Yesterday was a big day in the life of our church. For years, the church has been dreaming and saving and planning for an addition to the building. For years they have carried out that vision by praying and working hard and giving. Yesterday was the BIG party to CELEBRATE all that God has done and to dedicate the building to Him – for His purposes and to accomplish His ministry. Many people were recognized and thanked in our celebration service but one man’s standing ovation touched my heart more than the rest. Why? Because of something I heard his son say.
Enoch Strange is a member of our congregation and led the work on the addition that more than doubled the size of our church. God had uniquely gifted and prepared Enoch for this great occasion and he answered God’s call obediently. Many people spoke into what the plan would look like, but Enoch is the man who held the plan in his hand and made it a reality. He was there long hours – working hard, leading teams and praying. That’s right. Enoch spent time praying with Pastor Brock and the team, praying for this new structure and for all God would accomplish inside of it. God built this building, but he did it through a team of people led by a man God himself was leading – Enoch Strange. But let me tell you what else this man is building.
I work with the youth group on Wednesday nights at Church (which, by the way, meets in this incredible new room built just for Revolution Student Ministries). Last Wednesday, Charlotte was leading us in a discussion of how God pursues us. She had each table group read the story of the prodigal son together, and each table leader asked their group some questions. Lance was leading the discussion at our table. He asked each student a different question. When he came to Enoch’s son, who shares his father’s name, Lance asked him, “So Enoch, do you ever want to say – Dad, give me my inheritance. I’m out of here!” Enoch’s response was immediate. He said, “Nah, I can’t get enough of that guy.”
Wow! I just about lost it right there. So when I stood yesterday to applaud for Enoch, it wasn’t just about the church Enoch built. I was applauding the young man of God that Enoch is still in the process of building. And he is doing it the same way he built the church – praying and taking time to get it right.
Not all of us have been called to oversee a building project but we have all been called to oversee the spiritual growth of our children – to invest in them and spend time with them. We are called to spend time in prayer and teach our children to call upon the God who holds the plan for their life in His hands.
“So commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these words of mine. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Teach them to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates, so that as long as the sky remains above the earth, you and your children may flourish in the land the LORD swore to give your ancestors.
“Be careful to obey all these commands I am giving you. Show love to the LORD your God by walking in his ways and holding tightly to him…” – Deuteronomy 11:18-22
Yesterday was a HUGE day in the life of our church. Former pastors came back to visit, families that have moved away made the trip back, and we all were able to celebrate what God is doing. But I would like to make a bold statement. I would like to ascertain that today is an even BIGGER day in the life of the church because today is the day our Family Devotions with God ministry will begin. Every Monday, the church will send out emails to equip families to spend time together in God’s word that week. Families will read God’s word together, they will have spiritual discussions with each other and they will pray together. Devotions have been prepared for families with children, families with teens, young adults, empty-nesters…adults of all ages. THIS is how the church is going to grow! Not just exponentially but spiritually. THIS is how God’s church will be built. Every family will now hold a plan in their hands and a call on their hearts.
God called Pekin First Church of the Nazarene to build space in order to do more ministry and do it more effectively. God also called Pekin First Church of the Nazarene to build families and build them more effectively. God is calling each one of us to the same thing – to build our family. And this does not end once our children leave the house and start their own home.
The Director of our Pregnancy Resource Center in Pekin recently retired to spend time investing in his grandchildren and helping his children. I hate to lose him but I applaud his decision to BUILD his family. God is calling all of us to build our families spiritually. The question is – Are we doing it? Are we intentionally building our family?
“So why do you keep calling me ‘Lord, Lord!’ when you don’t do what I say? I will show you what it’s like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then follows it. It is like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against that house, it stands firm because it is well built. But anyone who hears and doesn’t obey is like a person who builds a house without a foundation. When the floods sweep down against that house, it will collapse into a heap of ruins.” – Luke 6:46-49
Jesus words to Simon Peter keep coming to my mind. “Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it” (Matthew 16:18). God builds His church through people. He has called each of us to build His church. Sometimes this is a brick and mortar project, but it is ALWAYS a people project. God is calling us to build His church by investing in others. Are you up for God’s call? Are you ready to let God use you in the life of someone else today?