How to move forward as a church. Continuing the sermon series, A Momentous Move, from last week, Pastor Michael Acock teaches this morning on what it looks like for our church to move forward, to grow.
Pastor Mike starts out today by revisiting the 7 progressions he spoke about last week.
There are 7 steps or progressions in moving forward:
1. A deep internal sense that in this present moment the past will not and cannot define the future life.
2. A dynamic vision of what the future could be.
3. A single act of obedience to yes to what could be.
4. A season of preparation in light of where you are and what you see as the future.
5. An active step toward the future.
6. A de-romanticized expectation of the journey.
7. A relentless seizing of the opportunity to create a future that does not currently exist.
What does this look like? Pastor Mike explains these points in more detail. In regard to the first progression Pastor Mike reminds us to honor the past, but stay loyal to the future. Then when talking about the second progression, Mike reminds us that who we are in God is not determined by what we do, but rather who we are in God determines what we do. Next, we look at what it means to say yes as an act of obedience and how saying yes acts as a guide in our journey. The next progression is a season preparation which is where it becomes the real thing, this is where we are right now in our church. Mike presents us with the analogy of preparing kids to move out and preparing to run a marathon. Then Mike goes into depth explaining the de-romanticized expectation of the journey. We are reminded that this journey will not be easy. We will have trouble, we will wrestle, we will have temptation, we will have trials, and we will suffer. These challenges are going to make us stronger when we reach the end of this journey. Then we will be ready for the seventh progression where we seize the next opportunity.
Pastor Mike ends with the explanation of Matthew 9: 14-17. We need God to give us new wine and new wineskins. If we try to do something new with what we have now, it won't work, but we need God to give us new wineskins to expand where God would have us go.
In closing, Mike exhorts us to fall in love with the mission God has given us and not the method. Systems and processes will change, but who God is will never change. Our fuel is God himself, not the vision.
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