing to run the marathon
  • 01:00:22
    or the half marathon or the 10K, or the 5K.
  • 01:00:26
    Commitment is an issue. And you know what?
  • 01:00:28
    It's happening around here at Crossroads too.
  • 01:00:31
    It's harder and harder to get people to commit to volunteer,
  • 01:00:34
    to go on trips that can be transformative,
  • 01:00:36
    to go to camps, get off the grid
  • 01:00:38
    and connect with God and people in a different way.
  • 01:00:41
    It is harder and harder to get people to do things around here,
  • 01:00:44
    and we would like to reverse that trend.
  • 01:00:47
    Would you like to reverse that trend?
  • 01:00:48
    Would you like to be a church of committers?
  • 01:00:50
    I believe we're better than that.
  • 01:00:53
    Here's the thing, 17,000 of you to date
  • 01:00:56
    have gone to Crossroads.net/unplugged.
  • 01:00:58
    You've checked out the website,
  • 01:01:00
    you've maybe even considered signing up.
  • 01:01:02
    Only 2500 of you have signed up,
  • 01:01:05
    17,000 visited, 2500 signed up.
  • 01:01:09
    What do you say we close that gap right now?
  • 01:01:11
    Right now I want you to take out your phone.
  • 01:01:13
    We have a QR code that comes up on the screen
  • 01:01:16
    and we are going to commit.
  • 01:01:18
    We're going to commit together.
  • 01:01:21
    So I want to walk you through this.
  • 01:01:22
    I want you to just go get that up on your phone.
  • 01:01:25
    And when you get there, you're going to see a place,
  • 01:01:27
    I think we're going to show it right here.
  • 01:01:29
    You'll see it says, "What is the Digital Reset?"
  • 01:01:31
    Kind of explains the dates.
  • 01:01:32
    And then there's the button. Sign up now.
  • 01:01:34
    I want you to click that button.
  • 01:01:36
    And then what I want you to do is put your name.
  • 01:01:38
    Hopefully that part is easy.
  • 01:01:40
    First name should be easy.
  • 01:01:42
    Last name should also be very easy.
  • 01:01:46
    Email should be easy.
  • 01:01:48
    And then there's a box.
  • 01:01:50
    Let me give you a couple minutes even now
  • 01:01:52
    just to think about what do you want to put in that box?
  • 01:01:54
    What are you going to specifically fast from?
  • 01:01:56
    Because here's the thing, you want to do what works for you,
  • 01:01:59
    but make sure it's something that stretches you.
  • 01:02:02
    Don't take the easy way out.
  • 01:02:03
    Let me read to you what I put in that box.
  • 01:02:05
    I said: my fast is I'm going to make my smart phone dumb.
  • 01:02:08
    I'm going to limit TV to only what I watch
  • 01:02:10
    with family or in community.
  • 01:02:12
    I'm going to set personal and family goals around
  • 01:02:15
    how much screen time we will redeem each week of the fast.
  • 01:02:17
    I'm going to use that Aro app that maybe you've heard about.
  • 01:02:19
    That's what I'm going to do.
  • 01:02:21
    So I want you to just think about that right now.
  • 01:02:23
    Now for some of you, you've had time,
  • 01:02:24
    you've been thinking about this.
  • 01:02:25
    Go ahead and fill it out. Hit commit.
  • 01:02:27
    For others of you, maybe just put one thing,
  • 01:02:29
    one thing you're going to commit to,
  • 01:02:31
    and then you get time to figure the rest out.
  • 01:02:32
    You got till Wednesday before this starts.
  • 01:02:35
    Maybe you're brand new today, but you want to jump in.
  • 01:02:39
    I love that.
  • 01:02:40
    And maybe right now you're like, "Hey,
  • 01:02:42
    I really need some time to think about this."
  • 01:02:44
    But if you want to say you're in,
  • 01:02:45
    I just want you in that, again, in that blank spot,
  • 01:02:48
    just to put the words I'm in, I'm in.
  • 01:02:51
    And I want you to hit submit.
  • 01:02:53
    Let's be committers.
  • 01:02:54
    Let's do this together.
  • 01:02:56
    We've got some tools to help you win.
  • 01:02:57
    We've talked about those at the top of the service,
  • 01:03:00
    but just as a reminder, we've got our app, the Crossroads app
  • 01:03:03
    that's going to be providing daily prayer prompts for you,
  • 01:03:06
    opportunities to kind of guide you
  • 01:03:07
    to connect with God in unique ways.
  • 01:03:09
    And we've got the Aro app.
  • 01:03:11
    It cost money, but you can access it for free during this.
  • 01:03:14
    And I'm really excited about coming on Monday nights
  • 01:03:16
    and praying with you guys.
  • 01:03:18
    Are you excited about that?
  • 01:03:19
    I'm really excited to see what God does, man.
  • 01:03:22
    We want to see change, transformation,
  • 01:03:24
    not just the personal level, but at the societal level.
  • 01:03:26
    What an amazing opportunity we have
  • 01:03:29
    to come together and to pray.
  • 01:03:32
    Here's what awaits you on the other side
  • 01:03:34
    as you're clicking those buttons and committing.
  • 01:03:37
    Paul's final words in Romans is this. He says:
  • 01:03:48
    I really believe this is one of those inflection moments.
  • 01:03:52
    This is so countercultural.
  • 01:03:54
    This is so different.
  • 01:03:56
    And I think because of that, it's really special.
  • 01:04:00
    You step into this, I think
  • 01:04:01
    you're going to be different on the other side.
  • 01:04:03
    You step into this, I think
  • 01:04:04
    you're going to be better on the other side.
  • 01:04:06
    I think you'll have some clarity
  • 01:04:07
    that is desperately needed.
  • 01:04:09
    I think you're going to have some spiritual power
  • 01:04:12
    that you don't have right now.
  • 01:04:13
    I think you're going to have joy.
  • 01:04:16
    And so I just want to invite you to step in to this opportunity.
  • 01:04:20
    Because doing this is you saying to Jesus,
  • 01:04:23
    "Jesus, I want You.
  • 01:04:26
    I want You more than being distracted.
  • 01:04:29
    I want You more than numbing out.
  • 01:04:32
    I want You more than always being on.
  • 01:04:36
    I want You more than instant gratification."
  • 01:04:41
    And here's what I know, Jesus wants you.
  • 01:04:45
    He wants to be with you in this.
  • 01:04:47
    He wants to strengthen you in this.
  • 01:04:49
    He wants to transform you in this.
  • 01:04:51
    And I know this about Jesus.
  • 01:04:53
    The Bible says if you seek Him, you will find Him
  • 01:04:57
    because Jesus goes where He's wanted.
  • 01:07:49
    - This is the last time we'll get to be together
  • 01:07:53
    in a gathering like this before we start.
  • 01:07:56
    We'll be together next weekend.
  • 01:07:58
    Kyle is going to be talking about
  • 01:08:00
    what does it look like for us to Marie Kondo
  • 01:08:03
    our digital life, and really walk this out?
  • 01:08:07
    But I just want if you are if you are committing to this,
  • 01:08:10
    I'm committing to this,
  • 01:08:12
    I just want you to put your hands out like this.
  • 01:08:15
    And I just want to pray a blessing over you.
  • 01:08:20
    This isn't going to be easy, but man, it's going to be so good.
  • 01:08:25
    So, God, I just want to bless my family,
  • 01:08:29
    my brothers, my sisters, people who are here,
  • 01:08:31
    people who are watching at home, watching online.
  • 01:08:33
    I want to bless them as they step into this.
  • 01:08:35
    This is so countercultural, God.
  • 01:08:38
    And God, there's probably going to be
  • 01:08:40
    between now and Wednesday something that causes them
  • 01:08:43
    to say, "Umm, maybe not," but God, can You meet us
  • 01:08:47
    in that moment of doubt with Your strength?
  • 01:08:51
    Maybe that will be, for some of us, the first
  • 01:08:54
    of many times that we hear Your gentle voice
  • 01:08:57
    calling us to live a greater story.
  • 01:08:59
    God, would You give us the strength to walk this out?
  • 01:09:02
    Would you give us delight and joy in what we learn
  • 01:09:05
    and what we find?
  • 01:09:07
    Would you help us to find encouragement along the way?
  • 01:09:10
    And God, would you do something in and through
  • 01:09:12
    this digital fast that doesn't just change us for 40 days,
  • 01:09:17
    but changes us for a lifetime.
  • 01:09:19
    So God, we believe that You are good
  • 01:09:22
    and that this is a gift from You.
  • 01:09:24
    With open hands we receive it and we walk out of here
  • 01:09:27
    confident and connected to You and to each other
  • 01:09:30
    to walk this out in faith.
  • 01:09:32
    So I pray this in Jesus's name. Amen and amen.
  • 01:09:36
    God bless you guys. [applause]
  • 01:09:37
    We're in this together. We are in this together.
  • 01:09:42
    - Man, so that is so, so good.
  • 01:09:44
    This is a challenge that's not for somebody else.
  • 01:09:46
    This challenge is for me.
  • 01:09:48
    Everything Chuck shared with us,
  • 01:09:49
    everything that we've been preparing for
  • 01:09:51
    over the last number of weeks
  • 01:09:52
    is to set us up for what starts this week.
  • 01:09:56
    To go into this Digital Reset,
  • 01:09:58
    to go into this digital fast is not just about
  • 01:10:00
    removing distraction from our life.
  • 01:10:02
    It's about putting something more valuable
  • 01:10:04
    and more worthwhile in its place.
  • 01:10:06
    And again, this could impact the trajectory
  • 01:10:09
    of your family, of your relationships,
  • 01:10:11
    of your spiritual, emotional, relational health.
  • 01:10:14
    And so I want to show up well for my kids and for my wife.
  • 01:10:18
    I'm going to be leaning in, leaning in hard
  • 01:10:21
    over this entire period of Lent
  • 01:10:23
    as we hit the Digital Reset.
  • 01:10:24
    There's going to be a number of things
  • 01:10:26
    that we want to also add in as a replacement
  • 01:10:28
    for the time and the space
  • 01:10:30
    that we're separating from our phones.
  • 01:10:32
    One of those could be using the Aro app.
  • 01:10:34
    It normally costs money, but we're giving away free
  • 01:10:36
    to everyone in the community.
  • 01:10:38
    You can get that at crossroads.net/Unplug.
  • 01:10:40
    But for the duration from March 5th
  • 01:10:43
    all the way through April 17th, we're going to have
  • 01:10:46
    special things in the Crossroads Anywhere App,
  • 01:10:49
    special reflections and scripture readings.
  • 01:10:51
    We're also going to be having Monday night prayer meetings.
  • 01:10:54
    This is not just a time for us to sit and receive prayer.
  • 01:10:57
    This is time for us to lean in and say, "God,
  • 01:10:59
    if You go where you're wanted, I want to let You know
  • 01:11:02
    that I want You to show up right here."
  • 01:11:04
    We'll be doing those at all of our sites
  • 01:11:06
    and online for Crossroads Anywhere.
  • 01:11:08
    So I just want to encourage you, this is your time.
  • 01:11:11
    This could change the way your relationships play out
  • 01:11:14
    for years and decades to come.
  • 01:11:16
    Don't miss this chance.
  • 01:11:17
    Go to crossroads.net/unplug
  • 01:11:20
    and sign up for the Digital Reset right now.
  • 01:11:22
    Thanks so much for joining us.
  • 01:11:24
    We'll see you next week.

Process, journal or discuss the themes of this article - here's a few questions to get the ball rolling...

Welcome to the Weekend-Follow Up!

This is content that reflects on the Weekend message and how it can apply to your life. Each week, your group will discover what God might be saying to you, and how you can respond through a group discussion.

  1. What is one kitchen appliance or gadget you can’t live without?

  2. What stood out to you most from the message?

  3. What are some things that make it tempting to conform to society around you?

  4. Has there been something in your life that surprisingly affected you in a negative way? What did you do to move forward?

  5. Think about a time you chose to delay instant gratification so you could experience a better result. Was it easy or difficult?

  6. Read Romans 12:1-2. What are some ways you can begin to renew your mind for the better?

  7. What is your reaction when you hear that God moves at a 3 mph pace? How does this cause you to view your technology usage differently?

  8. What is one step you can take this week to invest in being transformed by the digital fast?

  9. Let’s end our time praying together. You can say something like;

    “God, thank you for calling us to a bigger and better story. Give us the strength and courage to participate in the digital fast and transform our minds. See our faithfulness and move in big ways. Amen.”

More from the Weekend

Bonus Questions

Check these out if you’re on a roll and want to go a little deeper.

  • If you are choosing to participate in the digital fast, what standards do you plan on implementing?
  • Read Matthew 6:25. What does it look like for you to trust God during this fast?

0 people are discussing these questions

(This stuff helps us figure out how many fruitcakes to make come December)


Mar 1, 2025 1 hr 11 mins 31 sec

Recent Series