Last Sunday, we had our Annual Congregational Meeting at Redeemer, and what a time we had! Things got so rough at one point, our congregational president was in dire straits – bound and gagged by the voting body!!
Things got so heated that even Pastor Jim was forced in to KP duty!!
Actually, this year’s Annual Meeting was the best ever!! We had a PHENOMENAL turnout – I’ve never seen it’s equal. Our awesome DCE, Michael Harvey, led a devotion showing how we “tie up” our ability to reach out to others by the ‘what ifs’ in life – ‘what if I have to go out of my comfort zone?’ ‘what if I have to try something new?’ ‘what if I have to step out in faith?’ And our trusty president was our living illustration of that, using a chair and duct tape!
The end result of yesterday’s meeting was a bold and faith-filled resolution: to have EVERYONE at Redeemer actively involved in the life of the congregation by 2012!!
Impossible, you say? Well, there was a time in the Bible where God’s people were faced with an even greater challenge:
Nehemiah 2:17-18 “Nehemiah said to the people of Israel, “You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.” Nehemiah also told them about the gracious hand of God that was upon him and that the king had commissioned him to rebuild. The people replied, “Let us start rebuilding.” So they began this good work.”
Ezra, with the Lord’s help, had rebuilt the temple in Jerusalem. But a generation later, Jerusalem was still in ruins and deserted. In Nehemiah’s day, when a city had no walls, it had no defenses. God’s capital city was a ‘sitting duck’ to every invader in the land.
So, Nehemiah decided to do something about it. He went to the king and asked that the task of rebuilding be left to him. And with the king’s blessing, he went off to face an incredibly Big Hairy Audacious Goal.
Nehemiah was given the task of building a stone wall around Jerusalem for protection. That alone was a Big Hairy Audacious Goal but there was more. Invaders were coming – that was a Big Hairy Audacious Goal
He didn’t have enough people to help him – that was a Big Hairy Audacious Goal
He had Israelites undermining the task – that was a Big Hairy Audacious Goal
He didn’t have enough resources – that was a Big Hairy Audacious Goal
He didn’t have enough time – that was a Big Hairy Audacious Goal
But he did have the LORD. And because he trusted the Lord to conquer these BHAGs, he had each person work on the section of stone wall that was in front of their house – and they finished in record time.
Yesterday, we looked at a BHAG of our own – active involvement in the life of our congregation. But when God’s people – His ‘living stones’ – come together by the Grace of Christ to work in His Kingdom – who knows where the Lord will provide new and exciting opportunities for Redeemer! Praise God for faithful people in this place who want to share a faith-filled message!
Lord, we know that unless You build the house, it’s laborers build in vain. May we not see obstacles, but opportunities – to build and to labor – for Your Kingdom and for YOUR Glory. Amen.
