2017 Rally #1 - Muche Ukegbu

In the first rally of the “Greater” conference, Muche Ukegbu points us to the wondrous ways in which God has made the world to grab our attentions and affections, but sin warps this awe to seek after the things of this world for contentment. He then explains that the things that capture our affections steer our lives. Because of this, we are looking for a sense of belonging and it has led to an identity crisis. Muche gives a solution to this crisis through 1 Peter 2:9-11:

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.

God has given us a glorious identity that is corporate, precious, and purposeful. Corporate in its dignity and diversity; precious in God’s pursuit of us;  and this glorious identity is purposeful in the transformation God gives us though it. Muche wraps it up with this fundamental conclusion: “The cornerstone of a secure identity is living out of seeing God rightly.”

Unfortunately, the audio for this talk is not available.

2017 Rally #7 - Mike Jackson

Mike Jackson concludes our “Greater” conference with the subject of worship. He poses the question: How important is the subject of worship to you? Everyone is worshiping something and if worship is the most important subject, then the leader of our worship is our most important leader. Mike then dives into Psalm 103:1-4 to explain that each of us need to be our own worship leader.

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,

Mike then charges us to not just worship God with lip service, but to worship Him with our whole selves. When we recognize our souls wandering to something other than God, we need to bring our souls back to Him and His promises.

He then leaves us with these consequences of continually worshiping God with our whole selves:

1. Transformed lives

2. We become like what we worship

2017 Rally #6 - Paul Poteat

Paul continues our theme of “Greater” by explaining how Jesus has created a Greater Life for us. God has given us a great purpose in life; therefore our time here on earth has great impact for eternity. Paul expounds on this idea through Matthew 4:19-20:

And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him.

This model exemplifies how we can fulfill this purpose with our lives.

1. Follow me (Jesus)

2. Die to self

3. Start Small

Paul left us with the challenge: “Who is 1 person you could pray for or talk to about Jesus?”

2017 Rally #5 - Paul Poteat

Paul Poteat shares what Greater Authenticity looks like by walking through John 4:27-30.

Just then his disciples came back. They marveled that he was talking with a woman, but no one said, “What do you seek?” or, “Why are you talking with her?” So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?” They went out of the town and were coming to him.

There are three things we can see through this text about the faith we should have in Jesus:

1. Simplicity

2. Authenticity

3. Bravery

The woman at the well show cased all three of these attributes and Paul exhorts us to showcase authenticity in our walk with Christ.

2017 Rally #4 - Muche Ukegbu

In his final rally of the conference, Muche Ukegbu leads us through Matthew 6:9-15, the famous Sermon on the Mount.

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

This example of prayer that Jesus gives us shows God as a personal, yet powerful being. That means we have the ear of the Creator inclined towards us. Jesus says that our response should be to desire the spreading of God’s name and good news throughout the earth.

Muche goes on to explain Matthew 4:23-9:36. After Jesus heals all of the diseased people around Him, He is not satisfied. He sees their need for a Savior and asks His disciples to pray for laborers to share the good news of the gospel. Muche then says that to apply this example to our lives is to disciple others through the outpouring of our lives.

2017 Rally #3 - Muche Ukegbu

During the third rally of the conference, Muche Ukegbu reminds us of our fleshly tendency to believe we are a better god than God is. We don’t look to God’s design, but try to make our own law. He combats these lies with Romans 16:25-27:

Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith— to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.

Muche expounds on these verses with the reminder that God’s ability to strengthen presupposes our need for strengthening. If we were not weak, we would not need strengthening. He continues with 2 Corinthians 12:9 to say that God views weakness as an asset, not a liability, because He can show His power; it affords us the opportunity to receive and experience the grace of God. With this, the gospel strengthens us as God’s children with a new identity.

Muche leaves us with the questions: Where am I hiding weakness and relying on my own strength?

2017 Relationships Talk- Paul and Samm Poteat

Paul and Samm Poteat give us perspective on the need to see God as greater than all things, even in relationships. God has made us for something greater and we were not meant to be satisfied by anything other than him. They then give two main ideas for dating:

1. Community is your context for your relationship

2. Let the gospel be what grounds you

Paul and Samm also give some practical ways to fight for holiness in your relationship:

• Make your life about knowing Jesus and His gospel

• Develop strong friendships with your gender

• Develop strong relationships with the opposite gender, especially in group context

• Seek council

• Initiate/respond accordingly

• Seek council again and continually

Unfortunately this audio was corrupted, but the Poteats did the same talk a few years ago. You can listen to the talk here.

2017 Rally #2 - Muche Ukegbu

Muche Ukegbu begins the second rally of the “Greater” conference by focusing on God’s grace. He speaks on Psalm 103:1-5 to remind us of this grace and how that should shape us. Delighting in the grace He has for us should lead to worship and action. Muche explains that many of us perform in front of others because we are not experiencing the tenderness of grace. He further explains by saying, “Who you are in secret is who you really are.”

Muche then defines a doxology as a word of glory, a word that points to a specific attribute of God and calls us to action. He then uses the doxology in Jude 1:24-25 to expound on how we can experience the tenderness of God’s grace. One of the aspects of God’s grace that Muche focuses on is His ability to keep his people. He keeps His people through preservation, prevention, and provision. God prevents harm from happening to us, not by removing us from our situations, but by staying with us as we go through them. All of God’s restrictions are to prevent us from harm. God provides tremendous grace, alongside an identity in Christ and complete blamelessness through His blood.

Muche leaves us with some implications that these teachings bring:

1. The presence of mercy is the delay of judgement.

2. All the things in myself that I want to hide are covered by grace.

3. Our identity should be saturated by tenderness and grace because it is sustained by God’s tenderness and grace.

Unfortunately, the audio is not available for this talk.