Not Time To Relax

We had a lot to do to get ready for last weekend. Launching Hoist The Sail involved so much…books designed and printed. Videos prepped and recorded. Sermon series prepared and written. Even music written and arranged. All with a hard deadline.

I felt relief on Sunday afternoon. I remember sitting back and feeling, “Phew.”

And then, I remembered having that feeling before. Sitting in the lobby 16 years ago after our first major construction campaign and grand opening, with John and Karen Knautz, Paul and Becky Hardt, along with Linda and I. We sat and reminisced the whole project. The capital campaign, construction, and prepping for the grand opening. Sitting in that lobby, we all felt a sense of relief. And then it hit me…now the reason for all this — to fill the building with unchurched people — that was the real work. And we were just beginning.

I also thought back at my first major building project in Wisconsin. We all felt the same relief when it was completed. But then my concern was that our people were now feeling relaxed, like, “We did it!”

But church buildings are not an end in themselves. They are a means to a much bigger end…Jesus’ mission — The Great Commission! I had seen it before…churches energized to get into a new building, only for them to feel relieved and relaxed once they got in. But that leads to church death. Because churches are not about buildings or capital campaigns, they are about reaching people.

All of that struck me last Sunday afternoon. “Ok, we made it to the first day of Hoist The Sail. We had a great start, but…”

As I learned in middle school track: a good start is only a good start. It’s the finish that counts.

And so my praying kicked back in. Hoist The Sail started off great. But this is not the time to feel relaxed. We have the rest of the month to pray, listen to God, and then make commitments. We have our primary goal in mind: 100% engagement. All of us shouldering the responsibility God has given us for the Great Commission. And after that, we have the actual work of using our resources to do as God leads, following through on those commitments and seeing the fruit harvested for God’s glory.

I’m glad last weekend went well. But this is just the beginning. God has big things in store for us. It’s up to us to keep the momentum going as He blows us where He wants us, to see His kingdom expanded, lives transformed, and Jesus Christ exalted!

“For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be glory forever. Amen” (Romans 11:36).