A Conversation with Tony McVickers

PNG radio for today's culture and timeless truths come together it's reasoned relevant content apologetics worldview and answers to the questions that you need to know from Alex McFarlane ministries. This is true for a new generation radio and now the man who preached in 50 states and 50 days speaker, writer, and advocate for Christian apologetics Dr. Alex McFarlane in the Gospel of Matthew 16 verse 18 Jesus said I will build my church and the gates of hell will not avail against hi Alex, but from your truth for a new generation radio TNG radio.

So glad you're listening today and folks, we've got a very special show. Just one of my most valued colleagues in ministry is Pastor Tony McVicker's he is with rockfish church which is near Fayetteville in city call Rayford. We've been here a number of times in just over the years I've gotten to appreciate this brother so much in his dear family, they've supported us been friends, but I wanted you to meet Tony McVicker's because rockfish truly is one of America's great churches nowadays we hear so much about no millennial's and Jin Z. They can't be reached and the church is declining and I've even read articles for some feel like America's churches. The best days are behind us listen when you hear and you meet any McVicker Senior what God is doing in and through rockfish, you get to be inspired and I realize that Jesus is still in the business of touching the world through his church, and I think for your own churches.

You can get some ideas and some vision so I want you to meet this your brother who is a big part of who I am in the ministry right now. Tony, thanks for being on truth for a new generation radio while Alex, thank you so much so that kind of introduction, I am destined to disappoint to have a limit at thank you so much Alex opposite your friendship appreciate the opportunity to speak well and you know your pastor of a great church you're a shepherd of the flock and I want to congratulate you because you're also an elected official, while yes we a few years ago I was challenging my organization to get more involved in their there comes a point where you as a as a leader have to go beyond motivating and you have to begin modeling source and you know what I want to do I'm going to run I really prayed about this assault God. So yes, actually was elected in the first attempt ended up being Mayor pro tem because of the number of votes. I got very small, very small town. Nothing glamorous about it but it was a lot of work, but I think that that we need to use what God has given us to bring value to our communities and in may be in any way possible so that unmotivated that wonderful success is. Some people exit Stata politics and we've discussed this before.

Think a lot of the issues now are our moral issues that have been politicized in us, Rossi ARC that they are vitally connected when it when the rubber hits the road it really matters, we need to be where the when the action is taken place will and you know everybody who has ever run for office or held office has some sort of ideology that they're championing admit everybody nobody goes into politics. Just as a blank slate and and what would be wrong with Christians, God-fearing moral, upright, Christian people leading our nation from Euna Main Street to the White House. Absolutely, I fully believe the things that make a good follower of Jesus are the things that make a good boss of the things that make a good husband, the very things that make a good father or a good politician. I absolutely believe that wholeheartedly. So I think it translates well, tell me about your journey. I had you come to know the Lord. Tony oh wow, I had graduated high school. I grew up in a Christian home.

My dad was an evangelist.

He love God struggled with support struggled with innovation. A lot of things evangelist as we talked about before can be misunderstood as your father still living.

My father actually died this past Thanksgiving. Yeah so still hurts you and I'll be honest with you, but I grew up in.

In a home. He always pointed me to Jesus.

I one thing I could say about them is one thing he had this expression. He said he said you're either going to be real or you're going to be playing church. So with him. He might not been real good at it, but he was real at being a Christians out I had a good had clarity when it comes to that, and I remember graduated high school.

I immediately went to Wilmington I found an agent became an actor and started doing some stuff there, and over the course of time their voids in the human heart. There are holes in the human heart that only God can feel and God sovereignly begin to speak with me and deal with me over the course of time, and he drew me in and spoke very clearly. Ironically, in a dream while and then basically I was faced with an opportunity which way are you going to go and what are you going to be so I said I said you know what I'm done.

As I walked away. I told my acting coach.

I told everybody I walked away and Alex. This is so wild within within two years somebody approached me and said I want to do a television show.

This only made a sick God told me to give you this television show. I started two years as great a Christian as you could be in for 10 years, I did AAF television broadcast teaching the gospel. I didn't know I was I was a train wreck. But you know what I was being obedient.

How did God call you into the pastorate, while a good question, with the first was kind with the television.

I had been at another organs organization for from the time I got saved. I spent the next 10 years of my life at that the organization at that church and over the course of time. God just moved on the heart and said you and I really feel like you need to kinda move and so when I came to where I am currently I stop doing the television show.

I was working another job actually had two other jobs are three that I was working and I came in I said basically I just look here I am. I just want to bring value. What can I do. And one thing led to another and through faithfulness and consistency. Doors opened up and I had this attitude us a God.

If you want more of me. Here I am just made myself available. I wasn't a push anything I want what God's will and God wants his will his way. His time and you know it's hard to stay in place and I stayed there door after door God sovereignly open stick to look at a come back and talk more with Linda McVicker's on this edition of TMG radio don't go away from. I am a watchman ministries. Here's today's I am a watchman minute. About 2700 years ago, Amos was called to be a prophet. His message was not popular, but it was what God wanted his people to hear God told Amos to prophesy that because of sin judgments were coming. He was to warn the people that famine and drought and plague and war and earthquakes were coming. Amos spoke the truth, but it was rejected by most. He was mocked and maligned, but through it all he remained faithful watchman in many ways we share, the calling of Amos, we are called to warn that prophecies are being fulfilled in judgment, and the tribulation and the rapture are coming. Be bold, be like Amos expect to be mocked and be determined to be faithful people will be faithful watchman I am a watchman.com Christians don't necessarily agree with one another when it comes to questions of religious pluralism, homosexuality, the role of government abortion and war. Too often, we manage these disagreements by ignoring them, yet were called to engage the world for the sake of Christ. How can we be effective if we avoid society's most pressing questions in 10 issues that divide Christians Alex McFarlane challenges us to drill down to the biblical core of 10 current issues such as social justice evil and suffering, photography, and environmentalism as he echoes the biblical invitation, this reason together only by engaging the Scriptures deeply thinking clearly and speaking truthfully can we, in God's family address our differences and discover the peace that comes with unity of purpose. 10 issues that divide Christians buying this book and many others@alexmcfarlane.com not afraid to ask hard questions we care about a lot of things. We are engage magazine.net online group of millennial's, brought together by a common goal to share truth apply Scripture and to get involved in are lost and hurting engage magazine.net host discussions that help you apply biblical worldview to your daily life engage magazine.net need to have a Bible degree from Liberty University's are praying, worship and obey God they can make life more vibrantly when you're ready for a religious studies degree find more than 60 ministry degree option doctor of ministry.

One little black great forgive any questions. Liberty University where we train champions for Christ liberty.\to learn more as limiting.\Explorer to learn more timeless cruise soundbite culture for a new generation radio. Welcome back. Thanks for listening. This is TMG radio and by the way, you can find archived shows are webcasts you were doing these Monday Wednesday Friday webcast at 11 AM Eastern on Facebook at rev. Alex McFarlane are easy rev. Alex McFarlane and if you would share and repost those things were getting thousands of viewers all across America were taking all kinds of topics like you know compassion and gratitude but were tying it to an explanation of the gospel and how people can know Christ. So thank you for listening and thank you for watching and thank you for helping us promote the name of Jesus throughout the culture and somebody's given his life to do that is tending McVicker's. He is being used by God to spread the gospel throughout the nation and beyond in a Great Way, Tony, thanks again for being with us on TMG radio in the first segment you're talking about your journey and God leading you and then ultimately calling you into the pastorate.

Your at what I routinely say is one of America's great churches rockfish, which I believe that with all my heart. It is one of America's great churches for the person who is unfamiliar and doesn't know what is rockfish church rockfish is is a family of believers that is absolutely 100% dedicated to making, equipping, and releasing fully committed followers of Jesus.

We didn't make that up. We simply adopted it. Jesus said it, he said go into all the world make disciples. Teach them to obey all that I've said hello I am with you as you go, so make equip and release fully committed followers of Jesus. And what's the outcome of that a while God has blessed us and continues to bless us. Last year we were one of the top 100 fastest growing churches in America God to head ahead. It it it's not one thing I'm just gonna tell you there's a there's a concept in the book good.

Good to great, which talks about the flywheel. Some people would say hey you know how did that happen and the reality of it is the big things that happen in our lives generally don't happen as big things.

It's the consistent turning of that will one in which one success one win at a time. A lot of things have contributed but one thing that is huge. I remember years ago God said this to me early, spoke this into my heart.

He said those who have been given influence and a steward that influence with integrity. They will be given more influence those who have been given the influence and have used it erroneously or to the detriment of others, it will be taken and it will be given to others. Outlook and I got God on I'm just I'm just amazed when even a relationship I have with you Alex, just if it's a godsend. It's a blessing God has opened up the doors and in in ways I could have never imagined every phone call was an adventure. Well, it's a blessing to be acquainted with you and with this church and now let's look a little bit about leadership because you know church. It involves a lot of different dynamics in a week, obviously preaching the word and leading the services, but as a youth pastor and pastor, myself and their weddings and funerals and lots and lots and lots of family counseling what what are your top three greatest joys top three most perennial challenges while greatest joy. I think this has to be a necessity for pastor and you know that the life expectancy of a pastor is about five years. I believe the average pastor last about five years at his really sad thing one to be a pastor you have to have the gift you have to have the birthmark. If you try to be one and you are not let your evangelist, your mate, you lose it is just what you are someone who tries to be a pastor who does not have the gifting of a pastor.

Good luck it will eat you up.

It will cheer you up and spit you out number one component you you got a lot of people I'm just you. You have to love people and have struggled with that. We've all experienced hurts experience things, but to the degree that you are willing to love others as to the degree that you're willing to marginalize your self which increases your availability to God.

Huge very, very important. So number one, you gotta love people you love people. Number two. I would suggest anybody's yes and he better have the fundamental of leadership you so let's talk about that just a little bit because I guess 20 some years ago when I thought of leadership. I thought of John Maxwell.

You know, and he began to write a lot of great books and do leadership. Of course it's granting grand leadership itself has become a very well defined discipline has an absolutely Caesar's.

My question 50 7500 years ago a man God was building some great churches.

I think of ministers, ministries, churches, and yet there weren't a lot of leadership books or seminars back then and to degree all of us are riding on the momentum of the previous generation of great Christian movement and now leadership is as well honed as science.

As we've ever seen in American history and get churches are declining.

What's the deal. How did we have been churches in an age when nobody heard the word leadership and now we are watching the church die in some places right when we hear leadership leadership. Leadership, there is a decline in some organizations there's tremendous growth in other organizations.

I will tell you this on absolutely committed to this this idea took two of them. In fact, one there's a gift of leadership. I believe everybody should have leadership skills but not everybody has the gift of leadership so want to make that distinguish that's just a trick.

The Bible tells us that there is a gift of leadership. The other aspect. I believe that that made so possible before and less prevalent now is this this fundamental truth. I believe with all my heart that a good follower makes a good leader. See very often, a person who really desires and focuses on leadership is nice to focus solely leadership. It just may be critical of the lack of leadership displayed in others, becomes a pitfall very dangerous guarantor David leading people and then I realize in order to be a great leader is why you could see it back then because of her great followers of Jesus. They were humble. They were pliable. They did all of those things.

Most of the most successful leadership attributes and skills that come right directly out of the word of God, and very often or birthed naturally in a hard to believe about the power of the Holy Spirit. He's leading us to be servant evangelism, servant evangelism, which is so effective in the workplace. Workplace now, especially with this generation who knew it's almost as if God said with a focus on servant evangelism.

The millennial's, and if you don't get that you're not exactly exactly hey hold that thought. This is TNG radio with our dear friend Ted McVicker's pen and write what's the website of Robert Fisher www.rockfishchurch.com rockfish church.com and ready to be right back after this breakdown go away.

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Alex McFarland is a voice you can trust to speak the timeless truths of Christianity in a timely way. You're listening to the truth for a new generation radio I heard that the church is the only organization that exists for the benefit of its nonmembers to McVicker's. Our guest on TNG radio. If that be the case.

Give me your feedback on that the church is the only organization that that exists for the benefit of its nonmembers. While it is true and if so, what were you going out of that tending the one I think it is. I think that for every successful church there has to be a tremendous element of self lawlessness and and self-sacrifice were doing a series right now, entitled me myself and I moving from selfish to sacrificial you cannot exist as a legitimate New Testament church and make church about you when he said go into all the world and make disciples of every nation that is not something as passive right is not something that happens if you are not. If you are not dangerously intentional about and I think the church needs to embrace that reality courageously dangerously. If we don't, we talked about the necessity of meeting and reaching the next generation. This is our watch. This is our challenges as I Alex this is our assignment.

So let's talk about something and folks you don't want to miss the next few minutes because were to talk about ministering in a post coded non-bricks and mortar world for eight weeks. Most churches in the world have not been meeting and in its force churches to go digital.

It's forced us to remember the reality that we are the church. Thank thank God for buildings. Buildings are a tool, what would you agree that a building is a tool and there's nothing wrong with the building but talk to me Tony about the challenges of ministering wealth will be any challenge and how do you approach the challenges of ministry.

Let let's let me contend their huge.

There's tons of let's talk about specifically when you're facing adversity like were looking at right now with the governor. 19.

It was a few weeks into this that some churches were prepared. Some churches were not we by the grace of God Godhead had moved us and begin to move us sovereignly in a direction that allowed us to really be prepared much more so than a lot of other churches so we immediately immediately realized some other churches were not prepared what can we do to help and assist as other churches to bring the speed we had pastors would never done a Facebook live never did a lot of things that we begin to say how can we help them. We begin to focus on really good and and I want to say this with this is much respect as I can because I know a lot of people been hurt by this. We are better as an organization because of the adversity that we faced were better as an online presence and I've talked to pastor after pastor after pastor.

We created a pastors coalition.

As a result of this, we've done things that we would not of done to let me tell you why because very early on in this. I felt like God spoke to me said you can do one or two things tell you can either lead through this adversity, or you can lead in this adversity.

I said you know what God is called us to make equipment release fully committed followers of Jesus. How do we do that where we are now. If you approach any adversity that you come and you say looking to focus on what God is called me to do.

You never lose sight of the mission and the method the method becomes much more obvious so we talk to the staff as a guess we gotta be flexible. We gotta be pliable. God give me a word at the beginning of the year January. I was spend some time with them and praying and and the word was adventure so I begin to talk to us for any of this happen talk to my staff about adventure that was our word.

Now he wants Tony every time every time I mention it, yeah, yeah, but but to decide as a leader that God is going to meet me in the morning when I said earlier, good leaders. A good follower is the idea of God meet you at every intersection. Every choice, every dilemma I seek your wisdom and your counsel in that moment. That's how we lead in adversity as opposed to reverse what were some of the common challenges that any church is going to face it. Anytime you know I have a a challenge that that I throughout two in our congregation early on a been talking about it for several months. I said, until the great commission becomes a corporate conviction. It will remain unfulfilled.

Any leaders job at its course to take people from from where they are to where they want to be that they don't know exactly who well said they they want to be there.

They just don't know is from where they are to where they want to be and don't know and people don't necessarily heard Kreger shall say this way.

He said people aren't supposed to change. They are opposed to being changed and that's that element.

You know what I said God's allow me to write some books and people people come up. They said I was going to write a book.

Note most people want to have written you know, to me, trust me, you don't really want to write a book you want to have written about I region the exact same thing. Think about what were going through now. I wanted to. We desire to be the absolute best in an personally will not rest until we are the absolute best in the world and making equipping and releasing fully committed followers of Jesus. That's what we are glad is what were called to do. That's what we're going to do as an organization.

I'm but what you just said is key and not willing to go through what it takes to become that this was necessary for us and the quicker we embrace the adversity and we see God is up to something good and is doing something to quickly. The more quickly we will embrace the transformation that will occur because of you. A lot of great coaches out it was my privilege either one of our first events we ever did was we brought Tom Landry to Greensburg.

The Dallas Cowboys coach. This is 20 some years ago, before he passed. He said basically, this you have to love the process as much as the end result, and we've only got about a minute and have to speak to this but look at the end result of souls being saved revival coming. Of course we all would love that. In result, we have got to appreciate and in the process of getting there. What does it mean Tony to love the process is much as the end result. In terms of church ministry. I remember God said this to me, I'll make it really racial in a run out time I was up in the middle and I was walking to the house and God said do you want to continue to grow. Are you willing to continue to grow with me go around the dressing God. I said yes. He said let me ask you something.

What if it means in order to continually grow.

You must continually hurt must experience adversity and pain.

Are you willing to grow then that that that's harborage everyone of us have to answer that. Are we willing to endure the continue adversity necessary for us to have a tenant. We got a visit again really soon. God bless and folks. Thanks for listening to for new generation Alex McFarlane here you can find us online@alexmyphone.com.

We look forward to being with you again very soon on TNG radio got TNG radio is made possible by the friends of Alex McFarlane ministry, PO Box 10231 is Pearl, NC 27404. That's PO Box 10231, Greensboro, NC 27404 call us at 877 yes God one that's 877 yes, God, and the number one or give online@alexmcfarlane.com while you're there, listen the program archives. Read Alex's blog invite Alex to speak at your event or contact Alex with a question or comment, Alex McFarlane.com. Thanks for listening today and join us again next time. As we bring you more true for a new generation on TNG radio