Change Church Miracle Week | Pastor Brandon Clack Want to welcome you to day two to Miracle Week 2005. We're always grateful each year that God grants us an opportunity to enter into the Advent season this way. This season in the Christian liturgical calendar is Advent season. The word Advent comes from a root word that means coming. It is a time where Christians celebrate and commemorate the coming of Jesus and the coming of Jesus, which we call the incarnation, is the greatest miracle in human history. So, for us as a church, we don't just celebrate the miracle of Jesus' coming. We anticipate God doing miracles in and through our lives and we believe that God still orchestrates anomalies. He's still, in the language of antiquity, in the miracle-working business. I want somebody that believes that to just put in the chat, I know that's right. He's still in the miracle-working business and we live in an era and in an age where it seems like Christians are thinking in two extremes. There's either what what we call natural reductionism where people believe nothing's a miracle or spiritual exaggeration where everything's got to be a miracle, but you there's a third way. >> [laughter] [gasps] >> And that is a good God who does what we can't do. A good God who orchestrates anomalies, not just in response to our crisis, but as an expression of his love toward us, as a demonstration of his nature. He does miracles not just cuz we're desperate. He does miracles because he's good. Come on. And so, I just want to encourage somebody with that today. He's still He's still opens blind eyes, literally or metaphorically, meaning there might be some people in your life that need to see some things. He still opens blind eyes. He's still gives the the paralyzed mobility. Literally and metaphorically, there may be an area of your life where you feel stuck, where you feel paralyzed, where you feel immobile. He still works miracles. He can give mobility to the immobile. He still causes, just like the prodigal son, he still causes children to come to themselves. If you're dealing with a wayward child or a child that's going through a season of where they're spiraling downward. He still works miracles. And in this Miracle Week, we're believing God to do just that. So, we're stirring our faith and we're leading up to this coming Sunday at all of our locations, our Miracle Sunday, where we receive our miracle offering and which is for an expression of love. It is first of all, we aren't trying we don't we don't buy miracles. It's an expression of love. Generosity begins with a revelation of how generous God has been to you. This this is the least I can do. The least I can do is is is this reasonable. So, we we do it as an expression of our love for the Father and we do it as an expression of our faith in his ability to provide. Period. He's a provider. And we lay claim to his promise that if I sow generously, I'll reap generously. We we believe everything he says about everything. So, we're not we don't buy miracles. We give generously as an expression of love and um we give as an expression of our faith. And so, we're excited about that and we like to have faith-stirring conversations. And we're going to have a conversation with an incredible guest today and I've got great admiration for this brother. He is um I think I think, in at least in my estimation, he is one of the foremost thought leaders um in Pentecostalism. He um I think is building out something even in terms of his leadership. There's not a playbook, but a blueprint. And but he has an incredible faith story. And that's why I wanted him to be here today, not because of the leader he is. I think he's an amazing leader, but because of the Christian he is. And there's something in his story that I think is going to stir your faith because some of you in this room, and I know what this feels like, I I feel like I might be dealing with this a little bit. Some of us are dealing with faith fatigue. And we're getting ready to have a conversation about it. I want you to welcome to Miracle Week 2025 from the Reformation Church. The hub and headquarters is in Memphis, Tennessee. Pastor Brandon Clack. Well, first of all, I'm standing in the footprint of a giant. So, all I can do is just say good morning and thank you. How are you, Pastor? >> [gasps] >> I'm doing great, brother. First of all, thank you for thank you for being here, man. It is you're in Memphis, so it's 7:36. It's 7:36 for sure, but you know, Noah's getting ready for school, so this is this is right on time. This is perfect. >> Okay. Well, man, listen, I want to thank you so much for for for just being here with us today and I'm really excited about having this conversation. I want you to get in your story in just just a bit, but one of the things that I just mentioned is this idea of faith fatigue and just when you hear the word faith fatigue like what comes to your mind? I think knee-jerk reaction, the first thing that I think about is the tension in every believer or or non-believer at that, but we'll we'll specifically talk about believers. The tension in every believer is that God is painted for us as a good God and he is, but that does not immediately mean that we will be exempt from situations and challenges that don't look as good as the God I clapped for on Sunday. And when I think of faith fatigue I think that there is a collision of frustration in the heart of the believer because how could he be so good and this situation looks so opposite of what I assumed and and honestly, Pastor I think that because at times we present our conversion speeches in a way that is so materialistically centered that people come to Jesus and expect the two-bedroom house, the white picket fence, the dog and the two and a half kids. And when chaos breaks out, we turn on our theology because we assume that God is either negligent or narcissistic. Yeah. Yeah. You know the word that you used and I think it is such a great word. It's tension. It's tension and you know, we we we can see that in and I think I think it's okay I think it's okay for believers to admit that. You know, it's like it's this tension that I feel between what I believe about God and what I feel like I'm experiencing. It's almost like what he says he is going to do, but I'm looking at what he actually hasn't done yet. So, here here's what I I love to hear you kind of unpack a little more. When you said that word tension, I thought about like how when I experience faith fatigue, I experience that tension. And here's that here's what the tension does for me. It doesn't make me not believe God. It just tames my belief. I start believing safe. I don't I don't believe I don't believe it's big. [laughter] Just just as you hear that, tease that out for us a little more cuz I believe I'm not the only one that's that's I'm looking in the chat here and I'm not the only one that's that's felt that. Yeah, for sure. I I think that that speaks directly to a conversation that Jesus has with the disciples as he invites them to the other side of the lake that they are going to cross. Well, the first of all, I'm loving that text that he dismisses the crowd and often times God dismisses those that we think are on our side. That's challenging within itself, but then why would you call me to the other side and then not let me know in the middle of my yes, Lord that there is a storm that you clearly knew about. And for me the tension is not just my tamed faith but the tension is now what's on the outside of a chaotic situation. Yeah. Now it's finding itself on the inside. Where, you know, water doesn't belong in a boat, but what do you do when Jesus invites you into something that misplaces things? And sometimes my faith is my safe place and it is also my scared place at the same time. And so, for Dr. Darius Daniels, his faith gets tamed and mine feels flooded with fear. And so, I think each person has to walk through their tension before we do the inevitable and that is taking matters into our own hands. Yeah, that's good. That's so strong, man. So, would you just take a moment um and just speak to the person right now who's like, "I'm on this call. It's in the We're in the top half of Miracle Week and I feel like my faith is either tamed so I'm believing less and believing smaller or it's being flooded with fear or or or anxiousness or worry. Would you just take a minute minute and just just How would you minister to that person that's experiencing that? Yeah, for sure. I I think the beauty of the person in the comments who is literally typing by faith Mhm. using these words of affirmation in a community uh that is moving towards a season of uncommon generosity, the first thing that I would tell you is that I honestly believe that one of the things that will break out in your life is an attempt to mute your generosity. Mhm. And I [clears throat] really believe that, Dr. Daniels, because one of the tricks of the adversary that we have is he knows he can't take your life without permission. You know, you all you all you'd have to do is ask Job. He He'll prove it. >> That's right. But what he will try to do is to make you numb so that you're not generous in every area of your life that God wants to have you be lucratively generous. He'll try to stop you being a generous lover or generous giver or generous in your faith. That's right. >> And so the assault, my friend in the in the chat, that I would specifically speak to you is don't allow there to be a swapping of the you you've become post Christ Jesus. Mhm. Don't allow the staggered miracle. Cuz cuz that's that's where the faith gets tested. I I would even go this far. I even think some of our intercessors are really just praying for a life where God fires himself. Mhm. I even think some of our customized prayer. Come on, Lord. Do it, Lord. What we're really asking for is don't make me have to come back to you. And and faith doesn't work that way. Therefore, I would suggest that faith is its most optimal moment in the middle of your chaos. And so I would just suggest to you [laughter] God's not trying to bury you. He's just keeping the conversation going. >> [gasps and sighs] >> Ah, yeah. Somebody put an emoji in the chat for me because if we were physically gathering in worship, we would be doing something right now. Uh some of us I would have We would have I would have bucked. We would have ran. We would have We would have done something. That is strong. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. >> [laughter] >> He is not going to make provision for us in any way Mhm. that exempts us from the need to keep coming back to him. You're going to have to come back to me. Good God almighty. >> [laughter] >> Yes, sir. He's not going to fire himself. That's a word right there. Lord, when I tell you that hit me in my soul. God almighty. He is going to find a way Yeah. to always keep you coming back to him. Jesus. Yeah. I even think about Pastor Daniel as he is committed by faith to defy the odds of what is going on in the national society of his day. He is more committed to his faith than the stalkers are trying to set him up. And there's somebody right now in the chat that feels like one one of the classic songs that I love, it always feels like somebody's watching me. Mhm. Don't let your faith get shy because of the threats of lions. Mhm. God will allow you to make it to the den if the den is your destiny. Mhm. And that's challenging to hear, but the way faith is set up is that God shows that no matter what we end up in he's got a plan for it ultimately. Yeah. Yeah. Nothing but the truth. Yes, sir. Jesus. That's strong. When I tell you this is blessing me this morning. If you've been blessed in the chat, I want you to put I know that's right. Jesus. Yeah. You know, Pastor, one of the things that um I think is important to note about faith fatigue that faith fatigue is in and of itself is not the sickness. It's a symptom. Mhm. And uh sometimes it's a symptom of in large part of disappointment. When we had when we believed for something that didn't happen. And um I know you and your family have an incredibly, in my opinion, resilient faith. Wow. It's a faith that has survived disappointment. I think it was last week uh Pastor Todd Todd Galberth sent me a a text with a clip from your church. I guess you guys had this exist one of many, these incredibly uh exhort incredibly profound exhortation moments where you can sense that it is genuine and not performative. Yes, sir. You know what I mean? It is is not manufactured. Yeah. It is not we're going to create this moment in church at some point. It it was a genuine authentic unapologetic enthusiastic expression of gratitude and thanksgiving to God. And um so your gift of exhortation I think is just according to Matthew 25, it's five talent gift. It's incredible. But what Todd said to me what what he said in text was so profound. He was like, "What's amazing is not just what they're doing but they're doing it after all they've been through." Mhm. God. Wow. And so for some who are on who may not be familiar with a dark night of the soul that you and your family went through. And um could you just share a little bit of about that um because somebody's going through their own in their own way. Yeah, I'd love to. Um first of all, thank you for uh you know, those words mean more to me coming from you than you would realize. So, thank you for that. Absolutely. Um yeah, I you know, my wife Christabel and I uh we have three children. Zion is the oldest. She's a junior in college. Nila is the middle baby, uh typical middle child. Uh she's a freshman in college. And then Noah is a a freshman in high school. And uh and we just felt 5 years ago that we wanted another baby. And the buzz was in the air. The uh the Clack household was in full preparation. Um there is nothing like hearing your children pre-plan for who gets to be the chance to be the oldest sibling for everybody wants to take care of Zoe. And then Pastor, it bled over into the congregation. So, now we have family anticipation. Mhm. We have congregational expectation where the new church baby is on the way. Uh my friends around the nation at the time were in high alert as well. And my wife and I go for a traditional ultrasound uh to hear the heartbeat. And uh the thing like Job said, the thing I feared the most it came upon me. And we were sitting in this hospital room. I'll never forget it. And uh we're at a specialist and the doctor comes in and says uh in no uncertain terms, uh this is one of the gravest situations we have ever seen. Uh some kind of way uh the sticky portions of the womb have attached itself to the underdeveloped skull. And so the baby's skull is supposed to close as any baby's skull is except this sticky portion of the womb prevented that. And uh the doctor said, "We are so sorry to tell you that Zoe's brain is growing on the outside of her skull. Mhm. Her kidneys are under under developed. Um she's even developing a heart condition. And I will never forget and and I won't I'll give you my word I won't take it too far. But I'll never forget their suggestion at termination Mhm. of this baby. They They almost urged us, "Please." Mhm. And um I'll be very honest with you. I considered it. Mhm. I was I was scared. I was disappointed. I was angry with God. And um but something in my heart said, "Let's just wait and see." So, Dr. Daniels, I have be honest, [clears throat] I have in my heart a um holler from my soul that I will give God post miracle. I told God, "I'll take this baby around the nation or whoever will allow me. Mhm. And I will show [snorts] America look what God can do in [clears throat] the face of tragedy." I I made an agreement with God. I thought he was on board. Mhm. I had a completely inflated the faith of our family, my wife to this day has this sticky board of faith scriptures that she would sing and pray Jesus. >> over our family and and the family is in men of God like yourself were incredibly kind during that season would call and would pray and you know, just send little notes and that that great morning in March the water breaks and here comes Zoe. And I remember thinking all right here comes my miracle. It's it's going to come with pain. It's going to come with tears. Mhm. >> Isabelle you're going to cry but you're going to push. You know, I'm I'm programmed Mhm. to to have joy and hope even though my heart is slightly trembling Yeah. >> and when Zoe came out of the womb they handed me Zoe and everything they said it was. Mhm. >> I I have Zoe [clears throat] in my arms. I turn my back to Christabel. I refused for her to see Zoe's brain on the outside of her skull. Dr. Daniels, I've seen the human brain now. Mhm. >> what the human brain looks like. And in that moment I'm holding Zoe and it's hard to describe but even though it's going to sound so cliche my world did crumble. Mhm. And I I started to cry and Christabel is saying is she okay? And it's one thing to break down as a man. Yeah. >> thing to feel like you did not prevent tragedy as a protector. Yeah. And I'm I'm in tears and they say Mr. Clark we're going to have to take her. She has to go into emergency surgery. And in Zoe's first week of life she went through brain surgery, heart surgery and kidney surgery. And in that moment I had decided well Lord faith and trust is not for me. Mhm. >> I'm going to figure out a way to give this church away because I gave you my life. Yes. And in the moment I needed you the most you were somewhere over in Europe helping somebody else or in Asia. You know, in my head Yes. I have to place blame so I can have closure. Yeah. >> Cuz this looks like the end of the story. I'll I'll fast forward it and I'll tell you this Dr. Daniels. Something happened in the pit of my pain. Zoe is home. The family is coming back alive. You you said it best. It is resilient. Mhm. >> if we had become the proverbial Rocky blocking with our face Mhm. >> against Drago, you know. Mhm. And the and the family took a blow but they're coming back alive except for one person. And it's the preacher. You know, I'm I'm not I'm not coming back. Because I thought I knew something about our God and he was not as generous in his Yeah. sovereign mercy as I assumed he'd be. Yeah. >> And then one day, I'll just be very honest with you. One day I was in my garage. It's COVID and so you can't go to the gym and and at that time I was so numb that I could not realize how sore my body was and I would work out Mhm. >> hours a day, seven hours sometimes straight believe it or not. Mhm. >> so hurt mentally that I couldn't tell I was hurt physically. Mhm. And one day I felt like the Holy Spirit prompted in my heart Brandon Clark, are you finished being mad at me? Jeez. >> waiting for an apology and I'm never going to give you one. >> [sighs] >> Now that sounds harsh chat. I get it but let me let me tell you what I think he was saying to me. I think he was saying if I apologize for Zoe then I can be under indictment somewhere in the 66 books of that Bible. And if I apologize to you then I am not who I have promoted That's right. >> time began. Yeah. Something happened to me when I felt that in my heart that you're waiting on an apology that I'm not going to give you. Go back and search the scriptures if you are angry with me. And I'll be honest that's when my faith went under construction and I started to realize that Christ and chaos is a part of his goodness. I the Lord gave me a phrase that God is not good because of what he does. He's good [clears throat] like I'm black. I I can't be nothing else. >> Mhm. He can't be anything. He's not good because of what he gives. And so my theology it started to rewire Yeah. >> it or not a generosity exploded in my soul on every facet of what God says was his. And now we can love freely. There was a time where I couldn't tell this story without tears. Yeah. >> And it's it's you know, I had open heart surgery when I was a 5-year-old. I've got an 8-in scar on my chest. I can I can pound that scar. I can touch that scar. It speaks to a hole I had. That's right. >> Not one that I have. Yes, sir. And I think the joy that I have now is that I can share this story about God's unyielding faith and his unyielding presence and his unyielding peace because if if we can bounce back and I'll be honest Zoe is [clears throat] not here. Zoe is with Jesus now and I I preached her funeral with tears in my eyes. Jesus. >> And I told that congregation that the ground can have the body but it cannot have the baby. Yeah. And one day we will be reunited and so I just you know, if if I were Baptist this would be my third point and and my close. >> Yes, sir. >> I want to encourage every person in the chat Yeah. >> that don't allow an unfortunate situation to incarcerate your generosity on any level. Mhm. >> Don't allow the curse of the calendar that makes you hate the holidays. God is good. Yeah. >> And he has a way of showing it to you. He really does. Pastor, that that's profound. First of all, thank you for your general your transparency and vulnerability in that moment. I know it's ministering to so many people who in their own way have had some dark nights of the soul. We like to as we um conclude our time together Mhm. we like to conclude in prayer to we ask our guests to to pray for to pray over uh people in the chat who are just really experiencing whatever it is we're having a conversation about. And to also pray for our churches we prepare. You know, one of the things that Miracle Week is about for us Pastor is um it's not just about um the Advent season isn't just about stirring our faith to receive miracles. It's about us being reminded of our responsibility to be one. Mhm. And so it isn't just about receiving miracles. We're believing for that. And we believe he can do them all year round but the Advent season is an opportunity I just think where people's faith can be stirred. Mhm. Um but we're believing for them. But through our generosity um we want to be an instrument through which God uses to continue to work miracles and um man, we would just love for you to if there's anything on your heart that you want to share and then just just pray for us. We would just we would be honored if you do that. Yeah, absolutely. Just very [clears throat] briefly. I'm I'm really going to be praying that many of you would liken yourself unto Mary. Mhm. >> And I [clears throat] love how God empowered Mary Mhm. >> with a particular seed and I'm so glad she didn't keep it. Yeah. I'm so glad that in a time maybe like the one you're in right now. Maybe right around this time of year. I'm so glad that she pushed out Mhm. >> what ultimately multiplied itself That's right. >> be a blessing to other. And so I would love to just pray for you all really quick. And so Lord, I'm I'm asking honestly for every friend, every partner of this impactful church that they would be first of all healed in their heart. Mhm. >> Lord, every place where they expected you to be big and their mind communicated that you were absent. I'm praying Lord that the proximity of your presence would be so overwhelming to them for the rest of the day that they would have to admit that you came through this camera lens and over their coffee table and that your presence was loud. And I'm praying Lord for what is getting ready to take place on Sunday. I'm asking that eyes would not be able to see and ears could not hear what you have in store for the impact of what collective generosity looks like. Lord, can you empower a business owner to have a legendary week that by the time they get to Sunday that they'll be able to share a portion of the generosity you poured on them. Lord, can you bless the mindset? Can you protect our ears so that we wouldn't take our theology from Tik Tok and withhold from you in this holy moment what you said belongs to you. Lord, let something explode in generosity and change church. Lord, let it be so big that it blesses all of our faith. Those of us that love and are partnering with what is happening here. So Lord, we thank you for it. We trust you for it. Do the impossible and I guarantee you Lord, they'll give you all the praise for it in Jesus name. Amen. Amen. Hey guys, help me in the chat thank and appreciate the ministry, the apostolic gifting of Pastor Brandon Clark. Bishop? I'm really honored. I'm doing my best man not to freak out. I'm getting ready to call all my friends. Wait a minute Brandon Jacobs where I was today. You ministered to us this You ministered. Thank you. You ministered. You served us. Thank you. This morning. You brought your heart to this. And we receive it. I received it. I've been blessed and this chat is going crazy. They've been blessed also man. We just thank you so much. And is it Noah? It's Noah. You get Noah to school man. Is Noah the wrestler? Noah Noah Noah Is he the wrestling arm fan? I wish I could show you my camera. He he absolutely is. I I got them all lined up right behind me. He is. We trying to get the WrestleMania this year. >> [laughter] >> Y'all show some love for Noah. Okay, we love you pastor. Thank you for being with us. Change was that not Maybe it was just me because it was so timely, but was that not rich? Was Was that just me? That was rich. That was rich. And so to those of you that I may have may have experienced some disappointment. Oh man, I just hope your faith was stirred and encouraged today. Changes I love you. Listen, we're going to be back tomorrow morning 8:30 a.m. Eastern Standard Time. And I don't know about you, these conversations just good for my soul. They are good for my soul. If nothing else, my soul is prospering as a result of what God's doing through these conversations. And this weekend Friday night 7:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time we have a special change night, the miracle edition at Ewing, New Jersey, our Ewing campus. We're going to be there for a live worship service. Me and Pastor Shamika will be in the building. We're excited. We're believing for a unique encounter in the presence of God. Hey, the miracle the miracle working power of God, I believe is going to be demonstrated um Friday night. Somebody's going to come in heavy emotionally. They're going to be free. Somebody's in a cycle of self-destructive and dysfunctional behavior that you want to stop and you can't, he's going to set you free. I'm just believing. I'm just believing it's going to be an incredible time. And Saturday morning, we've got a morning revival. 10:00 a.m. Come on, this is crazy. Who does this? 10:00 a.m. on a Saturday. Who does that? Change. Change. 10:00 a.m. Saturday in Atlanta, Georgia. A morning revival, the miracle edition. I've asked Pastor John Hannah from the New Life Church in Chicago, Illinois, a general when it comes to the ministry of intercession. A leader par excellence in the body, but a general in the area of intercession. This man can exhort and minister and he has We would say in the Baptist Church, we say you got the green light doc. He's got the green light. And if you've never experienced this ministry, I want I want you to be stretched. I want you to be stretched and I want you to I want you to I want you to sacrifice. It's inconvenient to be at church at 10:00 on a Saturday and on Sunday. But God is worth it. The work is worth it. And so we're looking forward to an incredible Friday night, an incredible Saturday morning and Sunday morning at all of our locations. Um have a blessed day in Jesus name. Have a blessed day. Mine is blessed. Family is blessed. Work is blessed. Body is protected. Have a blessed day. May your work be productive. May your time be stewarded wisely. May your faith anchor you through whatever challenges the day may bring you. I pray a stability over you today. God is able to keep you stable. Have a blessed day. We'll see you tomorrow morning. 8:30 Eastern Standard Time. God bless. Miracle Week 2025.