Dear God,
It’s the Monday after Easter Sunday, but I am sure you’re already aware of that fact. I hope you were pleased with what happened at church yesterday. By the way, thanks for being there. Church is always better when you attend. I hope you felt honored and I did not hinder people from meeting you personally.
I realize I am already rambling here, but you know how tanked I feel on Sunday afternoons and on most Mondays. Why can’t I be one of those pastors who are hyped after a service instead of one who feels like a can of Spam? By the way, thank you for Tuesdays. My brain and body somehow start working better then.
It was great to see 102 people baptized last night and hundreds more praying to follow you during the morning gatherings. Thanks for what you are doing in Corey and thousands of others who did not get their story told on a video. I hope you felt honored and trust that the spotlight was on you more than those of us on the stage.
Lord, help me to not be so aggravated when people give me immediate criticism about the Sunday talk or wait for me off the stage to point out one minor detail I got wrong. They should wait a day or so to give me their opinion but they don’t and probably never will. Forgive them Lord, because they have no idea how vulnerable and tired I feel right after a service. They have never been on a stage in front of people talking about life and death issues. When you give them that chance, I am sure they will then be more considerate about when to give their feedback.
Lord, help me not feel like every Sunday has to be “the best Sunday ever, in all of church history.” Not every talk has to be epic and not every worship service has to be “off the chain.” Remind all of my pastor friends on Twitter not to hype every weekend like it is the Super Bowl of all church weekends, every single week. You know that every Sunday service is not that great, because you attend their churches, too. Help us to build disciples with our weekend gatherings and not create consumers who expect a new and improved product every weekend.
Lord, thanks again for allowing me to pastor New Life. Keep me focused on the important things and help me to ignore my own carnality. Thanks for the time. I hope to talk to you again real soon.
Love,
Brady
April 25, 2011 at 6:35 am
Great stuff bro. That is exactly how I feel. Thanks for all you do and all you have done pastor.
April 25, 2011 at 6:55 am
Hey Brady,
I am sorry people only kee on what was wrong instead of allowing the Lord to penetrate there own heart. That would bother me as well. You are a great man! I feel in my own heart that these people that comment are commmenting on what the Lord showed them about themselves My prayer is they would receive what the Lord showed them about themselves.
Amen
April 25, 2011 at 7:37 am
I thought your sermon was excellent. And I heard it 3 times, attending at 8 and watching online at 10 & 12.
Thank you for all you do. And thank God for sending you to New Life.
April 25, 2011 at 7:56 am
Pastor, I enjoyed reading your letter. I am compelled to reply, however. You are an amazing pastor. My family personally does not expect anything from Sunday mornings other than to hear what God wants us to hear. We know you are a pastor who is obviously led by God. We never walk away disappointed or feeling like it wasn’t a good sermon. Occasionally the sermons don’t hit us as personally as other times, but we always learn from them. We also know that God is doing doing his work and who are we to question him? We love to hear your teachings, no matter the content, because it comes from God. I will be prayerful for you, as I know you are always praying for so many other people. Keep up the amazing work you do! We always try to get friends to church with us. We just got another family, who hasn’t been to church in quite some time, to go to The Thorn and service on Sunday. She came by my house last night and was almost in tears telling how grateful she is that they have finally found “their church” after all this time. Thank you for that, pastor! You do amazing work. I pray for refreshment of body, mind, and soul for you as well as encouragement that you DO change lives! I’ve seen it time and time again and we have only been New Lifer’s for less than 2 years. Just keep doing what you are doing! We love it. 🙂 And we are blessed to be able to have moved to Colorado Springs so that we can be part of your family.
Lots of love and blessings, friend.
Leslie Couch
April 25, 2011 at 8:15 am
Pastor Brady,
It breaks my heart to know that people are eager to criticize God’s man after he ministers to God’s people. Know this too though….many of us were and are lifting you up in prayer. May we be more vocal with our gratitude, admiration and appreciation of all that you do for God’s Kingdom than your critics who offer their dissent.
A life touched by yours,
Justin
April 25, 2011 at 9:12 am
Pastor Brady –
Well said!
The service was so wonderful and the word of God was shared powerfully. The testimony of the “Peter disciple” who’s life has been transformed brought the gospel message to life.
We were sitting in Section 9 / 10 at the 10am service and it was totally packed. The ushers were busily trying to find seats for people – but the entire section was full.
Bottom line – after our family has gone through six weeks of stem cell transplant and chemo with James in Denver – who is now healthy and healed….I did not notice anything except the power of a risen Savior and the opportunity to be out of the hospital and be able to once again attend church – with the tribe we love. Please direct all critics to section 10…we will be happy to “counsel” them. 🙂
George and Steph Henderson
April 25, 2011 at 9:16 am
Hey Pastor Brady,
Thanks for the transparency. Having previously been one of the very people you’re talking about, I’m sorry for their ill timed criticism. When you’re trying to listen with your ears more than your heart, all you hear are empty words. It has nothing to do with what you actually said, they just aren’t able to listen. They take the message out of the message because their attitude is faulty from the beginning. I used to do the same thing, some Sundays were felt great, others not as much. The crazy thing I discovered is when I come to New Life with an open heart and lay any expectations aside, you always say what I need to hear, always. So thank you for that. I think it takes a joint effort to receive the message each week. We have just as much a responsibility to hear as you do to speak. If you’re doing your part than don’t worry about what a small minority has to say about it. So next time it happens just remember, they may be trying to spotlight something about you but the real spotlight is on them. Keep up the great work!!
PS- They might be coming in with high expectations because you’ve knocked their socks off so many times already! If all else fails, picture them in a giant mascot outfit. Usually works for me.
April 25, 2011 at 10:21 am
Dear Brady,
Your prayer ministered to me greatly this morning since I feel like “Fried Spam.” I pray God would continue to bless your ministry and I look forward to your message at Connect in May!
April 25, 2011 at 3:45 pm
I would say that there hasn’t been a Brady Boyd message that hasn’t hit my heart, as being from the heart of God. My brother, my daughter & I think you are speaking only to us. 🙂 You speak the Truths of God and we have been so encouraged since you have been our Pastor! We appreciate your honesty, accuracy & your transparency. You are not on auto-pilot. You’re REAL! Please know that You are making a difference in the way we handle our daily lives. THANK YOU!
April 25, 2011 at 9:39 pm
Pastor Boyd,
My family and I have been attending New Life for just over a year now. We feel blessed by the humility with which you serve God and New Life. Your messages are always clear, meaningful and almost always we have the opportunity to laugh with you or at ourselves. When you become so “professional” as to never make a mistake or mis-speak it will be a loss to those listening. It is because you come to the stage as yourself that my husband and I connect to your words. We are grateful to you for the joy you bring to our lives through your sermons and for inspiring us to follow Christ out the doors and into the world. Thank you!
Karen Boone
May 3, 2011 at 12:13 pm
Thank you from pastors in Denver.