There were no blog posts for December 30th of 2013 or January 6th of 2014
Well, we are well into the year of 2014 and we hit the ground running. We have laid out quite a revival among our leadership team. My prayer is that the work we have laid out of reading and listening to podcasts, DVD’s, and sermons will build within us hearts of passion for our ministries. On top of that we finished the year with increases in our total contributions and our giving.
Our missions giving has a long way to go, but we are headed in the right direction. Not that we have dropped missionaries, we just didn’t reassign funds for those who left the missions field over the past two years. That is until now. When the Bakers resigned we reassigned their funds to Kelly Delp, a new missionary who was with us in service this past year. Kelly is picking up the mantle for Paris, France, rebuilding where the “Bridge Project” fell through previously. I believe 2014 will allow us to invest more and more into our missions giving. I’m already thinking of someone to head up reporting on our missionaries which we support on a monthly basis.
I want to once again convey my thanks to the faithful members and friends of Calvary Assemblies of God. They have gone beyond the call of duty in their tithes and offerings this past year. Calvary received over $97,000.00 in contributions and gifts this past year. The increase reflects tithing, but also over $8,000.00 given for special projects and more in gifts to our district and special offerings for others outside our church. Generous is the word God has spoken to me. I’m not sure now if he meant he was making me a generous man, or making our entire church generous. Whatever he meant, let me thank you, Calvary, for your faithfulness to the call God has given us and your generosity to those around us.
There are several things in my heart that are experiencing a revival. They range from projects to advancement, to hope for members of our congregation. I’ve seen several signs that things are changing. I will never give up on an assignment from God, but sometimes goals must be either changed, forsaken, or revised. I was in the process of doing just that when God began to speak to my heart that not one word that I have spoken over this church will fall to the ground. Every hope, dream, and vision is going to experience a revival this year.
What I am experiencing reminds me of a message I preached years ago when I was an evangelist. It was called The Stump. I preached this message at Trinity Assembly of God in Corydon, Indiana back in the 80’s. Later when I was pastoring, I was going through a really tough time. That’s when a lady from Trinity ran into me and said she still had a tape of that message. I asked her if I could get a copy sent to me. She did and that message revived in my heart. The passage on which the message was based was from the book of Job chapter 14.
7 For there is hope for a tree,
if it be cut down, that it will sprout again,
and that the tender branch thereof will not cease.
8 Though the root thereof grows old in the earth,
and the stump thereof dies in the ground;
9 Yet through at the scent of water it will bud again,
and bring forth leaves like a plant.
Job 14:7-9
What this passage spoke to my heart was that sometimes things get really dry in our hearts. It seems like nothing the Lord has promised us will ever come to pass. It seems like victory passed through our fingers and we are just a dry stump of what we used to be. It seems like all hope is gone and all our roots are drying up in the ground. However, there is an amazing thing about the Spirit within us. No matter how long we have been hoping and praying. No matter how long we have seen our dreams put off. When there is the slightest ray of hope, the slightest scent of water, everything comes flooding back alive in our souls.
This is the amazing process I am going through. This is truly the spring of our revival here at Calvary. This year we will arise with renewed hope and vision. Every plan, every dream will spring back to life with renewed vigor. Even if we had a great vision cut off at the ground, the unseen roots that tap the water deep from within us will continue to supply life to our vision. Then at the moment we begin to sense God’s abundant flow begin to move, our stump (which looks dead) begins to quickly blossom with new life again.
For Susan and I it starts with building the stairwell in the fellowship hall to open up the second floor of Dean Hall. This is a symbol of our church moving to the next level. Following that, we will complete the unfinished Prayer Tower from last year. Although the ministry surrounding it has not taken root, the vision is still alive like a stump in the ground. Next, the parking lot and handicapped ramps from two years ago are beginning this year. I never believed (shame on me) that we could glean $10,000.00 off our budget in three years, but I believe this year we will see it happen. My prayer is that enough of it will be in place by March to encourage our members to approve the parking lot as a capital expense project once again.
Finally, I will be drawing up an overall facilities plan of Calvary. God has laid this on my heart. Now that I can see the whole vision for rebuilding our church, it needs to be put down in writing, so we can run with it. This will work in conjunction with the policies and procedures manuals that we are developing to govern our church’s administration. This final look at what Calvary is becoming will include the new foyer at the front of our church, the second floor, our new entrance ramps, and even a new stage for our sanctuary.
What does this mean for you? Simple, never give up hope on your dreams. When you make it happen for others, God makes it happen for you. Lock yourself into the church, build the kingdom, and see your dreams come to pass. With God’s help, nothing will be impossible for us. I smell rain. I feel an outpouring. That dry old stump in your heart is still alive. Even the slightly scent of water will cause you to embrace your hopes and dreams once again. New life will sprout.
Have we stumbled along the way? Of course. Have we made mistakes? Sure we have. Have we sinned? Possibly, but we repented. Have we given up hope? Never! Check that old stump in the ground once again. Are you sure there aren’t a few little blossoms budding forth? Those roots are reaching water somewhere, somehow, someway.