Get On The Bus: State Of The Church

INTRO

* If we're not careful we can spend a lot of time looking backwards at

What was

* And /or a lot of time looking at

What will be...

* Religious people do this

 The good old days

 God bring revival on the verge of revival

* Parents do this

 Longing for the infant days

 Looking to the out-of-the-house days

* Business people do this

 Look back at where they started

 Look up to where they are going

* If we're not careful we can be so busy

 Looking back

 Looking forward

* WE MISS OUR NOW!

* My now:

o Releases me from the past

o Prepares me for the future

* God is telling Joshua

- NOW my servant is dead

- NOW get ready

* Your NOW is getting you ready for your destiny

* Have you ever asked someone for directions...

* ...and you know right away they didn't know.

EXAMPLE: Back roads of Ohio

- Looking for my destination, but my NOW isn't helping me

- You go slower

- You miss landmarks

- You don't enjoy the journey

- You waste time

- You miss intersections (decisions)

* Because that's what happens

o When your NOW is not right

o Where are you getting directions NOW?

* I got a GPS -- in LA

o It always says turn NOW

o Therefore not missing my destination

* Taxi

o You don't know if they know where they're going

o JD & I

o You could be asking someone who's never been where you're trying to go

o To get you there

o Wasting

 Money

 Time

 Mad at JD

o Foreign country - honeymoon

* Maybe it's time to get on the bus.

o It's interesting about a bus

* On the side of a bus

* In big letters -- digital -- painted -- sign

* It has its destination

o Doesn't tell you the name of the driver

o Doesn't tell you how many people are on the bus

o Doesn't tell you what kind of music the bus driver likes

* It does tell you the destination!

* And you shouldn't get on the bus

* If you don't want to go where it's going

EXAMPLE: As a little kid I got on the wrong bus because a kid was going to beat me up.

Reaching your destination might mean a fight!

* The taxi will take you wherever you want to go.

* I want you to know...

o Citipoint isn't a taxi

o It's a bus with a destination

* Some people get on -- some people get off

* He was -- is -- is to come

* The Lord says, I am Alpha and Omega

* Beginning & end

* Then & future

* Author & Finisher

* He's A -- Z

* But most of life is in the

o L, M, N, O, P

NOW = this present time -- the Now

Without further delay

Used to strengthen a command

* When you come to Citipoint

o Our relationship with Christ

o Has to do with where we 'was'

(sign - was)

* I was a sinner

* I was a druggie

* I was a crazy

* I was addicted

* Many people get stuck in what 'was'

* Therefore you can't get into what is NOW

* You're struggling with your NOW because of what was...

* Messing up your "is-to-come"

* When you don't have a vision for the future

o You will always be stuck in what was

o Because the bus -- NOW is always moving toward what is to come

* A lot of people are stuck at the bus stop (what was)

* Churches -- are at bus stops (explain)

* Christians ...

 Singing He was there all the time

 Because you look back and see he was

 But not believing He is

* Putting you on the bus of NOW

* A lot of your old friends don't realize you've got on the bus

 And what you were

 You're not any more

* Last year as a church

o At the State of Church Address

o The Divine Dozen

o And their goals

1. Forward Thinking

1. Web Page

2. Bookstore -- ministry catalog

3. Pod cast

4. T.V.

5. Update technology

2. Supernatural

Institute:

6. Intercessory prayer

7. Pastor's prayer partners

8. Corporate Prayer - Altar

3. Promptness

Everything

4. Acceptance

9. Membership

10. Visitor friendly

11. Hispanic service

12. K-nex groups

5. Participation

13. Enlarge leadership base

14. Build program management team

15. Bring understanding & accountability to CPO's

6. Order

16. Clean-up building

17. New nursery

18. Paint outside