How incredible was Zac Edge’s baptism this past weekend? Marinate on how God is already working through Zac's act of obedience. Let his words minister to you:

"Pastor Derwin,

Thank you & all of transformation church for blessing me! I feel very valued by the TC staff as well as the congregation. This was one of the best days of my life!

I posted my story, with a picture of my baptism on facebook, and sent it to all my friends - WOW! the next day my phone was exploding all day- I had friends texting, calling, and congratulating me all day, several of them even said that they would like to talk to me about what I did in person when we return to school! What a great opportunity this is. I am definetely going to take you up on doing a group study and following the podcast. I would love to bring that group down to transformation one weekend as well.

As a side note: I would personally like to thank you, for you to baptize me meant a lot! I could barely fall to sleep last night because of all that had happened on Sunday, I couldn't contain myself, it was amazing. I walked out of school last year in a drunken haze (literally) but here I stand, at the end of the summer- Transformed! reveling in the glory of God's victory! Thanks a million and God bless you Pastor Derwin!"

Back in 2004, when the Spirit of God birthed Transformation Church (TC) in my heart, I saw Jesus overwhelming people like Zac with His grace.

One gentleman I met with after our 11 a.m. service who witnessed Zac's baptism couldn't even speak because he was overwhelmed by God’s power among us. This is why TC exists, to join Jesus on His mission of transforming lives so they can become a transforming presence in our world.

This past weekend, TC experienced record attendance (nearly 1,100 people) for the fourth weekend out of the last five. Our God is passionate about reaching those who do not know His love personally (Luke 19:10). And we have the privilege of being His voice of hope to a hopeless world.

The space we are leasing next door represents the hope of Jesus. Another 150-200 seats will be made available. Think about it--additional seats that will one day be filled by people who have yet to experience Jesus’ love.

Please join me this week in doing two things:

First, pray and ask God to show you the un-churched people in your circle of influence to invite to TC for our new series: Transformers – Roll Out: Embrace The Life You Were Created For, starting September 11-12, so they can experience a new life in Christ.

Second, financially we need $100,000 to up-fit our new space. Please join me in praying about how much money you and I will sacrificially and generously give beyond our normal giving to meet this financial need.

Transformation Church, please pray for me that I would never lose the wonder and awe of serving you. I’m honored to join you in this adventure.

Transformers – Roll Out,

Pastor Derwin

So, I go see my doctor for my annual physical. Things are going pretty good. I’ve only gained 3 pounds since last year. I explain my weight gain by sharing all the breath-taking acts God is doing in and through Transformation Church (www.tc521.org). Planting a church is tough. I’ve slacked on running, and I’ve been running to food for comfort instead of God (that’s another blog for another time).

My doctor asks me, “How are you sleeping?” And I say, “Pretty good.” Then I say, “I’d sleep better if I didn’t love to fall asleep with the TV on (Don’t worry I have timer that turns it off).” My doctor says, “All sleep experts say no TV or electronics at least 30 minutes before bed.”

Here’s my confession time. As my doctor was communicating to me in his caring doctor kind of way, I was looking at him and thinking, “I am not listening to you. And I will not turn the TV off! I’ve been going to bed with the TV on ever since I could remember. No matter how right you are I’m not going to do it.”

Then it hit me. “I wonder how many people listening to me preach every weekend and through Transformation Church's podcasts say, “Pastor Derwin, I know what you are saying is good for me. But I am not going to give up porn, bitterness, greed, or unhealthy relationships. I’ve been doing it for years. No matter how right you are I am not going to give it up.”

My doctor is right. So I’m turning the TV off 30 minutes before bed. A better rested Derwin means a more productive Derwin. God has entrusted me with the best wife on earth, two incredible kids, and over 1,000 amazing people I am called to lead named Transformation Church. I want to be the best I can be. So NFL Network, 30 minutes before bed, I’m turning you off.

So what about you? God knows what's best for you. Are you going to let Him take away whatever is preventing you from being all that He has created you to be? God is your source of strength. . . Let Him do it. Just hand Him the remote, and watch your life be transformed.

Marinate on that,

Pastor Derwin

I recently purchased the new Droid X smartphone. I’m not into flashy or cool (although it is both flashy and cool). At this stage of my life as a pastor, husband, father, and author, I need a smartphone that is going to make me more effective with my time. I want my life to count so I have to steward my time well. The Droid X smartphone helps me do that.

The more the Droid X helps me live a more effective life, the more I find myself wanting others to share in my experience. I could be at the coffee shop, at the YMCA, at the airport, or in conversation after one of our three weekend services at Transformation Church. It doesn’t matter. I figure, “If the Droid X can help me, it can help others also.”

Whatever brings you and me satisfaction, we will naturally want to invite others to participate in it. The exact same principle is true when it comes to sharing our faith. When you and I become satisfied in God’s love through Jesus, “which is better than life” (Psalms 63:3), we want to invite others to participate in His life-transforming love.

At Transformation Church (TC), where I have the honor of serving as founding and lead pastor, I often tell the Transformers, “If I do my job of preaching a high and lofty view of Jesus and His wondrous grace, I should never have to tell you to invite people to TC. His transformation of your life and the satisfaction you have in Him will compel you to invite others to share in your satisfaction (2 Corinthians 5:14).”

By God’s enabling Spirit, Transformation Church has quintupled in size to over 1,000 people since our launch on February 7, 2010. Why? One of the reasons is because the Transformers can’t help but invite others to experience the life-transforming grace of Jesus.

I want to encourage you to take some time, and “in view of God’s mercy,” (Romans 12:1) remember what Jesus has done for you in His perfect life, atoning death on the cross, and His eternal-life-giving resurrection. And out of that satisfaction, invite those in your circle of influence to experience Jesus at the local church you serve.

Marinate on that,

Pastor Derwin

I was greeting people at the end of one of our three weekend services at Transformation Church (www.tc521.org), when some teary-eyed parents of a teen walked up to me. They said they were at Transformation Church that day because their daughter, a junior in high school, invited them. How awesome is that! A teen getting her parents to come to worship with her; and she came to TC on the arms of some of her school friends.

God has blessed us at TC to have a congregation full of teenagers who are vital participants in the great things God is doing in our midst. In weekend services, we do not segregate our youth into a youth group. They worship as adults (on Sunday nights, we do have teen small groups). Why? Because we believe in a culture of inclusion that involves our teens in every facet of ministry at TC. Our teens serve on the hospitality team, worship team, production team, outreach team, and children’s ministry team.

A culture of inclusion informs and transforms our teens into believing that they are the church of now! Not the church of tomorrow! We believe God can and will do great things through our teens now. We challenge and equip them to light up darkness! We challenge and equip them to transform their schools and influence their friends.

Teens are finding purpose and passion in seeing and experiencing that they are the Church of now. They are hungering to be included. Our teens are more than capable. Our teens are a sleeping giant ready to be awakened. And you best believe Satan wants us adults to keep giving them spiritual sleeping pills because He knows the damage they can cause His Kingdom of darkness.

I suggest that students are leaving the church because they are rejecting a culture of fear and a culture of exclusion. Let’s join the Holy Spirit in creating cultures of courage and inclusion.

Marinate on this testimony from a teenager at TC:

Pastor Derwin,

It has been a true blessing to be able to be a part of this church. My world has been turned upside down. This summer has marked a monumental time of transformation in my life. I have fully committed my life to Christ this summer, and it would be an honor to be baptized in the place and around the people that have been such a huge influence in God's transformation of me. I feel equipped with what I need to face the devil. I, as well as many others in my age range, agree that a Sunday morning service used to be a long and boring hour that was dreaded every week. NOT AT TRANSFORMATION CHURCH! This place is awesome! I have never been able to worship like I have here, and when I think of a sermon on Sunday morning now, it is something I eagerly await and love every bit.

All glory to God!

Just Marinating,

Pastor Derwin

Graduation Evacuation!

Christian teens are leaving the church in droves after they graduate high school!

As Church leaders, we give reasons why this is happening. We point to the need of apologetics and sound theology. Which I agree, our students, as well as adults, need sound theology and apologetics.

I suggest two other reasons our teens are leaving the church: a culture of fear and a culture of exclusion.

Our teens are sick and tired, as well as uninspired, by lame prayers like this: “Lord Jesus, please protect little Jonny at high school today from all those bad kids who curse and have premarital sex. And please keep him safe from the evil biology teacher that teaches evolution. And please keep them safe from the bad world. And Lord, please rapture us so we can leave this god-forsaken dark place. In Jesus’ name, Amen.” (Okay, I’m going overboard . . . but you get the point).

Prayers with this kind of flavoring make Jesus seem like a wimp!

Prayers like this make it seem as though Jesus did not drop kick Satan and defeat demonic forces through His perfect life, sacrificial death, and glorious resurrection (Colossians 2:13-15)!

If Jesus is risen, and be best assured He is, He is not a cold, dead corpse in a tomb! He is our risen Lord, ruling and reigning in His universe at the right of hand of His Papa! Maybe our prayers for our teens should be like this: “Lord Jesus, because you have defeated Satan, and because your Spirit indwells my teenager; unleash him today to crash into and run over the gates of hell. Thank you Jesus, that today my child is going to light up the darkness. In your name, Amen!”

Our teens are not interested in living in a culture of fear! Followers of Christ, why are we so afraid of the world? Jesus is victorious, isn’t He? He now sends us into the world to be agents of transformation (John 17:18).

Our teens want to follow a Jesus that will empower them to be courageous risk-takers for the story and glory of God!

Catch you on Friday for the rest of my thoughts.

Just Marinating,

Pastor Derwin

How valuable is a person’s life?

How we answer that question will determine how we live. It will shape how we view the purpose of our jobs, how students view the purpose of school, and even in how we spend the money God has loaned us to manage.

This question is a game changer.

People are so valuable that God our Papa sent His Son Jesus, who, by the way, is Heaven’s most precious gift to earth, to rescue and save humanity from sin, death, and evil. Through Jesus, one day even creation will be restored to its original purpose (Colossians 1:19-20; Romans 8:21-26; Revelation 21:4).

When you and I become aware of how much people matter to God, people will begin to matter much to us. Marinate on these ancient words from John 3:16-17 ESV,

© “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him.”

Two thousand years ago, Jesus was sent on a mission trip to invite humanity into a new Way to live, to believe His mind-transforming Truth, and to live from His eternal–kind-of-Life (John 14:6). But that was two thousand years ago, how does Jesus do that today? He continues His mission by sending His followers, who are His Church. Jesus sends His Holy-Spirit-enabled people. The church is God’s missionary movement. Marinate on Jesus’ words to His Church, “As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world” (John 17:18 ESV).

As you go to your mission field--which may be your 11^th grade English class, or your Tuesday afternoon Zumba class, or your job at Bank of America--remember “Prayer, Care, Share.”

Prayer. Before you talk to people about Jesus, talk to Jesus about people.

Care. Before people care what you have to say, they need to know that you care about them.

Share. Before you think I am saying that you need to be the next Billy Graham, chill for a moment. Simply share your story as the opportunity presents itself.

How valuable is a person’s life? So valuable that God has given His Church the privilege of joining Him on a mission to rescue and save humanity from sin, death, and evil.

Transformer – Roll Out!

Pastor Derwin

A few weeks ago, at one of our weekend worship experiences at Transformation Church, a gentleman gave me a gift. Here’s the scene: I was greeting guests and hugging on the Transformer Nation, and then this gentleman shocked me. Instead of shaking my hand, he placed his watch in it. Now, this is not just any kind of watch. This is a niiiiice watch. This is the kind of watch that I could only dream about wearing because it’s out of my price range and budget.

I was like, “What are you doing? Why did you hand me your watch?” He was like, “As you were preaching, God told me to give you my watch.” I was like, “No. I can’t accept this!” And he was like, “I want to bless you.” Then he walked away as I stood speechless.

I was very uncomfortable about receiving this gift. I felt like I needed to do something to earn such a gift. I was so blown away that I just kept asking people, “What am I supposed to do with this gift?" Finally, someone said, “Pastor, just wear it.” And so I did.

Here’s the deal: God’s grace is more amazing than we realize. Did you know that for 33 years, Jesus lived a perfect life fulfilling the Ten Commandments because you and I could not (Matthew 5:17)?

Did you know that Jesus died on the cross and took all of our sin and unrighteousness and gave us His perfect righteousness as a gift, declaring us not only forgiven, but perfectly righteous in God our Papa’s sight (2 Corinthians 5:21)?

Did you know that when Jesus rose from the dead He gave us His resurrection life so we have a new source of power to live life from today (Romans 5:17; Romans 6:10-11)?

And He did all of this mind-blowing work as a free gift for us to wear. I know. I know. We want to do something to earn it, right? That’s called religion. Religion wants to earn God’s love and acceptance, and it tries unsuccessfully to become righteous through working to be good enough (how good is “good enough” anyway?). Religion cannot reach God. But God did reach us.

Hey friend, just wear it. Better yet. Just wear Him and let Him live through you today.

“You were all baptized into Christ, and so you were all clothed with Christ” (Galatians 3:27 NLT)

Transformers – Roll Out!

Pastor Derwin