VERVE

I really am going to talk about Verve but stay with me for a bit while I lay some groundwork...

I moved to Las Vegas in July of 2002. We lived in these cheesy apartments on Arville and Twain. I remember one day when I was sitting in the Jacuzzi (which looking back on now was probably a health hazard) I asked God why in the world he would bring me here to this god forsaken place. I hated it! And then almost simultaneously I could feel my spirit quicken with God's response, "People need the Lord here too." That was a pivotal, though not permanent, paradigm shift for me.

The next seven years was a journey in the wilderness for me. There have been ignition experiences of passionate purpose and sputtering wipeouts when my ministry purpose was a complete mystery. The lost of this city, the hopelessness that surrounds especially the strip, has always squeezed my heart a little more poignantly than the suburbs. I remember a time when I had a group of teenagers who committed a year of their lives to go to the strip every Saturday night and minister to people working on one block of the boulevard. One night when we were sitting on the wall at the MGM, staring at the golden idol, I said to them, "Do you believe it is possible that God could plant a church in every casino on the strip? Wouldn't that be amazing? What if one day Sin City became Saved City like Nineveh?" They all said there was no way that would ever happen. But why not?

In fact, this morning I remembered that event because I went to church in a casino. A dark little theatre in the little known casino, Greek Isles. There were a handful of people there, some food in the back, a bed sheet clipped to the black stage curtains for a screen. The pastor, Vince Antonucci,  is also a professional stand-up comedian and entrepreneur. His idea of a church plant is like very few others I have heard about. This is not his first church plant. He had a big church in Virginia Beach before coming here.

So I meet Vince's wife, Jen and she introduces me to Vince. He is genuinely the most kick-back, down to earth, unpretentious person I have ever met.  In my experience, most lead pastors have an air about them. You are pretty sure who is king before you even meet them, and your a little nervous about starting a conversation. Vince is real, he is smart, he is driven, and he is fearless.

So let me see if I can encapsulate today's gathering. The group of people that met today are the core people of this church plant. The building they will meet in is being finished. The kick-off will be March 14th. Their building will be called The Venue and it will house the two Sunday and one Monday night services for the church. During the week and weekend The Venue will be available for groups to rent out for concerts, comedy shows, etc. That seems like such great outreach and great stewardship all in one.

After Vince gave the announcements and updates on the progress of the building and the kick-off day we went to worship. Dude (yes I said, dude) it was awesome. Two guitars and a jambe it was like MTV unplugged quality stuff. It wasn't long enough though, only two songs. They are learning songs together before the church kicks off. I had only heard the songs a couple of times myself but I liked the words and  the untraditionalness of their approach.

Then we had a message. Let me see if I can give you a synopsis cuz it was a message we need to hear Christian:
Christians tend to find ways to have safe worship experiences away from the world. 
Christ did not design us for isolation but for infiltration. 
What got you into Christianity in the first place was "faith" which is "risk" but then we try and find "safe" so we don't have to risk anymore.


Heb 11:6 without faith it is impossible to please God. God wants us to continue to risk for His kingdom. In Matthew there is the story of the stewards that are given money to steward while the master is gone. The one who plays it safe is called a fool.


In Acts the first pastors, Peter and John were chosen because they had risked their lives for the gospel.


The main idea is this: Potential Return is what will help us overcome our fear - it determines what we will risk. Will I go into a burning house to save a goldfish? Probably not but I will if my child is in there. The potential return is a much bigger motivator than my own personal safety. We don't fully understand the blessings and future we have in Christ so we do not risk.

I believe God is going to use this ministry in mighty ways to reach the unreached of Las Vegas. They may be unconventional (I don't even like that word - it's so subjective) What is "convention" anyway? Another word for playing safely inside the box? I am praying God will direct and provide and use them.

So I left and was driving down the strip and I remembered the conversation I had with my youth a few years back and I had the vision of a match being dropped onto kindling in the middle of a dry, brittle city. The conditions are ripe for a big fire and one spark can change our Nineveh. With God all things are possible!