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What INC "family" means to Goodlife · Goodlife Church Formation Podcast

• Jack O'Brien: we've been graced for our unique contribution. And the point of those gifts, the point of those graces are to serve others in the church, to serve the body. it's a practice, it's a discipline, but it it is an expression of gratitude as well, like to to Dave Connett: Yeah. Jack O'Brien: offer willingly. we are we are saints that minister to God in that sense. We bring our gifts to God as our sacrifice, as our offering, as our worship. And so to not contribute is to withhold worship from God. Well, welcome back. Another episode of the Good Life Formation Podcast. Pastor Dave, where is Rebecca? Dave Connett: Well look, that is the million dollar question, Jack. she's she's come down with the dreaded Loggy. She is unclean. So sh she's in bed. She's not fit for man nor beast. Jack O'Brien: good. And where where in the world are you? Dave Connett: I'm in Canberra today, sir. Yeah, having Jack O'Brien: Okay. but you don't have a you don't have a tie on. Are you allowed in without a tie? Dave Connett: I am allowed in without a tie. the the juggle of end of year things when it comes to chaplaincy where I'm at in Canberra means that I've ended up actually with a significant gap in the day, early appointments, late appointments. And so I just hit the gym and here I am. I'll be I'll be finishing off that gym action later on. Jack O'Brien: I j I'd imagine that the seeing politicians in their in their active wear and their gym attire would be quite the scene. Dave Connett: no comment. Jack O'Brien: I'd imagine also that the heavier dumbbells are readily available because the politicians live down the lighter end of the dumbbell rack. Dave Connett: no, don't look, don't don't predict that. I I think you've you got that wrong. There's some there's some there's some big rigs. One Ralph Ralph Jack O'Brien: Okay, brother Ralph can throw him round. Righto, well we'll leave that one there. Dave Connett: Babbitt can throw them around. Lou O'Brien, who was the guy that recently he Yeah. Jack O'Brien: He jacked in his in his national's flano is is sh is thick. Dave Connett: Lou O'Brien is thick, no doubt. can can throw can throw some metal around. He was the guy that gave he was the one that did the private members bill in regards to saving the the the botched abortions born alive to give human rights to babies that are born and so a godly man i'm actually been talking with Lou about when he's coming through one time on the way to Canberra. He's from kind of the the wide bay area so news at a gimpy up to Maryborough is his kind of electorate and he and he rides his motorbike with his wife all the way to Parliament. And I said, You've got to come a day early, come through good life and talk to us about how your Christian convictions lead to sanctity of life and the way that you outwork that. So yeah, yeah, yeah. But Lou, mate, Rig, yeah. Jack O'Brien: Rig and yes, honor where honor is due. Very deserving. Dave Connett: Yes, few few of the lads that are pretty solid. Andrew Hasty can throw it around as just FYI. Jack O'Brien: Okay. okay, well, we have just come off the back of a an INC weekend at Good Life. So Dave Connett: Yes, we have. Jack O'Brien: let's touch on some INC things. We are part of a family or a network, international network of churches, formerly known as Christian Outreach Tower. It's quite the unique quite the unique family arrangement, is it not? Dave Connett: I'll come down and get your hand up. Yeah, it really is. when it comes to church setups. Jack, I I just I mean, I got I got saved in a Christian outreach center, which it became INC. And so I it it I suppose the family aspect is really what I needed. I didn't know it was unique. different church setups lean ways towards being more of an association and some lean more towards being a family. And so when you've got a controlling oversight, that can be really hard if you're kind of one of those. But if those association ones where you're given more autonomy, well, you're kind of doing it alone a little bit. And so it's a there's a tension in the way that those church setups work. And so if you want to get into you know, I mean being one of those wonks in regards to church oversight. And leadership and all of the legals in regards to setup. It really, it actually really matters. The two big questions that really matter is who are the trustees of the property? The second one is who hires and fires the senior pastor. They are the two key things which really mean a lot and kind of everything disseminates from that. And so INC is a wonderful, wonderful family. And the way that it was set up was it was organized to maintain brotherhood that we would be able to unite to be able to send our very best towards our best opportunities to reach Australia for Christ in the quickest and most effective way possible. That was the that was how they actually legally set it up that way. So we have got a remarkable family and and a really empowering setup to make that happen. Jack O'Brien: Right. Well, I want to get into maybe a bit of the thinking behind it. So we had Pastor Gary Hurrigan join us for the weekend, who's on our national oversight national executive, who's here sharing imparting leadership teaching on the Friday, Saturday, preaching good life on the Sunday. But I said I said to Gaz, I said, so are we doing a few more of these around? Like what's the the plan? And he said, we kind of just put it out to churches and said if you want to host a regional gathering, let us know and we'll we'll make it happen. And Good Life was one of those that put their hand up. to to host it and make a regional gathering happen. So I my question for you is like, why would you do that? You y we didn't have to do this as good life, but we chose to chose to host you know, at our own, you know, I'll say volunteer time and dollar expense. So why, Dave? Why? Dave Connett: that's later. that's later, yeah, gonna find now. I'm thinking out. I'm thinking of Australia. First up, it's the value of the gathering and the team work. I think when people really see who we are and the family that we're a part of. It makes sense of a lot of things. we really are a part of yeah I mean INC is the International Network of Churches, but that word network is probably not as strong as it really is. Now the word family can be misconstrued and who knows if that's a cult when when that's included, but but it r it really is quite a brotherhood. and it's a band of it's a band of brothers and sisters obviously but so that that that gathering together and supporting of one another really, really helped across the churches that we actually hear for it. The pastors really know each other and back each other and love each other. It's actually really it's really quite a special thing. We're given autonomy as churches for a local vision and for local stewardship of of of resources to be able to reach our city because every city is different, every city and town. So that the gathering is really, really important. I want my team to be a part of it. I went to the One the start of the year. So we're asked as churches to take our team to one or two a year. and then they say, is anyone not to host one? Now, the one we went to at the start of the year in Sydney was fantastic, hosted by Revelations. And I thought, I want my team to be a part of that. And I thought the best way that we could do that would be if we've hosted it. And I thought, what could we offer the movement, the region? And so I took churches in the region, I What do you think if we did this? They jumped on board. And then we just spread the communication wide. And so we had people far south as Nowra, far west as Mudgy, as north of Kempsey. So a whole bunch of people came in and we just talked about being healthy leaders that have exceptional results and how to actually do that. So we volunteered because we we love the movement, we value the gathering, and I thought this was the best way that we could get the you know that we could get the best out of it. is the contribution, but also to to kind of put our fingerprints on it and let people have buy-in. Jack O'Brien: And I really like that because it's a perspective that it's probably easy for the average good lifer to skip by. You know, maybe there's a a cynical good lifer that goes, they want me to volunteer at this thing. I mean, there is no such thing as a cynical good lifer, is there? Dave Connett: Jack, Jack, Jack. Jack. Yeah, thank you for clarifying thank you for clearing that up. Jack O'Brien: Sorry, sorry. Hypothetically, hypothetically, if there were to be a cynical good lifer, they might think, they want me to volunteer on a Saturday or me do some another thing. It's like, yeah, well, the alternative is that we pack up and we go somewhere and you invest in a ticket and accommodation and travel and the inconvenience of going somewhere else. So maybe we're doing you a favor by hosting something in our own backyard that you get to contribute to. Dave Connett: Also it gives us room that the people that might not be invited, because there's only a certain amount of budget, there's only a certain amount, like do you mean we've got to work out all those things. And so what we get to do is widen the net of who actually gets to experience the goodness of God that God is doing across the movement, make those relational connections, get to celebrate. And get to see the family that we're a part of. It's really important this movement that we're a part of. It's a unique DNA and it's unique setup. And I find that when people get that whole, I see where it fits, good life with INC, it makes so much sense. and I that so the widening of the net that more people could experience it also is really important to us. Jack O'Brien: Right. So maybe say just a little bit more about this the the value of the relational connections that you're talking about. And again, I'm thinking for the hypothetical good lifer that goes, cool, the pastors all get along great, you know, the brotherhood for pastors. But what does that why is that matter for a good lifer that you and Bex and our, you know, our leadership team have healthy interchurch relationships? What is the value for the average good lifer? And why as a Dave Connett: If we've got the public side, it has to be a problem. Jack O'Brien: good lifer would I try and meet folks from Other INCs, what's the value in that? Dave Connett: Well, there's a bunch of benefits and then there's the avoidance of a bunch of problems, really, when it comes down Jack O'Brien: Okay. Any more. Dave Connett: to it. And some of those problems are quite detrimental. Think about it. Who is the person most at risk of being isolated from Christian community, brothers and sisters that hold them accountable and encourage them to live personally for Christ? Who asks me that? Who gets involved in my life? It's the senior pastor, is the greatest risk. Now, the Bible does say, strike the shepherd and the sheep scatter. And I've seen church trauma. And and look, I'm Jack, I I hope hope hopefully I'm effective at letting everyone know I'm just the average bloke doing my best. Now, I'm called by God, I'm appointed by godly men and women, I'm anointed by God. I got no problems with those sorts of things. God holds me to a quite a high standard more than anyone else does. And I I'm okay with it. I've I've accepted that willingly, but it does come with a lot of pressure. The I mean, you get a snapshot to behind the scenes, the complexity of the role that comes from a very soft and pastoral, the leadership, the management, the visionary. I gotta be preaching. like this is this is a job where if my family, if my marriage is not in order, I lose my job. Like it's Jack O'Brien: Rotten. Dave Connett: the this is This is this is not just this is not 38 hours. And so you you get that concept because you you do the journey quite close with us and and see that kind of perspective. but I tell you what, if a marriage is in crisis, guess who gets the call? If there's someone in hospital, guess who gets the call? But that's just but I'm it's it's not why it was me, Jack. I'm some there's there's none of that inside. It's just realizing the complexity of it. And if the enemy's gonna have a go at one person. or one family or one marriage. If he only had the resources to take out one human, one couple in Good Life Church, have a have a have a guess who's in the top three. so the enemy comes to rob, kill and destroy. and so that whole deal of being a part of a family avoids the the pitfalls. avoids the risk. I'm not I'm not Jack O'Brien: Well certainly minimizes it. Dave Connett: I'm not doing I'm not doing it alone. And so it's incumbent upon the pastors of good of of every INC church to be looking out for the other. Now, there's a bunch of pastors that are just struggling and doing their best and they're hoping someone to call them. It's like in every church. You know, you know when we say at the 32nd, go get up and go and say hello to someone. There are people that never get out of their seat. Long term members of Good Life Church that have a problem because why do I have to talk to someone? It's because we're flipping part of the body, Jack, and Jack O'Brien: Right. Dave Connett: I'm asking you for 30 seconds. Like, give me a flipping break. Give me a give me a break. Get up and serve Jesus. my gorgeous wife is the biggest one of the biggest introverts I know. And she is, if it to meet someone new is actually quite a stress for someone of that high level introversion. She's like, you know what? It's my honor to serve Jesus and serve people and get over myself. And God bless you, sir. so but that's that a part of the deal is that I but then I have pastors that think exactly the same. And my job is to go, A, I'm gonna sit with you and have a coffee. Now I with my business, I end up traveling all around the Hunter Valley. And guess what I do if I'm passing through Musselbrook? I call them, I go, if if if I've got the time, I'll go, I've got half an hour. Can I crab you for a coffee? Half an hour. I can have a lunch break, that's fine. If I'm just serving that personally, but it means that the church in Musselbrook Is strong. It means that if they ever go through a transition or a struggle, guess who they've got? They've got someone to call. But that happens all around the place. And it's incumbent upon others to do that for me. And so that's what I try to do. I I try to be that guy. And it means also that if I sow, I reap. And it's actually good for the longevity. Bex and I are the second longest serving senior passes for INC in the States. 18 years is a solid, it's a solid. I Jack O'Brien: You don't look you don't look that old, Dave Connott. Dave Connett: start at age twelve. we've been in ministry. I've been in full time ministry for 30 years this year, 18 years of those as senior pastor at Good Life Church. and there's a couple that have done the journey longer. One of the reasons for that and and the turmoil that happens when you have changes of leadership, one of the reasons that that's been avoided is because of the support and the friendship and the brotherhood and sisterhood. of INC and I'm not just a receiver of that, I'm the giver of that because I take it seriously. It's been meant so much for me. The toughest times, guess guess what I'm calling on? Calling on my brothers and sisters. I'm calling on those that have been in the trenches. and so that's what we that's what we really do. it it it brings health to the church. Jack O'Brien: I love it. And I think I've been so encouraged and inspired through my relationships with other with other INC churches. You know, you meet people who do who are in a similar role and you can kind of sh share stories and inspirations and and and sharpen one another. So it's you know, it's not just for good life, it's not just the senior pastors that benefit. We get to benefit from these relationships. The the value is huge. So Dave, you said that you know, we give a lot to the movement and we we are contributors, right? So again. It might not be the decision of the average good lifer of what good life contributes to INC, but we do and you are a part of that. So how do you think about what we do or don't participate in, what we do or don't give or contribute? How do we how do we decide? Dave Connett: So we look, this there's three things that speak to what you value. if you look at your calendarslash diary, if you look at your budget, and you look at your org chart of your team. And so what we do is we sit together, and Bex and I will think and pray and discuss and where's the season, etc. it's our job to make those. calls on future decisions in regards to investment of any of those resources of us or good life. primarily good life resources, but our hours are a part of that if we're if we're employed. So we sit with the team and go, this is what we really feel God's leading us to right now. And and the job of that team is to push back. What about this? What about this? In faith, I don't I don't I love pushback. I love this hearing the other side. I can't handle if it doesn't come in some form of attitude of faith. If God's on the throne, we're going to find solutions, let's go. I don't I don't I don't mind any kind of discussion unless the sky is falling, because the sky is definitely not falling. So get out of the room and come back when you know it's not and you've got some faith. maybe it's that eternal optimist in me as well, Jack. Maybe it's a mixture of all of those things, but you know, Gary Hurrigan was actually laughing at me this week that that's how I think and he goes, Yeah, it makes sense. That's how you'd run the thing as well. So we we would sit down and go in this season, what we've got, what what resources we have, what time we have, how do we do that? And so I used to have a lot of the roles within INC. I oversaw a bunch of things for training of young people across the state and for the nation for a little while as a senior pastor. I also once that wrapped up, took another pastoral role within INC, coaching pastors of churches between 120 and 200. I stepped back from that. in in pr in probably when we hit diffic really difficult times. I tried to push through and I just went, you know, and Bex was in hospital with stress related heart attack symptoms. It was pretty wild sort of stuff. And so I said, look, I just need to put a pause. Can I take a break? And I came back in three months and I went I said to Pastor Ross, I said, I could do it. But he goes, I just take twelve months off. So then once I got back in twelve months, the the guy that was running it was doing such a great job and loving it. And I just said to Ross Bob, let him keep doing it and I'll I'll just kind of help out a bit because I've got the relation lequity anyway. Because I think about the pastor down the road anyway. he just goes, you're gonna be a good team player and you'll make him look better. And I said, okay, so I still serve on that team within a very minor role. And the more that Bex's role has increased within her role as the secretary of the movement, it's quite a significant role and then there's a bit of workload involved. Now, because of the size of the role and the size of our church and the resources that we do have, we actually just presented back to national executive and back to Pastor Ross and said, Bex can do the role, but it's going to need to be remunerated, her time remunerated. And so we just do a deal. And so we just I I suppose we submit that to the eldership in regards to heart and direction. And then we just submit that then to the committee management in regards to the financial commitment that it that it takes. It it is just a commitment. So We just said what this time, at this space, at this season, this is what we think we can do. And then we get agreement from from the from the team around us. I'm not there for yes people, Jack. I'm there for we yes to division. How can we make it happen? Is that the right thing? Like, do you know? Is this is this the right way to go about it? And so we wrestle that until we've got agreement and then we go forward that way. So that's that's kind of how we've done it. We have a heart for the movement, we look at what resource we have and we're in the in the season. What are the opportunities? Every time you put time and energy finance into something, therefore you are not having that in another area unless you can grow the pie. our ability to grow the pie at Good Life Church is by actually focusing on the ministries of Good Life Church. And so we are very aware of the opportunity cost that comes with that. We are also very aware at the blessing that the movement is to us. So it it is attention that we that we wrestle with with with faith and with with diligence Jack O'Brien: Yeah, it is a tricky tension, right? Because it's not a transactional consideration. It's not like, well, if I give this much time or effort or energy, then I'm gonna get this return necessarily. Dave Connett: Because I if you want it to get it, yes. Jack O'Brien: It's very much a consideration of yeah, what is God calling you or us to as a church in this season? And are we being faithful, faithful to that calling, right? Dave Connett: Yeah. Yeah. It look it it's a wrestling. You've got ask the questions and that's why I have good people around me. I want yes to the sp yes in the spirit and yes to the vision. And also armor bearers like Moses had armor bearers, they've got to be personally loyal, but you've got to also go be able to speak the truth and you've got to be able to actually question. You've got to be able to make us better with your questions, be filled with faith. And so I I've got those people, so the eldership in regards to I suppose directional doctrinal spiritual and then I've got the committee management in regards to financial and legal. We talk about those structures every every month. But welcome to Good Life Party when people come and say, just so you know, this is how it works. And those accountabilities help us wrestle with tough questions and how we spend our resources for the good of the kingdom of God. Your kingdom come, your will be done is so, so important that we are as good as possible at doing that, achieving that as effective as possible. Jack O'Brien: Yeah. And it it I think it's very comforting and and humbling that we're not in this alone a as a church, right? That there are there's a lot more complexities that that we don't particularly have have visibility into that that a movement covers for us and provides for us. And it's easy to think transactional, when I give this I should get that and I should get more, I never get enough, and it's a levy here and an expectation there. It's like, no, no, that's Dave Connett: I'm asking Jack O'Brien: That's not how it works. You know, you as you don't want your kids going, I emptied the dishwasher, so I get dessert. It's like w that's not how that's not how we behave. Dave Connett: that one. Jack O'Brien: we certainly don't want to let resentment fest start, which is probably easy. So that maybe that's the question for you. How do you not resent the movement from time to time? Like what do you do to protect against that? Dave Connett: generally resentment's not an issue I am confronted with those sorts of emotions and feelings are probably not mine. And maybe it's the very positive type of deal. I think there's been certain times where the the methodology of outworking the vision has changed that then and then maybe with lack of communication I've struggled. But it's incumbent upon me not to sit in any of that negative emotional feeling or thought. It's incumbent upon me to then sit with. I gotta go up line and go, can someone please explain? I want to do my best here and I'm currently seeing this. So can you just walk me through that? there's probably been times where because so it's it's incumbent upon me to communicate and to deal with stuff, not to get resentful. And it's comfortable on every person in your situation, do the same. Jack O'Brien: Right. Sounds like a grown up sounds like a grown up behavior. Dave Connett: Well, look, it happens in ch in the church. Now I I I don't know how oftentimes that happens in the local church. I know the times when people do come never talk to me about stuff, but I don't know the times where people get resentful and don't talk to me about it. That that doesn't come to me. I can't deal with what I don't know, Jack. But people can sometimes Jack O'Brien: Mm-hmm. Dave Connett: get resentful about things. And then you don't hear about it until a very long time later and you think, I probably could have dealt with this a while back. This this probably the thing I've struggled with and it's it's a very sanguine struggle. but I'm I'm gonna say in difficult because I'm the guy who gets on the phone. I'm the guy who rings people, I'm the guy who makes those connections. and and I've talked with Bex a few times about like in my times, I'm like, who's calling me? Who g who gives a rip about Dave? Because I've I've faced some pretty rough times. I mean the last three years there's been a whole bunch of fun, but the three before that, not so. And so who who calls Dalf? And and Bex would be like, Dave, you're the odd one here. I'm like, what do you mean? She goes, You're the biggest sanguine on the planet. No one else, no one else has those kinds of drivers like you do. So don't expect anyone else to. And I'm like, Yeah, but someone would be nice. But it it what I found out like in the season that I was in is a lot of my kid friends were going through stuff as well. and so th that would be that that was one that I had to actually get over. that resentment. There have been some times where there's been people in the movement. I I just had to realise, just get over it, Dave. Like love, forgive, give olive branches. I there's a lot of people that I think should have been there for me in my time of need that I'm still sending a text message or an olive branch or I'm praying for your brother and yada yada. I'm just trying to that's but I think that's what it that's what mature family members do. there Jack O'Brien: Right. Dave Connett: are there are some people and I think it's hard when you feel like you've been poorly done by by others. There are there are certain I'm I've been around I've been around this movement for thirty-five years, Jack. 30 of those in full-time ministry in one way or another. It's a bit of a wild journey. And so if you haven't been hurt in church, if you haven't been hurt in good life or in INC, just stick around. It'll happen. Because as humans, the problem is that also because you're there, you'll hurt someone else. And you probably won't mean to. I I don't mean to. I I have I have no intent to. hard people, but it happens and sometimes people are dipsticks and sometimes people are just doing their best and sometimes there was a miscommunication and call it church hurt, but you've probably hurt someone else as well. So we probably all should just take a break. And there's times when I've gone, I've really served people and gone the extra mile. I've covered for them. I've I've loved them. I've I've I've bent over backwards and and then I feel like in the end I've been made out to be the villain in a couple of things. And I'm like, that actually really kind of hurts. and so Some I just think, man, it's not as bad as what Jesus had. He had he had he had he had Judas betray him for s and I'm like, man, if I'm in G if I'm in the land of of of of of Jesus, that's what he dealt with. I think I'm in good company and I've not gone anywhere near that. And so it's just incumbent upon me to learn how to be a big boy and forgive. there's there's people like that that are still within the movement externally, but I just send the odd olive branch today, thinking of you, praying for ya. sometimes I get crickets. It's that's fine. It's fine. My I gotta go. What's my job? My job is to be a man of God. My job is to be the one that loves and forgives and serves and and and keeps the door open. It's amazing over the years how many people have just knocked on my door 10 years, 20 years later, thanked, apologized, asked asked for help, given an olive branch themselves. And I think when we lock people away because we get resentful, it only harms us. Jack O'Brien: You know, I think y y you said it might be you're bent or it's easier for you because you're a sanguine. But the same is true in any practice or behavior, right? For for some might be easy that they're not tempted by pornography. And for others, it's a lifelong battle. It doesn't mean that we shouldn't resist those temptations. It's it's some temptations are easier than others. Or or like I'll I've in my case, I don't like picking up the phone. I'm I'm very happy with my own company and I I I'd rather a written communication than verbal. But I pick up the phone. Dave Connett: I have noticed, Jack. I have noticed that's how you like it. Jack O'Brien: But I s like I've got a call this afternoon, with someone 'cause there was something a little bit contentious that came up and I was like, Right, I'm gonna I well, I text them first because that's what that's what us millennials do. We you don't call anyone without texting first, Dave. I don't know if you boomers have figured this out, but you've got to text before you call. Dave Connett: I got the fucking I'm Gen X, which means I'm not a boomer, I'm not a millennial. Not only will I pick up the phone, I don't care if you've made up these stupid rules, I'm still doing it my way. Welcome to Jack O'Brien: So Dave Connett: Gen X, brother. Jack O'Brien: well it may so what I'm getting at good life is is it might be easy for Dave to pick up the phone. It's not easy for me to pick up the phone, but we both do it because that's what you do. It it's and and you know, as we're gonna transition to Pastor Gary's c some of his points from Sunday, but I just got the verse Well, Dave Connett: Yeah, we've got to get there eventually. Jack O'Brien: I've got the verse open for me, and there's actually a really pertinent movement c movement oriented verse. P Peter. Dave Connett: Yeah you go. Jack O'Brien: Peter says, Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Dave Connett: Yeah. Jack O'Brien: Like period. No qualification, no context. Your duty as a as a brother and sister in Christ is to offer com offer hospitality without grumbling. Dave Connett: Romans twelve, be devoted to one another in love. Honour one another above yourselves. And so I actually have to go, this is not my preference, but I'm gonna honor one another above myself. Be devoted to one another in love. It's the body of Christ, Jack. Jack O'Brien: Right. And nor should we grumble about our our gift of hospitality to others. So, you Dave Connett: Yes. Jack O'Brien: know, Pastor Gary yesterday touched on being one in the body of Christ and our you know, we've all got a part to play. We are all parts of the body. The the verse that he referred to that stood out to me was first Peter four verse ten. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others as faithful stewards of God's grace and his. Dave Connett: as well. So I do want Jack O'Brien: point really was around we've been been gifted, we've been graced for our unique contribution. And the point of those gifts, the point of those graces are to serve others in the church, to serve the body. What stood out for you? Dave Connett: i it's interesting because I've this is not unfamiliar territory for me and the word grapes is the word charis. He said ca charism. and it's it's the root word of obviously get charisma. And and grace means it it is the gift that you've got. So if you do have a gift of hospitality, then use it with diligence. If it's hospitality or if it's giving, do that. If it's administration, do that. If it's preaching and leadership, do that. And so we are given these gifts. but it's actually working out how to use those gifts in the body of Christ, no matter the season. And so his when the Bible says his grace is sufficient for you, it's the same word. His grace is sufficient for you. We think, it's grace, I've been saved. No, it's actually his giftedness, his resources for you to do and be what he's called you to do and be is sufficient for you because his strength is made perfect in your weakness. And so it's not doing it when it's just convenient. It's not just doing it when I feel fantastic. It's actually the consistency of doing it in seasons that really, really suck. And so I'm gonna say there's certain gifts that people have. Some people can sing, some people can't. I have zero and and I've got we you know, I mean I've got big professional testings that I've done for suitability for roles that says keep this man away from anything technical. If it's gotta be plugged in, keep him away. I like I don't even do it at home. I'm like, I've got a wife and and an 18 year old for that. Can you do this? I've just I have zero desire to go anywhere near it. And if I did It's gonna be screwed up. I I have people that understand systems of structures. I can do that if push comes to shove. I've done that in previous roles and other churches. For pastors that needed it, because it's not about me. cause is good God's grace was sufficient in the middle of that. But I'm like, better that I better that I don't, better that I add what I'm meant to and being a team player. and so I think it's the grace of God is the giftedness, but also the resources for you to do that. That really makes sense. I I love the thought that I mean he was he was he was talking that if you play your part, it's awesome for you. And we've covered that on on good men podcast as well. If you play your part, because no one's we don't always have the same function. So therefore, for it to function, that is needed. That part is needed. It's good for you, it's good for your family watching on, it's good for your kids to see that that is normalized. We serve Jesus. We're not just attendees of church. We are contributors within the life of the church and consistent with it through ups and through downs. And it's good for us. It's good for those watching on, but it's also good for the body of Christ. If the body of Christ doesn't have that function happening because I'm meant to do it and it's missing out, well, that sucks. Jack O'Brien: Right. Yeah, it's like it's it's a it's a practice, it's a discipline, but it it is an expression of gratitude as well, like to to Dave Connett: Yeah. Jack O'Brien: offer willingly. You know, we are we are saints that minister to God in that sense. We bring our gifts to God as our sacrifice, as our offering, as our worship. And so to not contribute is to withhold worship from God. Like who am I to to decide that I should withhold from God and his bride, his w like the the church is his bride. How why should I withhold from that? far be it from me to make that call. Dave Connett: Yeah. Look, it would be it's the next step of worship is not just with my song, it's not just with my prayer, my devotion to him with the way that I go about my family life. It's that I it's that I serve, I have a part to play in the body of Christ and not doing it is missing out. And it's missing out on the next step of my walk with God. It is learning how to do it when it's inconvenient and in difficult seasons. It really is it really is a stretch and a blessing to find out how to do that in the middle of difficult seasons. And seasons change, different different amounts of resource you have, time, energy, different extra things that you're juggling. It it's you've got to find a privilege to serve God and find your part to play and get into it. Because the body of Christ is not the same without you and you're not the same without the body of Christ and you playing your part. Jack O'Brien: Right, right. Hey, before we move on to next couple of things on the docket, was there anything else from the INC weekend or Pastor Gary that that you wanted to touch on? Dave Connett: look, I think look Gary certainly Friday G Gary's message Friday night was in regards to when Moses was carrying everything. Like, yeah, I mean we've got the we've got the children of Israel out of out of slavery and all of a sudden they've all got problems. I got a million people and how I'm gonna do it. And his father in law says, you need to do this differently. You need to delegate, give responsibility. So there's captains of tens, fifties, hundreds. thousands, I think it was anyway. and so let them deal with stuff and if they can't deal with it, they bring it up to you. you've got a little bit further down the journey in a different book, but a little bit further down the journey. And and then Moses like, this is too hard. God, why don't you just kill me? And what's God's response? Find seventy elders. And so elders are a are a role in the old testament and in the New Testament body of Christ. And those elders, what God says he goes, I take the spirit that I put on you. And part of that's a DNA. Part of that is a heart and soul. Here's a team that's gonna work in the same spirit, the same direction. We're on the same boat, we're paddling in the right order. Do you know what I mean? Like we're doing this in unison. And so that's what God wants for for for his team. And so in that part of the we've all got a part to play, there are also those that are called to be elders, those that are actually called to Stand alongside the pastor. I love the thought that it was done in unison. I'm gonna take the same spirit that I gave you, I'm gonna put it on them. It links with Acts chapter 2, 42, which I've preached a number of times in my time at Good Life Church, is where the team, the the apostles, it says they devoted themselves to the apostles' doctrine and fellowship. Sorry, the church devoted themselves to the apostles' doctrine and fellowship. So the doctrine, the teaching, and the fellowship, the heart. And so Old Testament. Same spirit of the leader, then happens on the leadership team. New testament, the people, the team devoted themselves. Not forced. No one held them over a barrel. There was no compulsion. They did it. They devoted themselves to the apostles' doctrine and to fellowship. And so there's a decision to be made. Am I going to be a part of the team? Also, equals, will I have the same spirit? Am I going to devote myself to this? and so on the next day we really focused. And there were three key sessions and the way that we made that happen is to give a lot of room for people to discuss and to debrief, not just hear messages, but it was all about being what's a healthy leader and how do become healthy and what are the exceptional results we're looking to do. We don't just want healthy leaders. We want to make healthy leadership, head towards exceptional results in the church. If that could mean one more person gets saved, what a brilliant thing. One more person gets eternity in heaven, one more family knit back together, one more destiny, one more kid off drugs, like what like one more church planted, one more city reached. And that's what we really want to be able to do. But there are exceptional results that God calls us to get involved with. We do want to transform the world with the truth and the power of Jesus Christ. It's not just on our walls, it's on our hearts, and it's in our destiny. So we've got to be healthy to be able to do that. And we got to do that and do it brilliantly. And so. We dug right into those things and I thought it was a stunning weekend actually. Jack O'Brien: You know, I spoke with a a very charismatic, spirit filled, kind of flowy kind of person who was there on and I said, What what stood out for you? What what resonated? And they said, the bit where we talked about like Dave Connett: Refer to that. Jack O'Brien: measurables and metrics. I'm like, of all Dave Connett: Whoa. Jack O'Brien: the things. because people can get excited about KPIs though. Dave Connett: I'm I'm flabbergasted. I'm shook. I'm shook. I'm shook. Jack O'Brien: Yeah. Dave Connett: Don't tell Verson's name. Tell me that later. Who was it? Jack O'Brien: Yeah, yeah, yeah, no. It's good. yeah, wonderful weekend. Love it. Hey, what's what's coming down the pipes over the next couple of weeks? We're talking building stuff, finishing up series. Dave Connett: Yeah, so the coming week we finish up the series on trust fund. And so the biblical principles are essentially pretty much like what Dave Ramsey said, you want to live like nobody else so you can live and give like nobody else. And so the live like nobody else is great face that leads to great stewardship. And so we've already covered those and people can go back onto the YouTube channel to check those two out. Jack did you did the stewardship message, it was really, really good. And so therefore we're ready not just to live like nobody else, but live and give like nobody else. And that's where the generosity part comes in. The the great thing is, I'm what I want for every good life is a great harvest. And that only comes with a personal seed. and generosity is the pathway forward. It's God's plan. and God actually God actually tied the prosperity. And the effectiveness and the favor in the community of his bride, his church, to us understanding this. It's crazy. If if I was God, I would have done it slightly differently. There would have been a slightly different business model. Because if people believe in the church, they give to it, and all of a sudden the church has resources. in Corinthians. One of them, sorry, I'll have to read it again, but it says having an abundance for every good work. That's what you want for the church. when when the tithe and offering part of Malachi happens, it says that there may be bread in my food, there might be food in my house. And so that's what we want in Jesus' name. So we're doing the generosity one. While we're at it, I'm gonna give a report this week in regards to where things are at after the geotech. We're looking at what we're doing with buildings and venues and future. can we build, can we develop all of those things? I will give as clear of a picture as I can. in regards to that, the findings in regards to the geotech reports and what what that means we can and cannot do. and also just talking about the timing of those things of what we know right now. So I'll be giving a good heads up of that one this week. So that is the 18th of November. Once we get to the 25th yeah Jack O'Brien: But yes. Dave Connett: sorry October let's say that the other thing I need everyone to do is to have read wisdom and wealth. We gave out Ash Gulow's book, Wisdom and Wealth. And so they are available. We've been talking about it. And so we've given out that to every person, every family, so that you can read it. We need you to have read that book before you get to church on Sunday for us to talk about wrapping up this finance series to make sure we understand God's plan well. The week after that would be the 25th of October and Bex is going to be wrapping up the series on competing kingdoms. And I've loved that, Jack. So the first one was in regards to postmodern secular kind of humanism. These are big concepts, but this is where the world's gone crazy. The world has gone crazy. Right is wrong, left is right, up is down, good is bad, bad is good, all sorts of different stuff. And you can go, it makes sense why they're so crazy. Of like then they think we're the crazy ones. It's so, but then what happened in the second week, Bex talked about how the postmodern secular atheism and then you end up with this progressive church. Why? Because the two have melded. So the church has tried to become politically correct in a world that's gone nuts. And so therefore you've got these churches that have just gone nuts. They're following the downplaying what the Bible says, the difficult things of the Bible, because it's politically incorrect and have bigged up the things that are politically correct, and it's the world system, it's not the word. And so that's where, and so what happens is that when there's a progressive church that's been affected by the world, then you find a church that is full of zeal and is ready for revival. And that's actually what we're seeing right now, Jack. I think we're in the throes of revival. so that's we're covering week three of that series, which is the problem with Islam. We're gonna tackle Islam. So what we're gonna do. is we're gonna say with everything, this is the principle that we always go with, Jack, is that we're gonna have clarity when we talk about ideologies. Not all ideologies are the same. If Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, everything else is a lie. We've just got to be clear with that. And if anyone tells you otherwise, they're either selling something or they've gone woke themselves, their progressive church. So make sure that we've got a smell a rat. So what happens is that the ideology It's not going to be good when it's started by a pedophile warlord. It's never going to be a helpful thing. So that over 1400 years has meant death and destruction and poverty and anger and murderous people. The closer people get to the life of Muhammad and reading the Quran, the more murderous they get. And so the problem is for the 85% of Muslims that aren't radicalized, then for those, the difficult thing is they are under the thumb of the 15% that are. So we want to be as kind as possible with charity to all kinds of different people. But you've got to have clarity. If you want to reach your Muslim neighbor, if you downplay or you fudge or you water down your faith, you'll never reach them. They will respond to the truth. The only thing that helps a Muslim come to Christ is love that matches with actually the difficult truths. Because Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, and the comparison is stuck. And so that's what we want to do. We want to compare those two things and say, Look, let's be strong, let's be clear, let's be loving. But let's be brutal with ideologies that are actually quite destructive. And I think that's actually kind to do it that way. Jack O'Brien: Sure. It's certainly biblical. Dave Connett: Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So hey, look, I I would just suggest if people are uncomfortable with the biblical truths, learn to be uncomfortable with your uncomfortable. learn learn to get used to it. That's actually Jesus will rattle some cages, and that's actually okay. It's the right thing. We get transformed by renewing our minds. There's gonna be some things to actually make new. Old things have gotta go. Behold, there's a new creation. It's random, man. No. Jack O'Brien: Certainly. I love it. There you go. All right. Well, Dave Connett: Worries. Thank you for typing that one for the file. Jack O'Brien: we might land it there. Looking forward to all that's coming up over the coming weeks. folks, yeah, make sure you prioritize reading the book from Ash Goulow and joining us this Sunday for building updates and wrapping up competing kingdoms and we're but it's basically Christmas, isn't it? Dave Connett: no, we've got November and I have got a series. it's it's coming together, Jack. I feel like I've got a word from God, a prophetic word from God. whether this is where we're going for the next year or the next millennial, I don't know. But I'm talking talking about in November. One more. W one more encounter, one more soul, one more invitation, one more coffee, one more family restored, one more kid off drugs. One more, one more city reached in Jesus' name. Could you imagine if we thought of that and just went, you know what? That one more, we could stretch. It's worth it. And so God wants us to reach our one more. And if we all did that, the whole city could be changed. And so we're digging into one more. I would say it's a great opportunity to invite your one more. There's people in your world that would come to church if just for an invitation. And so we're stirring that up in November. Ready for Christmas, which is just gonna be stunning. Jack O'Brien: Super. All right. Well, let's land it there. Thank you, Pastor Dave. Thank you, listeners. Hey, make Dave Connett: yes, we're gonna thank you. Jack O'Brien: sure you join us in the in the chat in the comments, in the chat on Spotify or Instagram or wherever you you are finding these reels or this podcast. And we'll bring you another episode again really soon. Bye bye. Dave Connett: Thanks, Jack. Appreciate it.