In November 2008 our congregation stepped out in faith and pledged nearly $1,000,000 towards expanding our campus in order to reach more people with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Since then we have doubled our parking capacity, constructed a Welcome Center, a Preschool facility, and remodeled much of our campus. We are already seeing the Lord's blessings on our church. Worship attendance is at an all-time high, as is our Life Group attendance. We have begun new Life Group units in all age divisions and are now running nearly 550 in average attendance! This is a new record for our church. Praise the Lord! We have also seen many people saved and baptized this year in addition to many others who have joined by letter or statement. You can feel the excitement when we gather for church. Last Sunday the Lord added five new people to our church, three of them by baptism!
We have reached another milestone. I am thrilled to announce that since November 2008 our members have given $400,137.73 towards the "Imagine a place...," building fund. Wow! During the worst economic recession since the Great Depression you have been faithful and generous. This is in addition to your regular budget offering. You folks amaze me!
Here is what I need you to do:
- Pray that God's blessings will continue to be poured out on our congregation and that we will stay in the center of His will.
- Pray that we will each strive to become fully devoted followers of Christ in our testimonies, time, talents, and treasure.
- Renew your efforts to invite your family, friends, and neighbors to our church. Invite someone today. 80% of the people who come to our church do so because a member invited them.
- Help your staff as we seek to start new Life Groups. This is the key to growing our church and effectively ministering to our congregation and friends. We need you to volunteer to help start new units. Be a teacher, a helper, or a member of a new unit. I especially need helpers and teachers in the Preschool division and Children's division.
- Don't sweat the small stuff. There will always be things in any church that do not line up with our preferences. God-blessed churches are filled with people who refuse to gossip, complain, or murmur, and who choose to be positive and Christ-like in their attitude.
- Pray for your pastor. Follow your pastor's leadership if it is biblical and ethical. I cannot please everyone, so pray that I will please the Lord.
- Continue to give to the regular offering that supports the life-changing ministries of your church. Then give over-and-above to the Building Fund. You will be amazed at how much you can give if you give a little each week. While many of our folks are contributing to the building fund, there are many who are not. You may be one of them. Do not sit on the side-lines and miss out on being a part of this miracle! Your church needs your support. The task is too great for only a few of us to shoulder alone. Help us. We cannot all give equal amounts, but we can do our part. It is not equal gifts, but equal sacrifice that God expects and honors.
- Get into a Life Group if you have not already done so. You will not regret it!
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21 (NIV)
