Tory Farina

Take the Plunge...

Take the Plunge. Jesus was clear with his disciples about how everyone who crosses the line into faith should get baptized. Just before Jesus returned to heaven, he said...

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Matthew 28:19

 

What is water baptism? Water baptism is an outward sign of an inward change. It is a sign to everyone watching that you have accepted Jesus as Savior and set your life's course to please Him.

 

You are baptized into Christ’s death. Baptism is an incredible sensory experience meant to help us understand what Christ did on the cross. The Greek word for baptize means “to go down under, to dip, to submerge.” Water baptism represents our identification with Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection. We are literally going into a watery grave fully submerged under the water. When we come back out of the water, we find ourselves like Christ being raised from an old life into something new and beautiful. My college professor once said, “Hold ‘em under till the bubbles come up.” He was joking, but the symbolism is incredible.

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. Galatians 2:20

 

You are raised into new life. Your old life is a life of sin and separation from God. After we allow Jesus into our lives, baptism reminds us of the work he did. We are no longer burdened with the weight of sin, nor are we tainted by stains from the past. Instead, we take on the perfectness of Christ.

You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. Galatians 3:26-27

Baptism is a time to tell your story. Tell what life was like before Christ, what it was like to have christ in come in your life and then share how things are different now. The testimony time is always the most moving part about being apart of a baptism.

In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Romans 6: 11-12

 

Baptism is a declaration to this world that I am the Lord’s. I am no longer a wandering vagabond. No longer will I try to live this life on my own. I stand with Christ and together we will accomplish the Father’s will and live forever in eternity!

Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven. Matthew 10:32-33

 

Baptism is all about your story of life transformation. Tell the people you love to come and see you take the plunge. Share with your coworkers and show the pictures. It is a powerful moment that breaks through barriers because people want to know why you would let someone else dunk you under the pool water. Tell people what Christ means to you and get baptized.

If you would like to get baptized... Let me know. This Sunday at the church picnic you can take the plunge!

My Spiritual Gifts...

According to Spiritualgiftstest.com here are my spiritual gifts.

Exhortation – 22

Evangelism - 21

Faith - 21 

Giving - 21

Knowledge - 21

Wisdom - 18

Teaching - 16
  
Mercy – 11

Discernment – 9

Administration/Ruling – 8

Pastor/Teacher – 7

Helps/Serving/Ministering - 5 

It is funny to see how low some of my scores got. I am aware of these areas and try and surround myself with complimentary people. It's no surprise that Elizabeth and I are very well matched. She is strong where I am weak and I am weak where she is strong.

How are you matched with your significant other? 

"Do not be Ignorant"...

“Do not be ignorant!”

 

The Apostle Paul once said this to the Corinthian church regarding their knowledge of spiritual gifts. We hate being ignorant of things in our culture, yet I wonder how many of us would know what our spiritual gifts actually are.

 

A spiritual gift is a special supernatural ability that God gives to each of His children so that they together can advance His purposes.

 

These are not simply talents given to a few special elite, but are good gifts available to all. God’s gifts are special and unique to each person, and are not given to be hoarded, but to be shared. Spiritual gifts are tools that specialize in changing people’s lives. There are many different types of gifts, but all serve the same purpose of advancing the kingdom of God.

 

If you want to uncover what gifts the Holy Spirit has blessed you with, here are some tools to assist you.

 

1) Ask... Ask the Lord to help you see your gifts and seek the gifts that most intrigue you and/or get you excited. The Lord has hard-wired us for specific gifts that will complement who we were made to be.

 

2) Test... Testing to uncover your spiritual gifts may be especially helpful.  Some gifts are harder to recognize than others.

www.spiritualgiftstest.com

 

3) Study... I found this book to be very helpful in discovering God’s vision and mission for my life. We were all created to play a role in the body of Christ. If you and I are not on mission then we are like a sick organ of the body. The whole body must compensate for the hole you leave.

Chazown.com

 

4) Scripture... Here are some great passages of scriptures we should be familiar with in order to not be ignorant about the Spirits Gifts.

 

1 Corinthians 12:1-11

1Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant.

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.

 

Romans 12:6-8

We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.

 

1 Peter 4:10-11

Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

 

 

What are your top three biggest gifts? I would love to know?

To Boldy Go...

Remember the opening to "STAR TREK"?

"Space... the Final Frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Its five-year mission: to explore strange new worlds; to seek out new life and new civilizations; to boldly go where no man has gone before."

I Love the exciting Idea of Going where no man has gone before. But it is a lot of energy and isn't as necessary as we think it is. I wonder how many people get stuck, burn out, or spend more energy then necessary because they are working harder than they need to?

I spend time every week looking for people who have gone where I want to go. I realized a long time ago, I can do this the hard way and cut my own trail, or I can look for those who have been their and done that and leap off their shoulders.

The funny thing about "Star Trek" is although they were the first "MEN" to go somewhere they were not the first to experience what they found. Principles are principles. People are people and although at High Point we have never been to where we are, I have never lead the size and type of church we are and this area of the City has never had a church like High Point in it before. We are not in uncharted territory.

This weekend I am spending with Matt and Sarah Keller Pastors of NEXT LEVEL CHURCH in Fort Meyers, Florida. My biggest question for them is, "Help me see what I can't see coming on the other side of the Horizon." We will talk about budgets, staffing, volunteers, leadership principles and what they experienced when they were where we are.

I am convinced we live too isolated for our own good. Someone somewhere has been to a similar place as you are in. The key is finding them and asking them to tell their experiences and observations to you.

Who is where you want to be? What would it take to get some time with them? What questions do you need to ask them?

4 Great Questions...

Who was the Last Non Christ follower you shared your God story with?

How Long ago was it?

How did it go?

Who is the Lord laying on your heart to share your story with?

The Shepherd knows his sheep...

In John 10 Jesus shares how he views Himself — as a good shepherd who knows and understands His sheep. Rather than being a hired hand who bails when things get tough. He digs in, and He’s there when His sheep need Him the most. As a pastor, I read this and am challenged to lead the people in my church in a similar fashion.

 

I love being a pastor. I love seeing those in the flock I’ve been entrusted with continue to grow and discover their potential! I love surveying the needs of the flock each week via Facebook, Twitter, e-mail, and direct conversations. It is challenging but rewarding. When the people at High Point trust me and pour their hearts out I can’t help but feel humbled that I am the one they go to.

 

Just this week I have heard people pour out their hearts about infertility, job loss, relational strife, discovering their place in life, and so much more. These past four years I've seen people make it! I have also seen some not make it, which  grieves me. The sad stories weigh on me more than the success stories. Thankfully, there have been more successes than "failures." I am realizing that it is the accumulation of life that counts.

 

To the people of High Point:

 

Thank you for trusting me as a good shepherd. I want you to know I love you. I pray for you often. I pray that you all would discover God’s potential for your life. I count it a privilege — a gift from God — to be able to serve you as your pastor.

 

Yours lovingly,

Pastor Tory

Questions about Prayer?...

I am prepping for a series in the next few months on prayer. I want to get some feed back as to what would be helpful to you for me to address. Hit me up with your questions about the subject and Ill try and deal with whats on your mind and heart. What do you pray about? What do you struggle with? What do you love/hate about prayer?

"When we pray properly, sorrows disappear like snow before the sun..." -Jon Vianney, Cure of ARS

I'm Back...

Things I learned through my time of Withdrawal...

•  Wayne Cordero saved my life and ministry... After reading his book “Leading on Empty” I am convinced I was headed for a breaking point at some point down the line in my life and ministry. I have and will continue to make changes necessary to leave a Lasting Legacy.
• I have more time than I thought. Cutting out extra stuff helped me realize how much time I waste.
•  My relationship with the Lord is the Source of Everything else. Yet often It gets shelved somewhere between car maintenance and shower cleaning. It does not occupy the space in my heart and mind that it should if it is the source of everything. (As a pastor this is a sad revelation.) So I am evaluating the changes that must be made to transform this unacceptable situation.
• Christian music is good but not a lot of it is GREAT!
• Facebook / Twitter are far more useful tools than they get credit for. I was shocked at how many people I felt disconnected from.
• I get grumpy when I fast Food.
•  Maintaining a Blog is exhausting. I need to figure out how to be a smarter blogger. I think I might use more video. Would you watch my short clips?
• Changing patterns takes a tremendous amount of intentionality. You cannot say... I want to change, I need to change or even I must change without making a plan and actually putting the plan into action.
•  Push email on my iphone is stupid. I cannot and will not be a slave to my email... especially when I delete most of it. My email will serve me and not the other way around.
• This will be a yearly event. I will also add into my life’s schedule times of getting out of town for times of withdrawals.
• I need a Sabbatical... Not this year but in the next few years as we round the corner to seven or ten years it is Vital the Elizabeth and I get a Sabbatical in order to gain freshness and longevity at High Point.
•  We are entering into a season of High Points Story that is really exciting. I feel encouraged, Fired Up and energized by what I feel the Lord is brewing in my heart.
•   Isolation is a Scary place to be... Withdrawal is a Non Negotiable place to visit!
•   The WELL of your Soul is what you serve others with... If it’s shallow, contaminated, or not built to last you’re in trouble. If it is Deep and Living water it will refresh people for Years to come.
• Jesus took breaks from the demands of Life and ministry often... I am still chewing on this and am incredibly challenged by it!

I have lots more to say but will leave it at this and work out more the next fe days and weeks. I just wanted to let you know I am back and FIRED UP!

Withdrawal...

Through the month of January you are not going to hear much from me. I am taking a season of withdrawal in my life. Last November, I felt that I needed to hone in the focus of my heart and mind for God to do something big in me. Last year He called me to lose 55 lbs., and I am so glad I followed through. The Lord fulfilled promises and answered prayers for both me and the church through my act of obedience. This year I feel like I need to clear out as many voices as I can that might be distracting me from clearly hearing the voice of God.

 

Jesus did this often. I always wonder why Jesus — fully God and fully man — even needed to pray, rest, and recharge. But if He did, then so do I. This has been a stressful season for me and mine. Elizabeth's pregnancy, Rapid church growth and Seven years of full time ministry has its cost. I feel like we are getting ready for something larger and greater than we have yet to experience. Jesus withdrew to rest, get stronger, hear from God, and have a fresh word for the people he was sent to lead. Moses went to the mountain top and came back luminous. Daniel prayed and fasted to break through impossible circumstances. I need more from God to live the life I am called to live and I want to withdraw to gather strength for greater things Yet to come!

 

Here is my plan...

 

• Read — I started a reading plan to go through the Gospels in 30 days. (You can do the same at www.youversion.com.) My goal is to study Jesus and His withdrawal moments — how and why He prayed.
• I am also reading “Leading On Empty” by Wayne Cordeiro- I feel like he is personally walking me through how to defragment my life. I am taking each chapter and walking through each chapter with Elizabeth and the Lord. What an AWSOME experience.
• Fast (check more out here)
• Food — This looks different for everyone some fast food totally, partially or fast a particular type of food. For me I am doing a combination of things.
• Media

-  I am cutting out as many secular non-worshipful voices as I can. Music, movies, magazines and books that do not point me to Jesus will be cut from my appetite this month. Television has been reduced to only News sources.

-  No blogs, no Facebook and NO Twitter — I am having withdrawals. This is almost painful, and I have had to break this a couple times because of Elizabeth's health crisis on Saturday, my need to get a couple numbers off of some profiles on my phone, and this blog post letting you know what’s up. It is also funny how my e-mail sends me Facebook updates and Facebook e-mails, so it’s like it will not leave me alone. I guess that means it is staying around a while.)

-  I also shut off the Push feature to my phone’s e-mail. I am now my e-mail’s master. I think that may stay longer than January.

• Schedule — I am taking certain days off over the next month, during which I will be alone and without normal distractions so I can focus on the Lord and hear his voice with clarity.
• Journal — I am keeping a daily journal of thoughts, prayers, observations, revelations, and dreams.

(This is a goal and has already had to change a little. Let me first tell you that I live by the Spirit of the Law and not the Letter, meaning that even though I may say I am not going to do this or that, I may do it if I feel I need to for a good reason. I also am taking Sundays as a celebration day, meaning I am free to enjoy with my family whatever seems beneficial. This season is about reducing noise in my life and resetting my out of balance rhythm. It is not about a list of does or don’ts.)

 

I am expecting God to break through my life in tremendous ways. I am expecting Him to change me. I was not expecting how hard these first few days have been. Nor was I expecting how the enemy would try and distract me. I shouldn't have been surprised. He met Jesus in the wilderness before his ministry began.

 

My prayer is that I hear his voice like Adam and Eve did in the cool of the day in the Garden of Eden, or like Samuel did when God came to him in the night as a youth, or like the disciples did in the the Upper Room when the Holy Spirit came upon them with fresh power and boldness. My prayer is that I would have new strength and insight to lead the next five+ years with a freshness and sensitivity to the Lord.

 

What is the Lord drawing you to do? What’s your next step in your faith walk? It may not look much like mine, but that's OK. Start with where you are and go one more step.

 

I look forward to letting you know how it goes in a few weeks.

 

Live Your Potential!

 

Pastor Tory

Filled with the Holy Spirit...

I was reading the Christmas story in preparation for this weeks message and came across something powerful!

Luke 1:35 The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.

41 At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

Mary, Elizabeth and John were "Filled with the Holy Spirit". Have you ever done a phrase search on "filled with the Holy Spirit"? check it out... here. Their is Power, Direction, Boldness, gifts and Wisdom that come upon you when you are "FIlled with the Spirit of God". This is not a one time experience... again and again through your Christian life and through the NT people would call upon the Holy Spirit and be filled. When people were filled they moved in a Supernatural way that could only be attributed as God moving through them. God using their natural talents and abilities to impact the world for the Kingdom of God.

I love that when we are filled with the Spirit we can be led by the spirit.Jesus, Paul, and many other attribute their comings and goings, heeling's and miracle's to being "Led by the Spirit".

I want to challenge you to take some time over the next few days and weeks and read these passages in their entirety. Maybe even read the whole book of Acts. Ask the Holy Spirit to knock your socks off and fill you with His power in a new and profound way. Look expectantly for evidence of Gods power to reflect the evidence in scripture and when you see it walk in a renewed boldness for the Lord. Fallow the Leading of The Holy Spirit!