Wednesday, November 8, 2017

Mission: God Possible

This week’s entry relates to our church’s need to raise capital for two specific purposes. Portions of the script have been modified. The sermon can be heard in its entirety at the church website.

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Most people who have spent much time in a church recognize three aspects. First, the church will have some sort of worship service with a certain routine established. Second, at some point someone (e.g. the pastor) will ask for money. Third, most church business meetings are horrible.

Well, today, we are fulfilling the first aspect. In a few moments, I will ask for money fulfilling the second. So, let’s have a little fun at the expense of the third item for just a moment. Again, many church members loathe business meetings. But as I have said here before, and as I teach students each semester, we must realize that business meetings are biblical. The first thing the apostles did after Jesus ascended to heaven was call a meeting to replace Judas. And Acts 15 was more of a convention with Paul and Barnabas coming from Antioch for a meeting which shaped the church for years to come.

Some meetings are very helpful, and some churches do them very well. But not all. In fact, a recent blog provided a few examples where the meetings were a disaster. Let me share a few of the details.

Business Meeting (Mis)-Adventures*

  • Dead body in dumpster. One church had a prolonged business meeting on whether or not to put a lock on their dumpster. There was no resolution. Within the week someone put a dead body in the dumpster. The church voted overwhelmingly and immediately to put the lock on.
  • Donuts. A church once had a two-hour meeting discussing donuts.
  • Lawnmower blades. One multi-hour church business meeting focused on what type of lawnmower blades to purchase.
  • Record time for a business meeting. A world record may have been set at one church business meeting began at 7 pm and took a break at midnight to resume the next evening. The point of contention was the type of wheels to put on a people mover, standard or chrome.
  • Vote to close closes. The congregation of a church called a business meeting for the singular purpose of voting to close the church. Due to lack of interest, not enough members showed up to have a quorum. I have no words.


* These five items were adapted from a blog by Thom Rainer. See the following blog for more items. http://thomrainer.com/2017/10/ten-really-strange-things-happened-church-business-meetings

So, we can be thankful that we are not subject to that – at least, not today. But today, we are officially kicking off our capital campaign. Why? Two reasons. First, we need to replace a chunk of the funds we have recently spent related to the heating/cooling and electrical issues. Second, in March, the church voted to approve some renovations to the sanctuary – which originates with the need to replace the carpet.

You may recall that we were going to begin this process at the end of August. In fact, on the last Sunday of August, I preached from 2 Samuel 24 as a precursor to set up this day (click here). During that message, I mentioned that God had spared us because we were set to vote immediately following the morning service to approve a contract to begin the renovations. Thankfully, we learned of the severity of our heating and cooling problem just a few days before and were able to forgo the vote, delay the capital campaign, and evaluate the overall situation.

Now, a little more than two months later, the time has come. The work on the HVAC and electrical systems is complete. The bills have been paid. The numbers are better known. And now is a time to act.

So, as we launch our capital campaign today, let me remind us that God has not changed, and because of that we must respond. To do that, we will spend a little time in Genesis, a little in Matthew, and finish in Hebrews 11. But we will start in Ephesians.

3P’s  (x2) and Our Response

God Had a Purpose (Ephesians 1.7-10)

In the beginning, God created… Why? We might literally spend all day uncovering this answer, but Ephesians 1 provides some insight. READ Ephesians 1.7-10. In short, God created the world for the sake of Christ, that we might know Him and that we, and all things, would be united through Him.

God Had a Plan (Genesis 1)

1 Corinthians 14 states that God is a God of order. Notice the creation accounts. First, God created light which is necessary for growth. Then He created water, which is necessary to live. Eventually, God created man and woman in His image so that we could be stewards of all He created. If God created man before He created water, we could not have survived…in fact around 60% of the human body is water, so we could not have even existed.

God Made a Promise (Genesis 3.15)

Ultimately, mankind did not live up to the charge we were given, so God made a way to fix our most serious problem – sin. A lot of debate exists on when God developed His plan to save us, but we know with certainty that the plan was only revealed after the man and woman partook of the fruit. We must realize that God was often with them (Genesis 3.8), but sin broke that relationship. God made a way for the relationship to continue – and it began with a promise.

God Has a Purpose (Ephesians 1.7-10)

God’s purpose began with Creation that the world might know Christ. That purpose has not changed. The word mystery which once was has now been made known (v. 9). The Old Testament gave hints and clues about Who was to come, but now we know – or, at least, can know. God’s purpose has not changed.

God Has a Plan (Matthew 16.18)

His original plan was to create, now it is to build. Jesus said, “I will build my church.” He has been doing so for nearly 2000 years and will continue to do so until He returns. This plan included Christ, who is the Purpose, coming to die, so that He might live, and can now build through us. Because we are made in His image, we can do what He wants done as the stewards we were originally called to be.

God Has a Promise (Matthew 28.20)

God spent time with the man and woman in the Garden. He promises to be with us always, if we will choose to be with Him. As we talked about last week, He desires to reform, conform, and transform us and will reward those who have faith. God’s promise to Adam and Eve was that He would make a way in the future. Jesus was, and is, that Way, and His promise is to be with us always.

So, God had a purpose and still has the same one. God had a plan and has added a new element – the church. God made a promise and has now made a new one because He already fulfilled the old one. So what is our response? And how does all of this fit with a need to raise capital for Fairfax Baptist Church?

Our Response To God’s Purpose Is To Make Disciples (Matthew 28.18-20)

Again, God had a purpose to make Christ known, and He still has the same purpose. Those who know Christ and follow Him (which is the obvious implication of being in Him (Ephesians 1.7) are called disciples. Jesus final words according to Matthew were to make disciples. How? By going, by baptizing, and by teaching others to observe all that He commanded His disciples. The same is true now for those who follow Jesus – we are to go, to baptize, and to teach others to observe because we are His disciples. God’s purpose is to make Jesus known – and our purpose is to make sure that happens by making disciples.

Our Response To God’s Plan Is To Be Effective Stewards (Matthew 16.19; 18.18-20)

Jesus said He would build His church, but He told Peter that the keys would be given to Him (this is why the Catholic Church has a pope – it all relates back to this verse). However, in Matthew 18, Jesus talks again about binding and loosing, but uses a plural “you” meaning all of the disciples.

Thus, it is the job of the entire church to steward what God has entrusted us. Just like Adam and Eve were entrusted to steward Creation, so have we been entrusted with the church – and for you and I that specifically means Fairfax Baptist Church. When we see something wrong, we need to address it – in unity. And that brings us to our final point.

Our Response To God’s Promise Is To Live By Faith (Hebrews 11)

God was in the Garden with His creation. Jesus promised to be with His followers forever. How do we respond? Let us look at some examples from Hebrews 11. What I want you to notice is that the people mentioned here DID something, and that is what faith requires. Faith is not simply thinking or believing something to be true, it is acting on what we believe. Consider:

  • Abel – offered (v. 4)
  • Noah – constructed (v. 7) 
  • Abraham – obeyed and went (v. 8)
  • Sarah – conceived (v. 11) 
  • Abraham – offered (v. 17) 
  • Isaac – blessed others (v. 20)
  • Jacob – blessed others (v. 21)  
  • Joseph – told of the future (v. 22)
  • Moses – chose mistreatment over comfort (v. 25)
  • Etc.


The point is that the great people of faith acted on their belief in God and thus their stories are worth telling. The question for Fairfax Baptist Church is will our story be worth telling in another 50, 75, or 100 years. And today, that story begins with a need to give.

A Call to Action

So, here is the crux of the matter for us today. God has a purpose and a plan and a promise. As we do our part, we grow as individuals, bond together as a church, and expand God’s kingdom (maybe in numbers, but certainly in influence). While the church is really the people, the building is our rallying place, and it needs new carpet. While the carpet is up, we can make a few modifications to the platform area. And if the carpet comes up, we need to have a plan for seating – to restore or to replace.

We also need to replenish a portion of the savings we recently spent. We have recently benefited from having a reserve on hand, and over time, it will be nice to rebuild all of that reserve, but for now, we simply need to replenish a portion and then complete the work that has already been approved by the church.

So, what does this mean and how does it relate to God’s promise?

First, the Finance Team has agreed to the following campaign which consists of two phases.

  • Phase 1: Replenish a portion of the savings used for the recent work
  • Phase 2: Cover the cost of the renovations related to the carpet and seating


Second, I ask you to give. Remember faith requires action. We are a people of faith, and now we must act. The truth is that some here will not benefit greatly from what is to be done. But that was true of those who helped make this building possible in 1955 and we are the beneficiaries 60+ years later. Hebrews 11.13 gets straight to this point for those who live by their faith.

Now, let me get specific here based upon conversations with several people. Some general thoughts expressed are:

  • Build Savings Quickly. Some of you want to get the savings built up quickly. That is why the Finance Team has made this the first priority – or Phase 1.
  • Renovations Now. Some of you want to get moving on the renovations very quickly. That is why the goal for Phase 1 is quite modest.
  • Avoid Debt. Most everyone wants to avoid debt to complete the renovation. I cannot say for certain what will or will not happen, but I do think that the church should authorize any loan before any loan documentation is signed.
  • Impossible! Some of you think these numbers are impossible. And maybe they are for us, but we have a saying around here that comes straight from the Bible – “But God.”


Now, let me give you a few thoughts from myself and the Finance Team.

  • Ministry Takes Precedence. Frankly, we tightened the budget for 2018 to help compensate for the added costs. But the ministry of this church has gradually expanded most every year since I came, and the goal is to continue to move forward, not backward. That is, we will seek to be strategic in what we do as a church, but this capital campaign cannot get in the way of what God calls us to do within and without the church walls.
  • Above and Beyond. Given the first point, giving to this campaign needs to be above and beyond your normal giving. I certainly hope you give a regular offering and even a tithe or more perhaps. But some also give to Lottie Moon, Annie Armstrong, MMO, OCC shoeboxes, piki piki, etc. We all have a finite amount of money, and the church’s budget comes first, then extra missions, then the campaign. That said, if, on average, if we each gave $5 extra per week ($20 per month), we would have more than enough within 3 years. I can save $5 by not stopping at the C-Store once per week. So, I save money, the church is repaired, and I am healthier as well!
  • How to Give. We realize that some of you have a preference. I mentioned this in the portion above. So, let me help us with the “How to Give.” We need to be united, and the campaign is designed to do that with the two phases. So, if you give to the campaign, the first set of money will go to the church’s savings until we reach the Phase 1 goal of $10,000. To give to the campaign, simply write on your check or envelope “Campaign” or “Capital Campaign” or “Mission: God Possible” or something similar.


Some of you will want your monies to go Savings. If so, simply write on your check or envelope “Savings” again understanding that all of the first monies collected with go there as well.

Finally, some of you want to see the renovations started yesterday. If so, you can give directly to that part of the fund by writing on your check or envelope “Remodel” or “Renovation.” We have the money to start the work on the platform and a portion of what is needed for the carpet, but we must determine what is possible regarding the overall timetable.

What is the timetable? Well, how big is your God? I just mentioned that with $5 extra per week per person (based upon 50 people), this is possible within 3 years. I know $5 per week is a lot for some, but that averages out to just $750 per person over 3 years. I think someone is going to give $750 this month. I think we will complete Phase 1 this year. I really do. And I think God wants to show us that “But God” is more than a couple or words, but a lifestyle in which we should engage. So, I have proposed and the Finance Team agreed, that the campaign will last no more than 18 months. That is, by the first Sunday in May 2019 (May 5), when I am completing my 8th year as your pastor, we will have raised all the money and then some. And, I truly believe we will have the funds even faster than that.

CONCLUSION

I began this message by discussing God’s purpose, plans, and promise. I then shared what our response must be in a very general way to each of those pieces. But in a very particular way, we must act on our faith now. And, specifically, that relates to raising funds for our church. The timeframe and the amount may be seem impossible, but not with God. Again, this is not  mission impossible, it is Mission: God Possible.

JOURNEY: YYou

The JOURNEY letter for today is Y because You must respond in faith. Jesus still has a plan for this church, and His promise is to be with us. Each of us, that is, YOU must believe and respond.

NEXT STEP(S): Live: Our faith requires us to live, and this living is our partnering with God to do far more than we can ask or think or imagine. So begin by praying about your action in this campaign. We are truly counting on God to provide the necessary funds and we must all be willing to sacrifice a little or a lot. Whatever you decide to contribute, know that others will benefit from your giving just as you benefit now from those who have given in the past.

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