#S061 - Adults Only (Part 1) 00:00:05.57\00:00:11.01 I want you to turn first to Acts 00:00:19.88\00:00:22.58 Chapter 40, Acts Chapter 14. 00:00:22.62\00:00:25.99 And we're going to look briefly at verses 19 and 20, 00:00:27.06\00:00:29.42 and then we'll skip back over to Acts Chapter 20, 00:00:30.53\00:00:32.49 Acts Chapter 19 00:00:32.93\00:00:35.83 and we're going to look together excuse me, Acts chapter 14 00:00:35.86\00:00:39.43 and we're going to look together verse 19 00:00:40.30\00:00:42.07 and then we'll slip over to Acts Chapter 20. 00:00:43.00\00:00:46.11 When you get there, just say, Pastor, I'm there 00:00:46.14\00:00:48.71 now. I know this is you Federation, 00:00:50.35\00:00:52.48 but the target is a little bit broader 00:00:53.38\00:00:56.75 than just teenagers today. 00:00:57.39\00:00:59.95 Today I need to talk specifically to anybody 00:01:00.06\00:01:03.63 that impacts the youth culture of your church. 00:01:04.59\00:01:07.93 There's some burdens I have on my heart 00:01:08.80\00:01:10.77 that can only be lifted through teaching his word to that. 00:01:10.80\00:01:13.94 And so if you an impact 00:01:14.94\00:01:16.50 young person in your church circle, 00:01:16.54\00:01:18.77 whether you're a deacon, 00:01:18.81\00:01:19.91 a deacon as a Sabbath school leader, an air leader, 00:01:19.94\00:01:22.74 there is something that God wants to say to the culture 00:01:22.78\00:01:26.78 of the church today as it relates to our Young People 00:01:27.95\00:01:30.29 Act, chapter 14 and verse 19, when they say I'm there, 00:01:31.45\00:01:33.25 the Bible says, Then the Jews from Antioch 00:01:34.46\00:01:36.73 and Iconium came there, and having persuaded 00:01:37.66\00:01:40.53 the multitudes, the Bible says they stoned 00:01:40.56\00:01:43.57 who stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city. 00:01:43.60\00:01:47.70 Supposing him to be what? 00:01:48.34\00:01:50.54 Supposing him to be dead. 00:01:50.57\00:01:52.77 However, when the disciples gathered around him, 00:01:52.81\00:01:56.44 he rose up and went into the city, 00:01:57.21\00:02:00.82 and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Darby. 00:02:01.95\00:02:05.32 So the Bible says that they stoned him to the point 00:02:06.42\00:02:08.36 where they thought he was dead. 00:02:08.39\00:02:10.43 But notice they gathered around him and he was raised up. 00:02:10.46\00:02:15.26 Now go to Chapter 20 and we're going to look together 00:02:16.33\00:02:19.50 beginning at verse number seven, at chapter 20. 00:02:20.47\00:02:24.04 And we're going to look together at verse number seven. 00:02:24.07\00:02:25.77 When you get there, just say Amen. 00:02:25.81\00:02:27.58 Chapter 20. 00:02:29.28\00:02:30.61 Looking together at verse number seven. 00:02:30.65\00:02:33.25 The Bible says now, on the first day of the week, 00:02:34.45\00:02:37.52 when the disciples came together to break bread, 00:02:38.52\00:02:40.56 Paul ready to depart the next day, spoke to them 00:02:41.62\00:02:44.33 and continued in his message until midnight. 00:02:45.33\00:02:48.40 It's alright to have a long sermon every now and then. 00:02:49.56\00:02:52.70 Paul preached to midnight. 00:02:53.34\00:02:55.24 Oh, I got about 11 hours and 20, 40 minutes left. 00:02:55.27\00:02:59.04 Even the Bible says he continued to midnight, 00:02:59.07\00:03:03.48 and the Bible says that there were many lamps 00:03:03.51\00:03:07.45 in the upper room where they gathered together 00:03:07.48\00:03:09.98 and in a window set a certain one 00:03:10.82\00:03:13.05 young man named Utica's, who was sinking into a deep sleep. 00:03:14.29\00:03:18.23 He was overcome by sleep 00:03:18.93\00:03:21.03 as Paul continued speaking. 00:03:21.70\00:03:23.87 He fell down from the third story 00:03:24.70\00:03:27.20 and was taken up dead. 00:03:27.77\00:03:29.87 But Paul went down and fell on him 00:03:30.81\00:03:33.78 and embracing him said, Do not trouble 00:03:34.61\00:03:37.61 yourselves, for life is in him. 00:03:37.65\00:03:40.55 Now, when he had come up and broken bread and eaten 00:03:41.65\00:03:44.49 and talked a long while even to a break, they break. 00:03:44.52\00:03:47.69 He departed 00:03:47.72\00:03:48.96 and they brought the young man in alive 00:03:48.99\00:03:51.36 and they were not a little comforted today. 00:03:52.36\00:03:55.70 Thanks for just a little while. 00:03:55.73\00:03:56.93 I want to talk to you under the subject, adults 00:03:56.97\00:04:00.60 only, adults only. 00:04:01.10\00:04:04.77 Let's pray, Father, 00:04:05.31\00:04:07.14 in this little while. 00:04:08.61\00:04:10.25 Would you please say much? 00:04:10.28\00:04:13.11 My prayer is that you would allow your strength 00:04:13.15\00:04:16.05 to be me perfect in my human weakness. 00:04:16.95\00:04:19.55 So, Lord, once again, 00:04:20.32\00:04:21.42 would you please hide me in the shadows of the cross that 00:04:21.46\00:04:24.89 Jesus alone might be seen, that Christ alone would be heard? 00:04:24.93\00:04:29.06 And at the end of our time together, may Jesus alone 00:04:30.20\00:04:32.37 be praised. 00:04:32.40\00:04:33.74 Bless us. 00:04:33.77\00:04:34.14 To this end, 00:04:34.17\00:04:35.20 we ask in the wonderful name of Jesus, our Lord. 00:04:35.24\00:04:37.91 Let those who believe say together. 00:04:38.77\00:04:39.94 Amen. 00:04:39.97\00:04:41.21 And man, you may be seated 00:04:41.24\00:04:44.21 in the House of the Lord again, 00:04:44.91\00:04:48.05 talking under the subject. 00:04:48.68\00:04:50.85 Adults only 00:04:50.89\00:04:53.09 a few months back, 00:04:55.16\00:04:56.22 my wife and I went on vacation with our three kids. 00:04:56.26\00:05:00.50 And how many of you know that when you go out of town 00:05:01.80\00:05:04.03 with kids, it's not a vacation, it's just a trip. 00:05:04.07\00:05:11.77 In fact, when you go on vacation with your kids, 00:05:12.77\00:05:15.28 when you get home, you need a vacation 00:05:16.18\00:05:18.15 from your vacation. 00:05:20.48\00:05:23.45 You see, there are times where I'm content to just sit down 00:05:24.69\00:05:26.99 and look at the ocean, 00:05:27.02\00:05:30.26 but they are not cool until they get inside the ocean. 00:05:30.29\00:05:33.23 Matter of fact, I'm straight just sitting next to the pool, 00:05:34.56\00:05:37.50 but I'm not going to get any peace until they drag 00:05:38.67\00:05:41.30 me and flotation devices into the pool. 00:05:41.34\00:05:44.14 My preference is to sit down 00:05:45.37\00:05:47.18 at a restaurant and order from a menu. 00:05:47.21\00:05:49.64 Their preference is to go to a buffet 00:05:50.75\00:05:52.98 where they don't have to wait for it to be served. 00:05:54.08\00:05:56.22 And I can't control how many trips to the counter they get. 00:05:57.45\00:05:59.89 In fact, my goal on vacation is to wind down. 00:06:01.09\00:06:04.83 Their goal is to turn up 00:06:05.59\00:06:07.46 and what becomes clear is 00:06:08.66\00:06:10.63 that we want two different things from a vacation. 00:06:10.67\00:06:14.87 And as I was meditating on this thought, what becomes clear 00:06:16.14\00:06:20.88 is that if adults and kids want different things 00:06:21.94\00:06:24.95 from vacation, if adults and kids 00:06:24.98\00:06:28.15 want different things from a restaurant. 00:06:28.18\00:06:30.49 If adults and kids want different things from a device, 00:06:31.62\00:06:34.49 then maybe adults and kids want different things from church 00:06:35.69\00:06:39.16 and other areas of life. 00:06:40.56\00:06:42.40 We modify to ensure that kids are able to engage 00:06:42.43\00:06:46.63 in daily life. 00:06:47.07\00:06:47.87 We eat where they want to eat. 00:06:47.90\00:06:50.04 We travel where they want to travel. 00:06:50.07\00:06:52.57 We watch the things that they want to watch. 00:06:52.61\00:06:55.71 We make sure that kids are 00:06:56.34\00:06:58.11 included it almost in every space of life 00:06:58.15\00:07:02.32 except church service. 00:07:02.35\00:07:04.52 In fact, we have an adults 00:07:05.32\00:07:07.82 only mentality that has a way 00:07:07.86\00:07:10.96 of alienating the kids from the body of Christ. 00:07:10.99\00:07:14.60 The truth is that we want safe kids while constructing 00:07:15.76\00:07:20.30 a community that only speaks to the experience of the adults. 00:07:20.34\00:07:25.64 In most churches, the liturgy language 00:07:26.54\00:07:28.88 only applies to the experience of adults. 00:07:29.81\00:07:32.48 The list of church service only considers 00:07:33.42\00:07:37.32 the attention span and capacity of the adults. 00:07:38.35\00:07:40.99 In fact, the song choice usually only speaks 00:07:41.92\00:07:44.79 to the experience of the adults, and at times we frame them 00:07:44.83\00:07:49.63 irreverent and different because they don't engage 00:07:49.66\00:07:53.94 in an experience that was not constructed with them in mind 00:07:53.97\00:07:58.31 and even times, friends are rhetoric is errant. 00:07:59.37\00:08:02.58 There are times where we refer to them 00:08:03.48\00:08:04.95 as the Church of Tomorrow, when the truth is that 00:08:06.01\00:08:08.82 if we don't amend right now, they won't be there on tomorrow. 00:08:08.85\00:08:13.22 And most of us are building the church of yesterday 00:08:14.36\00:08:17.86 in order to minister to the Church of tomorrow. 00:08:18.89\00:08:21.23 And the fact is, church, we've got to recognize that kids 00:08:22.36\00:08:25.23 engage differently, that they receive 00:08:25.27\00:08:29.10 God differently, that they process truth 00:08:29.97\00:08:32.67 differently, that they engage with one another differently. 00:08:32.71\00:08:37.15 And for some, the truth of spirituality 00:08:38.08\00:08:40.48 is seen and how much the church remains the same. 00:08:41.52\00:08:44.22 But the sign of a spiritual church 00:08:45.05\00:08:46.76 is how relevant it is to every generation. 00:08:47.72\00:08:50.93 And if we want to do more, then complain about them leaving. 00:08:52.13\00:08:55.60 We've got to develop churches that are able 00:08:56.60\00:08:58.70 to adjust to the times and in which we live. 00:08:58.73\00:09:02.17 In other words, I need 00:09:03.20\00:09:04.37 you to get that spirituality doesn't mean you stay the same. 00:09:04.41\00:09:08.11 Spirituality means that we're able to adjust to the time. 00:09:09.34\00:09:11.51 Can you all say amen today? 00:09:11.55\00:09:13.45 And matter of fact, these last two weeks 00:09:13.48\00:09:15.22 I've spent a lot of time in Eastern Time zones, 00:09:15.25\00:09:18.89 and whenever I cross time zones, one of the things that happens 00:09:20.12\00:09:23.09 is my watch. It is an analog watch. 00:09:23.12\00:09:25.83 It means I have to change armed, force it 00:09:26.70\00:09:28.96 to update to the time zone that I'm in. 00:09:29.86\00:09:31.80 But then my iPhone and my iPad, because they're connected 00:09:32.97\00:09:36.44 to the Internet, 00:09:36.47\00:09:37.54 I don't have to force them to change with the time 00:09:37.57\00:09:40.84 because they're connected with the cloud. 00:09:41.81\00:09:43.65 They automatically adjust to whatever time zone we are in. 00:09:44.88\00:09:47.82 And the problem is we've got too many analog 00:09:48.82\00:09:51.05 churches, we've got too many analog members, 00:09:51.09\00:09:54.69 we've got too many analog leaders 00:09:55.49\00:09:57.19 that have to be forced to change with the time. 00:09:58.16\00:10:00.26 But when you're connected with the cloud, 00:10:01.20\00:10:03.10 you automatically update with the time 00:10:03.93\00:10:06.63 and nobody has to force you to change. 00:10:07.54\00:10:12.37 And so go back with me, if you don't mind. 00:10:12.41\00:10:14.04 Two acts, chapter 20 here and verse seven and eight. 00:10:14.08\00:10:17.15 The Bible says that on the first day of the week, 00:10:17.18\00:10:19.75 when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready 00:10:20.95\00:10:23.69 to depart the next day, 00:10:23.72\00:10:25.05 spoke to them and his message continued until midnight. 00:10:25.09\00:10:29.09 And the Bible says there were many lamps in the upper room 00:10:30.33\00:10:33.56 where they were gathered together. 00:10:34.30\00:10:36.20 Now, for some, this text may seem benign 00:10:36.23\00:10:39.50 and somewhat pointless, 00:10:39.53\00:10:41.27 but friends, I believe that this near tragedy 00:10:41.30\00:10:44.54 has implications for the body of Christ in our time. 00:10:45.67\00:10:48.68 And see the first thing it teaches church 00:10:49.58\00:10:51.61 is that every church needs sufficient ventilation. 00:10:52.71\00:10:57.59 Let me say it again 00:10:58.12\00:10:59.09 that every church needs sufficient ventilation. 00:10:59.12\00:11:02.36 You see here in our text, we find Paul and the disciples 00:11:03.56\00:11:07.13 heading to the land of 00:11:07.73\00:11:08.76 true class to fellowship with the disciples there. 00:11:08.80\00:11:12.17 And the Bible says that they meet 00:11:12.97\00:11:14.44 on the first day of the week to avoid the Sabbath persecution 00:11:14.47\00:11:19.34 that would await them at the synagogue. 00:11:19.37\00:11:21.78 And as they gather together, 00:11:22.44\00:11:24.21 they celebrate the Lord's Supper. 00:11:24.25\00:11:26.72 And at the end of the meal, the apostle begins to preach. 00:11:26.75\00:11:30.92 And as it is with most good church services, 00:11:31.92\00:11:35.22 when the service gets good, most people take off their watches. 00:11:36.46\00:11:40.16 They're not concerned with the time. 00:11:41.00\00:11:42.83 The spirit is moving so heavy that Paul's word begins 00:11:44.00\00:11:47.77 to move to the midnight hour and the one name 00:11:47.80\00:11:52.24 the young person is a teenager named 00:11:52.27\00:11:55.38 Utica's who falls asleep in the window. 00:11:55.41\00:11:58.71 In fact, most scholars believe that Utica is between 14 00:11:59.81\00:12:03.35 and 16 years of age and see the problem in church 00:12:03.39\00:12:07.22 is that when we look at some surface behaviors, 00:12:08.26\00:12:11.33 we come to some faulty conclusions. 00:12:12.16\00:12:14.56 In fact, some look at Utica and assume that 00:12:15.53\00:12:18.40 because he fell asleep that he is indifferent and irreverent 00:12:18.43\00:12:23.77 and that his fall from the window is divine judgment 00:12:24.91\00:12:28.24 for falling asleep on the preacher's sermon. 00:12:28.28\00:12:31.05 But can I challenge you today 00:12:31.75\00:12:34.05 to look at the story just a little bit differently? 00:12:35.15\00:12:38.25 In other words, I don't believe that Utica 00:12:39.22\00:12:41.42 is a man trying to avoid church. 00:12:42.12\00:12:44.69 He's a young brother trying to survive church. 00:12:45.73\00:12:48.23 He's not trying to escape church. 00:12:49.76\00:12:52.37 This man is just trying to endure church. 00:12:53.34\00:12:55.70 This young person ain't trying to get away from service. 00:12:56.91\00:12:59.61 He's just trying to persevere. 00:13:00.38\00:13:02.14 A service that was not constructed with him in mind. 00:13:02.18\00:13:06.45 In other words, I need you to stay with me. 00:13:07.45\00:13:09.48 That the Bible in verse eight 00:13:10.19\00:13:11.32 says that there were many lamps in the room. 00:13:11.35\00:13:14.99 Now, I need you to understand that that detail 00:13:16.02\00:13:18.19 is not peripheral. 00:13:18.69\00:13:20.00 It is actually central to what is going on. 00:13:20.03\00:13:23.13 When he says that there are many lamps there, 00:13:24.07\00:13:26.03 he is describing the atmosphere that dictates 00:13:27.00\00:13:30.41 some of the behaviors that you see. 00:13:30.44\00:13:33.07 In other words, remember now 00:13:33.74\00:13:35.28 that they are in an upper room on the third floor? 00:13:35.31\00:13:38.75 And how many of us know that heat rises? 00:13:39.68\00:13:41.98 In addition to that, the House is completely filled to the max. 00:13:43.22\00:13:47.39 And the Bible says there were many lamps in the room. 00:13:48.56\00:13:51.09 In other words, you're in a warm house. 00:13:51.96\00:13:54.23 You're in a packed house. 00:13:54.86\00:13:56.63 And then you've got many lamps are torches 00:13:57.60\00:14:00.27 that are giving out fumes and toxins. 00:14:01.17\00:14:03.57 That makes it difficult for him to breathe. 00:14:04.51\00:14:06.84 In other words, there is a lack of ventilation 00:14:07.88\00:14:10.81 that makes the atmosphere toxic. 00:14:11.51\00:14:13.62 You see, the 00:14:14.88\00:14:15.98 lack of ventilation is what drives him to the window. 00:14:16.02\00:14:19.45 You see, ventilation 00:14:19.99\00:14:20.99 is the intentional circulation of outside air. 00:14:21.02\00:14:25.26 You see, when a room is ventilated, 00:14:26.09\00:14:27.73 what happens is it dilutes the toxins. 00:14:28.60\00:14:30.83 When there is circulation, 00:14:31.47\00:14:32.93 it keeps the atmosphere from being stale. 00:14:32.97\00:14:35.70 When there is ventilation, 00:14:36.34\00:14:37.61 it keeps the toxins from building up. 00:14:37.64\00:14:40.31 And especially for those that have compromised 00:14:41.34\00:14:43.45 lungs are young, underdeveloped lungs. 00:14:43.48\00:14:46.51 Now hear me. 00:14:46.55\00:14:47.52 All folk need ventilation, 00:14:47.55\00:14:50.12 but a lack of circulation affects those 00:14:51.05\00:14:54.09 with compromised lungs and young lungs differently. 00:14:54.12\00:14:58.03 In other words, the old folks are okay with the heat. 00:14:59.19\00:15:02.33 The adults can maneuver in a stale atmosphere. 00:15:03.30\00:15:06.53 The old folk are able to handle a static environment. 00:15:07.64\00:15:11.01 The young folk are used to a certain toxicity in church, 00:15:12.14\00:15:15.81 but they don't realize that that toxicity 00:15:16.78\00:15:18.98 they've gotten used to is choking out. 00:15:19.01\00:15:22.12 The one young person in the service. 00:15:22.15\00:15:24.69 And see friends of mine. 00:15:26.09\00:15:27.26 I need you to know that this is proof 00:15:27.29\00:15:29.39 that there can be a service 00:15:29.42\00:15:30.99 where the old folk are being born again 00:15:31.03\00:15:34.20 while the kids are being choked out at the same time. 00:15:35.26\00:15:38.00 I see. 00:15:38.70\00:15:39.23 Can I suggest the reason 00:15:39.27\00:15:40.67 that some of our churches 00:15:40.70\00:15:41.94 are using losing their young people is 00:15:41.97\00:15:44.44 there is a lack of spiritual circulation in the church. 00:15:44.47\00:15:48.44 In other words, no fresh air is touching our congregation. 00:15:49.68\00:15:53.28 There is no circle lacing of new ideas and thoughts. 00:15:54.42\00:15:57.32 And the older folk have gotten used to it. 00:15:58.22\00:16:00.22 And they don't even realize that the kids 00:16:01.19\00:16:03.09 can't even breathe in the church atmosphere. 00:16:04.03\00:16:06.59 And let me be clear, Saints, that I am not naive. 00:16:07.66\00:16:10.77 I was born at night, not last night. 00:16:10.80\00:16:13.10 I understand that 00:16:13.60\00:16:14.77 there are some young people that are determined to do wrong. 00:16:14.80\00:16:18.21 I get that there are some, like the prodigal son 00:16:19.27\00:16:21.01 who cannot wait to explore the far country. 00:16:22.01\00:16:24.21 But I believe that 00:16:24.71\00:16:25.78 there are still some utica's young people among us 00:16:25.81\00:16:29.25 that are trying to abide in Christ. 00:16:30.12\00:16:32.29 They just struggle to maintain in the stale 00:16:33.25\00:16:36.09 atmosphere of church culture. 00:16:36.12\00:16:38.36 And see, I simply want to admonish every pastor, 00:16:39.43\00:16:42.40 every youth leader to evaluate your ministry, 00:16:43.40\00:16:45.97 to look at your process, and to see does it reflect stale 00:16:47.10\00:16:50.54 air or is the wind of the holy Ghost able to revive 00:16:50.57\00:16:56.18 the atmosphere of the youth culture at your church? 00:16:57.31\00:16:59.95 In other words, the question is how many of our youth Sabbath 00:17:01.25\00:17:03.85 school classes have good ventilation? 00:17:03.89\00:17:06.32 In other words, are some of our Sabbath school 00:17:07.46\00:17:09.89 classes the same? 00:17:09.92\00:17:11.43 And 2024 as they were in 1984? 00:17:11.46\00:17:15.73 Has God breathed on your a y program? 00:17:17.13\00:17:20.50 Are we doing the same things? 00:17:21.20\00:17:22.70 30 as we were 30 years ago when we were coming through? 00:17:22.74\00:17:27.14 If we were to look at a federation program 00:17:28.04\00:17:30.41 from 15 years ago, when it looked exactly 00:17:31.35\00:17:34.05 like the things that we did today, 00:17:34.88\00:17:36.65 are the kids in your church able to breathe 00:17:37.65\00:17:39.82 or are they suffering from asphyxiation 00:17:40.76\00:17:43.39 from the staleness of church culture? 00:17:44.79\00:17:47.30 And see this crazy because, man, we walk around 00:17:48.33\00:17:50.53 and we blame a certain generation 00:17:51.33\00:17:52.53 because they've not come back to the church post-pandemic. 00:17:52.57\00:17:55.20 We say, man, the young adults 00:17:55.90\00:17:56.94 haven't come back to church since the pandemic. 00:17:56.97\00:17:59.24 No, it's not that. 00:17:59.74\00:18:00.68 They're just not coming back to church. 00:18:00.71\00:18:02.48 The truth is that they've gotten some fresh air online. 00:18:02.51\00:18:06.11 And when you've had some fresh air, it's hard to go back 00:18:07.32\00:18:10.29 to a stale church climate where it's hard to breathe. 00:18:10.32\00:18:14.52 In other words, 00:18:14.96\00:18:15.99 they just not coming back to the same old, same old. 00:18:16.02\00:18:18.59 They're not coming back to business as usual. 00:18:19.56\00:18:21.70 They're not coming back to the status quo. 00:18:22.60\00:18:24.57 You've got to have some circulation 00:18:25.40\00:18:27.24 in order to win that generation 00:18:28.44\00:18:30.81 and see if they're going to be some environments that 00:18:30.84\00:18:32.87 that there are some environments 00:18:32.91\00:18:34.18 where we as adults, we've gotten used to it. 00:18:34.21\00:18:36.51 But there are certain environments 00:18:37.35\00:18:38.65 that keep the kids from being able to breathe. 00:18:38.68\00:18:42.28 Okay, y'all mad? 00:18:42.72\00:18:43.39 So I might as well stay here. 00:18:43.42\00:18:46.25 So if you're okay in a church environment 00:18:47.16\00:18:50.16 where after Sabbath dinner conversation 00:18:51.09\00:18:53.29 is filled with gossip and critique, 00:18:53.33\00:18:56.63 you're giving all fumes that the kids are unable to breathe 00:18:56.67\00:19:00.67 in a church culture where 00:19:01.70\00:19:03.34 when the girl gets pregnant, she's put out 00:19:03.37\00:19:06.07 and the boy is on the basketball team next Saturday night. 00:19:07.24\00:19:10.21 That culture makes it hard for them to breathe. 00:19:11.25\00:19:13.98 In churches where we spend money on things that have no value. 00:19:15.22\00:19:18.59 But when it comes to Gillette and you, 00:19:19.49\00:19:20.86 Congress and Federation, 00:19:20.89\00:19:22.82 the kids have to raise the money for themselves. 00:19:22.86\00:19:26.33 That environment makes it hard for them to breathe 00:19:27.40\00:19:30.30 in, in an environment 00:19:30.87\00:19:32.10 where we've allowed cringe worthy, touchy deacons 00:19:32.13\00:19:36.50 that love to hug on young girls, to operate with impunity, 00:19:37.67\00:19:41.58 with nobody sitting them down or calling them out. 00:19:42.68\00:19:45.81 It makes it hard for them to breathe. 00:19:46.72\00:19:50.75 In homes where there is no worship. 00:19:52.15\00:19:54.52 It makes it hard for the kids to breathe and say my prayer. 00:19:55.79\00:19:58.43 For every pastor, for every one leader, for every Pathfinder 00:19:58.46\00:20:03.47 is that you evaluate the circulation in your room. 00:20:04.57\00:20:07.27 Is there anybody that just wants to call on God and say, 00:20:08.47\00:20:11.04 Lord, create some circulation in my church? 00:20:11.07\00:20:14.21 Lord, bring down the toxicity in my church. 00:20:15.21\00:20:17.58 Lord Break up this down this in my church. 00:20:18.48\00:20:20.65 Lord, I need you to do a new thing 00:20:21.48\00:20:23.35 in the body of Christ. 00:20:23.92\00:20:25.15 We need you to revive us again 00:20:25.19\00:20:28.19 and see what I need somebody to know. 00:20:29.56\00:20:31.43 Is that just because you've gotten used to it 00:20:31.46\00:20:34.20 doesn't mean it's not stale. 00:20:34.86\00:20:38.13 Listen, I remember me, man. 00:20:38.80\00:20:39.87 Probably about ten years 00:20:39.90\00:20:40.94 ago, 13 years ago, when my oldest son was a baby. 00:20:40.97\00:20:43.84 I remember one day my wife had gone up 00:20:44.74\00:20:46.27 and I had to change a very full and and terrible diaper. 00:20:47.41\00:20:51.25 And so after I changed the diaper and got him 00:20:52.18\00:20:54.65 cleaned up, I laid the diaper to aside for the moment. 00:20:54.68\00:20:58.29 But then the phone rang and I had to attend to something else. 00:20:59.52\00:21:02.32 And because I got busy, that diaper, 00:21:03.12\00:21:05.29 which was very offensive at the start. 00:21:05.33\00:21:07.60 After a while, after being with it so long, 00:21:10.20\00:21:13.20 I couldn't even smell the stink of it anymore. 00:21:14.17\00:21:16.71 And it wasn't until my wife walked into the room 00:21:17.77\00:21:20.31 and covered up her entire face that I realized 00:21:21.34\00:21:24.18 what had happened. 00:21:24.21\00:21:25.55 And what I learned that day 00:21:25.58\00:21:27.32 is that just 00:21:27.35\00:21:28.45 because you got used to it doesn't mean it don't stink. 00:21:28.48\00:21:31.39 Oh, y'all might be quiet today 00:21:32.09\00:21:33.62 just because you've gotten used to a church with Stinky music 00:21:33.66\00:21:38.13 and stinking programs and stinking atmosphere 00:21:39.09\00:21:41.80 and sorry leaders and elders that don't study 00:21:42.80\00:21:45.30 and youth leaders that don't show up. 00:21:46.20\00:21:47.57 It doesn't mean 00:21:47.60\00:21:49.14 that it don't stink. 00:21:51.57\00:21:52.54 Are y'all hearing me today, Trance? 00:21:52.57\00:21:55.81 Second thing this story teaches us 00:21:56.91\00:22:00.42 is that attendance 00:22:00.45\00:22:01.92 alone is not anchoring. 00:22:01.95\00:22:05.52 Let me say it again 00:22:08.49\00:22:10.16 that church attendance alone is not anchored. 00:22:11.16\00:22:13.43 Also with me, church. 00:22:14.00\00:22:15.80 So? So we catch one man because he is there in the window. 00:22:15.83\00:22:18.47 Now, I need you to be clear 00:22:19.13\00:22:20.24 that he's not trying to get away from the service member. 00:22:20.27\00:22:21.47 Man Utica's is just trying to survive the service. 00:22:21.50\00:22:25.04 And it's crazy because. 00:22:25.77\00:22:26.94 MAN One of the things that's tripping me out is I read this. 00:22:26.98\00:22:29.84 Louis There is nobody panicked 00:22:29.88\00:22:33.11 by my man 00:22:36.05\00:22:37.19 nodding off in the window 00:22:37.22\00:22:39.29 like nobody calls a board meeting. 00:22:40.12\00:22:42.52 Nobody's in an uproar. 00:22:42.56\00:22:44.33 There is no sense of desperation 00:22:44.36\00:22:46.16 that this young cat is on a ledge three floors up 00:22:46.19\00:22:50.37 and falling asleep. 00:22:51.60\00:22:53.34 But the reason ain't nobody tripping, Kirk. 00:22:53.37\00:22:55.47 It's because they just glad he's in the service. 00:22:56.54\00:22:58.31 Oh, I can see the old folks patting themselves on the back. 00:22:59.87\00:23:03.88 How? We've got some young people in our midnight 00:23:04.88\00:23:07.35 prayer meeting. 00:23:07.38\00:23:08.68 You know how we talk, man. 00:23:08.72\00:23:10.25 Oh, I see your boy Utica over there. 00:23:10.29\00:23:12.35 And you might. 00:23:12.79\00:23:13.86 Utica has to sit up cause somebody calls his name. 00:23:13.89\00:23:15.16 He wasn't paying attention, and and they're just so glad 00:23:15.19\00:23:17.83 because Utica could have been anywhere. 00:23:18.76\00:23:19.76 Anywhere. 00:23:19.79\00:23:20.83 But Utica is here in the house of God. 00:23:22.13\00:23:24.87 And there is something about us as older folk 00:23:25.83\00:23:28.40 that just feels okay because they're in the building. 00:23:29.47\00:23:33.88 We believe that there is an anointing and proxy 00:23:33.91\00:23:37.81 and in proximity. 00:23:38.31\00:23:39.65 But how many of us know that it gets to a point where 00:23:39.68\00:23:42.55 the only thing present in the service is his body? 00:23:42.58\00:23:46.52 Thank you so much for joining us for The Breath of Life, 00:23:47.66\00:23:50.83 Television Ministries broadcast with Pastor Debleaire Snell. 00:23:50.86\00:23:55.13 We hope and pray 00:23:55.56\00:23:56.77 that you have been blessed by his powerful message. 00:23:56.80\00:23:59.50 Join us next week for part two of the message. 00:24:00.60\00:24:03.37 Adults Only. 00:24:03.41\00:24:05.17 You Don't Want To Miss. 00:24:05.21\00:24:06.74 Are you tired of just being tired? 00:24:06.78\00:24:09.41 Are you frustrated because your results never change? 00:24:10.55\00:24:13.45 Do you feel like life is just going in circles? 00:24:14.48\00:24:16.99 I'm excited to introduce my newest book 00:24:17.82\00:24:20.36 entitled ExcuseLess and I'm going to be 00:24:21.29\00:24:23.59 talking about how to cancel the excuses 00:24:23.63\00:24:26.56 that smother our social wellness. 00:24:27.36\00:24:29.03 I need you to know that your issue is not 00:24:29.06\00:24:30.97 your circumstances. 00:24:31.00\00:24:32.37 It's not the challenges. 00:24:32.40\00:24:34.20 It is the lies that we tell ourselves about 00:24:34.24\00:24:37.07 why we're not progressing. 00:24:37.11\00:24:38.71 When you tell yourself, I don't have enough time, 00:24:38.74\00:24:40.84 I don't have enough resources, I don't have enough money. 00:24:42.04\00:24:44.15 Those are the excuses that are keeping you 00:24:45.11\00:24:46.68 from becoming whom God has called you to be. 00:24:46.72\00:24:49.32 So this book 00:24:49.72\00:24:50.79 is going to be talking to you about how to manage 00:24:50.82\00:24:52.65 your distractions, how to overcome your fears, 00:24:53.69\00:24:55.46 how to walk through procrastination, 00:24:56.26\00:24:57.79 and to become the best version of yourself. 00:24:58.79\00:25:00.60 So join me on Saturday, April the 13th, as I begin 00:25:01.66\00:25:04.90 a teaching series entitled ExcuseLess. 00:25:04.93\00:25:07.70 Every Saturday and Wednesday, 00:25:08.40\00:25:09.87 we're going to walk through the Word of God 00:25:09.90\00:25:11.74 and give you the cheat code 00:25:11.77\00:25:13.64 to having a life filled with progress. 00:25:13.68\00:25:15.71 And then I want you to join us starting Sunday, April 00:25:15.74\00:25:18.65 the 14th, for our 21 days of free. 00:25:18.68\00:25:21.98 We're going to march through the content of the book. 00:25:23.05\00:25:24.25 We're going to testify. 00:25:24.29\00:25:25.25 We're going to call on the name of the Lord. 00:25:25.29\00:25:27.46 And we're going to grow as a community of faith. 00:25:27.49\00:25:30.26 You'll be able to get the book. 00:25:30.96\00:25:31.96 ExcuseLess on our Breath of Life website 00:25:31.99\00:25:35.20 at www.breathoflife.tv or on Amazon dot com. 00:25:36.20\00:25:39.93 You can join us for 21 days on our open university church 00:25:41.17\00:25:43.84 platforms and on our breadth of life platforms. 00:25:43.87\00:25:47.21 I need you to know that we're about to start a revolution. 00:25:48.44\00:25:50.91 There's about to be a growth grenade. 00:25:51.78\00:25:53.78 I want invite you to join me on this journey 00:25:54.78\00:25:56.92 as we begin the process of becoming excuses. 00:25:57.85\00:26:01.56 Hey, family. 00:26:04.03\00:26:05.09 I know the weekends can be long. 00:26:05.13\00:26:07.50 They can be hard. 00:26:07.56\00:26:08.83 And you go through a lot. 00:26:08.86\00:26:10.87 And so at the end of each week, I want to encourage you to 00:26:10.90\00:26:14.17 join me and the Breath of Life team for the weekend. 00:26:14.20\00:26:17.94 Exhale with BOL 00:26:17.97\00:26:20.04 we were having these programs on Sunday, 00:26:20.98\00:26:22.74 but now we want to begin the weekend 00:26:23.55\00:26:25.15 giving you a little nourishment, a little nurture, 00:26:25.18\00:26:28.02 giving you a little boost as you start the weekend. 00:26:29.15\00:26:30.89 Every first Friday, I'm going to be doing a Bible study 00:26:32.02\00:26:34.69 entitled The Playbook, 00:26:34.72\00:26:36.42 where we're going to be looking 00:26:36.46\00:26:37.43 at issues of doctrine and culture 00:26:37.46\00:26:39.49 through the lens of the Scripture. 00:26:40.33\00:26:41.60 You don't have to guess. 00:26:41.63\00:26:43.00 You don't have to hope. 00:26:43.03\00:26:44.23 God is giving us a script in the word 00:26:44.27\00:26:46.77 because the word is his playbook. 00:26:47.60\00:26:49.37 I'm gonna invite you to join me every second Friday for a show 00:26:49.40\00:26:52.41 called Point of View, where Gianna and I do a deep dove 00:26:52.44\00:26:56.71 into issues of marriage, dating and relationships. 00:26:56.75\00:27:00.32 Every third Friday, join Pastor Nugent 00:27:01.22\00:27:03.59 and myself in the Vision Lab where we're going to be making 00:27:03.62\00:27:07.22 a heavy deposit into leaders of all ills. 00:27:07.26\00:27:11.09 We're going to be pouring into pastors, 00:27:12.03\00:27:13.43 entrepreneurs, CEOs, ministry leaders, authors. 00:27:14.36\00:27:17.40 And we're going to be talking about how to build that vision 00:27:18.67\00:27:20.14 and move it from an idea to a reality. 00:27:20.97\00:27:22.94 And then on the fourth Friday, 00:27:23.64\00:27:24.94 we're introducing a new program called What Just Happened. 00:27:24.97\00:27:29.21 We're going to be looking at whatever 00:27:30.11\00:27:31.28 the trending topics in culture are Danita, Pastor Nugent 00:27:31.31\00:27:34.78 and myself. 00:27:34.82\00:27:35.65 We're going to be addressing whatever 00:27:35.68\00:27:37.32 the trending culture topic is for that week or that month. 00:27:37.35\00:27:41.22 We're going to be engaging with you. 00:27:42.09\00:27:43.22 We're going to be answering your questions 00:27:43.26\00:27:45.26 and trying to figure out how we as believers 00:27:45.29\00:27:48.23 find our place in the larger culture. 00:27:49.10\00:27:51.30 We go through a lot during the weekends. 00:27:52.23\00:27:53.57 You can get overwhelmed. 00:27:53.60\00:27:55.04 You can get a little stressed out. 00:27:55.07\00:27:56.81 But before you go into the weekend, 00:27:56.84\00:27:58.34 take a moment and join us to stop, breathe and 00:27:58.37\00:28:02.48 Exhale with BOL 00:28:02.51\00:28:05.01 (Breath Of life Music) 00:28:05.05\00:28:10.15