We Want Revival!

This is Confessions of a Pastor, a relentlessly real peak behind the scenes of Journey [music] Church in Bend, Oregon. From church in a strip club to a strip mall, going where Jesus would go to reach people Jesus would reach. This is the good, the bad, and the ugly. All for the glory of God. A journey of misery and miracles. We are your hosts and the founders of Journey Church in Ben. I'm Pastor Keith. And I'm Pastor Kara. [music] Come on. There really is hope for everyone. Come on everybody. It's that time for Confessions of a Pastor. This is our free counseling session. Kara, this is the time. You can say whatever you want to say and we're just here to listen everybody. Okay. Well, the first thing I want to say is we're reversed. Feels a little bit weird to look at you from this. I thought we switch it up today. Okay. Okay.

You always say here I want to be close to the Rocky poster. [laughter] That's why. Yeah. I mean, I'm wearing a Fight Club shirt today. There you go. There you go. Let's go. You probably can't see the poster in it, but let's go somebody. Okay, that explains it. That's why I just I wanted to I'm I like change, Kara. I know. I do too, actually. Yeah. So, I just want to switch switch some things up. We got to switch up the furniture, the background. We got to We got some We got to bring some change to this. Okay. God God is a God of a new song, a new So, I agree. That's what I'm talking about. Speaking of Fight Club, you know, I'm I'm wearing this gear. It's from Impact Church in Scottsdale. I'm wearing it loud and proud. Let's go, somebody. Let's go. Me, too. And you're wearing an impact shirt today, too. They're they're revival in the valley. Now, just for clarity, we did not plan this. No, we didn't.

But you know what? It's going to be a talking point today that we actually get to talk about it cuz we were just in Scottsdale, Arizona last week uh for the week. And we we got to actually meet the pastors there, Pastor Travis and Pastor Natalie. And they were so kind. They gave us church merch. And we're just we just always love church merch, right? We're kind of like church merch fans and I just love that church. So I I like to support them. Yeah. They're the real deal. It feels like they're they're family. It's a lot like Journey Church. Yes. Yeah. So that was that was really fun. We could dive right into that but I Do you like my shirt, Kara? I do. All right. It's a little different than what I normally wear. Yeah. It's a little short. It Well, it's like it's like big on top and short on the bottom. Let's go, somebody. [laughter] Welcome to the world right now. I showed my son who's 19 cuz he always wears

these crop tops like this, you know. He raises his arms and his belly shows and stuff and so I did what he does all the time. [laughter] I'm like, "Look at Colton." He was totally He's like, "Oh, Dad." You know, but he's like, "That's cool." You know, he's like trying to play it off, but at the same time I I feel a little uncool, but at the same time, just own it, you know? I'm I'm I'm owning it. And then you got the revival hat going on again. Yep. Yeah. I I ordered a bunch of these that we would sell them in our store. That's a truth. That's news to the people in the room. Yeah, [laughter] I also ordered them. You did? But said revival of our own. Oh, look at us. Perfect. By a bunch. It's just a handful. Well, maybe like a half dozen cuz Yeah.

I mean, but I'm going to sign them and then we're going to we're [laughter] going to sign them. I'm going to have to pay people to wear them. [laughter] Come on, somebody. That's actually funny. Yes. So, for those who uh for the few listeners that we got that are watching this uh podcast, you haven't turned it off yet. Yes. Uh Impact Church is the church that made a tremendous and pun intended impact in our lives uh four years ago in 2022. It's been a part of our journey. We've talked about this a lot. Yeah. 3 months when we were burnt out. We thought we were going to give up or go out and I feel like the more times since that time, the more clear we are with people for a while. We'd be like, "Yeah, we were kind of hurting, you know." No, we were done.

You know, it's like what? It's like I I don't know. May I maybe we get more dramatic the older we get, but no, I was pretty done. So So we went to Scottsdale and we lived there for 3 months. Yep. And it was really just seeking the Lord. It was our reset. And we attended Impact Church for three months. We did. We visited there every Sunday. We got to sit sit under Pastor Travis's teaching. We did not know him personally. We never even met him during that time, but we were pastored by him. Oh, yeah. Big time. And we were really ministered, too. It was the first time you and I sat down in [snorts] church together. Yes. For an extended period of time. Yeah. Our whole family sat together all three months. And it was every Sunday. It was a reset for how important it is even to be in unity for church. Yeah. And we really enjoyed it. I mean, there was even just silly little things. It felt like Journey Church aesthetically, the white, the the styles, you know.

Well, I think we could also just relate to him because I think we've been through very similar things. Um, and I mean, I have a whole I have a whole journal that was from I have I I meant to look at it actually when we got back, but from 2022 in that season that I I took notes of of his sermons, and there were just so many things in them that um that we could relate to. Yeah. Um so I it was like kindred souls. Um and his church is it's it's journeys like this, you know, impact is bigger. It's it's you call it on steroids. Um but are it's the the heartbeat is the same. Um you have a very similar personality than he that he does. So it's it's the you making an impact on on this generation. Amen. And um it's really special. It's really unique. Um, but it's it's it changes it's changing people's lives. So, I

mean, the the people that Pastor Travis is reaching in Scottsdale, I feel like he's a prophetic voice in that region that that region needs. Yes. And I mean, he reaches some crazy people. Yeah. For the Lord. So, well, just look at the merch we're wearing today. Your your shirt says revival in the valley. So, just start there. We both prophetically believe in revival. We're going to keep preaching it until we get to see the fulfillment of that uh the prophetic word revival. So, we want revival in central Oregon. So, I mean, right there, we got a comparison. Uh, believe it or not, not every church preaches that and believes that. And then I'm wearing Fight Club, which just that alone. You know, Pastor Travis reaches a lot of athletes. He's the chaplain of the Phoenix Suns. He's works with the the Cardinals. I mean, he he knows a lot of professional athletes and it's just he he gets to be their

pastor because so many times with professional athletes, people want something from them, but he just gets to minister to them and he knows a lot and he's even got UFC fighters in his church. Yeah. You know, which is kind of fun. I mean, that that's my guy. I'm just like I'm not even that into sports and he's showing me all these jerseys and I'm I'm like I don't even know who these people are. But when I saw um him with a fighter, I was like, "Okay, I know who she is." you know, I know I know I can I know MMA. So, uh it was it was really cool going down there because we did get to meet them for the first time in person and it was crazy the similarities. I mean, he told me, "Hey, when you park in the back by our offices, uh you'll see my Bronco. Just park next to that and come on in." I'm like, "What? He drives a Bronco and it's big and lifted with big tires and that's how my Bronco is. I I drive a Bronco." And then we we're pulling up and I see a big

white seoia that's white. [laughter] And I'm like, I bet you that's Pastor Natalie's. And then I asked her, I said, "Hey, what do you drive?" She's like, "An SUV." I'm like, "Is it a white sequoia?" And she said, "Yes." And that's what you drive. A big white sequoia. And I'm like, "That's crazy. So, let's just start with our cars." [laughter] Right. And then, come to find out, we started our churches 16 years ago. Yeah. He took over a real uh small uh uh church. Yeah. In Scottdale and uh they were really hurting and we planted 16 years ago. So we both been doing this 16 years. I mean it was just like all of the stuff. It was just like this is wild. And just as we just started to share our own stories, I shared about the hurt that we've been through and they're like yeah we we feel you.

You know it's kindred hearts, you know. It's like man when you've been through something together and he's been through it. I mean his recent book is called um was it through the fire? Something like that. Yeah. you know, it was his journey of of of having a stroke and just all that God's done, you know, that your pain's not wasted. Amen to that. I mean, he had that stroke. We were there in the summer of 2022. Yeah. And I'll never forget cuz they recorded a live album. Yeah. That summer and then like a month later, two months later, he had the stroke and it was shocking. I mean, it was significant. And the Lord, you know, he has healed him. Yeah. Um like I think he he um beat all the odds. Totally. And what a crazy story. Well, they had a song that just came out. I think I think it's called He is the Miracle, but let me look it up

because it it it's a part of what they um I mean they've got a lot about miracles. Um do you remember what it was called, Kara? The song that they had. It was He's got my miracle. I want to say he is the miracle. He is the miracle. Okay. So it it came out that weekend. It got published and it was like number one on iTunes that weekend. He celebrated it on Sunday. Yep. And then he had a He is the miracle. And then he had the stroke. I think it was a Monday if I'm not mistaken. Something like that. And it was it it was just wild as he's giving God the glory. He is the miracle. [snorts] The enemy tried to take him out. Yeah. And he had one of the worst strokes you can have. I mean Yeah. and he beat the odds. Death sentence and he looks great. So, it was it was for me it was really cool um last week getting to meet them and

now just he's visioning forward to come preach at Journey uh God willing church in the Park which will be awesome because he is he's a revival type preacher evangelistic. Yes. You know they'll do uh Easter services where they do a thousand baptisms. Yeah. You know, so it should be fun. I'm looking forward to it. And then I also asked him to preach at a man cave in January. So, let's go somebody. Let's go. It's going to be a lot of fun. Yeah. So, so when you think about back on our time at Impact Church, what was one of the highlights to you? You mentioned the journaling. What was it that made that significant? Like, I think just um the Lord spoke through him to me in that season. And I I wish I would have opened my journal and reread.

I'm I meant to do it. I I can't give you specifics, but I'll I I just know that every single Sunday it was like I felt like that was for me, you know, that's just how the Holy Spirit works. But he worked through Pastor Travis in that season of our life and it gave me hope when I I don't want to cry when I didn't have hope. Yeah. Come on, somebody. You know, um so yeah, he Yeah, he's got a special place in my That's when you know there's anointing because God will use a vessel to share God's word and then when it hits I mean I hear this every Sunday people say it's it's like that was from me. It's like that it's like it's like you're reading my mail. It's like how did you know that was from me? And you know that's when God gets to work because there is healing because there always is hope. God doesn't want us to be.

No, but it's easy sometimes to get to you I think you even talked about it yesterday about not being a victim because it's it's super easy to believe the lies um [clears throat] to live in lies to be discouraged because like you said even coming back to this region you came back with a Joshua Caleb spirit where the enemy is as big as you think he is like or that appears to be you know [snorts] um and it if you live in that it's incredibly discouraging. Yeah. But if you choose to believe, you said it yesterday in your sermon, if you choose to prophesy forward things that aren't as though they are, take the word of God and and prophetically proclaim it. Yeah. There's hope in that. Amen. And that's just the it's it's like a perspective shift almost that I often have to tell myself to do. Like you do

it really well and you lead really well in prophetically looking forward. M you know if if I was left to my own you know if I wasn't married to you if you weren't in my life I think I would fall into something much more negative. So um that that makes me honored. I mean this is where we help each other cuz yesterday I shared with you if I wasn't married to you. I wouldn't have a church our size or we wouldn't be where we are because I have no administrative bones in me and I don't have the same level of excellence and care that you have uh for for the attention to detail and uh doing things all for the glory of God. And so I mean I that's where God just we're better together. We had to work it out for quite a few years. That was the theme yesterday was unity. And I mean let's just talk about that for a moment. when we got giants, you know, the the Joshua Caleb spirit you're talking about was when the 12 spies went

out and checked out the promised land before the Israelites entered it. Yes. And there were giants occupying the land. I mean, which is just weird in itself to think about the giants, the Nephilim, the these these giant people, if you will, that are intimidating. And 10 came back and said, "Oh, we seem like grasshoppers in our own eyes." Yeah. Like if if you look at us compared to what we have to go against, it's too big. And it's wild how many giants we have in our lives and because I I appreciate your encouragement that I I speak things forth that are not and have the positive, you know, outlook of what's to come, but I think of things like the building a campus like we have ahead of us and the tens of millions of dollars it's going to take and even just little things like the architect fees of a million bucks for an architect or something. A million dollars, like how are we going to get a million dollars, you know? But I

was just with a guy today uh who goes to our church. He was at the a car dealership. We're getting our car service this morning and he's telling me starting a business uh making pools in central Oregon. Oh. I was like I love pools. I was like when I come into customers when I come into some money I'm going to do this and he's telling me about this pool that he's going to build for somebody on the in Bend. And he he's telling me about this. It's going to be a pool that's enclosed so they could swim in year round. Okay. Just for the pool and this a new construction house. Just for the pool. 1.5 million. What? 1.5 million. Right. I mean, high. Well, you know, he's telling me they want tile and that it's going to go around the pool and that's going to go up the walls. And he's like, "That's going to cost a lot of money for [snorts] that much tile." And, you know,

he's like going through all these details. And he said, "I'll just give the bid." And they they accepted it and said, "Let's go for it." And when I heard that, I was like, "Maybe it's cuz they have to dig out all the lava rocks." I that seems really high. I can't even guess. Of course, you know that it's he told me where. It's out on the west side of Ben, you know, past death row and so it's going to be gorgeous and it's a very nice area. But I I I started to think about that 1.5 million for a pool and I was like, okay, that puts things in perspective, right? You know, 1 million for an architect to to do a camp is, you know, it's all relative. And so giants are giants to you until you put it into perspective. Yeah. And the Joshua Caleb spirit is simply saying, "Our God is greater than anything ahead of us. There's nothing so great." It's it's the spirit of David against Goliath. Like, why aren't you guys going after the giant? We've got God on our side. And I do think we need to

remind each other of who God is often because there are a lot of giants in the land. You know, there are a lot of demonic strongholds that are just seem great that we got to say, "No, no, our God is greater and God's going to do this." And uh I appreciate you sharing uh your story because we all are going to experience those seasons of brokenness, drought, dryness. I mean, just hopelessness. Yeah. Going through the Old Testament as we're going reading through the Bible in a year, I just read in Isaiah again, how many times does it say the land is dry, but God will bring rivers? You [clears throat] know, it's it's it's it seems constant that we find ourselves in a position we don't want to be in that God has to show up.

Yeah. And we just have to make the intentional effort to believe his promises and not not live in lies. That's how we started this conversation. Amen. You know, well, that's what I love about Journey Church is we always say that our vision is hope for everyone. Yeah. Everyone needs hope. And that was cool just talking to this guy, the pool builder I'm referring to. You he was sharing with me he and his wife their story. They were brand new to church. His wife had never been to church ever in her life until Journey Church. And he was telling me that they they started and they started by going through Rooted and their leaders were none other than Hannah who's in the room right now with with Hannah and Noah. And I was just like so encouraged to hear their story. And he's like, "Yeah, I grew up Catholic and I was even an alter boy and everything in Portland." And wow. He's like and the priest that I worked with ended up getting caught later doing stuff to boys. He's like, but he didn't mess with me because my dad had a boxing

gym and I boxed for 13 years, [laughter] you know. He's like, he's like, I was an extrovert, you know, but I was like, oh my goodness. Like he's but he's like, so this is cool for me like to have a church that's meaningful that I understand that and they're just growing in their faith so tremendously. And I was like, I I love that we have a church where where there's hope for everyone. It not just unchurched people who need the hope of Jesus, but church people who get burned out and broken. And we all need Yes. hope. Yes. You know, yesterday was a a really cool day at church. Uh well, at least it was for me. I don't know how it was for you. You told me I was full of it. So, [laughter] uh you kind of were I was like, "Is that a compliment or not?" You know, uh but I got this text. Kara, listen to this. This is what it's all about. Can I just say this? This This is why we do this. Yes.

In Confessions of a Pastor, we talk about the good, the bad, the ugly, all for the glory of God. Can we just share some good? Come on, somebody. So, this text came in yesterday, but I didn't read it until this morning, but this is from a friend who was at church yesterday, and I'm I'm just going to um I I'll leave the names out since I didn't ask permission. So, good afternoon. I have an exciting story to share. And he says, "My wife has been talking to a lady at work who, pardon my French, has been to hell and back. She's out of a very abusive relationship where she feared for her life and shot her husband. Oh gosh." and didn't kill him, but spent two years in prison. Oh. She accepted my wife's invite to church and with tears flowing down her face since worship began, raised her hand when you gave the invitation to accept Jesus.

She loved the worship and the message and she's coming back next week to church. Wow. Praise God. That's amazing. Let's go. Let's go. So, I I wrote him back and I was just like, you know, praise God. had an incredible testimony and and he shared more, you know, and I actually wrote to him. I said, "There's hope for everyone, you know, and and he just he just shared that she grew up in the Catholic church but quit going after being a kid and really didn't understand that there was a place for her." Wow. But here, her coworker decided to and decided to not talk about church, but to tell her about Jesus. Yeah. And you know, everybody needs Jesus, right? We we say around here all the time, it's all about Jesus. It really is all about Jesus. And if you introduce Jesus, somebody at your work eventually comes

to church. It comes [clears throat] back to church because church is Jesus's plan. Yeah. But really, if it's not about Jesus, it's just religion. Yeah. And people are I I'm generalizing. I'm done with church. Yeah. You know, I mean, I share with you recently, it's like church trust is at an all-time low. Yeah. You know, it from like went from like 100 years ago to like 80% people trusted the church to like over the generations it was like 70 50. Now it's at like 23% of people trust the church. It's like oh that's so disappointing. Sad. Yeah. Oh, it's so sad because it's God's plan. I mean, we can't get away from it. The church is God's plan. Yeah. And what a great way for the devil to destroy a generation to be like, "Okay, God's plan. You can't trust it, so don't go to it." Oh, for sure.

You know, and all of a sudden there's antagonism. there's uh there's uh there's actually a rebellion against it. I think there's a movement though towards something that's fresh and new and authentic. And maybe it's you know the pendulum always swings. So may maybe it's a response to what you're talking about but I think about the difference of I think even this year we've um intentionally focused on kingdom. [snorts] I think there's a huge difference between um building a church culture and building a kingdom culture. And a kingdom culture is something that is it's it's it's a Jesusfollowing believers. Amen. Um in in community they're doing it together. Um and there's a difference like there's a difference that I think that's what people I don't even know it's what they want. It's what they need. Maybe it's what they want something more authentic.

And it's not to like shame any of the of the past history cuz um you know history bash the bride. Exactly. But we we can bash the systems. If they don't work, they don't work. You know, like there there are some churches and that's this is the bride and they're they're beautiful in God's eyes, but they certainly are stuck in tradition or, you know, a system that's been dead for a long time. Yeah. And it's not life-giving to those who try it out and realize I don't have a place here. Yeah. Or there is no hope or there's no life. And that's the thing. They they it lacks life until you understand the life that you can have in your you walk with Jesus with the Holy Spirit until you understand that it really is religion.

It's rules. It's you know it's it's knowledge but until you have a real living and active relationship um then that's what you get. It's it's true. I talked to somebody who invited someone back to Jouri who uh came but then he complained, "Well, the music's too loud." And the person who invited him back said, "So, what are you doing? Are you going to any other church?" I was like, "No, I actually liked your just too loud." He's like, "Let me let me ask this. You're going to let that stop you?" Yeah. Like, we actually pass out earplugs. So, why don't you come back and put in your earplugs and get back to church? And he came back. He He hadn't been in church in years. Yeah. You know, and Essentially, the person who invited him was like, "You're living in isolation. This isn't God's plan." No.

And I I just affirmed it because that's what I preached yesterday is we need to we need unity. Yes. You're not made to be alone. There's hope in community. Uh there's no hope in isolation. Be like, I don't need the church, you know, like, oh, the church isn't for me. I I can be a Christian and not go to church, you know. I can read the Bible on my own. You know, like actually, no, that's actually God's that's not God's plan. Yeah. God's plan is the ecclesia. It's the assembly, the gathering. It's the ones that come together and fulfill God's mission together. Yeah. Amen. And that's where the power happens. Yeah. And I'm I'm excited about what God's doing, too, cuz even as you said, like, okay, on a statistical side, church trust might be low, but what we're seeing this year is growth in a lot of areas. Yeah.

I mean, we're we're seeing I mean, it's exciting now even with our youth, you know, we're seeing growth in attendance. We're seeing growth across the board and it's genuine. It's authentic. It's not it's not [laughter] No, it's true. I mean, these are people that are coming to the Lord like Yes. It It's not what the news will ever show. Yeah. You know, and we got to recognize the visibility isn't what God rewards. Yeah. God rewards faithfulness. Yeah. I mean, I talked to somebody yesterday in the lobby that um she lives in Grant's Pass and she's um was here. They came up for church and they're coming back on she and her family are coming back on um at Church in the Park. They're all all her entire family is getting baptized at Church in the Park and they live in Grand. You didn't tell me that. I know. I forgot until just now. [laughter] That's a story conversations. I've got lots of conversations on Sundays, but it just came back to me. Yes. This particular person were they on vacation here or they uh they were visiting they were visiting

a gal um that lives here. Uh won't share her name, but yeah. Um and this gal after church actually told me the story too. They are coming to Ben from Grant's path to go to church to get baptized at Church of the Park. Hallelujah. Yeah. And and her kids. So, I love that. I mean, I I love what just how God has revisioned and reset the vision for uh Church in the Park. Yeah, you know, we we have such cool stories over the last decade at Church in the Park, but I feel like it got for the two of us at least comfortable, familiar, even though they're like these crazy wild stories and people would tell us, you know, about their life story, but we needed to be reminded like, oh yeah, God's given us an opportunity to be in the heart of our city, right on the river that

divides our city that the city is named after. And this the whole vision this year for meet us is at the river and believing for revival, believing for more encounters. Kara, I it's one of those things I've got it in my belly. A part of me is like insecure and terrified that it's going to be the smallest church in the park ever. Then I'm like, okay, what if it's the most powerful, the smallest? And then another part of me is like, what if it's twice the size of any church in the park we've had before? And what if we do baptisms for hour? I mean it it it finally is like given me a a resurgence of okay let's go for it. Yeah. Let's be praying big prayers. Let's be uh getting people on board. And it's only going to happen when as I preached yesterday there's unity. Yeah. There's a sheer unity unity within the staff within the um leadership of Journey Church within the the church culture. I

mean, we we've seen a few really cool stories about the church signs that uh we got for Church in the Park, which is a cool story as well. I think I was worthy of sharing again. I shared it at church only at one service. I didn't share it at the earlier service, but just someone who calls Journey Church their home who lives in California. Yeah. And reached out and said, "Hey, in our town, a church did yard signs." Yeah. And we saw tons of them. if we gave you money, would you buy yard signs for people who live in Ben, even though we don't live there? And we said yes. And within days, we got yard signs and they were gone within hours of I mean, we we could have given out tons more. They're really expensive, but it was it was dope because I I've at least got three stories out of those just in one week. In one week, I mean,

the first one was someone who put it in his yard and a neighbor ran over. He's like, "Is this today?" And you know, like, did I miss it? And it's like, no, no, no. I'm putting it in my yard because it's it's coming up, you know, uh, soon. And this person was interested and said they were interested in coming and all because of a yard sign. Yeah. You know, and then we were driving back from the airport. We're out in the country and I we're driving by. I'm like, "Ah, church of the park." [laughter] I was like, I I saw one driving by and then I had a guy tell me yesterday he loves Journey Church and then he grabbed a yard sign, not even realized. He's like, "I live in an apartment." Yeah. He's like, "Where? I I can't put it up anywhere, you know?" And then he's like, "I got home and I realized I'll put it in my window." And he's like, "Everybody has to walk by my window and look at that sign." And then he's like, "Now I want to get another one and put it on my back window because it's where people take their

dogs, you know?" And I'm like, "How do that? People are excited." And and that's the unity and the synergy that is going to drive uh an encounter. Like it's going to there's going to be something that happens. And I pray it's something none of us have experienced before. A move of God. That's why I wanted just a different voice. You know, sometimes you need a different voice to come in and say something from the outside. Y I think that's why guys like Billy Graham were so effective for so many decades. Totally. He would come into cities where he didn't live. Yep. Share a clear gospel and people responded. Yep. And I'm praying that this year. Amen. It's going to be a move. I'm excited. I'm excited, too. Yeah. It's going to be good. Maybe uh you want to get in the water and do some baptisms this year? Sure. That would be great. Yeah, I would love to.

Come on, somebody. Yeah, you too, Hannah. Let's get in the water. [laughter] You're Pastor Hannah now. Like I I honestly, when I think about this, if if if we have more than like 500 baptisms, and we've never had that many in a day. I believe that that would be a move that Oregon hasn't even seen before. Our little state experiencing big moves of God. Let's experience this. If if that's the case, we're going to need a lot of people in the water. Yeah. you know, cuz when we do like 200 baptisms, it takes like an hour with, you know, uh, six of us, you know, like, uh, partners in two, like three couples, you know. So, I I I I really do think we're probably going to need, you know, a dozen or more people in the water this year. Yeah. At least I'm believing, you know, which again, I I go through my own bipolar uh

faith. Some days I'm like, "Oh, it's not going to happen. Who else can get baptized? We've already done so many thousands of baptisms, but let me tell you, the city is growing and so many people we've baptized have moved out of the city, and so many people who've never believed in the Lord have moved into the city. Yeah. And so, I just there's always a need to share the gospel. Yeah. There's always a need to speak clearly the mission of God to make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Everyone needs hope. Everybody needs hope. There's hope for everyone. Come on, somebody. Amen. Okay, so let's talk about this the message series you're in right now. Mhm. Grace. Grace, too. We talk about just for a minute. Yes. It's been good.

Oh, praise God. Yeah, I'm glad to hear that. And your smile just warms my soul. So, uh, what's been good? Why do you think it's been good? Um, I think it's just it's a reminder of um of victory. It's a reminder of who we are as believers. Um it's a reminder of the God that we serve. Um that you know um it's not by might, it's not by power, it's by his spirit that these things are going to happen. Yeah. Oh, great word. And and that mountains can become plains, you know, like we have to not stop believing that. So I think it's been a really great reminder. Um or just like a a shot of like a dose of faith that I think we needed. Amen. It's been good. I don't know. What do you think? Well, I'm always so humbled how the Lord works. If we listen for the voice of God, he will speak and it's

through such unorthodox ways because the whole concept of what we're now spending the entire summer on. And you know, every a lot of churches, we'll do like a summer series. Uh I see a lot of churches doing summer in Psalms. Yeah, we've done that before. We've done that before many years ago. And no offense to anybody doing it cuz we've done it. It's like it just feels almost safe, you know, and Psalms has some hardcore stuff like yes, has being bashed against rocks and you know, like [laughter] why are you downcasting my soul? You know, there's some intense stuff in there if you go there. But in a general sense, what most people do is don't go there and it's it's pretty safe. And this summer series, Grace, Grace to It was birthed out of just one of the weirdest ways.

And I've shared the story with you. A pastor was praying for me uh in our town. I get together with a group of pastors, lead pastors. Anybody's welcome once a a month. It's a called lead pastor's prayer. And he was praying and he just kind of went into this prophetic like um encouragement where he's like, "Uh Keith, I see um oil flowing into you like that scripture that says the two trees and the oil flowing into you." And I just I I see that that God's going to do more. And he just keeps praying and it moves on. And and it stuck with me because I didn't know what scripture he was talking about. I was like, "What scripture has two trees with oil?" And I'm like, "What?" So, I just Googled it, you know, like two trees oil scripture verse or something. And it led me to Zechariah 4, the entire chapter and I read it.

Later I shared it with the executive team. Later I shared it with the staff. I was like, "This is really some good stuff." Yeah. And then you understand the context, which is always important for scripture. Why was this written? Who was it written to? when was it written? And just there was so much in even just in that one chapter, verse six, like you just quoted, "Not by might, not by power, but by my spirit, says the Lord of hosts." Yeah. Verse seven, which is, "Who are you, O Mountain?" Yeah. Well, what's cool too about studying it is that like like at least the not by might, not by power, by my spirit. It's it's a little bit more of a known scripture. Yeah. Um but to put it into context, like scripture is so rich. the it's just so rich and to understand it in its context

in its fullness is it just has that much more power. Let's go that the book of Zechariah parallels the book of of Ezra. Yeah. And here in Ezra where the people were discouraged by the opposition trying to stop Yes. God's vision, his plan, his purpose. And that's when God steps in and says, "By the way, yeah, it's not about you." Yeah. It's about my Holy Spirit's going to do this. It's the Holy Spirit. I think we can all relate to that at some level. I think as a church, we can relate to that. And then you start bringing it down the the layers. As a family, we can relate to that. And in marriage and individual, whether you've been divorced or widowed, it could be a health problem. Listen, you're not going to become an overcomer, which the Bible says we are. You're not going to be more than a conqueror. You're not going to be the victor.

You're not going to be the head and not the tail. You're not going to be the lender, not the borrower, because of you. Yeah. Is by the spirit, says the Lord. Yes. Amen. That's how he completed it. Yes. Amen. Yes. So that it it's so I give the backstory to say it really came out of a place where I didn't even know the scripture. Yeah. I looked up the scripture and it hit me in such [clears throat] a way that I'm like, wait, this is hitting me. Yeah. And and you know how God speaks to people and this is where to come back to the very beginning of this podcast where you were so uh impacted by Travis Hearn's sermons. Yeah. I'll tell you he was probably impacted by that scripture and he's only preaching what God impacted in him and that's how it impacts you and that's the only reason we're doing grace grace do it is it impacted me and now I'm sharing it and I I'll testify I know it's impacting people. Yeah.

I had someone literally wait in line. It's like yesterday we had these long lines of people that talked [laughter] to us and I had someone wait in line talk to me and they said I have to tell you this testimony that grace grace to it works. I'm like, "Yes, it does." They're like, "No, [laughter] it works." That's cool. And I was like, "Yes." Yeah. And then uh so she goes on to tell me, she's like, "I'm a um a property manager, and so I I live at an apartment. I oversee the apartments, and so my rent's taken care of, and it's my salary, and I oversee all these apartments." But somebody had written a nasty letter about me to the owners and said, "This is the worst. This place has ever been cared for. they this person needs to be fired and you should be aware that it's being the place is in ruins. You know, there's like almost like the book of

Ezra like a nasty letter had been written. And so the owners who are from out of state, there's investors are coming to inspect this and she she was terrified. She's like, "Not only do I lose my income, I lose my housing." And she was just like, "How did this happen?" And so she she literally was praying and there's several people that work at this place and they uh knew the person was coming and they just prepared for this person and she says out loud she just kept saying grace grace to it. Amen. And she's like you know she didn't know what the outcome would be. She said grace grace to the the investor came looked at the whole place and said this place looks great. Wow. It's better than it's looked you know and they left and every everything was great. Nothing negative came out of it. [clears throat] nothing out of it. And she's like, I just kept saying grace, grace to it. And she's like, God showed up. He did it. He made it happen.

And I was, it's like, how cool that people in our church are actually putting this into practice. They're put the the God's word actually works. It's alive and it's active. Grace, grace to it. Amen. And it works for every situation cuz everyone's situation is different. Yeah. You know, whether it like you said, it's in a family or finances. Yes. Or a job. You know, we prayed with somebody who lost a job, who needs a new job yesterday. It's like, what am I going to pray? Well, I know what to pray. Yep. Grace, grace to it. Amen. [laughter] That's when I don't even know how. I don't know where it's going to come. Yeah. But I I can at least say, God, you can do it. Yeah. Grace, grace to it. And when we studied that with the staff, I mean, back when uh Pastor Noah preached this text uh earlier this summer, we read it in

different translations, and you can read it in the NIV and the New Living Translation, and our our listeners can do the same if they just look at different translation. Some say um uh bless God, bless God to it. Uh I don't remember what the what the other said, but all the different context of what it comes back down to is is all about God did it. Yeah, God did it. You know, and the moment we think that God's not able to do it, we've listened to a lie. Yeah. You know, like when we think can't happen, it's not going to happen. Yeah. [clears throat] We think God can't do it. Yeah. He's He doesn't love me enough. He He's not going to do it. Yeah. I don't think he's going to show up. Yeah. Yeah. And I think that's that's maybe the line that gets drawn with I don't maybe I'm wrong, but with with a

more conservative type church versus a a church that takes God at his word. Cuz I mean, we were in conservative circles for so long. Yeah. Uh that it was very much like, well, we'll pray for let's say someone, you know, needs a healing. Yeah. Sick. If it's the Lord's will, if it's God's will, but if you don't get healed, it must not have been God's will. Yeah. I mean, there's a there's a distinction between what you're talking about and and not believing that God is the God of the impossible, that he can do abundantly more than we can ask or think or imagine. And I think for so many years, I lived in that mindset. And now I'm like, "Oh, no, no. [laughter] Let's take scripture for what it really says." Yeah. And there there's a theological distinction here because if if we meaning you and me pray

for someone uh to get well and there's someone that pops right up to my mind in our church that we pray for every week and she's not been healed yet. Why do we keep praying for her every week? Yeah. If we said, "Well, if it's God's will, you'll be healed." We would have stopped praying a long time ago. Yeah. Because we actually believe it is God's will for all of us to be healed. God did not create us so that we would operate in sickness. Yeah, that is it's a fact. We can go back to the garden. God did not create sin. God did not create sickness. It is sickness is a byproduct of sin. Right. So, we just can start right there and say God's will is life. Yeah. Period. You know, he is a lifegiving God. We can go Old Testament, New Testament. He is Jehovah Rafa, the Lord

our healer. We see clearly with Jesus, God in the flesh. He is the healer. Yeah. And he healed in many different ways. And he didn't heal everybody, but he could have healed everybody. He He can heal everybody. He His will is health and life. Now, here's the problem of saying if it's God's will, he'll heal you. It's a wrong perspective. Yeah. You know, if God didn't heal you in that moment, no, he he is going to heal. It's just not it didn't happen the way we predicted it would Yeah. happen. He's bigger than that. He might have a lesson through this. He might want other people to uh uh testify and get saved through this. Uh he he might uh have a much bigger and better plan for it.

Well, and ultimately, he cares about our heart, right? So, like you said before, even if you get healed, you're going to get sick again. We're going to get sick again. Break a leg again. Exactly. Get in a car accident again. This is right. So, the ultimate aim is is a heart cuz a thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy. So, until we're with God in glory. Yes. And we will be with him in glory if you believe in Jesus through faith. Until you're there, you will always experience a need for a miracle, a need for a healing. Yes. You you will always regardless. And the ultimate healing, and this is where we can testify to God's will. The ultimate healing is through faith in Jesus. When you die, you're glorified. Yeah. Amen. So there is no more sickness. There is no more sorrow. There is no more need for to live as Christ and to die is gain, right? It just gets better and better. Amen.

[clears throat] So we we want to pray for it so that we can see it. I prayed for uh a guy in our church, Will, uh who had tumors all over and he was flying out uh to the east coast to get them removed. And I prayed over him and I just prayed in faith. Tumors be removed in the name of Jesus. I command you God, you know, like just believing, you know, and I, you know, even while I'm praying, I'm having a little self-con conversation like come on, you believe this. You know, God can do it. like uh so just trying to remove my own doubt and I prayed and I prayed. He went had surgery a few weeks ago and he had tons of tumors. I'm like, "Ah, was my prayer ineffective?" Well, here's the deal. We got updates from his wife the whole time. That man is an evangelist.

Yeah. And he is asking every nurse, every doctor, every surgeon where they are in their faith with Jesus, you know, I mean, and he takes it to next levels. I mean, this is just not like, "Hey, have you believed in Jesus?" I mean, he's he's saying, "Do you believe in miracles? Do you believe are where you at in your faith? Are you following? Are are you actively pursuing Jesus right now?" I mean, he goes far and he we heard some stories of his surgeries coming out of surgery, going into surgery that I'm like, "Okay." And I even testified to his wife to Monica. I was like, "Monica, I prayed for healing and I don't think he got the healing so he could do what he did so he could testify to God's goodness to the surgeons that removed those tumors." Totally. And it's God's ways are not our ways.

Oh, there's so much. So much higher. And we can't even often times even come up with what we think Yeah. God's going to do because look at what he did. Amen. He took him through the surgery. all these people get to hear about Jesus and he's actually on the other side of the surgery. He's well, you know, like the tumors were removed. He's doing well. So, there's there's so many so many things out there that we can't even imagine, but we still can believe that he is the God of the impossible and he's going to do the impossible. Amen. Cuz cuz we've seen it. I mean, I said it just briefly yesterday mo morning, Sunday at church, just I I was looking around the room of how many people have had cancer in our church. Yeah. Who are strong, healthy, cancer-free, alive, and so many of them we've laid hands on them in one way or another. We've we've anointed them with oil. And so to to to believe God's best and whether it's through medicinal like

that God created the means for medicine and science and for us to understand his ways or it's through a blatant miracle. I mean I did who was I talking to just yesterday? Um, oh, somebody [laughter] that they did just get checked for cancer and the one that they were most worried that they thought it looked like it spread, there was no sign of cancer there and and gave glory to our prayers. Um I if I recall it, I'm going to recall the story. But we we see so many people on a Sunday. It's yeah, it's hard to recall every story and every name and every every focus. But uh coming back to how we even started talking about healing and grace grace to

it. I do think there are some scriptures that you you get a revelation and a wisdom that you previously didn't have and then it marks you for the rest of your life. Yeah. And th those are and then what begins to happen is it'll always be in your heart that at the right time you share it with others. Yeah. Amen. You know, and it it I I do think this is one of those um chapters, one of those books, you know. Um I remember the first time I learned about Ezra, I was a youth pastor and uh I taught through that book about the rebuilding the temple. And I mean, full transparency, I mean, this going back now, like 20 years ago, but I had no clue what Ezra was about. I had no clue that the temple got destroyed. Like, I mean, our story is pretty unorthodox that I didn't go to seminary. I didn't have I don't have

this typical graduate training that pastors have, you know, but I remember I was a youth pastor reading this book and my mind being blown like, what in the world? like, you know, like the temple got destroyed and then God let them rebuild it. Like I'm I'm literally I'm being nostalgic in my mind 20 years ago as a youth pastor because it it was so revolutionary to me what was in God's word and it marked me. But I haven't I haven't I don't even think I've ever taught through Ezra a journey. Do you think so? No, I don't think so. I mean, I know we've done Nehemiah, but uh I don't think so. But now just recounting it, it's like I don't think I've ever taught Zechariah. Yeah. And Zechariah parallels Ezra. And so I'm like, "Oh, this is cool." I mean, God's word is so good. And

as we prepare for what's next at Journey, which is revival and whatever that looks like, believing for a great awakening, it's going to happen through God's word, the preaching of God's word. It's going to happen through the unity of God's people being joined together. And it it's well, that was a pretty powerful scripture that you talked about yesterday out of Ephesians 4. Um about walking in a manner worthy of the calling. Um and then also like like aiming for unity or what? Yeah. Eager to maintain Yeah. the unity and the bondace. Um that's huge. I mean, it's something that we've been definitely talking about and focusing on for the last two years, I would say, is Psalm 133. Um, just claiming that promise and and trying to trying to pursue unity because there is something about unity that out of Psalm 133 commands a blessing.

And I I think that the the enemy has done a really good job dividing the church from the inside out. And we've seen it over and over and over in our church. We have seen it over and over. And I I made a comment at both services. It wasn't in my notes. I wasn't planning on saying it, but I said it and I believed it enough to say it again at the second service. But that I've very rarely seen people eager for unity. Yeah. I see them eager for worship, eager for preaching, eager for all kinds of ministry programs and things like that. And it's funny as I said that and I had several people come up to me and be like, I I'm eager for unity. I've I love this church. my ear, you know, they they get kind of like you know, there's like almost an elementary understanding of that and I get that and it's exciting.

What I really mean is like like a like a deep mature Yeah. like I'm I'm going to pray weekly for the staff, for the elders, for the church, you know, like Yeah. We have seen over the last 16 years people leave the church for very very minimal immature reasons and supposed mature Christians, you know, and so I I look at that and say the division is real. It is. But and when unity when disunityity is there and is and and just fers it gets bigger and bigger and bigger. And that's the truth. So what seems small Yes. after months and years actually is a very big deal. Yes. Because if you don't like work through reconciliation and restoration, confession and repentance, and if you don't work through that, and you know, here's the deal. Everybody's broken.

Everybody, every church is every church is dysfunctional. And the problem is if you don't deal with it at one church, you're going to just bring that dysfunction. And you're right, it does. It builds up. And that's why some are way more dysfunctional than others. You never deal with that stuff. And I guess that's the good news of Journey. The last six years, we've [laughter] dealt with it. The Lord forced us to. Praise be to God. And then we're closer. I think that's why our staff is more unified than ever. We can laugh together. We can cry together. We can lay aside and be like, "Oh crap. Did I offend you? I I did offend you." You know, like, "Yeah, let let's deal with this." You know, like, "Let's deal with these things." And, you know, I really think you I mentioned it with that verse that you brought up in Ephesians 4:3 that you really got to fight for it. Oh, yeah. To protect community. The enemy does not want it.

Yeah. He does not want it. He wants the church divided. He Yeah. It'll slip in through just a little bit of bitterness, you know, oh, that person didn't treat me well, a little bit of offense, you know, like, oh, you know, that they disrespected me, a little bit of a confusion. Why are they doing that decision? I mean, all of a sudden, you got a divided grows. Yes. Team. Yes. A divided family, a divided church, a divided Yeah. And the devil doesn't even need to work at it. He's like, "H, you guys got this. You're going to eat each other from from the inside out. Do this. Yes. We're the only the only living organism that eats itself. It's wild. Sad. It's it's it is sad. But it is God's plan. And he will bring forth a movement, a great awakening. Yeah. And nothing can stop the church.

Nothing. Hallelujah. The church is not going to pass away. Not even the gates of hell [laughter] shall Exactly. Right. So, we can hold on to that. Amen. God, that's why we're still around. It's true. I mean, there's probably a lot of other things we could be doing. Yeah. you know, building swimming pools. Uh, I just like me some swimming. Uh, when he told me that, I was like, "Are there really swimming pools in Central Oregon?" He's like, "Yeah, lots for sure." And I was like, "I don't see any." Like, [clears throat] but you know, a lot of them are enclosed, he said. Yeah. Well, our kids learn to swim in a an enclosed pool in Bend. Yeah. You always took the kids there. I didn't I didn't go there. Yeah. But I that that's I now have a new life goal. What's that? A swimming pool in central Oregon? Goodness. I think I would love this place more. Oh, I mean, I love central Oregon. This is a beautiful place.

I love the mountains, the rivers, the lakes. It's a beautiful place. We live in a heavenly place. I'll just say that. But it gets cold in the winter and I don't like the cold and it really bothers me. [laughter] Um, but if I had a heated Oh my goodness. pool to swim in. Okay, I'm prophesying things that are not as though they are. So, in Jesus name, we'll [snorts] see. What's one thing you wish you had here? Oh gosh. Better shopping. [laughter] I'm not a big shopper. Yeah, but you want some better shopping than we have. Okay, definitely. When I need something and I can't find it. Yeah, for sure. I mean, yeah, that's good. Bigger closet. [laughter] We have pretty pathetic closets right now. That That's true.

Yes, we do. Well, Kara, I'm so excited about what what's happening. We got Church in the Park coming this coming Sunday. Uh we got a special guest preaching and I've been wanting him to preach since I met him. Uh we got Pastor Ryan Iverson. Oh, that's right. I forgot from Napa coming and I I'm believing he's going to bring an impartation. There's just something about that man. I think he gave me one of my first prophetic words. Yeah, I probably have received prophetic words, but like in that season of us figuring things out four or five years ago. Um, and I just for whatever reason, he's got a special place in my heart and I'm I'm believing in some great things. We've had so many voices speaking to this church this year. It's like I knew it needed to happen, but it's been great. It was better than I thought. you know, for 16 years I I often times preach too much and you know, just to have other voices come in. It's just been like

breaths of fresh air and uh just looking forward to to what's coming and nice uh what's next and uh what's he preaching on? Uh kingdom. Nice. Yeah. He's not going to stick with uh Zechariah, but he is going to talk about um the early church like Acts 2. Yeah. And it will actually follow well, I think, with the unity of the early church. Um, they broke bread together. Yeah. I mean, this will be right up the community alley with the Stevensons. They broke bread. They sold their possessions and gave. They uh they studied the word of God. You know, it's like this is what the church does. And moves of God happen when you just do what the church is supposed to do. Yeah. Genius. That's it. Like [laughter] hello. like we don't have to try too hard, you know, just do what God make something up.

Do what God says you should do and it will happen. So, uh I actually think it'll be a very special voice for um our church and just what what God has planned next. So, that's exciting. It is very exciting. And the Kingdom Conference is getting me more and more excited because all the speakers we invited months ago, they're all doing radical things right now. I don't Did you see what happened last week up at Pursuit with all the Russells? Yeah. Well, maybe the uh Make Heaven Crowded tour with Eric. Yep. Yep. Pieces of it. That's how you know God's moving. And for I guess those who don't know or this you're listening to this later and you didn't know what happened in the news then. Uh the Erica Kirk was on tour with a Make Heaven Crowded and stopped at Pursuit Church in the Pacific Northwest

in in Washington and there were protesters all outside the church and then one made their way in the church and tried to heckle Erica Kirk and was escorted out very quickly. It was awesome. The security did a fantastic job. But here's the deal. She was just preaching the gospel. Really, if I could just summarize, there's hope for everyone in Jesus. Yeah. And that person who was heckling, you know, the TPUSA uh followed her and and excuse followed him, the the heckler, and said, "What's your problem?" Like, "What what do you have to say to Eric Erica since you didn't get to say it?" And you know, oh, that she she stands against all these things. And they're like, like what? Yeah. You know, like trying to get down on the bottom. And essentially, it's like there there's nothing like this message of Jesus is for everyone. And the main

thing that those protesters were arguing against is the oppression of LGBTQ or or hate speech against LGBTQ or whatever that was the main theme of of what these protests were. But the radical sense of like actually no, it it brings clarity to the confusion in the world that we live in. And it was the way that Russell and uh the leadership handled so much. It's just like they're they're standing forth for truth. Yeah. And I'm really looking forward and Ross was there too. Um Russell and Ross Ross Johnston and it's just exciting. I'm I'm just I'm like guys, can you believe this is going to happen here? Like just Yeah. I was talking to someone yesterday after the service and she was her husband is uh hunts and I guess that's the beginning of hunting season. Okay.

And she had bought tickets during the service, you know, but she's like telling him you have to change your plans. Like this is going to mark your life forever. This is going to be more important than hunting. Yes, for sure. Hallelujah. We'll see if he does it. Amen. [laughter] Well, let's let's speak it forth. Kara, just imagine what this could be. I mean, just imagine what this could be. I mean, I I can't even imagine what this could be. I I'm like I'm already It intimidates me to think about like what could happen. So, uh revival is it's coming. I'm looking forward to it. I'm believing that over even every listener and person watching right now that doesn't live in Bend, you're hearing us get excited about what God's doing here. Get excited about what God's doing in your life where you are. I really mean that. Amen. I because revival can happen anywhere.

And just it's when we take God serious and it goes back that's so weird like of all the scriptures that just stands out. Ephesians 4 when he says walk in a man worthy calling. Yeah. Uh walk humbly with with patience. Um, bear with one another in love. There's one more in there. There was four total. I can't remember what. Gentle, I think. Gent. Gent. Yeah, gentleness. So, be humble, gentle, patient, bear with one another in love. Like, if imagine if we all did that. Yeah. If you do that in your home, revival is going to happen. You do that in your city. You do that wherever you go. And then speak Jesus. Yeah. That's where the church gets to be the church now. We don't have to talk about church. Be you will be the church. Yep. It's a good thing. Yeah. Amen. Yeah. Be loud and proud about your faith. Yes. Well, this has been a fun conversation. [clears throat] Thanks for taking time with me today.

And uh maybe we can get Pastor Travis or Pastor Natalie on here when they come up here and get to talk with them. They got a podcast, too. So, if you like this podcast, go find theirs. And Pastor Travis, he he got some really cool guests on there. So, um make sure you go follow them and thank you for joining us today. How about we close in prayer? Hey, don't leave yet. Let's pray a fire prayer. God, we thank you that you are the God of revival. We thank you that nothing is impossible. You are the healer. So we speak forth healing to all those who are sick right now who have something that's not of you. We declare it be gone in Jesus' name. We declare your word tells us by your wounds we are healed. So why would we not take you at your word? Because you are the one that died on the cross for our sins. You declared it is finished. So we thank you that there is healing through who you are Jesus. And

so may we have the boldness of that woman who touched the hem of your garment to go to you God to trust you that God you can do anything. We are believing today, God, for a great awakening in our generation. That the devil will not have the final say in this generation. But we declare Jesus, you are the Lord of Lords and you are the King of Kings. You are the only one who saves. Father, we thank you that when we come home, you are a God that loves us. You are a God that embraces us. You are a God that gives us an our true identity. You put a ring on our finger and a robe around us. So, we thank you for that robe of righteousness today. And Lord, today as we just speak forth the things at Journey Church, we ask God that you would bring forth a movement, a movement of churches that plant churches, a movement that we believe Central Oregon shall be saved.

And Lord, may it not just be at journey, but we declare this for all generations, God, that we would make disciples that that your co-mission is still true today that we would make disciples of all the nations. So Lord, we love you because you loved us and may we love like you, Jesus. We declare these things true today because of who you are. You are the way, the truth, and the life. I thank you, God. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you in Jesus name. Amen.