Moving Forward With A United Vision
Joshua 1:1-11 Colosians 2:6-10
Today we celebrate 21 years of ministry together, because 21 years ago a decision was made to move forward with a united vision for the cause of Jesus Christ. For 21 years, Jesus Christ has been our reason for staying in business. Jesus has been touching, healing, and changing lives in this place week after week, month after month and year after year. When people ask, what is really going on in Glenville, they need look no further than our desire to be united in the cause of Jesus Christ as it is revealed in the word of God. We do not attempt to change the word of God to fit our desires, but rather to change ourselves to fit the plan and purposes of God.
We were challenged in the word of God today in Colossians 2:6 where it says 6 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, 7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. For 21 years we have been sending our roots deeper and deeper in Christ as a church and we have been built up in him. It’s hard to believe that 22 years ago, there were many who thought this church would fold and close. But God had too many of us who had to be reached, too many of us who had to get saved and too many of us who would need the kind of support this church has to offer to let it close.
So what did we do, 21 years ago we decided to believe God. We stepped out in faith on what could possibly happen. We were willing to believe, that if God could take a Joshua and encourage him to only be strong and courageous, that same God could do the same for us if we chose the same path. Joshua, the leaders and the people banded together, and they received the promises of God and the land that God had for them. For 21 years, we have discovered a God who loves this congregation and is faithful to his word.
When we step out on the word of God, we discover there is no limit to the possibilities of what God will do, when we as a church make ourselves available to be used. We know that we have been made for a mission. We know that in that mission, we are to demonstrate excellence in action, because we serve an Excellent God who does all things well. There is power in the unity found in Jesus Christ. When we ban together as a one solid unit, that is rooted in God, sustained by God, and directed by God, there is no limit to our potential to make a difference in the lives of others.
When we came here 21 years ago, we didn’t come with a mission to be here for 21 years. We came with a desire to do God’s will and to try to help build a great church. A lot of our success as a church, has been your willingness to believe that God loves you and if you put your trust in God, God will make a way for you. You have trusted God with your money and look what God has done. 22 years ago, Glenville’s giving was so low, it could barely pay its bills and it had 220 members on the role. We had to bribe you to increase the low salary you were offering to us, by saying that we would pay the $5000 increase ourselves through our giving. We made you an offer that was hard to refuse, we will come if you increase our salary from $15,000 to $20,000 and we will pay the difference.
At that point some of you realized we were not that smart, two people for $15000 and they will pay the difference for the increase. We came and preached on giving God a tithe, 10% of your income, and let God multiply the 90% you get to keep. If we were going to move forward with a united vision, we were going to have to be united in our giving for the Kingdom of God. We demonstrated tithing first in our lives, and then the elders also rose to the level of tithing. Members of the congregation caught the vision of funding ministry for the cause of Jesus Christ. Where has that unity taken us in 21 years. It has taken us to investing in the lives of others. Whereas before, our church was at the bottom of giving in the Presbytery per member, we have moved into the number 2 slot behind the Korean Presbyterian Church.
Because of your willingness to make sacrifices in tithes and offerings, 22 years ago we were looking at closing as a congregation, but now we are one of the strongest congregations in the presbytery. Your extra giving has allowed us to have 2 ½ pastors. No other church our size has the commitment to make that happen. It’s not that their people have less money than you do. They simply have not chosen to rise to a higher level of giving to the Lord’s work. People often ask, how does Glenville all that it does. We do what we do by being united in our giving, in order to move forward with our united vision of entering into a right relationship with God, to be equipped for the ministry of Jesus Christ to make a difference in the lives of others. Without our tithers and generous givers, we would not have been celebrating this 21st year.
For 21 years, we have been moving forward with a united vision of loving and helping people. One thing that was in place in this church when we arrived 21 years ago was the desire to help people. Whether it was feeding kids first in a breakfast program or later in the supper program, this church has had a heart of compassion to meet the physical needs of others. Although we may fail and times, we really do love and care as a church. The money you give to the deacons, have helped so many people with utilities, with food, with rent, with clothes, with moving, and with emergency car repairs. The married couples10 years or so ago established the Mustard Seed Fund to help single parent families to purchase items they need. Those of you who give to the Prescription Fund, have kept people with the medicine they need when they can’t afford to pay for their prescriptions. Nobody had to go hungry for food, if you’re part of this church. Every month people volunteer to buy food boxes for those who need one. Those of you who can’t quite make it to the next paycheck because of an unexpected emergency, can get a loan at no interest to keep you from going under. For some of you, who are single parents, that is a tremendous weight off your shoulders. We try to bear one another’s burdens.
Our vision of making a difference in the lives of others causes us to make a conscious commitment to touch people in three continents each and ever month. We are touching Haitian orphan children, each month for the cause of Christ. We are touching Nigerian orphan children each month for the cause of Christ. We are touching Indian children each month for the cause of Christ. Why? Because God loves them and because God loves them we should too. Our united vision cause us to look beyond ourselves to help those who cannot turn around and help us back in any material way. Part of the reason God blesses us is because we bless others, particular the poor. The Scriptures, say those who give to the poor, lend to the Lord. How many of you know that God is faithful to pay you whatever He promises.
We have been moving forward with a united vision to reach more people with the gospel of Jesus Christ. This church was started with people going from door to door to invite others to come and be a part of our new church. During the years we, have gone into the world in several different ways to spread the gospel. We launched our newspaper sending 2000 copies every six weeks in The Glenville Presbyterian Messenger. We followed that with our Newsletter the New Life Times. We went to radio broadcasting. Then we went to tv broadcasting. We have been broadcasting on TV for over a decade. With the internet, our message continues to go forth around the world.
Even when our church is closed, our computer room is sending out sermons, dances and choirs, to other computers on the internet. The ministry going forth never completely stops. Every month our ministry is used over 60,000 times by people from all over the world. A video we did on what happens after you die, has been viewed over 100,000 times all over the word. It ends with Pastor Toby telling you how to give your life for Jesus Christ. We can’t wait to see how many people chose to give their lives to Christ after that invitational. Those of you on facebook, get a vision for it for ministry. When you hear a sermon that has blessed you, or song that you know would be helpful, get in the habit of sending your friends a link to the sermon or song on your facebook page. You can copy all of our links on our web page. Let us know if you want to use your computer for ministry and we will certainly show you how. Get one of our Easter Videos and use your computer to run it on the internet. There are all kinds of possibilities.
We can reach out technologically, but we still need to go find people the old fashion way. We have not have forgotten our first method of finding people which is to go through the streets of Glenville knocking on doors. In two weeks we will be uniting and doing that all over again as we people for Easter.
We as a church must move forward with a united vision to reach the lost for Christ. We have been called to pursue the work of Christ which involves saving souls and reaching out to the world with a hand of compassion. There was a time, when we here did not know Christ and our lives were lived apart from him. People would have burst out laughing if they were told one days\ we would be a deacon, elder, choir leader, usher, lay pastor or pastor. Many of us would not have believed it ourselves. But God touched us, saved us, changed us, and now we are where we are in Christ with the desire to grow even further.
It is because we know the forgiveness of Christ, that we must move forward with a united vision to let others know, God wants to be a part of their lives. In 21 years of ministry, we have been breaking down walls between people. We don’t need to know how much money you have to be a member, or what kind of job you have, or how good you have tried to be. If you want to know the love and forgiveness God, and you’re willing to strive to live your life in obedience to God, then we want you to be part of us because we are growing together. There are no perfect people here at Glenville. We know what it is to have members stumble and fall. We know what it is to give each other another chance for as many chances as we need, because that’s what our God does.
Jesus Christ came into this world to save sinners. Our church is full of people who came out of a sinning background. We know we are not better than anybody else. We also know that we need to continue to be changed by the power of Christ. We have discovered, you can’t wait until you are good enough to get saved. If you do, you never will get saved. God knows all about you. God knows your successes and failures. God knows your good and your bad. God knows your hopes and disappointments. Yet God wants you to become a child of God. For 21 years we have seen God developing children of God.
Our greatest joy as a pastors has been seeing the power of God change your lives and our own as well. Some of you have weathered some very difficult storms in the past 21 years. Your hearts were broken over the death of loved ones that we had tremendous homegoing services for. Some of you endured the pain of children who became involved in all sorts of difficulties and troubles. Some of you saw marriages come to an end that you wanted to last a life time. Some of you lost jobs that you had for years through no fault of your own. Some of you went through periods of doubt and depression. Some of you had reversals in your careers. Some of you had dreams for your lives that didn’t quite come to pass and you realize now, they might not happen.
Yet you have found a strength and faith in God that has gotten you through this period. You discovered that God meant it when He said, I will never leave nor forsake you. You have found a group of people from Glenville New Life Community Church who have put their arms around you and tried to walk with you through your crisis. We know what it is as a church to rejoice with those who rejoice and to weep with those who weep. For 21 years we have been moving forward with a vision to love each other. There are a lot more people out there who need to know the kind of love that goes on in this place. We challenge you to help us find them, and allow them to be changed, even as God has changed you.
