Gods Presence at Netcast

My daily reading today was to read through the Book of Jonah. As I read the first 3 verses God began to speak….

Jonah 1 
1 Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2 “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me.” 3 But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the Lord. 

When the Lord began to put the dream of Netcast in my mind, a longing for "Gods Presence" was at the center of those dreams. I longed for the day to see God build a church that was more concerned with His presence than anything else. Do I love good theology, sound teaching, authentic leadership, Gospel-Centrality, certain worship music, community, etc? Absolutely…But no amount of right intellect, wisdom or musical preference can produce the personal transformation that occurs when we are saturated in the presence of the Lord.

Since Netcast began, "presence" (among other things) has marked us. People have walked into our worship gatherings and been overwhelmed with Gods presence, brought to tears in Gods presence, healed in Gods presence and danced in Gods presence. Presence has grown to become one of the common things that people speak of when they visit Netcast. I can't tell you how many emails I get that speak about visitors "sensing God or feeling God" while in a worship service or Community Group. Sturgeon has continued to encourage us as a church to keep pursuing "Presence over Programs or Process."

When I read those first three verses in Jonah, it stirred things in me. It reminded me of the importance of being faithful to Gods call on Netcast. It reminded me that "Gods Presence" through the proclamation and worship of Gods Son, is our only hope in seeing Greater Boston transformed. It reminded me that if we ever stop prayerfully seeking Gods direction or neglect His leading, then it's possible to lose the most important thing we have; "The presence of the Lord". When Jonah failed to be obedient to the word God gave him and fled to Tarshish instead of Nineveh, it clearly says that "Jonah didn't just run from Gods call, but actually ran from Gods Presence." In the same way, if we stop seeking God for a unified direction, the first thing to go will be the sensing of His Presence. Not because the Lord has left us, but because we stopped following the Lord.

Similar to Jonah, the Lord has called us to a "great city". Like Nineveh, Greater Boston is a great city full of people "who do not know their right hand from their left. (Jonah 4:14)" Greater Boston needs to turn away from its idolatrous evils, repent of its sins, trust in Jesus and experience Gods Presence. May Netcast never stop being a place that displays the beauty of our "gracious God, who is merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. (Jonah 4:2)"

May we lead the way in seeing Gods presence known by (1) keeping Jesus central to everything, (2) creating deep authentic communities, (3) worshiping God with all of our being, (4) planting churches, (5) equipping Gods people as best as we can and (6) being willing to do whatever we believe the Lord is leading us to do.

Community should not be worshiped.

I want to be careful in what I say because I don't want to come across as if community isn't vital to us as believers. That said, we need to be careful to not put such an emphasis on community that we make it some sort of spiritual law. At Netcast, community groups are designed to be a family of people who meet so that deeper community can be forged. As a pastor, it is my desire that the people of Netcast are growing in relationship with others, therefore able to be authentic, transparent and stirred on to good things while at times being confronted with their blind areas. I never want Netcast to be a place where if someone is not at a community group every week than they can't be a partner with us or feel that they are not as spiritual as the next person. To me, that seems cultish and overly controlling. I feel that type of commitment is unnecessary to what community groups are trying to accomplish.

In my experience with this movement of community among evangelicalism, we have to be careful. The gospel is our means of justification, redemption and glorification; not community. Don't hear what I'm not saying, my heart is that everyone at Netcast would be plugged into a group and plan on attending as often as able. This way we are able to continue to stay connected with people. This hopefully would allow for deeper relationships to be forged that will go beyond a weekly meeting. Again the goal is never attendance, it's deep relationship. Often times it takes years of work for people to feel like they are building this.

Remember, community should not be worshiped. However, worship should happen in community. Lets press on to see Netcast become a gospel-centered worshipful community.

8 Desires for Netcast Community Groups

When the church started, it didn’t start as a new religion, but rather as a movement. There were no pastors, pays staff, real estate, marketing, tracks, etc. Instead, they were small groups of people living deeply in community and who shared a belief system that was radically different than any other belief system in the world. They believed that Jesus was God, that he was murdered for claiming to be God and rose from the dead signifying that he is God. By doing so, he has paid the penalty for the sins of everyone who believes in him and puts their hope and trust in him. 8 Things that we desire for Netcast community groups. 1. We desire for our community groups to be the front door of the church, not just the next step for people who show up on Sunday. 2. We desire for our community groups to be a place where we encourage one another and rescue each other from our deceitful hearts when it is necessary. Hebrews 3:12-14 Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from(A) the living God. 13But(B) exhort one another every day, as long as it is called "today," that none of you may be hardened by(C) the deceitfulness of sin. 14For we have come to share in Christ,(D) if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end. 3. We desire for our community groups to be a place where we can just hang out and remind each other of the Glory of God in the mundane everyday life. 1 Corinthians 10:27-31 27If one of the unbelievers invites you to dinner and you are disposed to go,(A) eat whatever is set before you without raising any question on the ground of conscience. 28But if someone says to you, "This has been offered in sacrifice," then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for the sake of conscience— 29I do not mean(B) your conscience, but his. For(C) why should my liberty be determined by someone else’s conscience? 30If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that(D) for which I give thanks? 31So, whether you eat or drink, or(E) whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 4. We desire for relationships to grow in our community groups so we can be authentic, transparent and vulnerable and it actually be helpful. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 9Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. 10For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! 11Again, if two lie together, they keep warm,(A) but how can one keep warm alone? 12And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken. 5. We desire for our community groups to be a place where we can pray together and learn together about the character and nature of God revealed in Christ. Acts 2:42 42 And(A) they devoted themselves to the apostles’(B) teaching and the(C) fellowship, to(D) the breaking of bread and the prayers. 6. We desire for our community groups to be a place where we serve people outside of the church and take care of each others needs inside the church. Acts 2:43-47a 43And awe[a] came upon every soul, and(A) many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44And all who believed were together and(B) had all things in common. 45And(C) they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46And day by day,(D) attending the temple(E) together and(F) breaking bread in their homes, they received their food(G) with glad and generous hearts, 47praising God 7. We desire for our community groups to provide opportunities for us to flee the Christian Subculture and Hang with, Play with and Eat with Non-Christians. Luke 5:27-32 27 (A) After this he went out and saw(B) a tax collector named(C) Levi, sitting at the tax booth. And he said to him, "Follow me." 28And(D) leaving everything, he rose and followed him. 29And Levi made him a great feast in his house, and there was a large company(E) of tax collectors and others reclining at table with them. 30And the Pharisees and(F) their scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying,(G) "Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?" 31And Jesus answered them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 32(H) I have not come to call the righteous(I) but sinners(J) to repentance." 8. We desire for our community groups to be all about pointing people to Jesus, not morality or religion, because He is everything. John 6:51: Jesus says "I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever;" Jesus is simply saying that he is the only one who can fulfill and sustain the deep longings and cravings of your heart. John 8:12: Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I AM the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life." He says this acknowledging that most of us often live in a state of darkness or despair, yet for those who are in Christ, there is opportunity for light in our darkest moments. John 10:9-11: Jesus says, "I AM the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture." The thief comes to steal, kill and destroy. I have come that you might have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep. John 11:25: Jesus says, "I AM the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. John 14:6: Jesus says, "I AM the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. John 15:1: Jesus says, "I AM the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Signifying that apart from Christ, you will never produce any lasting fruit. Netcast Community Groups Netcast Community Groups meet every week with a “Spiritual” emphasis one week and a “Community” emphasis the next week. Spiritual Emphasis Week: • 30 minutes of Community • 30 minutes of Discussion • 30 minutes of Prayer Community Emphasis Week: • Invite Non-Christians into Community. • Learn to just do life together. Yearly Schedule: (3 months on; 1 month off) • January-March (Meeting) • April (off) • May-July (Meeting) • August (off) • September-November (Meeting) • December off

Our Small Group

Just 4 weeks into it our new small group and God is already beginning to change the lives of people in our little community. It is just beautiful. We have such a mixed crowd. You name it and their in there; all of us are at different levels with our maturity, belief, trust, doubt, etc. Although that s true, it s also a beautiful testimony of how the body is to come together to edify each other and push each other towards Christlikeness.

There is to way to much to tell through just a blog; but I wanted to just share that God is showing up in huge ways. I will give you one little example. Yesterday after our group was over, Mike (A guy who by his own admission has major doubts) pulled me to the side and said this. "Matt, I want to thank you for this group. I have been at Daystar for years now and have never felt so comfortable to share where I am honestly at with the Lord. I have just learned so much these past 2 weeks about the Lord, all due to this group. Thank You." I was pretty much blown away. He went on to explain to me that he felt for so long that he had to pretend to be somewhere spiritually that he wasn't so that he could fit into his previous small groups. Last week we talked about Progressive Sanctification and it really touched him. He was able to see that it is OK where he is at because God is progressively working in him.

Yesterday we talked about what it meant to be a Christian. Sounds basic but you would be absolutely blown away at how many people in our group unintentionally talked about how being a Christian meant to "Try Harder". It was beautiful to take them to 1 Cor 15 and unpack the Gospel with them. I literally felt them sigh a sigh of relief as God was teaching them to rest their lives in the hands of his sovereign work. That they didn't have to try at all but instead pursue the Lord with all of their Heart Soul and Mind. It was just so God Saturated. People were writing scripture referenced down so they could go home and read for themselves. It was awesome.

I had a chance to explain the doctrine of Justification and Regeneration to them as I could see them becoming enlightened by the Lord as their perceptions of Him began to change.

I took a lot away from our meeting yesterday but this stood out the most. Rather than harp on our struggles and the do's and don'ts. Lets point our groups to the Glory of Christ and allow God to do the rest. It really does work. (who woulda thought; haha)