Pastor D.Joey Graves
“Something to think about”
April 2008
If you've been to our church recently, you have probably been bombarded with the theme "Catch the Wave". When I first started attending New Testament, Pastor Alan told me to watch what God was doing. Pastor saw the Holy Spirit moving in a particular ministry of our church, the athletics ministry. Sure enough, out of that outreach, several new people have been joining us in worship. Some have accepted Jesus as Savior, and still more have re-dedicated their lives. Pastor saw the beginning, we watched as it built momentum, and now we are attempting to live and minister where God is moving.
The idea behind "Catch the Wave", is based on an explanation found in Dr. Rick Warren's book, 
The Purpose Driven Church. Dr. Warren uses surfing as an illustration. He explains that only God can build a wave. Our goal as the church, should be to move where God is moving, to 'ride' the wave He created. One of the wonderful things about waves is that many surfers can ride the same wave. Athletics ministry may be the first one on the board, but our goal as a church is to have as many surfers prepared to ride. Waves are powerful creations of God and you can't have two waves going in two different direction. So naturally, as a church one wave can move us all forward together.
Another neat concept of waves is that once you've learned how to ride one, the next one is easier to see, catch and ride. Also, as others watch, they learn and get excited. And the next wave may be the very wave God was sending for them. And they can ride a following wave (and yet, a wave in the same direction) as the group of first surfers. God can move us all forward, even in separate waves. He is that big, that powerful, and that talented!
Remember the most important thing... God is moving. He wants us to join him in what He is doing. Our prayer should be "Lord, let me see what you are doing and be used in Your plan." Our goal is not to teach people to literally surf. Our goal is to get people willing to, trained for,excited about, and actually serving in, ministry. Everything else, is just a method.
I look forward to riding with You!
See it, Ride it, Catch it!
Pastor Joey
March 2008
Recently I called a friend of mine. Someone who means a lot to me and yet, someone I rarely take an opportunity to call. He told me sometime before Christmas that he wanted to study the Sermon on the Mount. Not just study, memorize it. So, when he answered the phone, I simply said “Lets hear it.” His response was (naturally), “What?” “The Sermon on the Mount.” He laughed and replied, “Your serious?” “Yep.” And he began to recite, from memory, the very words of Jesus. He got tripped up a couple of times, and for times sake gave me the ‘cliffs notes’ version of everything after the first several verses. I told him that I knew he was a man of his word, and that we sometimes forget the things we tell people. Also, that he was a huge encouragement to me for following through. Then simply told him, “That’s all I called for, encouragement that some people do what they say they are going to do.” He laughed, we hung up.
Within five minutes he called back. “I want you to know how much it meant to me that you remembered. And that I have been praying to feel God’s presence (the warmth in my heart, the peace that He brings, and the knowledge of His Love in spite of my actions), the presence I haven’t felt in a long time. And… God used you to do that. I really had that moment of His presence.” We both appreciated the moment God had given us and again closed our phones.
A simple phone call or note, showing we remember, goes a long way. What I learned was this; in looking to be encouraged by someone, they in turn were blessed also. What people say to us matters, often times more to them than to us. But God is clear that we all matter to Him. He remembers our promises. And after asking for forgiveness, forgets our failures. Show the love of God today, by paying attention to your friends, family, co-workers and neighbors. You never know how much influence you have, until stop trying to influence them and start showing them you care.
“People don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care.”
-Rick Warren The Purpose Driven Church
Thanks for takin’ the time, Pastor Joey
