Posted by Brady Boyd

Note: This is part two of a four part blog series on the mission of New Life Church.

Equip means to prepare someone for a particular task or situation or to supply them with what they need to be successful. This is the primary role for those of us who are pastors at New Life Church. Our focus should be teaching, praying, leading and equipping the people of New Life for ministry.

The best way to equip people is to simply get them out doing stuff. We spend too much time teaching, lecturing, and talking and not enough time experimenting and allowing people to make messes.

Before sophisticated missile guidance systems, naval battles were often won by cannon crews who could adjust the quickest after a missed shot. It was pure luck if the first shot hit its target. I believe the church has trained people to not try until there is a guarantee of success. So we stand on the ship and tell them “Ready, ready, aim, aim, aim”, but we are reluctant to yell, “Fire”.

I do believe in teaching sound theology, and I believe there are some great leadership tools like Strength Finders that can help people. But people are best taught when they have a “hands on” experience, especially if a mentor or coach is with them when they minister.

Its the same model Jesus used to equip his disciples:

Watch me do ministry
Do ministry while I am watching you.
Go minister by yourself and report back to me later.

That is equipping the saints for the work of ministry. It is not complicated.

Posted by Brady Boyd

Note to reader: This is part 1 of a 4-part blog series describing the core values of New Life Church. Next week: Part 2- We exist to equip believers

New Life Church exists to love people. God sent his Son because he loved the people of the world and Jesus said in John 13:35 that our love for one another would be proof to the world that we are his disciples.

Love is what we want most. That’s why our songs, our art, our movies and our books talk about love more than any other topic. We want to be loved and we want to show love. Love covers all wrongs, love is patient, love is gentle and love is kind. When love is present, anger is squelched, strivings cease and hurt feelings are mended.

What does that really mean and how are we supposed to carry out this mandate in a world seemingly void of love and filled with anger, evil and trouble?

As a church, we will show love at every opportunity. We will meet any real need that we are able to meet and we will give our resources to those in the greatest pain. Widows, orphans, the poor, the lost, the hurting, the lonely, the disenfranchised and the despised will always be our primary focus. 

No one loves people they do not pray for often. Love has to begin from the inside out. We will ask God to give us sincere love for people and then we will look for opportunities to practically demonstrate this love. Our words will be kind, our motives will be pure and our actions will be sincere.

To be clear, love does not mean we have to compromise our core convictions. We can hold fast to the truth we know but still show love to those who disagree with us. Love means we will listen to differing opinions and respect those with different worldviews or political affiliations. This means we will love and pray for presidents, congressmen and governors we did not vote for on election day.

Love means we will not insult those who have insulted us and we will choose kindness over vindication or revenge. Love means we will assume the best about people and not engage in gossip or slander.

Only love will motivate us to serve and sacrifice for the long term. Love will direct our decisions and determine our mission. In the end, our sincere love for others will give us the opportunity to point people to Christ, the only source of any authentic love.

Posted by Brady Boyd

Christianity has done more than enough in the past 2000 years to earn a bad reputation, but when disasters strike, like the one in Haiti, authentic Christ followers have always been among the first to lend support and aid.  We may disagree on some minor theological points and we may not play well together at times, but we do tend to rally together when the need is the most urgent.

I heard a report today that 90 percent of the non-government aid coming to Haiti was from faith-based organizations.  As taxpayers and citizens, we have also contributed to the government relief and military support that is helping bring order and stability to Haiti.  I am grateful the church has responded with such generosity and is part of the solution to a seemingly insurmountable problem.

Christ followers are a hopeful people who love to serve and love to give, but sometimes it takes a disaster to remind us of our core mission.  In a season of economic instability and uncertainty, we gave generously, even when the need right here at home was great.

I pray we will continue to serve the people of Haiti after the media spotlight has dimmed and world attention has turned to some other global crisis. The problems in Haiti are decades old and the solutions are not simple or easy. We must not give up on these precious people. Jesus told us we would always have the poor among us. He did not tell us this as an excuse to ignore them but to remind us to never stop serving them.

Posted by Brady Boyd

Loyalty is a devotion, duty and special attachment to somebody or something. Loyalty is often talked about, but rarely demonstrated. Athletes are not loyal to the hometown team, coaches leave players for better paying teams, fans are somewhat loyal, until the winning stops, and then they look for the next frontrunner to support.

I want to be a loyal person. I want to be loyal to God and the ministry He has given me. I certainly want to be loyal to Pam and our covenant of marriage. I want to be loyal to my children and to my friends.  Although relatively low in importance and high in carnality, I want to be loyal to the teams I have cheered for since childhood.

When I moved to Colorado, lots of people chided me for rooting for the Cowboys instead of the hometown Broncos.  It was all good natured and we have had a lot of laughs about it. But, when pushed on the issue, I tell people that I have always cheered for the Cowboys since I was a small boy growing up in Northwest Louisiana.  Staubach, Dorsett, Too Tall Jones, Harvey Martin, DD Lewis, Newhouse, Irvin, Emmitt, and Landry were my heroes. To root primarily for another team has never been an option. It’s a loyalty issue for me.

This season, the Broncos got off to a 6-0 start and the local fans were ecstatic and people were piling on the bandwagon. When the team sputtered to a 2-8 finish, local emergency rooms were full with people with broken ankles after jumping off the bandwagon.

I know these are worldly issues, but I am convinced that sports loyalties are a window into the soul. We certainly should not worship sports or make sports an idol, but if we say we are a fan of a team then mean what you say. Root for them when they win and stick with them when they stink.

Ultimately, loyalty to God and to others is much more critical. When tested, I want to be a loyal follower of Christ and a loyal friend. I want my devotion and my duty to be the same in the good times and in the bad times. Loyalty is a virtue that is hard to find in our culture today and when I spot it in others, I mark them as a person that I want as a friend.

Posted by Brady Boyd

I believe God wants to bless us and I believe in healing for our physical bodies. I believe God is capable and willing to bless people financially. I don’t believe any of these are the central focus of the Gospel. They are parts, but not the center. However, in the past 50 years, American Christians have focused a great deal of thought and attention to wealth and health. Certainly, we have a better understanding of healing and blessing as a result, but I suspect we have also wandered from our primary mission and lost any understanding of the theology of suffering.

Have we created a theological ideology that eliminates any discomfort and marginalizes any element that would cause us pain or even death? To be clear, I am not suggesting that we look for persecution or that we pursue suffering because it is my opinion that persecution and suffering will find us without us looking for it. But, have we, as pastors, teachers and leaders prepared our churches for difficult times? Have we created a sense of entitlement among our people that lead them to believe that any hardship is a direct reflection on their capacity of faith or the result of some secret sin?

I do believe that unbelief and sin can cause bad things to happen to us, but I also believe rough times can happen to even the most devoted of followers.  When it does, Jesus said to “take heart, for I have overcome the world.” So while Jesus is trying to help us regain our courage and move forward, we are being bombarded with messages from well meaning people that difficult days were probably our fault.  This has to stop or we are going to shipwreck people with an incomplete theology.

I suggest we keep teaching on healing and we continue praying for miracles. I suggest we keep teaching people that God wants to bless us financially, especially those who are willing to use those resources for the building of His kingdom on the earth. But, let’s not avoid the difficult teachings of Jesus and the Apostles that clearly describe seasons of suffering and loss. 

God promised to walk with us through the valley of the shadow of death and Jesus promised to enter into our suffering to comfort us and protect us.  Jesus guaranteed persecution but He also said we would always have the right words to say when brought before our persecutors. He promised us the Holy Spirit, who would teach us, lead us and guide us. 

My challenge to pastors and leaders is teach all of Scripture and not avoid the tough questions or sensitive issues. To preach and teach only on the comfortable topics is setting up our people for failure when their lives are not comfortable. Prepare the people for healing, blessing, suffering, and persecution and then the entire Gospel is really being taught.

Posted by Brady Boyd

In the past ten years, I have witnessed remarkable changes in the local church and the coming decade will usher in even more transformations.  While the ancient sacraments will remain, everything else is up for debate. How we worship, when we gather, what is said, who is leading and where the gatherings happen will all undergo scrutiny and debate. 

I have four predictions for the next decade of local church.

 1.       The church will become smaller

Every social and cultural trend is leaning toward the smaller, more intimate gatherings and away from the stadium worship experience. Mega churches that purposely create numerous worship settings that promote intimacy and community will see the most significant growth.  There will always be a group of church people who will come to the big building, but if we want to see significant growth among skeptics and seekers, we must create less threatening venues for them to explore the issues of faith.

 2.       The church will become more missional

The local church is hungry to embrace the mission of the New Testament and this will only increase in the next decade. This next generation is tired of the hype of events and is eager to give their lives to something that requires sacrifice and results in social justice.  They want to get their hands in the dirt of humanity and see real change in the communities where they live. They will come to the church building for some of the attractional events, but will get disillusioned quickly if these events do not result in real opportunities to serve their world.

 3.       The church will become more ancient

If it’s new, it’s probably not truth. If its truth, it’s probably not new.  I believe the ancient, yet simple recipe of local church will return. We will gather often, read the Scriptures, worship intently, pray fervently, be led by servants, live authentically, and honor the Sacraments.  For sure, we will continue to be creative and inventive, but not at the expense of the ancient structure which has transcended all generations for over 2000 years.

 4.       The church will become more supernatural

The churches that embrace the supernatural nature of God will see the most growth and have the most influence in the coming decade. Good preaching, trendy stage sets, and clever videos will not be enough in the next ten years because people want to see God intervene more and more in the affairs of the earth with miracles and healings.  Sound theology must prevail and we must not return to our sloppy Charismatic tendencies, but we must also embrace the mysterious and risky nature of God and not be afraid of the unpredictable. While the Holy Spirit may be unpredictable, the results are always predictable – people will find God, people will be healed and people will discover real freedom.

I think there are other changes on the horizon, too. I think women and minorities will find a place of more significant leadership, I believe spiritual freedom will replace personal independence and I believe worship will become more “presence driven” and less  “performance driven.”  I will write my thoughts on these issues later.  For now, I am eager for the new decade of church to start.

Posted by Brady Boyd

This past year was one of the most challenging of my life, but in the midst of these struggles, I learned priceless things about God, myself, my family and my friends. It is not a year I would care to repeat, but like every difficult season, I am discovering I was more blessed than I imagined.

1.       I rediscovered joy

After the difficult first three months, I found myself staring at depression and wondering if there would ever be a stretch of days without drama. Pam confronted me at lunch one day in late April and asked me a question that I will never forget. She asked, “Are you enjoying yourself?” My candid response was “No, I’m not.”

That started me on a journey to rediscover the joy of my calling and assignment. While reading the story of the imprisoned Paul and Silas, I found the secret to living with joy even when our outside circumstances are dire. They worshipped despite being in prison and chains. I realized that I must guard my personal devotion to Christ and never lose my passion for knowing more of Him. My joy returned by mid-June and I can actually admit that on more days than not, I am enjoying what I get to do.

2.       I began writing a book

Any book of lasting value has to be birthed out of conflict, pain or revelation. Sometimes all three are required. I am not sure if I am qualified to write anything, but I am certain God has given me the ok to pen some thoughts and begin the journey. So, I began to write, pray and discuss a set of ideas that I hope will form a book that will bless and encourage others. I have an agreement with a major publisher and I expect a book to be released sometimes in 2011. The process of praying over ideas, choosing a publisher and writing down thoughts has invigorated me and I am grateful for the favor and grace along the way.

3.       I helped a friend with his dream

I imagine I will remember the events of December 6^th as one of my favorites of all time. It was on this Sunday that we announced that Pastor Ross Parsley would plant OneChapel in Austin, TX. Ross is one of my best friends and it is so exciting to help him launch this work and see him fulfill God’s call on his life.  It is a privilege to support him and launch him with resources and a capable team. 

It was a defining moment for New Life and I suspect something was implanted into our DNA that will define us for a generation. We are a Great Commission church that believes in planting other local churches with the best of our leaders.

There were lots of other great memories from 2009 – The Thorn, two epic Desperation events, praying for children who had been adopted into New Life families, the early morning prayer meetings on Thursday, serving with other New Lifers during Elevate, and a spectacular Wonderland experience on Christmas Eve.  We are moving forward into deeper waters and for that, I am grateful. 

A new decade dawns in a few days, and I believe the next ten years will be full of challenges, adventures, risks, and victories.  Let it begin – I am ready for what is ahead.

Posted by Brady Boyd

Seekers are defined as those people who are exploring spirituality but have not arrived at any concrete conclusions. They are interested in the person of Jesus, mostly turned off by the established church, but willing to live life with people who seem authentic. If the local church is committed to helping seekers find Jesus, we must know what questions they are asking and what things are of no interest to them. What are the primary questions being asked by seekers? I’m glad you asked!

1.       Do you really care about me?

Seekers believe the local church of today is nothing more than a corporate monolith interested only in established rituals, their attendance at events and their money. They wonder if church people really care about those who can’t speak church language, don’t dress like church people, and certainly don’t behave like church people.  They are willing to listen to our ideology but only if we will listen to their viewpoint with the same respect.  The local church must be committed to the intentional journey and not try to herd seekers into a box of ideas with our arguments or go for the quick sale.

2.       Are you for real?

Nothing turns off seekers like hypocrisy.  They don’t care if we make mistakes, but when we do, they expect us to own up to our shortcomings, asked for forgiveness and move forward.  In other words, they want us to take off those cheesy church masks. Seekers want to know if we are living out our beliefs in private in the same way we talk about our beliefs in public.  They expect us to say what we mean and mean what we say.

3.       Do you really love one another?

Seekers also need to see proof and the best evidence is when we, as followers of Christ, love one another sincerely.  Conflicts among believers are going to happen and seekers are certainly not looking for a fantasy world where everybody is perfect.  That world doesn’t exist.  But they are looking for a community that is committed to unity, forgiveness and redemption.  They earnestly desire a fellowship that is led by servant leaders who lead with integrity and for a group of people who are willing to sacrifice for one another.

Seekers are not interested anymore in leaders who are bible experts or leaders with a flashy, charismatic personality.  They care even less about the big staged events happening weekly at our buildings, although they are drawn to gatherings where they can have a spiritual experience.  In the end, seekers value honesty, transparency and candid conversations. If the local church is willing to engage them on that level, seekers will find the truth they so desperately desire.

Posted by Brady Boyd

This past Sunday at New Life we announced that Pastor Ross Parsley will be relocating to Austin, Texas to plant a life giving church sometimes next spring or summer.  It was a really special moment for all of us at New Life to send out such an amazing leader to fulfill an obvious call on his life. It was also special because church planting is one of my deepest passions and one of the most significant ways any church can fulfill the Great Commission.

Pastor Ross and I have been praying, planning and discussing this for months and after praying some more with the elders we all sensed it was time to launch Ross into this new adventure.  Pastor Ross will put a dent in the universe when he gets to Austin and we, as his New Life family, are committed to praying and supporting him.

I believe Pastor Ross and his team has been set up for success because he chose to leave the best possible way. Too many times, a young leader gets a call to plant a church, but then finds it difficult to get any support from his leadership or does not value the input of his leaders. I have found there are three common ways to leave one church and plant another, but only one gets the full blessings of heaven.

Most often, a young leader is not allowed to even talk about leaving for fear of punishment or the young leader does not value authority so they leave suddenly. I call this a divorce. It is ugly and hurtful, both to the young leader and to the church they leave.  The relationship is sometimes forever fractured which must cause God great sorrow.

The second way is not much better. The young leader decides to plant a church and announces it later to the leadership without really asking them to be a part of the process. Most times, the leaders of the church pray for them and announce it to the church, but there is no permanent partnership.

Pastor Ross chose the best way. He was open and honest about his desire to plant a church and he allowed me and the other elders a chance to pray with him and give him counsel every step of the way.  He even gave us permission to stop the church plant if we felt he was making a mistake. That took a lot of courage and integrity for Pastor Ross, but it was the right thing to do and God will bless him.

This church plant feels like a wedding, not a divorce.  We are certainly sad that Pastor Ross is leaving, but just like a wedding, we are also happy for the new family that is being formed and we are already looking forward to Pastor Ross coming back for lots of visits. When he does return, he will be welcomed home with cheers and hugs.

I am proud of Pastor Ross and I am proud of New Life. I suspect we will send lots of young leaders to plant churches in the coming years, and I hope we can always celebrate weddings and not be saddened by any divorces. If we will commit to being a sending church and young leaders will choose to be sent, the Kingdom of Heaven will expand and our New Life family will only multiply.

Posted by Brady Boyd

All of us have internal batteries that determine how much energy or effort we have to expend on the matters of life. When these batteries are charged, we can take on multiple tasks and still have strength to charge hell with a water pistol. When these batteries are low, even everyday jobs can overwhelm us.  I have four batteries that need constant evaluation and re-charging and I have learned that if any of these four batteries run low, I am less than my best.

I have a personal spiritual battery that is only charged when I spend time with God in prayer, worship and scripture.  I talk to God every day, but at least five days a week, I need extended time alone with Him.  My goal is seven days, but in reality, that is not always possible.  When I am in a good rhythm of schedule, my spiritual battery is charged and I feel nothing can keep me from taking ground.

I also have a work battery. This is the energy supply for doing my job as pastor such as meeting with people, leading meetings, teaching, and studying for talks.  I keep this battery charged by saying yes to things that I should be doing and saying no to things someone else should be doing. When I am operating in my strengths and my calling, I feel fully alive and able to give my best to the assignment God has given me.

I also have a dad battery. This is the energy supply I need to be a good dad to Abram and Callie. Because they are 11 and 9, they want a lot of dad’s time and energy.  That means, I cannot give all my energy to New Life every day and come home with an empty tank. The 12-minute drive from New Life to my house is my time to switch off the work battery and plug in the dad battery.  My goal is to not take work home at night and to not be talking on the phone when I walk in the house. I also take either Abram or Callie out for breakfast every Saturday morning so we can be together and talk about kid stuff.

I also have a husband battery.  I mentioned this at the end not because it is the least important, but to confess that I have sometimes neglected this battery more than the other three. Pam has been kind and patient with me the past two years, knowing the weight I have been carrying at New Life. Today, though, I made a commitment to give this battery more of my attention and to make changes in my schedule that allows for more time with the girl I love.

Take an honest look at the batteries in your life. Are they all charged for optimum output or do you need to make some lifestyle or schedule changes today? God has enough strength for all of us. We only have to sit still and receive. It is a lot like re-charging a battery. You have to plug it into the wall and leave there it there for a length of time. Sit still this week and get re-charged.  Your batteries will be grateful.