5/19/26 “How To Engage Your Neighbor and Win Them For Christ” Pt. 4 Bishop Michael L. Henderson, Sr.

Added: 2026-05-27

[00:01:59]Mhm.

[00:03:54]>> Mhm.

[00:05:49]>> Mhm.

[00:06:27]>> fellowship and worship with brothers and sisters. So, for that we are grateful.

[00:06:32]We want to just welcome our internet audience as well and wherever you are streaming from, we pray that the Lord will meet you and bless you as well.

[00:06:42]Amen. And so, if we're physically able, we're going to just invite everybody to stand. Hallelujah.

[00:06:49]The Lord is good.

[00:06:52]Yes, the Lord is good.

[00:06:56]The Lord is good.

[00:06:59]In every season and every way, the Lord is good. So, let's pray together.

[00:07:05]Father, we love you so much.

[00:07:08]We appreciate you, oh God.

[00:07:10]We realize that we would be absolutely nothing if it weren't for you in our lives. And so, for the gift of salvation, we say thank you.

[00:07:21]Thank you, oh God, for just your peace, your joy, your provision, your protection. God, for all that you are to us, we say thank you. Thank you, Lord.

[00:07:33]Thank you for the very breath we breathe at this very moment. Thank you, Lord.

[00:07:39]Thank you, oh God, for this house and thank you for our brothers and our sisters that we can get the opportunity and the privilege to worship together.

[00:07:49]Thank you Lord. Thank you for our Bishop. God, thank you for this man of God who you've given to us as a gift from you. Hallelujah to pour into our lives. Thank you Lord. Thank you for First Lady as well God and the gift that she is. God, we pray that you bless her and for MJ and God, we thank you for all that we see. When we see him, we thank you for all that we see. Hallelujah. The miracle that he is and Father, we thank you for those that work and labor here at New Beginnings. Lord, we don't ever want to exclude them but God, we pray that you continue to just fortify them.

[00:08:31]Continue to encourage them. Continue to lift them up in the name of Jesus.

[00:08:37]Hallelujah. And God, bless our time today at Bible study. We thank you that you're already here.

[00:08:45]Oh yes, you are and we give you glory and we give you honor and we give you praise.

[00:08:52]In Jesus' name.

[00:08:54]Amen. Amen. Amen.

[00:08:58]Hallelujah. Hallelujah.

[00:09:00]Hallelujah.

[00:09:02]Let's shift a little bit. Amen.

[00:09:06]Hallelujah cuz the Lord is good.

[00:09:10]This is the day. [singing] This is the day that the Lord [singing] has made. That the Lord has made.

[00:09:20][singing] Oh, I will rejoice.

[00:09:24]Yes, I will rejoice and be glad in it.

[00:09:29]Yeah, and be glad in [singing] it. Oh, this is the day that the Lord has made.

[00:09:39]And so, I will rejoice and be glad in it. Oh, this is the day. Yeah, this is the day that the Lord has made. Clap your hands and say that this is the day. Yeah, this is the day that the Lord has made. That the Lord has made. And so, I will rejoice. Yeah, I will rejoice and be glad in it. Yeah, and be glad in it. Oh, this is THE DAY THAT THE LORD has made.

[00:10:28]Hallelujah. I will rejoice and be glad in it.

[00:10:34]Yeah, this is the day. Oh, this is the day that the Lord [singing] has made.

[00:10:45]Clap your hands one more time. Say, this is [singing] the day. That's it, church.

[00:10:50]This is the day that the Lord [singing] has made. That the Lord has made. And so, I will [singing] rejoice. Hey, I will rejoice and be glad [singing] in it. Yeah, and be glad in it. Oh, yeah, this is the day that the Lord has made.

[00:11:17]>> [singing] >> And so, I will rejoice and be glad in it.

[00:11:23]Oh, this is the day. [singing] Yeah, this is the day that the has made. Yeah.

[00:11:35]And I will enter His gates with thanksgiving in my heart.

[00:11:42]I will enter His courts with praise.

[00:11:48]I will say this is the day that the Lord has made. Come on.

[00:11:54]And I will rejoice for He has made me glad.

[00:11:59]I will enter I will enter [singing] His gates with thanksgiving in my heart.

[00:12:06]And I will enter His courts with praise.

[00:12:13]I will say this [singing] is the day that the Lord has made.

[00:12:19]Hey. I will rejoice for He has made me glad.

[00:12:23]He has made me glad.

[00:12:26]He has made me glad.

[00:12:28]Hey. He has made me glad.

[00:12:31]And I will rejoice for He has made me glad.

[00:12:37]Hey. He has made me glad.

[00:12:41]He has made [singing] me glad.

[00:12:44]And I will rejoice for He has made me glad. Come on. I will enter I will enter [singing] His gates with thanksgiving in my heart.

[00:12:56]I will enter His courts with praise.

[00:13:02]I will say this [singing] is the day that the Lord has made.

[00:13:08]And I will rejoice for [singing] He has made me glad. Has the Lord made anybody glad? Come on. Tell them. He has made me glad.

[00:13:17]Yeah. He has made me glad.

[00:13:20]And I will rejoice for He has made me glad.

[00:13:26]Yeah. He has made me glad.

[00:13:30]He has [singing] made me glad.

[00:13:32]And I will rejoice for [music] he has made me glad. Put your hands together right here, and I want you for 30 seconds just think about something the Lord has done for you recently.

[00:13:44]Huh, come on. Think about how good God has been to you recently.

[00:13:49]Hallelujah. Somebody he's touched your body and you can identify that that was a healing TOUCH FROM THE LORD AND HE DID IT RECENTLY. HALLELUJAH. So we COME IN HIS HOUSE AND WE SAY THAT HE HAS made me He has [singing] made me glad.

[00:14:06]He has made me glad. And I will rejoice for he has made me glad.

[00:14:15]He has made me glad.

[00:14:18]He has made me glad.

[00:14:21]And I will rejoice for he has made me glad.

[00:14:25]Oh, he has made He has made me glad.

[00:14:31]He has made me glad. [singing] And I will rejoice for he [music] has made me glad.

[00:14:40]He has made me glad.

[00:14:43]He has made me [singing] glad.

[00:14:45]And I will rejoice for [music] he has made me glad.

[00:14:53]Anybody love Jesus?

[00:14:56]Anybody appreciate the fact that he's turned your morning INTO DANCING?

[00:15:02]HUH, GLORY TO GOD. HE'S GIVEN US JOY even in times of sorrow.

[00:15:07]He's made us glad. So we come in his house and and it's our response to his goodness. We come in with praise. I will enter his gates with thanksgiving in my heart.

[00:15:22]Hallelujah. I will enter his courts with praise AND OUT OF MY MOUTH I will say this is the day that the Lord has made.

[00:15:34]Somebody lift your hand and say I will.

[00:15:36]I'll be the one. I will rejoice.

[00:15:39]Hallelujah. You are here moving in our [singing] midst.

[00:15:47]I worship you.

[00:15:51]I worship you. [singing] Yeah. You are here moving in this [singing] place.

[00:16:03]I worship you.

[00:16:06]Glory. I worship you. [singing] Come on, you are here. You are here moving moving [singing] in our midst.

[00:16:19]I worship you.

[00:16:22]Yeah. I worship [singing] you. You are here. You are here moving moving [singing] in this place.

[00:16:34]Yeah. I worship [singing] you.

[00:16:38]Hallelujah. I worship you. You are here you [singing and music] are here moving moving in our midst.

[00:16:50]I worship [singing] you.

[00:16:53]Come on, let's do it. I worship you. You are here you [singing] are here moving in this place. Moving in this place.

[00:17:06]I worship [singing] you.

[00:17:09]Glory. I worship you.

[00:17:14]You are our waymaker, miracle [singing] worker, promise keeper, light in the darkness, my God, that is who [singing] you are.

[00:17:29]Yes, he is my waymaker, miracle worker, promise [singing] keeper, light in the darkness, [music] my God, that is who you are.

[00:17:44]You are here >> Come on. You are [music and singing] here moving moving in our midst.

[00:17:53]I worship you.

[00:17:55]>> [singing] >> Yeah. I worship you.

[00:17:59]>> You are here You are here moving in moving [singing and music] in this place.

[00:18:08]I worship you.

[00:18:10]>> [singing] >> That's why we're here. I worship you.

[00:18:13]You are here >> [screaming] >> You are [music and singing] here >> touching every heart touching every heart.

[00:18:23]I worship [singing] you.

[00:18:25]Thank you, God. I worship you. You are here You are [music] here turning lives turning lives around.

[00:18:38]I worship [singing] you.

[00:18:41]Hallelujah. I worship you.

[00:18:45]You are my waymaker, miracle worker, promise keeper, light in the darkness, [singing] my God, that is who you are.

[00:19:00]Lord, to me you're my waymaker, miracle [singing] worker, promise keeper, light in the [music] darkness, my God, that is who you [singing] are. Come on, think about it and tell him, "Lord, [crying] you are mine."

[00:19:18]Way maker, miracle [singing] worker, promise [music] keeper, light in the darkness, my God, that is who you are.

[00:19:30]You've been that to me. You're mine. Way maker, miracle [singing] worker, promise [music] keeper, light in the darkness, my God, [singing] that is who you are.

[00:19:44]You are here. You [singing and music] are here.

[00:19:48]Moving. Moving in our midst. Yeah.

[00:19:53]I worship [singing] you.

[00:19:55]>> Aren't you grateful the Lord is moving on your behalf even right at this moment? Tell him, "You are here." You are [singing] here.

[00:20:03]Moving in this place. Moving [music] in this [singing] place.

[00:20:08]I worship you.

[00:20:11]Yes, God. I worship [singing] you.

[00:20:14]You are here. You are here. Touching every heart. Touching [singing and music] every heart.

[00:20:23]I worship [singing] you.

[00:20:26]Yes, I do. I worship you. You are here.

[00:20:31]You are [singing and music] here.

[00:20:33]Turning lives. Turning lives around.

[00:20:39]I worship you.

[00:20:41]Yes, God. I worship [singing] you.

[00:20:47]You are mine. Way maker, [singing] miracle worker, promise [music] keeper, light in [singing] the darkness, my God, that is who you are.

[00:21:00]Yes, God, you are mine. Way maker, miracle [singing] worker, promise [music] keeper, light in the darkness, my God, [music] that is [singing] who you are.

[00:21:15]Tell him, Lord, you are mine.

[00:21:18]Way maker, [singing] miracle worker, promise keeper, light [singing] in the darkness, my God, that is who you are.

[00:21:30]And you've been that to me, you're mine.

[00:21:33]Way maker, miracle [singing] worker, promise keeper, light in the darkness, my God, that is who you are.

[00:21:45]Come on, sing those words to him. Lord, you are mine. Way maker, miracle worker, promise keeper, light in the darkness, my God, that is who you are.

[00:22:00]And you'll always be mine. Way maker, miracle [singing] worker, promise keeper, light in [music] the darkness, my God, that is who you are.

[00:22:16]>> [singing] >> That is who you are.

[00:22:20]That is who you are.

[00:22:23]That is [singing] who you are.

[00:22:27]That is who you are.

[00:22:30]>> [singing] >> You are my way. Way maker, miracle [singing] worker, promise keeper, light in the darkness, my God, that is who you are.

[00:22:46]Would you give our God some praise? He is He is a way maker.

[00:22:52]A miracle worker.

[00:22:54]A promise keeper.

[00:22:56]That's who he is. And that's who we celebrate him as.

[00:23:01]Oh, give him glory in the house today.

[00:23:06]Yeah, God, that's who that's who that's who that's who you are.

[00:23:12]Can we go to the Lord in prayer? Father, thank you for being just that.

[00:23:18]A promise keeper, a miracle worker, light in a dark place.

[00:23:24]God, that's who you are.

[00:23:27]We thank you that you are the God who has all power, all authority.

[00:23:34]God, you have all knowledge and all wisdom.

[00:23:38]And God, we thank you that you have been good to us.

[00:23:42]That you've been better to us than we could ever be to ourselves.

[00:23:46]We glorify you today in this place, and we look forward to you speaking to this your people. We know that you are God.

[00:23:57]We know that you are God not sometimes, not part-time, but that you are God all the time.

[00:24:03]And all the time you are God. And so God, we give we ask you now to envelop [music] us, visit us.

[00:24:12]God, engulf us in your presence. For where the presence of the Lord is, where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. There's freedom.

[00:24:22]God, we thank you for the freedom of your power in your presence in this place.

[00:24:30]We look forward to what you continue to do, open this word [music] to us, and speak to us.

[00:24:37]And God, give us your direction, and may the words of our mouths and the meditations of our heart all be acceptable in your sight. Oh Lord, our God and our creator. This and many other blessings we thank you for, and we ask it in the matchless [music] name of Jesus.

[00:24:58]And all of the people of God together said, Come on, let's give him praise, family.

[00:25:04]Come on, let's give him praise.

[00:25:07]Oh, come on, let's open up our mouths in the sanctuary and let's bless the name of the Lord.

[00:25:14]For the name of the Lord IS A STRONG TOWER. MY GOD, AND THE RIGHTEOUS run to that name. Amen.

[00:25:23]Amen. Before you sit down, just greet two or three people and tell them it's good to see you in the house.

[00:25:30]Amen.

[00:25:35]Thank you so much.

[00:25:37]Thank you so much.

[00:25:39]Amen.

[00:25:41]God bless you all. Hey, listen, it's good to be back in this house again as we are back at another Bible study as we are looking at the truths that are found in God's word. Amen. Amen. Uh uh last week we started on uh uh our lesson on pain points, but we couldn't get through it cuz we just kind of flowed last week.

[00:26:05]I hope you brought back your handout, and if you didn't, amen, thank you for bringing them back. If you didn't, raise your hand, we want to get one to you cuz if you don't have one, you need one.

[00:26:16]Amen.

[00:26:17]Amen cuz we got we're covering it a lot and have a lot of information. How many know that God admonishes us as his people to learn uh and to and to build upon precept by precept. Amen. And so, that's that's what we're doing. And so, we are in we're in a teaching that I believe is revolutionary, a greater witness. Somebody say a greater witness.

[00:26:47]I am how to engage your neighbor and win them uh to Jesus. And we talked about this thing called tips. Can you say tips?

[00:26:56]It's an acronym that simply uh simply means that we want to learn how to engage. It's trust, interest, and today we want to deal with pain points. Now, let me just share with you how important it is for you and I to be engaging people who all the time who are who are unsaved, unchurched, and who are what the Bible calls lost. Somebody say lost.

[00:27:23]The Bible says, "He that wins souls is wise." And so, we're we're we're gaining wisdom. Hear me now. We're gaining wisdom because we're we're learning how to engage people who may not know Jesus.

[00:27:39]And so, today we are going to deal with pain points. And I want you to go go in your handout there to the pain points.

[00:27:47]You can see it up on the screen. And here's here's what we want to go on our next slide.

[00:27:52]Focus on when you are engaging your neighbors, your relatives, your friends, your coworkers, amen, people that you encounter. Focus on conversations and questions for discerning, hear me, the pain points and the challenges others have and have and identify with those pain points wherever we authentically can. This is a This is a lot, but all it's saying is that Hey Hey, y'all. Life is full of swift transitions.

[00:28:27]Y'all know it. And we all have pain in our lives. There's There's not a person living I There's not a person living as a result of the fall of sin of man and sin. We all go through very painful places and spaces. And some of us do a better job of hiding or camouflaging our pain, but all of us have pain.

[00:28:51]Amen.

[00:28:52]And so what we want to do is learn how to identify people's pain points. And so you start you start in conversations just talking to people. Of course, we've talked about building uh and I and I got off on this last time. We talked about building trust. It means showing up sane.

[00:29:10]Somebody say sane.

[00:29:12]It means that we don't you know order to be a Christian you don't have to be wild and crazy, you know, and that. You you you can be relatable. Just being consistently sane this that's underrated, y'all. Sa- sanity is underrated.

[00:29:26]Amen. And if you're not sane, we got some help. We got a counseling center.

[00:29:30]We got some places you can come get some help so you can get sane. Amen.

[00:29:35]Hallelujah, Jesus. Amen. Nothing worse than people representing Jesus and we don't have our right mind.

[00:29:44]Oftentimes in the scripture here it is God what Jesus would heal somebody and the Bible says and that he left them clothed in their right There's something to be said about being in your right mind.

[00:29:59]And with all of the pressures that we are living under, y'all, sanity cannot be taken lightly. And you if you don't if you feel your mind is is not there, just ask the Lord to help you because he will help you get your mind right. Amen. Look at your neighbor and tell him get your mind right. Amen.

[00:30:21]And then >> [laughter] >> Yes, yes, yes, get your mind right. And so then we learn hey that that we have interest interest. Everybody has interest. And you talk about your interests and you you deal with your interests and then and then we then we as as as we're building trust there and we learn their interests, then we go to talking about our stories. And you you talk about stories and you hear and listen for their stories and the the pain points of their stories. Next slide. People are most open to change when their lives are not working and their pain is high.

[00:31:02]This is the most Listen, this is the most open people are in our our nation right now because y'all we're living in a mess.

[00:31:15]Did you just hear what I said? We we It's a mess out here.

[00:31:20]And I need you to hear this. People are hurting, people are confused, people are are struggling because of what we are living through in these yet to be United States of America.

[00:31:35]Talk to me now.

[00:31:37]Talk to me.

[00:31:38]You've got to understand something.

[00:31:41]That Here's what Jesus said.

[00:31:46]In this world in this world in this world in this world you and I shall have tribulation.

[00:32:02]Oh God, I thank you.

[00:32:04]That's a part of living, y'all. And people But he says, "Be of good cheer."

[00:32:10]In other words, don't let the tribulation take you out. Be of good cheer for I have overcome. My God.

[00:32:19]Anybody know that as believers we are overcomers?

[00:32:24]Say.

[00:32:25]And and and listen, it does not mean we don't go through pain.

[00:32:31]It means we have, watch this, help to overcome our tribulation and our pain spaces. That's what people need to hear from us, y'all. That regardless of what you have gone through in your life, UH THERE'S A HELPER and he will help you.

[00:32:51]So, we're living in a high this high this high anxiety this high pain right now. There is people people uh are all over the place. It reminds me of one of an R&B song. Uh many many years ago, y'all don't know anything about this The Temptations.

[00:33:10]People moving in, people moving out high because of the color of the skin.

[00:33:17]High Y'all y'all don't know it. Don't worry about it. Don't even worry about it.

[00:33:21]That's before your time. Yeah. But it they they talked about a ball of confusion.

[00:33:29]Y'all, we're living in that time right now. They were prophetic. There's a ball of confusion out here and people are in pain.

[00:33:40]And yet God has given us the answers.

[00:33:43]Ooh God.

[00:33:46]The Bible says he'll he'll exchange garments for us.

[00:33:51]Isaiah tells us this that he'll take the spirit of heaviness.

[00:33:56]Ooh God, how many of y'all know he will do that?

[00:34:00]And give you a garment Yeah yeah yeah. In the midst of your stuff, your God will take HEAVINESS AND REPLACE it with praise.

[00:34:13]And we need to be able listen to relate to people who are in pain.

[00:34:20]Amen.

[00:34:22]Who don't have the great exchange that we have.

[00:34:26]And to talk to them about it.

[00:34:28]So then, here it is. Discern people's pain points and challenges. Hear me.

[00:34:35]Identify with them to the degree you can.

[00:34:38]Share your own pain points and how God has met you in your weakness.

[00:34:43]That That's That's That's That's That's That's That's all See, none of this is None of this take takes a theological degree to do.

[00:34:52]None of this takes None of this takes an advanced Bible course. All this is is you allowing the Holy Spirit to put you in front of people and you just have conversations. We make this thing more difficult than it is.

[00:35:08]Are y'all hearing me?

[00:35:10]Now, here are a few possibilities that can get in the way of discerning and identifying pain points in the lives of our neighbors, co-workers, friends, etc. Uh first of all, it's hard to be vulnerable. Now, it's hard to be vulnerable for a lot of people.

[00:35:32]But, how many of you know that when God has done something for us, it's dishonoring to him not to be able to share the raw naked truth about what God has done.

[00:35:52]So, you might have to start off sharing your your overcome your your pain and be honest.

[00:35:59]Yeah. See, the the church teaches us how to be kind of fake and phony because just because you're overcomer now, doesn't mean you've always been an overcomer.

[00:36:13]And let us not forget Yeah, let us not forget it that our relatability comes in where we were before we became overcomers.

[00:36:24]Yeah, so before we start talking about how much we've overcome, let's go back to where people are. Talk about when we had not overcome and the reason that we needed to turn to him.

[00:36:37]So then, we you might have to take the first step.

[00:36:41]The risk of asking people about their pain before they let you into their life life at that level. And and and listen, y'all, once you build that trust, it it becomes less of a risk, but it's always a risk because you don't you never know how people going to respond.

[00:36:59]And then, here's what people are dealing with. They do it dealing with the fear of being judged by us.

[00:37:04]Why would anyone want what we have if we are a mess ourselves?

[00:37:14]Listen, people don't need to know about church mess.

[00:37:20]They need to know about what Jesus did to clean up your mess.

[00:37:24]Yeah.

[00:37:26]So let's go on. Let's Let's look at We This is our theme for throughout this teaching.

[00:37:32]Uh the biblical basis for this. People are most open to change when their lives are not working and their pain is high. And it's based on 1 Corinthians chapter 9 19 through 23. Though I am free, Paul says, and belong to no one, I have myself uh I have made myself a slave to everyone to win as many as possible. Now watch this. To the Jew, somebody say to the Jew.

[00:37:57]I became like a Jew to win the Jews. To those under the law, I became like one under the law, though I myself am not under the law.

[00:38:06]So as to win those under the law.

[00:38:10]To those not having the law, I became like one not having the law, though I am not free from God's law, but I'm under Christ's law.

[00:38:22]Y'all get it? So as to win those not having the law.

[00:38:27]To the weak. Somebody say to the weak.

[00:38:29]I became weak to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so by all possible means, watch this, I might save some.

[00:38:43]I do this for the sake of the gospel that I may share in its blessing. What is he saying? What is Paul saying here?

[00:38:51]He's simply saying, family, I discern the environment that I'm in and the culture that I'm in and I make adjustments.

[00:39:04]I don't come with this moralistic high high uh uh road in in in in this that I Well, no, I I've been freed from all that. No, I I If if if if I'm with Jews and they're they're into kosher stuff, I get I can do that. Uh if I'm with people who don't know anything about the law and they're they're eating uh pork, I can do that.

[00:39:40]Yes.

[00:39:42]I can do whatever I need to do cuz I'm not bound. I'm free.

[00:39:47]When you're free, you can you can have a pork chop every now and then.

[00:39:53]Cuz Jews, you know, Jews pork was uh pork was a no-no.

[00:39:57]But Paul, because God had set him free, he would go to the Gentiles and have pork.

[00:40:04]He would have pork because it would not cause him to stand out in a part or look like he was some moralistic person. He would have pork because at the end of the day, why would a pork chop stop me from building a bridge to bring you to Jesus?

[00:40:28]Right.

[00:40:30]No, I I think hear hear me, y'all, cuz people get into all these these extremes.

[00:40:36]Let me tell you what the Bible really teaches about this kind of stuff.

[00:40:40]Moderation.

[00:40:45]Moderation means that I If I'm partaking, I'm not extreme.

[00:40:55]See, we use our freedom to sin.

[00:41:00]Oh, shoot.

[00:41:02]Oh, you don't you don't Y'all Okay, y'all Y'all got real quiet. We use our freedom to sin. How? How?

[00:41:10]Because, hear me, because then we go to the extreme with it.

[00:41:22]So, we have pork chops every day.

[00:41:29]Paul's saying, I can do I can have I can eat pork, I cannot eat pork.

[00:41:35]I can recognize certain uh uh cultural customs, and I cannot. At the end of the day, Paul's saying, my freedom has given me the liberty to move in and out of different cultures and not be bound by any one of them.

[00:41:55]So, what we have to be able to do is look at what we're dealing with, who we're dealing with, and make the adjustments. That's all this is. This is We use the word discernment, but it's common sense, too.

[00:42:12]Right? Why would you go to an Orthodox Jew and bring pork chops? That's That's It's It's common sense.

[00:42:21]It's It's being wise as a serpent and yet gentle as a dove.

[00:42:27]Okay, let's go on. Acts 17, we see here while Paul was waiting for them in Athens. I I I talked I talked about this a little bit. He was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols.

[00:42:39]Now, here's here's this. Here's Here's the picture. Paul walks into Athens and sees all these idols and all of these idols set up for idol worship. Now, we know that the the the 10 Commandments covered covered this.

[00:42:55]You shall have no other gods before me.

[00:42:58]So, now watch what Paul does verse 22 there.

[00:43:01]So, Paul stood in the midst of Aeropagus and said, "Men of Athens, I see that you are very religious in all aspects."

[00:43:12]You see how [snorts] he did He turns that thing around?

[00:43:16]He's He says, "Oh, I see y'all really into religion."

[00:43:21]Now, Paul knows that's not the answer, but he doesn't offend them cuz he's getting ready to educate and school them.

[00:43:29]Watch this now. Old preacher told me this a long time ago. You cannot skin a fish before you catch it.

[00:43:39]That's wisdom.

[00:43:41]You can't skin a fish before you catch it. In other words, y'all, let's stop putting all these stipulations on people who don't know Jesus. And let's get them caught first. Then we can start d- you know, dismantling all of these idols in their life. That's what Paul did. All Paul did was he he did not let their idol worship stop him from telling them the truth.

[00:44:12]Now, some of y'all get visits still from people like the Jehovah Witnesses and stuff like that.

[00:44:19]I used to wouldn't let them in. I let them in now, if they come.

[00:44:24]Cuz I I know the truth.

[00:44:28]And I know exactly where they going go.

[00:44:33]Jesus was a son of God.

[00:44:37]They going to go there.

[00:44:39]They going to go right there.

[00:44:41]And I'm going to show them that that's not what the Bible ask That's their Bible says a, my Bible says the.

[00:44:49]Big difference.

[00:44:51]The cancels a.

[00:44:57]But we we start off with this. And and Paul says, "For while I was passing through and examining the objects of your worship, I also found an altar with the inscription, to an unknown God.

[00:45:11]Therefore, what you worship in ignorance, you don't know the God you worship.

[00:45:16]This I proclaim to you." All he did, you all is said, "Y'all are worshiping this God called the unknown God. I have a God who has a name."

[00:45:27]There is a name that's above every name.

[00:45:32]While y'all worship the unknown God, my God has a name and his name is Yahweh.

[00:45:40]It is the all powerful, the almighty God. None No God can rival him. And so Paul begins to share with them. You see, he didn't lose his audience before he was able to plant some truth.

[00:45:55]Remember what Paul says in uh in uh 1 Corinthians chapter 3, he says, "One watereth, one plants, but God is the one who gives the increase." This may have been a planting moment, but regardless, Paul is putting a seed in them about truth. Now, here's what scripture says about truth. You shall know the truth.

[00:46:16]There's something about truth that when a even if a person is resisting, when you lay that truth out, it they cannot release it anymore. Truth will live in your spirit.

[00:46:31]Cuz it's true.

[00:46:32]The only thing that watch this, the only thing that people who hear truth, they have to intentionally make a conscious decision to ignore the truth or suppress the truth.

[00:46:46]You know what the Bible says in in Romans chapter 1, don't you? The Bible says in Romans chapter 1, he's talking about immoral living and watch this, this whole thing about what happens when people who know the truth suppress it.

[00:47:03]Okay. Okay. Okay. I got to flow a little bit here cuz y'all looking at me strange. Let's go to Romans chapter 1.

[00:47:08]Let's go to Romans chapter 1.

[00:47:11]I have uh How many of you know the Bible is so true?

[00:47:16]It has an answer for everything in principle if not direct, okay? So, if we go to the book of Romans, you know that's in your New Testament, right?

[00:47:26]Go to the book of Romans and let's go to chapter 1 and I think it's right about 18 we want to start.

[00:47:32]And I believe hear me now, I believe Okay, media. Now, the media media's on the day. Praise the Lord. Okay, now, it says, "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against what, y'all?"

[00:47:48]"All ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth." Y'all just heard me say unrighteousness, ungodliness, and evil comes not by people not knowing, but knowing it and suppressing it.

[00:48:09]In other words, I know this, but I'm not going to accept this.

[00:48:15]I'm going to suppress this. Now, when we suppress truth, and you going to run into people a whole lot of people out there who's suppressing truth, look at what happens.

[00:48:27]Who suppress the truth in unrighteousness because that which is known about God, here it is, y'all, is evident within them. Now, wait a minute. Here's what Paul is saying. There's revelation truth that is known about God inside of every one of us.

[00:48:48]Did y'all hear me?

[00:48:49]There's the truth about God inside of every human being cuz every human being has God because God is their creator.

[00:49:01]So, every human being has a the DNA of God in their heart.

[00:49:08]They may not like it, they may not agree with it, they may not want it, but it's the truth.

[00:49:15]Y'all remember these these shows that used to come on years ago and when they would trying to find out who the daddy is?

[00:49:24]Y'all know y'all y'all know Maury and all these shows. And so, watch this now.

[00:49:29]They would have Y'all know it. You watch it. It's crazy stuff, but you watch it.

[00:49:33]Y'all know [clears throat] that they would they would have a two potential sometimes uh baby mamas.

[00:49:43]And then they would have sometimes a potential baby daddy.

[00:49:49]Or they would have a baby daddy and a baby mama.

[00:49:54]Potential.

[00:49:56]So, the baby mama would the baby mama would come on and say uh that he's the daddy and he would be swearing I'm not the dad.

[00:50:08]Ask her about Jimbo.

[00:50:15]And so, they would spend a segment talking about her relationship with Jimbo.

[00:50:21]Y'all Y'all act like y'all don't know what I'm talking about. And so, once once they got that segment out of the way, they would come back to the original accusation about him being the baby daddy.

[00:50:34]They They dramatize the whole show.

[00:50:38]It was hour show. So, but 55 minutes, they dramatize it. And then in the last 5 minutes, they do something they could have done in the first 1 minute. They did a DNA test.

[00:50:54]Cuz DNA don't lie.

[00:50:57]So, so June bug said Jimbo is the daddy.

[00:51:04]They take the DNA test.

[00:51:07]Y'all know in the in the Here's the thing about first two or three segments of the show.

[00:51:11]They would hold up the picture of the baby.

[00:51:15]Y'all know what they would. And then they would hold up the picture of June bug and then Jimbo.

[00:51:23]And they would let you decide whose baby it was.

[00:51:30]Oh God, help us, Jesus.

[00:51:34]So, in the end, the one thing that didn't lie was the DNA.

[00:51:46]They would discover that it was Junebug's baby all along.

[00:51:52]Now, they knew this before the show started.

[00:52:00]Cuz DNA don't lie.

[00:52:04]Watch this, y'all.

[00:52:06]All human beings have God's DNA in them.

[00:52:15]They may not want it, may not accept it, but it's there.

[00:52:21]And guess what?

[00:52:23]When when we are resistant to it, it doesn't make it not true. It did not make it not true that that was Junebug's baby.

[00:52:40]I don't care if he didn't like it. He didn't want it. He's so concerned about Jim Ball and her that he won't accept that's my baby.

[00:52:51]So, he suppressed the truth, y'all, until he couldn't.

[00:52:58]This is what happens in the world we live in.

[00:53:04]Y'all hear me?

[00:53:05]People are made in God's image, and yet you have people saying they don't even believe that there is a God.

[00:53:15]That does not take away from the fact that God is real and his imprint is on their life. Now, let's go on real quickly. Real quickly. The verse 20, "For since the creation of the world, the invisible attributes, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen." So, here's what Here's what Here's what Paul's saying.

[00:53:35]It's in internal, but it's also external. When you look out at creation, don't you know that there's something that created this?

[00:53:45]Now, we can try to not accept that, but that did the we didn't get here just by showing up. There was some kind of creator, right?

[00:53:58]Being understood through through what what has been made, so that they are without excuse. In other words, when we stand before God one day, y'all, that's why it's so important that we tell people the truth, because they're going to have to answer for that, too.

[00:54:12]Now, for even though they knew God, did y'all see that? They knew God.

[00:54:20]They did not honor him as God or give thanks, but they became futile. You know what that word means? Wasteful.

[00:54:28]In their speculations, and their foolish hearts were darkened, professing to be wise, they became what?

[00:54:38]And exchanged the glory of God, here it is, for incorrupt for in the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man, and a birds, and a four-footed animals, and calling, watch this, creatures.

[00:54:56]Isn't that crazy? Here's what Paul's saying, they would rather worship a man-made crafted God than to worship the true creator.

[00:55:10]And here's here's here's what he says, verse 24. Therefore, here's what happens, y'all. This is where people are living A lot of people are living here.

[00:55:18]Therefore, God gave them over. Somebody say get He gave them over.

[00:55:24]In the lust of their hearts to what?

[00:55:27]Impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them.

[00:55:34]So, here is here's what Paul's describing.

[00:55:37]Because of their unwillingness to acknowledge the veracity or the truth of God, God said, "Okay, I'm going to let you be wise in your own mind, and I'm going to give you over to your passions and your lusts."

[00:55:53]I'm going to let you run with it.

[00:55:56]And guess what we got?

[00:55:57]Verse 25.

[00:55:59]For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie. Somebody say a lie.

[00:56:05]And worshiped and served the creature rather than what?

[00:56:10]Who is blessed forever. Now, look at the result of this in verse 26. For this reason, God gave them over to degrading passions. Y'all see that?

[00:56:22]Now, I don't care what peo- how people try to explain this away, cuz I've heard people use all kind of crazy arguments about this text right here. Uh that's Paul, that's not Jesus.

[00:56:33]Uh that's the New Testament. Paul was a Paul Paul was a racist. Paul was a misogynist. Paul All Listen.

[00:56:43]When we don't want the truth, we'll make any excuse not to receive it.

[00:56:49]But he says, "For they this reason, God gave them over to degrading passions.

[00:56:53]For their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural."

[00:56:58]Now, let me tell you what the natural function of a woman who was created in God's image from the very beginning. It was to be with a man.

[00:57:11]That's the nat- That's why when you have a man and a woman, it fits.

[00:57:21]Cuz that's the natural function.

[00:57:24]Watch me now. I I You may not like this, but it's true.

[00:57:29]When you have an unnatural function, you got two people who don't fit unless they get help.

[00:57:42]I'll let you use your own imagination.

[00:57:47]A man and a woman fits anatomically.

[00:57:52]A man and a man don't.

[00:57:59]A woman and a woman So, we start getting creative and doing things that are unnatural.

[00:58:14]Y'all, I I don't I didn't mean to go here, but I need to.

[00:58:18]We started putting things that were supposed to be in one spot place, and we start putting it in a place that it was never meant to be.

[00:58:29]Okay. Y'all, we all grown.

[00:58:43]Unnatural passions. How did you get here, Bishop?

[00:58:47]I got here because we were talking about how people suppress truth, and this is the outcome.

[00:58:54]Now, people in your family may be be there, and my family may be there. It doesn't take away from the truth.

[00:59:02]They may call you old-fashioned, they may call you outdated, they may call you prehistoric. Whatever they call you, still don't take away from the truth.

[00:59:11]And what you have to do, listen, listen.

[00:59:13]Only reason I went here is to show you ultimately where where suppressing truth leads.

[00:59:23]Cuz when you don't deal with truth, there's no guardrails on your life. And so, you can take your life anywhere.

[00:59:32]Right?

[00:59:36]So then, let's let's let's wrap it up with this.

[00:59:40]Practical steps to discerning the pain points and challenges others have and identify with those pain points authentically. We talked about the blessed practices, b l e s s.

[00:59:53]B, remember we begin with prayer. That's why we start a list of people you need to you need to make a list of people that you are know that are unsafe and start praying. Pray for our own honesty to share our areas of struggle with them, with people that we come in contact with, discern the painful and challenging parts of their life. That's what we're praying about, that they might be open to change and to help God with the help of God's help, praying for healing and comfort and care by God, others and yourself at their pain points and pray for God to stimulate their openness to change. So, we go into every day praying, "God, any opportunity you give me to share truth with people in a loving but in a compassionate but in a very truthful way, help me to do that."

[01:00:49]So then, we we we look at the L, which we we covered. It stands for listen.

[01:00:55]Listen, questions to ask.

[01:00:58]Uh practice active listening, affirm all you can, and pursue common interests.

[01:01:04]Note, it is important to say first that these areas of pain are areas of vulnerability and fear and hurt in the lives of other people. And our first step often needs to be sharing honestly our own pain before we ask others about their pain points.

[01:01:24]Here's how you can do that by asking them, "What do you wish right now was going on better in your life?" That's a good question to open conversation. What what is going well in your marriage?

[01:01:37]Uh uh uh in your relationship?

[01:01:40]Maybe in what's not.

[01:01:42]What is your growth edge? How are things with your children, if applicable?

[01:01:48]What do you like about your work and what do you wish was different?

[01:01:53]How were How were relationships in your family growing up?

[01:01:58]What worked or uh and what worked and what didn't? Can I pray for you with you about this area?

[01:02:06]Ask them on an appropriate regular basis essentially how they're doing.

[01:02:12]Okay?

[01:02:15]And we're going to come back and finish this the rest of this next week, but hopefully you've got now some understanding, hear me, of the kinds of conversations that we need to be having.

[01:02:31]Would you give God praise?

[01:02:38]Now, that's heads about and eyes are closed. My My question to you is those who are in person and those who are viewing, where are you in your relationship with God?

[01:02:51]I can say without a shadow of a doubt, it doesn't mean when you have a relationship with God, you don't have pain, you don't have problems, [music] you don't have challenges, you don't have tribulation.

[01:02:59]Not at all. That's not what it means. It means this, soul, that he gives us help.

[01:03:07]If you don't have a relationship with God in the time that we're living in our world, I I want to suggest, hear me, that you settle that today.

[01:03:20]Just try Jesus.

[01:03:22]You've tried a whole lot of everything else. Why not give him a chance, the God who created you?

[01:03:30]If you're here or online and you don't have a relationship with him, [music] pray this with me. Father, I I I know I I have gone through things and I have wrestled with what really truth is, but today I want to surrender my life to you.

[01:03:47]And I want to give you my life. Would you come into my life and change me and save me and forgive me and heal me and fill [music] me with your power and your spirit.

[01:03:59]Give me, God, the desire to serve you like I've never had.

[01:04:05]I receive you.

[01:04:07]Thank you, Lord, for saving me and giving me eternal life.

[01:04:12]Now, if you just prayed that prayer to surrender your life to him, in house, would you raise your hand?

[01:04:18]And online, would you put it in the chat?

[01:04:21]Lord, we thank you, then, for this time. And I pray that we would be pre-work [music] bearers of your truth, preservers of your truth, and sharers of your truth.

[01:04:39]For we shall know the truth about who you are, and the truth is what makes man Thank you, Father.

[01:04:47]Now, be with us and anoint us to go throughout all our our relationships, and [music] you help us to engage the unsaved and the unsaved with nuggets of your truth.

[01:05:02]In your precious name.

[01:05:04]And all God's people together say it.

[01:05:06]Amen. Somebody give him praise and glory.

[01:05:09]>> [music] >> Amen. And we are excited about [music] what God is doing. Want to thank God for Sunday, 10 persons responded to the gospel.

[01:05:21]Amen. Give the Lord a hand clap for praise for that.

[01:05:28]We continue to see week in and week out people responding. Thank you for your prayers and your engaging people. That's how it's done. We're getting ready to share in our giving. [music] Uh Listen, the Bible says it's more blessed to give than it is to receive. God wants and God blesses cheerful givers.

[01:05:48]Amen. Let Let's pray. Father, now as we prepare to give, bless and multiply these gifts for the advancement of your kingdom, so that souls [music] will be saved and lives changed in your precious name.

[01:06:00]All the people of God together said, Somebody give him praise.

[01:06:05]Let's give, family. You can see uh on the screen, you can give electronically. If you're in person, you can just bring your gift up front and deposit it in the giving containers.

[01:06:16]Thank you.

[01:06:17]Welcome, New Beginnings Church family and guests. Our foundational scripture is found in 2 Corinthians 5 and 17, which states, "If a man be in Christ, he is a new creature. The old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new." We hope that you were blessed by today's message. You can conveniently let us know your response.

[01:06:43]If you accept Christ into your [music] heart, simply text save to 980-385-7575 to join NBC [music] to 980-385-7575 along with your first and last names. To rededicate your life to Christ or for prayer, text prayer to 980-385-7575 along with your first and last name. Or you can email your response or your prayer request to [email protected].

[01:07:29]The following are the announcements for the remainder of the week. In observance of the Memorial Day holiday, the church office, Sunrise Academy, and Community Life Center will be closed on Monday, May 25th. We honor and remember all those who served in our armed services.

[01:07:51]MJ's Ministry, which serves children and young adults with special needs, will meet in person on May 31st at 10:30 a.m.

[01:08:01]To register your child or young adult, please email [email protected] or call Kim Schuler at 704-207-6377.

[01:08:18]Or email Geraldine Backus at [email protected].

[01:08:27]Do you have a song in your heart >> [music] >> and a gift for singing?

[01:08:32]The NBC Worship Arts Ministry is recruiting experienced male and female members ages 18 and above to join the NBC Voices Choir. For more information, scan the QR code in the lobby to complete the choir interest form. For further information, please email S.

[01:08:53]Stevens at nbccministries.org.

[01:08:58]The NBC Sunrise Academy Day Care is seeking a passionate, [music] experienced, and faith-driven child care director. This position is ideal for a dedicated servant leader who is committed to nurturing children in a safe, loving, and Christ-centered environment. The child care director will oversee the academy's daily operations, provide strong leadership to staff, and ensure our program reflects both educational excellence and biblical values. The ideal candidate must be both administratively skilled and willing to be hands-on, supporting classrooms, engaging with children, and partnering with families. To submit your resume or for additional information, please email Minister Monica Keys at [email protected].

[01:10:00]You are invited to the New Beginnings Orientation. Come and learn about the importance of church membership, the vision and history of New Beginnings Church, and how New Beginnings Church is serving the community. The New Beginnings Orientation is virtual each Tuesday at 6:00 p.m., and it is easy to register to attend. Simply scan the QR code in the foyer, email connect [music] at nbccministries.org, or call the connect team at 704-405-1431.

[01:10:40]The ministers on call this week are Minister Greg Green and Minister Tammy Ward. On behalf of our pastor, Bishop Michael L. Henderson Sr., our first lady, Reverend Dr. Twana Henderson, their son MJ, and the entire New Beginnings family. We want to thank you for joining us today. And remember always, with every sunrise, there is a new beginning.

[01:11:12]>> Shall we stand?

[01:11:15]Father, this is our benediction [music] today that you would empower your people to be great witnesses in your name.

[01:11:26]Amen. God bless you, family. We'll see you on Sunday. Guests, new members, come down front, shake our hand. [music]