This past weekend, it was great to have one of our Executive Pastors, Olin Holly, give the message in our services. He brought a profound word on wisdom based on the first parable Jesus ever gave us: The Wise and Foolish Builders. Jesus shows us the basic principle we are to live by in this parable to make certain we are living wise. Here’s the way Olin broke it down:

Jesus’ early ministry was characterized by teaching, preaching and healing of all kinds of diseases and performing incredible miracles. Multitudes followed him, and so he went on a mountain and taught them. An important thing to note was that when Jesus finished teaching, He gave us his very first parable:

“Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.” (Luke 6:47-49 ESV)

Why did Jesus choose this particular illustration? To relate and connect with the people. They understood heavy winds and rains and knew that anyone would be foolish to build their house on the sand. Basically Jesus was saying, “Yes, you are right. And by the way—you would be just as foolish as that man who built his house upon the sand if you do not obey my words.”

The best thing I can do is obey what Jesus says; the most foolish thing I can do is ignore what Jesus says! So then, the people had to go back and think about what He said when he taught them.

In his message, Olin went on to discuss how some of Jesus key points are relevant to us today, including the topics of anger and murder, lust and adultery, loving our enemies and storing up treasures. His words were challenging and right on. If you haven’t already, let me encourage you to listen to or watch this message here. It will definitely build up your spirit and challenge you in your walk with Christ!

As Pastor Rolando talked about a few weekends ago, God’s presence has really been showing up during our 212º services and some amazing and supernatural things have been taking place. Among them, a number of people, both youth and adults, have experienced healing of all sorts of ailments and physical problems. In fact, the very weekend he spoke, several people believed for and received healing.

After that evening’s service, Ryan, who had been suffering with a severe case of medically diagnosed patella tendonitis for 11 years, wrote, “During the prayer, my left knee popped violently three times and immediately all pain and weakness went away.”

Saretha, who had been diagnosed with scoliosis – curvature of the spine – wrote, “During the service, Pastor Gonzalez asked if anyone needed healing. I was urged by the Spirit to raise my hand, even though part of me had accepted my condition. The moment I raised my hand, I felt the Holy Spirit over me as if He had been waiting for me. I had my eyes closed, but I felt four or five hands on me. I literally felt my equilibrium change. I felt my spine align and the stress in my back decrease. I thank God so much for this unexpected healing!”

These are just a couple of testimonies to God’s power and faithfulness. Regardless of what some people say, God still heals today!

And, if God’s been doing something in or through your life at Victory, please consider helping to build the faith of others by sharing your story here.

This past weekend, my wife Colleen brought a very moving word about God’s unrelenting love, forgiveness and reconciliation. If you missed it, you’ve got to hear it – listen to or watch it here. For now, here’s a bit of what she said to whet your appetite:

We all have a craving that goes much deeper than cravings for simpler things like food…it’s to be wanted, to be liked by someone else. We crave the sense of being wanted – I don’t mean in a sexual sense, but in the sense of knowing that we’re loved, accepted and valued for who we are. That’s something we all need, yet most of us didn’t grow up with it.

I wonder if you’re aware with an acute sense how much God wants you? If we could get that down in our hearts, it would radically transform our lives. But so many of us don’t get that. So, instead, we seek to fill that deep craving with all kinds of other things – food, sex, pornography, drugs, alcohol, music, Internet, Facebook or any number of other things. We look to the things the world claims will fill that need…but they don’t. They only distract us from what we really need and then heap on shame and guilt to try to keep us running from God.

Jesus talked about this in a story that he told about a wealthy father and his two sons. This story is known as the Parable of the Prodigal Son and can be found in Luke 15:11-32.

In this story, the younger son is disrespectful and unloving to his father, rebellious, selfishly motivated, prideful, foolish and wasteful. Yet in the end, he is confident in his father’s heart to treat him kindly.

The older son, while giving the outward appearance of being the “good son” is actually hypocritical, cynical, selfish and prideful. He thought love was something that was earned. He had no more love for the father than did the younger son.

Neither son truly understood the love and acceptance of their father. They represent us, and our two main responses to God, before we begin to understand his love. They are flipsides of the same coin – rebellion or religion – both are mankind’s broken responses to our complete underestimation of God’s love and acceptance.

The father in Jesus’ story was out there looking for and expecting his son – when his son finally returned, he recognized him a long way off. He didn’t wait at the door, but ran to him (how undignified!), sparing his son further shame, refusing to banish him as would have been customary, but instead, welcoming him with an outpouring of affection and reconciliation…and then a huge party. What a response!

Yet, should we be so shocked by the Father’s overjoyed reception of his son, considering that is the way God views us – not as despicable heathens but lost sons? This level of celebration makes sense when you consider that the ultimate purpose for Jesus leaving Heaven to come to earth was that this restoration and millions more just like it occur throughout the earth on a regular basis.

This is how much God, our heavenly father, longs for us, looks for us to return. His first response is compassion – even beyond what is reasonable. He is selfless, humble, willing to do anything to get his children back, unrelenting in his love, so focused on restoration that nothing else matters. He doesn’t even question about the past, but forgives over and over again!

During the month of June, as you my recall, our iCare giving was focused on supporting one of our close local partners in ministry, the Norcross Co-op. Through both financial and material donations, we joined together to bless this ministry and those they serve in a big way – hundreds of families will be given the help and hope they so desperately need. Here is an excerpt of a letter that Shirley Cabe, the Co-op’s Director, wrote in response:

Dear Pastors, leaders and members of Victory World Church:

On behalf of the Norcross Cooperative Ministry Board of Directors, staff, volunteers and clients, thank you so much for your recent donation of $35,042 from the iCare offering during the month of June. This awesome blessing will help many families in our community who are struggling to make ends meet. I also want to thank everyone for the food donations that came in during the month. VWC members donated over 500 bags of food and personal care items.

Over the last few months, we have experienced a 25% increase in the number of our client visits. Currently we are serving over 1,100 families per month. Many of these families have never come to us for help before. Your donation will be used to help these families with basic needs: food, help with utility bill payments, rental assistance and temporary lodging for our homeless families with children.

Thank you again for your donation and your continued support of the outreach and ministries of Norcross Cooperative Ministry. Please continue to pray for our clients, this community and the staff and volunteers of Norcross Co-op. Working together we can transform this community, one family at a time.

In Christ,

Shirley Cabe

Thank you, Victory for your compassion and generosity!

If you’re a regular attender at Victory and God’s been doing something in or through your life here, please consider helping to build the faith of others by sharing your story here.

Imagine it: the smell of barbecue in the air, the DJ’s got the music thumpin’, nearly 1,500 men – ranging in age from 10 to over 80 – hanging out, talking, laughing, shooting hoops, kicking soccer balls, throwing footballs, pitching fastballs, driving golf balls* and having a great time. There’s a sense of excitement in the air and the anticipation is growing…it’s just about time to eat! (And, you know the way to a man’s heart…)

Although it’s been a hot and steamy day, the sun’s heading rapidly toward the tree line, shade is growing more abundant and a welcome breeze is picking up. It’s a perfect evening for another spectacular men’s event at Victory World Church…it’s Champion’s Night 2010.

Soon, dinner is served and the guys line up for heaping plates corn on the cob, BBQ baked beans and of some of Atlanta’s best barbecue**, generously served with a smile by a squadron of Victory ladies…and don’t forget the great sweet tea (we are in the South, after all!) and some amazing peach cobbler and banana pudding for dessert.

Now, with our bellies full of great food, and our hearts full of mirth, it’s time to head into V1 for the main event – special guest speaker, three-time NBA champion, Bruce Bowen. But first, a bit more fun and the awarding of some sweet prizes! If the air was filled with excitement before, now it’s positively charged! The music is rocking the auditorium, lights are flashing, great sports moments are playing on the big screens, the stage is set like a basketball court, every seat is fill and there’s even a few guys standing along the walls.

Emcee Billy Boughey, along with 212º Pastor Rolando Gonzalez and Fusion Pastor Johnson Bowie, gets things really hopping by tossing basketballs autographed by Bruce Bowen to the most enthusiastic guys in the crowd. This is followed by an off-the-chain dance routine by the 212º dance team, then, an arm wrestling contest – this is, after all a men’s event; displays of strength are in order – and the awarding of prizes. Congratulations to:

Henderson, winner of an autographed basketball – arm wrestling
Eldridge Harris, winner of an iPod Touch – longest golf drive
Oloalu Bolu, winner of an iPod Touch – most soccer goals
Juan, winner of a Wii Console – fastest pitch
Mike Bowen, winner of an Xbox 360 – most touchdowns
Sam Dennard, winner of the Breakfast with Bruce Bowen Raffle

Having awarded these prizes, there’s still one prize left…one really, really sweet prize…the Grand Prize – a 50″ Plasma TV and PS3 bundle! For this contest, the two highest scorers in the outdoor hoops contest plus one randomly picked from the audience wildcard player are invited onstage for a shootout. Whoever makes the most free-throws in 30 seconds wins the Grand Prize. And, with 19 baskets, the winner is…Jeremy Simmons, guest of Victory member Tony Bolin. Congratulations, Jeremy!

And now for the main event…Pastor Dennis introduces our special speaker, Bruce Bowen, a man who is regarded as one of the best defenders in the NBA, was elected eight times to the NBA All-Defensive First and Second Teams and was a member of the San Antonio Spurs teams that won the NBA championships in 2003, 2005 and 2007.

As he speaks, we find out he’s also a man who loves the Lord and has a powerful testimony of overcoming tremendous odds only by the grace of God. He tells of his alcoholic father who was mostly absent and drug-addicted mother who couldn’t give him the care he needed. Bruce had a rough childhood filled with hard lessons.

He speaks of fatherhood, challenging every father in the room to connect with their kids, to be there for them, to stay aware of the fact that they’re watching and learning from everything we do, to pour into them selflessly and not take from them selfishly. He talks of learning to trust Christ to be the father he never had. He challenges us to not fear failure – it can mold us and make us better, if we let it. True failure is when we don’t try.

In closing, Bowen challenges all of us to be optimistic using his name and quirky bow tie as a memory aid – B.O.W. – Being Optimistic Wins. He’s met with a standing ovation before Pastor Dennis closes out with a brief Q & A session and then a prayer. The night’s over, but the memories will last. From start to finish, this was an awesome men’s event. What a great time!

*Inflatables by Funtastic Events Inc.

**Catering by LowCountry Barbecue

Our Fusion Pastor, Johnson Bowie, knocked it out of the park this weekend as he opened our new series, PARABLES, with a great message about forgiveness. This is something we all need to be reminded of regularly. It is one of the most essential parts of living a “kingdom” life. Why? Because we all have to deal with offense just about every day. Here’s a bit of what he said:

You are going to get offended! People will give you the opportunity to get offended all the time. That seems especially true in church…especially in Victory! We have way too many races and cultures and languages and funky people in here that you will not get offended. On any given Sunday there are thousands of people who don’t go to church because they are offended.

But we have to realize that a MAJOR plan of Satan is to get us offended at individuals in the church and then to react by breaking community, because then we’re all alone…easy to pick off…sitting ducks for sin and powerless in this life because there’s power in community. The trap of the enemy is isolation. When we refuse to forgive it breaks community with people, it gives a place for sickness in our lives and it breaks community with God.

But forgiveness isn’t easy. Where in the world does the power to forgive come from? The power to forgive comes from our own forgiveness. Those who have been forgiven much must go and forgive much. The forgiven must forgive because they’re forgiven. We had a debt that we absolutely could not pay. We were hopeless and we couldn’t reach out high enough to reach God, so He reached down to us. And Jesus came and He hung on a cross for us, forever dispelling the myth that forgiveness is cheap or easy. If you find yourself getting offended or judgmental towards others often…maybe it’s time you re-calculate your spiritual debt towards God.

Please listen; I’m not minimizing what has happened to some of you. Some of you have been through HORRIBLE things. People have done some absolutely horrible things to you. You have been through a lot. I’m not MINIMIZING that. But what I am MAXIMIZING is what you and I have done to God over and over again. And Jesus looks us square in the eyes and says, “The Kingdom of Heaven is like this… and He forgives us… now go and do likewise.”

At last I understood: in the final analysis, forgiveness is an act of faith. By forgiving another, I am trusting that God is a better justice-maker than I am. By forgiving, I release my own right to get even and leave all issues of fairness for God to work out. I leave in God’s hands the scales that must balance justice and mercy. – Phillip Yancey

Is there someone who you need to forgive? Is there someone who you haven’t talked to in a long time because of what they did? Is there someone who you avoid like the plague, you won’t sit beside, or get angry when you think about? Is there someone whom you are waiting for a confession from before you offer forgiveness? You must forgive them. You can start by praying this prayer:

God, I forgive _________ for what they did. I release them from any debt they owe me. I release any anger and any revenge in my heart… and (maybe the hardest part) I BLESS them in the name of Jesus.

You’ve got to hear the rest of this message, including practical and godly wisdom on how to handle offense when it comes; watch or listen to it online here.

Here’s a powerful video about forgiveness:

Recently, the Messengers small group of Fusion planned a barbeque at the park for a Friday night, but the Lord had other plans. Friday came and so did the thunderstorms. The barbeque had to be canceled due to the weather, but that did not stop any of us from getting together at Reggie’s (one of our leaders) for dinner and a movie, or so we thought. Everyone showed up at Reggie’s with food, drinks, deserts, and anything else imaginable. The fellowship is always filled with peace, joy and wisdom. This time was no different! A few people had come to fellowship with us from other groups, and boy, were they in for a treat! We had no idea that rain could turn a Friday night barbeque at the park into an amazing night filled with the Holy Spirit.

After eating dinner, blankets were stretched across the floor, couches and chairs were occupied, and everyone was ready to start the movie. The group got into a deep conversation (as normal), about the Lord and his amazing works. One of the members decided to share her testimony while waiting on the movie to begin. This in turn, sparked desires in other people to do the same. One testimony lead to another, and conversations developed into messages from the Lord. Sharing testimonies opened up the door for the Lord to remind many individuals of things from their past that they had not remembered before. It also allowed people to recover from things that had previously been bothering them by sharing it aloud.

Now, it seems that the enemy didn’t like this one bit, as he had been trying to distract us and mess up the night in various ways. One way was by using the neighbors. We had one neighbor blocked in by accident, and he came banging on the door. Another group of neighbors stopped a group member while he was pulling in, trying to start an argument or fight. We prayed for the neighbors along with the children in the room and each other. Unfortunately, the enemy struck again when another member was about to tell her testimony.

She was struggling with a migraine and feeling sick. A couple of people went to check on her and as soon as she stated what was going on, we decided to pray for her. Laying hands on her and praying out loud with the whole group brought about deliverance from spirits that she had been dealing with, such as rejection. The Lord gave her strength to tell her testimony, which in turn brought about the need for deliverance in another group member.

Each person was actively taking authority over spirits that were not of God, walking with the power of the Holy Spirit. The truths that were being spoken aloud were too much for the enemy to handle. We reminded him that Jesus Christ died on the cross and shed his blood for us! He died for redemption of our sin, for our healing and our deliverance. He died for us to have a personal relationship. We showed that our God lives inside of us by the Holy Spirit (TAKE THAT!). Both of these group members were delivered that night… well, it was actually the morning by the time we finished. Not only were they delivered and filled by the Holy Spirit (so the spirits have no place to come back and reside), but they also received rest.

By this time it was roughly 3am and we were praising the Lord through music. Everyone joined together to pray for covering of each and every one of us and over the children once again. After prayer, one of the ladies mentioned while leaving that her hand was hurting and tingling. One of the leaders of The Messengers prayed for healing over her and they both received it. The next morning, that leader got a text message stating that she had been healed.

PRAISE THE LORD! GOD IS SO GOOD! A Friday night barbeque being rained out turned into two deliverances, a physical healing and many emotional and spiritual healings through testimony.

This past weekend, I invited our 212º Youth Pastor, Rolando Gonzalez, to close out our One Prayer: Unstoppable teaching series. As many of us have heard, God has really been pouring out his Spirit in the 212º services and I wanted him to share some of what’s been going on with the rest of the church. He did so with a great message about the Unstoppable Kingdom. Here are a few of his key points that we all need to hear and receive into our hearts:

• The Lord enjoys spending time with us; he wants to spend time with us.
• God has a plan and if we can get out of His way ‘great things’ will happen for His glory.
• God is a lot happier and more joyful than we usually think he is
• In his presence is joy
• A lot of the things of God are pretty simple; they start getting complex when we try to take them apart, try to explain them
• God has set things in place and in motion and nothing can stop him
• His kingdom is who he is – meaning that God is not standing away just watching, but he’s currently active in his kingdom – Jesus is involved with his kingdom
• We know that God is everywhere, but sometimes it’s like He is more in one place than others; this “more” of God is His glory or presence
• His presence is what makes the unusual usual
• We were made to function in God’s glory, in his presence
• The Holy Spirit loves to bring revelation of the Father’s love and reveal Jesus Christ to us
• When the Spirit comes, He brings the unstoppable kingdom

If you want to experience God’s amazing presence and power as a part of his unstoppable kingdom, I urge you to listen to or watch the rest of Rolando’s message and then surrender completely to the Holy Spirit. You will definitely be encouraged. And, don’t miss the powerful collection of testimonies on the video that he played during service. I’m going to include it here as well. God is on the move. As we unite together with him, we are and will be unstoppable!

The Roses small group, led by Mark Cooke, provides spiritual, emotional and educational support for people affected by and/or living with chronic illnesses. Chronic illnesses can create daily stresses that build over time and erode our spiritual strength. As a group, we create an outlet to discuss issues, provide support and counter these daily stresses. Here’s what a couple of our group members have to say:

Hi! My name is Donna and I belong to the Roses Chronic Illness Support V•Group. Everyone with an illness needs compassion, understanding, and prayer to help them through each day. At Roses, I found folks who are non-judgmental and genuinely concerned about every aspect of my well being. I have experienced an understanding that I feel can only be found among those who are also ill. I still have so much to learn about Jesus, but every visit at Roses helps me grow spiritually as well as emotionally. If you are facing the challenge of chronic illness, I sincerely hope that you will join us in our journey. ~ Donna R.

Since I have been coming to the Roses group sessions, I feel this truly adds a great level of openness that I haven’t felt in some time. Being able to talk deeply and honestly with other people who are going through their own illnesses is a true release. Many times in a person’s life, the stress of failures, mistakes and disappointments can create a large sense of loneliness and resentment for the world and self. You may even find yourself blaming and arguing with God about why this had to happen to you when others are getting over from doing so much worse. Nevertheless, friendship and communication helps to fight off those feelings of depression and helps you to understand that God will use your small down times for a greater cause. No person is alone no matter how alone they feel. The world was created as a whole and that whole is made of many parts. Some are scarier than others, but the communion of many can ease life’s long, rough roads. I know I was created for greatness, and being part of something greater than myself helps me to know that, even when the way is cloudy or hard. ~ James S.

“Some people complain because God put thorns on roses, while others praise Him for putting roses among thorns.”

We weren’t meant to walk through life alone; and true growth, spiritual and personal, often take place in loving, supportive, grace-giving, truth-telling relationships – like those found in V•Groups. To learn more about V•Groups or find a V•Group near you, click here.

If you’re a regular attender at Victory and God’s been doing something in or through your life because of it, please take a moment and share your story here so that others may be encouraged in their faith.

A lot of people don’t understand the purpose of the church. They think it’s a place to go and visit on weekends. But actually, that has very little to do with it. Clearly, all the people who have suffered and/or died, even still today, because they were a part of the Church, did so for something much greater than a once a week religious obligation or spectacle! In fact, we see something that is so powerful, so unstoppable that every wave of persecution, even in the present, has not only failed to destroy it, but has instead strengthened it and caused unparalleled expansion.

God’s Church is unstoppable. It continues on and on, growing stronger and stronger every day. And, it is made up of many smaller bodies of believers – individual churches like Victory – that are unstoppable. What makes them that way? Well, every unstoppable church exhibits the following characteristics:

1. The people are fully committed to the mission of the church. What is the mission of the church? Some would say that it’s to feed Christians. Actually, the role of the Church is to equip believers for the work of the ministry. The unstoppable church isn’t about what makes each of us feel good, but about taking part in God’s mission. Despite what our culture would teach us to expect, the church is not about “me”; it’s about the mission – what we can do together with each of us doing our part (not just sitting in a chair). “Going to church” doesn’t make you a Christian any more than going to a ballgame makes you a player. It’s not about just hearing a good message. Rather, it’s what you do with what you hear. Are we takers only, or participants? We’re not supposed to be spectators, we’re all supposed to be players. When you get a group of people who are all out on the field, the church is unstoppable.

2. The people live under the authority of God’s Word. When we commit to the Word, our lives change. We begin to see that His Word works and ours does not. Read it before you pass judgment on it. When you get a group of people who elevate the Word over their own reasoning, they become unstoppable.

3. The people are willing to sacrifice for the sake of others. This is certainly counter-cultural. Almost everything we hear and see on TV, online, at the movies, etc., is all about getting more, having more fun, being more comfortable or “enjoying” life more fully…it’s all about us…self-focused. But, if we want to be unstoppable, we have to start looking out for the needs of others above our own comfort. You see, it is when the church is least like the world that it has the most power. Just as Jesus laid his rights, his glory, his riches, etc., so also must we. Let us also be willing to give of our time, our resources, our skills and our giftings for the sake of others. Imagine what it would be like if all of us started living that way – sacrificially? Truly, we would be unstoppable.

You can listen to, watch or download the message I preached about this last weekend here.