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Freedom!
Jacob Schmelzer
July 04, 2023
Happy 4th of July!
Today is a day about freedom…
And hotdogs, fireworks, bald eagles, fighter jet flyovers, and Chuck Norris roundhouse kicks!
Basically it’s an all-around AWESOME day.
At least for us Americans…
But if you’re a friend of freedom c’mon and celebrate with us!
Here’s the deal…
What’s even better than being American is belonging to the Kingdom of God!
Because in Christ we are truly FREE.
Free from sin, sorrow, and shame.
We have a new identity.
Fresh purpose.
And a heavenly destiny.
That’s a HUGE part of the Gospel.
And preaching that clearly will lead to a fresh wave of growth and breakthrough at your church!
Let’s talk about that for a second…
Did you know most Christians believe in an incomplete gospel?
Yes…it’s true.
Most Christians believe in the gospel of “how to get to heaven when you die.”
And that’s a true message!
Because, yes of course, Jesus saves us from eternity separated from God and offers us eternal life with God…
But that’s only half the benefit package!
Look at what Paul says in Ephesians 1.
He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins.
Amazing!
Not only did Christ forgive our sins…He purchased our freedom!
As Paul later expands in Ephesians 2…our disobedience made us slaves of the devil…
That’s why Jesus had to redeem us.
His blood paid the price for our freedom.
And then on top of that He forgave our sins to make us right with God.
That’s the part most Christians understand and believe.
But they often neglect the FREEDOM Christ provides us.
This freedom means hell has no hold on us!
And it’s a powerful benefit of the Gospel.
Here’s what happens when you begin to preach freedom AND forgiveness…
Your church becomes DANGEROUS to the devil!
Epic right?
But it’s 100% true.
When your church understands freedom it leads to a full-hearted pursuit of everything God intended for them to have.
Imagine this…
You get a letter in the mail letting you know about a long lost relative that died and left you an estate in England worth 20 million dollars…(haha…not a scam in this imaginary case…)
You simply need to fly to London and visit the lawyer (or barrister for my friends across the pond) to claim your money.
If it’s legit you’re on a plane the next day…right?
I know I am!
When you’re entitled to a HUGE reward you get after it in a hurry…
And when we start to understand and truly believe in the freedom and flourishing Jesus provides for us…we get after it in a hurry!
Want to see your church people break free of sin, shame, and discouragement?
Want to see them become unstoppable gospel sharing machines?
Want to see them invite everyone around them church?
Preach freedom.
Freedom from sin.
Freedom from shame.
Freedom from bondage.
Freedom in finances.
Freedom from addiction.
Freedom in family.
FREEDOM!
Run and you'll live – at least a while. And dying in your beds many years from now, would you be willing to trade all the days from this day to that for one chance, just one chance to come back here and tell our enemies that they may take our lives, but they'll never take our freedom!
Alright, that’s all I have for you today.
Later this week I’m sending some power-packed, strategic, highly practical information for premium subs.
So to celebrate the 4th I’m offering a BIG sale on the Leader Letter Premium edition!
If you’re not a premium sub you’re missing out on a TON of content I provide each and every week including video deep dives of the most popular and helpful issues on church growth, personal leadership, and team building.
So, to make it a little extra spicy I’m offering a DEEP discount on annual memberships.
Happy 4th!
Talk soon,
Pastor Jake
Free Resources
Here’s a couple of cool FREE resources I’ve come across that I wanted to share with you!
1) FREE Book - The Story Grid: How to Write Stories Readers Will Love
Click here to get it. (page might take a few seconds to load)
Telling better stories means being a better communicator and inspiring people to change and grow!
3) How to write, publish, and earn $10k from your first book.
Great resource from Nathan Barry (the creator of ConvertKit). I know so many pastors have a book inside them and need some help/encouragement getting it out into the world! Nathan teaches a great method for finishing and releasing your book.
Recommended Tools:
Here are some of the best tools I use for business and ministry!
1) Email Newsletter Software - Beehiiv
Want to start your own newsletter? For church communication, leadership development, discipleship, or something else? Beehiiv is my go-to tool. I use it everyday and it works great. Totally FREE up to 2500 subscribers!
2) Group Software - Skool
Skool is hands down the simplest, easiest, and BEST group software available right now. I use it for UpLevel Leader coaching and it’s fantastic. Community. Classroom. Calendar.