AWESOME GOD
Music is a huge part of CFC’s DNA and we are truly blessed with a treasure trove of gifts. That being true, I want to close the door on 2007 with our voices lifted to God so worship will follow the message.
2007 has been quite a ride for many of us. In the middle of a very difficult financial year for many of our members God still caused us to see growth. Awesome God! When many churches are being reduced in size, reduced in staff and reduced in effectiveness at reaching outside their walls, CFC has been bestowed with God’s favor to see new families connect and unchurched folks feel welcome. Awesome God!
Our faith as a leadership team has always been that someday as God moves on the hearts of our membership we will be fully funded as a church and we will be able to accomplish all that God has called us to do. We’ve resisted the pressure to use guilt and leverage to get our membership to give the Tithe and instead have chosen to teach the word and let God bring the revelation.
To date, God has given us extraordinary skills of accomplishing many tasks with fewer resources than an average church of our size. We say in our leadership environments that we usually complete a project for about 60 cents on the dollar. I am so excited about the day when we have surpassed the national average of church funding and see ahead to how much can be done by this kind of resource team with all that God has called to be afforded this local ministry.
One of the things that keeps CFC strong is our view of God. We in leadership are not dissuaded by having less than our sister churches. We see God as more than enough. We see God using the few loaves to feed thousands.
Many times Christians or church leaders however loose sight of God’s true character and magnitude. They see God as not quite capable because we believe He has not responded to our petitions in a way that satisfies our wishes. Some see God as withholding or unwilling. Think back to James in the Christmas drama this year. Remember what he said: “How could God let my wife and daughter die?” Often we believe God to have been unwilling or incapable of stopping evil or harm and so we diminish our view of Him. We tragically end up seeing God shrink in our minds and our faith becomes built on our experience rather than on God’s word.
Let me give you a sample of some of God’s other followers and what they continued to say in the midst of their troubles. First we see Moses who has just had all the people he was leading reject God based on their trouble of being lost in the desert. They were separated from the constancy of their lives even though it came while being enslaved. They began to whine and murmur about how incapable God was at providing for them and how they needed to follow a new leader. Moses says:
Deuteronomy 10:12-17 ...And now, O Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe the Lord’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?
To the Lord your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it. Yet the Lord set his affection on your forefathers and loved them, and he chose you, their descendants, above all the nations, as it is today. Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and do not be stiff-necked any longer. For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes.
Here is what was said by a man called Nehemiah who had seen God’s city reduced to rubble and God’s people disbanded and divided. He first placed God in correct position and proportion in his heart and mind and then spoke to God. Nehemiah says:
Nehemiah 1:5-6 ...Then I said: “O Lord, God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and obey his commands, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s house, have committed against you."
Here are the words of David who had seen many times the human battle. He had often fallen short of God’s plan and struggled to continue to keep His perspective correct regarding God. Remember when Joe taught that God is sovereign and doesn’t need our help. Don’t loose sight of who God really is. Let’s read -
Psalm 66:1-12 Shout with joy to God, all the earth! Sing the glory of his name; make his praise glorious! Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds! So great is your power that your enemies cringe before you. All the earth bows down to you; they sing praise to you, they sing praise to your name.” (Selah)
Come and see what God has done, how awesome his works in man’s behalf! He turned the sea into dry land, they passed through the waters on foot, come, let us rejoice in him.
He rules forever by his power, his eyes watch the nations, let not the rebellious rise up against him. (Selah)
Praise our God, O peoples, let the sound of his praise be heard; he has preserved our lives and kept our feet from slipping. For you, O God, tested us; you refined us like silver. You brought us into prison and laid burdens on our backs. You let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and water, but you brought us to a place of abundance.
One generation will commend your works to another; they will tell of your mighty acts.
They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty, and I will meditate on your wonderful works. They will tell of the power of your awesome works, and I will proclaim your great deeds. They will celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness.
The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made. All you have made will praise you, O Lord; your saints will extol you. They will tell of the glory of your kingdom and speak of your might, so that all men may know of your mighty acts and the glorious splendor of your kingdom. Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations.
The Lord is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made. The Lord upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time. You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.
The Lord is righteous in all his ways and loving toward all he has made. The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them. The Lord watches over all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy.
My mouth will speak in praise of the Lord. Let every creature praise his holy name for ever and ever.
Does your brain lead your lips to praise God as awesome or does it lead your lips to question and be critical of the creator of the universe? Are you training your mind to think of God in terms of who He says he is or who you think He is? Is God large or small in your mind?
This is the 364th day of the year 2007. When I think of this last year as we close the door on it I’m awestruck and filled with amazement with what has God done for us in 2007. I am filled with reverence for the tremendous expression of His grace to CFC. Let me encourage you to note some of the last twelve months activity on the flyer in your bulletin. Can you believe how awesome God was in the last twelve months.
My message today is about our awesome God. We’re going to use the rest of our service time giving you an opportunity to proclaim your view of God. You can be religious or polite and just sing the lyrics or you can use the lyrics to declare to a living God what is true. Your mind might need an adjustment during the experience.
Read from Book “A Long Obedience In The Same Direction” by Eugene Peterson (p. 188-189)
What God has planned for 2008 is another miraculous year. Be committed to being a part of this joy.
Praise God, for His deeds are mighty and His faithfulness is extended to all generations.
- God inspired the Anger family to lead our Children’s ministry and thirty-nine people volunteer to assist them.
- God brought us a new staff person in Joe Hannah and provided the finances in the midst of a challenging financial climate.
- A great year of “Bless Hastings” as God sent us to New Orleans, changed many hearts and then called 1,000 people to gather representing seven congregations as one church.
- God moved us to the front page of Google based on our creative Men’s room decoration done by volunteers.
- God brought us the “Willow Springs” band who have graciously afforded Rob and the team a break and given our music ministry another dimension.
- God raised the enjoyment aspect of Sunday mornings for our visitors and our members. Many people have remarked how God has raised the bar for our Sunday morning messages and music presentation.
- God miraculously met the needs of our facility with a new roof, new paint job and extensive exterior repair at the cost of over $58,000.00 which we borrowed no funds to complete. (total original bids of $108,000.00)
- God gave us the amazing opportunity to celebrate twenty years of ministry as a local church.
- God added a substantial growth to our CFC leadership team which is now at an all-time high of fifty-five people representing all generations.
- We added two new Bible study gatherings.
- God challenged us to open our facility to numerous civic group activities in order to serve and appear inviting.
- God provided a brand new sound system that is producing extraordinary results at 1/2 the anticipated price tag under Scott Weber’s volunteer efforts.
- Youth lock-in was an over whelming success with over 100 in attendance.
- 500 people at Harvest Fest made it the biggest gathering of guests ever.
- God moved new people to take our Foundation and Membership classes.
- A two service format starts in September with a very positive response.
- We shared our church facility with another church who was struggling.
- Two New Trustees came on board to help navigate the resources of the church.
- CFC purchased additional land on our NE corner and an additional green space lot to our SE.
- JAM Youth ministry, lead by Beth Dannenberg adds praise and worship Friend Night dimension using the main sanctuary space and adds more adult and teen leaders to their team.
- Growing prayer ministry lead by Rita Cahill keeps CFC afloat and strong. Many health obstacles are fought against.
- God inspired Tim Connell who volunteers singlehandedly to care for the huge janitorial needs of the facility.
- God established a missions team at CFC and they are going gangbusters. (Shoe boxes, Samaritan’s Purse, Christmas Families, Lewis House, Gift of Time, Meal Serving at Caring and Sharing Hands and more…)
- Barb Johnson develops a volunteer team for communion.
- Jeff and Georgi Majeski create the new CD ministry and we distribute Sunday services the same day all for free.
- Coffee Shop has dramatic year and is now self sustaining. They served 5,200 drinks (350 gal. of milk and 120 lbs. of espresso). They added three new staff and are now thirteen strong. These folks gave 1,100 volunteer hours.
- Numerous people come with health challenges and are loved beyond measure.
- CFC baptized eleven people at a member’s home pool.
- God motivated some of our new people to be champions of invitation. We had on most Sundays over twenty visitors per service.
- God brought us roughly fifty new people who have transitioned from being attendees to becoming supportive members who bring their time, talent and treasure for God to use.
- God brought us an amazing new team, lead by Ryan Dannenberg, for the Christmas Drama which directed, wrote and performed for a three presentation crowd of approximately 600 people.
- We have become a group of about 275 people on Sunday mornings and about 300 active members overall.
- Marylee Lawrence takes the Heart to Heart women’s ministry to new heights. Christmas Tea had over 200 women involved, biggest turnout ever.
- Ryan Dannenberg creates a dynamic new lighting ministry.
- God engages new volunteers to lead and work on the facility projects. Awesome!
- Mike and Jean Schuler assist the pastor with premarital counseling needs.
- Val Buske continues to assist in making the facility look great.
Printer Friendly Format