Wow, I am feeling pretty nauseous right now. My friend Paul sent me a link to a youtube video for a great song titled God of This City and it was from a Sunday service at NewSpring Church in Anderson, SC. It was such a beautiful thing! Then, my eye glances down to the box with related videos, and I spot this video titled, “NewSpring Church Exposed – Anderson, SC Pastor Perry Noble.” Well, it turns out that I had just recently read a blog post from Pastor Noble about how people were “taking shots” at him through some various blogs and that God told him to just let it all go.
I have to admit I’m starting to get defensive here. I also have to admit I haven’t always been the biggest fan of Perry Noble’s blog in the past, but I feel the Lord spoke to me on that about a year ago and showed me the error of my thoughts. It just took awhile to get used to all of his “Perryisms” as Tony Morgan likes to call them :) Anyway, I have Pastor Noble’s message for the One Prayer series cued up for the week of June 22nd at Revolution Church Sacramento, so if someone is gonna be picking on the man that preached God’s word in such an awesome way when I previewed the message I was definitely going to have some issues with that because it just couldn’t be true!
As I watched the video criticizing NewSpring Church and Pastor Noble I just began to feel sick inside. Sick that the man in the video (whom I will leave nameless, although he reveals his details on his youtube channel) considers himself to be a pastor as I consider myself to be a pastor. First of all I was made to feel sick, then I began to feel saddened, then my heart just went out to Pastor Noble. How can someone deal with such vicious and ridiculous attacks from all sides? This pastor goes on at length about how there are gestures of Satan in the congregation during worship and how the NIV Bible translation is used in the message. He even gets critical of hearing Pastor Noble referred to as Perry rather than Pastor. Of course, there is the usual garbage of how secular songs are being played and sang in the church and how there is electric guitar and all the other (fill_in_the_blank) things about modern worship services that are of the devil. However, that wasn’t the worst of it. The absolute worst, most disgusting thing about the whole rant is that this person who portrays himself to be a pastor actually uses this message as a sermon! He isn’t preaching about the gospel of Christ or helping to disciple others…he is using his pulpit to criticize another ministry and another man of God in front of the church. Unbelievable!!!!
When we immerse ourselves in the Scriptures we see that this kind of slanderous remark is spoken against in James 4:11-12:
11Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. 12There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?
I’ve been feeling a little low the past couple of days because those in our first preview service didn’t respond after the videotaped message from Ed Young for the One Prayer project the way I had hoped. In hindsight, I think I’d much rather go without hearing any comments than to have to fend off attacks such as this one against Pastor Noble on a regular basis.
Pastor Noble, I am sure you will never stumble upon these words from this pastor of a new church plant in Sacramento on the opposite coast of where you are, but I pray that my prayers of encouragement will reach you spiritually and that God’s will for NewSpring and Anderson, SC will always be your passion and that acts of jealousy and slander and attention-getting will not deter you from the amazing work the Lord is doing through your ministry. Keep fighting the good fight and running the race for the kingdom needs you!
It’s a sad day when we don’t have to go any further than our local church to find Satan’s words filling the pulpit full of anger and of a covetous heart. Through the One Prayer project I am more committed than ever to help do my part to see the body of Christ unified under one spirit, one Lord, and one baptism.
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Great word! Bounced over here from oneprayer.com…I have counted it a privliege to pray for Revolution Church and yourself as One Prayer has begun…I am with you on attacking others, not what we are to be about as believers…we can be our own worst enemy…Craig Groeschel’s message, ‘Make Us One’ was excellent as you said…I was fortunate to see Perry record his message live at Lifchurch and was so blessed…even better I get to hear it again this weekend at the Lifechurch.tv Tulsa campus where we attend…Dave, blessings! to you and Revolution Church…I saw the clip knocking Perry some time ago and just closed it, no need to even hear, sad…I hurt for the one(s) ripping other pastors…praying for him….
Wow Steve! Thank you so much for the prayers for us over here at Revolution Church!!! I am still just amazed at how the One Prayer project has connected us with other ministries and individuals and that there are people everywhere lifting us up in prayer. We’ve definitely been praying for LifeChurch.tv and consider it an honor to stand together with you as ONE.
Perry Noble is really blessed to be able to share God’s word in such a real and relevant way while at the same time being able to preach line-by-line and see the church grow.
It’s great seeing all the things happening through the One Prayer project and it was a privilege to hear from you today Steve!
I’m a longtime friend of Perry Noble (Newspring Pastor)and enthusiastic member of Newspring Church- I stumbld across your blog from the Google News function that alerts me when the words “Newspring Church” appear in a news release or blog. I will make sure he gets to see a copy of your kind words. Thanks!!
God bless you. and your church in Sacramento…
Sandra
P.S. I have a pharmacist colleage in Sacramento-Jeff Jellin- any chance you know him? I consult with him on a drug therapy newsletter.
Hi Sandra, I can’t believe this blog post made it out to the general public like that! Thank you so much for stopping by and for being a faithful member of NewSpring Church and all that God is doing to reach many through your ministry with the gospel of Christ.
As for Jeff, I do not know him. Sacramento is still a small town, but our county encompasses about 2.3 million people so there are still a lot of people here I don’t know personally :) Blessings to you as well good and faithful servant of the Lord!
Thanks Dave for the kind words-
I’m also wondering why my and the above posts are dated Nov 6 2008?…it’s June 11 here in South Carolina :)
Have a good week
Sandra
Well, all the posts show November 6 because that is my birthday! Ha, ha…actually it is 11/06/08 with the “11″ being the day and “06″ being the month. I think that’s how it is written out in the military or something like that. I’ll have to go into my display settings and see if I can correct it for us non-military folks :)
Thanks and hope you have a good week as well!!!
Thanks for posting this. I also found you by way of oneprayer.com. Our church (Seacoast) is participating in One Prayer. We had Perry Noble as a guest speaker at Seacoast a while back and I loved his message. I look forward to his message during the One Prayer series.
Hi Hank! Thanks for stopping by and letting me know you were here :) One Prayer is so amazing that we can connect and feel the prayerful support of so many that want to see a spirit of unity within the body of Christ.
By the way, Perry Noble’s message from the One Prayer series is gonna move you…it’s a strong word from the Lord!
Hey I ran across you on One Prayer and watched your message. Go get em.
I pray that your plant goes well and that you continue to be a revolution.
Hey Pastor Darin! Thanks for the comments and for your prayer. We are so grateful for you joining together with us in unity as we help propel the gospel into the world.
Hi Dave – Thank you for your post! I am reminded as is beautifully reflected in “The Shack” of how quickly we judge. We need to be about stripping away the things we ‘think’ are essential and understand what is ‘truly’ essential. I ask – does a position, style, theological stance or other preference affect ones salvation? – If it is outside of “the gospel” then it really is not essential.
God created DNA and it spills over into how we do church. Let’s be secure enough in our own style and DNA that we can support one another – even refer individuals to other churches in our community if the individual would find a better fit there.
Dave – I’ll look forward to seeing how God blesses your plant in N. California. We are a plant in the desert of AZ – just outside of the Phoenix Metro area. We are having a blast – we pray that you too will enjoy the journey!
Blessings – Pastor Scott Helsel, Oasis Life Church, Maricopa, AZ
Pastor Scott, thanks for stopping by and for your wonderful comments of encouragement! It’s awesome to hear of your passion for focusing on the good news of christ and stripping away all the other stuff that leads to envy and boasting and division. Amen to you sir!
You’re now on our radar and I’ll connect with your website and lift you and your ministry and all of the greater Phoenix area in prayer. We stand alongside you and Oasis Life Church and it is our honor to know such a joyful fellow servant with a kingdom mindset and a vision for unity within the body of Christ!