No We Won't Back Down!

Tom Petty had it right when he sang, "No I won't back down, you can stand me up at the gates of hell, but I won't back down." 

As many of you know Trinity Pinopolis began a new service called Trinity Sunday Night, a service geared towards the next generation and towards reaching people in our community. Well the day could have been interesting and was set up to be a disaster really. 

The family and I were settling into our new schedule of having Sunday mornings free before serving on Sunday night. I get a text from Hal, our Rector (lead pastor), asking if I had seen the TV in the parish hall (worship center). Last time I saw it was Thursday when I left. Well apparently, someone decided their home needed the TV more than we did. Long story short, and a police report later, I was reminded in my head of the Song from Tom Petty, "No I won't back down."

This song became a theme song for a good friend of mine in ministry when he and the church he was serving in at the time started going through a rough patch. He mention the song to me and I thought that was cute. But then I really read the lyrics. They really describe the life of a follower. Romans 8:31b - 32:

"If God is for us, who can be^[h] against us? ^32(BJ) He who did not spare his own Son but^(BK) gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?"

We also see a promise given to Joshua in Joshua 1:3: 

"Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, just as I promised to Moses."

So with the reminder of Romans 8 and the promise of Joshua 1:3. My encouragement to you is to NOT BACK DOWN. Fight hell with water pistols. Take aim and the enemy and punch with a fire of worship. 

All that being I said, I am so grateful for the team that helped get Trinity Sunday Night off the ground. I feel because of the TV, the worship was just that much sweeter. I feel we encountered Jesus face to face and really felt a movement of the Holy Spirit. We could have easily given up, gotten down. But then I remembered that great theologian Tom Petty and his great words, No I won't back down. 

Trinity Sunday Night is going to be a great journey for Trinity Pinopolis. Be on the lookout for the Trinity Pinopolis podcast! Until then...

Grace and Peace.