When you wake up on Monday morning to a flood in your new building what are you supposed to do? Cry? Throw things? Rejoice? I choose to rejoice! I chose this path as a response for a number of reasons; allow me to share just three of those reasons.
First, it’s just a building and I know that the building can be repaired. This is why we have insurance, but more favorably, this is why other people who are responsible for the water line bursting has insurance. I quickly realized that Calvary would not be out a dime to get the building back to original condition. Will it be inconvenient for us as we wait for the building to dry out, for the flooring to be replaced, for the sheetrock to be reinstalled, for the shelving to be repurchased, and for the plethora of workers to finish up the job? Yes it will. This inconvenience is evidenced by the fact that I am in the youth room typing this from an easy chair!
Second, I choose to rejoice because I refuse to allow the vanity of life to tell me how to live. If I’ve learned anything from studying and teaching Ecclesiastes over the last months it is that God wants me to find joy at the end of my rope. I am sincerely running to God in this situation to find joy. I know that life is made up of everyday messes (like slippery roads, electric bills and water line breaks), and God doesn’t want these things to dictate my joy. It is the relationship I have with the Creator of the universe that steers the course of my joy!
Finally, I choose to rejoice because the Lord is sovereign. He is in control of even a broken water supply line. Could He have prevented it from happening? Yes He could. Did He prevent it from happening? No He didn’t. In trusting God’s sovereignty in a situation like this we are saying that we have the utmost confidence that God knows what He is doing. He is the One who can take a situation like this and turn it on its head to glorify Himself. It is our responsibility to seek how we can best honor Him through something like this.
Other circumstances much more devastating have happened in your life; dealing with a broken water supply line is a walk in the park compared to what some of you've been through. Just remember, no mater what we face choose joy!
Grace & Peace,
Scott
I'm sitting here thinking about what to do next. No, not what to do next today, but what to do next at Calvary Church. What’s next for us? Do we plan for another building? That may be a necessity in the future and certainly we have made provision for it in the long range planning, but that is not what I am sitting here thinking about. I am thinking about what it next for us to do as a church. It has been so exciting to see God gathering a large crowd at Calvary each Sunday. As we experience this growth it must stimulate us to action.
First, I believe we must have a vertical what’s next focus. We should be rejoicing in what God has done on our behalf. Rejoice that we are in a new building. Rejoice that there are no stairs. Rejoice that there are multiple bathrooms. Rejoice that there is no mold. Rejoice every time you come around the corner and you see the new building where you get to worship God and serve others.
Second, we must have a horizontal what’s next focus. I must focus on serving this growing congregation. How do we do that? We do this in part by never taking one another for granted. As God increases His church numerically it is easy to get caught up in the frenzied excitement of numbers and neglect the individuals who represent those numbers. We must redouble our efforts to love one another every time we see each other.
Another way we do this is by working hard to get to know the new people who are coming. Don’t be afraid to approach somebody and say, “Hey, I know I’ve asked this before, but could you tell me your name again? You see, we’re not used to this many people coming and we love it, so I am making an effort to get to know people personally by writing everyone’s name down.” Wouldn’t it be cool to see the regular Calvary people carrying around notebooks writing down visitor’s names? By doing this I think we would communicate to people that we really do want to get to know them and that we’d love to see them back!
Grace & Peace,
Scott
I am partially settle in my new office. I say “partially” because not all of the boxes are unloaded, not all of the books are shelved, and none of the pictures are on the wall. I have an “unsettled settled” feeling. I am what we call “betwixt and between.” I am in my new office but I am not all the way in yet. In theology we call this “already, not yet” (I am already in my office – it is a reality, it is happening – but I am not yet all the way in).
This is also how I feel as a believer. According to the gospel that saved me I am already in Christ, but I am not yet realizing the fullness of being in Christ. I know this because I am still on this alien world called “Earth” struggling with sin. This world is not my home; I am a temporary resident. The older I get and the more I study Scripture the more I understand this truth and long for the day when God calls me home. (But I am not raising my hand to see if I can get bumped to the next flight.)
I see remnants of sin all around me that prove to me that I am not home. I see boxes in my life that remind me that this place is not meant for me. The daily struggle with sin and my physical body not able to do what it did when I was 20 are just a couple of indicators that God has a place prepared for me that is much better.
So what do we do today? How do we live everyday knowing that one day we will vacate this place and join our heavenly Father? We follow the advice of Paul,
For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account (Philippians 1:21-24).
As I look around my office I am bothered that not everything has been put away - not everything is as it should be. Does it bother me when I look around the world and see that not everything is as it should be? Or have I lulled myself into a sleepy satisfaction that causes me to shrug my shoulders and say, "It's not that bad." We must all realize that the gospel that transferred us from being darkness to being light (Ephesians 5:8) is what the world needs.
Grace & Peace,
Scott
We made it! God got us in the building and with the help of many people we were able to get everything moved. So much stuff…so little time! Thank you to everyone who sacrificed their extra Christmas time off to load the trucks and trailers and then turn around and unload them. I love you and appreciate every box and piece of furniture you pick up. Remember: “The moving of 47,000 sq. ft. of stuff begins with the lifting of one box!”
We’ve been in the new building for a week and a half and the dust is still settling. I’ve been told the dust will be floating around for the next year! But isn’t it just plain wonderful and exciting to be in a new building. This is a first for me (and for many of you as well). As I reflect on this momentous move to a new location I’ve been thinking…
We must always keep something in mind: as beautiful and wonderful as this new building is, it is still just a building – it is not the church. We are the church and 4000 Parris Bridge Road just happens to be the location where we are meeting. I love this building and everything it represents, but I also realize that one day it will be torn down (destroyed) or renovated. The true Church of Jesus will never be destroyed.
…On this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18).
Over the years the face of the Church has changed, its programs have evolved, but the essence of what the Church is has not changed one iota. No matter what we do as humans we really cannot change God’s Church. Let’s remember that.
Secondly, and I’ve said this before, if our focus is on the building people will get used, but if our focus is on the glory of God and the good of His people the building will get used! As much as I love this new building I love God and you so much more. If we zero in on the majestic splendor of a great God and His purpose in saving humanity then I believe the buildings we have will be used for the right purpose.
I love being your pastor. Stop by anytime. I can’t promise I’ll always be available, but if I have the time I would love to get you a cup of coffee and talk.
Grace & Peace,
Scott
When you wake up on Monday morning to a flood in your new building what are you supposed to do? Cry? Throw things? Rejoice? I choose to rejoice! I chose this path as a response for a number of reasons; allow me to share just three of those reasons. 
