Building For The Future: The Church I'm A Part Of // Forward (Part 4) // Michael Todd

Summary

Podcast Summary: Transformation Church – “Building For The Future: The Church I’m A Part Of” // Forward (Part 4) // Michael Todd

Date: February 8, 2026
Host: Pastor Michael Todd
Podcast: Transformation Church

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Overview of Episode Theme

In this powerful message, Pastor Michael Todd lays out a blueprint for “building for the future” at Transformation Church. This part of the “Forward” series dives into the importance of building our lives—and the church itself—on strong, godly foundations. Pastor Todd shares a clear vision for both what Transformation Church is becoming and what it means to be a part of it, using biblical standards, practical examples, and a memorable “Great 8” list of church values. The tone is energetic, candid, and passionate, aimed at mobilizing the entire church to embrace forward momentum rooted in God’s word.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Building for the Future Requires Work

• Intentional Assembly: God supplies resources, but we are responsible to build (03:15).

  Quote: “God is not a magician. He doesn’t build chairs. He hands you trees.” (02:55)

• Effort over Entitlement: “If you’re allergic to work, this message is not for you.” (02:29)
• Firm Foundation Required: Standards are essential for anything meant to last.

2. The Power of God’s Standard

• Embracing God’s Word as the Standard: Using scripture as the measurement for everything we build.

  “Would you please embrace the standard of God’s word so that you can build something that will... last.” (04:14)

• Letting Go of the Past:
  • Anchor scripture: Philippians 3:13—“...forgetting the past and looking... forward...”
  • “Some of y’all need to focus on forgetting how they hurt you. That’s what’s keeping you from going forward.” (07:31)

3. Releasing the Old, Receiving the New

• Flexibility in God’s Methods:
  • “God never did the same thing the same way because he wants to prove he can do it anyway.” (13:00)
  • Don’t idolize past miracles; keep God as the standard, not what He’s done.
• Prophetic Declaration:
  • “This is the last week that certain things occupy your mind space.” (09:17)
  • Isaiah 43:18—God’s new work is incomparable to the old (14:08).

4. The Importance of Values and Vision

• Values Reveal Priorities:
  • “Don’t tell me you value it if it is not a priority.” (20:11)
  • Challenge: In a church context, people often fail to mention God as a value until prompted.
• Values and Vision Must Align:

  “Sight with no standard leads to self-sabotage.” (22:19)

  • Standards protect against chaos and disappointment.

5. The Role of Standards in Building

• Metaphor of Building a House:
  • “If you want to ruin any house being built, just take away the standard.” (23:58)
• Sermon on the Mount Reference:
  • Building on the rock (Matthew 7:24)—wise versus foolish builder (30:09).
  • “Going forward without the foundation is foolish.” (32:50)
• Rooted in Christ:
  • 1 Corinthians 3:10–No one can lay a foundation other than Jesus Christ (34:01)
• Embracing Differences:
  • “All of us don’t have to build the same thing. We just gotta build on the same thing.” (36:10)

6. The Great 8 – Transformation Church’s New Culture Code

Pastor Todd introduces “The Great 8,” eight values that will define and propel Transformation Church forward.
Each value is introduced with a repeat-after-me interaction and a real-life testimony from church members.

1. Crazy Faith (42:30)

• “We believe God big. We do what seems small, and we see the impossible. It’s only crazy until it happens.” (42:30)
• Example: “Relationship Goals” movie became a reality after years of faith and obedience (45:29).

2. H.O.T.: Humble, Open & Transparent (49:59)

• “Because God doesn’t bless who you pretend to be. He blesses who you really are.” (50:07)
• Pastor Todd is candid about his past and models authenticity (50:43).

3. Generosity (57:13)

• “We give just to give and not to get. Giving is our response to God’s love, not a requirement for his love.” (57:16)
• Example: Church members raised $8,000 for a single mother’s broken furnace at Christmas (63:41).
• “The world of the generous gets larger and larger, but the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller.” (Proverbs 11:24) (64:54)

4. Innovation (64:57)

• “We go first, we take creative risks... do anything short of sin to reach people who don’t know Christ.” (64:57)
• Emphasizes the church’s pioneering spirit and willingness to fail forward (66:48).

5. Worship (68:54)

• “We bring our best to God in song, sacrifice, speech, and spirit.” (68:54)
• Story about writing the song “Give Em Hell” as authentic worship—even if misunderstood (69:52).

6. Fun (70:28)

• “We start the party, we laugh loud, and we find joy in it all.” (70:31)
• Cites Nehemiah (“The joy of the Lord will be our strength.”) and importance of changing atmospheres through joy.

7. Progression Over Perfection (POP) (72:16)

• “Through theology, therapy, and community, God can turn any trauma into triumph. Progression over perfection.” (72:16)
• Real-life stories of transformation, including couples reunited after years apart (78:22).

8. A Part (Not Apart) (83:09)

• “We are spiritual contributors, not spiritual consumers. We are the church, and we exist for the world.” (83:09)
• Highlights people who relocated their lives to be part of Transformation Church’s mission (84:22).

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On hard work and God’s way:

  “He hands you trees… God has never built the marriage. He's given two people the ability to be okay to build... they’re gonna have to assemble.” (02:59–03:15)

• On letting go of the past:

  “Some of y’all need to focus on forgetting how they hurt you. That’s what’s keeping you from going forward.” (07:31)

• On innovation:

  “We're going to try things. We're going to take risks. That means sometimes... we're going to fail. We’re going to fail forward though, huh?” (66:48)

• On authenticity:

  “I'm anointed because I'm authentic. That's why I say He doesn't bless who you pretend to be. He blesses who you really are.” (51:57–52:06)

• On vision and values:

  “Values and vision have to be aligned. What do you see for yourself? If you value it, then you prioritize it.” (21:36)

• On generosity:

  “Generosity is giving just to give, not to get.” (63:45)

• On embracing change:

  “Some of y’all have been pretending too long and now you think it’s who you really are... and some of the lies you’ve believed have now become the character you play. That’s why you’re so tired.” (52:39)

• On contributions:

  “We are spiritual contributors, not spiritual consumers. We are the church, and we exist for the world.” (83:09)

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Key Segment Timestamps

• Opening, Challenge to Build: (01:16–03:15)
• God’s Standard for Building: (04:13–07:07)
• Letting Go / Forgetting the Past: (07:13–09:17)
• Prophetic Encouragement to Move Forward: (10:18–15:01)
• Values Discussion: (18:32–23:58)
• The Danger of Losing Standards: (23:58–26:09)
• Building on the Rock: (30:09–32:04)
• Foundation in Christ: (34:01–36:10)
• Celebrating Differences in Building: (36:10–36:51)
• Introduction to the Great 8 Values: (41:40–42:27)
• [The Great 8 Values are introduced and explained between 42:27–85:49]
  • Crazy Faith: (42:30–49:53)
  • H.O.T.: (49:59–57:13)
  • Generosity: (57:13–64:54)
  • Innovation: (64:57–68:51)
  • Worship: (68:54–70:28)
  • Fun: (70:28–72:16)
  • POP: Progression Over Perfection: (72:16–83:09)
  • A Part: (83:09–86:46)
• Real Life Testimonies for Each Value: (72:12–85:49)
• Final Charge / Being a Part of the Vision: (86:47–91:31)
• Salvation Prayer: (90:02–90:45)
• Commitment and Send-off: (91:52–92:50)

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Conclusion and Final Reflections

Pastor Michael Todd concludes with a call to action, inviting listeners and the congregation to fully participate in building for the future—not as consumers, but as contributors rooted in Christ. He emphasizes that everything must be built on the unchanging foundation of Jesus. Embodying the “Great 8” values is not just about organizational principles, but about people, stories, and authentic transformation. The message ends with prayer and an invitation for all to step into this new season of forward momentum.

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For Reflection:

• Which of the “Great 8” values resonates with you most?
• What has been your foundation for building life?
• Where might God be calling you to let go of something old in order to receive something new?

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This episode is essential listening for anyone wanting to understand what Transformation Church is, where it’s headed, and how each person fits into the bigger vision.

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Transcript

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[Transformation Church Host]

Welcome to Transformation Church podcast where we represent God to the lost and found for transformation in Christ. We're so glad you're here. And wherever you're listening from, we believe God will transform your life through today's message.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

I have a lot of word to give to you in a little bit of time. So I'm about to open up a fire hydrant and I need you to get ready to catch, okay? So I need you to get. I need you to get your smartphone, your dumb phone, I need you to get your notepad out. I need you to write on a piece of paper. Because what I'm going to share with you today is going to teach you how to watch this Build for the future. Is anybody planning to have a better future than they're living in currently, right now? I don't think you heard me.

[Congregation/Assistant]

Is anybody planning that this is the lowest, the worst, the smallest? Is anybody planning that everything in your life is about to transform and change? Okay, today I'm about to teach you.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

How to watch this. Write down the title of my message, build for the Future.

[Congregation/Assistant]

Because most people only know how to.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

Worry about the future.

[Congregation/Assistant]

And today I believe through the word.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

Of God, he is going to give us instructions how to.

[Congregation/Assistant]

What is it?

[Pastor Michael Todd]

Build for the future.

[Congregation/Assistant]

Now, I just got to give a little warning right now.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

If you're allergic to work, this message is not for you, okay?

[Congregation/Assistant]

Because some of y' all are trying.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

To figure out how to win something.

[Congregation/Assistant]

You're figuring out how to be given something, gifted something, and the things that.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

God is bringing to your life. You might have to watch this, assemble it.

[Congregation/Assistant]

I need to let you know that God is not a magician. He doesn't build chairs.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

He hands you trees. Oh, God.

[Congregation/Assistant]

God's never built a couch, but he has supplied what was needed to build the couch. Can I say it like this? God has never built the marriage. He's given two people the ability to be okay to build himself, and then they're gonna have to assemble.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

I'm preaching already. Y' all wanted.

[Congregation/Assistant]

Y' all wanted a warm up, but I need to help you.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

If you're allergic to work, this next season is going to be frustrating because God's calling all of us to say the B word with me. Build. You better not have said that other word. I promise you, you better not have. And if you're going to build for the future, you have to have instructions or standards to build by. And if you didn't listen to last week's message, I need you to go back and watch it. But we were talking about standards. And the thing about a standard is. A standard is something by which everything else is measured. This is a standard for any construction you're ever going to do. One foot is 12 inches. It doesn't matter where you go and what you do, this is going to be the standard. And this right here is a standard.

[Congregation/Assistant]

No matter where you go and what.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

You do, this will be the standard and which you live your life by. Some of us have thrown this away and this away and trying to build something. And today I'm asking you, would you please embrace the standard of God's word so that you can build something that will everybody say last, we just sang the song. The wind came, the rain blew. But my. My life was built on you. That means you have to have a firm foundation. And today I want to teach Transformation Church how this church is about to build. And I want to say it with faith because I need you to understand that this is the least impact that this church will ever have. I don't need everybody to believe it.

[Congregation/Assistant]

I said it in a room of 300 people. Started from the bottom. Now we here. You understand what I'm saying?

[Additional Advertiser/Announcer]

But.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

But I'm all like, this is the least. This is the easiest you'll ever get a parking spot in this church. You leaving 15 minutes early right now. Because I gotta beat the traffic. Baby. Get ready, because there's a world that is in need of a hospital. And Jesus said, I came to seek and to save those who were lost. I want to let you know we're this is scary to say for some of y', all, but we're about to build.

[Congregation/Assistant]

Look at your neighbor and say, we about to build. We're about to build.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

The truth of the matter is what God is doing here has been a precursor to what he has desired and designed to do in our ministry. And today I want to give you an opportunity to be a part of that. And so the subtitle to this message is the church that I'm a part of. Because many people have gone to church all their life and not known what type of church they're a part of. You just went to the church your mom and them told you you had to go to, or you just went to the church where you knew your friend, or you went to the church that your baby mama was going to, or you went to the church that they had all the fine guys, or you went to the church. You understand what I'm saying? But did you know the type of church you are a part of today? In this forward series, I want to give you a clarity that's going to allow you to stand with faith and take up your space. A part of this vision, because we're about to build for the future by knowing the type of church that we're a part of. Why does this make sense? Because Philippians 3:13, this is our anchor scripture for the entire series. And this entire year as we are going forward, it says, no, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it.

[Congregation/Assistant]

But I focus on this one thing.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

It's not forward that I'm focusing on.

[Congregation/Assistant]

Because I thought the scripture would have been like, focus on one thing, go forward. But the Bible says, I need to.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

Focus on this one thing. What is it? Forgetting.

[Congregation/Assistant]

All year?

[Pastor Michael Todd]

Some of y' all need to focus on forgetting how they hurt you. That's what's keeping you from going forward. If you just let them go, you.

[Congregation/Assistant]

Could actually go forward.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

But every time you smell Burberry, you.

[Congregation/Assistant]

Know what I'm talking about.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

Every time you see a Krispy Kreme.

[Congregation/Assistant]

That'S where he left me. And I had a Krispy Kreme donut. And that's why I'm big now, because all I do is increase the greens. Like, do you understand what I'm saying? If you would focus on forgetting.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

But most of us are dead set on remembering just in case I ever get in that situation again.

[Congregation/Assistant]

I don't trust God.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

I trust what happened. And God is saying, if you want to go forward, I need you to focus. Some of you have been married for years and the reason you can't find passion is because you won't focus on forgetting. There are children in here that have been mad at their parents for 15 years. They did the best they could with what they had. They didn't have the emotional intelligence to be there when you actually needed them. And now you are therapized and you got a better job and you made it out the hood and you got a six figure job and you still have no connection. And they only got 10 years left on this earth and you're going to be standing at their grave site, weeping tears, saying things you could say to them right now. But that means you're going to have to focus on forgetting. And I know you feel justified and I know it's. It becomes a shield, but God is asking, will you trust me? Because everything is ahead, he said, forgetting the past and looking. Everybody shout at me forward. You ain't shouted at me.

[Congregation/Assistant]

Shout at me forward.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

There it is at what lies ahead. This is gonna take a press. Ain't no automatic doors in this next thing. I'm gonna have to work at some things. It says I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus is calling us. Somebody say forward. I prophetically speak over your life that this will be the last week that certain things occupy your mind space. There will be things that you will forget because you're going to surrender them, you're not going to hold them. You're going to say, God, I no longer want to be angry when this topic comes up. God, I no longer want to have rage when this. God, I don't want to be offended when my name is not called Holy Spirit. I want to give over. Some of y' all are doing it right now, today. God, I'm surrendering every piece of me.

[Congregation/Assistant]

That could be offended, every piece of me that can have a right.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

I am giving over because I desire to move forward. And in this church during my sabbatical, I had to do that as the pastor of your church, of this church that has seen so many great miracles. The thing that is so hard is when you see God do great things, you're expecting him to do it the same way again. And the Holy Spirit told me very clearly, he said, michael, you're looking at the past for a projection of the future. And I've moved on to something else. The scripture would say it like this. The cloud has moved. Y' all know when the children of.

[Congregation/Assistant]

Israel, their provision was provided as they.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

Stayed and they Followed the cloud. And. And many people, they would set up their tent and they would be like, whoa, we get to stay here for a minute.

[Congregation/Assistant]

And then the cloud would move, and they'd be like, pack it up. Time to go. And be like, we ain't even been here for no time.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

And they said, we have to continue to follow the cloud. And some of us have become obsessed with staying where God used to move. And today I've had to hit delete on my memory bank. I've had to clear my storage. I've had to say, God, if you. If you don't do it like this again, I'm okay with that. Because as long as you doing something and I'm a part of it, I'm okay with that. And I'm telling you, some of you, today is the day. I feel the presence of God, that you are going to move forward, because God has something new that is just up ahead. If you will let go of what was. Let me say it to you how he gave it to Isaiah. In Isaiah 43:18, I feel the presence of God already. My help is coming.

[Congregation/Assistant]

It says, but forget all that. Can you forget the greatest thing he's.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

Done in your life? And I'm not saying don't reverence it. I'm not saying don't think about it as something that you're grateful for. I'm saying don't idolize it. Make him the standard, not that. The standard. Did y' all hear what I just said? You can't make what happened the standard. You have to make him the standard.

[Congregation/Assistant]

So I love God's variety of doing miracles. He never did it the same way. Some people, he told them to go.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

Wash and they were healed.

[Congregation/Assistant]

Some people, he took spit and put.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

It on their eyes, and they was healed.

[Congregation/Assistant]

Some other people, he just spoke the.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

Word and they were healed.

[Congregation/Assistant]

He never did the same thing the same way because he wants to prove he can do it anyway. Y' all missed it. I said, the God I serve can do it any way he needs to. The situation can be dead, and he can raise it back to life.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

Oh, God. But that means I can't be obsessed with the method. And some of us have pledged our allegiance to a way that God does it instead of the way Maker. He says, but forget of that. Forget all that. Say that with me, but forget all that. You can say that with a little attitude, with a little hood.

[Congregation/Assistant]

Just be like, forget all that.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

Okay. Yeah, I like that. It's nothing. Look at the promise. It's nothing compared do you know. Do you know that God is so good that he never tells you to forget something that he doesn't plan to replace.

[Congregation/Assistant]

He didn't say, forget all that because.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

He said, forget all that because it's not worth being compared to the things that I'm about.

[Congregation/Assistant]

He's giving you a promise that's attached to you letting go.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

It's like God saying, I got something behind my back. If you would give me what you holding on to, I will release what I have for you. But God show it to me forth.

[Congregation/Assistant]

That doesn't take faith. That means you don't trust me. Well, is it bigger? Is it better? Is it more? Is it you?

[Pastor Michael Todd]

It's what you need. And God said, it's not even worth being compared to what I'm gonna do, for I'm about to do something new.

[Congregation/Assistant]

Do you see it? I have already begun.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

You do not see it, do you? I'll make a pathway through the wilderness and I will create rivers in dry wasteland. Those two scriptures I need you to meditate and read daily. Because some of you, there have been scales on your eyes and on your mind that have to be washed over with the word of God. Some of you are in a desperate situation that it feels like nothing can change. I'm stuck. I owe them the money. This will not be different. I'm grieving. I'm hurting. And God says even in that I can bring rivers out of dry wasteland, what you consider something that you would throw things away in, I will allow it to spring forth and be the thing that nourishes others. It's time for us as a church to move forward. God. God has taken this church into a season of forward momentum. And I'm telling you this because there are some things that started at the beginning of this year when we went into time of prayer and fasting. And for everybody's like, dang, this feels serious. Dang, this is a lot. Dang, this feels intense. Because this is the season. Do you not feel the climate of the world? Are you spiritually numb to what's happening right now? God is looking for somebody to be the light in all places. Oh, God. He needs somebody that will not be thrown off by finances, somebody that won't compromise their integrity because of a pretty face. Somebody that won't compromise what God has called them to do because of an opportunity he needs. Need somebody, say us. He's calling us. And the truth of the matter is many people are scared to go forward because they're trying to hold on to something in their past. But today, God is saying there is no more time because we have to build for the future.

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[Pastor Michael Todd]

So today I want to give you just some key things that I need you to value. Write down the word value. This a money word right here. Value. What do you value? What do you value? Money. Come on, talk to me. Y' all know this is talk back. Church.

[Congregation/Assistant]

What do you value? Time.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

Relationships. Come on. Family.

[Congregation/Assistant]

Results. Talk to me.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

Church.

[Congregation/Assistant]

What do you value?

[Pastor Michael Todd]

You, not everybody.

[Congregation/Assistant]

What do you value? What'd you say? Peace.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

What'd you say?

[Congregation/Assistant]

Mental health.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

My calling. What'd you say?

[Congregation/Assistant]

Worship. What do you value? Sleep. Thank you. Somebody said something. He said sleep.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

Pastor.

[Congregation/Assistant]

I'm barely making it through. Hey, help me.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

Fitness. What do you value?

[Congregation/Assistant]

Food.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

Thank you.

[Congregation/Assistant]

Because all these people hungry.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

Let me ask you a question. Whatever you value, how do you know you value it? You spend time. You spend money. That's a good word. You invest in it.

[Congregation/Assistant]

How do you know what you value?

[Pastor Michael Todd]

You protect it.

[Congregation/Assistant]

How do you know what you value?

[Pastor Michael Todd]

You honor it. Oh, somebody said the word.

[Congregation/Assistant]

You prioritize it.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

Don't tell me you value it if it is not a priority. You know what? Nobody said God. Good night.

[Congregation/Assistant]

Nobody in this church. She said, I did.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

You ain't say it loud. Hear me.

[Congregation/Assistant]

Hear me.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

Hear me. Hear me. Hear me. Hear me. Hear me. Hear me. It's very difficult to say that you value God if you don't prioritize him. And because he's such a big God, we think he'll understand. He's such a big God. He's like, I'll get to that, man. It don't take all of that. And the fruit of our lives are showing what we value. Some of us value knowing what's going on a lot more than we should. Some of us value, come on. The opinion of people that you don't even know. Come on, think about it. And God's saying right now to us, we need to get our values. Watch this. And our vision aligned. Values and vision have to be aligned. What do you see for yourself? If you value it, then you prioritize it.

[Congregation/Assistant]

Because a lot of people, they come to me like, Pastor Mike, I got the vision. I wrote the vision down. I know what God said.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

And they do not prioritize what it takes to see that vision come to pass.

[Congregation/Assistant]

Do you know how many people tell.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

Me they want to get healthy?

[Congregation/Assistant]

Do you know how many people tell.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

Me they're gonna write the book?

[Congregation/Assistant]

Do you know how many people tell.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

Me, like, I promise you, give me your email because I'm gonna send you the song. And there is no fruit because there's no priority.

[Congregation/Assistant]

Do you know how many relationships tell.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

Me that they love each other, but they're business partners? They don't prioritize learning each other, learning how to communicate with each other.

[Congregation/Assistant]

Do you know how many people have.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

Kids and don't prioritize them? Oh, God, you had them, but you don't value them. What I'm telling you is the vision you have for your family, your business, your relationship, your mind, Your spirit has to align with values. And that's why most people have a vision with no values. A mission with no method, a dream with no devotion, direction with no daily practice. What are you trying to say, Pastor Mike? It's good to see it. But sight with no standard leads to self sabotage. Some people in this room are so frustrated because they see the future. They see what they could be. They see what God is saying. They see themselves being generous. They see themselves walking in their call, and they see themselves out of that addiction. But they do not have any standards. So my sight without standards makes me be like, well, forget it. I'mma just try it one more time. And it leads to self sabotage. But today, I believe the spirit of God is going to allow you to move forward and give you the ability to build for the future. I've been thinking about this, and the easiest way to interrupt a house being built is to not give the work site something. It would be to take something away from the work site. If you want to ruin any house being built, just take away the standard. I don't care how good you can hammer, how good you can cut. You want to ruin and have a lopsided house, Steal all the standards. Okay. What if I told you the enemy is not trying to steal your sight as much as he's trying to steal your standards?

[Congregation/Assistant]

He wants your house, your life, your mind lopsided.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

So what he's trying to do is not.

[Congregation/Assistant]

No, you can see it.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

You can have vision, but steal your standards? No character, no integrity. Anybody can run in and anybody can run out. Anybody can steal your peace. Anybody can take your joy.

[Congregation/Assistant]

If he wants to take away the.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

Thing being built, he's taking away the standards. Where have you let the standard go? Pastor Mike, why are you talking about this? Because God wants to give you standards to build this next season of your life. That's what he gave Moses when he took the children of Israel out of slavery. He put them in the wilderness to give them the ten Commandments or the ten standards they're supposed to live by, because it would have been the quickest way for them to get in the promised land. But what did they do? They rebelled against the new standard, and they didn't want to do it so bad that they wished to go back to slavery. How many times have we asked for peace but started chaos?

[Congregation/Assistant]

God's telling you, bridle your tongue, but they ain't gonna never disrupt me like that. You know what I'm saying? They messing with a real one right here. So if they gonna come in and then you just come on, y'.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

All. I just blacked out.

[Congregation/Assistant]

We got that one word.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

If they say that one word, and I just blacked out, and God's saying, hold on, can we have a new standard there? Could you let that be in the past? Oh. Cause you're thinking about me just telling you to hold on to people in the past and all these things in the past. God said there's some habits that you have married to your character. Oh, God.

[Congregation/Assistant]

There are some things that you have.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

Claimed out of your mouth demonically. This is just me.

[Congregation/Assistant]

You've made a covenant with areas of your life that are chosen habits that God's saying, you need to let that go. Forget that old thing.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

You don't got to get mad every time somebody says something crazy to you. You can actually feel bad for them. That is so sad that your vocabulary is that limited that you Are that insecure that you have to talk to me like that? God bless you.

[Congregation/Assistant]

But your whole day is ruined now because what they say about me.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

Write this down. Building with standards is wise. Building with standards is. Building your relationship with standards is wise. Building your family with standards is wise. Building your business with standards is w. Building your friendship with standards is wise. Where are the standards? Why can people talk about people to you? Why can they vent to you so easily? No, I'm. They don't even know. It's not okay for them to do that. And you're now weighed down with problems and issues that ain't even yours. But you get a compliment. You're just always there for me. I don't need to be there for you like that. Oh, y' all don't hear me. You've worn it as a badge of honor. That all you can. I can just talk. No. They're dumping on you. They're putting trash on you. Now you looking at other people crazy.

[Congregation/Assistant]

And they ain't even do nothing to you.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

There she go.

[Congregation/Assistant]

Look at her.

[Additional Advertiser/Announcer]

Ugh.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

Yet now you have turned something that isn't even your burden into something you have to work through. Wow.

[Congregation/Assistant]

God.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

Building with standards is wise. Does your family know there's boundaries? Quiet. Does your mama know that she can't talk to your wife like that? Building your marriage with stuff. Standards is wise. You. You know that cousin can't talk to your kids like that. Well, when I was raised any uncle and auntie. So sorry. You got to earn the trust to reprimand my kids. You could talk to me about it, and if I trust you, you will know I trust you because we've talked about the standard. Correct them.

[Congregation/Assistant]

People in my life, they know they.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

Can correct my kids, that they've been given authority. But just because you old don't mean you smart. Oh, let me stop. Let me get back to the message.

[Congregation/Assistant]

Just because you got gray don't mean you got wisdom.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

I know some dumb old people, But some of you have subjected your children to unnecessary, abnormal use by your family members because you have not clarified the standard. Oh, God, how many of us. Never mind. I'm not even gonna go there, because I just felt. I felt we was about to build up some family trauma right there. Matthew 7:24. Let me go back to the words so y' all can. Okay. Matthew 7:24. Therefore, everyone who hears these words. This is Jesus talking. Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into.

[Congregation/Assistant]

Say it with me. Practice.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

So you can't just hear It.

[Congregation/Assistant]

You gotta practice it. Coming to church on Sunday and not.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

Practicing it does not help your life. Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and puts it into is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. Oh, this is the song we sang.

[Congregation/Assistant]

The rain came, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against the.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

House, yet it did not fall. May that be your testimony of 2026 that whatever comes.

[Congregation/Assistant]

I'm not gonna fall. I built my house on the rock. You can talk about me, but I'm not gonna fall. You can say, say whatever you want, but I'm not gonna fall. This family, this church is built on a solid rock.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

I'm not falling. I can't fall because I'm attached to something. Sure, it says, yet it did not fall because it had. Watch this word, its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine comes to church every Sunday, listens to podcasts while they working out, listens to the Bible app and the Bible plan, and does not put what they hear into practice. Is like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. You know what the sand represents? Something that can shift. So if you build your life on money, it shifts every day. That's why it's called currency, because it has to move. So it's moving, and the stock market goes up and the stock market goes down. You're depressed when you get more money.

[Congregation/Assistant]

You're.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

You're depressed when you get no money and you're happy when you get more. It's not something to build your life on. You have to build your life on something solid.

[Congregation/Assistant]

You can't build your life on somebody's opinion of you, because one decision you make could make them feel different about you. You have to build it on a sure foundation, which is the word of.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

God about to prove it to you in the Bible. The rain came down on this person, too. The streams rose and the winds blew and beat against the house. But they didn't have the same testimony as the wise builder. It fell with the great crash. Today I came to give you a warning that the crash is coming if you do not build on Christ. I know people whose marriage is hanging on by this little piece of thread. I know people's whose sanity is hanging on. And sometimes. Listen, maybe I'm being too vulnerable sometimes. I'm just praying, all right, God, just let it crash now, because some of y' all just need to start over. Some of you are so trying to hold. Cause you won't get it until you hit rock bottom. And sometimes, I'm not saying it's for everybody, but I feel very strong to say this. Stop lying. Stop trying to hold it together in secret. Let the consequences be what they may, and surrender what you have done to God and to those around you that still love and be able to watch him rebuild, resurrect, restore. But right now, you're in limbo because you will not let go of what can't help you. Anyway. Write this point down. Going forward without the foundation is foolish. The first thing that you build when you build a house is what? Building a foundation is not sexy. Like, after you clear, I've built a house before. So when you clear the land and you do all the other stuff and they're like, we're about to pour the foundation. Nobody's like, yes, the foundation. We want to see walls and plumbing and we want to see. We want to decorate. But what they don't understand is if you get a fire, if you get a tornado, we in Oklahoma. If you get any type of thing, they can rebuild the house if the foundation is good. Today, I'm asking you to pay attention to. I didn't say a foundation, I said the foundation. First Corinthians 3, 10. I'm giving you a lot of scripture, but I want you to build for the future. I want you to build on Jesus. First Corinthians, chapter 3, verse 10. It says, because of God's word grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. I want all of us to build something that others can build on. Is it the testimony that it wasn't just for me, but it was something that other people could build on after me? Okay, but whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful, for no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have. Jesus Christ, you want to know what to build your life on? The foundation. He has a name. Jesus Christ. You want to build your marriage, Build it on Jesus Christ. You want to build your family? Build it on Jesus Christ. Verse 12 says, Anyone who builds on that foundation, I love this. I love God. Including all of us. In the story, he said, as long as you got Jesus as the foundation, you can use a variety of materials. You can use gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, straw. I love this because he says, all of us don't have to build the same thing. We just gotta build on the same thing.

[Congregation/Assistant]

Oh, God, we don't got my house. Don't gotta look like yours. You might like an old colonial, traditional style situation.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

Me I'mma had a modern day. Don't give me no circles, give me straight lines. Big tall museum. But guess what's the same. That's why I can celebrate other churches that do things differently.

[Congregation/Assistant]

Cuz as long as the foundation is Jesus. Build, baby, build. Y' all don't hear what I'm saying. Well, I don't like that. And I don't like that it's okay. Is the foundation Jesus. Build, baby, build. Well, they sing loud songs, they sing quiet songs. They sing with drums, they sing with.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

Strings, it don't matter. Is the foundation Jesus.

[Congregation/Assistant]

Build, baby, build. He said build with gold, build with.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

Silver, build with hay, build with straw. But guess what? It's gonna be judged. But on the judgment Day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person's work. Whoa, here's our word. Has any value. If the person's work has any value. Values are important to the vision that God has placed in your heart. My wife says it to me all the time like this, Michael, it's not okay that we get there. It's how we got there. You ever showed up to an event and you got there and you were smiling, but it was hell getting there. You almost threw your kids out the car. Come on. We said some words we had to repent for and your hair wasn't working.

[Congregation/Assistant]

Come on.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

Anybody else? You wear a hot church. Come on.

[Congregation/Assistant]

And even getting to church this morning, you sitting here smiling ha ha ha right now.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

But you got to say sorry after this. Because sometimes we're so concerned about getting to the thing we saw that how we get there, we leave carnage behind. When you have values, it makes going to the vision. Watch this healthy. We can't build the house that God wants us to build. The life, the family, the ministry, the nonprofit. We can't build it. And there be bodies behind it. And too many people have built the thing but killed more people along the way. No good relationships. Everybody speaks bad about you. Why? Because they saw the vision more than they put it inside. The values that God gave them. Them. So today I'm going to give you the values of this church. In the next 25 minutes, we going to be. We're going to be closing. But I need to let you know that the values of this church is how we're about to build for the future. And I want you to know I don't believe these are just values that are for this church. These are values for the church. I'm not just talking about the Organization. I'm talking about the organism that if you would embrace what God has given me as the thing that we're Calling the Great 8, you can write that down on your paper right now. Because over the past 10 years, you know, I've had the ability to try some things and see some things and figure some things out. And once you've been in something for a decade, you can tell what fits and what doesn't anymore. You can tell what was aspirational and what actually is authentic. And so today I stand here like I did almost 11 years ago, with full confidence. My knees aren't shaking today because I have too much proof.

[Congregation/Assistant]

Of the type.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

Of church that God has called us to be. I have empirical data in the church walls and in culture as well that God has given us. And I want you to know what you have the opportunity to be a part of, because only what you do for Christ will last. So I need your help in going through these eight things. Just put it on the top of your page and put it on the wall. The great eight. Eight is easy. We used to have 52 things that we used to have the staff try to remember. Let me be honest, we wanted to talk about everything. You gotta be this and you gotta be that. And then we tried to tell the church, and it's like nobody remembers none of this. Can we make it simple? And can we make it memorable? And can we make it. The things that we know are the unique things that God has called this church to do. And so as I give you these, there are going to be ones that I'm praying that stick with you forever. And I want you to see how they actually impact your life and how you can become them by faith. These are the things that you want to move forward towards. These are the things that are going to be the culture code of our church. Why are you saying culture? Because the culture of what you put a vision in is the thing that either expands it or limits it. Everybody has a vision, but culture eats vision for breakfast. You ever been somewhere? It's like we have a vision to love everybody. But the culture is meant to. It don't matter if you smile. Everybody feels the culture more than they see the vision and a code. Bishop said this to me before. I was going over my message with him. He said a code is something that unlocks into something else. If you find the culture and the code, this unlocks the great things that God has forward. So today you have a part in this. You're gonna ask me a question you're gonna say, what type of church are we? Now, this is your only part. If you've never been a part of a choir, this is time for you to get in unison. Okay? So I'm gonna say like this. And you're gonna say, what type of church are we? And then I'm gonna answer you.

[Congregation/Assistant]

Okay?

[Pastor Michael Todd]

You ready to practice? One, two, three. Okay, that was good. But you didn't participate. Neither did you. I saw. But I'm just playing, so we're gonna say it. I need you to do it to me loud. Okay, Here we go.

[Congregation/Assistant]

1, 2, 3.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

We are a church that values crazy faith.

[Congregation/Assistant]

We believe God big.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

We do what seems small, and we see the impossible because it's only crazy until it happens. I'm not suggesting this to you. I'm telling you who we are. Well, I'm usually in fear. No, you're a person of crazy faith. You gotta see it before you see it. If anxiety and fear and procrastination is clouding your thought today, start saying it. I'm a person of crazy faith. I see. I see the impossible.

[Congregation/Assistant]

I see things bigger than what's around me right now. Right now, everything around me has to expand because I just showed up. And the God of the the universe lives on the inside of me. There's a scripture that says, everywhere my feet trod, that is territory that I can take for the kingdom.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

I'm a person of crazy faith. I got some work to do, cuz most of you think I'm a person of crazy faith. The saddest testimony of this church is would be if y' all watched me this close, do all these impossible things that I'm showing you proof, like I give y' all receipts that nobody gives y'. All. I be showing y' all my misspelled words. I be showing y' all the broken stuff.

[Congregation/Assistant]

I'm trying to let you know I'm regular. I just really believe God. Oh, God. He's no respecter of persons. I got six months of TCC education.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

That'S Tulsa Community College, right up the street.

[Congregation/Assistant]

Shout out, no diploma, no paper, just a bill. Do you hear what I'm saying to you? If God can do it with me, if he can deliver me out of pornography, deliver me out of lying, bring me into holy, give me visions that.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

I can't make happen by myself, he.

[Congregation/Assistant]

Can do it for you.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

Your whole life could look different 365 days from now.

[Congregation/Assistant]

But some of y' all got more faith than that. Your whole life could look different one month from now. But some of y' all got more crazy faith than that. This time next week, I'm telling you, somebody's going to get the faith to believe it. And there's one person in here that will be like the woman in the Bible that says, by this time tomorrow, if you believe God can do it and he can do it through you, make some crazy faith moment.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

Let me give you all a receipt. I usually show y' all this paper. Y' all seen this a million times. Where the Spiritbake Event center will be Transformation Church. But I got a new one to show you today. I found this this week. This is from May 2000. 22 May 2000. This says relationship Goals, the movie. Y' all never seen this one before? Less than one month after the book came out, in the middle of the pandemic, the Holy Spirit said, write down what I told you. And I wrote down that this would go from a message to a book. It would be music and it would be a movie. And this seemed completely crazy until last week. For everybody that doesn't know, Devon Franklin called me. And I was able to. On the same day, he called me and asked me, have you ever thought about making it a movie? God said, send him what I told you. I didn't have to go and make something up because he wanted to prove he gave it to me. If you look on the sheet, put it on the screen. The main character's name, Amazon. Devon. The writers didn't come up with that. God gave that name to me. Leah's name and Brenda's name. Bree was even my fake Leah on the thing.

[Congregation/Assistant]

Bree, you a superstar.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

Look at her.

[Congregation/Assistant]

Just pride.

[Additional Advertiser/Announcer]

Sit down.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

I want you to. I want you to see the young lady on the end. That's our friend. That's Israel Holden's wife. And I knew it needed to be somebody multi ethnic and. And I put the name Trina in the movie. Her name is Treece. I still got the TR in there. See, y' all don't hear what I'm saying because you see in part you prophesy, in part, you don't see the whole thing.

[Congregation/Assistant]

I feel this thing, but because I had the audacity.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

Six years later, I don't know if you know, but in 24 hours, it was the number one movie on Amazon Prime. Y' all don't want to celebrate with me?

[Congregation/Assistant]

Relationship goes with number one. Oh, my. I can't wait to find a church that will celebrate the impossible with me. I can't wait to find People, okay, you don't start that because eyes have not seen, ears have not heard. Neither has it entered into the hearts of man, the things that God has prepared for you. You don't see it now, but you.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

You will. Okay.

[Congregation/Assistant]

It's only crazy.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

Now. People ask me, well, when's your next movie coming?

[Congregation/Assistant]

About 17 days ago, you didn't believe one could happen.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

Now you ask me, you got number two? Yeah, I do.

[Congregation/Assistant]

Don't wait on me. My phone is loaded.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

Y' all don't hear what I. Okay, let me stop. Write this down. I want you to believe this. At your core, God's plan for you is bigger than your plan for you. Write it down and believe it. Say it until you don't doubt it. I cannot think a thought that is better for me than the thoughts that God has already thought about me. When you start really believing that, it makes you start believing in crazy faith. I declare over your house. You're going to begin to start believing God for things your family said could never happen. You're going to believe God for stuff you have never seen before in your family line. You're going to begin to see things that nobody has ever done. Why? Because if God's going to do it through somebody, he might as well do it through me.

[Congregation/Assistant]

Who got that testimony? If you can use anything, Lord, Huh? Who's ready to see God do the impossible?

[Pastor Michael Todd]

All right, somebody shout at me.

[Congregation/Assistant]

Crazy faith.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

All right, this is your turn. 1, 2, 3. What type of church are we?

[Congregation/Assistant]

1, 2, 3.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

We are a church that values being hot. We are humble, open and transparent people. Watch this. Of integrity. I've had people abuse this language and say I'm humble, open and transparent. So I'm just tell you how I feel. Oh, hold on. Wait. We're humble, open and transparent people of integrity. Why? Because God doesn't bless who you pretend to be. He blesses who you really are. More than half of y' all know my testimony because I say it every week. Let's see if y' all listen. I was a liar, a manipulator. I was addicted to porn.

[Congregation/Assistant]

Okay, all right, let's stop.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

Okay, let's stop. The only reason you can repeat my testimony is because I rehearse it. I'm humble, open and transparent enough to tell it every time I get an opportunity. And anybody that's close around me knows that. I don't just do it on the platform. I'll be in quick trip. I'll be at the mall. I'll be at the basketball court. I'll be at an NBA game. And if I get out of in a conversation with somebody, guess what's coming out? My testimony. Because at the end of the day, me looking good to you does nothing for your salvation. And it makes me more prideful and away from God. And there's a few things God can't.

[Congregation/Assistant]

Stand and he can't stand pride.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

And so when I tell my testimony, it does two things. It makes me relatable and humble. Pastor Michael well, let me tell you who I really am. You see the title, but let me tell you who I am without the grace of God. And too many people are trying to save face because they don't believe that the authentic version of them is the anointed version of them.

[Congregation/Assistant]

I'm anointed because I'm authentic. I'm not anointed because I'm studied. I'm not anointed because I'm better.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

I'm not.

[Congregation/Assistant]

I'm anointed because I'm authentic.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

That's why I say he doesn't bless who you pretend to be. He blesses who you really are. And if you sell out fully to who you are right now, but you're open to him bringing you a little further, you'll be fully committed to that next version of you. You. I am not who I'm going to be. You've never been led by the pastor. I'll be next year.

[Congregation/Assistant]

Oh, God.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

The reason I say stick around, because I'm going to get better. The reason I say keep coming back because I'm going to get better.

[Congregation/Assistant]

I'm never going to be stuck here because I'm moving.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

I'm not going to become a prisoner of today. But that means I got to be humble, open and transparent about my flaws. I got to be self aware about where I miss it. I got to be honest about how I feel. Because some of you have been pretending too long and now you think it's who you really are. You've been acting so long that you're forgetting which parts of it is you and which parts of it. You're trying to make people feel and think. And some of the lies you've believed have now become the character you play. That's why you're so tired. You're tired. The Bible would say it like this. You're weary. 2026 has felt like a whole year already. And it's February. I mean, come on, it's February. What? It's February 8th and you acting like it's August. The seasons don't even Know what time it is right now? It feel like springtime yesterday in Tulsa.

[Congregation/Assistant]

And it was a snowy tundra last week. What is going on.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

But weariness. But there's an answer for that on the foundation. His name is Jesus. He says, come to me, all who are weary and heavy laden. And guess what? I'll give you rest. And that's why you gotta be humble, open, and transparent. Can I say it plain? Tell your testimony.

[Congregation/Assistant]

You know, one of the most beautiful.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

Things that I saw in the movie Relationship Goals is there was two couple. There was a young lady and a couple from our church telling their real life testimony. In the movie. Paige was one of the people telling her testimony.

[Congregation/Assistant]

It's reaching people she went to high school school with. It's reaching people that she ain't talked to in years.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

Mo and Connie were telling their testimony.

[Congregation/Assistant]

What you don't know is Mo picked.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

Me up when I was speaking for a conference in Miami. And I got to tell this testimony because you got to see how beautifully God weaves our stories together. If we'll surrender. He was supposed to be picking up Carl Lentz, and he was way higher on the totem pole at the time than I was. And somebody's like, mo, you got demoted to Mike Todd.

[Congregation/Assistant]

True story.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

He comes to pick us up. We're nobody. Nobody knows us. We're not even speaking at this conference. And they take us to this bougie restaurant to eat. All the food was nasty, and I was still hungry. So me and Nat was like, hey, Mo, could you take us to Burger King? It was the only thing open at the time. We're at Burger King in the parking lot in Miami, and this man begins to talk to me about his relationship. And me and Nat just began to minister to him. What we didn't know at the time is that him and his wife were serving at this conference together, but living at two separate places. We had no idea that at the time he was thinking about divorcing his wife. We had no idea that it was not done for them yet. Through that conversation, God put a spark of faith on the inside of him. And he went back home and made everything right in his marriage.

[Congregation/Assistant]

And he built that thing, oh, from the ground up with his wife Connie. And now they stand here in a movie where 240 million people have the possibility to see it and talking about the testimony of their marriage. Don't tell me what God.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

God can't do. That's why we share our test. He thought it was about you, but we overcome Revelations 12:11 says, by the blood of the lamb, that's what Jesus did. But you got a part to play in it. But the words of your. What is it? Testimony. Write this down in a point. There is an anointing in your authenticity. Some of y' all about to unlock a different level of power because you're going to actually be authentic, and you're not going to be sold out to that version forever. You're going to allow God to change you. He loves you so much that he'll accept you how you are, but he loves you too much to leave you that way. And some of y' all want to stay the way that you are.

[Congregation/Assistant]

I'm just being real.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

And God's saying, you being real for 14 years, it's time to change. It's trying to grow. It's time to mature. Oh, I love this. I got a lot more to go through. Somebody say, what type of church are we? 1, 2, 3. We are a church that values. Watch this generosity. We give just to give and not to get. Giving is our response to God's love, not a requirement for his love. I want you to understand that you do not have to do anything to get God's love except receive it. And I know church tries to tell you, do better so God can love you. No, no, no. That's not what God says in His Word. And I want us to be a church that displays loving people first, because that's what he did to us. Pastor Mike, does that mean those type of people. Yes. Are they human? Do they have blood? My response is not based on my preferences. My response is based on the standard. If Jesus was the one to go sit with the woman at the well, when those two races didn't talk to each other, even his own disciples were sitting there like, why are you talking to this gag? If he's the one that goes up and says to Zacchaeus, hey, I know everybody hating on you, but I'm coming to have dinner at your house tonight. This is. This is what our Savior did. And the reason he could do it, because he was solid. I got to just put this in. In here. Some of you can't be generous the way you need to be because you don't have enough integrity to stay the same when you come in contact with people who have different values than you did. Y' all hear what I just said? You can't go into certain spaces because those spaces would turn you out. The reason why most pastors and church people can't be trusted around people with money. Because they want the money. And you can feel people who need something from you. Well, let me just share my plan with you, brother. Let me. Let me just. Let me. I'll give you my elevator pitch. Like what? Their soul is more important than whatever you're trying to sell. And what I'm saying to you, you cannot be called to an environment that you need something. You cannot be called to actually change it if you're trying to get something from it. The reason Jesus could sit with Zacchaeus, because he didn't need nothing from him. Do y' all hear what I'm saying? And this is where the church has to get. This is why we have to be skilled. This is why we have to use our brains and use our. The ability to produce wealth. This is why we have to be innovative. And I'm gonna talk about it in a second. Because we are called to people that have things that we don't have, but they don't have the thing that they need. I can't spend the time that I want to. The reason why you have to be okay. The reason why you have to get out of love with money, the reason why you have to get out of love with their affirmation, the reason you have to fall out of love with their opinion is because you might be called to a space in a place that you're not going to get that thing from. And it's time for us to be generous on every occasion. You heard the stat last week that this church, because of our collective generosity, has given away in the last 11 years, over $36,361,501. Can we give God praise for that? We could literally shout for the next. For the next 30 minutes if we wanted to. Just on that, look at your neighbor and say, we did that. Come on. If you gave $0.01, if you gave the $0.01 or that $1, somebody say, we did that, huh? Okay. It all gets counted in heaven. We did. Now forget it. Oh, there's a way we could get at in a year. I gotta say stuff to bust your bubble. What would happen if this church. It was usual for us to give $10 million away to causes outside of this church yearly. Yearly. I'm not talking about every church in the community. I'm talking about us, the people in this room, online. If we. If everybody tithed, we could do that without blinking an eye. But some people still don't trust God with their finances. And so I'm always teaching, hey, this is the word. This is the generosity. And I'm not gonna beg you for it because this is. Your soul is more important. But we have the answer if we would obey the standard. But see, y' all think it's about the, the 36 million we can record. But let me tell you about something that happened at Christmas time. There was, there was somebody in our church that somebody found out that this single mother, her furnace went out right before Christmas and they were living in one part of the house so that they all could stay warm. This single mother and her three daughters. And somebody found out about it and put it on a group text to some other people. Not, not, not can the church raise it off just some people in the church. Not the organization, but the organism. And, and, and just right before Christmas they raised 8,000 plus dollars and gave.

[Congregation/Assistant]

It to this single mother so that.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

Her and her family. Y' all don't hear me.

[Congregation/Assistant]

Generosity is giving just to give, not to get. What group text message are you on?

[Pastor Michael Todd]

Is every thread you own you asking for something. But what if you could change it? I'm not saying 8,000. I'm saying 8. $8. 850. What if this week you went to the gas station with the intention to put $20 in somebody else's tank and you just did that until you could buy somebody a car?

[Congregation/Assistant]

God gives seed to the you waiting to have a new enough to buy them a car.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

And God said just put gas in their car. Every week you take 10 minutes and go with a 20 and just go in there and say put an extra 20 on 15. Do that for the rest of the year. See if God doesn't expand your. Y' all, don't. Y'. All. I can't. I can't talk about it right now. But Proverbs 11:24 says the world of the generous gets larger and larger, but the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller. I gotta keep moving.

[Congregation/Assistant]

1, 2, 3. What type of church are we?

[Pastor Michael Todd]

We are a church that values innovation. We go first, we take creative risk and we do anything short of sin to reach people who don't know Christ. Everybody can't have this a part of their mission statement because everybody ain't bout it bout it. I don't know where that just came from. Master P and the no limit soldiers that's just dating me right now. A lot of people are scared. Everybody wants to reach people until it's time to reach people. Why do we do things like ransom? Why do we put out movies? Why do we go out in the street? Why do we Forgive people. Why do we let people who talk bad about us on Instagram come back and be a part of the church? Because we. Yeah, I said it. Because we practice what we preach. And sometimes you gotta go first. Going first sucks. I can give you tons of examples of things we have done as a church since the very beginning, and now it's very popular to do. But we got crucified for it. It's part of what we're called to do. I counted up the cost. This is a part of our unique DNA. We innovate. We gonna try things. We're gonna take risks. That means sometimes. Watch this church. We're gonna fail. We're going to fail. Forward, though, huh? Some of y' all are so scared to do the thing, but that thing you're scared of is actually the barrier to the breakthrough that God has in your life.

[Congregation/Assistant]

Do the podcast.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

Well, I sound stupid. There's a group of people that need that tone with your voice and your experience.

[Congregation/Assistant]

Do what he told you to.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

To do. And when you do that, you'll be walking in what God told us to do. In Luke 19:10. For the son of man came to seek and to save those who were lost. And Mark 16:15, and he said to them, go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. This is the parallel of Matthew 28:19. That word, if you break it down in its original language, the world means system. God saying, go into every system and make disciples. The problem is many of us aren't skilled enough to go into the systems. That's why we have to innovate. Church. You can't be scared of AI. It's here. It's the same thing as when you didn't have a cell phone. And you used to think everybody. And now you have a cell phone. It's the same thing as not having Internet. And now you have Internet and all your stuff comes. It's the same. It's the. It's. It's moving forward. And right now, while you're rebuking it, you're supposed to be learning it. So then you can put the Christian values into a system that there are tons of people already in. And you've been saying, I'm so tired. There's things AI can do to help.

[Congregation/Assistant]

You be less tired.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

If you would learn it. You want to do it the hard way, and God's giving you things. I'm just trying to wake the church up because we're usually 20 years behind everything. What I'm saying to you, we not going to be that we're going to innovate. Because there are people who are lost and we got to go get them. Because we are representing God to the lost and the found for one reason.

[Congregation/Assistant]

What is it?

[Pastor Michael Todd]

Transformation in Christ. I gotta move.

[Congregation/Assistant]

One, two, three.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

We're a church that values worship. We bring our best to God in song, sacrifice, speech and spirit. And we do not apologize for our expression of worship in spirit and in truth. Small story time. We wrote that song Give Em Hell. And some of the church folks had a problem with it because we said hell. And the one thing that I told them is like, yeah, I said, I've been beat up the last two years and I need to fight the devil with something. And sometimes praise is what I do. When I woke up, you should have. The devil thought he had me, but.

[Congregation/Assistant]

His best shot wasn't good enough. Do you understand? Like, that's how I felt when I'm in the gym and I want to give up. It's like, no, today that I woke.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

Up, I'mma give him hell. What he thought he was going to do to me, I'm a do to him.

[Congregation/Assistant]

I'm a save and pray and speak life.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

And I'm a. And I'm saying like, yeah, sometimes I got to turn it off when Gigi's in the car because she will just repeat everything.

[Congregation/Assistant]

Give him hell.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

Like. But the truth of the matter is, when I wrote that song, I was worshiping God in spirit and in truth. And God can handle that. You might not be able to, but he can. And what I'm saying is that's the type of church we gonna be. Let's keep going.

[Congregation/Assistant]

1, 2, 3. What type of church we are?

[Pastor Michael Todd]

A church that values fun. See, I know this ain't in many people's church's values, but we going to have fun doing this.

[Congregation/Assistant]

We start the party, we laugh loud.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

And we find joy in it all. Do you know how many dark situations we've been in? And joy has been our strength through every season. Some of y' all have been miserable cuz the enemy has been able to steal your joy. I bet you in every season we going, my group of friends, y', all, we can laugh through everything. I don't care what it is, we going to find a joke. We going to find we. We've been in seasons of grief, we've been in seasons of loss. And somehow we found a way to.

[Congregation/Assistant]

To actually find joy.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

That's why Nehemiah says, the joy of the Lord will be our strength. Lighten up. Laugh. Turn it. The staff will tell you. I carry around a speaker to almost all my meetings. I walk around with music playing. Cause I'm changing the atmosphere. Everywhere I go, they be like, turn that down.

[Congregation/Assistant]

No.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

Am I telling the truth, y'?

[Additional Advertiser/Announcer]

All?

[Pastor Michael Todd]

That is. Oh, there go Pastor Mike. And I'm hoping that what's on me.

[Congregation/Assistant]

Jumps off on you.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

I hope that my joy is contagious. You know what? Joy is one of two things. I gotta go. Joy is either contagious or annoying. And you can tell where people are in their soul when your joy makes them upset. We're gonna leave that there.

[Congregation/Assistant]

1, 2, 3.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

We are a church that pops. We believe in progression over perfection. Through theology, therapy, and community. God can turn any trauma into triumph. Progression over perfection church. I need you to know that I'll never give up on you. Because God never gave up on me. One step forward. One inch forward. One try. Better than I did last time. I'm not comparing myself to anybody else. I'm just trying to run this race and finish this. I'm pressing towards the prize that he's calling me for this year. How are you going to be better? Not compared to last year. Now we're going forward. The thing about these beautiful values in our culture code is that they're not just ideas. They're people. I don't want this to be like, oh, our church does this. I want you to know that there are people to do this. I'm gonna just introduce to you as we close, a few people that represent this in our church. The first one is Amber. Amber, come up here real quick. Amber is a person of crazy faith. I want you to just stand right there. Right there. If you've seen Amber, she's one of our worshipers. She comes and this is the thing. You might not know when you see her singing that Amber, if God says it, she believes it. I've seen Amber lay hands on people and pray for them in the middle of worship, in the middle of practice. And I've seen God do healings. I've seen Amber believe for family members. And I've seen God believe for restoration and things happen. And what I want you to know is crazy faith is not just a Pastor Mike thing or a transformation church. It's a quality that every person can have. Amber, thank you for not just saying that you believe in crazy faith. Thank you for displaying it. You want to talk about somebody that's humble, open, and transparent? Danielle Walker, come up here for me real quick. You stand right here. Me And Danielle went to high school together. No, we literally grew up in church together at higher dimensions. Her mama. Her mama used to be the usher up in the balcony that used to pop me because I was talking during service. And I've watched Danielle be humble, open, and transparent through many changes. I could go through all kinds of stuff that we've been through, from your son being almost burned to the point of death and God healing him to the loss of mom. And then even three weeks ago, she lost her older sister to a fentanyl overdose. And yet every time she's come. I remember when Danielle didn't even fool with God. For real. You remember that?

[Congregation/Assistant]

I do.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

You remember when I would invite you.

[Congregation/Assistant]

To church and you didn't come? You remember when you be like, boy.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

Get the beep out of my face.

[Congregation/Assistant]

You remember that?

[Pastor Michael Todd]

And yet every Sunday, she wakes up early, gets with her community, and comes and serves people who are far from God and people who are close to God.

[Congregation/Assistant]

With all that she's had to carry, she's been humble, open, and transparent. This is what the vision looks like. Danielle, thank you for not just saying.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

You'Re hot, but for being hot in this ministry.

[Congregation/Assistant]

Y' all can celebrate that right now.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

But this vision, it's not just an idea. It's people. It's people like my man Shamari. Now, some of y' all don't ever see show. That's what we call them. But show is somebody that worships God. Show, Come over here, man. You stand right here. Amber, you stand right there on crazy faith. You stand right here. See. What you don't see is that when the praise team is up here worshiping, show is behind the scenes. And he's making sure that they can hear everything that's happening in the inner ear monitors. And if you see show, he back there worshiping and DJing on the. The ones. This man shows up at rehearsals. This man shows up when we have to call rehearsals at random times he's never seen, but he worships God in spirit and in truth. And today, we celebrate you, brother, as.

[Congregation/Assistant]

You don't just say you worship. You embody worship with your whole life. Come on, y'.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

All.

[Congregation/Assistant]

This vision is not just. Just ethereal.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

It's people. These are two of my favorites right here. You know, there are some people that pop. Some people who value progression over perfection. And Colin and Carrie do that. Y' all come up here. Now. I want y' all to stand right here because I want y' all to get a good look at this couple. This Couple is the biggest testimony to me. They were separated for 13 years, and through the grace of God, they are back together, married.

[Congregation/Assistant]

Serving together on our first impressions team, and bringing God glory with every ounce of their life. That is progression of can we give God praise? This is not just.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

Principles. It's people. Thank you for living out in front of all of us what it looks like to continue to move forward. Listen, listen, listen, listen. Is Joe here? I don't know if. Joe, Joe, come here. Joe, Come stand right here in generosity, my man. Now, Joe's face is gonna look like this every time you see him. I've only seen him smile twice in 13 years, you understand? But this is one of the kindest men you'll ever meet as long as you don't do nothing stupid.

[Congregation/Assistant]

Look, he didn't even smile then.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

But this man has a heart of generosity. He comes and serves and protects, and you wouldn't know it, but his whole family serves in this church. He is a man of integrity, and he's a man of generosity.

[Congregation/Assistant]

How much money did he give?

[Pastor Michael Todd]

He gives his time. He gives his treasure. And Joe, today, man, I just want to thank you publicly for protecting us, keeping us safe, and sowing seeds of generosity all over this place.

[Congregation/Assistant]

Come on, church. It's not just principles. It's people.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

You want to talk about innovation, Charmaine, come up here.

[Congregation/Assistant]

Stand right there.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

This is Charmaine. And Charmaine is one of the wisest, smartest, cunning young ladies I've ever met. And she is always trying to figure out new ways that as we invite guests in from all over the world, how to make them feel like this is home, y'. All. We have a unique opportunity every Sunday that we have people who travel here as a destination from all over the world. Like, they don't just watch. It's like, this is my time. I've been waiting two years to come here, five years to come here. I'm on my way here. I'm saving up my money to come here. And Charmaine has given us so many innovative and amazing ways to make our first time guests feel like this is their home. And it's her innovation and using technology and using apps and doing things we'll never see in this room that make people go away from here feeling like I just came home. And Charmaine, today, I just want to publicly thank you. Our church wants to say thank you.

[Congregation/Assistant]

For being one that goes first and.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

Takes risk, because these aren't just principles. These are people. Good. It's one of my favorite people in the whole World. Come here, Miss Joanne. Miss Joanne works a part of our facilities team and has been a part of Greenwood from almost the very beginning.

[Additional Advertiser/Announcer]

Huh?

[Pastor Michael Todd]

It's been. Yeah, 12 deep. That's in the past. Okay. I've seen Ms. Joanne in seasons where things was good and in seasons of loss and in seasons of complete recalibration. Come into this building early and bring every color of mascara you could ever find as an outward symbol of the joy that is on the inside. And if we start a song to party, the first one on the dance floor, Ms. Joanne. If we need to celebrate anybody, the first one screaming, Ms. Joanne. It doesn't matter if she is overlooked for years in this church. She would be the person to pick up everybody's trash when they left. And today, I just wanted to bring you on this platform to celebrate you publicly. Thank you for always starting a party and letting the joy of the Lord be your strength.

[Congregation/Assistant]

Can we let Ms. Joanne hear the appreciation for being a person of fun?

[Pastor Michael Todd]

All right, just a couple more. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 5, 6, 7. I called it the great. Well, I left one off. What type of church are we? 1, 2, 3. We're a church that values you being a part. We are people actively representing transformation. You see what we did there apart? We are spiritual contributors, not spiritual consumers. We are the church, and we exist for the world. There was a couple I met a few years ago that I just started seeing this beautiful woman, like, just put together, whole family put together. I was like, who is that? Like, you know, some people you see in your churches, like, are they visiting? Are they here? What's happening? And this woman of God and her husband and whole family moved from Nebraska in a successful season to be a part of what God was doing here. Brother Fred and Terray, will y' all come up here real quick?

[Congregation/Assistant]

These two.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

Serve faithfully on several teams. I can't even tell you all the stuff they do. From worship to tribes, to counseling people behind the scenes, to meeting with people, they came here and said, we're gonna give whatever we have to build what God is building here. They didn't come to be spiritual consumers. They came to be spiritual contributors. God's put something in us, and it's time for us to give it away. Their whole family. And today, I just want to thank you. You don't know I've told you this privately, but there's many times and seasons where I was like, God, is God doing. Is he still doing it here? That the fact I will remember Yalls testimony that he Told y' all to come from a whole nother state. Never met me, never known anything. God just said it and you obeyed it. You moved out here in crazy faith. And we've seen God do amazing things, but God sent y' all here for me. What you don't know is I have literally many times remembered. But God sent Terray and Fred. There's still something I gotta do. And thank you for not coming and waiting to be asked to give what we didn't even know was in you. Thank you for freely being a part. You've transformed so many people's lives, especially your pastors. And today, we thank you for being a part of this vision. Can we give God?

[Congregation/Assistant]

Come on. Church.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

Church.

[Congregation/Assistant]

It's not principles. The culture and the vision are people standing all over this place.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

Don't y' all move, because this is how the church should look. I don't want this stage to be big enough to hold everybody a part of this. My question is, will you get in place? My question is, how many of these boxes could you fit on? We should be able to bring each one of us up here and we jump from crazy faith to worship, to being hot, to pop it, to being a part to generosity and fun. Because we don't want this to just be principles. We want this culture to be people. Last Scripture, y'.

[Additional Advertiser/Announcer]

All.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

First Corinthians 12:12. The human body has been made up of many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. Go down to verse 27. First Corinthians 12:27. All of you together are Christ's body, and each of you is a part of it. Today I want you to be a part of this vision like never before. Because God's about to build something for the future. This is the last day that we look behind us to see, like, what did God do back there? Everything ahead. Today, I want to pray for you. Would you lift your hands all over this building? If you're watching online, this is for you, too. You are a part of what God's doing. Father, I thank you that today we have heard the call that you've called us to something. Not to just watch it, but to put our hands to the plow. Today, Father, there is a world that desperately need you. And, Father, as the harvest is plentiful and the workers are few, we will be ones to step into the gap. And we'll do the work. We'll be generous on every occasion. We'll worship you in spirit and truth. We will be humble, open and transparent. We will value progression over perfection, Father. God, we will be people that represent you. We will innovate, Father. We will have fun doing it, God. And we will live in generosity and give, just to give and not to get. We're all yours today. Let this culture be tattooed on our heart and let us embody it outside of these church walls. Let this not be a church thing. Let's be a thing that is our lives. Give us the faith to live in. Crazy. Faith, faith, whatever. You have to change in us. Build your church. Build it from the ground up. If you're in this room and you haven't put your life, your house, on the foundation of Jesus, before we leave here, if you didn't hear anything else I said, I want you to be wise today. I want you to be a wise builder. Build your life on Jesus. It's the thing that changed my life. Took me from being a liar, a manipulator, addicted to pornography, somebody who was far from God. And it brought me to a place where I knew I needed him. If you're in this room or watching this right now and you want to put your life in the hands of Jesus, a new and a fresh or for the first time ever, on the counter of three, I just want you to lift your hands. One, you're making the greatest decision of your life. Two, there's hands already going up all over this place. Three, just lift your hand. I see you, my brother. I see you, my brother.

[Congregation/Assistant]

I see you, my sister. Oh, transformation Church. I see you. And more than that, at home, God sees you.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

Hey, put your hand down with nobody moving, because we're about to pray right now. That's what took me from being a liar, a manipulator, addicted to pornography. This prayer changed my life. And we all pray together for the benefit of those coming to Christ. Would you pray this prayer? Everybody say, God, thank you for sending Jesus just for me today. I want to build my life on you. I believe you lived, you died, and you rose again just for me. Here's my life. Change me, renew me, transform me. I'm yours. In Jesus name, amen.

[Congregation/Assistant]

Can we give God praise all over this place? Oh, come on, y'. All, Heaven is rejoicing.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

Hey, listen, if you just prayed that prayer, I want you to text saved to 828282. To and for all my other church members as you're even leaving right now. Everybody listen to me. If this message made you want to make a full commitment to being a part of this Vision, I want you to text the word apart to 828282. Gideon only needed 300. That's a message for another day. I'm not looking for the crowd, I'm looking for the remnant.

[Congregation/Assistant]

Because what's about to happen in this.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

Place, even if you're watching online and.

[Congregation/Assistant]

You know you're a part of this.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

I want you to text a part to 828282 and on your way out, we're going to give you a a card of the vision so that you can actually put this on your mirror, put this on your dashboard, start remembering this thing.

[Congregation/Assistant]

Cuz this is not about the organization.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

This is about the organism.

[Congregation/Assistant]

I pray this will be the best.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

Week of your life.

[Congregation/Assistant]

That you going to start seeing visions.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

And crazy faith and you're going to.

[Congregation/Assistant]

Have the ability to write down that no weapon formed against you will prosper.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

And if you need prayer for anything in your life, our altar workers are here at the front. If you know you need to build on something solid, you're going through a hard season. Don't leave this place place without prayer. And if you're watching online, I want to pray with you. Stay on because I'm going to come to the back and I'm going to pray specifically. Put your prayer request in the chat right now. Father, thank you for meeting us here today and God thank you that as we build this church, it won't be by might and it won't be by power, but it will be by your spirit. Build your church in Jesus name. We agree.

[Congregation/Assistant]

Somebody say we agree. We we expect. Amen. Go out and live a transformed life. I love you so much.

[Pastor Michael Todd]

Church.

[Transformation Church Host]

Thank you for joining us today. If you said that prayer and accepted Jesus into your heart, it's the best decision you could ever make. We want to celebrate with you and we have some tools to help you on your journey. Text saved to 828282 and to find out more about TC Text connect to 828282. Be sure to subscribe and share this podcast with your friends. Thanks for listening. Now go out and live a transformed life.