Michael Todd - Fresh Vision (The Power of Shared Vision)
You ready? All right, y’all, y’all ready? I said y’all ready because today is week two of a series we’re calling «Help Me Fresh Fruit.» This year, we have decided as a church that we will not settle for anything crusty, old, or stale. Y’all didn’t seem convinced about that, but everything in my life has to be what? Fresh, good! I want fresh relationships, fresh ideas, fresh wisdom, fresh instructions, fresh perspectives. What else do you want to be fresh in your life? Yell it out at me; put it in the comments. You want fresh what? Relationships? She said relationships! I already said that one, but you wanted to make sure it was clear again. She said, «Fresh relationships!» What else do y’all want fresh? Fresh what? Fresh revelations? Fresh communication? Come on, anybody else? Fresh finances? Somebody said, «I need some fresh money; give me some new money!»
Okay, somebody just shouted fresh! It’s going to be fresh by faith, though! We’re not just looking for new things; we want fresh things, things that God’s hand is on. We want to live in a place of fresh fruit. The word of the year at this church is fruit. God said for the next however many weeks, «I want you to walk the people through what I am calling a vision of being able to get everything in your life fresh.» Today is Vision Sunday, and I’m excited about it! I’m going to show you how to get vision and share the vision of this church and what we’re going to be doing going forward. I want you to know that this applies to you because everything I’m going to tell you is from the Word of God, and whatever God has given you a vision for, you can apply, copy, and paste these principles to it to see this level of freedom and access in your life.
Then you’re going to hear about God’s plan and how He planted you in this church so that you could produce more fruit than you could by yourself. That’s great! There are a lot of people who think you’re better off outside of church, and I want to let you know, come close: you’re not! You might be more isolated. You may not have to be accountable. You may be able to do whatever you want and say whatever you want because, «I’m my own people; I’m living my truth.» You might be doing all that, but God cuts off the favor because you’re not attached to anything. Today, I want to let you know that the house of God is still God’s plan to produce the greatest version of you! Yeah, yeah, yeah! So that you can go out there and actually produce! Everybody shout at me: «Fruit! Fruit!»
John 15:16 is our anchor scripture. I want you to study this; I want you to read it every day. I want you to post it up on your mirror. I want you to tattoo it on you if you need to, but I need you to remember this because this is God speaking in the form of Jesus. He said, «You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit.» If you don’t know your calling, bear fruit! Good, good! God, I just want you to clarify your will for my life: bear fruit. «But God, if you could give me a specific prophetic word…» Jesus did over 2,000 years ago: «I called you and appointed you to do something: bear fruit.» It trips me out when everybody wants to know exactly what God has for them right now. I ask them, «Where you at? Is where you at fruitful?» «Yeah, great, great!» «No, I hate this job.» «Good, but have you dropped any fruit there?» «I can’t stand where I’m at!» «Okay, cool, but since you’re there, sir, you might as well represent me and do what I ask you to do: bear fruit.»
Some of us are so hung up on our preferences for the season we want to be in—that’s really good—that we do not bear fruit in the season we actually are in. Oh, I’m being strong today! I want you to understand that God is a God of stewardship; He’s watching what you do with what you already have. You’re sitting here asking God for something new, and He said, «I’ll make what you’re doing already fresh!» Is that relationship bringing any fruit? He says, «I don’t want you to just go and bear fruit.» Watch this: «I want you to produce fruit that will last!» So even going back to that job scenario, you hate where you’re at, but God’s saying bear fruit there! Then He’s going to say, «And I don’t want you to just bear fruit that stays while you’re there; my God! I want you to be so fruitful that when I progress you to another place, what you did will be lasting there.»
Okay, I can’t even touch that; that’s a leadership course in itself! It says, «And so that whatever you ask in my name, the Father will give you.» Now, I don’t have time to break this down because it’s not really my message today, but there is something connected to your getting your prayers answered and you bearing fruit wherever you are at. I need you to get this! It says, «I want you to be in a place because I appointed you to be there—bear fruit; fruit that will last!» So whatever you ask in my name the Father will give to you—it doesn’t really make sense to me until I remember that God is a God of stewardship. He’s not giving any more to anybody who isn’t using the footprint they have to create fruit right now! Okay, that made you mad?
Okay, so the acronym for fruit is my faith repeating until it transforms! So go back to that job scenario: I’m in a situation—an internship, a job, a housing situation—that I hate, but today I’m changing my perspective! If you watched last week’s message on getting gratitude, then it will become fresh to you, and when it becomes fresh, you can then produce fruit! When I then begin to produce fruit, I start trying to produce fruit that remains. When I produce fruit that remains, watch this: the only way I can do that is by doing the same faith step over and over, repeating it until whatever I’m looking at transforms! You want to see something change in your life? Keep doing the same thing you know will bring you results! You want to lose weight? I’m so proud of the people of Transformation Nation and Transformation Church.
A few weeks ago, I gave a fitness challenge, and we decided that we were going to be fit to finish. Every morning, whether it’s 4:00, 5:00 a.m., or 6:00 a.m., I’m getting notifications on my Instagram of people walking for at least 30 minutes all over the world! From Honolulu to Paris to California to Tulsa, they’re like, «Yeah!» Y’all can clap for that, especially if you’re not walking! You could definitely at least clap! The truth of the matter is, you’re going to be mad come June, and you’re going to cancel vacations because of how you look in that bathing suit. Okay, let’s just be honest! Then it’s going to work on your self-esteem, and you’re going to start drinking again! See, y’all got to understand that the enemy plays on our insecurities. How can walking today keep me from having a baby 7 months from now?
So good! You know once you start getting a little loose, you start answering DMs that you would usually ignore. Trey and Kwante are going to get up in your DMs and take you to the Cheesecake Factory! What I’m saying is if you’re faithful, repeating today and tomorrow and the next day, I’m not talking about being extreme; I’m talking about being intentional. What are you saying out of your mouth every morning when you wake up? «Today is going to be a day full of favor. God’s hand is on my life! When I’m in unfavorable situations, I am still favored because God is with me! Today, I will make a difference wherever I go, and wherever I am, fruit will be left because of the love that is in my life!»
What are you saying? If you say that every day… I watched Charles and his son today out in the back say a confession, and Arlo is how old? Six? Four years old! Dang! You know you’re getting old when you start putting out numbers. How old is he? Nineteen? He’s four years old, and this little boy is saying this confession strong, and it’s just his faith being repeated every day until confidence is instilled in him! He’s going to be 25 in a hard situation, and when he starts getting pressed, guess what’s going to come out of him! I’m just saying, someone shout at me: «Fruit!» Faith repeating until it transforms! For nine years, when it’s been time to share vision, I’ve gotten up here really excited because I think vision is my thing! Like if I could only speak on one thing for the rest of my life, I could make people believe in the vision that God has given me.
How do you think we’re here? If you saw where we started, if you saw how this thing got cracking, if you saw how many of y’all weren’t there when I stood up with my knees shaking and ashy ankles and hands and just said what I felt like God said to me! Now some of y’all have moved. How many people just in the room have moved from another place to be a part of this church? Look! Y’all got to give it up for that! That is W-I-L-D! So all I’m saying is if you’re new around here, vision’s a big deal because the Bible tells us in Habakkuk 2:2 that you’re supposed to write the vision and make it plain on tablets so that he may run who reads it. Now I started thinking about that, and it’s parallel with another scripture that says, «Where there is no vision, the people do what?» That means they die! I want to make this a very literal, hard, in-your-face translation: where you don’t have vision, people die, purposes die, destinies die.
Have you ever met somebody who was super gifted and didn’t know what to do with their gifting? I mean people who are like, «If I had 1/16th of your ability, here’s what I would do with it!» It’s because they have no—everybody shout at me—vision! Vision! So when I started to think about vision, God has done a transformation in me and on me as a leader, and I have to be very transparent with you today. I’m going to keep it humble, open, and transparent because we’re hot at this church! Every time I’ve gotten up here until today, I felt like I was trying to sell vision. It’s good! I’m letting you see my evolution as a leader in front of you. I was selling vision because, the truth of the matter is, a lot of the time, I didn’t know if it was going to work! It’s crazy how God sometimes calls you to a position to get out there and lead, and you’re still questioning stuff! I mean, it’s almost like being a parent.
It’s like, «Oh, hold on! Y’all just going to leave me with them? Y’all not coming to the crib with me?» Like after that two days, they be like, «All right, God bless you.» It’s like, «Wait! Okay, no manual? Yeah, no tutorial? Just trust?» That’s good! That’s how vision is! No manual, no tutorial—just trusting what you heard from God. I decided this year that I was not going to be selling vision; I’m just going to share it! Great, great! I’m just going to share vision because I know now, nine years in, if God said it—no, no, no, no! I’m not even—this is not blowing smoke to you! If I say it, question it, right? Like if it’s just my plan and my idea, okay, maybe! But I’m talking about a word from God!
And that’s why I want to make this a point just so it’s stamped in time: I’m not selling my vision; I’m sharing His vision! Great! Okay, so today, I don’t want you to—I’m just the vessel today. I’m just going to tell you what happened transparently, and I’m going to share it with you. I don’t even want to preach at you because at the end of the day, I don’t want you to get happy about something that isn’t even mine! I want you to get happy about what’s His! If you take hold of what I share with you, oh my goodness! That song we just sang, «Build Your Church, build it from the ground up!»
I’m telling you, you have never seen a revival like what we’re about to see in this city and through this movement! I need at least 14 people to be with me! I said you’ve never seen a move; oh, that was not the greatest movement of God that happened in Tulsa! I’m telling you, there’s something that is about to happen, but it’s got to start in a church! It’s got to start in a house with people who actually believe! It’s got to start with a people who are actually surrendered! Yes, who will give up things they like for things that God loves! Okay, that’s too much! Then the Lord answered me and said, «Habakkuk 2:2: Write the vision and make it plain on tablets!» That’s why we got «Represent» everywhere! That’s why it’s on the clothes, that’s why it’s on the shirts, that’s why it’s on the billboard!
What are they talking about? Represent that; that ain’t no scripture. This is the vision He gave us, right? To represent God to the lost and found for one reason: transformation in Christ. We want people to meet Christ and be transformed. So if it’s through drawing them in with a Ransom play—do y’all know how many people got saved during Ransom? It was like 600-something people. They were mad that we used a Beyoncé song that they knew, but if getting church people mad who have religious inclinations and won’t even share the gospel with anyone results in 600-plus people being saved in one weekend, we’ll take it. Oh, and we’re doing Ransom again this year, so please don’t get it twisted.
Oh, y’all thought you were going to run us off? We’ve done better than it’s ever been. Why are you saying this, Pastor Mike? Because the truth of the matter is there are more lost people who are not going to come and hear me speak for an hour and 15 minutes—true. But they’re going to come see the dancing and the fire. That’s why Broadway is what it is. People fly in from all over. I’m just trying to give y’all a little vision behind what and why we do the things we’re doing, because we’re supposed to go into all of these worlds. It didn’t say go into all the Earth; it says «go into all the world.» The «world» means systems—going to the music system, the financial system, the real estate system. People want to just stay in the church world.
Okay, this was not part of any of my notes, but I’m sharing vision, and it just comes up out of me. I want you to see the goal of HCA Tutu. It’s not just to write the vision, and it’s not just to make it plain; it says that he may run who reads it. Vision is supposed to be shared. Most people write vision, make it plain, and then don’t share it. Who knows what God has placed on your heart? Come on, where is it visible? Where are you continually repeating until it transforms? Where are you putting your faith? Where is the fruit? It stops many times; like, «God, I did what you said during 21 days of prayer fest. I wrote the vision, I made it plain,» and God said, «You’ve got to put it in a place that people can read it who are supposed to help you run with it.»
So if vision is not shared, watch this—it’s stale. Let me make a point: vision that is not continually shared becomes stale. Some of you have vision from God that is so crusty—not because it’s not anointed, but because you’ve stopped sharing it. You stopped sharing that you were going to open a daycare one day for single mothers. You stopped sharing that you were going to write that book about what you’ve been through in the first 20 years of your life. You stopped sharing that your dream is to work with athletes and lead them to Christ through nutrition. You stopped sharing. Why? Because you got disappointed or it didn’t happen in a season. You stopped sharing that you want to build a block, and you stopped sharing because right now, you don’t even have your family in the house you desire them to be in, so you feel like a fraud because you’re believing for something bigger than what you’re seeing in your own life.
Oh, I’m in somebody’s business right now. God called you a pastor, but you won’t even do a small group because you’re scared you don’t know the Bible well enough. You need to stop watching all of those critics talk about and tear down everybody. Paul didn’t have any training when he started proclaiming the gospel to everybody. He was killing Christians on a Tuesday, and by Friday, he was bringing people to Christ. Do not let people keep you from the thing that God has called you to, but if you don’t share that vision, it becomes stale. That’s why every time you see me, I’ve got something representing on. I was on national TV on Friday, representing right there. When the lady asked me afterward, «What does that mean?» I said, «Oh, I’m so glad you asked.» I was able to share the gospel with one of the anchors.
Why are you saying this, Pastor Mike? It’s because the vision has to be shared. That’s why we do vision every Sunday here. That’s why when Charles and Abby got up here and they said, «You know the vision of our church?» Yeah, and some of y’all have been here 22 years and can’t recite it. It’s really hard to live out what you can’t remember. It’s very, very difficult, and I’m telling you, it’s one thing to know every Drake song. Oh, some of y’all know every Reba McIntyre song. Come on, you know every Ariana Grande song, and you know every Stevie Wonder song. I think I hit everybody. Oh, you know every Fred Hammond song. Okay, I got everybody now, good, but you can’t remember vision because vision hasn’t become valuable to you. And where there is no vision—let me give you another translation—it says people cast off restraint.
Let me give it to you a little deeper: where there is no vision, people stop caring. Any area of your life where you don’t care, you don’t have vision in. So if you don’t care about a budget, it’s because you don’t have a vision for your money. That’s good, right? And that’s why, at every end of the month, you’re stressed. Because when you got the paycheck, you mysteriously ended up at the mall to pick up one lotion from Bath & Body Works—just one—and you know they always have a sale. How does Bath & Body Works always get you to buy two candles, then you get six lotions, and then you buy nine deodorants? What? Okay, give me two of them. The only reason you can stop caring is because you didn’t have vision.
What I’m asking everyone to do is make a fresh commitment that you want vision for your home, vision for your relationships, vision for your marriage, vision for your friendships. And that’s why I have to share vision. Somebody say, «Share vision, share vision.» Matter of fact, I want to share fresh vision. Put that on the screen. This is the title of my sermon: Fresh Vision—the Power of Shared Vision. Do you have friends that don’t know the vision God’s given you? Because if your friends don’t know the vision, they don’t even know what position they’re going to play in your life. That’s why a lot of times, when you get ready to make a step, your friend group jacks you up because you never gave them a vision, like, «I’m not going to be sitting here cursing and sleeping around with y’all for long.»
I’m trying to be real up in here. I know I’m winging out right now, but God’s placed inside of me a ministry for women who are virtuous, so I’m going to hit up the club with y’all tonight one more time for the one time. But tomorrow—but what I’m saying is this is why it’s so hard many times to break away, because even if you can’t live it out yet, you’ve never shared the vision. Y’all remember last week when I put on those Apple Pro situations? I want to do that again real quick because I found a way to connect them where y’all can see what I’m seeing. Shout out to the tech team! Okay, so this is so crazy. Like, okay, is it on? Okay, here we go. All right, here we go. Can y’all see it yet? Wave at me if you can see me.
Oh my goodness! Okay, so watch this, y’all. Watch this. I’m going to show y’all some photos. Look, I’m going to pick this up and put it over here, and I’m still looking at y’all, but it’s right here. Cat, what do you say to people who come in church? Okay, Cat, you didn’t say anything. Oh, hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on. Oh, I like this. Uh-oh, I’ve got to turn the sound on. Is the sound on, y’all? Sound people, turn the sound on. Well, y’all can see that, okay? Let me—there we go. I did hit play. Is it not playing for y’all? I’m going to do something else. Let me FaceTime somebody. Where’s Charles at? Do y’all see this? Y’all can’t see what’s happening?
Oh my gosh. Can y’all see it now? I’m FaceTiming Charles. Y’all look at this! Can y’all see it? What is up, bro? And I’m going to put you back here in the balcony over here. Do y’all see how crazy this is? Like, his head is right there, y’all, right here. Cat Williams right here. I’m just trying to share some vision with y’all. It went off again? Here, I’m hanging up on you, Charles. It’s back. Can y’all see this now? It looks like I could walk off this, but I’m going to stop because I know the stage is right around where I’m at. But I’m in another place right now. Imagine praying up here and then coming back to see your baby’s kids just right here. Now, the only reason y’all can see this is because I’m sharing it. I could be up here all by myself, and nobody’s able to see it. But it was glitching a little bit because you didn’t actually have it on, Scott. Where you at? Come here, come here, Scott.
Now, Scott travels all over the world with me, and I love y’all. Give it up for Scotty! Come sit right here, Scotty. I want you to try this because there’s no power unless the vision is shared. Even if it glitches for fans and for people in the crowd, if I actually put the vision on somebody, they’ll be able to see what nobody else can see. How you feeling, Scotty? Crazy? Crazy! Look at him; he doesn’t even know what he’s doing, just pinching things. What you doing right now, Scott? I’m listening to Cat. You’re listening to Cat? Yeah.
Now they can’t hear Cat, but you can because you’re fully immersed in the vision. That’s good! That’s good! Now, what you doing, Scott? 'Cause you look silly to all of us, but the truth of the matter is you’re experiencing something that none of these thousands of people are experiencing. That’s right, 'cause you’re fully submerged in this. And he wouldn’t have this unless I shared it. And you know what, Scott? This actually is yours now. No, thank you, 'cause it’s not enough just to share the vision; you’ve got to own the vision.
Come on, take it; that’s yours now! What happens? This is not Mah’s or Kylin’s; Scott, that is yours. I need everybody to see what happened is that because somebody was willing to let me share it with him, they became the owner of it. This is how vision works. This is not Pastor Mike’s vision; this is not Transformation Church’s vision; this is God’s vision that then He allows us to share in until we feel like, «Uh-oh, I’m an owner of this.» I represent at church; I represent everywhere I go. When I’m mad, I’ve got to remember that I’m presenting God to the lost and found. That’s the goal. Whatever God has given you as a vision, my question to you today is: do you own it, or is it on loan? Is it borrowed? And most of us have never seen fully what God wants to do.
See, you won’t own the vision He’s placed in your hand. What are you saying, Pastor Mike? Don’t just observe the vision; own the vision. Great, good! You know what I’ve learned is that the place where vision is released is not the place where it’s received. So today I’m releasing vision to you, but this is not where God spoke to me. Matter of fact, I need to change my posture right now. I’m going to change this—take this down, 'cause I’m about to get real vulnerable with y’all.
So I need to change my position, because I was in a—I was in a position like this: «God, help me. God, I don’t know what to do. God, there are thousands of people showing up. I didn’t ask for this. Search my heart, oh God. If there’s anything in me that’s not like You, could You remove it? Father, I repent for every moment that I got in the way of what You were trying to do. God, I can’t go back to this church if You don’t speak to me. I need You.» Pastor Mike, why are you doing this? Because I want to show you for real how you get vision. It’s not loud on a platform; it’s quiet with your real emotions. God is not scared of what you’re scared of, and He’s not fearful of what you’re fearful of, but He needs you to bring it to Him.
Two years ago, can I be super real with y’all today? It’s even a little weird for me to coin this «Vision Sunday» because two years ago, I had a really traumatic situation on Vision Sunday. We were closed for COVID and had about 200 to 300 people in 1519 while they were finishing the construction here. I went up and preached a message about seeing the vision clearly. I mean, it was powerful. I did this little example with saliva, and it kind of turned into a big deal. It wasn’t what I was planning, that’s okay, I know that now. But back then, I was on TMZ and CNN, and all your family was talking about me, asking you why you still went to that church. I shared a screenshot with some of my brothers earlier today that I cannot repeat on this broadcast, but people basically had written off every good thing I’d ever done because of one thing that wasn’t a sin; it was just gross, just disgusting. But I can think of a lot of other things y’all do with spit, too.
Anyway, I haven’t talked about this in two years, okay? So, I’m trying to be vulnerable. I need another pillow. Hold up, let me adjust myself; I need a weighted blanket up here. What I found out is vision is often cultivated in valleys. Did you hear what I just said? If you’re in a low moment, if you’re in a moment that doesn’t feel like a mountaintop, I want you to know that many times, if you would just sit still and wait on God, it’s the place where He uncovers the vision for the mountaintop. There’s too much light at the top for you to get the vision, so He puts you in a dark place—a place where there’s no light on you, a place where you feel torn down—and that’s when He whispers to you.
And today, the reason I changed my posture, and I didn’t want to yell on Vision Sunday and scream and try to convince you, is because I told you I’m not selling this anymore; I’m just sharing it. I got my foot up; I feel good. The only thing that would make me feel better is my wife sitting here because the truth of the matter is real vision is always—write this down—real vision is always vulnerable. If you don’t feel vulnerable when God gives you a vision, it’s just a good idea. If it doesn’t seem bigger than you, if it’s not like, «Oh my gosh, there will never be a way I can do that,» then that’s just a good idea that you need plans and people for. But a real vision from God always makes you vulnerable. So, after the spit hit the fan, my wife and I were on a station in the city, and I had to formulate an apology and address it because I didn’t want my members fighting for something when I hadn’t said anything about it. «We got your back.»
I know you do, but it’s not your responsibility to be the shepherd when I’m called to be. I understood that, and so I had to say something, even though I just wanted to fight. Can I be honest, y’all? I wanted to line every comment up. I’m good with my words, y’all. I would have. And the Holy Spirit, through my wife, said, «Turn social media off and get away from Tulsa.» My friends happened to be leaving the next day to go to Napa to celebrate a birthday. Napa is not a place that I would ever pick to go because it doesn’t have a beach, and to me, if I’m going anywhere that’s not for ministry, I need sand, water, shells. I needed it all, but I didn’t have time. I was so clouded; I was like, «I just need to be with people who care about me right now.»
So, we were on a plane 24 hours after being on the stage to Napa. Now, if anybody knows about Napa, it’s a place for rich people and wine. No, it really is. So, y’all are looking at me like, «Napa is for rich people and wine.» I don’t drink wine, and I was not rich, so I was like, «Why am I here?» I found myself on a balcony, and for the first time in my life, every morning I woke up and sat looking out at a vineyard, and I was like, «God, why am I here?» He said, «Just keep reading your word.» Somehow in my daily devotion, I got to John 15, and I’m literally sitting out there every single day. I got a picture of it. Can you show them the picture? Y’all see it? Look at how I’m struggling. I was going through it.
After I heard people I prayed for, their children, and gave them money personally when their houses were about to be foreclosed, seeing them do podcasts on me, watching pastor friends whose conferences I built take me off of the flyer, I’m saying it’s all right now, but in the moment, I want to be real; it did not feel all right. I wasn’t singing the songs «Firm Foundation»; I was singing «Why, why?» But then I came to John 15, and I want you to leave these pictures up as I read this. It says: «I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that does not produce fruit, and He prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more.»
Now, I’m sitting here every day, watching these guys. Y’all see them back there in the orange vests? Like, over there? Y’all see them? There are dudes in orange vests coming out at 6:00 a.m. every day to what I think is a dead field. To me, with no education, I thought there were supposed to be big grapes here. I thought there were supposed to be grapes, but I guess wine grows in another season because it’s just twigs. And every day they would come out there, like 15 of them; this whole thing is huge so you can’t see, and they’re literally paying so close attention to these twig leaves. I’m watching them do this as I’m like, «Here is Holy,» and God said, «Look at the scripture again.» He said, «I am the true grapevine, and my Father"—that means God; that means Yahweh, the one we’re praying to—is a gardener, and He has something in His hand that cuts, because verse 2 said, «He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit.»
At the time, I was too prideful to even think, «God, I’m fruitful! Look at all the people getting saved! Look at all the things!» God, why is this happening to me? He said, «There were some things in you, Michael, that weren’t producing fruit.» Wow! And I had to cut on you so you could realize that you didn’t need them. I think I’m being too vulnerable right now; y’all are going to use this as ammunition. But I feel there are a few people in here that need to hear the real of what it looks like to be used by God. And then this is the part that messed me up for real: «And He prunes the branches that do bear fruit.»
Now, prune is another word for cut. Hold on, wait! So I get cut if I don’t bear fruit, and I get cut if I do bear fruit? The revelation is, you get cut either way. So many times, it feels the same, but it’s not, and the enemy would like to discourage you that the cutting of the last season meant that God is done with you. He cut back the friendships; He cut back the relationships; He cut back the influence. He ain’t done with you; He’s cutting on you because He has use for you! Okay, just read the rest of it. He said, «He prunes or cuts the branches that do bear fruit so that they will produce even more fruit.»
The last cut is for more fruit. God took me through a two-year pruning process, because God’s measure of maturity is not more fans, not more followers, not more finances, not more. God’s measure of maturity is more fruit. I don’t care if you got more money; is there more fruit in your life? Are you more generous? Do you walk in more love? Do you have more peace? Because all of those things without the fruit mean nothing. So for everybody in here who has a vision, I just want to give you a vision for fresh fruit in your life, and I’m just going to give you three things I learned in the last two years so you can apply them to your life.
Okay, real quickly, the first thing you need to know is if you’re going to get fresh fruit, your faith is going to be tested. I know I’m a Christian; now y’all church people made me go back and renew my Christian card. No, I know, I know, I know; I actually believe in God now! I know I can turn the other cheek, yeah, yeah, yeah! I gave people severance pay who I knew were talking about me. I know that I can love my enemy now. But if you think your faith being tested is a punishment, you don’t understand the God that we serve. It’s actually—watch this—your faith being tested is not a punishment; it’s a privilege. Ask Job. Have you considered? Wow! Y’all are not ready for this word, because I’m not screaming!
You don’t understand God chose Job to go through all those trials, and the reason some of y’all are like, «But not me"—He never chose you because you would leave Him the moment He took your apartment away. He would never choose you; you’re too weak in your faith. He’d never choose you because one person would be offended. But your faith being tested is a privilege, and I didn’t know it at the time, but I know it now. I’m coming to tell you, because God’s going to give you a vision, and your faith is going to be tested. You’re going to be sitting there like, «God, was this you?» Yeah! What the heck? All the people I thought were going to be here with me, and this is gone. «Where’s the money? My husband’s doubting me; my wife is doubting me; my parents can’t see why I’m here!» God said, «You gave me the vision; tell somebody else so I’m not out here alone!» He said, «I gave it to you! I don’t give vision to a committee; I give vision to a man or a woman, and it is their responsibility to write it down; it is their responsibility to keep it fresh; it is their responsibility to share that vision.»
Transformation Church, I just thank you for being a place that I could come to every Sunday, and even though I was the pastor of this church, this was my place of faith. I would come in here so many days and not have any energy to do anything. Another staff member just left, and all they said was, «It’s because God called them somewhere else.»
After six years, you can’t even tell me the real reason, but you do subliminal Instagram posts—I’m being too real up here. But this is real! I would come in here, and I would see the people who stayed. I would see the black sheets over all the sections that used to be filled with thousands of people, and praise and worship would go forth, and y’all would worship like this place was packed. It just gave me just enough to get up and do what I knew I was called to do. For every encouraging word, for every prayer, for every person that still came, for every person that joined in the middle of all of this stuff, and you’re like, «Why is everybody a little okay?» I don’t even know, but I’m here. Thank you! Because when my faith was tested, this church was a place of faith for me. Yeah, the very thing that I had given my life for became a life source to me. And this is why I tell you that your faith being tested is going to happen.
Somebody say, «It’s going to happen!» It’s going to happen in your marriage. Your faith is going to be tested. You’re going to be looking at them like, «God, I made the wrong decision! Look at them! Look at them! Look at them!» But it ain’t even real until it’s been tested! Oh God, how do you know gold is real? It’s been tested in fire. James chapter 1, verse 2, says, «Dear brothers and sisters, when trouble of any kind comes your way—any kind—consider it an opportunity for great joy, for you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow!»
Somebody say, «Let it grow! Let it grow!» For when your endurance is fully developed—watch this; this is the promise—you will be perfect, perfect and complete, needing nothing. What if you don’t need more money to feel complete? What if you just need your faith to be tested to the point where you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing? That means everything God does is a cherry on top; it ain’t even the cake; it ain’t even the meal; this is just extra! So if you want vision for fresh fruit, your faith is going to be tested.
Number two: If you want vision for fresh fruit, watch this: You need to have friends that are trusted. The reason I put the word «trusted» is because a lot of us have friends, but we don’t have a lot of trusted friends. In a world where—I mean literally on Facebook—those are my Facebook friends; we’ve watered down the meaning of friendship, but I believe God is calling us back to real friendships. Friendship isn’t about how many likes you get; it’s about how many people you can share your truth with. And the reason it’s vital to have trusted friends because when your faith is tested, you need them to remind you who you are. In the darkest times of our lives, we can have clarity from our friends. So my encouragement is to cultivate healthy, trustworthy friendships. You’ll need them.
Number three: For fresh fruit, you need to take action. Vision requires action. Write down the vision and make it plain; then, take the steps to achieve that vision. A vision without action is merely a daydream. But if you take action on the vision God has given you, you’ll find that the pruning process will lead to more fruit in your life. So, in conclusion, embrace the testing of your faith, cultivate trusted friendships, and take action on the vision God has for you. Your fruit will come in due season!
I had to weigh down the word so much that I put some more weight on the back end of it. Do you have trusted friends? Have you found your tribe yet? Have you found the people that, if we’re going to war, we’re going together, and if we’re crying, we’re crying together, and if we’re turned up, we’re turned up together, and if we’re hurting, we’re hurting together? The truth of the matter is, in the place where we should find more of that—in the church—it’s very, very scarce. The only thing that got me through this season of testing was that I had trusted friends.
Brien and Aaron came to the hotel room that I was in with Natalie, and my wife was sitting there holding me. I’m a grown man, and I was curled up in a fetal position because of the thoughts of what this might mean. I was overwhelmed; I wanted to punch people; I wanted to punch walls; I wanted to get up and say, «This is the third time I’ve done this example.» But God was like, «Uh-uh, I’m cutting on you.» He said, «It’s not them; they’re just the tools I’m using. What happens when you pray to let God get back at everybody? I’m using them to get something out of you.» So I just had to let this happen because I’m with you, and if I be for you, who can be against you? He said, «Let me cut because I’m a surgeon; I know how to cut you in such a way that it’ll keep all of your passion but take off all the perversion.»
Y’all know that’s what the word of God does; it says it can cut through bone and marrow. Do you know how precise of a cut that would have to be? I thank God for my trusted friends. Thank God for Aaron and Bri. I thank God for Scott and Mo. I remember Scott; he’s sitting here, and we’re playing right now, but the reason it’s so easy for me to give Scott whatever is that man saw me in the back when I did not want to come out here. Praise and worship had started, and I was in the back. He saw me sitting there, tired out of my mind, and he just prayed for me and closed the door. «Do you need anything, Pastor Mike?» «No,» he said, «You got this today. God’s with you; I’m with you. You got this.» He would just encourage me.
I can’t tell you how many times, Mo—I would tell him, «Mo, I can’t even do anything for that. On that night, can you just go pick something out for me?» Because I still had to water the seed that God has called me to, even in this season where I feel depleted. Mo would bring back stuff, and it was like, «Hold on, bro; you’re doing too much, brother. I’m going to have to keep this up when I get better.» I’m just being real right now. I can’t tell you how many times my brothers would just come over, «I’m checking on you, Mike; you good?» «Brent, you good?» «Hey, bro, I almost had to kill somebody in the comments the other day; they’re not going to mess with this blood gang here!» I’m like, «Hold on, calm down, calm down,» but I’m also kind of like, «Yes, yes, yes; come on!»
You want to know who’ll fight for you, you know what I’m saying? This is too real. But I didn’t want to sell you a vision; I just wanted to share it with you. I remember going to Napa and thinking of Proverbs 17:17, «A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.» This is what I pray for every person because your faith will be tested. I’m praying that at some point, your trusted friends turn into brothers and sisters. Remember when we were on the balcony? This is what we did every morning. I was up praying, and every night, can you put where we were on this balcony sitting around a campfire? All Aaron would ask me is, «How do you feel today?» and they would just let me talk. They weren’t praying for me like, «Come here, lift your hands; you’re going to be delivered tonight from hurt and pain.»
They just held space for me. So good! They let me cuss; I know, church people, I know, but I was hurting. They let me say things, and I was getting texts from people like Jay and John, and I was getting texts from people like Lrae and Keon Henderson and Tim FaceTiming. I was just surrounded by people who were built for adversity. Can I just tell you—they’re not a friend if they are not built for adversity. Call them something else. But if they can’t go through a hard season with you, they weren’t a friend to begin with, and it’s beautiful when you go through seasons like this because it clears things up real quick. I found out who people were real fast, and that doesn’t mean I’m not going around; I go around some of them right now, but I know who they are now! You’re not going to trick me no more. «Oh, bro, you should—» No, I don’t trust you, but I’m here. God bless you, what’s up, picture? Let’s go. I know who that is now. You need trusted friends.
The third thing—and we’re going to end—you’re going to have to send them, Lord. You have to be what you want. I want to tell you how to get trusted friends: be one. Sow the seed into it. Who are you encouraging every single week, every single day? Who do you know has lost something, and you took your $6 and made something and just went? It’s going to be difficult because it is hard many times to be generous to people because most people won’t even want to accept it. But I’m just saying, if you want this type of friendship, be this type of friend.
The reason Aaron and Bri were there when I was in my valley is because we were there when they were in their valley. When they were about to get a divorce, we showed up at their house. I’m not telling their business; they sat on this stage and already told everybody. We showed up at their house and were like, «Hell to the N, no, no.» They were convinced like this is what they were going to do, and I was like, «Over my dead body. Have you tried this? Have you tried this? Have you tried this?» When they didn’t have the will to fight for themselves, they had friends that would get in the fire with them. I’m trying not to get too happy, but I’m just telling you, everybody needs a space of faith where your faith is okay to be tested. You also need friends that are trusted.
And this last one: you need spiritual formation training. I don’t care how saved you are; if you’re not still learning something, you’re actually becoming vulnerable to the enemy. It was David, where it says, «At the time when kings were supposed to go to war,» when he was supposed to be fighting again, he stayed back. The only reason he saw Bathsheba is because he was not still doing the things he had been trained to do. Can I just say that nobody is exempt from falling, no matter how long you’ve been in the game? If, when it’s time to train, you don’t spiritually train—if you don’t do the fast that God tells you to do, if you don’t read the word, if you don’t have quiet time, if you won’t worship, if you won’t do those things—I’m telling you right now that you’re setting yourself up to be vulnerable to the enemy.
How did I spiritually form during that time? There were no classes for me; there was nothing. I went to books. I read this book right here by John Mark Comer, «The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry;» this book transformed my life. I read this book, «Leadership Pain» by Sam Chan; this book changed my life. It was spiritually forming me for the next season of what God had for me. I read «The Blessed Church.» I read other books by Miles Monroe, «The Purpose and Power of a Leader.» I was being spiritually formed, but I devoted myself to it. Nobody told me to do this, and the sad thing about the church today is that everybody’s waiting for a program for their progress.
What if you don’t get a program for your progress? What if you don’t get a podcast for your progress? What if it’s on you? Acts 2:42 says they devoted—what’s that next word? —themselves. This year, I’m praying that every person would devote themselves. Pastor Mike, why did you just tell us this? Because two years ago, I started on this journey of transformation, and this is what produced so much fruit in my life: simple equation; faith plus friends plus spiritual formation equals fruit. We’re yelling, «Fruit and fresh fruit!» this year. This is how you get it: faith plus what? Friends plus what? Spiritual formation equals what? Fruit. So this is the vision for our church from now on: all we’re going to do is provide an opportunity for you to have a space of faith to actually make friends and have a place for spiritual formation.
I told our team we’re canceling everything else because everything else doesn’t produce fruit; some of the stuff we like to do, I’m going to make an announcement: we’re not doing the conference this year. Oh, that’s how serious I am about this. I said I want to take all the creative energy, all the money, all the effort, and energy, because at the end of the day, I don’t want just a hype experience, and there’s real transformation that happens at the conference. We’re going to do the conference again; don’t get it twisted. But this year, He said, «Michael, I want you to double down on what produces fruit,» and it’s not a conference. What produces fruit in this is doing the things that our faith needs repeatedly until it transforms.
So, Pastor Mike, what do you want us to do? The first thing I want you to do is make a commitment to God’s house this year. I told the mended men, «I don’t want you to miss 10 practices.» They were all looking at me. I said, «When we come to Sunday service, this is practice. Y’all thought this was the game.» So good! I said, «The game is out there. It’s when we’re on those jobs and with our relatives that don’t believe, and when we’re in the grocery— that’s the game!» And everybody’s coming to church like we have the game!
This is practice. Practice! What I’m telling you right now is that when you miss practice, you don’t know how to run the plays, and the reason why the enemy is able to run up the score on you out there, why you can’t gain control of your browser history, why you cannot say no to those temptations, is because you keep missing practice. I’m telling the whole church: you get ten! I’ll give you ten weekends off; some of you all already used up eight of them. But what would happen if you made a fresh commitment to the house of God this year? And that every week you knew you were at least one time in a space where He could speak to you, that my hair came with a hat on like we don’t care here! Your other church might have cared how you looked; I’d rather you be in a space where somebody can see you, that you could experience what I experienced when I didn’t want to be here. Somebody else’s hallelujah helped me.
And we’re putting new emphasis on our Tulsa campus, and we’re putting new energy here. So if you are in Tulsa—I’m saying this because I know Transformation Nation is watching, and you’re going to keep getting all the things that you already get—but if you’re in Tulsa, don’t watch from the house! You don’t want me to pastor you today; you’re still hiding, and can I be real vulnerable with you? You’re lazy! I know it’s more convenient, but the calling of Christ is not about convenience. What I’m asking you to do is get in the place where somebody can see you.
The second thing: how are you going to get friends? We are now changing B-Groups. We’re giving it a new name because God gave me fresh vision! Somebody say «fresh vision»! There were a couple of things about B-Groups that I wanted to change, and I’ll tell you them today just so you can be aware. Number one, the logo had to change because it was a puzzle piece, and many of you didn’t know that. But how things look and what it says means a lot to me, and the puzzle piece—now that me and Natalie have a son that is currently on the autism spectrum—that means something different to us. So I was like, «That doesn’t completely describe what I want this to be.» The second thing is what we were trying to do in the small groups: we were trying to put the teaching, discipleship with the fellowship, right? And it can get weird! Yeah! Like when you come in trying to make friends, and they’re like, «What did God give you out of Romans 6 today?» It’s like, «Come on, let’s be honest! Sometimes I just want to talk about the game and what’s going on, and we can pray together and stuff.» But we got some weird stuff happening in the B-Groups. Like people started forming their own churches, and people started, like, it just got weird.
No, in Acts 2:42, they fellowshiped together and ate together; that’s separate from devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching. They did that, but then they just chilled, talked, played pool, and went to restaurants together. So the major thing that we’re going to do is pull out the teaching aspect from our small groups, and what we’re going to do is make it relational. Well, what does that mean? You’re going to find your tribe. As a matter of fact, that’s the new name of our small group: Tribes! Yeah, and I’m believing that every person in Transformation Church will find your tribe this year. I’m not talking 50 people; I’m talking 3 to 10. When you have a baby, you don’t need the whole church to gather around you, but those five to seven people are going to make you feel special.
Statistics tell us that if three people know your name when you come to a large gathering, it feels like you own the place. You ever been to a concert with thousands of people, but your friends are there looking at you? You don’t need everybody else to know you, but you need someone to know you. This is why I’m asking you not to just run out of here after church. I know you’re hungry, but your soul is too, and it’s desiring relationship that you’re trying to find through a screen. It’s so good when it could actually be with a handshake. We’re going to find our tribes; we’re going to eat together, play pickleball together, lift weights together, and knit together. I don’t know who’s going to be knitting, but somebody is! I know one of y’all is going to be knitting.
And let me say this: I need leaders for this. I need people to say, «I’m not just going to observe the vision; I’m going to own it. I’m going to open up my house; I’m going to go to our clubhouse; we’re going to meet at the coffee shop; we’re going to get together.» Because I know there are people out there like me, and watch this, different from me. Let me be very clear: we do not want our small groups to just be people who like the same things together. Somebody say, «I’m going to find my tribe.»
And the last thing is, we’re going to create an opportunity for spiritual formation here on Wednesday nights. We’re going to pray from 6:00 to 6:45, and then at 7:15, we’re going to have classes all over this building. Yeah! We’re going to teach you things that are not coming from the platform. We’re going to teach you how to pray, about relationships, finances, and parenting. We’re going to call in people who have the anointing and grace to do that, and you’re going to be able to bring your kids. So some of y’all are just going to have a break; you’re just going to drop your kids off, and you’re going to get 50 minutes to know that you’re growing. If you’ve already been coming to our «Pray with Me» Wednesdays, there are already hundreds of people showing up, and we’re going to be out of here by 8:00.
I know some parents are thinking, «8:00? It’s a school night!» Your kids are still running around at home while you’re trying to give them melatonin at 8:15! I know, I’m just playing. Some of y’all are really on it. What I’m saying is that it’s one night of investment for your spirit and soul to know you’re growing. Pastor, that’s it. See, a lot of churches want to do a lot of things; not here anymore. We’re going to focus because we want fruit.
There are a couple of things I have to do. Emily, Charles, and Abby, can y’all come sit on the couch with me real quick? For this to happen, when you start thinking about fruit and how to do this, you need people who actually carry pieces of the vision. These people have been carrying pieces of the vision for a long time with me and Natalie. But with fresh vision, there needs to be fresh repositioning. So today, I didn’t want to do a big thing; I just wanted to invite them to the couch so you could see what’s going to happen.
This campus is about to build. That song, «Build Your Church,» I felt that through my toes today, and it’s going to be an anthem because it’s about to start going. But I know that for what God has apostolically called me to do, I cannot be the local pastor that everybody desires me to be. I don’t have the bandwidth to build out these huge visions and get up here, speak, and prepare, but I know it’s necessary. That’s why God gave the church five-fold: some teachers, some apostles. He didn’t just do one thing. And there are many times in church when there’s not enough space for everybody because the lead pastor wants to take up all the positions. Not here! So today, I’m introducing your brand-new campus pastors, Charles and Abby Medcat. Oh, this is a big deal! Y’all can give it up; you can give it up! All right, sit down; we’ve got to go.
I want you to hear me say this: I trust them explicitly. I’ve walked with them through valleys. I told Abby when she got here, «You’re going to walk in a high level of ministry.» She left crying, «Like, Mike is trying to take away my purpose!» She was a phenomenal photographer at the time. But these two are going to lead this campus in a multi-ethnic, multi-generational, loving way. They’re going to be in the lobbies, and when you want to tell somebody something, you’re going to go to them. I’m going to be your pastor; I ain’t going nowhere. I’m going to seek vision from God; I’m praying for you; I’m doing what God has called me to do. But for the sheep to be taken care of, you’ve got to have somebody to go to. They’re going to have a team of people. He’s not here today because he’s preaching at another church to give another pastor a break, but your associate campus pastor is going to be Will Heckenbach. Y’all can give it up for him in his absence! That’s my dog!
Will, the one with all the tattoos, has a jail record—yeah, that’s my dog. The reason I say that is because God can redeem anybody. I want to make sure that people know at this church that you can start out at the bottom. Will started out as an intern here, and now he’s going to be our associate campus pastor. He and our campus team are going to get the church here locally mobilized to transform this city, and we’re not going to do it at the expense of real relationships.
So what I did was talk to two people who do relationships almost better than anybody, and I said, «Hey, could y’all stop doing all of that for a second? I need you to focus so we can get fruit.» People are being picked off because they don’t have people to walk with them, because the Bible says two are better than one. I found Will and Amberly, and they’re your brand-new tribes pastors at TC. We love you! Now watch this. These people are looking for more people because four people ain’t enough to take care of all y’all. What I’m saying to you is that now I’ve put leaders in place so we can put more leaders in place because the goal is not this building filled, but the goal is the city being transformed.
I only got four claps right here, but they don’t know what we’re trying to do! But it’s okay; you’ll see it. We’re standing up here, sitting right now, to let you know that we’ve got three focuses so that we can see fruit. We will come to this space of faith and hear from God, find friends in tribes, and get spiritually formed on Wednesday nights here. Let me just say this for everybody in Transformation Nation and everyone saying, «Oh my God, I can’t come on Wednesday because I work,» and all that other stuff. They devoted themselves. These are not the only ways to do this. Everybody needs these things. So if you don’t go to TC fine; you need to find a space of faith, trusted friends, and a place of spiritual formation.
Remember where I told you my spiritual formation happened? It happened through books! But you’ve got to be committed and consistent to it. So on Wednesday nights, if you can’t come, it’s all good; get a book. Very soon, I’m not making any promises, but we’re just trying to get the curriculum and technology right. Transformation Nation, you will have a Wednesday night situation as well. We’re going to get this thing going, but what I’m saying is we’re going to have fruit this year! Great, great, great! Somebody shout at me, «Fruit!»
Would everybody stand all over this building? Come on, y’all stand with me. Would you grab hands with somebody next to you, please? I hope that me sharing vulnerably today helped you not just observe the vision but desire to own it. I can’t do what God has called us to do alone: representing God to the lost and found for transformation. CH, like all the lost people and all the found people, there are too many of those in Tulsa. But what would happen if an army raised up? Businessmen, soccer moms, grandparents, high school students, college athletes, judges, lawyers, tech professionals, pastors, singers, worship leaders, musicians, police officers, and firemen—what would happen if we came here every week, invited people here, and brought people here so we could all change together? You would tell them, «Like church? Wait till Wednesday!»
Yeah, yeah, yeah! I’m like, «What happens on Wednesday?» «Oh, you’ll see.» «Oh, yeah! You have problems in your marriage? Go to the Relationship Goals class.» «No, just come.» «No, I promise; it’s not weird at all! If you need prayer, just come at 6:00. Just come a little early.» I won’t be there till 7:00 because I’ve got to get the kids situated, but come at 6:00! Everybody’s friendly there; they’ll just walk in. What if somebody would come and start learning about finances and relationships?
Then they’re like, «Hey, I see you at the gym all the time! What’s your name?» «Wow, you should come to my tribe this Friday night!» «What do y’all do at the tribe?» «We just chill!» «Actually, this week we’re going to taste the new food truck situation over at Mother Road’s Market.» «You like tacos?» «Yeah, they’ve got some vegan tacos over there.» «You vegan?» «No, but we’re going to try them. If it doesn’t work out, we have a taco truck on 31st and Garnett.» «H, y’all know what I’m talking about!» Just through sharing life!
At the end of that tribe, it’s like, «Hey, does anybody have anything we can be praying for?» «This week, my family is really facing a hard situation financially.» Then it goes from, «Yeah, let’s pray about that,» and then somebody comes over at the end and says, «How much do you need? We’re praying about it; God just gave me a bonus last week.» That’s good! See, because in Acts 2:42, they shared everything they had, and it says that people were added to the number being saved daily. It’s going to be an Acts 2:42 church, but it can’t be if the vision is just in me. That’s why today I had to share the vision.
Father, we’re here. Thank you, Jesus, asking you to build your church. For every person, Father God, that has been in a decision phase about whether this is their church, Father, I thank you that today people are being equipped to make a sound decision that is covered by the Spirit. Today, I thank you that in this church, vision will be valuable. God, I shared vulnerably today; let he or she who has an ear to hear, let them hear! Not just hear, but God, I thank you that they will be compelled to help. God, I thank you that there are people on the other side of this screen, the other side of this building, and the other side of the world that need you in a fresh way, and you’ve given us the grace and the anointing to represent you to the lost and found for transformation in Christ.
God, thank you that all the people in this room will just be a seed of all the people around the world who will be doing this vision. And God, I thank you that by the end of the year there will be fruit, so much fruit that will last, so much fruit that our enemies will get nourished, so much fruit that wherever we go, Father God, we leave a lasting change—not because of our own merit, but because of your grace. Thank you, God! Today, we’re humbly asking you to prepare our hearts to obey you. Thank you because you will speak, and we will listen and obey. Thank you, Jesus! Build your church! Build your church! Build it from the ground up! It’s your church! Build your church! Build your church! Build it from the ground up! It’s your church! Come on!
God, thank you that all the people in this room will just be a seed of all the people around the world who will be doing this vision. And God, I thank you that by the end of the year there will be fruit, so much fruit that will last, so much fruit that our enemies will get nourished, so much fruit that wherever we go, Father God, we leave a lasting change—not because of our own merit, but because of your grace. Thank you, God! Today, we’re humbly asking you to prepare our hearts to obey you. Thank you because you will speak, and we will listen and obey. Thank you, Jesus! Build your church! Build your church! Build it from the ground up! It’s your church! Build your church! Build your church! Build it from the ground up! It’s your church! Come on!
Y’all build your church, build your church, build it from the ground up. It’s yours; this is not ours. Build your church; it’s yours, God. Build your church; build it from the ground. Lift your hands. Come on, lift them. Just say it: build your church. Yeah, build your church; build it from the ground up. It’s your church; we’re submitted. Build your church; we’re committed. Build your church; build it from the ground. If you’re in this room and you’ve never accepted Jesus, today is the day of salvation. I need the church to begin to pray; it’s the only thing that can take you from being a liar, a manipulator, or someone like me who is addicted to pornography, and it can give you a fresh start today.
If you know today is the day of salvation and you don’t want to spend another day leading your own life, I want you to give your life to Christ. I’m telling you right now you have come to a space of faith, and everybody in this room is believing for you. Church, I need you to pray right now because eternity is in the balance. If that’s you and you want to accept Jesus and make Him your personal Lord and Savior, on the count of three, all I want you to do is lift your hands, and we’re going to believe and pray with you that your eternity is transformed today.
One, you’re making the greatest decision of your life. Two, I’m proud of you, but more than that, your name is about to be written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. Three, if you want to give your life to Christ, I see you; you’re waving over there. Anyone else? I see you right there, there, there. There it is. Glory to God! Come on, Transformation Church, how do we praise God? I see you, but more than that, God sees you. Listen, before you leave, we’re family here; nobody prays alone. Let’s pray together:
Lord, thank You for sending Jesus, just for me, just for me. Today, I give You my life. I give You my life. I believe You lived, You died, and You rose again with all power. Today, I give You everything; change me, renew me, transform me. I’m Yours. In Jesus' name, amen.