Gods movement (understanding Sunday) 8/23/16
God’s Movement (Understanding Sunday and beyond)
This email is lengthy, but as the Pastor of the church I humbly ask you to read all of it.
This previous Sunday was the launch of our annual growth campaign, which we are entitling “SIGNS OF LIFE”. This 40 Day journey, of prayer, daily devotions, life groups, and on topic sermons is intended to draw us close to God and the work in which He has called us to do.
This last Sunday we did not meet our attendance goal, but that does not mean that God did not move. The lack of the goal lead to conviction in the congregation and then into a movement of God like I have never seen before. People inside our church (freely ,unscheduled, unprompted, and unscripted) came to the microphone to openly confess from sin. From confession of lack of obedience in reaching out to apologizing to the congregation for hurting people. This was truly a “SIGN OF LIFE” and a moment of revival.
In addition to that, we had a total of 73 documented renewals of faith and rededication. 73 people, who were already Christians, publicly committing to renewing their faith in God. My prayer for these 73 is that they begin to daily read their Bible (starting in the book of Matthew), begin developing a quiet prayer time, begin tithing and giving, and being committed to a Life Group. Get involved in the CLASS system and complete 201, 301, and 401. These are all signs of the discipleship and renewal.
The new round of Life Groups, which will be focused on the “SIGNS OF LIFE”, will begin at Hall Street Baptist Church on Wednesday (August 23) at 6:30pm. Kids Life, our Youth ministry and Kids program, will be moving from Sunday Nights to Wednesday night as well to help accommodate family time and life groups. Life Groups and Kids Life will last for one hour on Wednesday nights. I want you to be part of a Life Group, if you did not sign up for one still come and we will get you plugged in. Groups are how we fulfill the Biblical purposes of discipleship and ministry to show that we are a caring church.
I have been in contemplation and prayer about the events on Sunday and have developed some personal thoughts on it. I am reminded of the story of The Exodus in scripture. God had sent Moses to tell Pharaoh to “let his people go”. Pharaoh was convinced, after a series of plagues, to listen to Moses and to let his people go. God would then walk the Israelites across the Red Sea and into the wilderness. They had a pillar of smoke by day and a pillar of fire by night, to visually encourage them that The God of Israel was hovering over them and watching over them.
You would think that after such an amazing encounter with God that these believers would trust God for anything, but they failed to do so. When Moses sent the spies out from the wilderness into Canaan (which would be the physical land of Israel), the spies saw that the land was good and amazing. Yet when they came back to Moses they gave a depressing report. They felt like they could not obtain the land because the cities there were “fortified” and the people were “strong” (Numbers 13:28). Somehow this group of Israelites had forgotten that God had delivered them from Egypt, helped them cross the Red Sea, and gave them manna from the sky to feed them. But Caleb was different, the Bible says he stood before the people and said “We must go up and take possession of the land because we can certainly do it”. Caleb did not believe they could do this in their strength, but that they had a God who could do amazing things and supply their needs.
God is moving in our congregation to show us that He can do mighty things. As he has provided for us time and time again we are reminded that He is able and we are not. As many of you know, Hall Street Baptist Church is considering gifting their properties to us and dissolving as a church. They have not made this decision yet, but are considering it, and will be voting in the very near future.
Some of you may be scared by this. I know I am! The thought of going into a full pledged building when all we have had to maintain is just rented office space is a bit overwhelming. Knowing that our next move will be to hire an Associate Pastor of Students, and to take this on too is intimidating.
I’ve been asked these questions “Are you scared to take on this building?” and “Are we ready? First, we must wait to see if Hall Street does do this, and if they choose not to, we will pray for them and celebrate that they will continue forward as a Church, but if they do let me answer these questions.
Of course I’m scared….who wouldn’t be! But I want to live my life based on the purposes of God and The Lord’s leadership. This is a once in a life time opportunity, I have seen God move in amazing ways in the short history of this church and I am convinced He is moving still.
Are we ready? I sure hope not. You heard right. If we ever feel “we got this” or “we can handle this” we are totally outside the realm of faith and reliance on God. We are told that without faith “It is impossible to please God” (Hebrews 11:6). If God does open this door, we will trust for God to lead us and carry us through. I believe by faith, we will raise our giving, we will raise our commitments, and we will raise our vision and ministries. We will move into the gym until we can make the auditorium look like us and we will make sure that we honor the legacy of Hall Street by using this facility as a tool for the greater glory of God.
The building will not be used to carve our own little visions, to dictate a time line for when and how we use the facility, nor is it for us to pick out the paint colors and start ordering art work. It’s not for us to say how long we stay in the gym or how short we stay in the gym. It’s not for us to say what this room will be used for or what that right room will be used for. It’s not for us to become selfish and unfocused which leads us away from the 5 Biblical Purposes (Evangelism, Worship, Discipleship, Fellowship, and Ministry). It’s not for us to forget that we are a connecting, caring, and changing church that believes The Bible first and foremost.
It is up to us, to follow the leadership of The Holy Spirit.
What makes us “us” is no kind of building and likewise it is not the fact that we meet in a community college and are mobile, it is simply the The Living Jesus who is walking with us in day and night. It is the amazing work of God that he is displaying in the lives of people. This is why this campaign is so important, this is why Sunday was so important, Jesus is proving to the congregation that He is with us. He is showing us that we are a people who are humble before Him and are desiring to be in the center of His will. He is answering our questions without us ever voicing them. He is healing hurts, wounds, and grudges so we can work as a team. I know no other physical evidence that God is moving, preparing, and leading us somewhere, than Sunday morning. Is that the facility on the corner of Breckenridge and Parrish? Maybe and maybe not. But I know wherever He leads us He will go with us. He’s proven that.
Is it scary? Sure. He is doing a mighty work with us? Yes. Does he want to use Life Community Church to reach the nations? Absolutely!
I love what Caleb said as he stood in front of the Israelite community and in the midst of doubters…”We must go up and take possession of the land because we can certainly conquer it” (Joshua 13:31). Sadly the entire community did not believe his or Joshua’s positive report and instead believed the negative report of the spies. As a result the entire generation died in the wilderness except for Joshua and Caleb. They were the only ones who were allowed to go into the promised land (yes a little aged and a little late, bu they went because of their faith).
We are a people of Resurrection. We serve a Jesus who defeated death and I am thankful that He is my friend. I want to commit my life to His purposes and go where He leads, even when it seems very scary.
God is uniting us, humbling us, and drawing us near to Christ. Let’s celebrate these 40 Days of Campaign as Days of Revival and Renewal. Let’s wake up to the call of LIFE. Let’s live.
In closing I want you to read the lyrics of the song “oceans” by Hill Songs United….
You call me out upon the waters
The great unknown where feet may fail
And there I find You in the mystery
In oceans deep
My faith will stand
And I will call upon Your name
And keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise
My soul will rest in Your embrace
For I am Yours and You are mine
Your grace abounds in deepest waters
Your sovereign hand
Will be my guide
Where feet may fail and fear surrounds me
You’ve never failed and You won’t start now
So I will call upon Your name
And keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise
My soul will rest in Your embrace
For I am Yours and You are mine
Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders
Let me walk upon the waters
Wherever You would call me
Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander
And my faith will be made stronger
In the presence of my Savior
Oh, Jesus, you’re my God!
I will call upon Your name
Keep my eyes above the waves
My soul will rest in Your embrace
I am Yours and You are mine
Let’s get in a group, let’s do our readings, let’s pack the house out with our neighbors and loved ones on Sunday, and let’s expect more renewal and revival.
Kenny Rager
Pastor @ life community
