Gilbert Thurston

Random Thoughts About Life, Ministry and Whatever Else Happens to be on my Mind

As Honest As I Can Be

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Just a few more days until Easter.  To be honest I’m an emotional mess for a number of reasons.  I think the primary reason is I realize this is my last big event for United.  For 3+ years we have worked together as a team to reach as many people for Jesus as possible.  Over 300 people have made 1st time professions, which is awesome but the work is far from done and I realize my influence on this community is quickly coming to a conclusion.  I want so bad for us to have one last big-time push to bring people to Jesus.

I’m also emotional because the team has been working nearly around the clock all this week to make sure the Easter Experiences this year are something memorable, impacting and life-changing.  When I think about what could be this Sunday I well up with emotion realizing that we’re doing all we can and just praying that you’re doing your part inviting as many people as possible to hear the Good News of Jesus victory over death and sin.

Finally I’m emotional because the devil isn’t happy about this and all week long as been doing all kinds of things in my life to try to stop this Sunday from being all that it can be.  Honestly constant spiritual warfare is draining, tiring and sometimes deflating.  I’m talking so bad that this week he’s been constantly whispering to me how bad I am, how my life isn’t making a difference and how I should just quit and do something else with my life.  Reading God’s word though reminds me that I am forgiven, more than a conqueror and a vital piece of the puzzle in seeing God’s kingdom come here in Chambersburg and beyond.

So with all that being said.  If you are a part of the United Worship Experience and really want to do something to make a difference in people’s lives and want to do something nice for me as a kind of going away present, then do whatever it takes this week to make sure you have at least 1 guest with you.  People’s eternal lives really do depend on what we together as a church accomplish.  Don’t let this just be another week or weekend that goes by without inviting those you know and love to come check out what it is that we do and more importantly who it is that we worship.  Jesus hanging on a cross was not comfortable, yet he did it anyway because He loves you.  Won’t you show your love in return by getting out of your comfort zone and inviting multiple people to come with you this week?

I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is God’s powerful method of bringing all who believe it to heaven.  –Romans 1:16

For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”  But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? -Romans 10:13-14

Inside Today’s Experiences

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  • Had a lot of fun today.
  • Any time I get to share vision, I’m especially amped up.
  • Things ran really smoothly today which is always a nice thing.
  • The 9:45 crowd was rocking…love when I can hear you guys singing your hearts out.
  • All the team did an exceptional job…great job guys and gals.
  • Wow for the second week in a row, Gayle made me cry.
  • We are so blessed to have some world class female singers in the church.
  • I love how God takes the words I’ve been preparing with His help for weeks and then transforms them into something completely different on Sunday’s.
  • I felt really good about both messages but they came out so different.
  • Wasn’t sure which one to post, but finally went with the 9:45.
  • My prayer is that this message will sink in and all of us, would see the lost and hurting in our community as our problem.
  • For this week’s Reality Check video with Satan, click here.
  • I’m taking the creative team away this afternoon through tomorrow so we can pray and brainstorm what the 2010 series schedule will look like…keep us in prayer.

Inside Today’s Experience

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  • Weird day only having one Experience.
  • Weird things happened as well.
  • We found a mouse nest in the tech room.
  • And we had some lights doing some crazy things during the Experience.
  • Hope the mice aren’t chewing the wires making that happen.
  • In any case no one probably knew about the lighting problems because they were actually creating a neat effect.
  • It’s hard not to sound biased since Gayle is one of my best friends, but her singing today was awesome.
  • Love the new song “Revelation Song” which she led…wow…I couldn’t help but to just fall to my knees backstage and worship!
  • As always we had a lot of fun shooting the videos fro this series.
  • Brian does an incredible job as Satan and thanks to Scott McCurley for playing the role of Reality.
  • To watch me get “Reality Checked”, you can watch the video here.
  • Wasn’t really sure I was pleased with today’s message going into it, but I was pleased with what came out.
  • Think it gave everyone a lot to think about.
  • God is good in that way…in my weakness, He is strong.
  • After United, it was a quick turnover to reset the room and get everyone ready for the capital campaign kick-off service in the sanctuary.
  • Great job by Juanita Kauffman and her team in organizing everything.
  • In my 3 years of being at the church, that’s probably the best combined service we’ve ever had.
  • It’s so hard combining so many styles and have everyone be pleased with it, but I think today’s service was very respectful to everyone and was actually quite good.
  • I was told my job was to get the crowd fired up…think it worked.  :)
  • The meal with everyone was also really cool…who knew we could put 550+ people in the gym and feed them all.
  • Got to meet a lot of people during the meal, including a former classmate of mine.
  • That now makes 3 other people from my graduating class that attend United.
  • What’s amazing about that is we grew up 45 minutes away.
  • All in all, a good day!
  • Time for a quick nap then off to friend’s house for dinner.

What Does the Enemy Look Like?

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Yesterday as I got back into the swing of things after two weeks of vacation, one of my break time activities was to catch up on some of my favorite bloggers whom I usually read on a daily basis.  Imagine then my shock and surprise when one of the guys announced he was stepping down as Senior Pastor because he had had an affair with his secretary.

Man this hit hard.  I first got to know this guy back in the early part of the decade through an online forum that Purpose Driven had at the time and then when I went on staff with them I got to talk with him a few times and was impressed by his passion and vision.  His church in the past few years grew to almost two thousand and from all appearances everything was great.

This morning as I was doing my devotions I was reading the story of Adam and Eve being deceived by the serpant.  The problem was the enemy was right before them and they didn’t recognize him.  If he came to us today in that form we’d recognize him and crush him…but he’s smart and wily and knows better.  Paul at one point in scripture says, “He roams around like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour”.  Again though if he came in the form of a lion we’d be prepared.

So as I was praying I asked God, “Well then what does the enemy look like”?  His repsonse was quite clear…”He looks like the thing you want most that I’ve told you you can’t have”.  For my pastor friend, satan came to him in the form of a woman.  Now realize not literally, but he desired her and despite God I’m sure many times warning him not to sleep with her or lust after her, he did it anyway.

For him satan looked like the thing he wanted most but God told him he couldn’t have.  So what does the enemy look like for you?  What thing or person are you seeking to have/get/acquire that you know God doesn’t want you to have?  For you that’s satan…Don’t be deceived!