WEBVTT 00:00:02.240 --> 00:00:05.040 Welcome to the Celebration Church Orlando podcast. 00:00:05.280 --> 00:00:06.879 Thank you so much for listening today. 00:00:07.040 --> 00:00:09.439 We hope it encourages you and inspires you. 00:00:09.759 --> 00:00:11.119 Here's today's message. 00:00:11.599 --> 00:00:13.039 Hey church, how are you guys doing? 00:00:13.199 --> 00:00:13.839 Happy Sunday. 00:00:13.919 --> 00:00:15.759 Happy Father's Day to all the fathers out there. 00:00:15.839 --> 00:00:18.559 We're so grateful for all that you do for your families. 00:00:18.719 --> 00:00:20.960 Today, we are joined with our live studio audience. 00:00:21.039 --> 00:00:22.559 So everybody let the church hear you guys. 00:00:22.879 --> 00:00:23.280 Let us hear us. 00:00:23.359 --> 00:00:23.839 Let us hear you. 00:00:25.760 --> 00:00:34.640 But not only that, we are two churches coming together with one message and one voice because I am joined in the city of Orlando by my very good friend, Pastor Charlie Dawes. 00:00:34.719 --> 00:00:35.600 Say what's up to the people, man. 00:00:35.759 --> 00:00:36.719 Hey, so good to be with you guys. 00:00:36.799 --> 00:00:40.240 Uh, Metro Church Family, Celebration Church, uh, Orlando family. 00:00:40.399 --> 00:00:41.520 Uh, so glad to be together. 00:00:41.600 --> 00:00:45.840 Uh, you guys know this that me and Keith aren't just friends uh on Instagram, but we're like real life friends. 00:00:45.920 --> 00:00:47.439 And so it's good to be with you. 00:00:47.520 --> 00:00:47.759 Yes. 00:00:47.840 --> 00:00:50.479 Uh and I'm really excited for us to continue um our series. 00:00:50.640 --> 00:00:59.679 Both of our churches uh have been really looking at the book of Acts and really studying the stories of the early church, um, knowing that the stories of the early church really are the stories of the church today. 00:00:59.840 --> 00:01:00.079 Indeed. 00:01:00.159 --> 00:01:09.680 Uh, and I'm excited for us to really dive into this passage and talk around uh an idea and a concept of calling that is so integral to the life of every believer. 00:01:09.840 --> 00:01:12.079 Um, and I really believe that God's got something for us today. 00:01:12.159 --> 00:01:14.400 And so I think we're gonna dive into the text. 00:01:14.480 --> 00:01:17.680 Um, Bishop Pittman, why don't you read the word of God to the people today? 00:01:18.000 --> 00:01:18.239 Gladly. 00:01:18.319 --> 00:01:19.439 Thank you for that setup, Pastor Charlie. 00:01:19.519 --> 00:01:20.480 I couldn't have done it without you. 00:01:20.640 --> 00:01:22.799 Okay, we're gonna turn to Acts chapter number nine. 00:01:22.879 --> 00:01:27.040 And it's a powerful passage that many may recognize as the conversion of Paul. 00:01:27.120 --> 00:01:28.159 Um so let's let's look at it. 00:01:28.239 --> 00:01:30.560 We're gonna look at verse number one and kind of see where God leads us. 00:01:30.640 --> 00:01:31.359 But here we go. 00:01:31.599 --> 00:01:46.400 But Paul, but Saul, rather, um, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that there was any found belonging to the way, because the way is what they referred to as Christians before um they had their names changed at Antioch. 00:01:46.640 --> 00:01:50.959 If any belong to the way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 00:01:51.120 --> 00:02:00.799 Now, as he went his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him, and falling to the ground he heard a voice saying, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? 00:02:00.959 --> 00:02:02.480 And he said, Who are you, Lord? 00:02:02.640 --> 00:02:05.680 And he said, I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 00:02:05.840 --> 00:02:09.759 But rise, enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do. 00:02:10.000 --> 00:02:14.159 The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, and hearing the voice, but seeing no one. 00:02:14.319 --> 00:02:19.120 So Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were open, he saw nothing. 00:02:19.280 --> 00:02:22.639 But they led him by hand and brought him into Damascus. 00:02:22.800 --> 00:02:27.840 And for three days he was without sight, neither ate nor drank. 00:02:28.159 --> 00:02:29.280 It's it's a powerful passage. 00:02:29.360 --> 00:02:34.000 And what we want to do over the next few moments is just unpack this idea about what does it truly mean to be called. 00:02:34.080 --> 00:02:35.919 So, Charlie, let's pray and let's get into it. 00:02:36.000 --> 00:02:36.400 Let's do it. 00:02:36.560 --> 00:02:37.439 Father, we love you. 00:02:37.599 --> 00:02:39.360 Uh, we thank you so much for your word. 00:02:39.439 --> 00:02:43.039 Uh, it tells us that it is a lamp unto our feet and a light into our path. 00:02:43.199 --> 00:02:52.639 And so, God, I pray in the next few moments that you would do that, that you would bring the illumination um so that we could walk according to your ways, to your precepts, to your plan uh for our lives. 00:02:52.879 --> 00:02:54.400 God, we thank you for these uh churches. 00:02:54.560 --> 00:02:55.599 We thank you for these families. 00:02:56.000 --> 00:02:59.360 And Lord, we just pray your rich blessing on all the dads out there. 00:02:59.439 --> 00:03:00.879 Um, Lord, we we're grateful for them. 00:03:00.960 --> 00:03:06.319 And Lord, we pray that you would continue to pour your spirit out uh upon our churches uh in this season and in this time. 00:03:06.479 --> 00:03:08.319 Um, we love you so much, Jesus. 00:03:08.479 --> 00:03:09.520 In your name we pray. 00:03:09.680 --> 00:03:10.240 Amen. 00:03:10.560 --> 00:03:11.039 Amen. 00:03:11.280 --> 00:03:11.840 Amen. 00:03:12.080 --> 00:03:15.120 So so this is this is a powerful text that is that is referred to a lot. 00:03:15.199 --> 00:03:20.800 I'm pretty sure you and I have both studied this and examined this on many occasions, and I think there's some things we can highlight from it. 00:03:20.960 --> 00:03:26.240 But before we jump specifically into that, you and I were having a conversation and we were talking about the concept of being called. 00:03:26.319 --> 00:03:26.479 Yeah. 00:03:26.639 --> 00:03:31.120 Because I do think that many of us, we have like a perception of what we believe it means to be called. 00:03:31.280 --> 00:03:34.240 We believe that it's it's simply one thing to be called to do something. 00:03:34.400 --> 00:03:34.560 Right. 00:03:34.719 --> 00:03:40.800 But I believe you have like a profound revelation on how we can make distinction on the different types of callings and even how some of it gets walked out. 00:03:41.039 --> 00:03:48.800 Yeah, I think a lot of times when we have conversations around calling, especially when we're in church circles, people think like, oh, calling, that's what the pastor had. 00:03:48.960 --> 00:03:53.199 He had a called experience or a moment, and and that that's for for them. 00:03:53.360 --> 00:03:59.680 But for the the regular sort of people or the regular Christians that aren't in church work, I don't know if that actually applies to us. 00:03:59.759 --> 00:04:05.919 And what I would say is really calling is something that is applicable to every Christ follower. 00:04:06.400 --> 00:04:11.680 So the idea of do you have a calling, the answer from all of us should be a resounding yes. 00:04:12.159 --> 00:04:16.240 The challenge is that the calling on our lives is two parts. 00:04:16.639 --> 00:04:19.279 And many times we um we only focus on one of them. 00:04:19.360 --> 00:04:23.680 And so what I mean by that is there's a one A calling and there's a one B calling. 00:04:24.000 --> 00:04:28.639 And so the one A calling is that we're called to be followers, disciples of Jesus. 00:04:29.199 --> 00:04:31.759 And then the one B calling is how we express that. 00:04:32.160 --> 00:04:33.680 And so here's the challenge, Keith. 00:04:33.839 --> 00:04:38.800 How many of us devote time, resources, energy? 00:04:38.959 --> 00:04:46.639 Um, we get mentors, we uh listen to podcasts, and it's all focused on the one be calling. 00:04:46.720 --> 00:04:46.879 Yes. 00:04:47.040 --> 00:04:50.480 How do I express my discipleship and devotion to Jesus? 00:04:50.639 --> 00:04:57.439 And I've put my whole life into that rather than doubling down and developing just being a follower of Jesus. 00:04:57.600 --> 00:05:02.720 So vocation becomes more important than actual dedication to God. 00:05:02.959 --> 00:05:03.279 Amen. 00:05:03.439 --> 00:05:04.399 Can the church say amen? 00:05:04.639 --> 00:05:05.360 Come on, that's good. 00:05:05.519 --> 00:05:06.720 I like being around people, it's been a while. 00:05:06.959 --> 00:05:07.360 I know it has. 00:05:07.759 --> 00:05:10.560 I've preached in a in a room with some human beings, and it feels very, very good. 00:05:10.720 --> 00:05:15.519 Yeah, it definitely will um help you feel better about yourself when people actually are looking back and saying amen to you. 00:05:15.680 --> 00:05:17.680 So here's something that you said that was really powerful. 00:05:17.759 --> 00:05:23.600 You said the the 1A and the 1B, understanding like this tension between knowing that we are all called universally. 00:05:23.759 --> 00:05:25.759 Like that's that's just we're called to be followers of Christ. 00:05:25.839 --> 00:05:32.480 So I was thinking about how how Jesus says, like, if anybody wants to be my disciple, they must deny themselves, take up the cross and follow me. 00:05:32.560 --> 00:05:35.040 Like that, like you said, that is all of our assignments. 00:05:35.199 --> 00:05:41.839 And I think in that, that that's like an outline that really gives us an idea of what our responsibility is to deny ourselves. 00:05:42.240 --> 00:05:49.040 So often we we look at our calling and we begin to find ways to add on to ourselves so that we can get to the place that we think we're called to go to. 00:05:49.199 --> 00:05:54.240 But actually, the very foundation is that when I look at calling, I'm thinking, what do I have to give up in order to get into this? 00:05:54.399 --> 00:05:55.600 Not what do I have to gain? 00:05:55.680 --> 00:05:55.839 Wow. 00:05:56.000 --> 00:05:59.519 And unfortunately, we often approach it through this through the lens of what do I need to do? 00:05:59.600 --> 00:06:01.680 What do I need to add on to walk out my calling? 00:06:01.759 --> 00:06:03.040 No, what do I need to let go of? 00:06:03.199 --> 00:06:06.079 We have to like we have to let go of some things in order to follow Christ. 00:06:06.160 --> 00:06:12.639 And so that's kind of one of those things that I've often had, and even in seasons of my life, man, where I've thought about, man, I'm called to. 00:06:12.879 --> 00:06:14.319 And we can fill in that blank with anything. 00:06:14.720 --> 00:06:18.240 I'm called to um a region, I'm called to a people group. 00:06:18.319 --> 00:06:20.720 I remember when I was in youth ministry, I'm called to youth. 00:06:20.800 --> 00:06:29.759 And I remember when moments would come and I was like invited to step into another role, I really was having like this existential crisis because I'm like, no, but I'm called to them. 00:06:30.240 --> 00:06:32.959 But Jesus said, no, you're called to be a follower of me. 00:06:33.600 --> 00:06:38.240 You got to recognize the difference between an assignment and the in the and the actual calling. 00:06:38.480 --> 00:06:44.959 And so I recognize that God has called me to be a pastor, He's called me to be a follower of Him, and my assignment is to pastor the people. 00:06:45.199 --> 00:06:54.160 But when I get locked into a specific demographic, when God is calling me and leading me to do something different, I end up struggling and finding myself going against the grain, which is what I think we see here with Paul. 00:06:54.319 --> 00:06:59.920 Yeah, and and think about when you when you're saying that, it really makes me think about all of the different called experiences throughout scripture. 00:07:00.000 --> 00:07:05.759 Because here's what I love about the Bible very rarely do you see something discussed or talked about it in an isolated fashion. 00:07:06.160 --> 00:07:14.399 A lot of times, the story of God that has been written and started in Genesis and goes all the way through Revelation, you begin to see themes and you begin to see patterns sort of emerging. 00:07:14.560 --> 00:07:17.040 And this idea of calling is very, very significant. 00:07:17.199 --> 00:07:20.720 And also, calling isn't always embraced up front. 00:07:20.879 --> 00:07:23.439 And so, as you're talking, I'm thinking about I'm thinking about Jonah. 00:07:23.839 --> 00:07:25.759 Jonah has this calling and this experience. 00:07:25.920 --> 00:07:35.279 God's very clear to Jonah, he's wrestling with it, doesn't want to embrace the full calling, and actually kind of diverts his life and attention in a different direction. 00:07:35.360 --> 00:07:35.600 Absolutely. 00:07:35.759 --> 00:07:39.279 And it gets him into a place and a time and a season of calamity. 00:07:39.360 --> 00:07:44.399 And so when you were talking about being faithful to God rather than just the expression, yeah. 00:07:44.560 --> 00:07:52.480 And as you're as you're mentioning, that the expression can be location, it can be seasonal, it can be a geographical calling. 00:07:53.199 --> 00:08:00.240 But what we have to make sure is that none of those are at the expense of actually us opting out of the calling of God. 00:08:00.319 --> 00:08:00.399 Yeah. 00:08:00.560 --> 00:08:03.680 Because the calling that Jonah has on his life was very, very specific. 00:08:03.759 --> 00:08:16.560 And what he did, and even what Paul was trying to do in his life, was Paul was trying to get a certain a certain viewpoint and a certain group of people that he was called to rather than the full expression uh of God's calling. 00:08:16.639 --> 00:08:28.240 But there was a revelation that you had on this passage that I thought was profound in terms of how calling is actually integrated with who we are, even before we know what God's assignment on our life is. 00:08:28.399 --> 00:08:28.639 Yes. 00:08:28.720 --> 00:08:32.799 And and honestly, man, like that's that's one of the things that I think it's it's eye-opening for me. 00:08:32.879 --> 00:08:34.399 I like I'll I'll tell you my personal story. 00:08:34.480 --> 00:08:40.480 So for me, when when before I've surrendered my life to Christ, before I fully was all in, I've I accumulated different gifts. 00:08:40.559 --> 00:08:42.320 I accumulated the ability to communicate. 00:08:42.399 --> 00:08:43.679 You know, I used to, you know, I used to rap. 00:08:43.759 --> 00:08:44.320 Everybody knows that. 00:08:44.399 --> 00:08:46.080 And one day I'm gonna spit some flames for you. 00:08:46.240 --> 00:08:47.519 One day I'm gonna leave you guys. 00:08:48.559 --> 00:08:48.879 Yeah, for sure. 00:08:48.960 --> 00:08:50.320 Like, I mean, we almost had that group going. 00:08:50.480 --> 00:08:53.200 But but here's the thing Ebony and Ivory is was the name of it. 00:08:53.519 --> 00:08:54.399 Yeah, and and it's coming. 00:08:54.480 --> 00:08:56.799 So our mixtape is gonna drop, and y'all better check it out. 00:08:56.879 --> 00:08:57.120 Exactly. 00:08:57.279 --> 00:08:58.159 But but but here's the thing. 00:08:58.320 --> 00:09:05.840 I remember when I I remember all the energy, the time, the money I invested into developing this skill set, whatever you want to call it. 00:09:05.919 --> 00:09:09.039 I just felt like, man, like I'm I'm gonna I'm gonna rock the crowd. 00:09:09.120 --> 00:09:09.360 Yeah. 00:09:09.519 --> 00:09:14.799 And then I get called, like I get radically saved, and I begin to recognize that God is doing something in me. 00:09:14.879 --> 00:09:19.039 And so I was left with, what do I do with all these skills I accumulated? 00:09:19.120 --> 00:09:20.320 I went to school for communication. 00:09:20.399 --> 00:09:23.200 I got these, I got this comfort in regards to being in front of people. 00:09:23.360 --> 00:09:24.240 What do I do with that? 00:09:24.480 --> 00:09:27.120 But what God began to do is like, no, you don't have to discard that. 00:09:27.200 --> 00:09:31.600 You surrender it to me, and I'm gonna show you how I can redeem that and use it for something powerful. 00:09:31.759 --> 00:09:37.519 So when we look at Paul, we see literally in the text, and bro, this just stood out to me as I've showed it to you. 00:09:37.679 --> 00:09:47.279 It says that he was on his road, he was on the road to Damascus, and he was carrying letters from the high priest to justify why they were gonna arrest everybody that they came across. 00:09:47.679 --> 00:09:50.480 Paul has this conversion moment, this eye-opening experience. 00:09:50.639 --> 00:09:53.279 And then we see later on, what does Paul end up doing? 00:09:53.440 --> 00:09:55.279 Writing letters and sending them to the churches. 00:09:55.440 --> 00:10:00.639 Literally, God is using the very same passion that he had, he redirected it for the sake of building the kingdom. 00:10:00.720 --> 00:10:05.519 And I truly believe that for many of us, we're wondering what do I do with some of these things that I'm passionate about? 00:10:05.679 --> 00:10:08.159 What do I do with some of these skills that maybe I've accumulated? 00:10:08.320 --> 00:10:10.559 Maybe it's not so much that you have to let them all go. 00:10:10.720 --> 00:10:15.200 Maybe God wants you to surrender to him and allow him to be glorified through that gift instead of just walking away from it. 00:10:15.440 --> 00:10:19.200 It's powerful because there's that, there is the fear of discarding. 00:10:19.279 --> 00:10:30.240 And here's the thing when you get you get saved, you're kind of in church and you begin to know some of the text and some of the Bible, it can produce faith and it also can produce some trepidation. 00:10:30.320 --> 00:10:31.279 And here's what I mean by that. 00:10:31.440 --> 00:10:34.960 You hear someone that reads the narrative of the pair of the burying of the talents. 00:10:35.039 --> 00:10:35.519 Yeah, yeah. 00:10:35.679 --> 00:10:38.399 And so then they're concerned with their with their calling. 00:10:38.799 --> 00:10:41.279 If I answer this, am I burying my talent? 00:10:41.440 --> 00:10:46.480 But what you said in terms of not discarding it, but actually surrendering it, yeah, it all begins. 00:10:46.639 --> 00:10:52.159 If I'm if I'm hearing you right, what begins with my calling is it's actually not my external talents, but it's the posture of my heart. 00:10:52.320 --> 00:10:52.559 Come on. 00:10:52.879 --> 00:11:03.919 That if I'm if I'm willing to be surrendered and I laid down my life, then then what John says in his gospel, if a single grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, that it will produce a harvest that is over. 00:11:04.080 --> 00:11:09.919 It's speaking of Jesus, but I also think it speaks to the followers of Christ in terms of us laying our life down. 00:11:10.080 --> 00:11:10.320 Yes. 00:11:10.480 --> 00:11:21.600 And we've said it before, many of us will never be asked as the early church martyrs were or or the persecuted church uh uh around the globe today to surrender our actual lives. 00:11:21.679 --> 00:11:21.840 Yeah. 00:11:22.159 --> 00:11:26.399 But I think the problem for us is are we willing to surrender our livelihoods? 00:11:26.559 --> 00:11:26.960 That's it. 00:11:27.120 --> 00:11:30.720 Are we willing to surrender the nine to five job? 00:11:30.879 --> 00:11:32.879 Are we willing to go in a different direction? 00:11:33.039 --> 00:11:37.840 Or even even more so, are we willing to see that the nine to five job is actually funding our ministry? 00:11:38.240 --> 00:11:38.480 That's it. 00:11:38.559 --> 00:11:39.039 And that's the key thing. 00:11:39.200 --> 00:11:43.440 That I that I'm doing this, but who I am actually isn't this. 00:11:43.679 --> 00:11:44.159 Yes. 00:11:44.399 --> 00:11:55.919 And I think here's a here's attention with some of this stuff because, like you said, there's there's many people, they attend a church and they and they kind of see like the holy ones, the ones who are on platform, whatever that may look like, and we're like, okay, there's a different calling. 00:11:56.000 --> 00:11:59.840 And and I look at it as we all have different assignments and all that stuff, but but we get the point. 00:12:00.080 --> 00:12:13.840 So we we have we see that, but a lot of times even the church can often perpetuate that that narrative of being called into ministry, it looks one way because it's hey, be a part of this mentorship group or be a part of this thing. 00:12:14.000 --> 00:12:19.360 And we feel like the only way I can truly express my calling is by ending up on staff at a church. 00:12:19.440 --> 00:12:35.440 And that's the one B point you were making because being in ministry for for the amount of time that both of us have, and you working in the college environment, like all of us have kind of had those moments where you're having a conversation with someone and they're trying to reconcile what they feel like they are called to do in their current season because there's a gap. 00:12:35.600 --> 00:12:39.120 Like I feel like I'm called to blank, but I'm not doing that right now. 00:12:39.200 --> 00:12:46.960 And so I'm pretty sure you and I both have had conversations with people who are frustrated because they're not at the place that they feel like they heard God was calling them to go into. 00:12:47.120 --> 00:12:48.639 So, what would you say to someone? 00:12:48.960 --> 00:12:51.039 They they recognize that I'm called to do something. 00:12:51.200 --> 00:12:54.960 Maybe there's somebody out there that's watching, and they truly do feel called into ministry. 00:12:55.120 --> 00:12:59.840 Typically, when I have those conversations, I dig a little bit deeper to flesh out why do you feel like that's the only expression. 00:12:59.919 --> 00:13:01.279 But but let's say we're past that. 00:13:01.519 --> 00:13:05.279 What do you say to someone when they're when their life doesn't match their calling right now? 00:13:05.759 --> 00:13:06.320 Yeah. 00:13:06.960 --> 00:13:08.320 It's patience is one. 00:13:08.559 --> 00:13:09.600 And play the long game. 00:13:09.759 --> 00:13:10.000 Yeah. 00:13:10.159 --> 00:13:10.320 Right? 00:13:10.399 --> 00:13:11.120 Play the long game. 00:13:11.200 --> 00:13:14.559 So when I look into my own story, um, kind of my my background. 00:13:14.639 --> 00:13:19.600 I I I'd worked in a local church and then had an opportunity to work at Southeastern for uh a number of years. 00:13:20.000 --> 00:13:23.279 And now when I was there, when I was at Southeastern, that's kingdom work. 00:13:23.600 --> 00:13:25.120 It's a Christian university. 00:13:25.360 --> 00:13:27.600 Um, it's it's Christ-centered student focus. 00:13:27.679 --> 00:13:28.960 Like there's all those things are there. 00:13:29.200 --> 00:13:30.480 But let's be very, very clear. 00:13:30.720 --> 00:13:34.720 My title there, there was the word pastor was not in it at all. 00:13:35.279 --> 00:13:43.039 But you could not convince me that I was not a pastor and I was not pastoring that university every day that I was there, that I was not pastoring students. 00:13:43.279 --> 00:13:45.759 So I think what happens, and I think God rewards this. 00:13:45.919 --> 00:13:48.240 I don't have theology to this yet, so maybe you can help me. 00:13:48.399 --> 00:14:07.919 But I I think when God sees the faithfulness in your life, even when it isn't your title, even when it isn't necessarily your job function, but you are you are operating out of a spirit of obedience and a spirit of surrender, I think that's when God begins to kind of put his hand on that and begins to see, like, oh, will you do this in a hidden season? 00:14:08.080 --> 00:14:10.960 Come on, and then I'll do this in a season in your life and I'll change it. 00:14:11.039 --> 00:14:21.360 So I I look at I look at my story as one going, I knew this was in me, meaning what I was going to be doing right now with our life, like vocationally pastoring a local church. 00:14:21.600 --> 00:14:33.440 I had that kind of specific calling, but it took season upon season, if I can trace it back to being 15 years old in my home church, feeling a call on my life. 00:14:33.919 --> 00:14:45.360 And here's what I'll tell you I got a lot of education, and so I can make it sound a lot more dramatic right now, but that initial call moment, yeah, I just wanted my life to count for Jesus. 00:14:45.840 --> 00:14:53.039 So isn't it amazing that as we get a little education, we get a little bit of age to us, we get a little bit of life experience, we get banged up a little bit. 00:14:53.200 --> 00:14:58.480 Now we start talking about calling a lot different than just wanting my life to count for Jesus. 00:14:58.559 --> 00:14:58.879 Yes. 00:14:59.120 --> 00:15:02.799 Now it's got to be my life counts for Jesus, and they got to give me a retirement package. 00:15:02.960 --> 00:15:03.200 Come on. 00:15:03.279 --> 00:15:09.440 I gotta get my life, my life has to count for Jesus, and it has to actually be this position and this location at this pay range. 00:15:09.759 --> 00:15:19.440 Rather than I just want to be surrendered to God, I think the church would be much more potent and powerful in our communities if we understood the one A calling of being devoted to Jesus. 00:15:19.919 --> 00:15:26.240 And then wherever I'm expressing that vocationally, I'm not waiting until I get that dream job. 00:15:26.639 --> 00:15:28.240 I'm stepping into that moment. 00:15:28.480 --> 00:15:32.080 I've had some of the best words of knowledge that I've ever had, someone. 00:15:32.399 --> 00:15:42.960 Some of the best moments where the spiritual uh gifts have been in operation in my life, have not been at the altar of a church, but has has me been in an office setting that wasn't in a Christian environment. 00:15:43.440 --> 00:15:46.559 And and the Lord would use me to minister and pastor people. 00:15:46.639 --> 00:15:46.799 Why? 00:15:46.960 --> 00:15:51.600 Because the calling on my life isn't only expressed in a vocation. 00:15:52.240 --> 00:15:56.080 The calling of my life is what I have to carry day in and day out. 00:15:56.559 --> 00:16:01.360 And I think what's what's so brilliant about that is recognizing that the calling is with you. 00:16:01.600 --> 00:16:02.240 Ooh, good. 00:16:02.399 --> 00:16:05.440 So no matter where you go, the calling is with you. 00:16:05.600 --> 00:16:05.759 Yeah. 00:16:05.919 --> 00:16:07.759 So here's the thing that I think is so important. 00:16:07.840 --> 00:16:19.360 And you know, both of our churches have really been putting a lot of effort into, especially in this season of quarantine, being in homes, of equipping homes so that they can express the thing that they're called to do without being dependent on the church. 00:16:19.440 --> 00:16:23.759 And so we we understand how those all these things work themselves out, but the calling, it goes with you. 00:16:23.919 --> 00:16:28.960 So in your calling, can you express being a devout follower of Jesus with your wife? 00:16:29.759 --> 00:16:32.559 Can you express being a devout follower of Jesus with your children? 00:16:32.720 --> 00:16:40.480 It's literally taking that calling and expressing it in everywhere, and that's how you bear the fruit of the spirit where people can recognize and distinguish where you're at. 00:16:40.559 --> 00:16:45.120 And I think that's the key thing with all of this stuff is recognizing that the calling goes with us. 00:16:45.679 --> 00:16:50.720 So so as we as we look at Paul, and you talked about patience, and I think that is such a crucial component. 00:16:50.879 --> 00:16:58.080 Because when we look at Paul, here's a man who he was well versed in scripture, like he knew it, and he's literally doing the best he can. 00:16:58.320 --> 00:17:04.720 He has this encounter with Jesus because he has this desire, this, this, this passion of trying to speak truth. 00:17:05.039 --> 00:17:09.039 He has this encounter with God, and God tells him, Okay, you're not gonna be able to see it right now. 00:17:09.359 --> 00:17:11.039 I think that there's something to be said about that. 00:17:11.440 --> 00:17:14.480 That delay where he hears and has this encounter with Jesus. 00:17:14.640 --> 00:17:20.880 But I think that that that introduction of, but you're gonna have to go a couple of days where you're not gonna be able to see anything, you're gonna be in isolation. 00:17:21.200 --> 00:17:25.759 And I think that speaks to that concept of patience because I think Paul had to do some work in his mind. 00:17:25.839 --> 00:17:32.319 So when we're talking about calling, I think sometimes when we're talking about surrender, we probably gotta surrender the way that we think it should be. 00:17:32.400 --> 00:17:32.880 Oh, that's good. 00:17:33.200 --> 00:17:35.519 We probably got to surrender how we think it's gonna work out. 00:17:35.680 --> 00:17:38.480 We probably got to process through the seasons and all those things. 00:17:38.640 --> 00:17:40.400 I think that that all works itself into it. 00:17:40.559 --> 00:17:50.799 So in those seasons of silence, it's allowing us to get alone with God where we're not so devoted to a geography, we're not so devoted to anything because we recognize that we had a true encounter with Jesus. 00:17:50.880 --> 00:17:56.799 And what we see with Paul's writing is that later in scriptures, we see that no one could take Paul's calling from him. 00:17:57.279 --> 00:18:04.480 When he presented himself to the disciples, he was able to go back to them and quote scriptures because he had his own experience with Jesus. 00:18:04.640 --> 00:18:05.440 Here's the point. 00:18:05.599 --> 00:18:11.680 I think when we have a true recognition of our calling, we're not waiting for someone else to give us permission to pursue it. 00:18:11.839 --> 00:18:12.480 Ah, that's great. 00:18:12.720 --> 00:18:13.599 I think that's the key thing. 00:18:13.759 --> 00:18:14.799 I'm not waiting for anyone else. 00:18:14.880 --> 00:18:20.559 I'm not, I'm gonna I'm gonna surrender it, I'm gonna submit it, but I'm not waiting for permission to pursue the thing that I know that God has called me to do. 00:18:20.640 --> 00:18:21.920 So let's let's talk about this for a moment. 00:18:22.079 --> 00:18:23.119 Let me jump on the back half of the second. 00:18:23.200 --> 00:18:24.000 Please, okay, yeah, by all means. 00:18:24.160 --> 00:18:27.519 No, no, because because here's the thing that I want to encourage some of you, let's just be honest. 00:18:27.680 --> 00:18:31.440 Many of us, our our past don't, it doesn't look very, very neat. 00:18:31.519 --> 00:18:31.839 Yeah. 00:18:32.880 --> 00:18:34.960 It's not the Paul that was studying the scriptures. 00:18:35.039 --> 00:18:37.519 And it was, I mean, Paul's past was like murdering churches. 00:18:37.759 --> 00:18:38.799 So that's probably a bad thing. 00:18:38.960 --> 00:18:41.519 So maybe you're not murdering a church, which is great, you're doing good. 00:18:41.680 --> 00:18:47.279 But maybe it just doesn't feel like your past actually is the prerequisite for where you're wanting to go in your future. 00:18:47.519 --> 00:18:50.400 And I want to I want to encourage you, but I also want to warn you on this. 00:18:50.640 --> 00:18:56.880 People are going to, just as they did with Paul, they reminded Paul his entire life that you used to be Saul. 00:18:56.960 --> 00:18:57.279 Yes. 00:18:57.519 --> 00:19:04.079 The disciples had a difficult time realizing who he was now after this call encounter with Jesus. 00:19:04.160 --> 00:19:04.319 Yes. 00:19:04.480 --> 00:19:14.480 So the encouragement that I want to give is just be faithful, but understand that there's going to be some people that are going to still identify you by how you used to behave and what you used to do. 00:19:14.880 --> 00:19:18.480 And it will be your consistency that will confirm the calling on your life. 00:19:18.640 --> 00:19:19.039 That's good, man. 00:19:19.200 --> 00:19:21.359 It's not that I had a moment or an encounter with Jesus. 00:19:21.599 --> 00:19:23.279 It's no, check the receipts. 00:19:23.759 --> 00:19:25.119 I've been doing this for a while. 00:19:25.200 --> 00:19:28.880 I'm going to stay steady with this, even in the face of opposition. 00:19:29.279 --> 00:19:32.480 I think sometimes people surrender their calling far too quickly. 00:19:32.720 --> 00:19:32.960 Come on. 00:19:33.359 --> 00:19:37.039 When look at the life of Jesus, how many years does Jesus have preparation? 00:19:37.440 --> 00:19:38.079 30 years, man. 00:19:38.400 --> 00:19:41.200 30 years for three years of ministry. 00:19:41.519 --> 00:19:41.759 Yes. 00:19:42.240 --> 00:19:44.720 How many of us, think about this, and I'll be honest. 00:19:44.960 --> 00:19:48.640 If someone would have said to me, Charlie, I need 30 years. 00:19:49.440 --> 00:19:52.240 30 years for three years of ministry. 00:19:53.200 --> 00:19:54.079 No one's signing up for that. 00:19:54.480 --> 00:19:55.279 Nobody's signing up for that. 00:19:55.440 --> 00:19:56.160 No one signed up for that. 00:19:56.720 --> 00:19:59.599 And maybe that's why we don't have the same power that Jesus had in his ministry. 00:19:59.920 --> 00:20:00.160 Say that. 00:20:00.319 --> 00:20:02.160 We're not willing for the preparation. 00:20:02.319 --> 00:20:03.920 But you know what I look over in my life? 00:20:04.079 --> 00:20:07.680 How old was I before I became the lead pastor in Metro Church? 00:20:08.000 --> 00:20:08.960 I was 37 years old. 00:20:09.279 --> 00:20:10.079 So you know what happened? 00:20:10.240 --> 00:20:13.440 For 37 years of my life, God was forming me and shaping me. 00:20:13.759 --> 00:20:21.519 So the reality is this is we're all gonna have seasons where we're being groomed and seasons that we have to take the responsibility of that preparation. 00:20:21.759 --> 00:20:22.720 And that's what I want to talk about. 00:20:23.039 --> 00:20:24.799 Because so, what are some of those things that we can do? 00:20:24.880 --> 00:20:29.039 Let's let's say, again, for an audience of people that are that are there's there's a variety. 00:20:29.119 --> 00:20:34.160 In Orlando, there's a diversity of it, and of course, and and in the DC area, there's a diversity of it. 00:20:34.240 --> 00:20:36.319 But everybody is is probably just trying to sort it all out. 00:20:36.400 --> 00:20:36.880 Yes, no doubt. 00:20:37.039 --> 00:20:45.680 And maybe and maybe in this season of quarantine, God's begun to stir some things up, God's begun to activate some things in them, and they feel like, yeah, I do feel like I'm called to do more. 00:20:45.839 --> 00:20:52.240 I've had so many conversations with with many in our in our congregation that have said, like, I feel like I'm called to do something, but I I don't know what it is. 00:20:52.480 --> 00:21:01.759 And so I my response has been be faithful with be faithful where you are, be very consistent and faithful with where you are, but really begin to press in and ask yourself, what am I passionate about? 00:21:01.920 --> 00:21:03.039 What do I feel driven to? 00:21:03.200 --> 00:21:06.000 And a lot of times, and what that is, that's where the preparation comes in. 00:21:06.240 --> 00:21:11.279 So, what would you say are some practical ways that people can just begin to develop whatever skill sets they need? 00:21:11.440 --> 00:21:16.960 Because the 37 years before you became the lead pastor of Metro, you had a bunch of different experiences. 00:21:17.039 --> 00:21:18.960 You had a call, you weren't fully walking in it. 00:21:19.039 --> 00:21:21.440 I think many of us can relate to that, myself included. 00:21:21.599 --> 00:21:24.880 But now that you're in it, you don't start preparing now that you have the opportunity. 00:21:25.039 --> 00:21:26.000 You've been preparing the whole time. 00:21:26.240 --> 00:21:26.400 Sure. 00:21:26.559 --> 00:21:30.640 What are some of those things that you did that that kind of stayed some of that anxiousness? 00:21:30.720 --> 00:21:33.119 Those moments when you were like, man, I don't know if it's ever gonna happen. 00:21:33.359 --> 00:21:36.400 Because I remember, and let's just be we'll be candid for a moment, I'm gonna put you on the spot. 00:21:36.559 --> 00:21:44.319 But I remember there was a time when you we were having a conversation and you were saying you were at Southeastern, and there was a moment where you knew that you were on a certain career path. 00:21:44.400 --> 00:21:47.279 And if you really wrote a double down, you knew that it would have been hard for you to leave. 00:21:47.599 --> 00:21:50.000 Like you would have been locked in and you were committed to being in that space. 00:21:50.160 --> 00:21:50.480 For sure. 00:21:50.640 --> 00:21:54.480 But there was something that God was kind of restricting you from because he knew he was calling you to do some work. 00:21:54.640 --> 00:21:54.799 Yeah. 00:21:54.960 --> 00:21:56.160 Let's talk about that a little bit, man. 00:21:56.240 --> 00:21:57.599 Like, what do you how do you develop? 00:21:57.680 --> 00:21:58.640 How do you prepare? 00:21:58.799 --> 00:22:03.200 What did you do to kind of Allow you to step into this moment with boldness in a way that you have. 00:22:03.519 --> 00:22:13.200 I think a couple things for me is I've I've been very, very fortunate that I've always had a circle of people around me and I've been intentional with who I allowed in that circle that could speak truth to me. 00:22:13.359 --> 00:22:18.400 So the powerful thing in my life is my my wife has been one of those resounding voices. 00:22:18.640 --> 00:22:20.400 And so the reality is about Southeastern. 00:22:20.480 --> 00:22:22.799 There was many a times that I would come home excited. 00:22:22.960 --> 00:22:24.799 Hey, babe, we're gonna be here for 35 years. 00:22:24.880 --> 00:22:25.920 We're gonna retire from this job. 00:22:26.000 --> 00:22:26.799 This is gonna be great. 00:22:26.960 --> 00:22:29.279 And she would remind me, no, we're not. 00:22:29.920 --> 00:22:30.559 No, we're not. 00:22:30.720 --> 00:22:32.000 We're not we're not putting roots down. 00:22:32.079 --> 00:22:33.359 This isn't a place to put roots down. 00:22:33.440 --> 00:22:33.599 Wow. 00:22:33.759 --> 00:22:35.440 This is a place for us to serve and be faithful. 00:22:35.519 --> 00:22:38.960 Yeah, but that's not the calling, that's not the calling on your life, that's not the calling on our life. 00:22:39.039 --> 00:22:40.640 So, so have fun. 00:22:40.799 --> 00:22:42.079 Yeah, but just understand. 00:22:42.160 --> 00:22:45.279 So, so again, I think I think people that can be honest with you is huge. 00:22:45.440 --> 00:22:48.720 I think for me and my personal, my personal story, education was part of that. 00:22:48.799 --> 00:22:48.960 Yep. 00:22:49.119 --> 00:22:51.039 So there's there's different types of preparation. 00:22:51.119 --> 00:22:52.240 So I want to be clear on that. 00:22:52.559 --> 00:23:01.839 But for me, one of the callings on my life is I felt like the Lord has has asked me to take complex things and things that are complicated and make it plain, make it simple. 00:23:02.000 --> 00:23:02.960 Hashtag simple prayer. 00:23:03.119 --> 00:23:04.319 If you haven't checked out that book, it's on Amazon. 00:23:04.480 --> 00:23:04.960 It's a great book. 00:23:05.039 --> 00:23:06.400 Um it's a good Father's Day gift. 00:23:06.480 --> 00:23:08.160 Yeah, it's a great Father's Day gift, yeah, for sure. 00:23:08.319 --> 00:23:09.839 Dad, thanks so much for buying a lot of the copies. 00:23:10.240 --> 00:23:12.160 Um I've been using your credit card. 00:23:12.240 --> 00:23:14.880 I've been buying copies for a lot of people, so appreciate you, Dad, so much. 00:23:15.359 --> 00:23:20.960 Um, but but for me, it was God was asking me to pursue him in education. 00:23:21.119 --> 00:23:22.480 And here's what that was for me. 00:23:22.720 --> 00:23:26.720 Education for me was not about uh uh opening new sets of doors for my life. 00:23:27.279 --> 00:23:29.599 It could be that for people, it wasn't for me. 00:23:29.759 --> 00:23:31.279 It was a sense of devotion. 00:23:31.359 --> 00:23:36.240 Yeah, at every degree level, I felt like my soul was being enlarged. 00:23:36.319 --> 00:23:39.119 Yeah, I felt like God was taking me to a deeper place. 00:23:39.519 --> 00:23:46.480 I was doing that personally because I knew in order to take somewhere else, someone, someone to some other place, I have to go there first. 00:23:47.200 --> 00:23:48.960 I have to be able to dive into these things. 00:23:49.119 --> 00:23:56.000 I have to be able to divide and handle the scriptures well so that I could bring contextualization into a very pluralistic society. 00:23:56.480 --> 00:24:00.640 I knew that was the calling of my life, so I knew education was the preparation. 00:24:00.960 --> 00:24:07.440 So again, I think people, I think preparation, I think we we undervalue this, and this is the deal. 00:24:08.640 --> 00:24:10.400 You need to pray about this. 00:24:10.640 --> 00:24:11.039 Come on. 00:24:11.200 --> 00:24:23.920 And it has to be not a God give me a calling or God make it clear, but it has to be a consistent diet in your life where I'm I'm in, I'm engaged in the spirit and and I'm I'm not letting go, God. 00:24:24.000 --> 00:24:27.359 I'm not I'm not getting or moving from this place until I hear from you. 00:24:28.000 --> 00:24:30.160 And I'm I'm allowing my soul to be connected. 00:24:30.240 --> 00:24:33.119