Worship and Leadership by LifePoint Creative
This podcast was intended to resource our Dream Teamers at LifePoint Church, with biblical fundamentals on worship, life and a variety of leadership principles.
Worship and Leadership by LifePoint Creative
SUNDAY REWIND: Planted in the Local Church
What happens when you mix the joys of church leadership with the quirks of everyday life? Pastor Stephanie Burnette joins us to share her journey leading multiple church services and the unique personalities each one brings. From humorous debates about whose phone harbors more germs to practical tips like using a fanny pack to combat the woes of tiny pockets, our discussion promises both laughter and insight. Amidst the fun, Pastor Stephanie also dives deep into the rewards of witnessing life-changing moments, showcasing the profound fulfillment that comes with guiding a congregation.
Welcome everybody. We are so glad that you are here, or you decided to come back yet again for week three of the Journey Series. My name is Emily Himes. Welcome, welcome, welcome. Today we have the beautiful and wonderful leader of our church, pastor Stephanie Burnett. What's up everybody. Thank you so much for having me. Thank you so much for being here. Thank you so much for being here. I got so excited whenever I got the notes to see that it was you preaching today. I was like, yeah, here we go, ready or not, I love it, I love it. But thank you so much for taking the time out. I know that you were probably tired. Mike did. Let us know that after preaching four services, it's definitely nap time.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's an interesting thing, Like you give so much, I've been teaching in Growth Track and I've felt like even standing up and just teaching. I'm like you know our KidPoint people do it every week, class after class, you know, it's just amazing. So, yeah, but after preaching, you feel like you're trying to be on spiritually, you're trying to be on emotionally in every way.
Speaker 1:So yeah, but it's the best way to spend yourself.
Speaker 1:Like, honestly it is, and I just utmost respect for you and Pastor Mike, because so we went and I helped pray over some stuff for the Hope Center and it was just about an hour and afterwards I was like man, I am tanked, I was like I am so tired, and then I was like they do it for hours on end and what's interesting is every service has a unique personality and I know that sounds weird but like response, or sometimes you feel like they're with you and sometimes you feel like they're not with you, but then at the end it's always about life change.
Speaker 2:So it's not about the response, that's really not indicative of what God's doing on the inside, and so it's just fascinating to kind of ebb and flow with all four services. I love it.
Speaker 1:I love it. I'm just like which service is your favorite?
Speaker 2:I can't say my favorite. Now I will say attending. I love first service but I feel like, because it's the first one out the gate and I'm like, oh, I want to be the first one to hear the first, you know, go at it. But fourth is fun. We always say that especially for our volunteers. They've been here a long time and I'm like, here we go and we do have a great time in fourth service.
Speaker 1:The middle two are always awesome as well, so it's like the meat in the sandwich right Like the bread of life and then the meat.
Speaker 2:Come on, I don't know. The bread of life, yeah, the bread of sandwiches too.
Speaker 1:I love it. Well, we're going to start off with a fun, quick little icebreaker. In your sermon you mentioned how many germs can be on our phone. I did A lot and now I'm like kind of self-conscious with looking at mine now because I'm like, ooh, but question who do you think carries more germs on their phone, you or Pastor Mike?
Speaker 2:Ooh, that feels like a gross question, like how many times? A day do you wash your hands, you know? Or like the last time that you even cleaned your phone with you know what I'm talking about?
Speaker 1:The little alcohol wipe pads.
Speaker 2:I think those are great and we should all have those nearby. You know what Christmas? I'm not a germaphobe, but the more you think of it, I do like I don't know. I don't want to say him or me. I think it really has to do with who does more hand washing and I'm a big hand washer, like in between every service. Here's a fun fact I always wash my hands.
Speaker 1:That's one of the reasons we go in the back?
Speaker 2:Yes, because I shake so many hands and I want to be respectful of people and I know there's people and we have germs and that's part of working with people and I'm not scared of germs but I always wash my hands in between You're like this I don't know that I can answer that. So one of our phones, I don't know. Of course I'm going to say, well, mike has more germs on his oh, I will throw my husband under the bus quick.
Speaker 1:I know he has way more germs on his phone, but I don't know how to quantify that or qualify that. Oh my gosh, it's going to be a speculation.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we, yeah, we'll see. I don't know, I think kids have the most germs on their phones. Oh, I'm like put it down.
Speaker 1:Wash your hands, yes, because you know, then they're showing their friends too.
Speaker 2:Oh, like here, take this, and everybody touches it and you don't think it's an unsanitary item. No, You're just picking it up all the time. It's fabulous.
Speaker 1:Yes. And then take them to other places Now.
Speaker 2:I have got on this fanny pack trend this summer. I don't know how that happened, but when we were on vacation I didn't want to take the big giant bag everywhere we went. You know, I'm like I'm just condensing a few things that I need. So I'm taking the fanny pack and it was awesome because you just tuck the little phone in there and in there and like guys have pockets Sorry, this is probably TMI, but in the restroom, like they have pockets that are accessible. So anyways, fanny pack for the win. That way it helps with the germ situation.
Speaker 1:I love it. And women's pockets are not big enough to hold things. They're not, I agree. I agree this is going to be two hours later into the podcast. I'm kidding. We could talk about all of this all day long.
Speaker 1:So, much fun. But we are going to jump right into. Your first point is that our lives can flourish. This is one thing I asked Pastor Mike, I think in the first podcast, so if you haven't heard it, go and listen to it. But you spoke about just growing in the things of God and the personal growth and flourishing when being rooted into the church. So question where are you personally growing or where do you feel like God is moving you right now in this season?
Speaker 2:I would love to say, you know, in these monstrosity ways, you know, or whatever, but I feel like God grows us in the quiet places, in the secret places. And you know, there's a reason I think scripture talks about go seek God in the closet. And it's like not that we physically have to get in our prayer closet or whatever, but it's just time away from everyone else, everything else, so that we can hear from God. So I mean, it's interesting, I've been working on this degree, the seminary degree, and I finished in August and I'm so thankful, but it's like I was actually growing intentionally by doing that degree and I was consuming a lot of books, information, all this stuff and I love that and it's like, well, that ended, you know. So it's like I can't just keep going. Well, I'm, you know, I'm growing so much Like you have to be extra intentional. You know these things, assignments aren't coming to me anymore. I'm having to seek out and be really mindful of my time with God, cause otherwise it I'm like everybody else it can get swallowed up with all the good things in life, you know, and I love my family, I love my job, but that can swallow up my time with God. So really, I think the areas that I always desire to grow in is just in those quiet moments with the Lord and reading God's Word.
Speaker 2:This week, one of the things we did with our family on fall break, we said let's read through the book of Mark and we decided, okay, three chapters a day, it's the shortest of the gospels. What if we do three chapters a day and then we do the SOAP method Scripture, observation, application, prayer and so we told everyone just think through those, you can write it in a notebook if you like, and then we're going to talk about it at the end of the day and I just think that intentionality. I mean, that's just one example. But yeah, so I don't know, I feel like God wants to grow me in the quiet places. Does that make sense?
Speaker 1:Absolutely. Do you see that now that your awesome girls are starting to get older and they're a little bit more self-sufficient all of those variables that can come as being a mom do you see that it's becoming a little bit easier to find those quiet times, or do you?
Speaker 2:Personally.
Speaker 1:Yeah, personally, I'm going to be honest with you. Now that my daughter is old enough to kind of fend for herself, I got lazy and I didn't realize it. So I had to check myself, because when I have schedules to follow, it's easier for me to schedule.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's a great point.
Speaker 1:So is it, now that the girls are growing up and getting older, is it?
Speaker 2:where do you see yourself? I think there are seasons, you know, there are seasons where you feel like, man, my time, I mean, everything is marked out, it's decided for you, you know. And those are the moments where I'm like I'm still. Everything is marked out, it's decided for you, you know. And those are the moments where I'm like I'm still going to put God in there. He does not like I don't get a reason not to hang out with him just because I have so much going. But now I see what you're saying. Maybe there's bigger blocks of time where you're like oh, and then I'll get to it later.
Speaker 2:So for me, how I handle that is I try to spend time with the Lord first. If I have a bigger block, that's open. You know, we tend to do the easy things first. I'm going to watch my show or I need to get caught up on it could even be email or going through the thing or whatever. But it's like if I just put God first, because I think that's what he said in Matthew 6, 33, if we seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, then the rest will be added. So I think, no matter what season you're in, just remember that he comes first, especially if you have a block of time. Listen, we can spend our lives scrolling. We can spend our lives on Netflix. We can spend our lives just looking at everyone else's life, except for the life that God has for us, being intentional with Him, and so I just think you have to be mindful about it and don't overthink it. Just spend time with God. There is no perfect time, Just spend time with God.
Speaker 1:Just spend time with God is no perfect time. Just spend time with God. Just spend time with God, and after the stat that you gave us about the number of germs on our phones, it should make you want to put down your phone.
Speaker 2:Get that paper Bible out. I guarantee our paper Bibles don't have that much bacteria on them because we don't touch them like everything else.
Speaker 2:right, I'm just saying See, there's something right there have you seen on social media that I don't know what it was my girls were showing me. Basically they said what if we treated our Bibles like our phones Every stoplight? We got our Bible out and read like two or three verses. You know every well. There's the bathroom again. Like, you take your Bible in the bathroom, you take your Bible to school, you take your Bible everywhere. Every dying moment you get. You're on that thing. I'm like man. That is a great reminder. It really is. It really is I got to yeah.
Speaker 1:And honestly, you did mention the screen time. The screen time, yeah, it's that, we're on, yeah.
Speaker 2:Seven hours a day. So just as a recap they say that adults are on their phone like seven hours a day and teenagers even. It's eight hours and 39 minutes a day. Actually, it didn't say phone, it said digital devices. So think screens. I'm like, wow, what could we do with even half that time for the kingdom? What could we do in our personal walk with god even just a portion of that time, you know, man?
Speaker 1:so just it all comes back to intentionality it does, it does, it does, and being rooted in the church too, because accountability you brought something up that, honestly, it really did make me think. You said week after week, we are fed, we are challenged, we experience accountability and we grow. How and this is when you were on the point of our faith can grow strong there, and how does accountability affect our faith, though?
Speaker 2:That's a great question.
Speaker 1:Can you go a little bit deeper into that?
Speaker 2:Well, first I'd love to say that you know, sometimes we want quick growth, like, oh, I went to church, I did the thing, I checked the box, okay, I'm growing, it's like, but growth, we all know this. Have you ever watched a plant grow? It's impossible. The only way to do it is time. Lapse it forever.
Speaker 2:It's ridiculous, yeah, I mean who time lapses their house plant growing. But the truth is that we are always growing, but it's hard to see growth sometimes on the day to day, and so that's why we have to look back over the week, over the month. Let's look back over a year. After I've been faithful in church, like you said, I'm being fed every week. I may not see a change instantly. We want quick growth, but that's just not how it works in the kingdom of God. I think that God wants us to be planted, he wants us to be discipled, he wants us to be faithful so that that growth takes place. I forgot your original question. It was how does accountability grow your faith.
Speaker 1:Oh, yeah, so how does that play into that? Yeah, so with accountability.
Speaker 2:I think that's just one of the areas when we let's talk about small groups. So when we're in small groups, there's something about just showing up that creates accountability, because your people in your group whether it's three people, 10 people, whatever you have in your group they're expecting you to be there. They want to know how you're doing. I want to know how my people are doing. How was your week? You know, and you get caught up in all the fun things and all the hard things and all the difficult things that we've been praying for, and you know we'll find each other in a this that inherently is account. You know you're putting yourself in a place of accountability just by being a part of a group and you can excuse yourself from accountability by just not being a part of the group. You know, when we live our lives and we don't, we're not in small group, we're not connected to anyone else, no one's speaking into us. We really aren't accountable to anybody, and I feel like all of us need accountability at some level, whether it's from our mentors, our small group. I need that, I need my group. I need them asking me how can I pray for you this week? I just need to be poured into. They need to pour into me All those great things. And when we excuse ourselves from putting ourselves in that position, we're saying I don't need accountability, I'm good.
Speaker 2:But we all know that the devil wants us to be isolated. The devil wants us to be alone in our thoughts, alone in our world, even if we're going through crud. The devil wants us to feel like we don't need people. I don't want people in my business and the Lord is like no, I want you around other believers that are going to build you up, even if it's hard stuff. Listen, we're humans. We have a lot of hard things that happen in our life and we need to be around each other. So that accountability is super important and you will learn to trust people. I think some people are afraid of trusting people.
Speaker 2:I think that's a big reason why they don't want to be accountable. Yes, I got hurt, I did this or this didn't go right. Well, you don't have to share everything with everybody, but you got to share your stuff with somebody. You got to be accountable to somebody that knows what's going on in your world, because if we are left to ourselves, we are going to drift far away from the Lord. That's just the truth. So that's why being in church creates accountability every week and it keeps us tethered. You know, just seven days. A week is only seven days, but think of all the things that happen in our week.
Speaker 2:It's like I love coming back to the church every week, hearing a message from a pastor, from somebody that's praying over the congregation, that hears from the Lord what needs to be preached. It's like I believe it's a word for me. Whether it directly applies all the little points, it doesn't matter. I need to be in the house of God where I hear what's happening, where I need to be, how I need to be seeking the Lord and be a part of the life of the church. I mean, you can call me a church nerd, all you want. I love it Because my life has changed in the church because it's full of people and, yes, imperfect people. We're all imperfect, but we're all serving a perfect God, and that's what makes it so amazing.
Speaker 1:Oh for sure, it's one of those things I find peace just coming in here, and it's not the building, it's not all of that, it's knowing. Hey, I get to see these faces, that also that I've gotten to know. Like that they hold me accountable. It's one of the things that— and once, stepping out and trusting the person and actually allowing somebody to hold you accountable to something, honestly, it brings me personal peace. Yes, because I know that that person has my back. Yes, wholeheartedly, like let's go. And so, speaking on that is, in what ways can the church better support the individuals in their faith journeys, especially in the light of the loneliness and the isolation? So how can we, as the church, better help support these people who might be? We all know them, Everybody who is possibly listening knows and has these people that they're thinking of. Oh well, you know she's isolating, she just says that she's super lonely. How can we, as the church?
Speaker 2:I would love to say I feel like, as the church I'll speak for LifePoint, I don't go to other churches, but I go here that we've set the table for people in every way to be connected Small groups, Sunday growth track, getting on a dream team We've set the table. It's actually up to the person to take that step of faith out. So I'm not really answering your question intentionally, because our job is to set the table for people. We don't change people. So this summer for my capstone project for my degree, I wrote this big, in-depth paper on change. Why does someone change? How do they change? And ultimately the answer is the Holy Spirit changes people, God changes people.
Speaker 1:We don't change people.
Speaker 2:He does that from the inside out, because if we only look at behavior modification and we say you need to change this, you need to be different, blah, blah, blah, it's not going to have a lasting effect, because it wasn't something they desired in the first place and they didn't see the purpose or the reason for it. But once they decide in their heart I need to make a change, they're willing to go through with it. So our job is really just to set the table for change to happen. It's like whoever preaches. So let's say, when Mike is preaching, the word of God is going forth. It's like the seed is being scattered. Now we can't control what kind of soil it falls on it's good soil, rocky soil, thorny soil. We don't know what kind of hearts are going to receive that. All we can do is scatter the seed. We set the table. We have an amazing worship time. The word comes forth, it's encouraging, we point people to Jesus, but it truly is in the heart of the people. It's whether or not they're going to receive it and step out. So I would say that's the same, for like isolation. We've set the table.
Speaker 2:Now we can do the inviting. We inform people. That's why we do announcements. I mean it can get real practical, like we send out, like you know, on social media we let people know like Wednesday night we're having a night of worship, that's great, all those things that are happening. So we have to get the word out.
Speaker 2:But I think, as church staff, even we have to. Our job is to equip the saints to do the work of ministry. So we're teaching, we're training, we're setting the table, but we ultimately that person has to want to change, they have to want to step forward into that group. But we can invite and we can keep inviting and not growing tired of inviting people. So I think all of us need to do that.
Speaker 2:Whoever you are, if you're listening, you need to invite people to be a part of your small group and if they turned you down once, that's okay, keep asking them. You need to invite your neighbor to church. I'm so excited. I met a lady today in the lobby and she was saying that she is inviting her parents to come. They're kind of from a different faith background and they're coming next week and she goes. I'm like nervously excited. I said, well, let's pray right now, because you and I aren't going to change them. Whoever's preaching, whatever the message is about, the Holy Spirit can change them. The Word of God can change them. So that's what we're going to pray for an encounter with the Lord. But we set the table, yeah for sure we can be inviters.
Speaker 1:We can be inviters, and I think that's one thing, that when you start to learn about the church and how we, the people, are the church, I think sometimes we can catch ourselves kind of going, well, will we have a big job to do whenever it comes to grabbing people? And it's yes, we do need to step out in faith and do the things that Jesus commanded us to do, but it's not us that has the final, so I think so we shouldn't bear that burden, that weight.
Speaker 2:That's too much weight. Anyways, our job is to preach and teach. It's like when we talk about praying for someone for healing, some people are like I don't want to do that. What if he doesn't heal them? It's actually not up to me. I just prayed with a really sweet lady in the lobby and I said can I pray for you? They're trying to have a baby and they've been very unsuccessful and there's discouragement. And I said I just feel like I need to pray for you right now. So I prayed for a miracle. Now there's nothing. It's not in my hands. God uses us, he works through us, but the Holy Spirit is in charge of all that. So I left. I don't feel a burden, like a weight, that it's on my shoulders. I'm like here, god, I'm just encouraging my friend. I want to build her faith and her encouragement.
Speaker 1:Through accountability of knowing each other.
Speaker 2:Yes, yes, crazy, it all comes together.
Speaker 1:I love it. Well, you did mention you just now mentioned soil and I love the imagery in this psalm that you gave. I just it's. I'm a visual person, so this is just, it's like scratching my brain.
Speaker 2:I'm like this is great.
Speaker 1:So the palm, it said that it can flourish in no matter what kind of environment that they're in. Yeah, but the soil has to be, has to be right, has to be right. How can someone check their own soil, how can someone really take a deep dive and see, hey, what kind of ground is this word going to lean on? What do you do personally to make sure, hey, is my soil good and ready for?
Speaker 2:God. Well, what I was just going to say is my three final takeaways. The third one was be ready for God, and I think that's a great indicator of the soil in our hearts. What's my motivation for being at church? Let's just talk about that. What's the reason I'm coming? What's the reason I'm serving? Am I checking a box? Or is it truly to experience God? Because that's what we want. We want to have an encounter. Now, we are habits of creature and we just do the thing, sometimes for the sake of doing the thing. But if you want to know, like, what kind of soil do I have right now? Why, okay, do you have a good attitude about coming to church? Are you expecting to meet with God? I'm not saying you have to have a perfect life and everything is wonderful. And your kids were up and early, ready to go, and they called you blessed in the morning, like Proverbs 31.
Speaker 2:That doesn't always happen in my house. I don't know about your house. I don't think it's ever happened in my house.
Speaker 1:I'm always like y'all ready, come down.
Speaker 2:I'm always like y'all ready, come down. I try to set like a 15 minute before we have to leave time so that we actually leave on time, anyways. But we have to check our motives. So maybe checking soil is like checking motive. Why do I want to be here for? Why am I serving today? I think that's a great question to ask our dream teamers. Why do you want to serve? Is it to make a difference? Are you just feeling obligated? Because if you're feeling obligated, we may have gotten to the place where we're, just it's duty, not delight, but we want to stay in that delight. I'm not saying you quit and just say, well, I'm going to dry season. I just can't figure this out. Me and God, we're just not flowing.
Speaker 1:Specifically, though, the palm grows, no matter in what environment.
Speaker 2:Especially in dry environments. Yes, I love it. So how do they flourish, even in dry environments? It's the soil that they're, it's the roots that keep them sustained, and they still produce fruit, and they're beautiful trees.
Speaker 1:They are pretty.
Speaker 2:There's so much that we can take away from. Two trees are mentioned in that passage, interestingly the palm tree and then the trees of cedar or cedars of Lebanon. There we go and because one is for strength and one is for beauty, and I just I think that's a great picture of like how we are to serve the Lord and be planted in his house and our faith. And you know, we sometimes we face harsh environments, sometimes we go through the fire, sometimes we go through very difficult things that are beyond our control, but we will be sustained when we are planted and we are like those palm trees. You know, in the hurricane where the wind is blowing, those things look like they're bending, but there's a strength about them that I just think that's a great word picture that we can take away, that I don't have to be stressed about the storms of life.
Speaker 2:Even when COVID hit, I just never forget that first, like fear, that kind of wave of fear that kind of went through people. I remember we did a big serve project at church to wipe everything down. That was like our first thing before they closed everything down. We're like let's just be mindful and just swipe everything. And I remember there was a group of 25 of us in the lobby and I gathered them and I said hey guys, listen, I don't care what you guys are hearing on the news right now, like we don't have to be stressed out, like we're planted in the Lord. You know, jesus also talks about when we obey him. Our house is like on a rock. So when you start putting faithfulness and obedience together with the Lord, I don't know.
Speaker 2:There's just a stability that I mean, no matter what life brings, that we're going to be sustained. So I don't know. It's a great life? It is. It's wonderful Serving the Lord and watching Him grow us through all the seasons, and we do know that pain and difficulty actually grows us more when everything is perfect and easy and just flowing.
Speaker 1:Wouldn't it just be so wonderful if it was just whoop.
Speaker 2:I know Sometimes I'm like God. Why did we have to? You know, james, I love hate that verse. He says count it all. Joy when you face trials of various kinds, when you face trials of various kinds.
Speaker 1:I always hate that verse when somebody throws it at me because that's when I need it the most.
Speaker 2:Yes, but the second half of that verse says because it will produce in you maturity and steadfastness and all these growth things that we really actually want. Yes, and God wants for us and he knows that. God knows what he's doing, I know it and it's wants for us. Yeah, and he knows that. God knows what he's doing, I know it, and it's good for us. I mean, any hard situation that you have faced or I have faced, we look on the back and we go now I see what God was doing.
Speaker 1:Oh, tenfold, yeah, yeah, to the point where it's hard to even explain to somebody like this is what all he was doing in my life. It's hard to just wrap your brain around it and knowing that, he orchestrated everything.
Speaker 2:Then I will say, when you're in the midst of the storm, it's really hard to see what God is doing. So be encouraged. If you're in a storm right now and you're just feeling like, what is God doing? I am not flourishing, I'm not flourishing like the palm tree, you know, and you're just thinking like, oh, I've just not feeling it, listen, just be faithful. Just be faithful to God, stay consistent in church, because I'm telling you he will show himself faithful to you and he will bring that, he will sustain you so that you can live and flourish. But sometimes it is really hard, whether you're going through a sickness, a diagnosis or there's I don't know, chaos in a family or something. I've got a number of friends just really going through it and I'm like just trust God. He's so trustworthy. I don't know how he works, but I know he works and he works.
Speaker 2:The Bible says in Romans 8, 28,. He works all things for those who follow Him. That kind of stuck out to me the last time I read that verse, like for believers, he works all things together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose, and I'm like just hang on, just hang on, and that's the power of like small groups, that's the power of being in your church and your serve team Like just, we're going to hold you up, even when you feel like I'm not as strong as I want to be. We are going to be there with you and for you, absolutely.
Speaker 1:And that's one thing that we mentioned also last week too is that there is someone in the church that has walked through something similar, that has gone on the other side, that can look at you and go hey, you're not alone. Yeah, you're not alone. I promise you're not alone and God has this. You want to know why, through my testimony, through God's testimony of what he's done through me, and so it's like. That's why that accountability and being plugged into a church is just whatever church, whether it's our church, whether it's LifePoint whether it's any church be plugged into the church.
Speaker 1:So the statement that you can be committed to church but not committed to Christ. But you cannot be committed to Christ and not be committed to the church Ouch?
Speaker 2:Yeah, it does, honestly.
Speaker 1:So it's one of those things that that helped me check my soil a little bit today to go, hey, how committed I am, absolutely. But I think a lot of times we can wear that badge of look what I've done through all of these things. So say, you and your bestie are sitting in your kitchen and your friend is committed to the church but not Jesus. How can you kind of spot that? And how do we address friends that we kind of see maybe kind of slipping away?
Speaker 1:pulling away, not as committed to a little bit, because with the accountability also comes being uncomfortable, sometimes with your small group, with your friends. So how do you go about addressing them? That's a great question. Addressing it, oh yeah.
Speaker 2:You're saying someone that is committed to church they're coming but you just feel them drifting away from the Lord, yeah, I mean, that's when you say, hey, let's get coffee, but how do you even bring?
Speaker 2:something up you just check in on them. You just ask them how they are. Yeah, just start asking lots of questions. How are you? What's going on in your world? You know, don't talk about the church and checking that box, you know, if they're there that's great. But these are heart questions. You're checking heart posture at that point and you know, we, I would say, if god gives you the, the open door and the opportunity to someone, encourage them back to the things of God.
Speaker 2:There have been so many chances that I've had with people that I've been like, oh, I don't want to say anything, I don't want to upset them or hurt them. But I thought you know what, if I really love them and I can really see that they are probably drifting and they're not where they want to be either, let's be honest, most of the time if you're a friend, you can sense that they're just off a little and they're just maybe in that dry season or whatever. You just encourage them in their faith. And then I I would ask them questions like what's your quiet time with the Lord, like? And then just you can even say how can I encourage you with that? Hey, would you want to? Um, this week let's read the book of Mark together, you know. Or this week, let's read the Psalm of the day together and we'll text each other at night. I mean, there's ways you can pull them into discipleship. You know what I'm saying Right then and there, um. So I would ask them about that. And then just also just their connection with who's speaking into your life. I think that's another great question. Like who's, who have you allowed to speak into you?
Speaker 2:And a lot of times, people that are starting to isolate themselves. They're like I'm good, I'm good, you know, and so we just need to draw that out in them and just keep asking questions until you get to a place where you can encourage them. I think, more than anything, because, again, you're not going to change this person. That's not. Our job is to change them, but it's to set the table so they can experience change, so we can encourage them. You know we never make anyone feel bad. You know the enemy beats us up already. We're not good enough, we're not this enough.
Speaker 2:I get tongue tied when I talk. I mean that's one thing I'm still working over, like I still stumble, you know all these things happen and I'm like okay, look, we need to be encouraged by our, our church friends. Now, if it's sin or something like that, I mean that's another thing like hey, there comes a point where sometimes you can just say I'm going to say this to you because I love you, but I've really I've noticed this in your life and I just wanted to bring it up to you. You know that I think God has better for you than this. You know and that's a hard thing I don't recommend that we go around just spotting, looking for sin, that's.
Speaker 2:God hasn't called us to do that. But if God opens up the door for accountability and reaching out to somebody that you're already in relationship with, that's really the best. That's why we need to be building friendships and relationships with people all the time, so we can pour into them, encourage them and keep us closely connected to the Lord. I mean, I would hope, like one of my mentors, if they saw something in my life that just was probably not healthy or headed in the wrong direction or sinful, that they would have the guts to say to me hey, steph, I just wanted to bring this up to you.
Speaker 2:I know this feels weird, but I feel like the Lord wants me to just mention I've noticed this and I think God is. You know, he wants to call you close in this area and maybe some of these things aren't things you should be participating, or whatever it is. I would actually be really thankful for that, because I wouldn't want to hear it, because you're like, oh, you feel bad, but it's like what's that song that said? Or a proverb that says the wounds of a friend are? It's the kiss. I'm going to say it wrong.
Speaker 1:Something about like the words the words of a friend are I know exactly the wounds of a friend.
Speaker 2:I don't know Something about. It produces yes and so, whereas like the kiss of a friend is just someone saying, oh, you're good, you're good, it's all good, but they didn't really, or turning a blind eye, they didn't hurt you in any way, whereas like a true friend, even if it hurts, they're going to tell you the truth. It's the, it's delicate, but be in relationship with people and I hope that we all have the posture that we want to grow. I think the challenge is sometimes that if you come in contact with someone that doesn't want to grow and they might have the hardened heart, the stony ground, that's where you just keep loving on them. You just keep loving on them and let the Lord change the soil.
Speaker 1:You just keep encouraging them and the things of God. I just think it's this is actually one of my favorite topics to talk about is the church and being in community with each other, because there is nothing more that the enemy wants to do than to separate you, because God made us in his image, which is a relational, you know, like with the Trinity, with the Father, son, holy Spirit. They're in relationship. He made us the same way we're supposed to be in community with each other.
Speaker 2:That's the way God designed it.
Speaker 1:Relationship yes, With him first and then with others also yes absolutely, and this is one of my absolute favorite things to talk about and so you can't live for God alone.
Speaker 2:No, you just can't do it. There are times where I feel weak in my faith and I need a sister to come along and just encourage me. Do you ever get a text randomly from someone that's encouraging you and you're like I just needed to hear that? You know, and you weren't even expecting that they would reach out. One time I had something happen and I was so down on myself for ministry. I was like am I even in the right? Why am I doing this? You know I'm stepping out and I literally had another pastor wife text me. She's in several states away and she said I just feel like I need to encourage you and she put all this stuff in there and I was very upset with myself and not in tears, because I don't cry a lot, but that message came at the right time for the right reason and I knew it was the Lord. Like Stephanie, lift up your chin. So we need each other.
Speaker 2:You cannot do this alone. You can't lead alone. You can't follow God alone. It doesn't matter, you can't do this alone. The world will tell you you're fine, you yourself and I. Everything is iPhone, me, me, me, selfies, like our world revolves around us and the church is like no, no, no, no, no. It's kind of the opposite.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's actually the opposite of what I do think the world is starting to understand that, though, that they need community, and if you don't find it at church, it's interesting you will find community somewhere. It could be your buddies at work, it can be at the bar. You're going to find a community somewhere, yes. So that's why we say get in a small group, because you at least need a community of people. I just talked to a lady in the lobby that says I need Christian friends and I said okay, let's talk about that. You're in the right spot. Yes, you're in the right spot.
Speaker 1:We want to help facilitate that. Yeah, I love it. I love it. Well, last question for you when did you see God today? I know you said Pastor Jerae always brings up that question and I think that is fabulous, and I actually stole that from Pastor Jarae and I started asking my daughter so, instead of how was your day today? What did you learn? You know, getting to nothing. You know I said, hey, where did you see God today?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'm going to take that I need to ask my girls that question.
Speaker 1:That whole, it just it kind of separates from the same old same old, yeah, same question. Yeah, and it can literally be anything, which is great because he's there, yeah, so where did you see God today?
Speaker 2:I always see God. I love Sundays, but I would say that I see God in life change. So there was a couple that came up to me after first service and they said because of this message you spoke, we are going to commit to this church and I'm like the Lord's in that. I don't know if he's not, if he's not in that, I missed something, you know. And they and I said well, go to growth track, you know. And they were like thank you so much for your encouragement. You know, we just feel the Lord here. I'm like that is life change. So people I think that are taking their next steps. I think that's where I see the Lord.
Speaker 2:I love I've always loved prayer. I love talking to God. So every time I see people getting prayed for I see God in those moments. And I see God in the lobby when people are making friendships. I see God everywhere. I mean, I feel like it's easy in a church, but God is always moving. I was recently talking to my girls about miracles because reading the book of Mark, we're like man, there were so many miracles and Jesus cast out demons. They're like where are all the demon-possessed people today? That's what they wanted to know, because it seemed like so many stories in there and I'm like, just look around. If you look around, you will see God doing miracles, and so I mean I see it all the time on a Sunday, just people getting to worship, cry out to the Lord. I think God moves in those moments. So I'm probably over-answering, but I see Him everywhere.
Speaker 1:Yeah, because, honestly, there's a lot of things that some people don't realize, or maybe the veil hasn't been lifted on them. Just the fact of we are able to lift our hands freely for a few minutes before each service, that we're even able to walk into this door freely without getting killed, without that Persecution, that's a miracle. What a blessing it is for us that we made it here. Yeah, you know, like there's so many different things and it's just a good reminder of everything. There's really no wrong answer here. It's just hey, where did you see?
Speaker 2:So one other quick little thing about that. So the other week I was sitting on the couch with one of my daughters and I asked her. I said hey, have you seen so-and-so in our church? She's a widow and I was just thinking I hadn't seen her in a while and she said I hadn't seen her either. I said we should just call her, just say hey.
Speaker 2:So we called this young lady, I'll say, and we just said hey, what are you doing? And she goes, I'm so glad you called. She said I literally was sitting here just feeling so lonely that people have forgotten me Because she's a widow, you know, and we love our widows in our church and they're so precious, and she was sitting at home going. I just cannot believe. You called me. She said I was just telling God I feel lonely. She said, and you called, and anyway, so it was just a cool and I got to see her this Sunday and got a big old hug and she's just one of the amazing members of our church and I'm so thankful.
Speaker 2:But I said to my daughter after that phone call members of our church and I'm so thankful. But I said to my daughter after that phone call, I said that was a miracle, I said for her. She sat at home and said Lord, god, she made a request. I feel alone. I feel this way. Next thing, you know, not that we're the miracle that she was looking for, but God just used us in that moment is all I'm saying, and so it was just a miracle moment.
Speaker 2:It was so cool for us to be a blessing and for her to receive that. It doesn't have to be giant, it can be the small things.
Speaker 1:Oh, so I think the small things are my favorite, the big things, absolutely All of the things. All glory goes to God. The fact that I'm sitting here, breathing today, is a miracle. Amen.
Speaker 2:Yeah, here breathing today is a miracle, but it's the little things that just absolutely get me going that just makes me sit in awe of Him sometimes I think if we were to get a piece of paper and write out. You know, they say like, write your blessings. One time in a book they said you have to write 100 things you're thankful for. And they said and not the regular things, but everything big and small. Put it all down on paper. And you're just amazed. You're like man, I take so many things for granted. So I think if we did that with miracles, we would be amazed that God is around us all the time. He's moving. And it may not be like in that earth-shattering, mountain-moving experience. It's going to be sometimes in the still and the quiet, but God is directing us, he's speaking to us. But God is directing us, he's speaking to us. If we are listening, we will find him. So the question that Dre would always ask is where did you see God today? And the answer is you will see him where you look for him.
Speaker 2:So I think that needs to be our posture. That's how we grow, that's how we stay strong in our faith. We become like these trees that are rooted. That's how we withstand fires. We're looking for God and we are engaging in relationship with him every single day and with his people, and it just makes our lives begin to flourish.
Speaker 2:The thing about growth is it doesn't happen overnight. This is established week after week, day after day, month after month of just consistency with the Lord, and I think all of us will look back and we will see that growth and the enemy wants to get us off track. So I just want to remind you, if you're listening to this, don't be discouraged. If you've not spent the time that you've wanted with God or you're feeling bad about what you haven't done, don't go that direction. Go here forward. We serve a here forward God. So just start engaging with God every day in your personal devotion and also in your corporate worship. Together, as a body, we get to worship. Whether you're at Austin Peay, however, you're connected to the body of Christ. We get to worship God together and he moves in and among us. I just think that's incredible. We will see God where we look for Him.
Speaker 1:Yeah Well, thank you so much for being here. I know, once again, sunday's long days for the Burnetts, but we appreciate you. Thank you so much for leading this church. That's just something we do not take lightly. So thank you so much, and all of the listeners, we will see you next week for week four.
Speaker 2:See you, guys. We love you. Bye. Thank you so much.
