Bethel Church Service | Jason Vallotton Sermon | Worship with Brian Johnson, Jenn Johnson

Good morning. Good morning. It is the Christmas season officially. At least here at Bethl. That's why you got snow is fallen. >> Yes. I thought you were pointing at my hair, but yes, snow behind us. >> Snow coming. >> Merry Christmas, you guys. And I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving.

We're so so grateful to be able to celebrate the holiday season with you, um, with Jesus, with each other. It's going to be a beautiful next few weeks together. >> Oh yes. It's going to be a good time. And we got Jason Valentin speaking today. We got Brian and Jen leading worship.

It's going to be powerful. And I was just educating uh Jamila on um Merry Christmas everyone from Shaken Stevens. If you don't know, all these Brits know what I'm talking about. If you don't know, you should look it up on YouTube. Merry Christmas everyone. >> Education for us Americans, I'm sure. >> All around us, children. >> Come on, Steve. and fun >> sing the season.

You get the gist. Anyway, look it up. It's a great Christmas song. But we would love to see where you're tuning in from. >> Go ahead and put in the chat where you're tuning in from. >> We would love to give you some shout outs. >> And uh also Germany. >> Oh, come on. >> Germany, Marcus, we good to see you.

Good Morgan. Right. That's some >> Isn't it Guten Morgan? >> Uh Guten Morgan. That's right. That's right. I I I very I know very little German. Nine. I know nine yol I don't know is that even German. >> Um good to see you guys in there. Merry Christmas everyone.

Some people go it. Yes we do. Shaking is the best. Absolutely. Laughing Steve. Good to see you me. Good to see you in the chat there. We got people in from the UK and England. So you guys know hey everyone from the UK prove to me >> that you have some Shaken Stevens love.

If you know this song put it in the chat if you heard me. If you're like what are you talking about? It's snow is falling all around me. My wife's British, so I love all I I love UK Christmas songs more than the American Christmas songs with the exception of Grandma Got Ran Over by a reindeer. >> Oh, is that a Is that a UK song? >> No, that is an American song that you like more that I like a lot just because I grew up with it. >> Okay. >> If you haven't heard that song, too, you should look it up.

I like ridiculous songs. So, there's another song that I like very much, but it's probably not appropriate, so he's not going to mention it. I'm not going to mention it, but you Brits know it's by the Poges. >> Meanwhile, I like DMX's uh Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. >> I've never heard of that. >> Oh, yes.

It's on my story if you follow on Instagram. >> Okay. Can you give us a sneak peek how that goes? Cuz this girl can sing if you don't know. >> But he doesn't sing, he raps. >> You can bring it out. >> I mean, in this moment, >> I need a beat.

I need >> What's the What's the beat then? Do you want me to look it up? Right. No, right there. >> Okay, that's it. That's all you get. >> Oh, THAT'S AMAZING. >> WOW. THEY'RE LIKE, REALLY? This is This is what we tuned in for. Yes, you did.

Happy Advent season. I see you there. >> If you're wondering, if you're just tuning in, why is there snow? We love Christmas. We love celebrating the birth of Christ. You're going to see the stage. It's all decorated out with Christmas trees. All of our stuff. Oh, yes. Come on.

People giving me some snow is falling. Love right there. We see you >> yesterday in Chicago, too. That's awesome, Jim. But, uh, we have fun things tonight. We have our Christmas lighting tree service, too. So, you're not going to want to miss that. That's going to be fun.

A lot of shenanigans. Ruth and I will be with you tonight as well. >> My boss is doing a part of the Christmas play that's happening. >> We're doing a play. I don't even know all the details, so I'm a little excited. >> Apparently, there are some really important guest stars, and one of them is my boss, Dave Ward.

I am so excited. I think it's one of his dreams to be in a Christmas play and now it's being realized tonight. So, you want to catch it? What What What time can they watch it? >> Well, the 6:30 is going to be the streaming one. So, uh Ruth and I get to do two services.

We get to do the family fun children's service at 4:30. And so, if you're in the area and you want to come, 4:30 is the service for children. And uh we're excited to do that. It's going to be a lot of fun. We got glow sticks and stuff for the kids.

We got candle lighting. We'll do a tree lighting. It'll be fun. I love it. >> Uh, and then, uh, yes, Tracy knows Fairy Tale of New York by the Poges. She outed me. Oh, >> my favorite song. >> His favorite. >> It's a little inappropriate. It's mainly because >> Ruth's family's from the UK.

It's just a classic and it is >> he likes it for the beat. >> I'll never Irish little died laughing because the first time I ever heard it, I was a little shocked and a little mortified cuz I was like, "This is good. This is good. Like you the guy's voice does not sound good at the beginning.

I'm like >> now it's your favorite >> and now it's my favorite. It's just such a classic. I don't know what it is. >> I'm not promoting. Yeah. Anyway, >> don't look it up, guys. >> Don't judge me. >> You can and I won't care anyway. But >> it'll be fun.

But anyway, >> where'd you hear this? Bethl's live stream. >> They're getting Now you have to sing something with Steve. You got a good pipe. She does get good pipes, guys. If you've ever seen this woman sing, it is absolutely incredible. Uh but >> we'll work on it for after service. >> Yes.

However, we know that today many of you are you believing for breakthrough, different miracles, the Lord to move on your behalf. So, if you have a prayer request, you're believing for a miracle, please put in the chat. We would love to pray for you as well as uh have more shenanigans with you >> in the morning.

That's my personal favorite. But I don't blame you, Steve. There's a lot of going on at Bethl. Yes. Over a lot of it, too. crazy. Not really. >> What our what our leaders take on is pretty phenomenal. But again, we would love to take on your prayer request.

So, put it in the chat so that we can partner with you and the Holy Spirit for a miracle this morning. >> Yeah. Big Rev's like it's a little inappropriate. It might be a a lot inappropriate to be honest. So, um maybe maybe we cut this out, guys.

Maybe we cut out the fairy tale of New York. I never thought I would hear myself say this, but there is a DMX song that's more appropriate than a Christmas song. Wow. I'm telling you, look it up. DMX Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. It's live and uncut. >> I'm going to have to look it up now because I'm curious.

I've never heard of that either, so this will be a good time. So, we got uh Brit put, "My best friend's father needs a prayer. They're waiting results and possible pancreatic cancer." Absolutely. We will be praying for that right now. So, go ahead, put your prayer requests in the chat.

We want to believe for breakthrough. Uh Grace is saying, "Pray for my knees." Uh Kath, uh yes, praying for your hip for Jane loves it. Yep. Absolutely. Hips. Uh >> see, some some people are giving me some love, too. We love it, too. Okay. So, I don't feel as bad.

Great. >> They said Irish and Celtic Christmas songs, not that one. >> I think we know. I think we know what you're doing there. It's a way of uh saying yes without saying yes so you're not in trouble there. >> Let's pray for some prodical to come home.

We got pain in your back, knees, really bad chronic fatigue. Okay. Thank you, Tracy. Absolutely. All right. Well, if you need a miracle in your body, go ahead and hold out your hands like you're about to receive a gift. >> Yes. Yes. Yes. >> And just to remind you, healing is called a gift. >> Yes. >> Not a reward. >> Come on, sir.

Often times when we associate like when we think of healing, we think of, oh man, I have to have really high faith. I have to work up. I have to be really good. I need to be believing the right thing in the moment. No, no, no. Jesus just healed the sick.

It wasn't dependent on what the person was doing or where they're at. Whether they were, you know, uh uh the worst of the sinners or one of the Pharisees, it didn't matter. Jesus healed all who came to him. And so if you're believing for a miracle, I just want you just to relax >> and just recognize he's a good father that loves to give good gifts to his kids. >> And your job is not to strive, not try to to achieve.

Your job is to receive. >> This is a free gift. >> And so I want you to hold out your hands in that posture >> of receiving. And if you need to, some of you just need to take a deep breath, blow it all out, hand it over to God.

Whatever you're believing for breakthrough, if it's for someone coming back home, if it's pain yourself, someone else's condition, I just want you to just let it out. Hand it over to Jesus. >> Yes. >> Give it over to him. Give up control. >> And then we're going to pray. >> Yes. >> And when we pray, you don't have to pray along.

You don't have to work something up. You don't have to pray in tongues. You just get to be at peace. and you get to receive. >> Yes. That's so good. >> And so, Father, right now, I thank you for grace. >> Yes, God. >> God, I thank you that healing is a gift. >> Yes. >> And so, right now, I just command all pain to leave people's bodies right now. >> All pain to get out of people's knees, backs, necks.

Father, we curse cancer. Command it to go. Father, we just curse fatigue, chronic fatigue to go right now. Father, we command arthritis to go, carpal tunnel to go right now. achy joints, uh, sleep apnea right now. Father, we just command all of it to leave right now. No more infirmity.

Infirmity, you have to leave. Trauma, you have to leave. >> Pain, you have to leave. We just speak peace and full mobility to your body right now. >> Yeah. We speak cancer to be gone. That every cell will be restored to its natural function. That your body was made to heal.

We declare it over you. anyone suffering with a cancer diagnosis that the word and the blood of Jesus covers you and your body would respond to the healing of the Holy Spirit in Jesus name. >> Amen. Come on. So go ahead and start testing out your body and I what I want you to do is I want you to pay attention to what is happening not what is not happening. >> Come on. >> So if your pain is a little less, I want you to focus on the little less pain.

Celebrate. Give thanks to God. And you can just say something as easy as this. Thank you Jesus. Can I have some more? >> You know, often times we think it has to be this big profound spiritual thing. >> It's he's actually really good at his job. He's a really good father who loves to see his kids well. >> And so whatever breakthrough you have, I want you just go ahead and thank you and ask him for more.

And if you haven't noticed change, just go, "Father, I receive what you're doing in my body. And Father, I just ask that you would quicken it right now in Jesus name." And if you notice any change in your body, I want you to put it in the chat.

I want you to say, "My back is 10% better." Or, "My back is 100% better." Or, "My hips are completely healed." Or if you notice anything going on, put it in the chat. We want to celebrate what Jesus is doing. And we also want to recognize what he's doing so we can honor it, give thanks, and see him do it more.

So, go ahead and put it in the chat. We want to see that. And at the same time, I want to invite you just to come into that place of rest, >> that place of not trying to strive, not trying to earn it. You know, when you hear rest, sometimes people get triggered.

They go, "Whoa, what do you what does that even mean?" And so, I just want to encourage rest isn't the absence of activity. >> Come on. >> But it is the absence of control. >> And so, I just want to come lay it all before Jesus. And then, as we go into worship, I'm just believing for a refreshing, for encounters over you as Jason brings the word that something just quickens in your spirit.

And at the end of the service, we'll be back to help pray for you. Uh believe for more breakthrough with you and see Jesus get his full reward. >> Yes. Amen. >> Bless you guys. We will see you soon. Hello. Hello. Hey, let's stand up together. We're about to come and worship the Lord together.

Welcome. Welcome. How is everyone this morning? You guys feeling okay? >> Feeling good. How many of you had just a phenomenal Thanksgiving? Anybody have a phenomenal just the best Thanksgiving ever? Yeah. How many of you need prayer today because of your Thanksgiving that you just had? Anybody have one of those kind of Thanksgivings?

A little bit of prayer. Listen, we are so uh we are so so excited to have you with us uh this morning. Uh this is uh going to be a phenomenal obviously Sunday morning, but this actually is the start of kind of uh Christmas at Bethl. So that cool.

Yeah, you can clap for that. That's awesome. This is If this is not your favorite time of the year, something is wrong with you. We're going to have ministry time after you can see. But, uh, as you can see behind me, if you see anybody who, uh, who works here, maintenance guys, all that stuff, uh, you were here last Sunday and there was none of this.

And then it looks like the turnaround at Disneyland happened. Uh, to be honest, between all the church teams to get stuff ready, between here and Twin View and all the buildings, um, it's incredible. So, uh, tonight, you'll hear a little bit about this more about this today, but tonight is the tree lighting service.

Listen, come to anyone. It'll be like it's the first time it was lit. It's uh it's one of the favorite things that we do. Woke up this morning. Um so excited. The kids all week have been like it's a tree lighting service. Uh they just they just want all the hot chocolate you can you can have and they want to enjoy that together.

So it'll be a really great family time tonight uh to do that. Um so we're really really excited about that. But we're here today. Yes. >> Are you guys ready to worship the Lord? >> Oh that that felt like most of you were ready. Are we ready to worship the Lord together? >> Listen, we are ready.

I don't know if you know this, but God is in a really good mood. He loves this time of year, too. He loves every time of year. Every Sunday is an amazing Sunday for him. So, if I were you, I would just get on board with the mood he's in and get ready.

We are so thankful to have you here. And more importantly, we're thankful to have him here. So, here's what I want you to do. We just had Thanksgiving. many of us with friends and family, if you could just take maybe a minute right before we enter into worship and I want you to find someone that you do not know, someone you didn't come with, and I want you just to spend 30 seconds maybe and tell them a few things that you were thankful for that God did for you this year, some things you're just excited about.

Put thankfulness on your lips. We're going to enter his gates this morning with thanksgiving and then we're going to praise together. The best. In the darkness we were wait without hope without light till from heaven you came right There was mercy in your arms to fulfill the law and prophets.

To a virgin came the world from a throne of endless glory to a cradle in the dirt. We sing praise the father. Praise the son. Praise the spirit. Three in one. The god of glory, majesty and praise forever to the king of kings. Yeah. To reveal the kingom calling and to reconcile the lost to redeem the whole creation.

You did not despise the cross. Well, for even in your song, you saw to the other side knowing this was our salvation. Jesus for our sake he died. Oh, so we praise the father and praise the son. Praise the spirit. Three and one for the God of glory.

Majesty and praise forever to the King of Kings. Yes, you are. And the morning that you rose, all of heaven build its bread. For the stone was moved for good. All the lamb is conquered dead. And the dead rose from their tombs. And the angels stood in awe.

For the souls of all who come to the father are restored. And the church of Christ was born. And the spirit lit the flame. Now this gospel truth of old. It shall not need and shall not fade. And by his blood and in his name it is free I am free.

For the love of Jesus Christ that is resurrected me. Hallelujah. Oh, so we praise the father and grace the song. Replace the speed of free and goest forever to the king of kings. Oh, we love to praise the father and praise the son. Praise the spirit. Oh God, praise forever to the King of Kings.

We will praise forever to the King of Kings. The Lord of lords. Oh, the Lord of lords. His majesty. Ray, reay the king of kings. Just lift your hands this morning. Just magnify the Lord with me. We magnify your holy name. Oh, there's no one like you. We magnify the Lord in ad.

Come on, sing. Oh, come. Oh, come let us adore him. Oh, come let us adore him. Oh come let us adore eyes. Oh come let us adore us. for he is away. For he is worth he is worth the Lord. Yes, we bless you Lord. For he alone is worthy.

For he alone is worthy. For he alone is worthy. Thank you. I love you, Lord. Oh, your mercy never fails me. And all my days I've been held in your hands. From the moment that I wake up until I lay my head. Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God.

I'm so faithful. And all my life you have been faithful. And all my life you have been so so good. With every breath that I am able, oh I will sing of the goodness of God. I love your voice. You let me through the fire on my darkest night.

You are close as like no other. I've known you as a father. I've known you as my friend. Oh, I have live in the goodness of God. Oh, all my life you have been faithful. Yes, you have. And all my life you have been so so good. With every breath that I am able.

Oh, I will see. All the goodness of God. Oh, your goodness is running after. It's running after me. Your goodness is running after running after me with my life down. I'm surrender now. I give you everything. Your goodness is running out. It's running after me. Your goodness, your goodness, running after me.

Your goodness is running after. It's running after me with my life down. Surrender now. I give you everything. Your goodness is running after you. All my life you have been faithful. >> Thank you, Lord. All my life you have been so so good. With every breath that I am, oh, I will sing of the goodness.

Come on, sing that again. All my life, oh my. And all my life you have. Thank you, Lord. All my life you have been so so good. With every breath that I am able. I will sing of the goodness of God. I will sing of the goodness of God.

Thank you, Lord. All my life you have been faithful. In the dark of night. >> All my life you have been so so good. Every breath that I am able. I will sing of the goodness of my God. Yeah. The heavens declare your glory and anthem ris. Praise to the one who sovereign.

All praise to the one most high. From the rising of the sun to the setting of the saint. Your name. How majestic is your name. Oh Lord my God over all the earth you reign. Oh, how majestic is your name. This is our God. So worthy and matchless in all.

Your ways is mighty in power and splender in wonder and all. We sing from the rising of the song to the setting of the sun. The world how majestic is your name. Oh Lord my God over all the earth you majestic your name. Oh, the beauty of the holiness.

What on earth could I compare to this? I'll spend forever days to give you all the praise beauty. What could I compare to this? I'll stand forever and today to give you all the honor and the praise. From the rising of the sun to the setting of the sun.

You're holy. How majestic you show me. Oh Lord my God over all the earthly reign. You're worthy. How majestic is your name. From the rising of the sun to the setting of the sea. Your faithful. Lord our God over all the earth you reign your majestic and all the beauty compared to And I will spend forever and today I compare to this I will stand forever and a day to give you all the honor and the praise.

From the rising of the sun to the setting of the sun. You're holy, how majestic is your name. Oh Lord my God, over all the earth you reign. You're holy. >> How majestic is your name? You're holy. How majestic is your name? Yeah. This is our God. This is our God.

Oh, this is our God. W. This is our God who reigns forever. This is our God. This is our God. He has done great things. He has done great things. Arms open wide. Lamb crucified. Worthy is the He has done great things. Our God has done great things.

Thorns on his proud, graceful and thou, worthy is he. As high as the heavens above, great is his everlasting love. Rivers of mercy run over us as far as the east from the west. He has removed all our sin. We are forgiven by his blood. He has done great things.

He has done great things. Arms open wide. A lamb crucified. worthy is the He has done great things. Our God has done great things. Thorns on his brow, graceful flowing down. Worthy is he. As high as the heavens above, great is his everlasting love. Rivers of mercy run over us.

As far as the east from the west, he has removed all our sins. We are forgiven. We are forgiven. eyes, washed away. As high as the heavens. As high as the heavens above. Great is his everlasting love. Rivers of mercy. Run over us. Run over us. As far as the east from the west, he has removed all our sins.

We are forgiven. by his blood. As far as the east from the west, he has removed all our sins. We are forgiven by his blood. The Lord, he is holy. The Lord, he is mighty. Oh God, you are worthy of our praise. The Lord, he is gracious. The Lord of forgiveness.

Oh God, you are worthy to be praised. Surely you are the Lord nor the God before you. Surely you are the Lord our God. The Lord always with us. His word goes before us. Oh God, you are worthy of our praise. The Lord like no other. Your name stands forever.

Oh God, you are worthy to be praised. To be praised. Surely you are the Lord. Oh God before you. Surely you are the Lord. Surely you are the Lord. All the God before you. Surely you are the Lord. Oh God, I'll build an altar. I'll build an altar.

You send a fire to what no other god can do. Open the heavens. Show us your power. There is no God like you. I on the offer you no God can do. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. You surely you are the Lord God. Surely you are Lord. Oh sh I'll build it al fire to No can open.

Heat. Heat. Heat. Open light up the fire. There is no other God. No other God like you. Surely you are the Lord. No other God before you. Surely you are the Lord our God. Sing that again. Surely, surely you are the Lord. No other god before you. Surely you are the Lord our God.

Jesus, you are the Lord. Heaven and earth exalt you, Jesus. You are the Lord our God. Jesus, you are the Lord. Heaven and earth exalt you. Jesus, you are the Lord our God. He loves every exalt. All of thee. Oh, I exalt thee. Oh. >> Come on, just lift your hands this morning.

Sing it out to him. I exalt thee. I exalt. I exalt. I exalt thee. Oh, we exalt. We exalt thee. We exalt thee. Oh, we exalt thee. Oh Lord, we place you in the highest place. Oh, and we exalt thee. We exalt thee. Oh, exalt thee. Oh, and we exalt me.

Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Oh, you are worthy. Oh, you are worthy. Only you are worthy. Oh, you are worthy. You're worthy. You are worthy. You are worthy. You're wonderful and you are worthy. Your name is the highest. >> Your name is the greatest. Your name stands above all. >> All thrones and dominions, all powers and positions.

Your name stands above them all. >> And your name. >> Your name is the highest. Your name is the greatest. Your name stands above them all. All bones and dominions. All powers and positions. Your name stands above them all. When these angels cry, holy all creation cries, holy you are lifted up.

Holy, holy forever. Hear your people say holy to the king of kings. Holy you will always be holy. Holy forever is the highest cuz your name is the highest. Your name is the greatest your stand your name stands above you. Oh Jesus, your name is your name is your name stand above all your stand.

All creation, holy forever. Your people sing holy to the king of kings. Holy. You always be, holy, holy forever. You will always be holy, holy forever. You'll always be holy, holy forever. You will always be holy, holy forever. There we go. Let's lift our voices together. Lift your voices in praise.

Declare his greatness. Declare the greatness of his name. Put his name on your lips. Make proclamation. We exalt your name. You don't know. >> You will always be your holy. Thank you Lord forever. >> Thank you. Thank you Lord. >> Wow. Wow. >> I love the holidays. I love I love the period from the week before Thanksgiving all the way to New Year's.

I like all of it. I even like I even got where I can tolerate Santa. I don't I don't manifest anymore when I when I see him. I used to manifest. I don't manifest anymore. I'm I'm good with the elves and all the weird things. I I like it all.

I didn't say I'm in love with all of it, but I like I I tolerate all of it. But you know, it's a it's a season uh where for many of us, it's a giftgiving season. And I can't imagine a greater gift than to see people come to Jesus. >> If you're able to stand with us, stand cuz we're going to pray together, make agreement.

I can't imagine a greater gift than that broken relationship that you have getting it healed. that family member that has just kind of gone their own way, seeing them restored. I can't imagine a greater gift than that person you've given up on that seems to be so far away from God.

You know, if you think about it, the man of the Gatherines was about as far as you can go. He was he was so demonized and tormented. He was crazy. He was insane. is written off by everybody except Jesus. And a one- moment encounter with Jesus set everything straight.

We hear stories all the time of people having dreams of the Lord. It's happening especially in what's called the 1040 window. It's that part of the world where the gospel hasn't penetrated a lot. It's that that segment of of society. And we have heard for years now that God has been awakening people of that particular religion in the night where they've seen the man in white.

In fact, it's been so prevalent that some Christians have gone to their facilities where they gather and they stand outside and they ask people as they enter, "Have you seen the man in white?" If they say no, they let him pass. If they say, "I have," they say, "Stand over there."

And then they when they have a crowd, they go and they explain who the man in white is because it's completely marked their life. They've had this encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ and didn't even know it. I think we should have the man in white visit our friend, friends, our family, our neighbors.

I think this is just the hour of reconciliation. Here's the cool thing. Every person in this room has unique giftings. We know that and celebrate it. I love the diversity of the body of Christ. But in according to the Apostle Paul in Corinthians, there's one area that we all overlap in.

There's one area of gifting that we all have the same gift in. And it's called the ministry of reconciliation. Every believer has that gift. Say this with me. I have that gift. >> I have >> I have the gift. >> I have the gift >> of reconciliation. Now, I want you to pray cuz we're going to pray some powerful prayers.

And I would like to see between now and New Year's. I would like to see every family have a surprise, conversion, transformation, reconciliation, something to happen that just you've been praying for for years. How many of you have stuff like that you've been praying for for years? How about this be the time?

Let's just go. This is the season. Grab the hand of somebody next to you. We're going to make agreement together. And I want you to pray out loud. I want you to pray for their family and friends to be reconciled, restored. Every person around you, I want you just to begin to pray.

God, invade their life. Turn things around. Lift your voices. Let's actually pray out loud over this. reconciliation. The Jewish person broken relationship. You'll always be holy, holy forever. You will always be holy, holy forever. >> God, we ask, we invite you to interrupt the dream life of our entire family, >> our close friends and associates. >> We invite you, Holy Spirit, awaken something in every person we are related to, connected to.

Let the dream life explode with visitations of God. We invite you Lord to come to impact our entire city. The man in white the entire city. We pray for this in Jesus name. We pray for the gifts we receive this year. The highlight gifts would be reconciliation and salvation to family and friends.

We ask this in Jesus name. Amen. Amen. Amen. All right. Why don't you bless a whole bunch of folks before you're seated? Bless them before you're seated. >> Turn around. >> Oh, no. >> Turn around. You're good. You're >> good morning. Good morning. If you have a seat open next to you, would you just put a one finger for one?

I call this the Bethl auction. Two for two. Going once, going twice. Yes, there's some seats open. If you would like to hop in there, you're welcome to do that. If not, we have an overflow room in the great room next door. Keep those hands up just for one more minute.

We have more guests in town and we want to make sure they have seats. Hip hip hooray. Happy Sunday. While we are finding seats, welcome online church. You are not struggling to find seats. You have a couch. I hope you're having a great time as well. Thank you for joining us online.

If you're a firsttime guest here at Bethl, uh you can put the seats hands can go down. The auction is over. Uh but if you're a first- time guest here, if you've never visited Bethl before, would you raise your hand? We would love to see where you are.

Oh, I see you all over. Would you stand just real quick for me? Will you stand real quick? We want to pray for you. We're so excited to have you. Our ushers will be coming down with a a welcome card, but just stand. church, would you just extend your hands out towards them?

Lord, we thank you for these guests. We thank you, God, that they're here. We thank you for their hunger for you. Lord, we pray that they would be blessed, pressed down, shaken together, and running over. Father, we pray for encounters. We pray for encounters with your love, with your goodness, with your presence.

Touch their families. And Lord, we just we just speak blessing and increase upon them in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. We have a whole row of young people. I want to know the story of that. That is amazing. We have a couple verbal announcements to make. Firstly, Gabe said it, but we have entered the Christmas season and tonight is our tree lighting service.

Hallelujah. Um, we have a 4:30, a 6:30, and an 8:30 service. Um, and if you have families and young children, that 4:30 service is going to be wonderful for the young children. And then uh if you don't have young families, if you could come to the 8:30 service to make room for our kids.

Uh could someone pass my phone? It's under my chair. I have one more announcement. Um if you're coming though for the tree lighting, please dress festive. Uh our ushers are going to be festive. We're going to be festive. So you can come as festive as you like. If that embarrasses you or makes you afraid, just ignore what I just said.

Uh we'll have free tinsel at the at both doors. That's a joke. Um, and then the second thing is our healing rooms has moved to Twin View on um, December 6th because we have the Bethl Bazaar. Is that what we're calling Christmas market? JK, this is why I needed my phone because we changed names about things and I don't remember.

Um, we have the Bethl Christmas Market happening on the 6th of December. Can you say the 6th of December? >> Sixth of December. >> It is one of the most wonderful things that happen here. vendors from all over come sell their goods. So, healing rooms will be moved to Twin View on that Saturday to accommodate the Christmas market.

And all God's people said, >> "Amen." We're going to look to the screens for church news. >> Hey, Bethl family. I'm Rainer Kendrick, a pastor of the Bethl School of Supernatural Ministry online. and I'm Laurian Kendrick, director of our Bethl School of Supernatural Ministry online. We're so glad you've joined us.

Here's this week's church news. In 2026, we have some really exciting conferences coming up. From our prophetic conference to Wonder and Brave Co. to open heavens and more. We would love to invite you to join us and to bring a friend or family member with you. >> Artist Space hosted by Bethl Creative Arts is a sacred space for artists to find creative inspiration.

Join Franchesco Sadelli, our creative arts pastor, and his team for this monthly gathering of creatives in our community. The next one is taking place on December 9th from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Come and connect with the Lord and experience the beautiful cross-pollination of our diverse artistic gifts. >> This Christmas season, we have a special opportunity to bless our BSSM international students.

As we come out of Thanksgiving with hearts full of gratitude, we have the privilege of inviting an international student to share a Christmas meal with you and your family. This is a powerful, practical way to love and serve the nations well in our city and the students who have made reading their home for this season. >> If you've missed any of these announcements, you can find them at bethl.com/churchnews. >> Have a great week. >> Well, good morning everybody.

This is offering time. Would you join me in standing online? You have a way to give as well. We'd love for you to partner with us and what God is doing here. Uh I think we should read offering um declaration number two because it talks about what we expect God to do.

And I just like directing my funds to the will of God. How about that? Yeah. So, as you're giving, as you're working out how you're going to do that, whether online, um, through the QR code, or you're going to give cash or check, just start thinking about where you want the Lord's money to go.

What would you have him do in this holiday season? Father, we want you to save souls. We want you to change lives. We want you to reconcile families. And we want, like Bill just had us pray, we want prodigals to come home, right? So, let's read offering declaration number two.

As we receive today's offering, we are believing you for heaven opened, earth invaded, storehouses unlocked, and miracles created, dreams and visions, angelic visitations, declarations, impartations and divine manifestations, anointings, giftings and calls, positions and promotions, provisions and resources to go to the nations, souls and more souls from every generation saved and set free carrying kingdom revelation.

Thank you, Father, that as I join my value system to yours, you will shower favor, blessings, and increase upon me so I have more than enough to co-labor with heaven and see Jesus get his full reward. Hallelujah. Amen. The ushers are standing next to you. They are going to pass the buckets.

Again, you can uh scan the QR code or give cash or check. If this isn't your home church, we want your tithe to go to your home church, but those who are home, please tithe. Uh and I want to welcome up Papa Chris. I love >> Well, we have the privilege this morning of doing something really, really special.

No, we're not going to take an offering from me. That would be very special. But something a little less special than that. No, on serious note, Steve and Wendy Blin are moving to Idaho. And I don't know if you got We're going to commission them in just a moment, but I want to just introduce them in this way.

Um, we met them many, many years ago when we were in Weaverville, and Bill used to go there to there. They were literally in the desert like it wasn't a metaphor. You drive down this road that says the loneliest highway in America. No, it says the loneliest Yway in America.

Then you turn right to a lonelier road and you drive like it's like nine hours to get there. Some crazy thing. I I don't know. It was just crazy. and and Bill met them many years ago uh when we were in Weverville and he used to go once or twice a year I think to the loneliest place in America and they were uh they were pastors there and it was a a gold mining town and so we started traveling there for many many years and then when we brought Danny here we asked uh Steve and Wendy if they would leave the desert and move to Weaverville and you would think we were asking them to leave like >> paradise San Diego.

They like fought and fought and fought and finally the man in white had to come have a conversation with both of them and they moved to Weaverville for us and took the Weaverville church and did such a beautiful job. And then later on as we uh we we move them here and they've just been honestly uh their job has actually been part of their job at least has been to inter interact with all of our pastors in our network.

And so they travel three weeks out of the out of the month and they travel and and interact with our pastors and help our our pastors in our network. and they have really been uh the apostolic kind of uh pollinating bees that have taken care of our network and I I just love them so much >> and uh we're not losing them but we are sending them off >> back to the desert and and listen when you behave we'll get you back but until then no on a serious note we're sending them off close to their children and and we're we're really excited for them. would you come up please?

And could I have our senior team please come up? And we want to just bless them. >> You guys want to say something? Uh, it's emotional. We love Bethl. We love you guys just for believing in us. And we've grown here. And yeah, we're still going to be part of the family.

And yeah, it's 17 years pastoring, 17 years here, and the next 17 years are going to be the best years of our life. That's what I believe. >> Thank you. >> You want We're so thankful for these guys. their impact has been just huge. And uh in fact, let's just laugh at that, Kelly. >> That that was one of the main things these guys taught us.

If there's anything going on that we didn't like, let's just laugh at it. >> And it seems to work quite well. So, thank you. >> They honestly have been such a spark plug for great faith and just for trusting God. You know, God is perfectly faithful. And whenever you find people like this that mirror that in their own lifestyle, >> they demonstrate in their own confidence in God what he's like.

That's the great privilege is to run with people like that. So we love you. We bless you guys. So thankful. Thank you for >> extend. Why don't you all stand and extend your hands to these folks right here? And we are sending them off uh into the next >> the desert.

I was trying to not be funny cuz I feel like I'm going to cry right now. >> Okay, we're going to just pray. Lord, we commission these guys in Jesus name. We thank you for their their service just decades and decades of service. God, we pray God your blessing would go before them.

You make the rough places smooth, the that you'd make the the low places hide. You'd make a smooth road for them. and that you would go before them, God, their families, God, that you would bless their families. This would be a time of reconciliation, a time of your spirit would fall on their on sons and daughters, God.

This would be an incredible time for them. And God, we pray that you would press down, shake them together, running out all over. Bless them to Lord, more than they could even ask or think in Jesus name. >> Amen. Everybody said, "So be it." >> I bless you.

God bless you guys. I love you. Love you. >> The land of hunting. >> I have no idea what we're doing next. >> Oh, I'm introducing my son. Awesome. Yes. If you've seen me, you've seen the father. Well, Jay's got a one. If you've seen me, you've seen several fathers.

Jay's got an amazing word. Um, I heard the first service. I feel like it's a prophetic declaration over us. God is raising up an army of men and women who love God and who are being formed. Would you just welcome my son Jason Ballatin? Takes a second to get everything put away and switched on. >> Good morning. >> It's my third morning >> and happy late Thanksgiving. >> Do you guys have a good Thanksgiving >> and we had a phenomenal Thanksgiving.

We do a Christmas tree hunting. You guys do any Christmas tree hunting around here? Have any real Christians? Christmas tree hunting is the best part is it's in my opinion it's kind of better than Christmas, too. You haven't had a good Christmas tree hunt until you've had an argument with your wife or spouse during the Christmas tree hunting.

Is anybody else? >> Yes. I love finding that perfect tree. >> We got two perfect trees this year, didn't we, babe? And did you guys know I became a uh a grandpa, >> too? Babe, show the show the baby. This is my baby right here. >> Look at that baby. >> Life does not get much better than that.

Uh this year for Thanksgiving, I was in charge of the turkeys. Uh who how many of you are the turkey cookers here? I was all stoked. I had a perfect plan. I'm going to make this shorter than first service, but I had a perfect plan for turkeys. And uh I was going to cook one in the oven and one in the trigger.

And so, you know, Chad GBT and I had been working on this perfect plan for how to do both. And I got all set. I turned my trigger on. It got up to 54 degrees and never went above that. Like, oh no. Got to call an audible. This is not good.

I'm doing a spatchcock turkey as well. How many are you spatchcock people in here? You're missing out if you don't do that. By the way, you're cooking your turkey for too long. I know. What is it? Chop GPT. It'll tell you. So, my my turkey uh my Trager is not going to work.

So, I call my mom. Turn on your Trager quick. My parents have all kinds of ways to cook things. So, I run my bird over there. It's a 20 lb bird as well. Y'all should know this is not a small chicken. This is a large unorganic pumped with flavor turkey.

I take it over there. I throw it on the trigger. Everything's well. Chat GBT is like, "Bro, you're still okay. You've got this. Hang in there." Yeah. I go to chat for everything now. Not for its advice, for its encouragement. It's literally like, "I've been there before. I know what it's like.

You're fine. We're going to get you there." So, I throw it in there. I set the thermometers in there. I come back home. I'm like working on my other bird and working on this Dijon sauce and I my mom calls me. She's like, "The Trager's you didn't fill put the pellets in it.

You didn't check it." I was like, "Oh, son of a brick." So, I run back over there really quick and now I've got a problem. My bird's 110° and falling. So, I tell my mom, I actually tell my sister, "Take everything out of the oven. We're going to throw the turkey in the oven."

But then I realized they have all kinds of stuff in the oven. By the time they get all the stuff out of the oven, Jesus is going to come back. So, I throw that bird into I know this is a long story. So, I throw the bird into the barbecue.

I just turn him on, you know, and I'm getting it at at 400°. And again, chat and I He's like, "It's fine. Just turn it up to 400. You're good." Well, I'm a I'm a butter under the skin. >> Yes. >> Do you have butter under the skin, people?

Yes. on a grill. That's a fiery furnace, y'all. I come back and that bird's on fire. >> Chad's like, "Don't worry, everyone loves black and turkey." >> Yeah, we made it. It was an hour late. We were fine. My I had another 20 pound bird. We didn't even need that.

I ate it last night. It's great. So, my Thanksgiving was awesome. Anybody else burn their bird a little? Little burn. Little burning. Just me. Okay. I saw a lady back there. I got you. Today, uh I want to talk about something that's that's dear to my heart. I feel like it is what God's doing in our church.

I feel like it's the most important thing on his heart. Uh because it's in my heart. Um but I want to talk about God's original plan for forming men. >> And ladies, this is not necessarily a message geared towards you. It's a bit more geared towards men. Remember all the seasons when we were talking about empowering women and Danny and Bill and my dad preached all those messages.

There's just one I'm just one message to the men. Can I do that? Can I do that today? If you're online, hang in there with me. We'll get there. Um, when God was forming men, from the very beginning of time, God had a blueprint. He had a plan for how to take him a take a son and turn him into a grown man.

How to take a man and make him a leader. How to take a leader, make him a king, a king, a sage. God had a plan from the very beginning of time of how he was going to form a man. And that process was the maturing, the strengthening, the shaping process of a man.

Uh the challenge is there's a so many men here today that you never had somebody say, "Hey, come with me. I'm gonna show you how. I'm gonna I'm gonna help form you. I'm going to help shape you. I'm going to help build you to the man that God called you to be.

If you had that or if you understand God's ultimate plan for man, you would you would never want to leave it because inside of that plan for a man, you could face incredible challenges and never be alone. You know that the tests of your life are to build character right inside of God's plan for us if you surrender to it.

You get brought to this place of maturity and of strength. Ultimately, God is creating a man that can co- labor with him. >> That's a big deal, man. >> A man that can carry his glory. What responsibility, man. You're the one that was designed to carry the glory and the presence of God into your home.

You're the leader in that. Not that she doesn't, but we are. That was God's design. When God's forming man, he's not just trying to make a cool guy. He's trying to make a son. Not a slave, a son. Not just a servant, a son. >> Come on. in the beginning.

Um, let's look at Genesis 2:7. Now, for those of you that weren't here a year ago when I preached, I talked about Genesis 1. I brought you through Genesis 1. Anybody remember that message? Well, this is just a continuation of that. So, I'm preaching a series as well.

Bill gets to preach a series. My dad gets to preach a series. I'm preaching a series. We're in Genesis 2. We've made it. We're going to Revelations, baby. 2 verse 7. And it says, "The Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being."

Uh, this is really interesting. When God was creating the heavens and the earth, this was my message a year ago. When God formed the heavens and the earth, he called things into being. God spoke badgers into being. He spoke a skunk into being. He spoke a bat. Cats.

Anybody have cat people in here? >> I like a good cat. He spoke elk, moose, those are our things, Bri, white-tailed deer. He spoke it into being. But when God got to mankind, he rolled up his sleeves. >> Come on, sir. >> Right? He began to roll up his sleeves and he began to form.

That word form there is to shape, to press, to put pressure on like a potter does clay. How many of you understand that? He is the potter and you are >> He's the hammer. You're the >> Okay, >> the nail breaks down. >> Yeah, it does break down there.

God didn't speak man into existence. He shaped man into existence because even God from the beginning of time didn't design man to be formed in a moment but that he would go through this process of becoming. >> Since the beginning of the time, God's design for you men was that you would become. >> That you would be shaped into this vessel that could carry weight, that could carry responsibility.

And the challenge is if you I if you didn't have a shaper and a former in your life, then you're carrying responsibility that feels like it's crushing you and breaking you. >> But God's shaping, the forming was his design. >> Yes. >> Now, God's formation for mankind is really this three-step process.

The first process is the form. What God forms, he wants to fill. >> If you go further into that verse, right, it says that God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and man became a living being. A man without the breath, that breath was a spirit.

A man without the spirit of God living in him is just a shell of himself. >> You could have all of the talent. You could have the greatest muscles. We're really checking off a list of myself right now. You could have the best hair on the planet. But if you don't have the spirit of God living in you, then you're not alive.

It was when God breathed the spirit into the man that he became alive, >> that he became awoken and equipped for his purpose. What's one more thing that's interesting about how God formed man was did you notice that God formed man from dust >> out of the dust is an interesting piece right because if you were going to form your most incredible creation and you had access to all the different minerals and gems >> elements yes >> would you use dust the most common element somebody said Jay you have to make something award-winning.

I'd be like, "Go get me a bag of dust." >> I wouldn't I wouldn't make I wouldn't grab dust. But see, if God made us out of gold or diamonds, >> then we would worship the creation instead of the creator. The fact that God took this most simple common thing and he made his most intricate design out of it says everything about the creator, doesn't it? >> God forms this man and then he breathes life into him.

Now the breath is an interesting piece because the spirit of God is where we get the identity. It's where we get their capacity. It's where we get our strength from. You're not getting strength in your life from your own self. You're getting strength from lean not on your own understanding. >> It's the strength of God.

See, God didn't want a man to be led by his instincts. >> Come on, J. >> He didn't want a man to rely on his willpower. >> Do the best you can do, son. We've all seen that story. >> It's bad. Lean on your own understanding. Lean on your own willpower.

Use your own strength. Guys, have you tried your own strength lately? It's all right. But God filled a man so that we could have instincts. Yes. But we could be separate from the animals. Animals are relying on their own instincts. >> We are not. Yes, >> we are formed and fashioned in the image of God.

Right? Again, imagebearers to em to embrace to be ambassadors. We have to have the mind, the filling, the strength of the spirit of God to lead our families. Well, >> sir, >> to lead our businesses to show up. Without that, we're just lost, man. We're just lost. The next step is the finishing process.

Everybody say finished. >> Finished. >> See, what God forms and what God fills, he intends to finish. >> Now, the finishing process gets good. This really is a four-step process. I know you're like, "There was a three-step and now it's a four step." I'm a counselor, y'all. There's steps.

There's steps. There's processes. There's homework. There's things to look at. I like to know where I'm at in the process. But this this this finishing process, we're going to look at a scripture here. We won't turn there because I don't have enough time. Uh Philippians 1:6 says, "He who began >> a good work."

Listen, you didn't begin the good work in you. God initiated a good work in you. He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it. >> Here's why. A halffinish man breaks a whole family. >> A halffinish man is not what God created. God didn't want a halffinish man.

God is faithful men to complete this process that he started in us. >> The finishing process has these four parts and I want us take take us through these four parts. The finishing process starts with a call. And we'll talk about that in a minute. From calling, it goes testing.

It's going to get exciting. From testing to equipping, equipping to commissioning. Now, when we look at our perfect model, men, because we were designed to have a model. When we look at our perfect model, who is that model? >> A little louder. >> It's Jesus. At first, you're like, "This is a pop quiz."

I know. Our perfect model is Jesus. Jesus actually went through this whole entire process. See, the process I'm showing you isn't a church model. This isn't like Bethl Church's model for disciplehip. This is the man that we are modeling our entire life after. This was his model. See, Jesus walked the exact same path of formation that God designed us to live.

He was formed in obscurity, right? Thank you. >> And then he was filled. Do you guys remember when Jesus was was was filled? He was baptized in the Jordan. He comes out and before he does any ministry, he hears the father say, "This is my son." >> He gets filled from the filling.

Where does he go? >> He goes to be tested. >> This is getting exciting. That's This is our model, man. He goes to get tested. What was that testing for? It wasn't to break him down, was it? >> God didn't bring him there to break him down. He didn't bring him there to lose.

He It says that he left He left the testing and the power of the spirit, didn't he? >> He left more powerful than when he went in. >> And then he he was commissioned. He said, "The spirit of the Lord God is upon me to do these things."

We see this perfect model that was modeled for us by Jesus. It's the same model, men, that we're going through. Let's look at called. This is the first step in the finishing process for mankind. The called, everyone's called. A calling's free. That doesn't sound very exciting, does it?

The calling's free. Joseph called. Daniel called. David called. Now, the calling looks great, doesn't it? You're like, I'm going to go do all these incredible things. Uh-huh. Yep. The calling is to set up the testing and the equipping. If you were just tested and equipped without the call, you'd get hopeless really fast. >> Yes.

Talk to us. >> Imagine going through Navy Seal training without thinking, having any insight that you're going to be the best of the best of the best. >> Go get in the cold. Go lay in the sand. Go do all these pressure and this test. No. The calling is that compass that Hava talked about a couple months ago, a month ago.

It's that compass. You're like, I am going here. Amazing. Guess what happens if you think that your calling qualifies you? >> If you try to go from calling to commissioned, >> we seen that's a big dumb mistake, isn't it? >> You miss the process of refinement, of testing, and equipping, and you just run straight into your calling. >> It doesn't work.

See, the calling's free, but the formation is not. >> I had a father uh that I got to watch through this process. A man's supposed to have a model. Just going to say that over and over again. I watched my dad tell the story over and over and over again of his calling.

You guys could probably repeat it because you've heard it forever. You're like, "Ah, he's gonna tell that story again, isn't he?" But it's inspiring, right? It's my dad in the bathtub and God comes to him and he tells him all these things about his heart. This is what you're going to do and this is who you're going to talk to and this is who you're going to be and he's from Weaverville.

And then so we're like he's like what? And then before God leaves that this encounter before he leaves he says history will tell me if you believed. >> Powerful, huh? >> See my dad thought the qual the the calling was going to qualify him. That's just normal. >> Like, LOOK AT ALL THIS GREATNESS INSIDE OF ME. >> He's like, "Uh-huh.

I'm going to start a business. My business is going to prosper." Yep. It is. Mhm. You're going to come to church and church is going to prosper. After uh thousands of people leave, the the calling set him up for the next step, the testing. Yes. >> See, God always tests what he makes. >> Could you imagine a God that doesn't test what he makes? >> The testing is one of the most important parts of the formation because the testing is where you remove move everything to the surface that doesn't serve the ultimate purpose. >> That's the testing.

That's marriage, man. >> You're like, I'm called >> to the honeymoon. >> The honeymoon gets you in. >> Wow. >> God is trying to form a man. >> So, he put a woman in his life. >> And then you start to go through the process, right? Um, I have been doing marriage counseling for a very, very long time, meeting with couples, helping them, pastoral counseling.

It's what I've done here for 20 years. This last year, I had, I think, six couples that were on the brink or the edge of divorce. And one of the couples, um, I I met with them one time, two months later, I I popped on a Zoom with them.

The first thing they told me this year was, "Hey, we decided to get a divorce." That's a bad way to start a meeting, by the way. That's a bad way. They're like, "I'm really sorry." I'm like, "I mean, I'm good. I'm okay, guys. What's going on? What's happening?"

They started to share their story and I realized like they have a lot of pain that they don't know how to deal with. See, they thought they needed to escape marriage. Guys, marriage isn't broken. God's design for man and woman isn't broken. It's not. It's the things that are coming up inside of there that we don't know how to deal with. >> And the testing brings up, oh, you you want to dismiss your wife's emotions.

That's broken. That's a broken process. That's fear. Oh, you run away from pain. That's a broken process. Right? The testing your your wife is a mirror. The relationship is mirroring back to you what's going on in you, not what's going on in her, what's going on in you.

Right? So that testing helps us to go, we need to address this. We got to scrape this off from the surface because you can't carry my glory in a broken vessel. >> Right? >> It doesn't work. You can get to you can get commissioned, but then you just fall under the pressure and the weight because you skip the testing.

Yeah, >> it's where God takes something common and he makes something incredible out of it. >> It's the testing. Remove the bark from a tree, remove the limbs, cut it up, shape it, form it, take everything away that doesn't uh serve its ultimate purpose, and you get a beautiful house.

You get tables, you get it's the refining process. >> That's good. Everything that we really love is been refined in a way that has an ultimate v uh design in mind from those tests. The the purpose of the test is to is to raise those things up. From the test, we get a whole bunch of feedback, don't we? inside the the equipping process is the feedback process.

See, equipping is where feedback meets your ego. >> You guys feeling that? >> Don't you love it when your wife wants to give you a little feedback? I'm always like, "Oh, sure, babe. No, I want to hear it." Equipping. The equipping part is where you're now getting feedback.

Listen, the Bible says that God disciplines those he loves. And if he doesn't discipline you, he actually has a word for that. It's called a bastard. >> It means that you are not a son of his. Those he loves, he discipline. We're not talking about a spanking. We're talking about feedback.

Son, you are too awesome to live like that. Son, you can't take that mentality into this marriage. Son, you can't you you you're doing this for your own purposes, for your own reasons. The equipping is where David faces the lion and the bear, right? It's where uh Gideon, he goes through the test and then and God's going like, "Nah, remove those guys.

You don't need all those guys. What do you What do you What do you mean, God? Get them down to 300. What you need is me. >> Not your way, my way. >> Come on, J. >> Not your thoughts, my thoughts. >> Not your desire, my desire. >> It's where This is where delayed gratification, men, is king.

The guy that can do what he should do and doesn't want to do for the longest amount of of time is the guy that we all envy. Yes, >> exactly. >> The guy that can do what he should do, that doesn't want to do it for the longest amount of time, delayed gratification is what we're trying to do.

It's why longsuffering is a part of the fruit of the spirit. >> Come on. >> I play horse at home. I've got two small kids, three years old and five years old, and a whole bunch of grown kids, too. Guys, I play horse more times in a week than I want to.

I don't want to play horse. I'm 45. I had years of playing horse. >> I do it for them. >> I show up for my wife on a good day. Not because I want to, not because I'm like, I'm stoked to hear her process. This is what I was born for.

It's part of being a man. It's a part of a man brings strength to chaos. >> Without the equipping process, you would never bring strength to chaos, would you? You'd bring chaos to chaos. You can't give anything that you don't have internally. Can't give externally if you don't have strength and peace internally.

You can't give that externally. So God's taking us through this equipping process so that we have something to bring to the table. >> Yes. Yes. Good. Very good. The last one is commissioned. This is where men we weaponize our stories. See the the the all your failures and mistakes, they're not yours to hide. >> It's no it's not your story. >> It's the testimony of Jesus Christ in your life. >> It's how he came through for you.

That's why you guys love the Valatin preaching. You're like, "Oh, he's going to tell about his terrible story and it's going to make mine seem little." It's why you love it. I promise you. You're like, "Oh, I hope he talks about I'm going to bring my son in there.

I hope he talks." It's it's weaponize our story. That's the ultimate uh uh a sign of maturity is that I'm taking my deepest, darkest places of death and hell and destruction and now I'm using it as a battering ram to free those people from hell. >> That's the commissioning. >> And when some of you are hearing this story today, you're going, man, I've been formed, but I haven't been filled.

I've been tested, but I haven't been equipped. never got out of the testing season, which I've preached this whole time just to get to this one spot. Man, you were never supposed to go through this process on your own. >> This is never supposed to be the process that you do on your own.

Jesus when he comes to earth, he's getting ready to do ministry. And one of the first things he does is he goes and he finds a very common man. And he keeps finding common men. And he says to them something that's incredibly important. He says, "Come and follow me.

I will make you. >> Leave your nets. Leave those things that bring you significance. Leave those things that bring you an income. Leave those things that bring you that that bring you security. And come leave everything behind. Everything that's familiar. Come and follow me. I will make you. >> Yes. >> The problem that we have today in our society is we don't have men that are saying come follow me.

I will make you. >> Help us. Come on. >> Your first inheritance was supposed to be an inheritance where somebody shapes you, molds you, builds you, leads you into the man that God designed you to be. There's no young man that should have to form, shape, mold himself into being a strong, powerful man.

You can't get there. >> That's right. That's right. >> It's a broken design. >> Exactly. >> It's a broken design. All the problems that we're facing in this world today, it's because we don't have men saying, "Come follow me. >> I will make you." >> See, I believe that if God had a plan for every man, that we should have a plan for every man.

I really do. I feel like that's a responsibility. I feel like that's what God is inviting us into in this church. If God had a plan, a real plan, see, I don't think that any man should stumble his way through marriage in here. >> That's right. >> I don't think a man should stumble his way through raising children in here.

Why are we doing that? Why are we letting the guy next to us try to figure out how to raise his kids? Yeah. >> I don't think we should have any man come and stumble his way through finances and in in in in building a business. >> How many of you in here, man, you have overcome addiction of some kind?

Yeah. You had an addiction and then you overcame that. Yeah. I had multiple just to glorify, you know, super equipped. We get to give that away, don't we? >> If you've How many of you were stumbling through your marriage and you got tools and you were equipped? >> See, I believe that this is what God's inviting us to into this next season is to actually build out a plan.

How are we going to raise strong, healthy men? How are we going to raise strong, healthy families? This is not a process that was supposed to happen between you and God. That's a big mistake that people make. They go into this process and they go, "I'm letting God form me and shape me."

He's going to do it. It's going to happen through another man. >> A man, it it takes a man to pour in masculinity into another man. That's right. >> Earlier this year, um, I felt the Lord I felt like the Lord put it on my heart to take our right of passage that we do every year onto the on the road.

How many of you have been to our Brave Co conference this year? Man, we've got to change that. Our Brave Co or last year, our Brave Co conference is incredible. We do all kinds of massive team challenges, competitions. Uh, one one of the main things we do though is a ride of passage for young men 12 to 18 years old.

It's a 3.1 mile tough mutter course. It's incredible. It's absolutely incredible. And this last year, we had this young man named Caleb. Now, Caleb had club feet. And so, when he when he started to run the course, well, for starters, he couldn't really run that good. And he he hasn't ran, he hasn't exercised a lot.

So he got halfway around the course and through these different obstacles and he started throwing up. Now that's a that's a bummer day. So he's the last guy. Well, he just tells the men that are with him because we don't let any man run alone. He tells the men that are with him, "Hey, just just go.

I'm just going to walk around these obstacles." And they're like, "Caleb, dude, you're like the Incredible Hulk. Bro, you can't walk around them. go through them. We'll do it with you." So they like they're cheering him on, right? And as Caleb's getting closer to the bigger group, I there's like hundreds of men there.

The guys start to chant his name. Caleb, Caleb, Caleb, Caleb. He gets up to the uh to the uh monkey bars. It's monkey bars over this trench full of muddy water. And he gets up there and he gets like one hand into it and into the water. Guys, do you do we care if you fall?

No, we just care that you go. Caleb goes all the way through it, gets to the other side. He eventually finishes the course, which is awesome. He gets a medal. He gets a knife at the end of it. >> The powerful thing about Caleb is Caleb doesn't have a dad.

Caleb doesn't know his dad. My friend Dan Gratberg brought Caleb. We have permission to share his testimony. My friend, my friend Dan brought Caleb to to uh the the conference this year and brought him through the right of passage and he wrote us a letter like a month and a half ago and shared his testimony with us and he said, "I've been getting straight A's since the right of passage. >> I've never felt this confident in my life. >> I've never felt this good about myself."

He said, "Everything changed in my life after that." You want to know why? >> Because it was never designed for Caleb to just encourage himself. >> It was designed that a man would take his courage and pour it into a boy to say, "You have what it takes.

Don't walk around the obstacles. Go through the obstacles, but I'm failing." Don't worry about the failure. Failure is feedback. Just take the feedback and keep going. We're with you. If you get tired, we'll wait for you. You have what it takes, Caleb. >> If we don't have men calling sons into manhood, how are we ever going to raise a healthy generation like God's called us to?

We won't. We'll be fixing men forever. >> Can you show the video? One day, every young man will grow up, and no boy should stumble his way into manhood. But too many do. Desperate to hear a voice of affirmation, they chase every echo, every empty promise. They carry silence into their marriages and a wound into the future.

But it doesn't have to be this way. God is still raising up fathers who will call their sons forward, who will speak the identity of Christ over them, and who will say, "You have what it takes." This is why Brave has partnered with Spartan to create the ultimate proving ground for fathers and sons.

This weekend will be about more than just physical endurance. It's about building memories, forging a bond, and reminding young men that they are the sons of the living God. Because great men aren't born, they're built. 30 hours a tribe of men. Break a wild horse for horse. Endure a Spartan course.

Face moments that demand courage. Moments that shape identity. A path where a boy steps forward and rises into the man God has called him to be. There are only a few moments in life that define a man. This is one of them. Don't wait. Lead your son into manhood today.

If you're in the Florida area, near the Florida area, we'd love to have you come. It's February 28th. My goal actually isn't to promote this event. My goal is to show you what God wants to do across AC in our nation. when I um I had this this desire in my heart to take our ride of passage on the road and a friend of mine said uh just in passing he said hey if you ever want to do the Spartan race I know the the owner of Spartan I was like oh that's really cool and then I thought to myself I wonder if we could partner with Spartan I got on a call the first time I got on a call with the owner of Spartan I was like okay I you know I'm pitching to them and I've pitched to so many people in.

It's hard. You guys ever pitched anything before? The first answer you get most of the time is no, but thank you. And so I'm I'm like 10 minutes into this call and he goes, "Man, I love what you guys are doing. Let's take it across the country." I said, "Whoa, how about if we do one?

How about if we do one?" He was like, "Yeah, let's do one." I got on another call with him. So the second call I got on with him, he said, "Man, we have six cities that I want you to hit. I want you to hit all six of these cities.

And I want I want you to hand out the medals at our Spartan race. I want our Spartan community to know about Brave Co. I want Spartan community to know that Brave Co is part of uh our disciplehip program. I'm like, who? What is happening? >> What is happening, guys?

This isn't in my heart. This is in the heart of God. We had SOG Knives step up and say, "We'll we'll donate all the knives for the kids." We had Gatorade come and sponsor us. We had a guy step up and say, "We'll cover all of the food."

It's not about an event. I'm not trying to get fathers to come to an event. I'm trying to start a movement across our country to equip to go, "Listen, we can't have this mentality that a man is formed on his own, >> that somehow great men are born."

They're not. You build a great man. So when the son and father finish, they get seven weeks of curriculum to continue the process. My goal isn't to do events. My goal is to start a movement. >> Come on, J. >> But my ultimate goal is to do it here. >> Yeah.

To do it here. Man, if you walk through those doors, I want you to know that we have a plan for you. See, if God had a plan for every man, we should have a plan for every man. If God had a plan for every man, I think we should have a plan for every man. >> That the church should have a plan for every man. >> The church should have a plan for the man that's struggling.

So, we're going to be laying out for you guys a plan over this next year that will help you get deeply connected, that will help you get equipped, that will give you a place to serve, that will give you a place to pour into other men, where you can look at men and say, "Come follow me.

I will make you." Not a place that's boring. We're not going to show you how to do coffee. We're going to show you how to become a man. We're going to do challenges. We're going to do skills. We'll do some competitions. But we'll show you how to show up for your wife >> and your family. >> Yeah. >> But what I want isn't for me to to lead this.

I want every man in here to go, this is what God's called me to. Ladies, if you have a man, I want you to get excited about the formation process that we have for your husband. And not just that we can form him, but that he can lend what God has formed in him to the other men around him.

If you have a son in here, I want you to know that we have a plan for your son. How many you would be excited for your son to know that we're going to take him from a young boy into manhood with challenges and that he doesn't just have your husband, but he has me and he has my dad and he has Gabe and he has these other men in here that are going to be pouring into him that have a plan for him. >> What would we be?

Where would we be if we dive in and we say yes to God's ultimate plan for forming men? I believe that that's the next era that the Lord's leading us into as Bethl Church. Would you stand? Could you put that QR code up there? Men, this is what I'd like you to do.

Would you please do me a favor? There's a QR code. I would love for you guys to scan it. Take three minutes. Men, I know this is the testings. This is the patience. Take three minutes, scan it, and would you fill this out? We don't want to just create something blind, but we want some of your feedback in here.

But more importantly, guys, this is really what I'm asking you. Would you partner with me in prayer? >> I really do believe in this season, I've seen more things shift through prayer than anything else. Whose son is this? >> We got we got given I was looking for a a facility to host this 30-hour camping event.

I know I have to end. We my friend called me and said, "Hey, I think I found the I think I found a place for you." He didn't know about the Spartan Partnership. The Spartan Ranch is on Diamond D Ranch in Jacksonville. He found this ranch called Seaark Ranch.

It's literally buted up against Diamond D Ranch. out of all the places in Jacksonville, they gave us free entry. I mean, it's just incredible. But that happened after prayer. So Lord, I thank you for what you're doing. Lord, I thank you for what you're doing in our families.

I thank you that you want to take every man in here and shape him into a filled, a formed, a fashioned, a complete man that's strong, that knows how to bring strength to chaos, that knows how to weaponize his story. Lord, I ask that this would be the beginning of another movement at Bethl, another movement, Lord, where where men step up and lead.

That there'd be more men here that come to church on a Sunday morning than women. >> Lord, that our children would say, "Everything changed in my life when my dad, when his friends, when our church, Lord, that we would be the strongest, healthiest men on the planet." Lord, that when a new believer comes in that they would go, "Oh my gosh, I am being walked through this process of strength by the other community, by the other men in this room."

Lord, would you give us a breakthrough? Would you give us strength, Lord? >> Amen. >> Thank you, guys. Love you. Can we just Wow, that was incredible. Where are my men in the room? Do we have any men in the room? >> Amen. Amen. Well, before before we leave, if you can hold your seats for a moment.

I I want to give an invitation. Jay said something about being formed and then he said being filled. And and I believe that the Holy Spirit wants to fill some people today with his spirit. And and maybe you came into this room and and you're like, man, I've been trying to figure out how to be a man, but I've realized that I can't do that on my own.

And maybe you got pulled here by your wife or maybe you got brought here by a friend. But I believe the scripture says that you can't actually come to know him unless the spirit of God actually pulls you to himself. And so every person that's in this room, you actually didn't choose to be here by yourself, but that it's actually God that is orchestrating every step and pulling you to himself.

And I and I believe that in this room that there is someone that has not said yes to Jesus, filling your life, but you've tried to live a life outside of him, and it's not worked out. And I just want to give our opportunity. If that's you, can you just raise your hand?

I believe that the Lord wants to feel you today. Thank you, Lord. If everybody can close your eyes for a moment and I want you just for a moment to allow the Lord to search and know you right now. And if there's any space in your life where there's cracks, any space in your life where there's brokenness or bondage that you have not yielded or surrendered, I I I believe that with what Jay was just sharing, man and woman, that this is an invitation to yield and surrender to the Holy Spirit.

Thank you, Lord. And so right now, if there's any any cracks or any spaces that you've been holding on to that you haven't actually surrendered to him, I I just want you right now to just hold out your hands. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Jesus. Father, we ask right now that your spirit would come and fill every space.

God, we ask that you would fill right now every crack. God, we we know that we can't do it on our own. We can't do this life on our own. You are life and outside of you there is no life. And so we just thank you right now.

I just want every voice, every every lips to just say, "Jesus, I receive your spirit. I receive your allsufficient grace." >> Amen. Amen. Open your eyes right now. Just look at somebody next to you and say, "You look better filled." All right, we're going to welcome up the ministry team and just hold your seats for a second.

Ministry team, if you can make your way forward and before we continue this holiday season, I want you to just give somebody a hug next to you. Let them know that you're glad they're here. >> Amen. And if you want prayer this morning, you can begin to make your way forward.

Make sure you grab your things and have an amazing Sunday. >> Hi guys, we are back. Steve's been dancing. I've been cracking up. It's hilarious. >> I feel like I'm in a snow globe to be honest. >> I love it. If we were in a snow globe though, things would be very different for me.

So, >> no. Uh, what a beautiful, powerful service and message. I was telling Steve that that message wasn't just for men. >> Come on. >> I found myself identifying with the formation process that that um Jay just shared and I hope that you'll rewatch this service and listen to it again and again.

Share it with those that you love who you believe are in that process. But before anyone can even step into some of what Steve talked about, I mean Jay talked about looking at Steve, um there is a component for us that is so necessary and that is receiving the gift of salvation that can only be received through the the Lord himself through taking the body broken and receiving the blood poured out um for us.

The Bible says that he who knew no sin became sin that we might become the righteousness of God. The Bible also says, "Oh, what love the Lord, the father has lavished on us that we would be called the children of God." And that was only afforded because Jesus came.

He died on the cross in the form of sinful flesh. He took on all of the debt that was owed by our sin and satisfied all the law and the prophets. And because of that, we are now justified through our faith in him. because we believe he did it, it's already given to us.

Every gift, every blessing afforded Jesus as the son of God now transfers to us. We become co-airs, joint hes with him. And we want to extend that opportunity to you. Those of you who would say, "I need the Lord to become Lord of my life. I want him to save me from my eternal debt of sin.

I want him to replace in me that sinful nature with the regenerated uh righteousness of God itself. And I am willing to say, Lord, you are Lord. I'm willing to say, God, I give you everything. My whole life becomes yours in exchange for that righteousness. Um and and we want to extend that to you.

If that's you, just put it in the chat. I need Jesus. >> I give my life to Jesus. Anything representing this new uh uh affirmation that the Lord becomes savior over your life. and then and then we want to pray with you. So, as you're doing that, I know there's a delay uh but I loved I loved uh that we get to do this together.

I love the fact that there is no distance in God. And so, even though you may be in Germany or you may be in Kenya, you can still become a part of the family of God together with us. So, I'm I'm just watching the chat um to see if there's anyone that's taking that. >> Come on.

And then also there's going to be a link at the end. If you made a decision for Christ, maybe you didn't put in the chat, but you made a decision Christ, there's going to be a link that says start here. We would love for you to click on that because we'd love to pray with you, kind of walk you through what does this mean, living your life for Jesus, giving your life to Christ, and kind of walk you through what's the next steps for disciplehip, all that kind of stuff.

And then also, we have ministry rooms at the end of this call. And so there's going to be a link in there for prayer teams as well. And so if you want more ministry, personal ministry, go ahead and click on those links because we'd love to be able to partner with you, pray for you, and bless you uh on your day. >> Yes.

And I see you uh Crystal. Um so let's just pray those who are receiving the gift of salvation today. Just say this with me. Lord, you are Lord of my life. I give you everything today. And I say, come and live in me. I take off that sinful nature and I give it to you and I say come and live in me as me.

If you've prayed that prayer, you are saying to God, you are the savior. I or or like Jay even said, uh you are the potter. I am the clay. Lord, form me form me into the living embodiment of your glory and your righteousness. And so because you are taking that step today, we also have a link for you to step into disciplehip to learn what it means to walk in the fullness of salvation, to walk as a child of God, and to become a partner with the Holy Spirit.

The moderators are going to put that in the chat as well so that you can click there and start your disciplehip journey. We want you not only to be named with the name of Christ, but to walk in the power thereof. We are so excited for you today. >> Come on.

So good. Uh, dear Nick, I see that you put I need Jesus. We just want to celebrate with you. We just say yes. I want to encourage you to click on that link. Yes. Uh, that comes up. If you guys can put that back up on the screen.

If you're wondering where to click it, it's going to show up in the chat. So, if you want those ministry rooms, it's going to show up in the chat. And then also on the screen, it will show up in the lower third about right here down uh of where I am.

It'll come up on either side uh that says either ministry uh prayer or uh start here if you're choosing to. There it is right there. Uh and so please click on that if you want to receive more ministry. Also earlier when we went after healing, we had a couple people that got breakthroughs.

Some person significantly had reduced pain in their hip. We had pain leaves in your uh pain leaves uh in your pain that left and it's leaving right now. >> It's distracting being in this snow globe here. I'm just expecting Tim Allen to come from the Santa Claus, right?

And shaking it up and he comes and he's back. I feel like you look like a little bit like you could be the next Santa if that were real. >> Oh my gosh. >> Anyway, so we digress. >> I would love that. I would love to be Santa.

Santa. Anyway, if you need a miracle still in your body or you're experiencing partial breakthrough, go out hold out your hands like you're about to receive a gift. We're going to pray again and then want to encourage you to jump back into those ministry rooms. But Holy Spirit, we just thank you for what you're doing.

We thank you for how you're leading people's hearts. But God, we just command all pain to go from people's bodies. We release peace over them in Jesus name. Father, I thank you right now. Anyone battling anxiety, I just thank you for peace coming over right now. I just had the sense of someone you've been gripped with anxiety and you've been trying to self-medicate with just even other avenues.

And I just saw the Lord coming like peace right now. And if that's you, I just want you to hold your hands up onto your heart. I know this is uh different, but if I want to encourage you uh to actually do this right now, and I'm going to pray.

Holy Spirit, I thank you for coming as the comforter and with peace. And many of you, you're going to start actually feel like a heat come to your chest, a presence come onto your head. And father, I just release the peace of God that passes all understanding over them and anxiety.

We command you out. And father, I thank you that we find perfect peace in your son Jesus in Jesus name. And so test out your body if you need a miracle. And then click on the ministry link if you want more prayer and ministry. And then reminder, tonight >> Christmas treelighting service.

Maybe we'll have more of this. Maybe we'll have some more shenanigans. It'll be Ruth and I will definitely be shenanigans. Last year I got edited out. >> Oh, Steve. >> Yeah, they had too many shenanigans. >> Well, I told a joke. It was a joke. >> So, we didn't have audio outside.

So, Ruth and I were mon, you know, kindating, you know, just kind of ab libing what was happening. And they showed Bill with a candle and his candle blew out. >> Oh, no. >> And I said, "Oh, look. Bill's candle went out." And I I said, "Baby, that's prophetic."

It was a joke. So, please don't edit this one out either. It was just a joke, but some people in the chat did not like it. And I wasn't. And you know, I told Bill. Bill thinks it's funny. Okay. So, Bill has a great sense of humor. So, please don't.

We're okay. But, uh, there's probably going to be some stuff. I know. I know. I can't help it. >> You have to watch. This stuff only happens live, guys. You have to watch. >> So, that'll be tonight, 6:30 California time. Would love to see you there. Celebrate. Bring some hot cocoa stuff.

We're going to be busting out some hot cocoa. We're going to be singing Christmas carols. Be a good time. There's some acting happening with Dan Fairley. You don't want to miss that. Dave Ward, too. You don't want to miss that. It's going to be some fun times. Uh but we love you.

We hope you had a great day. Um and just, you know, let's let's do be practical with Jay's message, too. Find one person. >> That's right. >> Close to you where you can intentionally reach out. Just check in. How are they doing? >> How's their life going? And then just offer encouragement, speak into their life, speak identity, speak purpose, speak encouragement to him. >> And ladies, this is for us, too.

I know as a woman, I always benefited from the mothers in my life that would come in and school me on some things and help grow me into the maturity of the woman that that I uh became and am becoming. So, women, I encourage us to look for those young women, too, and pull them up.

I loved it. I I got so much out of that message. >> Come on. So good. Well, we love you. Go buy a snow globe. We'll see you tonight. >> We promised them a song. >> Oh, I did. >> You did? We did. >> We did. What's Okay, let's uh we'll close out with a song. >> Wish you a merry Christmas. >> We wish you a merry Christmas.

We wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year. >> There you go. >> That's it. >> I don't know why I did that voice. That's not how I normally sing, but you're welcome. We love you. We hope you have a blessed day. >> We will see you tonight.

God bless. Click on the ministry links. Bye. Bye.