It has been an unbelievable last four and a half years since I stood on this platform for the first time. Little did any of us know what God had in mind or what He would chose to do with this church. Let me do something we very seldom do and that is talk about numbers for a moment. You need to see this so you will understand what has happened and how we need to respond.

February of 2001: 330
February of 2002: 359
February of 2003: 498
February of 2004: 544
February of 2005: 667
February of 2006: 812 - First two Sundays: 743 and 882 (This will probably go down to somewhere in the seven hundreds.)

Conventional wisdom would say that we should make plans to build a large building somewhere and continue to grow. There are those who do that and make it work. I have never been able to embrace that pathway for us. From everything I know and understand about effective ministry in the near future the model is changing away from the super and mega mentality. This is largely due to the shift in leadership from baby boomers to the generations coming behind them. They are not impressed by the largeness and size of a church as much as is its authenticity and intimacy. They are not looking for a grand scale production as much as for connection to others both inside and outside of the church. For these reasons I believe the choice to stay where we are is a wise and prudent decision.

We are situated in the middle of a community that I believe needs us. After much prayer and a lot of thinking and seeking God’s will, we decided to stay where we are and attempting to put the structures in place that would allow us to focus on the spiritual growth of the individual Christ follower. It is as though God has trusted us with so many people who are in the process of discovering Him. We are committed to developing a functional way of leading these people into a growing relationship with Christ. We are committed to establishing other ministry locations with similar DNA around this area.

There is a financial factor associated with our decision to stay in this location and duplicate the ministry in creative ways in other parts of the city. The last two decades have been filled with churches who bought into the “if you build it they will come mentality.” Many leaders and churches spend years trying to figure out how to pay for a building and a plan that didn’t work out like they thought it would. Too often the focus shifts from ministry to mortgage. I cannot in good faith lead us in this direction.

Having said that, to stay here is not without cost. To move would cost millions of dollars that I don’t see in our immediate future. To stay will mean that we address the current location and its needs.

Today we are attempting to give you a biblical foundation for the vision and the cost associated with it.

For those of you with Bibles, I need you to find the third from the last book in the Old Testament. Haggai. Let me remind you to carry your Bibles to church with you. We have an upcoming series in March and you will want your Bible with you.

I want to give you five “we will,” statements and ask you to embrace them today.

1. We will hear God’s call to not procrastinate.

2"This is what the LORD Almighty says: The people are saying, `The time has not yet come to rebuild the LORD's house--the Temple.' "3So the LORD sent this message through the prophet Haggai: 4"Why are you living in luxurious houses while my house lies in ruins? 7"This is what the LORD Almighty says: Consider how things are going for you! 8Now go up into the hills, bring down timber, and rebuild my house. Then I will take pleasure in it and be honored, says the LORD.” Haggai 1:2-4, 7-8

There comes a time when we should not wait any longer to move forward. The time for us as a church I believe is now. We are at a cross roads regarding this ministry. When I came here there were no structures in place beyond the Sunday morning celebration and even that was missing the elements of assimilation and connection. Many of you have stepped up to volunteer and you are a vital part of the core of this church. We now have early stage ministries in place that are allowing for spiritual growth and the focus is shifting more and more to spiritual transformation as we grow in our relationship with Christ.

The next step is to work on the physical building.

2. We will learn God’s principles and priorities.

5This is what the LORD Almighty says: Consider how things are going for you! 6You have planted much but harvested little. You have food to eat, but not enough to fill you up. You have wine to drink, but not enough to satisfy your thirst. You have clothing to wear, but not enough to keep you warm. Your wages disappear as though you were putting them in pockets filled with holes! . 9You hoped for rich harvests, but they were poor. And when you brought your harvest home, I blew it away. Why? Because my house lies in ruins, says the LORD Almighty, while you are all busy building your own fine houses. 10That is why the heavens have withheld the dew and the earth has withheld its crops. 11I have called for a drought on your fields and hills--a drought to wither the grain and grapes and olives and all your other crops, a drought to starve both you and your cattle and to ruin everything you have worked so hard to get."

God will always be first. He deserves it and He demands it. There have been times when He winked at the ignorance of man but He put us on this earth to do His will and He wants us to do it His way. Almost everyone of us that comes into this place today have our own agendas and plans. There may be noting wrong with them as long as God’s agenda is first.

“Why? Because my house lies in ruins, says the LORD Almighty, while you are all busy building your own fine houses”

It is time to put His priorities first. The principle is simple. Put God first or nothing you do will bring satisfaction.

3. We will believe God’s promises.

12Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the whole remnant of God's people obeyed the message from the LORD their God. It had been delivered by the prophet Haggai, whom the LORD their God had sent, and the people worshiped the LORD in earnest. 13Then Haggai, the LORD's messenger, gave the people this message from the LORD: "I am with you, says the LORD!"

Renovating and becoming “good stewards” of this place will be an act of worship. I believe God will be with us.

4. We will give with purpose.

For the Israelites this project of Temple rebuilding took the sacrifice of time and money. God did not let them lose sight of their purpose.

14So the LORD sparked the enthusiasm of Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the whole remnant of God's people. They came and began their work on the house of the LORD Almighty, their God. Haggai 1:14

3Is there anyone who can remember this house--the Temple--as it was before? In comparison, how does it look to you now? It must seem like nothing at all! 4But now take courage, Zerubbabel, says the LORD. Take courage, Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Take courage, all you people still left in the land, says the LORD. Take courage and work, for I am with you, says the LORD Almighty. 5My Spirit remains among you, just as I promised when you came out of Egypt. So do not be afraid. Haggai 2:3-5

5. We will embrace the plan.

All we want or need to do as a church is continue to find God’s will and do it. Here is the reason. God promises that He will shake things up. This church has experienced that already. Six years ago thing were shaken. Some survived and some didn’t. But God had a plan and there were those courageous enough to pursue it even when a majority did not. I believe that God has a plan again and we have only seen a little bit of it.

6"For this is what the LORD Almighty says: In just a little while I will again shake the heavens and the earth. I will shake the oceans and the dry land, too. 7I will shake all the nations, and the treasures of all the nations will come to this Temple. I will fill this place with glory, says the LORD Almighty. 8The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says the LORD Almighty. 9The future glory of this Temple will be greater than its past glory, says the LORD Almighty. And in this place I will bring peace. I, the LORD Almighty, have spoken!" Haggai 2:6-9

       God is shaking things up.
       God is promising His continued presence.
       God is the owner of everything.
       God is promising an incredible future.
       God is promising peace.

Let me know shift gears and give you the details of where we are going.

This is not the new Capital Campaign slogan:

But it’s not a bad idea if it had just come from a little more spiritual source.

What we are going to do: Power point presentation:

1. The sign.
2. Paving the parking lots.
3. Putting new down spouts and dry wells in. The plans have already been drawn.
4. We want to have attractive fencing placed around the air conditioners and the dumpster.
5. We have serious window problems. Besides looking bad, they are not sufficient enough to even keep the wind from blowing the black out paper on the windows.
6. We have an emergency exit that is crumbling and needs to be repaired for obvious reasons. This also is located in one of the most visible spots of the building.
7. We need to replace the doors to the entrances both for security and beautification. These two entrances will also have attractive awnings placed over them.
8. Our most used entrance will become more functional when we close this stairway and bring these steps all the way across.
9. We will place a balcony in the rear of this room and all the sound, audio visual and the rear camera will be off the floor. This will provide more seating times three.
10. The reason we need to fix the drains in the parking lot is visible in our basement. We cannot fix the water damage and mold when the water continues to not be channeled away from the building.
11. We have two restrooms that desperately need updating. (YMCA) I have been in outhouses that were nicer.
12. The fellowship room has been beautifully redecorated but is in much need of new carpeting.
13. Areas like this will disappear. We have come to accept trashy areas as a way of life.
14. Security is critical and vitally important, especially in the children’s area. We are going to add more windows in these rooms so you can see your children from the hallway.
15. We need to update the staff workroom with cabinets and shelving.
16. Technology is a vital part of our ministry but did you know that for five years we have done this with borrowed equipment? We have never had the money to purchase our own cameras and editing equipment. No one has complained but this is very troublesome. It is time we purchased our own.
17. The Fire House.

Prayer

Leader: Lord, I thank you for today and for your leading us in this direction. We thank you for a vision and a plan that includes this community. We know the time is now and so we pray together this prayer.

All: Lord, we will not procrastinate any longer.

Leader: We know, O Lord, that You always have an agenda and priorities. We believe that your agenda is for us to take Your message to different parts of this community. We affirm your call, Lord to fix up this building so that we may launch many credible ministries from this place. We hear you call to this community and even to the whole world. Because of this we pray this prayer:

All: Lord, we will hear your principles and priorities.

Leader: You O God, are a God of promise. You not only make promises but you keep them. You have demonstrated over the last five years Your blessings and presence in this place. Because of this we pray this prayer:

All: We will believe Your promises.

Leader: Lord, we understand basic economics and moving forward always come at a cost. We believe that You own everything so today Lord we are asking that you take what you want from us. We are the stewards of the resources You have given us so today Lord let us accept your financial blessings as a means for you to enable us to give to your cause here and around the world. Because we believe this we pray this prayer:

All: We will give with purpose.

Leader: O God, it is as though you have mapped out our immediate future. You have blessed us with a congregation now Lord I ask that you will bless us with committed and core people who will embrace this plan with the time, talents, touch and treasure. Because we believe in the vision and we will pray this prayer:

All: We will embrace this plan.

Lord may the words of our mouth and meditations of our hearts be acceptable in Your sight today. Give us wisdom and faith and the resources to fulfill your call. We realize today that it your words through the prophet Zechariah are so true today. We pray them together as a reminder of how you work:

All: “It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the LORD Almighty.”