So I was thinking...

Blown Away!

2012-01-23T09:27:00.000-08:00

I don't have a lot to say today because in my defense it is Monday and for a pastor Monday's are the day when the brain decides to take a bit of a break. Anyway, I had to take just a few moments to express how truly blown away I am by what God is doing at Breakthrough Church. New people are coming to the church and coming to know Christ every week and I heard numerous stories this weekend of life change and challenge as Michelle and I got to hang out with new families. Someone even pulled me aside yesterday after several people crossed over from death into life and said "Dude when you can preach a message that tough about GIVING and people still ask Christ into their lives... God MUST be up to something!" You heard right, I preached on having a generous spirit yesterday - on tithing and giving and people came to know Christ!! And I have to agree - God is "up to something" something unique and BIG... You want to be in on it... Don't You?! See you Sunday then?

That HURTS!!

2012-01-18T09:04:00.000-08:00

So today I just wanted to share something that I shared with our team at Breakthrough last fall concerning growth.

Growth isn't easy, in fact it is down right painful - I remember as a child many a night, during those times I would experience a growth spurt, that my dad would massage my legs and knees and place a pillow under them at night to alleviate some of the pain as my body underwent change. IT HURT - no doubt about it. Yet with each of those seasons came the encouraging thought that once I had endured the pain I would be taller as a result. Sometimes it was slight at no more than 1/2 inch or so and in other times it was visibly noticeable as much as 2 or 3 inches! BUT, I had to go through the process of pain in order to be taller and bigger.

The same still holds true today - no I am not going to grow to 6' 7" and start playing pro ball, but I do have to face the process of pain. Sometimes people say things that in the moment make me mad at THEM... even though I know they are right. Sometimes God reveals something to me which I thought I was over, or had at least hidden well, and I get upset... even though I know He's right. It is painful, it is not easy to hear much less embrace, but it does not change the fact that in ministry in life and as a person I MUST, and YOU MUST, learn to embrace accountability and confrontation (PAIN) in order to grow!!

The only difference between my physical growth as a child and my development as a leader and a person is that in the first growth was inevitable, in the second growth is optional! You can chose to face challenge and accountability and rebel crying out about the "unfairness" of it all... OR you can grow up and respond with a mindset of seeking to stand taller when it is all said and done. I don't know about you but I want to stand taller - to mature. How about you? How will you respond?

~PN

I'm Not as Good as ___________!

2012-01-05T06:51:00.000-08:00

I know you did it... We all do. As soon as you read that you filled in that blank with someone that you constantly place yourself against as a standard to measure your accomplishments or lack thereof. It is part of our human nature to compare ourselves to one another. We start at a young age debating whose dad is bigger or who is taller, faster, stronger and we continue doing so well into adulthood. And sometimes we come out "on top"! We prove ourselves to be the stronger one or the smarter one or the more successful one. And the Bible warns us about that Here and Here.

But I think that often times the greater struggle we have as we grow older (not necessarily wiser) is that comparison frustrates us because we see those who have "done it better" or "gotten there faster". I can't count how many times I have personally struggled with this! For those who don't know my wife and I were told when we began trying to start a family that we would very likely never have any kids. While this broke our hearts - the greater frustration came as we interacted with those who blinked at each other, got pregnant and "...weren't really trying". Our comparison drove us nuts! And I won't even begin to talk about the frustration that we have experienced launching a church - someone is always growing faster, baptizing more, adding more staff than we are.

Paul writes in Galatians 6:4 - Do your own work well, and then you will have something to be proud of. But don’t compare yourself with others.

See the solution is simple stop trying to determine or measure success and pace and productivity by what everyone else is doing!! Simply ask yourself this - "Am I doing what HE has asked of me?" Don't worry about how fast they get "there" or how much better they do "it". Too many times we become frustrated in life because someone else has "done it better" or "got there faster" and as a result we simply throw our hands up in defeat. I want to encourage you today - Don't fail to fulfill your purpose on the basis of comparison! Do what you do and do it well and BE PROUD!!

~Nate

I QUIT!!

2012-01-03T09:09:00.000-08:00

Yep - you read it right - I QUIT!

I did it because I had to for my own well being. I did it because I was becoming more concerned about what people said and thought about me than I was with what God said and thought about me. I did it because I regularly found myself pulled away from my kids and my wife only to return to them frustrated and at times outright angry. I QUIT - and I feel... better. No I feel better than that I feel free and light again!

Now some of you are panicking right now thinking "What does he mean He QUIT?!?!" I quit social media. In September of 2011 I stepped away from blogging. In November I walked away from Facebook, and aside from linking my tweets still don't plan on going back there for a while. Then in December I abandoned Twitter. I trashed the apps on my phone, removed the bookmarks from my browser - dropped it all. And it has been great - I have found a new sense of fulfillment in REAL Face-to-Face relationships with people that I care about. And I have lost nothing accept the anxiety that accompanies passive aggressive comment, Facebook and twitter grenades that only ticked me off and hindered my REAL relationships. I have laughed more, celebrated more and feel more like myself again - THANK GOD!!

So all of that begs the question - "Why do we see you tweeting and blogging again?!" Honestly it's because I feel like I have something to say again. It's because I feel as though I can communicate a message without becoming obsessed with public opinion and response again.

For me this year has greeted me with the promise of new growth that has come as a result of a difficult year filled with pruning and change and I can honestly say that I look forward to sharing with those who choose to come along. My Blog is going to undergo some changes, My tweets will simply be an outward expression of what is going on in my life that I HOPE speaks to you. And Facebook well - don't expect to see me around there anytime soon!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR - 2012 is going to be a great one!!

~Nate

When You Praise - Part 1.

2011-09-20T06:41:00.000-07:00

I thought I would take the next few days to share some things God has been renewing in my heart regarding worship. Today I wanted to take some time and share what worship is NOT.

For far too long we have allowed worshiping God to become about Personalities, Preferences, and Programming and so we miss the point and miss GOD! You say “What do you mean Nate?”

1) Personality – We (church/pastors/leaders) have enabled and encouraged people to worship the Lord “In Their Own Way” Ever Heard That? You know the crazy thing is I can’t find ANY scriptural support for that at all! Spirit and Truth – yes, Beauty of Holiness – yes, Clapping, dancing, singing, giving – yes, yes, yes, yes.... But that is what we have passed on and so when someone makes the statement “I just don’t worship God ‘that way’ I’m not that expressive” we have no other possible response aside from “OK!”

WHY? Because if it is about “In their Own Way” then all of a sudden their personality becomes the standard by which they praise – The thing is worship is not ABOUT your personality or what you would “normally” do. It is about honoring HIS personality.

2) Preference – "I don’t like this song!" "I don’t like hymns!" "I don’t like rap!" "I don’t like those 'Jump up and down' songs or Touchy feely songs"

Yeah so, let me really dive in to some deep theological waters here. WHO CARES!!! God likes ANY SONG that honors Him. God does not sit up in heaven saying could you please cool it with the “How Great Thou Art” I’m more of a Chris Tomlin kind of God. Can I be straight with you there are songs that we do at Breakthrough Church I really don’t like but if I only worship to what I like I am limiting my view, understanding, and experience with God!!

Isaiah said in Isaiah 61:3 that Jesus would come to clothe us with the “Garment of Praise” not the “garment of preference” – God wants the praise He is worthy of not the praise you deem acceptable! And what He is worthy of takes every ounce of creativity and expression known to man and MORE!

**And listen even if it isn’t your “style”, praise will always be a better garment than despair.

3) Programming/Production – First of all let me say we do a good deal of prep, programming and production at Breakthrough. I believe in it and I think when used PROPERLY it can enhance a worship service because those using their gifts and abilities in those arenas are worshiping BUT - We need to come to a place where we can worship Him in complete silence just as much as we can with the drums thumpin’, the band crankin’, and all of the latest greatest technology. Worship CANNOT be all about the the best lighting sequences, video production and sound mixing.

Are they great tools to lead us TO Him? Yes - but they can also become distractions FROM Him.

The new edgy teaching series can't possibly accomplish what a moment in His presence can. The greatest graphics and video bumpers can't accomplish what a moment in His presence can. Our programming PALES in comparison to His presence.

LET'S WORSHIP!!

Shacking Up and Marrying for change!

2011-09-01T06:13:00.000-07:00

Yesterday's post inspired me to share this today because I am feeling kind of froggy, so buckle up! There are two mindsets that seem to be rather prevalent in churches today that I want to simply expose this morning because to be honest... they are getting on my flipping NERVES!! But, if there is one thing that I know, it is that often times it is our ignorance or obliviousness to a behavior that allows us to continue to perpetuate said behavior. So let's deal with it!

The first mindset in the church that really gets my goat is this "Shack Up - Christianity" we have got going on. For those of you who are thinking WHAT? Let me explain - SUC is the belief that I can breeze in to a church get my needs met and maybe even settle in for a little bit without ever actually making a commitment. It is the equivalent of a live in boyfriend who gets all the benefits of being married with the added benefit of being able to walk away at any old time no strings attached. (BTW - Yes that is wrong as well) Anyway, I explained to someone this way once and while it shocked their brains out of their head they got the point and replied "You Should Use that Pastor" So I will - we have TOO MANY people in the church that are treating church just like their last throw away relationship - They are having "Sex" with the church until they are bored and unsatisfied and then they move on to the next one without ever putting on a ring!! The modern church is thriving where people make a commitment to stand alongside of a church and it's leadership instead of moving on every time they feel as though their needs aren't being met. And yes I did say THE CHURCH IS THRIVING in those cases where people make that commitment but we must educate people on that commitment and call them to do so.
This is gettin' lengthy so I am gonna be brief here - "I'll Marry Him AND Change Him" How many times have I heard or seen this from young women who swear they can do this to a man. Ladies if he NEEDS that much changing for you to be happy with him then he IS NOT the man for you. And the same holds true for the church. If you do make a commitment to a local body please don't do it with the mindset that you are going to "change" it. Can you offer something to make it better - OF COURSE. Do you want to see it grow -DEFINITELY. But if your commitment if born out of a belief that that church needs changing so you'll join to see if you can make your way through the ranks and then "FIX IT" then stop now - turn around - read yesterday's post and find somewhere that you can support the leadership!

~PN

Who's Driving This Thing?!?

2011-08-31T06:04:00.000-07:00

So, today might be for a pastor... or perhaps it is for a church planter... or maybe it's even for the very people I will be describing who need a fresh perspective on this!

Breakthrough has been blessed this past year to experience some phenomenal growth both spiritually and numerically. However, in the midst of that I have had to fight some fairly significant battles with people over "where this thing is headed".

In ministry, especially church planting, there will ALWAYS be people who thing they know more about the Bible than you - and sometimes they will.

There will always be people who believe they are "more spiritual" than you - and sometimes they are.

And THEN there will be people who believe that God has given them the best vision for the church -and they are wrong!

Now, before someone gets mad and writes me to call me arrogant - let me explain. Pastor - God has called YOU to lead that church/ministry. Church planter he called YOU to plant the church. Which means that within you He has deposited a divine purpose and vision for that ministry. At some point someone is going to come along and tell you you are doing it all wrong - and if it hasn't happened yet you really need to deal with this question! WHO IS DRIVING THIS THING?

Let me give you an example on one extreme end - If God has called you to Pastor a rural church in the mountains of Appalachia and he has given you a vision that entails verse-by-verse exegesis of the scripture with some country flair and verses 1,2 and 4 of every hymn you sing and that's reaching people (please don't miss that). Then DO IT and don't let someone else come in and tell you other wise! God gave YOU the vision and people are coming to know Christ and are growing in knowledge of and relationship with Him!

Or, let's say you have a vision for teaching topically with a lot of application and illustration in order to speak to and invest in a culture that desperately needs to hear that Jesus cares about THIS LIFE just as much as He does the AFTERLIFE. You teach people that love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control are the true evidence of the Spirit of God in your life and that's reaching people. They are coming to know Christ weekly and are growing in knowledge of and relationship with Him! And then someone wants to know why you aren't more "charismatic". Ask yourself WHO IS DRIVING THE BUS?!

I know, I know many of you reading this, ESPECIALLY church planters with young churches desperate to keep everyone who walks in, are asking "What if they leave?". My answer is simple - LET THEM!! If they came to the church God laid on your heart to invest in and grow then they will either live by Hebrews 13:17 or they will leave and find somewhere that they can. It's not that they are wrong or bad it's just that they are in the wrong place. If they don't believe in your vision (God given of course) and are there seeking only to change it then they are in the wrong place and for you to try and keep them there will only frustrate BOTH OF YOU.

Pastors, Leaders Get in the seat and drive!!

~PN

Roadblocks, Speed Bumps and Potholes

2011-08-23T06:34:00.000-07:00

So I know that sounds more like a post from the NCDOT than from me but stick with me for a second and I will make this brief. I grew up in the "holler" - and, well if you don't know what that is God gave us Google for a reason. Anyway there were a lot of back-roads that were, shall we say, little more than goat trails. And many of them, the further you drove the worse they got. I remember when I would go to a new friend's house as a kid and then especially once I started driving as a teenager - that there would often be times when I would begin to think the more humps, bumps and holes that I hit that I surely had to be on the WRONG ROAD! Even though I was following the directions I was given it had to be wrong.

You know how that is - someone invites you to their house for the first time and as you are heading there you transition from well maintained state roads, to some more private drives, to the old cracked beat up road with potholes the size of a small pool. And you can't help but think surely this isn't the right way. We've all been there and we can all recall that moment when on the other side of that last hill riddled with holes or just around that last bend on a bumpy dirt road we reached the very place we were headed.

Or maybe we turned around went back to where we came from and called and said we couldn't find it...

I hope you are seeing the word picture here - Sometimes in life the enemy uses deliberate and distinct roadblocks to try and convince us to abandon our pursuit of God's purpose and turn around and head back. But... most of the time I have discovered that Satan would rather use a few subtle strategically placed humps, bumps and potholes to plant the seed in our minds that SURELY we must be on the wrong road. Even though we have the directions in hand it can't be right. WHY? Because "Satan would throw a roadblock in my way if he didn't like it - and God wouldn't take me down a road like this" - Really? The next time you think about abandoning the journey because you doubt the route is right - I encourage you... KEEP GOING. One last hill riddled with holes, one last bend on a bumpy dirt road and you're there!

~PN

Quit with Your Praying Already!!

2011-08-17T06:11:00.000-07:00

Honestly I hope that title got some attention and on some level I hope it even ticked a few people off! Do you know why? Because I didn't say it - GOD DID. As I was reading today I came to a passage that is familiar to anyone who has been to church more than three times or is a fan of the Charlton Heston classic The Ten Commandments. In Exodus 14 you can read the story of Moses and the nation of Israel being pursued by Pharaoh and the Egyptian army as the come to the Red Sea and there within that account is a singular verse that jumped out and grabbed me today... verse 15 -

Then the LORD said to Moses, "Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on!

Wow - in a moment right before one of the great miracles recorded in history, in a moment just before an indescribably supernatural act that could only be executed by the hand of the Almighty Himself... God says SHUT UP WITH THE PRAYING ALREADY! Why? Well we have no idea what exactly Moses prayed prior to this response as it is not recorded but I can only imagine it went something like this

"God I know you are all powerful and awesome and I know that you told me that we were going to leave all that behind - the slavery, the bondage, the heartache - And I know that you have shown up before but God I think we are screwed this time. So, what do you want me to do? You just tell me what to do God - I'm waiting on you... " AND THEN God had heard enough and responded by saying Quit praying and start Acting, Move On! God essentially told Moses that he was wasting precious time and energy with his words when it was time to get going. Don't get me wrong there are plenty of times in my life that prayer was all I could do - BUT there have also been times in my life that I have labored in prayer so that I could avoid doing what I know I was supposed to - ACT!

Moses was terrified - all he saw where enemies chasing him, no escape to either side of him and a vast expanse of water in front of him. His eyes and his logic said I can't do anything so I guess I'll pray. But God said - why are you stopping keep going! "What's the point Nate?" The point is this the next time God tells you to do something that is then followed by enemies following hard behind, no escape to either side and what looks like a blocked path in front of you - Don't waste your time or energy praying for an answer HE already gave - MOVE ON!

~PN

What I learned in an allergists office

2011-08-08T12:24:00.000-07:00

So today has been interesting to say the least. In order to get you caught up to speed though I have to take you back to a week ago as My wife, three kids and I sat around the dinner table enjoying some insanely good Kung-Pow Chicken that my wife made. After all of the kids had all but inhaled their dinner we noticed that one of our kiddos - our youngest wasn't acting quite right and within a matter of minutes was covered in hives all over his face!! After some discussion and troubleshooting as to what could have caused this... it hit Michelle and I like a ton of bricks. PEANUTS!! The meal had peanuts in it and while our baby boy had this meal once before a peanut allergy usually does not rear it's ugly head upon first exposure -

Flash Forward to this morning and the 3 hour long appointment that ended with a confirmation for a severe peanut allergy and you can imagine our frustration. But it was in that moment Michelle and I CHOSE to be proactive we chose to ask questions and get the facts straight. And after asking what we needed to ask and obtaining the answers to satisfy those questions we came to a conclusion - this is not THAT BAD! Yes we will have to adjust some things, yes life is going to change a little bit for us but we will ADAPT and we will move forward. We could have allowed the wheels to fall off and fussed a griped about how "unfair" it all was but we CHOSE another route.

"What's the point of all of this?" You may say. The point is this, when faced with news or challenges that in the moment feel like the worst thing that could possibly happen, how often do we end up setting up camp in our frustration and disappointment. How often do we think to ourselves "I don't know WHAT I'm gonna do now"! The answer is simple - you assess, you adapt and you overcome. You grab hold of the information that you have been given and accept that NO AMOUNT of whining or belly aching will change what already has been or is. Then you make adaptations based on that information to ensure that you don't simply remain stationary stuck in the place that you are in that moment. And then... you move on - and while it might not feel like a win in the moment - the fact that you simply CHOSE to move forward is indeed a win.

~PN

The Big News!

2011-08-03T13:12:00.000-07:00

Affair Proofing your Marriage - Part 2

2011-07-25T11:29:00.000-07:00

Here is the continuation of the "ups" I began sharing last week - that will help you guard your eyes and heart against ADULTERY and will revolutionize your marriage! And for those still saying – “I’M Not married" – learn them now and you will be better for it!

3- Wake Up - When a problem arises stop pretending as though it isn’t there! And that goes for you as a couple and as individuals. You will never heal from and issue as a couple that you are unwilling to admit is an issue!! Even if one person is 95% at fault the other person still has to own their 5%. I read a blog from Perry Noble once that said - "All too often couples walk into a counseling situation convinced if the other person would just change into the person that they want them to be the marriage would be amazing. That attitude basically tells the other person, 'If you will simply make me your god and worship me then all will be wonderful!'" Remember It is not YOUR ROLE to point out their imperfections. Matthew 7:3-5 makes that point very plain (Yeah go read it)

**A side-note while I’m Here FESS UP- If you are struggling with the idea of an affair TELL SOMEONE!!!!!!!

4- Make Up – STOP HOLDING GRUDGES THAT YOU “SAY” YOU ARE OVER! I have seen this way more times than I care to have seen it - where a disagreement ensues and one the other or both parties in a marriage begin bringing up old issues and old wounds that they never really addressed. Read – Ephesians 4:26. The rule of thumb there is - never leave an issue unresolved because it will come back eventually and it will come back with a VENGEANCE!

5- Build Up – It sounds so simple but it is so true - take time to encourage and build up your spouse. Stop becoming so consumed with discussing all of the things going wrong that you fail to celebrate the things that go right! Women be your husbands' biggest cheerleader. Men be your wives' most trusted confidant and speak words of life to her!

Again - to hear the whole message check it out here and listen to Laws for life #5.

~PN

Affair Proofing your Marriage - Part 1!

2011-07-20T11:12:00.000-07:00

So we have been in a series at Breakthrough Church entitled TEN - A Look at Ten Laws for life. In case you haven't figured it out yet it's been all about the ten commandments and how they are indeed still relevant to us today. ANYWAY this past Sunday I taught on Adultery - what it is, how we end up there and how we can stop it from happening in our marriages. I thought I would take the next two days to share with you 5 "UPS" that we looked at that will help you guard your eyes and heart against ADULTERY and will revolutionize your marriage! And for those saying right now – “I’M Not married" – learn them now and you will be better for it!

1- Show Up –

Men- let me make this very simple for you if you do not want her to end up seeking satisfaction elsewhere you need to BE WITH HER! Not be there FOR her but be there WITH her. Every woman is looking for a deep emotional connection – the opportunity to share Hopes and Dreams and Disappointments. She wants to be held and she wants to know that She is more important than anything! Which means you need to STOP CHECKING OUT emotionally. One of the greatest PRESENTS you can give a woman is your PRESENCE. Taking the time to listen to her and invest in her! And that might mean giving up some things that are very important to you in order to prove she is the most important. Take a moment to Read Ephesians 5:25. We tend to say "yeah, yeah he laid down his life" But it was MORE than that– he laid down EVERYTHING power, prestige, position... all to have relationship! What will you lay down?

Ladies- Let me make this simple for you as well. He married you because you are beautiful YES, and you are FUNNY, and you are SMART. But one of the biggest reasons he married you… Get your pen ready… is that he wanted to have SEX with you! So - SHOW UP – And Not in curlers in a night gown – go talk to Victoria about her secret and share it with Him!! You say "But Nate I have self esteem issues" – He wants to be with you let him boost your self esteem and SHOW UP! And if you want some hard evidence on the importance of that sexual intimacy in a strong marriage go read the book of Song of Solomon... Yeah it's straight up adult eyes only!!

2- Grow Up –

Marriage is something that you think you understand until you get married… then you realize how wrong you were. When you say “I Do” you are making a vow to a lifetime of learning! That’s what it means to GROW UP – you gain wisdom and understanding from the Bible concerning how a man should treat His wife how he should protect her, cover her and encourage her (more on that later). As a woman you discover what it means to do the same for him - what it means to submit and trust his leadership, to encourage him and cheer for him. And listen the Bible is FULL of wisdom on this subject and there are so many great books about relationships and communication so read and learn! But don’t stop there BE A STUDENT OF YOUR SPOUSE! When you started dating you asked everything you could because you wanted to know about them. Everything from their favorite food to what they wanted to do in life. Then life happened and the questions stopped. And when we stop asking questions - we stop learning! Don't assume that who they were 10 years ago is who they are now - Learn about their likes NOW, their dislikes NOW, their dreams NOW! It's hard to get bored if you are always striving to learn.

More to come tomorrow - if you would like to hear the message in it's entirety click here and listen to Laws for Life #5.

~PN

Church Planting Wrap Up... At least for Now!

2011-07-12T07:27:00.000-07:00

Ok so I really thought this over through the weekend and I could go on and on here but I want to ensure that I am speaking to the rest of the audience that checks this blog so this will be my last church planter post... at least for now! So here are a few more things that I think MIGHT help any church planter out there.

Faith vs. Foolishness - There is a very fine line between the two and NO-ONE in your church, especially in it's infancy, will understand this line better than you and at times even you will miss it! But don't freak out about it - embrace it and set your foundation right on it's borders. Let me give you a concrete example: Take your facilities for instance - Faith says we don't really have the resources but people are coming to Christ we need more space and we trust God to fill in the gaps - Foolishness says stupid stuff like "If we build it they will come". Yeah it sounds great in a movie but try that stunt in real life and you'll just have a slightly bigger more empty building than you did before! Find the line and trust the spirit inside of you. I believe I heard Steven Furtick say one time that at Elevation Church in Charlotte they have never been more than like 85% sure of any decision they have made and with those they blazed forward without hesitation. So if you have 75% confidence in it faith the final 25% and go for it!
The Enemy is going to try and KILL you - NO that is not a figure of speech meaning he will beat you up real bad. I mean he will quite literally try to kill you. At the launch of Breakthrough just 3 years ago I was completely dehydrated, had not slept in weeks, had been running a fever of 104 for a month and had lost 40 lbs. I couldn't keep any food down (or in) and the doctors after running every test they could think of had NO CLUE what was going on. I preached the first sermon at Breakthrough and still have no idea what I said as the cheap music stand held me up. Sound terrifying? It was and if you don't believe in that kind of spiritual warfare you should probably bail out now because he will come for you, your wife, your kids, your marriage - everything. And the only advice I can give is ISAIAH 54:17 - say it over and over even when you feel like you are DONE! You are called to this don't quit!
No Ministry is more important than the ministry in your own home! PLEASE remember that! Because at they end of they day as much as they love you Pastor... they love there families more and they will drop you in a heartbeat to be with them so don't feel guilty for saying NO at times. Your wife needs to know you love her more than an appointment! Your kids need to see you more than the kids in the Children's ministry at your church. Your teenager needs your encouragement more than those youth do. Because ultimately what have you gained if you please 5000 and loose your family!

~PN

A few things I wish every POTENTIAL Church Planter knew - Part 3.

2011-07-06T09:02:00.000-07:00

A Few thoughts for today for Potential or even existing church planters. Once you have answered the "Why?" of church planting and found your motives to be pure and once you have answered the "Who?" of church planting to discover that it isn't just a dream it is YOUR call... Well now it's time to get to business and consider a few things! You are CALLED to this - He (God) called you not men and if that is true you need to understand that NO amount of frustration, NO amount of heartache, NO low attendance Sunday or lack of funds should now convince you to quit!

But please understand there are still some pitfalls that we need to be careful of!

Marketing vs. Mission - This one will lead a church plant to the end of it's budgetary rope quicker than anything else. The call to plant a church is NOT A CALL TO MARKET YOUR BRAND!! Now don't get me wrong I believe that we should have a presence in media from print to television and everything in between. But we cannot spend the vast majority of our resources (money, creativity and time) on marketing when we are called to a MISSION! You want to see the lost saved it won't be your marketing that does that it will be a clear, powerful and active vision and mission that point to Christ that will do that! Stop worrying about T-Shirts, TV, and Billboards (that will come in time) and worry about affecting life change in the community!
Imitation vs. Revelation - You're called... right? Then stop trying to model your church, your style and your communication after someone else and BE YOU! Be what your city needs not what Atlanta, Sydney, New York or Dallas needs (unless of course you are in one of those). Be who God created you to be (Ephesians 2:10) not a second hand copy of an original. Listen to GOD's voice and simply do what he asks of you and you can't go wrong!
People Pleasing vs. Pruning - You are called to reach the lost NOT pacify the pew warmers! You are going to discover really quick that people don't like you... and that is OK as long as you know God's heart is pleased. I always heard early in ministry that I need to actively pray the right people into my life and ministry - SO TRUE but even more important I have learned is to pray the right people OUT!! PRUNE GOD PRUNE. If they don't like it - let them go and Give God the room to do what he wants to take YOU and your ministry to new levels.

More tomorrow...

~PN
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A few things I wish every POTENTIAL Church Planter knew - Part 2.

2011-06-29T06:28:00.000-07:00

So, I started posting some thoughts on church planting yesterday that have now turned into several days worth of thoughts that I will continue posting until God says stop. A few planters who read this blog read yesterday's post and liked it right away because it rang true with them. And I am sure that one or two church planters who read my blog may have been a little ticked off and that's OK as long as it got you thinking.

Now, if you didn't get ticked yesterday this just might be the one that pushes you over the edge. One of the BIGGEST things I wish I could tell every potential church planter BEFORE they plant is this - Just Because you dreamed it, doesn't mean you should do it! Go ahead and get your fit over with and take 2 more minutes to finish reading this. One of the most detrimental occurrences taking place within the church today is young passionate ministers who dream of the way church should be and then make the mistake of confusing that dream with a call. You are thinking right now "NATE what in the world are you talking about?!" Well, a dream of what should be and a call to make it happen are two TOTALLY different things. "That's not BIBLICAL NATE!" Really maybe you should take a minute to read 2 Samuel 7:10-13. David dreamed of doing something great for his God. He dreamed of building a place for the people to come and worship. It was a good dream... A GOD dream. But God sent word to David in regards to executing that dream and said... "NO I want someone else to do it"!

The truth is that if you are dreaming of it, you may be called to do it! But there is also a real good chance that what you are dreaming is something God has already laid plans for. I know that recently my wife and I saw this lived out in front of us when we ate lunch with a great ministry couple who have now moved to Myrtle Beach, SC. They told us that after several years of dreaming of a church for this area they began to ask God if perhaps they were supposed to stay here and plant a church. God said NO! Then, one day they ended up at Breakthrough and after a few weeks came to realize why God said no - because in their words "the church we envisioned was the very thing Breakthrough is!"

So, before you start that church ask yourself - "Is this my dream or my call? Could the very think I want to start actually already be planned for someone else in the Heart of God or even already in the works and I just don't know it yet?"

Something to think about!

~PN

A few things I wish every POTENTIAL Church Planter knew - Part 1.

2011-06-27T09:21:00.000-07:00

If I had the opportunity to sit down with every potential church planter there are a few things I would say to encourage them, to alert them and to challenge them. First of all I say POTENTIAL church planter because I think many times in my interactions I come in to contact with guys that are SOLID ministers of the gospel - fueled by a passion to reach the lost and affect great change in their city - who are CALLED to do so but are not necessarily called to do it via church planting.

OK - so if some potential church planters or even some current planters are reading this I know I already have your attention and probably have you a little ticked off right now! So what do I want you to know

1- Why are you doing this? Ask yourself this question ALL OF THE TIME. Ask before you even finalize the decision to plant. Ask before you have a core team meeting. Ask before you try to cast any vision. Ask before you launch your first service to the public. And then ask it over and over until you die!! Because your true reason for doing this will at some point be revealed. The pressure will mount, a new opportunity will present itself to move on and you NEED TO KNOW why you are doing this because that and that alone will dictate whether you stick it out or run when it gets to hard. Seriously read - James 4:3 - A lot of church plants fail for just a few reasons and it all comes down to MOTIVE. What are some of the WRONG motives -

"Rolling Stone Magazine" Planter - WHAT?! There are too many young guys in my generation that think starting a church is a cool way to attain notoriety. "It's hip and happenin' all the cool kids are doing it so... why not me?" They will swear it's all about reaching the lost and changing a city but in the end they just want someone to notice them. There is NOTHING hip or happenin' or cool about church planting. It's REALLY freakin' hard. Some days you are going to want to jump off a building and some days you are going to want to push someone off. And truth be told most of the attention you are going to get is going to be from people who don't want you around!

"I Can Do It Better" Planter OR the "Pissed at my own Pastor" Planter- I run in to these more than any other. They are frustrated with how things have been done in the church they currently serve so there idea of a solution is "Start my own church and do it right". So here is the problem with that one. First of all you have an HONOR issue. And if your justification for starting a church is how WRONG your pastor gets it then you are already heading down a slippery slope! I know, In know you have all the answers but the truth is once you plant your church it won't take six months before someone else starts thinking of YOU the way you once thought of your Pastor. Tough luck - but what comes around goes around. Jesus even said that in Luke 6:37-38.

"NO ONE IS GETTING IT RIGHT!" This one differs slightly from the previous because a planter doesn't just plant because he feels his current church is failing but because ALL CHURCHES are failing. The danger here is that as a planter and as a church you can develop a Messiah complex that you are God's answer and His only answer to the problems of the city. That is narcissistic, arrogant and annoying and while a few people might come for the show it will NOT draw anyone to Christ! In reality - there is no such thing as any ONE church that gets it ALL right but in every city there are multiple churches getting A LOT right - More in regards to this tomorrow.

Since this is getting longer than the original SINGLE post I had planned, I'll come back with a few more thoughts tomorrow...

~PN

A Letter to Breakthrough Church...

2011-06-22T10:39:00.000-07:00

Good Morning... or afternoon depending on when you read this! I hope every single one of you has had a fantastic week so far and that you are seeing God move mightily in your life. I just wanted to take a quick moment and ask you to prayerfully consider a few things -

1- I would love it if several families who make the 10:35 service their worship service of choice here at Breakthrough, would consider the possibility of making the move to the 5:05 service. You might ask WHY? Well first of all let me start by saying this - we have seen God do some great things in this 5:05 service with many salvations taking place at that time as well as a significant percentage of our first time guests coming to that service time. The worship has been PHENOMENAL and I have loved teaching during that service as God often unveils some extra truths that I at times don't get to share in the 10:35.

Now as to the WHY question. First, we need the space - it may not look like it to you now but remember IT IS SUMMER and we are still seeing people come to Christ and join Breakthrough weekly. And while many families each week are away on vacation we are still filling the place. In a few short weeks when fall arrives we will be packed in like sardines if we all keep cramming in to one service. Next, while we have seen many guests attend this service it has been harder to communicate and project the image of a growing church in a new service time with a much lower attendance. While people might love the atmosphere, the worship, the children's ministry and the teaching - they feel a little awkward. So YOU can help us and more importantly MINISTER to them by simply making the move to 5:05.

"But NATE - I like the 10:35, I don't want to change, Let somebody else" One question: What if YOUR willingness to simply worship at a different time made the difference in someone else's eternity?

2- Even more than number 1 I would love if you would pray over this possibility - come to BOTH services and plan on serving one and worshiping one! We would love to have you partner on a deeper level with us by serving in the Children's ministry, on the First Impressions Team, Tech Ministry or Worship Ministry just to name a few. Then you can simply enjoy in the other service! YOU CAN'T BEAT THAT with a rubber hose!!

3- If you do choose the 5:05 (first of all AWESOME) or to stick with the 10:35 - please remember to use both services as a tool to reach those around you. Come to one and invite them to another so that you can sit and soak it all in during one and explain the service to your guest as we go in another! Breakthrough is about "Making His Name famous and reaching those Far from God!" So let's do it together!

By the Way please don't just read this and forget about it without making a commitment of some kind - email us at office@btchurch.cc and let us know what your commitment will be!

LOVE YOU ALL! ~PN

Frustrated Much?!

2011-05-19T06:22:00.000-07:00

Michelle and I are LOVING the life we live and the family we always wanted with 3 beautiful children. A 7 year old who is becoming a little man in every sense of the word, as well as two amazing babies. I say that to share with you a "God Bomb" that dropped on me the other night after I returned to the house from our 5:05 service (which by the way you should come check out). Anyway we were all hanging out in our kitchen as Michelle was telling me how Canaan had just had a really difficult day - crying, fussing and just plain frustrated it seemed. This discussion was taking place as we were watching him pull up on the kitchen table chairs so that he could work on standing and taking a step or two only to fall to his rump accompanied by a waterfall of tears.

Michelle then said "I think he is just right on the verge of getting this walking thing. I read in Parenting that as they near new levels in their development cycles babies and toddlers..." I then interrupted and said "Yeah they go through severe bouts of frustration, I read that one". We went on through our evening and as a laid down my head Sunday evening God spoke to me "Good article - Huh? That is exactly what I am doing in your life - all of the frustration you feel is nothing more than an indicator of the next big breakthrough in your development. I am working it in you... BE FRUSTRATED, it means that you know you can do more and will force you to pull up again and keep trying until eventually... you run!"

WOW! was really the only response I could seem to formulate in the moment and even now as I write this. For some of us the frustration is only fuel to pull up and try again. For some the frustration may feel overwhelming to the point we would rather just give in. But as for me - I am going to pull up again because I KNOW that I am THAT CLOSE and I refuse to crawl around when I was made to "run and not grow weary... walk and not faint!" Isaiah 40:31

~PN

Identity Theft - Part 6

2011-05-18T07:28:00.000-07:00

Ok, so to wrap this up we have dealt with You are Worthless, You are What You are(You Can’t Change), You are What You DO, You are Better of Pretending… But today, I think this one possibly more deadly than all of the rest. It is the lie that You Are INVINCIBLE!

Every one of us according to Psychologists went through a phase referred to as Adolescent Ego-centrism – a period of life in which our focus and belief was that others were highly attentive to our behavior and appearance; that all eyes were on us.

And one of the ways in which this belief would manifest itself was through what is known as Invincibility Fable – It is why many of us drove faster than we should have, inhaled things we shouldn’t have, and engaged in all kinds of activity that we thought wouldn’t and couldn’t harm us!! AND while we [hopefully] don’t grow up to live like that, the enemy uses that same deception, that same mindset later in life to trap us and strip us of our identity.

The best way I can explain this is when Satan knows that you are confident enough in who you are that he can't take you out by calling you a loser - he will do the next best thing, he will EXAGGERATE that confidence, cheer you on and convince you that you are more than you really are. In a sense he will become the playground provoker - you know that kid who tells the smaller kid that he can take the bigger kid in a fight knowing the whole time that the smaller kid is going to get whooped. That is how we end up in situations and circumstances that we never should have, fighting fights that we shouldn't be, because we begin to believe that we are untouchable. It is why we engage in relationships we shouldn't, it is why pastors across America can't keep the penises in their pants and homes and ministries are being ripped apart - we believe the lie that we are invincible.

Proverbs 16:18 responds to that like this – "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall."

So how do we deal with it - 2 Corinthians 3:4-5 - Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.

In other words any invincibility you exhibit any adversity you overcome is a direct result and can only be attributed to HIM IN YOU!!

~PN
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Identity Theft - Part 5

2011-05-05T06:57:00.000-07:00

Years ago I had a great friend, who happened to also be a minister, that was the epitome of why Pastors get accused of playing golf all the time... because HE DID! Every now and then he would invite me to come along and on one occasion he asked me to come and I had no access to my clubs so he suggested I use his. Needless to say that was an atrocious sight! I was shanking, hooking or duffing pretty much everything. WHY? Because I was trying to play my game with someone else's equipment! That happened to a guy by the name of David once when someone tried to convince him that to defeat his enemy his best bet was to be someone else (See 1 Samuel 17:38-39). It is a lie that Satan uses quiet often for many of us - "You are better off pretending". Pretending to be someone else because you aren't quiet good enough, smart enough, talented enough. So just pretend. I see this SO MUCH with pastor and church planters who honestly think they have to be "this" or "that" rather than simply being themselves.

David refused to believe that he needed to be someone else. He understood:

He would never defeat HIS Giant wearing someone else’s armor!
What others view as a weakness GOD sees as strength.
Every Past Experience was preparation for a future opportunity. (See verse 34-37 of 1 Samuel 17)

I shared Ephesians 2:10 a few days ago, but please notice what that verse says - we are His MASTERPIECE! We are a work of art, an original crafted by the one who created the heavens and the earth. I don't know about you but I don’t want to willingly paint over an original masterpiece to become a second hand replica…

Identity Theft - Part 4

2011-05-04T09:50:00.000-07:00

I remember as a kid, even as young 4 or 5, thinking that I always had to be the best at everything I did. It was an obsession for me and to some degree still is at times. It didn't matter what it was - football, acting, singing, academia... I could go on but you get the point. In any case, I always had to be the best because there was some part of me that felt as though to FAIL at anything was to be a FAILURE at everything. In other words I allowed my identity to be defined by what I DID. It is a lie that a lot of us get caught up in - "You are what you do" and it is a dangerous one because for many of us it leads to a mindset that we are a complete and total failure in life. While for others of us this belief that "You are what you do" leads to an extremely prideful mindset. And to be honest there is no middle ground on this one. As a result of believing that we are what we do we either become a self-deprecating mess or a self-important, conceited pain in the... never-mind.

The point is this is one of Satan's most cunning strategies to lure our focus and dependency AWAY from Christ and back onto ourselves. So what is the solution? Check this out, Acts 17:28 says that your activity should never dictate your identity but rather that your IDENTITY should dictate your ACTIVITY! You will never know what you are supposed to do until you know who you are and whose you are - and you won't know that until you know Christ!! So, simply put what we do must flow out of who we are... So who are you?

~Nate

Identity Theft - Part 3

2011-05-02T10:46:00.000-07:00

The next big strategy of the enemy is to convince you of the lie "You are what you are!" In other words to persuade of that we are incapable of change. Whatever our reasoning, so many of us never experience life CHANGE because we have begun to believe that we CAN’T change. And part of the reason is, we allow ourselves to become so overwhelmed with the daunting proposition of change that we simply… Don’t! But perhaps what we should do is take the attitude of the woman who anointed Jesus at a dinner party in Bethany. Jesus said in Mark 14:8 that she DID WHAT SHE COULD. The struggle for so many of us is that we become consumed with all of the things we can't do to the degree that we miss the things or even ONE thing that we can do.

The answer to this lie is to understand that breaking out of this mindset that "You are what you are" is not about changing everything in your life it is about simply changing ONE thing! ONE thought, ONE word, ONE decision is all that is keeping many of you from breaking free. You can change... ONE thing!

~Nate

Identity Theft - Part 2

2011-04-27T11:14:00.000-07:00

One of the BIGGEST strategies the enemy uses to strip us of our identity is to convince us that we are insignificant; that what we say, do or contribute simply doesn't count. It even happened in the lives of some (or better stated ALL) of the great heroes in the Bible. Think about Moses - God called him to lead his people out of captivity and Moses argued that he simply couldn't [Exodus 4:10-17]. Satan had MOSES convinced that he was worthless - convinced that his past was too tainted [Exodus 2:11-15. ]and that his potential was completely tapped. That is the very trap that so many of us get caught up in - we let what happened to us back then define us now, be it an old relationship, a bad decision or a simple mistake. Or, we allow ourselves to believe the lie that we truly have nothing to offer that where we are now is as good as it gets.

BUT - according to God YOU have been called to GREAT WORKS [Ephesians 2:10 ]- not mediocrity or insignificance. And you are His masterpiece (more on that in a few days). Not only that but everything He wants you to accomplish he has ALREADY given you the tools to do so through Him according to Philippians 4:13.

You might say "But Nate I don’t FEEL like I can do great things" – listen often times some of life’s greatest opportunities come in the moment that you feel your greatest inadequacy – WHY? Because it is IN HIM that you do it. It is IN HIM than you are made able. Your identity shifts from the lies whispered in your ears for so long to the TRUTH that comes from knowing who you are in Christ!

Identity Theft - Part 1

2011-04-26T06:52:00.000-07:00

I had the opportunity to teach through a series at Breakthrough that we entitled "Identity Theft" a few months back - it seemed to really hit home with A LOT of people so the next few days I am going to share some thoughts from that teaching.

John 10:10 says that your enemy (Satan) is out to steal everything that rightfully belongs to you in an attempt to completely destroy you and strip you of your identity. It's interesting that Jesus uses the word thief here... In the Greek, the word is Kleptes (pronounced klep-tace) and it means one who steals secretly without force. See so many times we think that Satan is trying to take us out with head on attacks like losing a job, a broken relationship, no money - you fill in the blank. But MOST of the time our enemy is not interested in a face to face confrontation when he can trip us up secretly and without force. He will use subtleties and half truths and some outright lies to catch you off guard and strip you of who you REALLY are - the you that you were created to be!

SO for the next few days we are going to look at some of the strategies that the enemy uses to sneak in and snatch away your identity! Tomorrow we are going to look at the lie "You Are Insignificant" - we have all been there at some point feeling as though the role we play in life is of absolutely no consequence, consumed with feeling of inadequacy as though we are unqualified and unworthy. GOOD NEWS - it's a lie and a trap and there IS a way out!!

~Nate

Back in Action.

2011-04-25T11:29:00.000-07:00

Yeah I finally decided it was time to get back in the swing of things - I took a long and MUCH needed break from blogging and all kinds of social media. WHY? Well, quite honestly it was because I felt like I was trying to keep up with others expectations of what I "should" do.

That has always been tough for me - I have a bit of a people pleaser streak buried away in me that has a tendency to lead me astray and convince me to focus on things that while good may not be what is BEST for me. It is that part of me that makes me feel as though, as a pastor, I should personally be the one at every hospital visit and there in every time of crisis for everyone at Breakthrough Church. It is the part of me that makes me feel as though if someone needs ministry or help in general I should be the one to do it. It is the part of me that feels like "people are reading this stuff I have to post every day"!

And those expectations of myself combined with the expectations of others and what they MIGHT say can become a dangerous and volatile mix. Solomon, the writer of Proverbs, speaks to that when He says - "Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the LORD means safety"Proverbs 29:25. In other words if I worry about what YOU think I am completely negating the most important (and only important) opinion that matters - WHAT HE THINKS OF ME!!

So, with that said I am writing again not because it is expected of me... by anyone including myself. I'm writing because I want to again. Enjoy!

~Nate

There Will ALWAYS Be...

2011-01-31T07:29:00.000-08:00

It's Monday - yep time to start it all back up again! This week I wanted to start by challening and encouraging you with something God has been reaffirming in my life here recently. To some this may sound elementary to others it may sound fresh and life changing and to still some others it may feel like a well placed throat punch because you are one of the people on this list - in any case, There will always be...

Someone trying to tell you that "That's not possible!" They might mean a ministry passion, the restoration of your marriage, healing of your body or your heart from and old wound or that you have genuinely expereienced LIFE CHANGE because of what God has done in you!
Someone trying to convince that they have a "better" line to God. And while you THINK you might have heard Him - they REALLY heard Him. It's called spiritual arrogance and Jesus talks about these types of people A LOT in the New Testament - they are called Pharisees. See Matthew 23:27
Someone telling you "You are wrong!"
Someone who would rather delight in your failure than actually contribute to your success.
Someone to tell you "IT COSTS TOO MUCH!"
Someone who is under the impression that the relationship is all about them. This is true especially in the church!

But, the good news is while there will always be someone, there will also ALWAYS be ONE...

Who says "With me ALL THINGS are possible". Matthew 19:26
Who says "When you don't know what to pray - I do". Romans 8:26 - In other words we ALL have a direct line.
Who says "Let 'em throw stones, it's Me they'll have to answer to". Romans 14:10-12
Who says "I will NEVER betray you". Psalm 89:33
Who says "You are righteous". 2 Corinthians 5:21

Anyway, you get the point - I could go on and on here but the question for you today is WHO ARE YOU LISTENING TO?! All of the "someones" or the "ONE"!

~PN

Comfort -

2011-01-25T10:01:00.000-08:00

It has been an interesting couple of weeks for my family to say the very least - and in the midst of all we have gone through it has been amazing (the only word I can conjour up right now) to see how as a pastor God will often take you through what He has asked you to teach others. I have been studying for our current series at Breakthrough Church entitled "Ghost" and as I shared this week about the Holy Spirit our comforter, the words were from my heart because Michelle and I have truly found our comfort only in Him these past few weeks. We have experienced relational, emotional, physical, financial and spiritual battles that I would not wish on anyone.

Last night it all came to a head as I heard from my dad that my mom had been in the hospital due to the fact that she had a "massive clot" that was literally threatening her life. Then, without having time to even think - Michelle and I found ourselves at the ER from 11- 4:30 am as we held our youngest (6months) coughing, gasping and fighting to find air. Overwhelmed would be an understatement - but it was in that moment that God came to me and asked me a question "Nate do you believe what you teach?" Needless to say I respond "Of Course!" And the answer that I heard in response actually surprised me "I know you do..." (isn't it funny how God will askk you to answer a question that He already knows the answer to) "...trust in it, rest in it." And those words brought SO MUCH comfort in a moment where no one else's words would do.

He is YOUR comfort - He will pray when you can’t find the words, He will cry when you run out of tears, He will fight for you when everyone else has given up, He will give you that extra motivation when you are ready to throw in the towel. And he will NEVER give up on you!

~PN

Amazing!

2011-01-17T08:48:00.000-08:00

This weekend at Breakthrough has just been amazing - for the second week in a row we watched people cross over from death into life at our weekend services and that will just plain never get old to me! I love the fact that amidst all of the things that we have to thank God for we GET to thank Him for the continued work of drawing men, women, children and youth to Himself - AWESOME!

We also continued sahring the vision God has laid out before all of us at Breakthrough for 2011. From KidZone to Kenya we are serious about Makeing His name famous and reaching those far from God. It was so awesome to see people fired up for the first time or the first time in a long time about serving - it is what we are all called to do but so rarely follow through on.

Looking forward to lauching another service at Breakthrough starting February 6th a 5:05 pm service that will be indentical to our other services (at least in planning - God gets to do whatever He wants). I hope that some of you who follow us will come and be a part!

Also, looking forward to partnerships with organizations that will allow us to preach the Gospel with our actions locally as well as partenering with organizations that will allow us to do the same thing across the ocean.

It's gonna be an awesome year!

~PN

Snowmaggedon!

2011-01-12T06:44:00.000-08:00

Well it came just as predicted - Snowmaggedon 2011 arrived! I haven't accomplished much the past few days mainly because I wasn't about to try and drive on some of the roads here in Western North Carolina. You might say - "Aww c'mon Nate don't tell us you're afraid of drivin' in the snow!" No... I'm not but I am afraid of some of you driving in the snow - HA!

Anyway, we had an amazing time at Breakthrough Church Sunday and I was amped up and ready to go on Monday until I looked outside, and then turned on the news to discover not only were schools shut down but so were the vast majority of business. So needless to say I felt my momentum slightly frustrated. But then I got a text from my Dad offering what he called a "interesting verse for the day". It was Job 37:6-7 which says this:

He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’ and to the rain shower, ‘Be a mighty
downpour.’ So that everyone he has made may know his work, he stops all
people from their labor.

When the snow falls, when God "stops all people from their labor", we need to remember it is not because God is trying to frustrate us but rather to display His mighty power and His love for us. Sometimes when we won't rest ourselves God initiates a rest for us. And somtimes God just wants to remind us who is really in control!

~PN

A Few things I am looking forward to!

2011-01-04T06:28:00.000-08:00

Just like so many others I made a few resolutions this year and so far I am doing pretty well. But what is really interesting is that my resolutions this year are centered more around things I am looking forward to rather than dreading. So, instead of sharing with you all of my boring resolutions for 2011 I decided I would post some of the things that have me really excited about this year.

I am looking forward to writing more this year. I LOVE to write - sermons, blogs, journaling, twitter you name it if I get the chance to put into words something that might challenge someone to step up and step out then I LOVE it. I am really hoping to dial in a few book ideas I have been working on for a year or two (Not like anyone would read them) but it would be fun.
I am looking forward to speaking more. I really enjoy communicating life changing truth that applies to everday life. I am seeking God's face and His will concerning more opportunites to take the truths He has deposited in me to other venues in addition to Breathrough Church.
I am looking forward to leading Breakthrough Church into it's brightest year yet (Even though we are only 3 yrs old). I truly believe Breakthrough is going to expereince a phenomenal God ordained explosion of growth this year as we seek to advance His kingdom - to "Make His Name Famous and Reach those Far From God!"
I am looking forward to the launch of our 5:05 service at Breakthrough for SO MANY people who just can't make it for a traditional morning worship service. Same powerful worship, Same word, Same Spirit - different time. JOIN US!
I am looking forward to shedding about 35 lbs. I am getting older and I have three beautiful children that I want to be around for forever and the extra love I am carrying around the middle will NOT help me do that.
I am looking forward to Disney World!!! C'mon this is me we are talking about.
I am looking forward to some new partnerships with some of the most amazing ministries on the planet in order that we might be the Church Christ intended - cooperating instead of competing.
I am looking forward to reading. I am a geek and I like to read - this year I have even joined a book review club so I can get free books. And all I have to do is put together a write up about the book online. Seriously that is just awesome.
I am looking forward to breaking out of some molds - refusing to be pinned in or contained by expectations that aren't God's! And I am starting now... by not putting a number 10 even though you think there should be - HA!!!

Later ~PN

Faithful

2011-01-03T09:18:00.000-08:00

So, this week I am taking the time to really pick apart this past year - a bit of a retrospective if you will. And while for me that often means a great deal of self evaluation and harsh self criticism, this week won't be about that at all - it will be about taking the time to look back at how faithful God truly has been to me personally and to the ministry of Breakthrough Church. I do this because I really believe that when we take a look at what God has done already it stokes the fire of our faith to believe Him for even bigger and awe inspiring things as we look ahead. To see what has come as a result of His faithfulness is the ultimate motivator for expecting greater.

So that will be my week this week looking back with great appreciation and looking forward with expectation! I encourage you if you haven't already to take some time and do the same. Sit down with a pen and paper or with your computer and jot down all the things God has done for you, in you and through you this year - and when your done... expect even more for this year!

~PN

Transparent - Part 3

2010-12-31T06:30:00.000-08:00

Ok, so you must be asking now is it EVER ok to be transparent. And my answer to you on that is without a doubt, no questions asked 100% YES!! I truly believe there is a place for transparency, but we have have to define it and abide by it. So, when, how and with whom do we "get real"?

Be Transparent with those who are trustworthy. This goes back to that whole issue of discernment. You have to give people time to know if they are trust worthy and if they can handle that level of information properly. Think of it like this if you are a young woman you don't go out on a first date with a guy and tell him all about your past relationships, hurts and struggles (at least you shouldn't) while then proceeding to share your idea of the perfect wedding and that you want 2.5 kids a white picket fence a dog and a cat. WHY? Because he has not earned the right to all of that information yet. And to keep the information does not mean that your relationship at that stage is a fraud or that you are fake it just means that time will determine the level of transparency and in turn intimacy that relationship can handle.
Be Transparent ONLY if you are willing to be held accountable. If you want to be transparent then you have to be open to the idea that someone might actually call your hand. In other words don't choose to disclose information to people that you aren't willing to be confronted, corrected and guided by. Choose to open up to those who are willing to offend you in order to help better you. With that said...
Be Transparent with people who challenge you NOT simply those who agree with you. You don't need people who "get" it you need people who "get" you. You need people who aren't seeking to just relate but that seek to offer you guidance, solutions and an honest listening ear.
Be Transparent... Not Whiny! There are too many people who gripe and complain about absolutely everything and deem it transparency - NO that is called irritating and annoying.
Genuine and Productive Transparency with a FEW is much better than airing out life to ALL.

~PN

Transparent - Part 2

2010-12-30T07:32:00.000-08:00

So, yesterday we started looking at the flip side of transparency and what it means in our generation . Here are a few more thoughts in regards to the issue and tomorrow I will share when we SHOULD be completely transparent as well as how and with whom.

Transparency demands discernment! Plain and simple there are some people that love the idea of you sharing all of your struggles and hardship and pain - because it gives them control. And believe it or not there are people that want you to be "open" and "real" for the sole purpose of having dirt on you that they can use later in order to hurt you or even discredit you. We have to learn to DISCERN BEFORE WE DISCLOSE!
Transparency cannot be mistaken for integrity. I read an amazing quote on this the other day "I worry in our rush to champion 'authenticity', our generation has mistaken transparency for character." We have allowed ourselves to become caught up in the trap that just because someone is transparent they must be trustworthy. WRONG - they might just not have the capacity to shut up!
Transparency might help you relate but does it help you minister? Yeah, you knew I would go here - A lot of times the argument I hear from proponents of complete transparency is that others thank them for "Being Real" and that others can relate. But here is the problem just because someone can relate to what I am going through, it does not necessarily make them (or me for that matter) better for it. Often times in our quest to relate to the world around us, especially when it comes to this issue of transparency, we actually lose our effectiveness in reaching them. For example, I can stand in a pulpit every week and tell people how hard my life is, that my kids are a hot mess and my wife won't do anything I say and I gaurantee as a result someone would come up to me and say "Thanks for bein' real I am going through the same thing". BUT, how did I help that person other than them knowing I am going through the same mess. Did I offer them hope as to how I am overcoming, a solution as to how to turn things around or do we now simply share a bond based on our frustration and dysfunction?

So, when can we be open and honest? And How?! Check back tomorrow...

~PN

Transparent - Part 1

2010-12-29T06:53:00.000-08:00

Transparency has become a bit of a "catch" word of my generation. It seems like everywhere you turn someone is talking about how they just want to be open and honest... more transparent. I have heard it in circles of friends, between married or engaged couples, even in some ministry circles.

But we need to be careful that we understand what we mean when we talk about transparency and that we have some parameters in place - WHY you might ask... Because transparency without accountability and boundaries can be detrimental! And while this might not be exhaustive in terms of study these are just some of my thoughts.

Transparency is often code for "I want to speak my mind". See a lot of people in my generation scream about transparency when what they really mean is "I want to speak my mind without consequence". How do I know this - Because often times they want to air out all of their "stuff" in order to "be real" and transparent but as soon as someone in their life becomes "real" enough to call them on it they get offended. We can not exercise transparency unless we are open to accountability!
Transparency without boundaries perverts intimacy. WHAT? Think of it this way - In our desire to be transparent this generation shares details about life, love, hardship and tragedy with EVERYONE. Take 5 seconds and look at Facebook or twitter and you will discover that we have a remarkable lack of restraint and we share things that 1458 "friends" have not earned the right to know. They aren't close enough to us to have that information, yet we offer it freely for the cause of being transparent and "real". So, in turn the people in our lives who ARE there day in and day out who do have a long standing relationship with us, are left with the feeling that their relationship to us is of no more worth than friend number 1323 that we haven't seen since 1st Grade. Simply put transparency does NOT mean that everyone needs to know your mess - there are people that God places in our lives to be our confidants and companions and that is who we should be open and honest with. Everyone has not earned the right nor do they need to see your pantie drawer - I'M JUST SAYIN'!! Which means you need to exercise some discernment - more on that tomorrow in part 2.
Transparency DOES NOT = Authenticity. I am really tired of people who equate unloading all there crap on everyone they come in contact with as being "real". Being real is not dictated by how many people know the most intimate details of your life. And when I choose to share certain happenings and events in my life only with a select few people and NOT YOU it does not make me any less real (or fake) - it makes me smart! Why? Come back tomorrow and find out.

~PN

Patience

2010-12-28T08:50:00.000-08:00

To be brutally honest... I suck at this one. I am quite possibly one of the most impatient people you will ever meet. I think I cover it well but inside my lack of patience tears me to pieces sometimes. I am not a fan of waiting in lines, I hate red lights and if I have to ask you to do something more than ONCE I have already written you off as lazy, irresponsible, disrespectful or apathetic (or even all of the above).

But even worse than all of those - I am really impatient when people don't "get it". It gets me all worked up when I preach my guts out and everybody is shouting like crazy but there is ONE person that I can look at, that I KNOW needs to hear this... but he/she just doesn't get it. It is especially hard for me when I am communicating the truth, the reality that Jesus was born, bleed, died and rose again for us and I can look into the eyes of someone I have been praying fervently for and the message still doesn't click. AHH! Don't they know how important this is, the gravity of this situation? And so many times I say "Forget It!" they don't get it and they never will...

But... then this verse cries out to me - The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 2Peter 3:9 WOW! He waited for me... I think I can wait for them!!

~PN

I needed a laugh... this did it!

2010-12-16T08:30:00.000-08:00

Ok so this is TOTALLY not mine it comes straight off of Tyler Stanton's blog (who by the way is flippin' hilarious). Anyway, I needed a good laugh and this did the trick, so enjoy. And feel free to interact and answer - "What tells you alot about a person?"

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I Already Know a Lot About You…

…if you have ever purposely kissed your pet on the mouth.

…if you spend more than $100 on sunglasses or headphones.

…if you didn’t like Toy Story 3.

…if you give me grilling tips while I’m grilling.

…if you insist you can decipher all the differences between types of flat screen TVs.

…if you do squats and you’re not in high school.

…if you participate in Facebook quizzes.

…if you’ve engaged in a heated argument about football conference strength in the last month.

…if you wear cosmetic glasses.

…if you can name more Jersey Shore cast members than U.S. Congressmen.

…if you tell me why I should invest in gold.

…if you’ve ever gone to a tanning bed for a “base tan”.

…if you have one or more Apple stickers on your car.

…if you still have one or more 2008 presidential campaign stickers on your car.

…if your favorite hour of television consists of Two and a Half Men and Mike and Molly.

…if you wear Vibram FiveFingers.

…if you’ve ever told me that decorating a Christmas tree is a pagan tradition.

…if you parent my child.

…if you’re shirtless or wearing a bathing suit in your Facebook profile picture.

…if you evangelize about canceling cable.

…if I smell like you after we hug.

Your turn. What else tells you a lot about a person?

A body that's "busy" or simply a "busybody"...

2010-12-06T09:28:00.000-08:00

I read this whopper while studying Paul's letter to the church at Thessalonica "We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are busybodies." Thessalonians 3:11. OH BOY - that is a fun one right there. The word there for IDLE in the greek literally translates undisciplined, unruly even unteachable. Paul was in effect saying - some of you wonder why God is not showing off in your church (or life) it is because you lack the discipline to ready yourselves for Him to do so and on top of that when someone tries to show you how to remedy it you are just plain unteachable. I don't know about each of you but I DO NOT want that to be said of me. I don't want God to look on my efforts as lazy or on me as unwilling to learn! I'll be honest with you - the more I realize I don't have it all figured out, the more I become open to voices that can help me figure it out. We need to be teachable -

And once we have been taught we must excercise the discipline to do something with the knowledge we now have, otherwise we become the characters Paul describes in Thessalonica "not busy, but busybodies". Again, a little greek lesson the word busy is not defined here as you or I would (especially this time of year) as hectic running around, rather it is defined as to be engaged, COMMITTED, to labor. WOW! What would the church look like if we had a few less busybodies and a few more bodies that were "BUSY". You know how you can mark someone who is busybody, someone putting on a mask of super-spirituallity? They cloak everything they say with "God Showed me" or "God said" and then proceed to tell you how WRONG you are and while at the same time refusing to believe that you can offer them anything worthwhile. They talk ALOT about what should be done without ever being willing to do. They aren't busy... they ARE busybodies. They point out problems instead of presenting solutions. They become a "listening ear" instead of being a voice crying out in the wilderness "Get Ready for the Lord"(See Mark 1:3). They FIND things wrong instead of seeing what's right.

So, the question this week is which one will I be - a body that's "BUSY" (Engaged, Committed, Laboring) or just a busybody? How about you? Which will you be?

Later
~PN

Stunned by HIS presence!

2010-11-18T07:51:00.000-08:00

As you saw yesterday, God has REALLY been dealing with me about things I "know" but perhaps need to hear again. Well He did it again as I was reading 1 Kings 18:39 - If you don't know the story surrounding that verse basically a Prophet of God by the name of Elijah takes on an entire company of False Prophets of a False God named Baal. They stage a bit of an old west showdown where each calls on their God to send fire from heaven and consume a sacrifice. It is an awesome story and you should definitely read it (By The way Elijah wins!).

Anyway, what grabbed me by the gut was in verse 39 when, after the fire falls and consumes Elijah's sacrifice, the prophets of Baal cry out "The LORD - He is God!" over and over. You say "Why is that so impressive" - I am glad you asked. You see after Elijah had stood boldly before these people and straight up brought the fire down on the joint - NO ONE said "Wow He is an amazing preacher" NO ONE said "Elijah sure has the inside scoop on God!" NO ONE was impressed with Elijah... they were simply in awe of God!!

You see we need to stop doing in the church what the Prophets of Baal did - having an amazing religious experience where we talk about how great the music or preaching or building was only to miss out on His Presence falling! We need to stop allowing ourselves to become so enamored with something that will never "bring the fire". We need to be stunned by HIS PRESENCE!

~PN

Again...

2010-11-17T11:04:00.000-08:00

Philippians 4:4 - Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!

Now, I know what you are thinking "yeah, yeah I get it rejoice, praise - right." Actually it was in reading this verse recently that a WHOLE different message actually hit me in another word - AGAIN. There are times in life when the most profound thing I need hear, the most powerful word that I need is actually one that I have heard before but am now hearing again. Sometimes despite the fact that I know something is true it helps to hear it AGAIN - WHY? Because it is in that hearing that my faith is renewed, my outlook is changed and my heart is challenged. Hebrews says faith comes by hearing and sometimes what I need to hear is not something new but rather something old that I have forgotten or failed to cling to (GEEZ that'll preach, go ahead and let it sink in). So what do you need to hear AGAIN. Maybe what you need to hear again is that you are called to do this - whether that call is in the business world, the church, your school, or at home keeping a house running! Maybe you need to hear again that what you see NOW is not what will always be - if it is bad... it's going to get better, if it is good... it can be even better. Maybe what you need to hear is that someone simply notices you - good news HE does. So, open your ears today listen for an old message that will bring you some fresh fire!!

~PN

Seriously?!

2010-11-04T06:51:00.000-07:00

It never ceases to amaze me the things that church folks will get upset about. Things that in ANY other setting they would simply roll on by. And even more amazing to me is the amount of territorialism in the church. I have seen it so many times as a church planter - people (especially pastors) are all excited when a new work starts as long as it is not within 20 miles of "THEIR" church. But it isn't limited to church-to-church relationships it happens within churches all the time. We lay claim to "OUR" ministry, "OUR" space or "OUR" idea and get completely bent out of shape when anyone encroaches on it. Pastor, let me encourage you today to nip that now! Do not allow people in ministry positions within your church to become so "me" centered that the efficaciousness of the ministry and heart of the vision are compromised. Our call is too great and our message to important to become consumed with what is mine and yours.

We need to take the approach of Acts 4:32 - All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. And we need to do that not just with our money and material goods but with the ministries that GOD has allowed us to be a part of. Breakthrough Church is not “mine” it belongs to anyone and everyone who plays a roll and makes an investment into it no matter how big or small. And ultimately any ministry, facility, or idea that comes to me or anyone else flows from Him. If I give Benjamin a gift but I explain to him that gift is to share with his baby brother and sister that is exactly what I expect him to do. Whatever God has given you it is NOT yours to “lay claim” to but to share freely.

Later
~PN

S-T-R-E-T-C-H!

2010-11-02T07:17:00.000-07:00

This week as we continued our series VAPOR at Breakthrough, we asked the question - "If Life is a Vapor - How will you love?" I don't know about you but my love has at times been a bit on the shallow side - I love based on whether or not someone has hurt me, betrayed me, lied to or about me. I love based on what they have done for me. And if we are brutally honest most of us love on that level, But, when we are confronted with the brevity of life - it should change us. It should change our speech it should change our behavior, our choices and it should change how we love those around us.

I Peter 4:8 says "Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins." Here is the best part... the word Peter uses here for deeply in the greek manuscripts (where we get our Bible from today) is the word Ektenes and it literally means to stretch or be streched. It is the word that would be used of the ancient olympian runners who would prepare for a race as they streched their muscles and ligaments and tendons beyond what was really comfortable in order to be as effective as possible. See, the heart of TRUE love is when we are willing to be stretched in order to display our love for others. Love is when we willingly say this is not "natural" to me, this is even a little painful but I will be stretched for the sake of becoming more effective as a person. I will stretch in my marriage, I will stretch with my in laws, I will stretch with my kids, I will stretch with that backstabbing gossip-monger of a hooch that I have to work with (you know you think it)!! WHY? Because it is that love that covers a multitude of sins. It is that love that washes away the hurt and the bitterness and the unforgiveness. And THAT LOVE that will only come when we are willing to be stretched because life is too short not to!

Later
~PN

Vapor!

2010-10-27T09:05:00.000-07:00

So for the last few weeks I have been jacked up about preaching our current series at Breakthrough Church - entitled... you guessed it, "Vapor". And it has already been awesome and we still have 3 weeks left. I look forward to actually posting a few points from the series up here this week - but... for a moment... indulge me and read this.

Alot of folks who read this blog are looking for a word of encouragement, a challenge, some fresh perspective on life. And I am SO GLAD that when people read they find that. I love that people read this blog and feel as though they are motivated towards a God given purpose or to challenge the status quo. But...

In preaching this series God has impressed something heavily on me - I don't know how many more times I will get to write this blog, I don't know how many more times you will get to read it. So with that in mind I say this if you have been called to action, or challenged by this site - Great - but today, I challenge you with this - If life is a Vapor - where will you go when your vapor vanishes? Plain and simple have you come to the place where you realize that you are a sinner in need of a savior whose name is Jesus?! It is NOT a fairytale, and I am NOT talking about religion. If you have read something on here that has inspired you I can promise that it has come as a very real relationship that I have with a God who wants that same relationship with you! And this isn't about scare tactics and hell fire and damnation - but the truth is you don't know how much time you have left to cry out to Him. I know this is preachy and some of you may have stopped reading because this sounds to churchy but... it's the truth and you need to hear it.

It makes NO difference if what you read here encourages or inspires you if I fail to point you to the greatest encourager the world has ever known!

I promise I will bring more of the zingers, one-liners, and encouraging thoughts you are used to tomorrow - but for today, DO YOU KNOW JESUS? If you want to know more or are looking for answers call our church office at 828-684-2864 and ask for any of our pastors - TODAY!

Later
~PN

Where are you headed?

2010-10-22T06:52:00.000-07:00

Everyone ends up somewhere few people end up somewhere on purpose! I heard Craig Groeschel say this a few years back and again recently and it has really both challenged and encouraged me - so much so that I even shared it with our people at Breakthrough Church last week. See, the essence of that statement is this: When all is said and done at the end of your life you will have "arrived" somewhere. There will be things you have accomplished, words you have spoken, relationships you have had, things you have experienced. But, the question will be - Did you live your life with intentionality? The destination you have come to - was it a course that you pursued with purpose or was it a journey dictated by the to do lists, schedules, and demands of everyone around you? The Bible says in Proverbs 29:18 - Where there is no vision the people perish (are in chaos). So often we see a vision as something that churches, ministries, business or corporations are supposed to have. But that word vision actually means "dream". So, what is your dream, your vision - for your family, your kids, your marriage, your career, your place in God's church? Discover it, and pursue it... End up somewhere... ON PURPOSE!

~PN

Picture of the Week!

2010-10-13T11:32:00.000-07:00

Alot of serious posts sense I started back to blogging so I thought I would throw a laugh up here!
I came across this picture on Tripp Crosby's blog and my first thought -
"Seriously I am working hard enough to raise the normal sized ones that I've got!"

Second thought -
"That is really not good for the self-esteem of the neighborhood kids (neither is the 'slow children at play' sign)"

Later ~PN

Press the GAS!

2010-10-11T09:11:00.000-07:00

I shared this with our staff at Breakthrough but thought it might be good for someone reading today!

11 The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you. Romans 8:11 (NLT)

Read that verse a few times! Got it? Good. Michelle and I were on the road a few weeks ago headed to a date and we got behind a 2010 Roush Performance 427 Ford Mustang and it was BEAUTIFUL - for those who are now saying WHAT?! We were behind a fast car.
The problem was the individual driving was apparently under the impression they were actually drving a 1983 Ford LTD. I am not a lead footed driver BUT I do like to go the speed limit and this vehicle was maintaining a speed grossly under the limit. So, I looked at Michelle and said "Why don't they use the long pedal? Don't they know what they are driving? Don't they know how much power they have under that hood?" THAT is when the gut check came! God said "You do the same thing all the time." You see Romans 8:11 promises me that I have access to UNLIMITED power and yet so often I just coast through life without ever punching the gas, opening up the throttle and letting that power loose. What isn't happening in your life that WOULD if you would stop cruising along and start tapping into the power under the hood? Think about today - and then press the GAS!!!

~PN

Apollos Watered...

2010-10-06T09:10:00.000-07:00

I was reading the other day and came across I Corinthians 3:6 and God just arrested my attention with 2 words... Apollos watered! That is a God gut check right there. You say "Nate what in the world are you talking about.

Well, we all like to know that along the way we are "planting seeds" in people's lives whether it is through something we say, something we do, a financial blesssing we pass on or any number of things. We like knowing that we made an investment into someone.

And I don't know anyone who doesn't like to particpate in reaping a harvest! We love to be the person that leads someone to Christ, baptizes them, reaches them with a word.

But, 1 Corinthians 3:6 say Apollos watered. In other words - Apollos was the one who took the time to nurture and guide and tend what needed to be tended to. See I think that is one of the hardest things for us to do in the church. Because we are impatient by nature, we plant and we want to see immediate results and when we don't, we have a tendency to abandon people or situations that God has called us to water. We turn our back on people that might be hard to love but someone planted a seed and now that seed needs our tending, nurturing and our guidance to get those people to the place where God can grow them. We give up on situations that would be easier to walk away from but that with our attention and our investment God can grow and cause to flourish.

Don't walk away from what God has called you to water!

~PN

Proud Papa!

2010-10-04T08:30:00.000-07:00

I have a confession to make - I am a braggadocious father! I am one of those guys that will jump at the opportunity to tell anyone who dares to listen just how awesome my kids are. I have many times found myself in a setting where I can be having a conversation that really has NO reason to turn towards disscusing my kiddos but I will force it that way in order to put them on display.

YOU: So Nate what did you think about the performance of those Tarheels in their basketball game against Duke?
ME: Well I think they did a pretty shotty job - my son could have played better - which by the way did i tell you he scored twelve points in his game this weekend?

GUY FROM EDWARD JONES: Well Mr. Hill it might be wise to take some of that old 401k money and just roll it over...
ME: Speaking of rolling over, my baby girl was rolling over at 2 1/2 months!

You get the point. Anyway I was reading the other day and came across Zephaniah 3:17 and I felt like God was saying to me "You think you like braggin on your Kids?!" See, I believe that we often times have a skewed view of God as being a Heavenly Father only in the display of his correction without ever realizing he is MORE our Father in the display of His compassion! God wants to brag on you and sing over you today... LET HIM!

~PN

Head Knowledge - Heart Practice!

2010-09-30T10:21:00.000-07:00

I've been reading alot through the book of Proverbs and I came across chapter 3 verse 1 yesterday, which reads "My son, do not forget my teaching, But let your heart keep my commands" and it straight ROCKED my world. Why? Because the truth that lies within that verse is that it is entirely possible to know God's will and His word in your HEAD without it ever becoming a reality in your HEART. There are far too many people in the church today that haven't "forgotten" God's teaching but they don't personalize it in their hearts and practice it in their lives. I believe it was Perry Noble that I once heard say in regards to bible studies "Most people in our churches already know far more than they will ever practice". WOW! It sounds harsh and sad, but it is so true. We have become comsumed with fattening up on the teachings come from our pulpits, bible studies, books and devotionals but it is high time that we start LIVING what we have LEARNED! Just a thought.

Later
~PN

Truth and Fact!

2010-09-28T11:18:00.000-07:00

Sunday I had the most fun I have had in a while preaching. We took a look at the GREATNESS of God in light of John 3:30 - He must become greater, I must become Less. One of the things that God dropped on us is that Satan does not need us to believe his lies he just needs to get us to doubt God's truth! WOAH! See Satan is a master at present facts but God does not operate according to facts He operates according to truth.

FACT: You feel alone.
TRUTH: He is a friend that sticks closer than a brother and He will never leave or forsake you!
FACT: You feel like your past keeps coming back to haunt you - old mistakes, past pain.
TRUTH: If anyman is in Christ he is a NEW creation the OLD IS GONE!

And here is the great part, God never says something just to make you feel better, like we as humans so often do. You know what I mean someone says "I just lost my job" and we say "It's gonna be alright, I'm prayin for you" - when what we mean is I can't think of anything to say to make that better so maybe you'll buy this load of crap!

BUT, when God speaks He speaks because He knows something you don't know and because He is about to do something you can't do! I just heard a pastor preach this very thing from Luke 7 - where Jesus is speaking to the widow who has lost her son and He says - "Don't Cry". Not in a sense of "Don't cry it's gonna be alright" as we would offer to someone in this situation but rather - "Don't Cry... because I know something you don't and I am about to do something you can't".

So don't doubt God's truth today - Because He knows things you don't and HE IS ABOUT TO DO something that ONLY HE CAN!!

Later
~PN

I'm Just Jacked Up!

2010-09-14T10:33:00.000-07:00

I have not posted in quite a while because to be honest - I needed to refocus. I needed to refocus with God, with my family, with the ministry. And I am SO glad that I did because I feel... excited again! God has been up to some amazing things the past few months and I sense a renewed anticipation and expectation in so many different areas that words simply cannot adequately convey where I am right now.

My Family has grown this year from Michelle and I and our 6 year old son to now include 2 brand new miracles that God has blessed us with and I couldn't be happier. The church has begun a growth spurt that is blowing my mind right now with people getting saved left and right and lives being totally transformed. We have an offer in on some land to make the Breakthrough Campus even more official (Pray that we don't pay a dime and God gives it to us). I'm Just Jacked Up! What more can I say...

Later ~PN

Jacked up GPS!

2010-07-30T06:52:00.000-07:00

No, I am not about to go of on a rant about my actual GPS. I actually came across some old notes in my journal the other day that I thought I might share here - Tell me your thoughts.

Stop beating yourself up over the things that went wrong 'back there' and start planning and preparing for what's ahead. Too often in life, you build support systems, people that you go to and confide in, based on where you have been instead of where you desire to go. Even worse, you build those support systems with people who tend to focus on where you have failed instead of helping you see how to move forward. It's the equivalent of having a GPS that says absolutely nothing until AFTER you have made the wrong turn and then proceeds to chime in "You completely missed your turn" "You made a WRONG turn" "You really missed it". Who in the world wants a GPS that only reminds them they didn't go the right way... NOBODY because that is counterproductive and frustrating! And yet so often you allow people into your life that offer no reference, guidance or direction for where you want to go. People who love to sit back and watch and wait until you screw up so they can act as a retroactive prophet and tell me where you "You missed your turn". In the same way that you don't want a jacked up GPS you don't want voices that only remind you of your wrong turns. From this point on, refuse to maintain relationships that attempt to keep you where you are and relationships that do nothing more than stifle your ability to move forward.

How about you? Does any of this feel familiar? What relationships are you clinging to that in reality are holding you back and reminding you of your failures? Time to throw that jacked up GPS in the trash and get one that will help you go where you want to go.

PN - AVL
http://www.breakthroughwoc.org/

Not Mine, but SO good!

2010-07-08T11:21:00.000-07:00

I was going to post something today but this came across my feed and I had to repost it. Enjoy and be challenged!

"Jesus' teaching consistently attracted the irreligious while offending the Bible-believing, religious people of His day.

However, in the main, our churches today do not have this effect.

The kind of outsiders Jesus attracted do not bother coming to our churches, even our most avant-garde ones. We tend to draw buttoned-down, moralistic people. The licentious and liberated or the broken and marginal avoid church.

That can only mean one thing.

If the preaching of our ministers and the practice of our parishioners do not have the same effect on people that Jesus had, then we must not be declaring the same message that Jesus did."

- Dr. Tim Keller

Anticipation

2010-07-06T03:48:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted in a while and believe it or not that has been strategic. Not so much for those of you reading but for me and my family. In just a few short days my baby boy will be here and our family that consisted of 3 a year ago will now be 5 strong! Anyway, there has been alot of preparation involved in getting ready for Canaan'c arrival - including putting together another crib, shifting furniture, rearranging closets and the past few days cleaning like crazy. All of that so that, just like when our other two were born, everything will be ready and just right. And now... we wait. We wait expectantly knowing that at any moment something life changing is about to happen - something that will bring untold joy and excitement. Something that, if I am honest, will make life harder some days. Something that will SO be worth the preparation and anticipation. We are ready for you baby boy!

What if we approached God that way?! What if instead of just getting by each week and throwing together a message, or a children's worship experience, or waiting 'til the day of to arrange greeters for a first impression team - we took time to make preparation in advance readying ourselves with anticipation for what God wants to do? What if our mouths were filled with words of expectancy instead of obligation and halfhearted effort? What if we were as passionate about Him as we are about self...

Just a thought.

~PN - AVL

It's all about ME!

2010-06-07T08:51:00.001-07:00

That seems to be the prevailling mindset in so many church settings - when we say we are going to be a church where the whole BODY ministers to the whole BODY instead of a church where one man (the pastor) ministers to the whole body, people get on fire and all excited... that is until they want the pastor to minister to them. I have seen it over and over again in ministry and in church and I have heard pastors whine and complain about how "It shouldn't be that way" and "The people just want to much". So, while some of you think I am about to go off on all those demanding church folk - I AM NOT. You know why, it is just as much the pastor's fault as it is the people. Pastor, if you don't want them to expect you to minister to every one of them on a "that" level (hospital visits, home visits, four phone calls a week) - the STOP! Yes you are going to upset someone, yes someone will be offended by the fact that you didn't come see them, but ask yourself this question - "Have I not discipled these people on the level that they can minister just as good if not better than me?"

The role of a pastor is CLEARLY defined in Ephesians 4:11-12! Paul didn't go pray for all the sick people that wanted him to, in fact on many occasions he just sent a hanky that he had prayed over. "Well that's because he didn't have the means of transportation" NO, it is because he understood that his role was to equip the people for ministry not do the ministry for them.

BTW - if you church isn't growing or being "built up" maybe it's because you are trying to do things you were never intended to do!

Later ~PN

10 Years from now...

2010-05-28T09:16:00.000-07:00

I wish I could say exactly what life will look like ten years from now but I can't. On my 20th birthday if you had told me that in ten years I would be a pastor of a growing church where I preach in jeans, that I would have two kids and one on the way, that I would have what I have and be who I am... I probably would have laughed at you. Has it all gone exactly according to plan - HECK TO THE NO!! But I can say that it has been amazing. My prayer is that ten years from now I will be preping my oldest son for his final years of high school (with the Tarheels scouting him heavily for Basketball). My prayer is that I will have two ten year olds who are on fire for God and LIVE like it. My prayer is that there might be a few more Hill children in my house (I know you are reading this Michelle!). My prayer is that Breakthrough Church will be one of the largest and fastest growing churches in the world filled with people who refuse to leave church inside the walls on Sunday morning. But more than anything my prayer is that in the next ten years I will Listen... and Move... based solely on HIS PRAYER for my life.

~PN

Words...

2010-05-25T11:02:00.001-07:00

Words have power! I remember when I was a kid we always use to say "Stick and Stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me". That was such a great line to really stick it to somebody, but the fact of the matter is you would only say that when someone HAD said something that hurt you. We need to remember this especially in the church because we so often have a tendency to have a mean case of verbal diarrhea where we spew of our words without thinking about the mess we are about to make (I'm just bein' real). We say something "funny" or that we feel we have a right to say and end up causing more harm than good. Solomon say in Proverbs 18:21 - that life and death are in the power of the tongue... the choice is ours. So check your words this week - are you speaking life (encouraging, nurturing, loving correction, faith) or are you speaking death (divisive, crass, destructive, counter-productive)?

Because what YOU speak is what fills your life - Proverbs 18:20 - check it out.

~PN
www.breakthroughwoc.org

Where You've Come From

2010-05-14T07:53:00.000-07:00

I was sitting in the worship center at Breakthrough the other day excited and filled with anticipation about all that God is doing there and I felt myself getting antsy asking God, "When is our next big growth spurt?" He assured me that we are right in the midst of it now but... And then He gave me that gentle reminder that I need all to often "Don't forget where I brought it from."

See, I don't know about you, but all to often I allow myself to become so consumed with "What's Next" that I fail to celebrate "What's now" and miss out on what God has already done. You might say well Nate I have never planted a church so I can't really relate. OK- but what about your marriage? Are you so caught up with where it OUGHT to be that you miss that small steps of growth along the way. Look back at where you WERE compared to where you are now. What about your relationship with God - I know you want more but look back at where you were. Your job, your kids, whatever it is - don't get so wrapped in where you are heading that you forget what you have come out of.

~PN

Dangerous Church Part II

2010-04-29T06:22:00.000-07:00

So, I wasn't planning on following up the Dangerous Church post but I am so ther you have it! I really feely strongly about this one because I believe the churches that are flourishing, not just in America, are churches that live dangerously - that challenge status qou and tradition and are not afraid of pain or loss if it means making the name of Jesus famous. Which, by the way - if all of our churches would become as consumed with making HIS name famous as they are with making THEIR name famous (take note church planters) we might actually experience the revival and reformation that we so desperately need.

Anyway, these are some thoughts that God has been impressing on me.

A Dangerous Church is marked by radical Devotion. Ask yourself the question am I Sold Out or am I a Sellout. Judas "looked" the part of a sold out follower of Christ who was concerned about ministry (John 12:1-6). But Matthew 26:14-16 proves his actions didn't line up with his words. You say you've never done that but what about when you choose to work overtime instead of coming to Worship or the time you "really had some things to do around the house" when you had comitted to that community missions day!

Radical devotion to God IS radical devotion to His Church - so stop telling your pastor that you love God when you can't take 4 out of 168 hours in a week to serve and be served! DO the dishes later, leave work earlier, plan time with your Kids out of your schedule and stop expecting God to "understand" when you can't (I mean WON'T) do what you know you are supposed to do.

A Dangerous church is consumed with purpose - not programming. Pastors you have got to ask yourself the question WHY... Why do we do what we do. If there is any area any ministry where the answer isn't clear - it's time to pull out the hedge clippers and do some pruning.

We need more dangerous churches - who is with me?!

Later ~PN

Unexplainable.

2010-04-28T07:02:00.000-07:00

I've been reading Forgotten God by Francis Chan for a while now - and as I was reading today I came across something that punched me right in the throat.

I don't want my life to be explainable without the Holy Spirit.

Wow! That stuck with me. I really don't want people to look at my life, my family and my ministry and say "That Nate is an awesome guy, and amazing father and boy can he build a church". You may say "But Nate don't you want to be all of those things?" I do, but what I want more than anything is for people to look at my life and say "There is no way He could be doing all that on his own". I want people to show up at Breakthrough to see what the Holy Spirit can do with a complete mess. I want my life to testify to the fact that without His presence I am completely and utterly screwed. I absolutely DO NOT want people to look at my life and feel as though it "makes sense" from a worldly perspective - because the truth is I am who I am, where I am and ALL that I am because of Him. And as I shared with the folks at Breakthrough last week I refuse to treat the Holt Spirit like the drunk uncle at the wedding that everybody tries to hide in the back - WHY?! Because it's because of Him that I can not only make it through this day but that I can do it in such a way that other's can only say "DANG!"

Later ~PN

It's my call...

2010-04-23T07:58:00.000-07:00

It's my call, my goal, my purpose in life to enlighten and empower people! With that in mind here is some valuable insight that you need to know. Enjoy...

Dangerous Church

2010-04-21T14:03:00.000-07:00

I've been teaching a little bit on the idea of what a dangerous church looks like. The early church in the book of Acts was what I would call a dangerous church. They didn't build the church or formulate their plans based on what other people thought of them, nor did they act according to what was convenient. They were intentional they were controversial and they weren't afraid of change or offending the religious order in the process. We could use some churches like that today...

Churches that challenge people to invest in the church MORE than they suck out of it.
Churches that challenge people to rise above the pain suck it up and consider the team more than they do themselves. (stop crying and taking your ball home every time you get hurt)
Churches that don't give a flying flip how "...we used to do it" and instead move forward to reach a generation that is dying because we won't let go of our traditions.
Churches that aren't afraid of the authentic life changing power of the Holy Spirit.
Churches that will take risks instead of playing it safe.

Safe churches concern themselves with who's already there, dangerous churches are always looking for the next one that should be. Let's be dangerous...

~PN

Blessed.

2010-04-20T09:45:00.000-07:00

I know my posts have been a little sporatic lately and for that I apologize but I have to say my days have been filled with loving on the most beautiful baby girl on the planet (NO I am not biased, it is the truth - disagree and it'll be on like Donkey Kong). I'm Blessed. I've also been watching a 6 year old little boy become the man that many 30 year olds have yet to become. Last night he laid his head next to hers and told her all about his day and then sang Amazing Grace to her... and it was... amazing. God has been so faithful to bless in ways that I never could have imagined. I'm Blessed. In 3 more months I will get to see our "promise", Canaan, and I know already he will be just as awesome as his brother and sister! Blessed, that's all I can say. I pastor the most amazing church with the most amazing people. Blessed. I get to share how God is alive and still changes lives everyday... I think you get the picture.

Promise to post tomorrow.

Later ~PN

I wonder...

2010-04-13T08:25:00.000-07:00

This isn't mine, it's actually Chris Elrod's but it was so true and to the point I had to repost it...

There is some stuff I just cannot comprehend. Try as I may to get it…it doesn’t make any logical or Scriptural sense. Here is a partial list of things I do not understand.

1.Folks that show up to church only a few times a year but expect the pastor to drop everything to provide them with his undivided attention.

2.People that put nothing in the offering plate but still have the stones to expect that their opinions on the church should count.

3.Parents who ground their children from church or the youth group…the very things that could help them with their behavior, future and afterlife.

4.People that expect the pastor to tolerate their political views…but leave the church because of his.

5.The occasional volunteer that expects the church to throw a parade in their honor just because they finally did what the Bible commanded.

6.People that have basked in the grace of God…but fail to give grace to anyone else.

7.Pastors that leave one church for another…for better pay.

8.The need for church growth plans, programs, books, conference, seminars and resource kits…when we already have the Bible.

9.Women that tolerate their husbands having multiple affairs…”for the sake of the kids”.

10.Pastors that would rather be political pundits or civil rights leaders…instead of just preaching the life-saving message of the Word of God.

11.People that have one spiritual standard for their pastor…and another for themselves.

12.Folks that think the word ‘disciple’ is a noun…and not a verb.

13.People that make comments about needing to go “deeper” in God’s Word…as if there is a Scripture in the Bible that isn’t deep.

14.Pastors that think accountability means never asking them the tough questions or taking the hard line when it comes to their failure to follow Scripture.

15.Men that think being the head of the household has something to do with the amount of money they are bringing in or the title they acquire at work.

That's GOOD stuff Pastor Chris!

~PN - AVL

You're Invited!

2010-03-31T09:56:00.000-07:00

I'm still here!

2010-03-23T11:48:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to take a moment and let all of you who read (whoever you are) that I am not dead! I've just really been enjoying some time with my wife, son, and our brand new baby girl! But, so that you know...

I'm jacked up about what God is doing through our current series at Breakthrough with our current series Famous Last Words - The saying of Christ on the Cross.
This week we looked at the question "My God - Why?" One of my favorite points from that one "There is nothing wrong with asking why... just make sure you are asking someone who actually has the answer... stop trying to draw wisdom from empty wells!" Really had fun with that - You can listen to more of that online at http://www.breakthroughwoc.org/ by clicking on the listen online tab under resources click on Famous Week 2.
I'm LOVIN' being a daddy of a newborn again!
EASTER at Breakthrough is going to be a whole 'nutha level and if you miss it you are a goober!
Might even get in on leading some worship with the band that week!!
Seeing people saved and their lives transformed still never gets old to me - and I pray it never will!
I really don't like seeing snow in spring it messes with my ADHD and confuses me??!?!
Lots of awesome new things about to be unveiled at Breakthrough... stay tuned.

Later ~PN

Pictures!

2010-03-17T07:20:00.000-07:00

ENJOY!!

SHE'S ON HER WAY!!

2010-03-15T15:41:00.000-07:00

My sweet baby girl is on her way and I am so jacked up I'm about to SPLODE (For Non-BCer's that's explode). Just a few more hours and we will officially be welcoming Charis into the world. More updates to come... ~PN

My Boy!!

2010-03-12T06:29:00.001-08:00

Well my baby boy is growing up! Today he has joined the ranks of "I'm not a baby Mommy" (his words to her yesterday). 6 years have gone by and I still remember holding that sweet little thing on my chest while he slept. I'm so proud of my little MAN and look forward to celebrating in a big way. Happy Birthday - I love you bud!

No Death...

2010-03-11T07:15:00.000-08:00

We are getting ready to fire up a series this Sunday entitled Famous Last Words - a look a the last words of Jesus on the Cross. I'm really excited about this one and my prayer is that we will see hundreds... even thousands changed by this. One thing that has really been pressing on me (might even preach it) is a simple but powerful truth - God can't resurrect anything that isn't dead! To often in the church we get caught up in our dreams, our plans and we wonder why it is nothing is going the way we thought it would. And then some fruitcake wanna be prophet comes to tell us that "Maybe that isn't God's plan for you". OK that was ugly... but it's true. See the problem is that the dream that is in you cannot be what God intended for it to be until you are willing to let it die so that He can bring it back HIS WAY! Because often times our dreams, as great and noble as they may be, become our idols - we want them more than we want God. But, when we lay it down and let the dream die - then and only then - He can breathe new life into it and take you AND your dream to a whole new level!

Later ~PN
www.breakthroughwoc.org (THE NEW SITE IS UP!)

Exciting stuff!

2010-03-03T10:25:00.000-08:00

Just doing some studying thought I'd take a break to say how excited I am! God is up to some awesome stuff and it just kind of hit me like a ton of brick just now.

We are finishing up a series at Breakthrough entitled "Mind Your Business" and I have never seen church people get so excited about giving in my life - Awesome!
The new website is about to launch AND we are about to start some really cool media marketing campaigns to get the word out about BC and advance God's kingdom.
A new shipment of chairs IS IN DALLAS and will be here next Thursday and boy do we need 'em.
Tonight I am continuing a series called "When You Praise" that has been eye opening to say the least. These Wednesday nights never cease to blow my mind.
I'm jacked up about heading to Anderson SC tomorrow to be with the NewSpring Church team for Unleash 2010. I love Pastor Perry and what this guy is doing to rip down denominational, generational, and religious walls.
My Baby boy is about to turn 6! What in the world is up with that.
My Baby girl is going to enter the world any day now - C'mon Charis daddy is ready!
And we find out Friday what baby Number 3 is going to be - WOW.

It never gets old watching God do His thing...

Later~PN

At all Costs!

2010-03-02T08:40:00.000-08:00

I am in a mood right now - and not because it's snowing again either! My mood right now is one of those "I want to do more!" kind of things. I am reading some in 1 Corinthians right now and I came across a verse that i have read and quoted at least 287 times before but it is sticking with me right now

1 Cor. 9:22 "I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some."

I want to know that I am doing EVERYTHING I can to reach the SOME that God has called me to reach and I have to ask myself are SOME missing it because I am not giving my ALL? I don't want making His name famous at all costs to be a catch phrase - I want it to be evidenced by my life - the words I say, the things I do, the risks I take - I want all of that to point to Him and force people into a face to face encounter with God. I refuse to NOT do All that I can to reach some.

Later ~PN

2010-02-22T08:48:00.000-08:00

So, we've been in the midst of a new series at Breakthrough about getting your financial house in order. We showed this video yesterday and asked myself "Do I even need to preach after that?!"

Some Things...

2010-02-18T09:23:00.000-08:00

Some things cannot be perceived. They can only be conceived.
Some things cannot be deduced. They can only be imagined.
Some things cannot be learned. The can only be revealed.

-Mark Batterson

I don't want to be a Christian Tourist!

2010-02-16T07:31:00.000-08:00

I heard a great quote the other night on one of my favorite sitcoms and it went something like this - "He's nothing more than a tourist who vacations in other people's lives and takes snapshots for his scrapbook of memories..." The crazy thing is that as soon as I heard that I had one of those "God Gut Check" moments. You may say "why?" Because that statement rings so true for alot of Christians. We so often are content to get close enough to the action to take some nice pictures and say "I WAS THERE" without ever getting close enough to say "I was a part!" We take vacations in the worship, lives and accounts of others so that we have stories to tell without ever really doing anything! Yeah, I know that's ugly... but it's true!

Later
~PN-AVL

Now That's Thin.

2010-02-12T07:13:00.000-08:00

One of the things God seems to have to remind me of time and time again is that even though my blood is mistaken for Red Bull at times and even though I can maintain a pretty hard pace 24/7/365... I CAN spread myself way to thin! I have this built in compulsion to say yes to things that I know are good and beneficial without thinking of the consequences that it will have on my wife, my kids and even me later on. Whether it is a meeting about new ministry opportunities, a speaking engagement, a dinner meeting, or even just some fellowship, I get wrapped up in doing things that, while good, sap my energy and anointing for what's best! I am learning that just because I CAN does not mean I SHOULD. And God is making that truth fresh in my life with two thoughts in mind - Just because I CAN does not mean I SHOULD...

Because if I do everything that I am capable of - Yeah it'll get it done but it might also kill me in the process.
Because If I keep doing things just because I can I am robbing someone else of the chance to do what they SHOULD.

All I know is I don't want to spread myself so thin that I become a see through Nate! So, I need to do better at keeping my No's as much as I keep my yes'. Matthew 5:37

Later

~PN-AVL

Back from a short Blog Break!

2010-02-08T10:41:00.001-08:00

Yes I did take last week off and no it was not by accident. But now I'm back - and boy am I pumped! I am so excited about what God is doing at Breakthrough Church I can hardly stand it. Just to give you a rundown of all that is going on:

We just finished up a church wide fast and folks have been healed, have seen the provision of God, friends and family members have become a part of the kingdom of God and that is only scratching the surface.
Breakthrough was all but given a full size 48 passenger bus (anybody willing to do a pro bono paint job?) that will allow us to do ministry to children and families that up to this point (a whopping 2 years) we could only dream about!
The music and worship at Breakthrough have officially gone to a (to borrow a quote from Ed Young) WHOLE NUTHA LEVEL! I can't put this one into words you just need to quit messin' around and come check it out for your self.
We are excited about building a partnership with 410 Bridge and watching God do some amazing stuff in Kenya.
Yesterday we got to dunk a bunch of folks in the baptismal waters and even did one right before Kick off of the Super Bowl - You gotta agree that is Insanely cool!
A bunch of families made the step yesterday to officially say I want to make a commitment to what God is doing at Breakthrough (we didn't even have room for them all up front).
Thank God more chairs are on the way - not as soon as I would like but they are on the way.
We launch a BRAND NEW website and begin some media outreach this Febuary and March!

Wow, that makes me tired just talking about it! And that's just the beginning - like I said you just need to check it out for yourself.]

Later

~PN-AVL

2010-02-01T17:38:00.000-08:00

Some Successful runs...

Yeah, he's a dare-devil!
But so am I!

My prep at the top of the hill...
...My face at the bottom, after the 10.00 FACE PLANT!

Great Day!

2010-02-01T11:40:00.001-08:00

So even though it made me sick as a dog to not have services at Breakthrough yesterday, I have to say I had a great time with mamacita and little man! We did nothing but play ALL day (somtimes you need to be reminded how theraputic playing is for the body and the spirit). Anyway we got up and watched some preaching on TV, what can I say if I ain't throwin' down I at least want to hear someone else do it, then we headed out for some sledding. And I laughed so hard a couple of times I think I peed my snow suit!! At want point I found myself attempting to sled down a hill head first which ended up with me doing an 10.00 headstand via my FACE! It was stinkin hilarious. On another go round by cocyx navigated a collision course with a 10 inch chunk of ice which felt great (sarcasm intended there). After that we came home for a bite of lunch and some Wii with Benjamine and then ventured out to meet up with my folks for dinner around 3:30 (after discovering Michelle's car was dead). And to round out the night I had some pizza, some heartburn and then watched the Heels get their rears kicked AGAIN!

Anyway, you may not think much of it... but I call that a great day - I needed it!

Later
~PN-AVL

BTW - I hope to post some pics this evening so check back.

Had to post this!

2010-01-29T06:24:00.000-08:00

I rarely repost someone else's blog post but Perry (love this guy by the way) straight up threw down the hammer on this one entitled "What's Now Before What's Next" - I know it is a long post but you REALLY NEED to read this one, so enjoy:

One of the most common asked questions people ask me is, “How can I know what God wants next for my life?” AND…after being in ministry for nearly 20 years I’ve discovered that much of the time people don’t actually want to move on to what is NEXT…they are merely asking the question because they don’t want to deal with what God is doing NOW!

BUT…God will NOT reveal what is NEXT until we are obedient in what He is revealing NOW!
Let me share a Charisse illustration here? :-)

I really do want to take her to see, “The Princess and the Frog.” She’s never been to the movies. She’s never had hot popcorn covered in butter. She’s never had a HUGE Coke to go with it. She’s never had candy to chase the popcorn down! (Hey, if you are going to do it…do it right!) She’s never seen a screen like the one at the theatre.

I know she would LOVE IT! I know she would want to go back. I know that the whole experience would be one of the most amazing events of her life so far!
BUT…I can’t take her because she won’t stop taking a pee in her pants! (She’s going to KILL me when she gets older and sees some of the stuff I’ve written about her!) :-)
Here’s the deal…she is potty trained. She KNOWS when she needs to go pee. She tells us and we “assist” her with the clean up afterwards. She knows that it is wrong to pee in her pants…but she won’t stop.

It’s not that she doesn’t know better. Lucretia and I have spoken to her about this…and she knows that it is wrong and she should not do it…but for whatever reason she will have a few good days and then BAM…pee!!! (It’s really bad when she’s pees on me!)
SO…I had this conversation with her. I told her about the movies. I told her about the popcorn. I told her about the fun we would have…but then I told her, “I am not going to take you until you stop peeing in your pants.”

She totally understood; in fact, she said repeatedly the first day I shared this with her, “I am not going to pee in my pants and then mommy and daddy will take me to see the Princess and the frog.” BUT…then she does it again!

Here’s the kicker…I REALLY want to take her to see that movie. I know it would bring so much joy to her life and that she would love the entire experience. BUT…I won’t take her there until she deals with “the issue” that we’ve clearly identified/discussed in her life.

The same is true with our heavenly Father…His plans for us are amazing (I Corinthians 2:9, Ephesians 3:20), He REALLY does want to take us to places that we could never even inagine…but..until we deal with the issues He brings forth in our life He will allow us to stay right where we are. He can’t trust us with what’s next if we are not obedient with what’s now!
Here in the South we try our best to bypass this. God will reveal an area of our life we need to deal with…and instead of becoming obedient and submissive to His leadership we will say, “Well, I’m not going to obey THAT…but instead I will do this!” An example would be, “Well, I am not going to stop screwing my boyfriend/girlfriend…but instead I will get involved in lots of Bible studies, sing really loud at church and get involved in serving.”

Radical obedience in one area of our lives is not a license to pursue disobedience in another.

Is there an area of your life that is NOT submissive to Jesus? Because, if that is the case we’ve got to understand that He is NOT going to change His mind, nor will He be mocked (Galatians 6:7) by our meaningless worship or manipulated (Isaiah 29:13) by our vain words.
Christianity is meeting Jesus and then following Him for the rest of our lives…one step at a time.
SO…what is THAT step of obedience He is leading you to? What is that thing that always keeps coming up? What is the issue He is wanting you to let go of? Trust me…He’s NOT dealing with THAT issue because He hates you…but rather because He loves you and wants to see greater things.

Let’s deal with what’s now so we can constantly move towards what’s next!

Nothing Spiritual...More Snow?!!?!

2010-01-28T17:00:00.000-08:00

Tonight, I am just hanging out with my beautiful wife praying that all of the forecasters are wrong about a FOOT of snow. Don't get me wrong I like a good snow as much as anybody but to be perfectly honest I am at that point where snow gives me some very mixed emotions - I would love it for my son - yes but, man it can throw a wrench in your plans. I can't help but wonder if it is God's own little way of telling me to put on the brakes - or if it is Satan just trying to frustrate the snot out of me. Then... I remember, it's snow, nothing more nothing less. So for all of you out there praying for snow, more power to you 'cause it sounds like you might get it, but if you don't you still get to worship your guts out at Breakthrough on Sunday! And for those of you who would prefer to avoid snow like H1N1, take some time to relax - throw a snowball, make a snow angel, throw a bunch of snow into a port-a-potty (Benjamin and I do) and Oh Yeah, you get to worship your guts our too!

Later
~PN-AVL

Just a few more days.

2010-01-25T18:33:00.000-08:00

Well, everyone participating in the 21 day fast is now in the home stretch. By this time next week I suspect a lot of folks will be back to eating some steak, burgers and bread (that might be all they eat for a few days). In any case we are close - my encouragement to all of you today (and this applies to more than just fasting) is don't die on the doorstep! Whether it is fasting, our prayers, giving, raising our kids, doing our jobs, whatever - all too often we miss out on some of our biggest breakthroughs, our greatest miracles, and the answers we've been waiting for because we're too tired. But Paul makes it plain in 2 Cor. 8:11 - "Now finish what you began, so that your eagerness to do so may be matched by your eagerness to complete it." and the great part is that Paul does not leave us hanging with "FINISH WHAT YOU STARTED!" He goes on in Galatians 6:9 to say that if you refuse to give in to the weariness and push on you WILL reap a harvest. I don't know about you but I don't want to do all that work only to call it quits at harvest time!

By the way, we are looking forward to sharing with you some remarkable stories of how God has moved during this fast!

~PN-AVL

Anticipation!

2010-01-24T07:15:00.000-08:00

I've preached on this A LOT at Breakthrough but I don't know that I have ever really taken the time to mention it on here. Right now it is Sunday morning and I am ready to stinkin' explode - I believe God is going to do something this morning at Breakthrough that is unique, powerful and life changing. In fact I don't just believe that, I expect nothing less! I think far too many many people in far too many churches in America are satisfied with being satisfied. They are good with coming to a building on Sunday to hear some "Good Singin' " and a a quick message all so they can get back to real life. There is no anticipation that God might actually want to throw man's agenda out the window and do something awe inspiring. No expectation that He wants us to move beyond what we are comfortable with in order to show us something fresh and amazing.

All I have to say is expect something new from your relationship with God today... anticipate it!!

~PN-AVL

Beyond the Halfway point!

2010-01-22T06:42:00.000-08:00

So, for those of you on this 21 day journey - Great News... you are OVER half way there! It amazes me how frustrating it can be to establish new discplines in our lives (our re-establish old ones) that we know will bring change. But even more amazing is what begins to take place once we step out and make the change. Today is a great day - I'm already feeling productive, I'm already feeling a great sense of anticipation and expectation and I love it! And I know that it comes as a direct result of drwaing closer to God and denying my own desires in order to make that happen. I want to encourage you today - maybe you feel like me and you are fired up and ready to storm hell with a supersoaker... or maybe you just feel like hell. Either way God is doing a work in you that is beyond anything that you can ask or imagine - stay strong, press on.

~PN-AVL
www.breakthroughwoc.org (By the way, keep checking our website over the next few weeks as we are about to launch an all new completely redesigned site!)

Geez!!

2010-01-21T10:56:00.000-08:00

That is the note I have written in the margin of Mark Batterson's new book that I have been reading. I came across "Geez!" yesterday as I was re-reading part of the book and I can see why I made that notation... I think you will too:

"What if instead of sound quality or lyrical creativity, our litmus test for worship was a heart that breaks for the things that break the heart of God? What if we saw compassion as a form of worship? Worship without words... Worship beyond words!"

Yeah... so, like I said geez! For all of you fasting out there, let your worship go beyond words today. And yes for all of you wondering I DO want a chili-cheeseburger (better make it a double), with extra bread! But what God is doing in my life right now is so much more worth it. And it will be worth it in your life too!

Later

~PN-AVL

Wake Me Up Mommy.

2010-01-20T12:51:00.000-08:00

That's what my son said last night before we put him to bed - "Why?" you might ask. Well, as he was heading to bed he made his way over for a "quick snuggle" on the couch with me before he hit the pillow. When he did, he whispered "Daddy can I snuggle with you in the morning before my breakfast?" To which we responded "Baby you barely get out of Bed in time for breakfast" - followed quickly by a the appeal "PLEASE come get me outta bed so I can snuggle with Daddy". So, we left it at "ok we will" and put Him down for the night. Once in our room we laughed at how cute little man was and stated that it was highly unlikely that he would awaken when called on in the morning.

Then, this morning came, and Michelle headed to the room (as promised) to wake up our son... only to be greeted by a big smile and a "Hello, I'm ready to snuggle Daddy". Michelle didn't have to say ONE word, she didn't have to nudge him awake, pour water on his face (not that she ever would) - nothin'. He remembered that He was going to get to spend some snuggle time with Daddy and that was reason enought to wake up on His own.

WOW! What if we had that same passion for our Heavenly Daddy. No alarm needed, no smell of morning coffee just the anticipation of a promise from the previous day...

~PN

Just as I Expected...

2010-01-19T07:10:00.001-08:00

...Last night was an AMAZING time of prayer and worship as some of the men of Breakthrough joined together to lift up the nation and the people of Haiti. There is nothing more impacting than choosing to worship for someone ELSE'S breakthrough. The amazing thing is turning on GMA and other News networks this morning and seeing things that have transpired in the past twelve hours that I know are a result of God's children joining together all over the world in Prayer, Giving, and Fasting. Tragedy will give way to triumph, and darkness WILL flee in the presence of light.

On a personal, and might I add slightly confrontational note, for those of you in the 'religious' community that insist on making the tragedy in Haiti about a God ordained judgement - please take a moment to process what you are saying before you spew your poisonous opinion onto a broken people. There are pastors, churches, and individuals in the nation of Haiti who press into God and worship Him with a fervor unlike anything we have seen here in America and what they need now, what all of those who are far from God need now is prayer and action, NOT religiously motivated garbage. That'll be enough soapbox for one day.

Later
~PN-AVL

Awesome Day Yesterday... only gets better.

2010-01-18T07:08:00.001-08:00

Yesterday was a great day at Breakthrough Church. The worship was fantastic and we really dug in to what it means to know Jehovah Rapha - the God who Heals Exodus 15:26. While some of it was just a refresher for many, I also believe it was a fresh word to encourage us that God's desire to heal us goes far beyond (but definitely does not exclude) our physical bodies. He desires to heal our hearts and the bitterness and the pain that many of us are still enduring as a result of something that transpired years ago Exodus 15:23. And greater than any promise He desires to heal our souls. I know I learned something!

Looking forward to tonight as our church and our men's ministry especially, join together in a time of prayer specifically for the nation and the people of Haiti.

One more thought, what if fasting, like worship, became more than an event in our lives and instead became a lifestyle? Not revelatory to some I know but too many... something we ought to think about. Stay strong, keep giving, praying and fasting.

~PN-AVL
http://www.breakthroughwoc.org/

Pray!

2010-01-16T18:39:00.000-08:00

As you recall I stated at the very beginning of teaching this series on fasting that it is not about abstaining from food it is about drawing near to and hearing the heart of God. Tonight all I can say is that I know the heart of God is broken for the people of Haiti! And I think it is our responsibility and privilege to pray for the people of that country... So if you are reading this, take some time on your knees and lift up the people of Haiti, their homes, their children, mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers. Pray for their land. And when you are done praying DO something. Whether you give a donation to a relief organization or buy water and clothes to be shipped to a hurting people. Become the hands and feet of God!

~PN

A recipe for day 6!

2010-01-15T09:28:00.000-08:00

After a couple of days on a fast you really want something fresh! Try this smoothie out - Good stuff.

Apple Pear Cinnamon Smoothie

1 cup no sugar added apple juice
2 pears, peeled and cored
1 frozen banana
Ice
Protein
Cinnamon
Combine apple juice, pears , banana and ice in a blender. Blend until smooth,
add protein and cinnamon and blend until just combined.

Where you put your faith...

2010-01-13T15:25:00.000-08:00

...Makes all the difference. Alot of people are fasting for alot of different things during this 21 day fast. And while I don't have alot to say today I do have something that has been weighing really heavily on my heart. Too many people in the church have the tendency to put their faith in a particular outcome - instead of putting their faith in the God who knows every outcome. Every what if, every possibility and probability He already has worked out and he knows the beginning by having already looked at the end.

While we are believing for some amazingly awesome, HUGE things lets rememeber to put our faith in an outcome over the God who already knows the outcome!

~PN-AVL

Tune In!

2010-01-12T09:23:00.001-08:00

So yesterday I mentioned that as we fast our aim is to come back into right alignment with God. But what is the advantage of that? I am glad you asked - HA! I love that when we worship God on a level we never have before that His voice becomes so much more clear - fasting does the same thing; it brings us to a place where we are in tune with what He is saying. I read a great illustration of this a few days ago - Have you ever been driving in your car searching through the stations to find music only to become frustrated by the sound of constant static (you have if you've ever traveled the 1-40 gorge)? And all of a sudden you crest a hill or make a right turn and where previously all you heard was static now there is music, a clear signal. Here's the thing, it's not that that signal wasn't there just a minute ago you just weren't in a position to hear that frequency - THAT WILL STINKIN' PREACH! Spiritually speaking, fasting allows us to "crest that hill" or "make that turn" and allows us to hear what we could not previously, all because we simply changed position and got back in line with the signale we were searching for.

Tune out the static today and tune into God's clear signal!

Later ~PN-AVL
www.breakthroughwoc.org

Awakening

2010-01-11T17:48:00.000-08:00

So, we at Breakthrough have started the churchwide fast in full swing. Sunrise on Sunday morning you stepped out and said God I'm doing this for you and by Sunday at lunch you wanted a brownie so bad you couldn't stand it - HA HA! It never ceases to amaze me how when you make a conscious decision to draw closer to God that the enemy immediately begins throwing stuff in your face to distract you. You haven't gone out to eat with friends in weeks or even months and now they want to take you out and they even do it THEIR TREAT! Wow, if there is one thing that I have grown to learn it is that to be a follower of Christ - passionate and on fire - you have to be disciplined. Interesting how that works, huh? Disciple = Discipline... you really can't be one without having the other. You say, "Yeah Nate but lots of people are disciplined but aren't followers of Christ!" I agree but notice what I said - you can't be a Disciple without being discplined. The question is to whom or what are you a disciple of? The area of your life where you relentlesly give your time, talent and effort - job, family, cars, house, golf, facebook - whatever you MAKE the time for is where you excercise displine. WHAT HAS MADE A DISCIPLE OUT OF YOU?

Awakening is the chance to refocus and realign yourself with the only One worth really following. It's going to be tough, but it will be worth it - Be strong, God Bless.

~PN - AVL
www.breakthroughwoc.org

Why is the car Hissing??!?

2010-01-01T17:48:00.000-08:00

Yeah, so at my house we were ringing in the New year by changing a tire that was punctured by a sharp, massive piece of concrete left in the middle of the road of our neighborhood where a repair on a water line is being done. Needless to say I really got to put in to practice the REACT like a Christian thing (click here for more on that).

Anyway, I'm really excited about everything that God is doing and I know that he is setting my family and the Breakthrough family up for amazing things. I'm amazed at how many folks are jacked up about this fast that we will be doing Jan 1oth through the 31st and if the last time we did this is to serve as any indication of what God will do... then it's about to explode! For 21 days we as a church, along with countless others across the country and around the world, will be fasting for loved ones who are far from God, for provision in our homes and families, and for opportunities to reach out to the community around us with the love of God. I can't wait!

The Final Countdown...

2009-12-31T10:25:00.000-08:00

No, not the song from the Rocky 4 soundtrack. I'm talking about wrapping up yet another year. This is the day that people all over wait for the ball to drop in Time Square with intentions that everything they didn't follow through on this year, they will in the next. So, once you come down from the excitement of ringing in the new year, you've made some choices and commitments toward change... now what are you going to do about it? I know we don't like change but it is 100% necessary for growth! My wife (having find out she is pregnant with our 3rd child) is about to experience the joys of pregnancy including swollen feet, an ever enlarging belly (which I think is beautiful by the way) hormone rockets, and SOooo much more. But all of that change is vital to the growth of the life that she will birth! Too many of us keep making the same "resolutions" every year because we fail to embrace change in our lives for the sake of growth. And change only happens when we are willing to move - I want to leave you with this, God dropped it on me (and challenged me) earlier today. The difference in a dreamer and a visionary is that a dreamer talks about his dream and a visionary makes the dream happen.

Later
PN ~AVL
www.breakthroughwoc.org

Yeah Baby!

2009-12-30T11:53:00.000-08:00

OK so first off, NO that is not a really bad Austin Powers immitation (although I do a pretty mean one if I do say so myself). I just have to say I am jacked up about how God is blessing my family this year. Set aside the fact that I just got to go see the Heels whoop up on Rutgers Monday night (pics to follow), set aside the fact that Breakthrough is growing like crazy, set aside the fact that I haven't had to work a second job in a year and a half, and set aside the fact that I get to pastor the most amazing church (and by church I mean people) on the stinkin' planet. Just couple of weeks ago Michelle and I found out that not only are we going to be welcoming our sweet little Charis Lorraine into the family this coming March, but Michelle just found out she is pregnant and expecting in July - Yeah BABY! WOW holy cheese and biscuits! All I can say is that God is faithful, He is Awesome and I praise Him for it all!

Later ~PN
www.breakthroughwoc.org

Actions AND Reactions.

2009-12-23T19:22:00.000-08:00

Everyone of us grew up hearing about how we were responsible for our actions (and if you didn't you've heard it now). But sometimes who we are isn't revealed in our actions as much as it is in our reactions. Mark Batterson in his new book Primal puts it this way...

"In my experience it's much easier to act like a Christian than it is to react like one. Anyone can put on an act. But your reactions reveal what is really in your heart. And if you love God with all your heart you won't just act like it you'll react like it."

Some of you are about to spend the next few days with family that you haven't seen since last Christmas. Some of these encounters may be a little high on the stress meter. Some of you have to go in to work on a day that you THOUGHT you would be off. There will be a lot of opportunities to go on the warpath... or make peace; plenty of chances to express anger or compassion. What will your reations reveal about what's in your heart?

Later ~PN

http://www.breakthroughwoc.org/

When three guys get to talking...

2009-12-22T17:58:00.000-08:00

...God does some awesome stuff. Last night was our monthly Men's Ministry night of worship at Breakthrough and thanks to some nasty weather over the weekend (and some "other" things I'm guessing) only three guys made it, myself included in that three. And while I must admit that was pretty irritating to me initially it was a great opportunity to talk to two guys who could not be more excited about what God is doing in their lives. And as dissappointing as it was that we didn't have the big kickin' worship service we normally have... it was great! To hear those guys sharing about how blessed they are and how they are seeing God more clearly than they ever have is powerful. I've been reading a book (I'll share some stuff tomorrow) and there is a quote from Albert Einstein that has so resonated with me and puts into words what Big "E" and Kevin were sharing Monday "There are only two ways to live your life. One is as if nothing is a miracle. The other is as if everything is." WOW!

God With Us!

2009-12-15T08:38:00.000-08:00

I love the account in Matthew's gospel in which Joseph is reassured that Mary's pregnancy is a God thing. And I love that the angel tells Joseph that the name of the Child that would be born is to be "Immanuel - which being translated means God with Us". Wow - that is so powerful. We need to be reminded of that this Christmas and remind others of it for a couple of reasons -

His name was God with US not God with the church or God with Religion. God with us was a promise to ALL men. God is at work in the lives of hurting broken people this Christmas that the church has given up on because THEY won't come to our Sunday morning social hour! God is with people who aren't even sure He exists and who have never set foot in a church WHY? Cause He is God with US. Let's share with those around us this Christmas how the God who is with them can be the God who is in them.
You Can't Go Anywhere without God! If we really believe He is God with us it should radically transform the decisions we make, the things we do, and the way we speak because he is always right there! Check these verses out in Psalm 139. You can run from your church, your pastor, whoever... But not Him, He's God with us.
You don't HAVE to go anywhere without God. To the woman whose husband just walked out on you and now your left to pick up the pieces – God is with you. To the man faced with loosing his job unsure of how to provide for tomorrow – God is with you. To the Young woman who feels completely alone as all your friends marry and start new lives – God is with you. To the Student who feels like your parents can’t understand and friends don’t care... God is with you!

Merry Christmas, Later ~PN

Christmas Gala 09!

2009-12-14T09:08:00.000-08:00

Last night was an amazing and beautiful night for the Ladies of Breakthrough Church and I am so blessed to have had the opportunity to be a part of it. My wife unloaded an AWESOME word about the greatest gift that the world has ever known and how Jesus came not only as a gift FOR us but to deposit gifts IN us. Really good stuff - then she laid out Proverbs 18:16 A gift opens doors for a man, and brings him before the great. "Too many Christians keep looking for opportunities to use their gifts when it is their GIFT that will make way for the opportunities!" In other words use what you got where you are and watch where God will take you! OH - I wanna preach that so bad... Anyway, it was a great night and I am so proud to serve along side a beautiful woman who MULTIPLIES the minstry of Breakthrough rather than dividing it in half!

Later ~PN
www.breakthroughwoc.org