Netcast's Labor Day Party....Be There!!!

Netcast's LABOR DAY FUN!

This coming Monday, September 5th, The Kiefer's have opened up their beautiful home for the entire church to enjoy. This will be a wonderful time of community and hanging out. Not to mention throwing a football around in their huge backyard and zip-lining in the woods for the kids.

EVERYONE IS INVITED and feel free to bring friends.

All you have to bring is your own meat to grill, and a side or dessert to share. The Kiefer's will provide all paper goods, potato salad, watermelon, and drinks. College Students, Netcast will provide Hot Dogs for you, so you don't have to worry about trying to find lunch money for that day. We got you covered.

Also- if you have picnic chairs or a picnic blanket- bring that for outside!

Address: 42 Centre St. Danvers, MA
Time: 4:30 til' whenever!
Date: Monday 9/5

Completely optional side note: :) The Byrd family is moving to Beverly this Thursday to head up all of our Community Groups and we figured we could "welcome" them to our family. Jen Kiefer will have a table set up for notes of encouragement, gift cards, etc... We are so excited to have Dan and Tara and their family coming to join Netcast and helping to proclaim the good news to the North Shore.

Those being Baptized in 2 weeks.

I am going to be spending much time in prayer for those being baptized over the next 2 weeks. This week, Josh Sturgeon reminded me that baptism is a major confession of faith and there is profound spiritual impact that occurs.
The enemy will try likely try to steal, discourage, and harass these people. But he won't prevail, because God's purposes are greater. Remember that the enemy is the father of all lies and will do anything to discourage them from this wonderful moment. He will try to make them feel unworthy and unclean.

Remember that on the cross Christ claimed victory over Satan, Sin and Death. They are holy, blameless, spotless, and wonderful through the cross and I am excited for this new beginning in their lives. There is no guilt, shame, or condemnation because of things in your past. Only a bright future ahead.

Matt

Netcast Church will NOT have Service Tomorrow.

Due to the fact that the there is currently a State of Emergency in MA and major Hurricane warnings, we will not be having church tomorrow morning. The Leadership at Netcast feels that it is best to not risk trying to have a church service when it could be a possible danger to those wanting to come. To add to that, it is very possible that tomorrow at 10:00am, the YMCA forces us to not be able to meet, as well as a potential power outage.

Enjoy Jesus in your home tomorrow and stay safe. We look forward to having an awesome service on September 4th. It will be a great Sunday to invite your friends as we will be talking about how Jesus has the ability to Awaken our Hearts. Lets pack out the building for the Glory of God and the sake of the Gospel.

Until all have heard,

Pastor Matt

Recap and The Resurrection (Last Blog from 1st Corinthians)

Recap and The Resurrection

1 Corinthians 15:12-26

Acts 18

Corinth is a city very much like Greater Boston. Intellectual, Sexual, Spiritual, Relational and Rich. Paul, not your typical pastor. He's brash, impatient and can take a beating.

Chapter 1: We saw that Paul touched on some key theological truths. (1 Corinthians 1:1-9)

  • Sanctified: Slowly Growing us into his image.

  • Called to be Saints Together: You are called into a family.

  • God has given you grace: The church should be known as a place of grace.

  • Guiltless: You're blameless, perfect, holy, righteous, sinless. We aught to walk without shame.

  • Called: You didn't wake up one day and choose to believe this, God called you.

Chapter 1: We need to fight for Unity within the church. (1 Corinthians1:10)

In the church we typically see two types of people who bring dis-unity.

  • Refs: A referee is someone who is at the game, doesn’t play, but runs around calling fouls on everyone. In the church, the refs are the ones who are constantly complaining about everything but don’t do anything.

  • Wolves: A wolf is someone who comes into the church seeking to kill what God is doing, typically by trying to gain a following and bringing in false doctrine. The shepherd is not called to show grace and mercy to wolves; but instead in order to protect the sheep, we kill wolves.

Chapter 1: The Christian message is foolish. (1 Corinthians 1:18)

Imagine that some dude from the backwoods of Ipswich comes to the door. “I’m here to tell you about God." A 15yr old virgin from Salem, gave birth to God in a tent. He grew up, never went to college, never owned a own home, and was poor. He worked for North Shore Cabinetry until he was 30. He recently fed everybody at a Pats game with a BigMac and fries. He turned water into Sam Adams so his friends could get krunked at a wedding. He kept saying he was God, so we beat him and finally killed him. Three days later, he came back from the dead. If you believe in him, you’ll find purpose for your life and escape hell.

Thats the Christian Message:

We believe some weird stuff. God (Namely, Jesus Christ) was born of a virgin. Worked as a carpenter, Lived sinless, absolutely no flaw in him at all, fed 5000 people with a fish and bread, turned water into wine. That he died for every offense ever committed by those who believe, That 3 days later, after being beaten within an inch of his life, nailed to a cross and having a spear thrusted through his heart sack, after being wrapped in 100 lbs of cloth, he came back to life. Signifying and proving to the world that he is exactly who he said he was…the Son of God, the Messiah, The Chosen one, God in the Flesh. And then tells 12 dudes to go and tell that story, and they do.

Today, 2/3 of the total population in the world, (about 2 billion people) believe that message and will worship him together on Sunday. Not because those people are wise, but because thousands of years ago God Abraham that he was going to build up a nation for himself, And that’s exactly what He’s doing.

Chapter 2: The Christian message is Not intellectual, but one of power. (1 Corinthians 2:2-5)

  • We're not going to use lofty speech or seem more intellectual than we actually are. Personally, I'm not that bright. I went to public school in NJ. I am a yankee's fan. I cant be smart.

  • We believe in Jesus because he's come to us in power, not because we've figured it out.

Chapter 3: Its time to Grow up. (1 Corinthians 3:1)

  • Paul is here telling the Corinthians that they are acting like babies. Get out of the kiddie pool. You're 28 years old doing back strokes in a yellow pool. Grow up. These christians have been in the game for years and are still acting like a baby.

  • Stop asking people to feed you and feed yourself. Children cant feel themselves. You're an adult.

Chapter 4: We had to redefine the pastors role? (1 Corinthians 4:1)

  • The Pastors role is not to serve you.

  • The Pastors role is to serve Christ and be a steward of his word.

Chapter 5: Sometimes Judging is the loving thing to do. (1 Corinthians 5:3-5)

  • The guy is having sex with his mother and the Corinthian church thinks their cute. Although Jesus says not to cast eternal judgements, Paul says that at times, for the purpose of ones soul, we need to judge. He goes as far as to say to hand this man over to Satan.

Chapter 6: Families will Fight. (1 Corinthians 6:1)

  • The bible calls us as believers in Christ; Family and one of the main characteristics of family is that we fight together. (Siblings, Marriages, etc.). As Christians we are to seek to work out our differences within the church.

Chapter 6 and 7: Avoid Bad Sex. Have Good Sex. (1 Corinthians 6:13, 18; 7:2-5)

  • Single people were doing it like rabbits and the married people werent doing it at all. In these chapters, Paul is explaining that the body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for God. He is encouraging the married people to pursue good and healthy physical intimacy and encouraging the single people to withstand from sexually relations until you are fully committed in every other area, aka marriage.

Chapter 7: Marriage and Divorce. (1 Corinthians 7:10-11)

  • The Purpose of Marriage: The purpose of marriage is to Glorify God by show the world of His eternal, unending, unchanging love to those who are His. This is why he makes marriage an eternal, unending and unchanging covenant. Because that is in his nature.

Chapter 7: Singleness is a Gift. (1 Corinthians 7:32-34)

A lot of people look at their single years as a waste. They want to find that someone to spend the rest of their life with. Paul is telling the church to take advantage of their singleness. You will not be single forever, so use your singleness to do things for the Kingdom that you will struggle to do when you are no longer single. Pursue God without distractions. Go on missions trips. Give generously to the Kingdom. Your singleness is a gift, use it to the glory of Christ.

Chapter 8: The Conscience

  • Pastors often elevate conscience issues to the place of doctrine. When they do that, its legalism. Things like Tattoos, Piercings, Alcohol, Music Style, Cigerettes, Political Party, and being organic; are all conscience issues. Is we at Netcast ever start to elevate our conscience to doctrine, we have failed you.

Chapter 9: Paying your pastor. (1 Corinthians 9:3-7)

  • As uncomfortable as it was for me to teach these verses, I did. The majority of Pastors live in poverty. Actually, the running joke among ministry leaders is that when you agree to the calling of pastor ministry, you are agreeing to be poor. This is wrong according to Paul. He outlines reasons why it is wrong and compels us to take care our our pastors financial needs.

Chapter 10: Idolatry Defined, Exposed and Fought (1 Corinthians 10:14)

  • Idolatry is anything more important to you than God. Anything that absorbs your heart and imagination more than God. And idol is something that we want so badly that we will sin if we don’t get it or sin in order to obtain it. Its anything that you seek to give you what only God can give you. Idolatry is building your life and meaning on anything other than the Lord Jesus Christ.

  • Sleep, Sexual Pleasure, Intimacy, Work, Money, TV, Food, Isolation, a spouse, a Boyfriend / Girlfriend, a Sport, Exercise, Hobbies, Internet, Video Games, Drugs, Alcohol, and even things such as your Church and Ministry.

Here's how you know what you idols are....

  1. What do you daydream about? What thoughts occupy your mind?

  2. How do you spend your money?

  3. What is your most uncontrollable emotion?

  4. Where do you run for security when you are overwhelmed?

  5. What is the one thing, that if you had it, it’d complete you?

  6. Are you more broken when people reject you or when they reject Jesus?


Chapter 11: Distractions in Worship.

  • Dress in a way that wont cause distractions.

  • Don't be the Tambourine Dude or the Flag Lady or the Cotton Eye Joe Dancer.

  • Be careful that your Children are not a distraction.

  • Prepare your hearts before you get to church.


Chapter 12: Started to look at Spiritual Gifts, One Body with Many Parts

  • Balanced Philosophy: Missional Living vs Attractive Sunday Service.

  • Balanced Approach: Making Converts vs Making Disciples.

  • Balanced Theology: Reformed vs Armenian

  • Balanced Doctrine: (Spiritual Gifts)

      • Charismatic: Charismatic Christianity is a Christian Doctrine that maintains that God still gives every modern-day believer Spiritual Gifts. And those gifts include the ability to experience miracles, prophecy, tongues, and all the other spiritual gifts described in the scriptures.

      • Not Charismaniac: This is my definition of movements within Christianity that has no boundaries or biblical bias for the gifts of the Spirit. Just about anything goes. The Shake and Bake, The Tap and fall, The Bark, The hick-up, The Chicken Chirp, the meow and the isle runners.

Chapter 13: Love: The Mark of Maturity.

  • The corinthian church was measuring maturity by the gifts of the Spirit. Spiritual gifts are not the correct measure of ones maturity. Love is the mark. Love is a choice, not a feeling. Love is choosing to act a certain way. Then Paul outlines some of the choices that love leads us to make.

  • Read (1 Corinthians 13:4-6)


Chapter 14: Spiritual Gifts are given to build up the church. (1 Corinthians 14:12, 26)

  • Paul outlines the purpose of spiritual gifts. The main reason that God gives us gifts is so that we would be a blessing and encouragement to the Kingdom of God. Are we using our gifts to build up the Kingdom of God? Are we simply trying to use our gifts to draw attention to ourself and our glory?

Chapter 15

One of the major themes today in modern culture, is the idea that all religions lead to virtually the same things. I was recently told that“Every religion is designed as simply a crutch to help human flourishing during hard times; and ultimately all religions teach the same things, which is, having faith in a God or Higher Power and a dedication to being good.”

There are some truths to that. The majority of the major religions in the world, teach that if you have enough faith and dedication to a specific religion or even a specific cause, than God will accept you. Even Christianity says things like, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength. So, there is within Christianity, the belief that faith and dedication is important.

To take it even further, as I have studied other religions over the years, I have realized that the practicality of how Christianity is played out in the lives of Christians is similar to most other religions. - Prayer - Worship - Dedication - Love - Generosity - Morality

What makes Christianity different?

“Why Christianity?” I mean our of all of the religions in the world, why am I committed to Christianity?

One answer: The Resurrection.

Never in human history is there documented that a man, claimed to be God, was killed for it and then rose from death. There is only one single, isolated event in all of documented human history that you can see, from an intellectual perspective, this happening. And that is the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

This was the primary message of the disciples: (Not morality, dedication, or religion)

    • Peter (Acts 2:22-24; 32) (Acts 4:8-12)

    • After Paul was converted his main message was, I was wrong, Jesus has risen.

Personally

I have come to the conclusion that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is either one of the most wicked, vicious, heartless hoaxes ever foisted on the minds of human beings--or it is the most remarkable fact in all of human history. Thats exactly what Paul is saying in these verses. If Christ has not been raised from the dead, that we should be most pitied among all people. (1 Corinthians 15:12-19)

Why would we be, of all of the people in the world, the most pitied?

Think of the time, money, and energy that would be wasted in life if the resurrection is not true. Think of the redicilious amounts of times that we would have with-held temporary pleasures only to find out that there is no reward. Think about the endless sufferings that would be absolutely meaningless, if the resurrection is not true.

Paul is right.

Why on earth would we believe in the resurrection?

Here are some of the facts relevant to the resurrection: Jesus of Nazareth, a Jewish prophet who claimed to be the Christ prophesied in the Jewish Scriptures, was arrested, was judged a political criminal, and was crucified. Three days after His death and burial, some women who went to His tomb found the body gone. In subsequent weeks, His disciples claimed that God had raised Him from the dead and that He appeared to them various times before ascending into heaven. From that foundation, Christianity spread throughout the Roman Empire and has continued to exert great influence down through the centuries.

What does the resurrection mean for me?

The resurrection of Jesus robs sin of its ultimate power over your life. Sins ultimate power is death. Every single sin you can fight, but you cannot fight death. You can fight sexual sin, you can fight pride, you can fight lying, stealing, idolatry, etc.

No matter how young you try to stay, no matter how much exercise you do, no matter how organic you are, no matter how much plastic surgery you get, no matter how consistent you are with your doctor appointments, no matter how much you avoid Twinkies, burgers, pork, high-fructose corn syrup, cigarettes, STD's. The reality of your life and of my life is that we may prolong the process, but ultimately we will die.

It might be cancer, a heart attack, a car accident, murder, suicide, a stroke, or just simply old age. But Romans 3 and our experience is clear. Sin always leads to death. “The penalty of sin is death." And the resurrection absolutely proves that although you will die, sin does not have to be victorious over you when you die.

This is why Paul can say what he says in 1 Corinthians 15:55-57

55 “Where, O death, is your victory? 
Where, O death, is your sting?”56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Love: The mark of maturity. (A Balanced MInistry)

When Beth and I started to plan and dream about Netcast, one of the things that continued to stick out was this idea of being a balanced ministry. Many ministries lean heavily in one particular way and un-intentionally neglect something in the mix.

For example:

  • Balanced Philosophy: Missional Living vs Attractive Sunday Service.

At Netcast want to raise up people who don't just come to church on Sunday to be entertained but to leave on Sunday to be on mission. We think that in order to be a healthy church we need to have equal emphasis on living in community and on mission together as we have on putting together an awesome Sunday product.

  • Balanced Approach: Making Converts vs Making Disciples.

At Netcast we don’t want to be solely about Evangelism and seeing people converted, but have equal emphasis on seeing believers grow into more knowledgable and committed disciples of Christ.

  • Balanced Theology: Reformed vs Armenian

Although I am definitely bent towards reformed theology, we have some very faithful people in leadership positions who are bent Armenian. We find it most important that we believe both truths when it comes to these extremes. Yes, God is totally in control of everything in the universe and absolutely sovereign. And...Yes, God absolutely gives us free will to make our own decisions and holds us eternally responsible for those decisions. We agree that there are unknowns in how this works out but feel that having a balances view is most biblical.

  • Balanced Doctrine: (Spiritual Gifts)

As Netcast pursues a balanced ministry, it is vital that we have balance in our views in the Spiritual gifts. Here are 4 of the most common views when it comes to the Spiritual Gifts.

Types of Positions:

  1. Cessationism: This doctrine teaches that the certain miraculous gifts of the Spirit have ceased to exist after the foundation of the early church. So gifts such as tongues, prophecy and healing are no longer given to members of the Body of Christ.

  1. Pentecostalism: This is a theology within Evangelicalism that puts a special emphasis on experiencing God the Holy Spirit through a baptism of the Holy Spirit which typically leads to the speaking in tongues.

  1. Charismainiac: This is my definition of movements within Christianity that has no boundaries or biblical bias for the gifts of the Spirit. Just about anything goes. The Shake and Bake, The Tap and fall, The Bark, The hick-up, The Chicken Chirp, the meow and the isle runners.

  1. Charismatic: Charismatic Christianity is a Christian Doctrine that maintains that modern-day believers experience miracles, prophecy, tongues, and other spiritual gifts described in the scriptures.

At Netcast, I would define us as Charismatic Christians with a Conservitive theology. As of 2006, Charismatic Christians numbered at least 500 million people, a quarter of the world's 2 billion Christians. This means that charismatics are the second largest branch of Christianity after the Catholic Church.

LOVE: The Mark of Maturity:

The corinthian church was measuring maturity by the gifts of the Spirit. And we also do this. We look at those who are Good Teachers, Generous, Strong Leader, have the gift of Tongues or Discernment or Serving; and we say.....They are mature. But the bible says that maturity is measured by your ability to love.

That is exactly what vs.1-3 is saying.

1 If I speak in the tongues[a] of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames,[b] but have not love, I gain nothing.

The mark of maturity is the ability to love, to love the unlovely, the selfish, the distasteful, the ungrateful, and to not let that change your attitude or your actions toward them but to keep on working fully for their best interests.

[4] Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant [5] or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; [6] it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. [7] Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love is a choice not a feeling. As much as I love and adore my wife and as much as my wife loves me, we do not always have the warm and fuzzy's about each other. Love is choosing to react in a certain way. As the great writer Gary Chapman would say; "Love is a Verb."

  • Patience is Love choosing to wait and not lording your timeframe on others.

  • Kindness is Love choosing to react gently when it seems more natural to react harshly.

  • Not having envy is Love choosing to be content with what God has given you and happy for what God has given others.

  • Not boasting is Love choosing to be quite about ones self and avoiding the temptation to always tell people how great you are.

  • Not being arrogant is Love choosing righteousness over being right. In my marriage, there are times where I have to choose to be wrong even though I am right for the sake of Love.

  • Not insisting on your own way is Love choosing to be selfless.

  • Not being irritable or resentful is Love choosing to forgive and relating to others as if they never committed an offensive against you, even though they have brought hardship or suffering or pain to your life.

That wasn't I was taught growing up.

Most of us were taught that Love is about compromise. You do for me and I do you for. Lets meet somewhere in the middle. But thats not what the scriptures teach us. The bible says that love is about death.

This is what Jesus says in John 13:9-13

9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.

The most tangible way that you can show love to someone is to literally choose to die to your own desires, your own wants, your own feelings, your emotions. To die to your self.

But, is it even possible to love like that?

Jesus is our example: Jesus lived a Spirit led and empowered life. Jesus emptied himself of certain attributes that he obtained while in all of his glory in heaven so that he, like us, would have to rely fully on the Holy Spirit. He was not superman, he was the God man who was led by the spirit. This is why Hebrews says that we have a high priest who can sympathize with us.

Philippians 2:5-7

5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature[a] God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 
7 "but made himself nothing", taking the very nature[b] of a servant, being made in human likeness.

In the same exact way that Jesus emptied himself and walked with a supernatural empowerment by the leading Holy Spirit, so are we to do the same. And one of the greatest things that the Holy Spirit leads us into is the ability to choose to love.

All of that being said, Non-christians cannot love in a selfless way. It is a fruit of the Spirit of God.

Galatians 5:22-26

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control.

Your NAME in the place of LOVE

Matt is patient and kind; Matt does not envy or boast; Matt is not arrogant or rude. Matt does not insist on its own way; Matt is not irritable or resentful; Matt does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Matt bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Now ask those closest, how those statements resonate with them?

Here Paul drives the point home.

[11] When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways.

How do Children....

Speak: Children want things their way. They say things like. "No, Mine, Gimmie."

Think: Children think that the world revolves around them.

Reason: Children are never satisfied with what they have and rarely content.

Children love selfishly. Mature believers in Jesus, love selflessly. Because that's what Jesus did, and thats what the Holy Spirit empowers Jesus's people to do.

On my way back.....

I am writing this email to you while on the way home from NC.

I want to first stop and say Thank You to everyone at Netcast. This week you have allowed me to go to North Carolina and spend a week investing in about 150 teenagers. In doing so, we saw some amazing things over the past week. First, there were about 15 teenagers who became Christians this week; Praise God. Beyond that, I was able to see both young people and adults take some very healthy steps towards freedom from some major brokenness. There were 6 people who confided in me that they were recently sexually abused and another ministry leader opened up to be about infidelity in his marriage. Although this all breaks my heart, I am humbled that God is entrusting us with these moments to help.

Pertaining to the fundraising, we have much to be excited about. I had 2 conversations with churches who are very close to making a commitment to being a financial partner of Netcast. Another meeting that I went to, the family wrote a check to Netcast on the spot. Praise God.

At this point, I am itching to get home. I will be preaching at SoulFest in NH on August 5th at 10:40am. Pray for me. That said, I miss you all terribly and cannot wait to see you on Sunday. We have been blessed to get such great teachings from Steve and Josh, but I'm not gonna like; am so excited to get back into my pulpit. HaHa.

I love you all more than you know. Thank you for allowing me to serve you as your pastor. It is a great honor.

Matt