Hi - my name is Dean Angell, and I'm the Senior Pastor here at Lakeview Church - IT'S SO GOOD TO BE BACK!!! I've been gone for a while - incredible summer - thought I would do a little show & tell.
Kid's book - "Oh, the Places You'll Go!" by Dr. Seuss. Read pages up to waiting place. -- So I'm reading this book in a kids store in Fernie and when I got to this page, I choked up - something changed in me..A realization came over me..because I knew that's where I'd been living..in my leadership and I know that's the place we as a community have been..We've been in the waiting place -- with the whole world yet to explore.waves to ride, mountains to climb, and adventures to conquer - an incredible future ahead..We've been in the waiting place (and the wave we've been riding feels like it's heading for the beach)..Now Dr. Seuss doesn't say this..but the waiting place is often the place God speaks clearest to us - where we slow down enough and quiet ourselves to hear Him..And in that moment reading Dr. Seuss - God began to speak to me about the waiting place...and why sometimes we have to go there.
Some of you have been in this place..personally..maybe you've been forced into the waiting place - by the harsh realities of life - illness can force you there..Trust me on this - everyone on the cancer ward is in the waiting place..Or how about financial crises -- markets crashing - the value of savings being cut in half..puts us in the waiting place. Or the death of a loved one - or a divorce - or a relational breakdown of any kind..This is big..Depression can put us there, and so can losing ground to an addiction that has a choke hold on our lives.
Lots of you have been in the waiting place personally and it can be a dark and lonely place..where it seems there's no way to get out - like all the doors only open in - not out - and while you're in the waiting place, several things being to happen..(like a spiral).
First you deny that you're actually there -- so you pretend you're not..but eventually the reality hits..and then begins the search for comfort. All you want to do is find a big blanket and curl up inside it
..In the waiting room safety and comfort are high priorities..
Then comes a dreaming stage where you focus on the past a whole lot more than the future -- Glory Days becomes the theme song that plays in your mind. And then one more step down into the waiting place happens when you've been there a while and you've run out of answers on your own - simply survival is what you desire..And at that moment you suddenly know that the solution to getting out of this place must come from outside of yourself. And so you cry out to God for help. (Pretty dark picture.) But if you've been in that waiting place for a while you'll know what I mean. If you've felt a life wave crash you'll know what I mean.
Folks hear this - I believe we as a church have been in the waiting place..
Now, don't get me wrong - we've done nothing wrong..we're not being punished..God isn't angry with us..But I think He's been saying this. "The waiting place is part of the journey..Don't worry, just keep on walking..I'll open the door when it's supposed to be opened."
And as a church we've walked through all the emotional stages that I just described..
One year ago - on this weekend - I read some verses from the Bible to you that have been my hallmark in leadership this past year..and I believe these were words direct from God spoken into my life and our life as we stood in the waiting place:
"So take a new grip with your tired hands and stand firm on your shaky legs. Mark out a straight path for your feet. Then those who follow you, though they are weak and lame, will not stumble and fall but will become strong." (Hebrews 12:12 & 13)
Through those verses God has begun to open a door for our church to walk through..A straight path for us to walk on. Now, before I get into that - let me give you a little theory - or maybe it's math - or maybe it's theology with a little history attached..
A couple thoughts here..
Let's talk about momentum. (Erwin McManus - An Unstoppable Force). P = MV - here's the formula that I think we as a church need to understand.
P in this equation = momentum..M = mass and V = velocity.
Momentum = mass x velocity. Momentum is the combination of mass and velocity. And momentum is what God uses to change the world..And in this past season our church has struggled to find momentum..Catch this..(look at the equation)..Velocity without mass does not produce momentum and mass without velocity doesn't either. In other words - if you're missing either mass or velocity, the equation equals zero - There is zero momentum.
Let me talk about mass for a moment. In the church, mass = people. Without people there is no momentum. Now, our mass here at Lakeview has increased greatly in the past 5 or so years - it's more than doubled..and that increase has changed us - it feels kinda big -- and not nearly as intimate as it used to be. It feels a little more corporate and sometimes impersonal..Like a religious organization -- and those feelings have created in some of us, a distaste for mass.
Now..the other side of mass is that this larger mass has allowed us to do things a church of 100 would have never been able to - things like next weekend - Country Weekend - or Power Hour - or ZOO ministry or our music ministry or small group ministry or support groups or all the great diversity this church has gotten used to offering..mass has made a lot of great stuff possible. In fact, mass is what partially attracted most of you..Folks, we must not underestimate the importance of mass in the acceleration of momentum - but to be honest - one of the things that forced us into the waiting room is an improper view of mass. Let me explain..
I think as a community we've begun to protect the mass..instead of focusing on momentum. We've focused on the size of the wave instead of the power that wave has as it moves. Let me describe this...
Whenever an organization experiences several years of sustained growth and change and rapid expansion - like we have - there comes a season where the troops are a little tired and weary and a gathering of the forces is needed - so we can eyeball each other and see if we're still in this with our hearts..if we're ready to take the next hill together or if we even remember why we're doing what we're doing. That gathering can take quite a while. But if you're not careful, the purpose of the gathering can get blurred..and can slip from mission to survival. Here's the picture..
Mission
---> Here is where the organization begins to die
Survival
The larger an organization gets..the more concerned it becomes with survival..Smaller organizations/churches are all about mission - about reaching out..but what happens when they get larger and the mission is partially reached? When the desire for survival overcomes and becomes the underlying mission, the church dies..(a pictures paints a thousand words). And when a church is in the waiting place..survival sometimes seems like the bandaid we need..when the reality is..mission is the answer. A mission that creates momentum..
Let's get back to the formula -- momentum = mass x velocity. Mass alone does not equal momentum. You can have 30,000 fans at a Rider game but it doesn't produce any momentum. So..if mass isn't the only answer to the creation of momentum - maybe velocity is..Now, velocity is different than what you're thinking. Velocity isn't just speed - speed is fun and crazy and wild and scary and even exciting at times. But speed has no direction - it is simply how fast something is moving..Velocity is different. It always specifies direction. Velocity is speed with somewhere to go.
Speed with purpose - speed with intentionality - speed with direction..that's what creates momentum.
Last week we went up to our neighbor's cabin on Turtle Lake - beautiful setting - great people - great experience. They have a sail boat - took us sailing. Amazing experience - great lesson on momentum. Boat - huge sail..and when it caught the wind - the boat took off - almost out of the water..and you could ride waves and crash through the water with great acceleration and power - with a lot of momentum. But without wind, that big mass of a boat was rendered useless. Key to sailing -- mass and direction.
To sail effectively, you must be able to position the sail in the direction of the wind..and get in that sweet spot where the mass of your sail is being driven by the greatest power the wind has to offer..
You could see Doug smile when the wind hit just right and filled that sail.
Folks, without wind, sailing isn't too fun - paddling a big boat home is pretty defeating -- But when mass and velocity work together to create momentum, it's incredible - that hour of sailing was one of the best hours I've had for years - what a great experience..
And in the church it's no different. Here's the deal - this is where I'm going..When people (mass) move together under God - with a common purpose and direction (velocity) = momentum happens. Especially when God supplies some wind..
Let's bring this all together..Lee said that the people of the past have passed us the ball - (huge responsibility) - and by faith they've left it with us..Now - we ran with the ball for several successful seasons..But lately, we've been in a bit of a hold pattern..We've gathered the troops and we've been preparing - we've been waiting - kinda camped out together waiting for the wind..making sure that we don't drop the ball.
But now it's time to take a new grip - to step out on the path God has already provided for us - to put up our sails directly into the wind. We have mass - how do we get momentum? By adding velocity - speed with direction. McManus says velocity comes with clarity of direction.."To know where you're going, why you're going there, and to do it with urgency."
Let me read some verses to you that I've been reading..
Isaiah 43:18-19: "'But forget all that - it is nothing compared to what I am going to do. For I am about to do a brand new thing. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness for my people to come home. I will create rivers for them in the desert!'"
God always makes a way out of the waiting place.
Hebrews 12:1-2: "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish."
Sounds like speed and direction to me..
I said I'd get practical - I think this is practical. Let me give you 4 thoughts that I think will allow us to catch the next wave God has for us..because He's calling us out of the waiting room..
A Call to Commitment
2 Chronicles 16:9: "The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him."
You know folks, spiritually I had quite a summer. Summer is a time for me when life completely shifts gears..and everything I normally do - I don't. I'm not so much with people - I'm not doing any public speaking - I'm out of action mode..It's just a different place - and it's in that slower - quiet and alone place where God began to whisper to me..You know what He said? "Dean -- You cannot replace alone time with me"..There is no substitute for time spent building your relationship with God..And if you want out of the waiting room of life..and if you want to see the amazing future God has in store..then spend time with Him - that's it. Sounds so simple..but what happens to you - happens to me as well. In our search for answers to life, we try harder - we have strategic planning meetings -- We talk lots and make plans and work a lot harder to find solutions..and all of those are good and fine..
But nothing - none of those things can even come close to walking in a vital daily relationship with Jesus Christ. (That's where life comes from -- in that relationship). And folks -- it takes a significant commitment to make that happen..We don't drift into a deeper spiritual life - In fact, the drift of life is away from spiritual depth - always..It takes a decision and a commitment of life to step up to the plate spiritually and be diligent about building your relationship with Jesus..
But that's where the first wave is caught..And if you and I and we want to get out of that dark gray room called the waiting place..
and into the wind - we've gotta put up the sail..And that is a commitment with our hearts and minds and souls to daily follow Jesus Christ - Folks, trust me on this. Put up the sail -- He'll supply the wind and waves - He'll supply the power - He'll bring the momentum..
This year at Lakeview you can expect to be called to a greater personal daily commitment to Jesus Christ this year. It is the foundation for all that we are about as a church.
A Call to Service
Listen to these verses..
1 Corinthians 12:27: "Now all of you together are Christ's body, and each one of you is a separate and necessary part of it."
Mark 10:45: "For even I, the Son of Man, came here not to be served but to serve others, and to give my life as a ransom for many."
Hear this -- For the church to become a functioning, healthy, biblical community, this truth must be understood and lived out -- We have to learn to serve one another - together. Now by that I don't mean just being nice to each other..(I'll get to that in a moment.) But I'm talking in a greater or more organized way.
Let me explain.
Every one of us at the moment of creation was wired up by God in a very unique way - no two of us are the same - in talents and abilities and likes or dislikes - and passion - what gets us fired up!! That's something God did during creation. But there's bigger news than that. God - in a way that only God can do - has designed the church in such a way that to be most efficient and effective and rewarding..all these different abilities and likes and dislikes must function together - as one body -- that some of us who are thumbs..need hands and arms attached to us to make us work correctly..Let me just say this - this is the single biggest short-term challenge at Lakeview Church that we must conquer..That there be a mobilization of every part of the body - that everyone, no matter how great or small their talents and abilities..would begin to function within this community.
You can expect this this year - We will do our best to provide learning opportunities about what spiritual gifts are and how God has wired you up to serve (Oct. weekend series) -- And you can expect more opportunities inside Lakeview Church to join in and sign up to use your abilities to allow the whole body to function effectively and therefore advance the Kingdom of God..
Serving clearly is, for this church in this season, something that will propel momentum among us like few other things..It moves us right into the wind..when we serve one another.
A Call to Compassion
Luke 4:18: " The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has appointed me to preach Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the downtrodden will be freed from their oppressors."
Those words were spoken by Jesus as he described his personal mission..that is why he came to this earth..Now there are lots of spiritual implications to every phrase in this statement - but we don't need to go there today..We instead need to begin to grasp and apply the obvious..And that is compassion for the poor - for the needy - for the sick - for those in chains - whether self-induced or not.
And compassion isn't just a feeling - it's an action. See - too often our view of the church is all about coming to the church and watching what is going on..when the call of God on the church is to hit the streets with God's love in very practical ways..by meeting needs and seeing those who are hurting..outside these walls as much as inside them...
Lee Barbour spoke a line in a message a few months ago that has never left me..The church must be a place where the things that God loves are loved, where the things that God does are done.
Folks, don't be confused - God's heart breaks for the poor and needy and homeless and sick and hurting in this city -
He loves them deeply and He calls us to be His hands and feet to show that love practically and He calls us to be His arms wrapped around them in love. People hear this - until we get this and act on it..as a church..we will never have our sail right in the wind - we'll never fully unleash the power and ride the crest of the wave..And we'll always have one foot still in the waiting place.
You can expect this year to be given multiple opportunities to engage in our Care Ministry..The door is opening for us to love and serve the poor..
A Call to Urgent Eternal Thinking
Matthew 5:13-16: "Let me tell you why you are here. You're here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You've lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage. Here's another way to put it: You're here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We're going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don't think I'm going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I'm putting you on a light stand - shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven."
Let me tell you what God has been doing in my heart these past days..It's a new thing and I gotta be honest - it feels like a stream in the desert..God has been giving me great thoughts about heaven. Sounds kinda funny..but like never before, the realities of eternity have been burning inside me..
I mean, think about it - we have maybe 60 or 70 or 80 years here on earth and then eternity -- Well - with a completely new and growing passion that I have not personally sensed before, there is a realization that life is short and eternity is forever..
So I should probably live in such a way here on earth that won't make heaven feel like such a shock when I get there..And maybe we should shine as brightly as we can the light and love of Christ..
And maybe we should get a whole lot more serious about spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ. See, folks - what we don't think about enough is that eternity hangs in the balance for millions of people in this world. The spiritual decisions people make in life ring out forever in eternity..Whether or not to follow Jesus Christ is the single biggest decision anyone can make with their lives - forever.
Now - let me ask you - where else in life are people gonna hear the message about a God who deeply loves them - A God who longs to walk beside them in life - A God who was willing to die a horrible death so that they might find life and life eternal. Where else are people gonna get that message but in the church? That's why we're here - to be a city on a hill shining brightly the mysteries of the faith.
Spiritually lost and seeking people matter deeply to God, and for some reason which I don't fully understand, He has called us to be the track - the conduit in which He sends His message of love..
And that's what the church is supposed to be - a place where people find God. A place where people find hope. The Church of Jesus Christ - the hope of the world.
So folks, you can expect us to swing the doors wide open this season as we invite as many people as we can to join our community - no holds barred. So expect it to get more crowded. Expect us to be a city on a hill, shining brightly the life changing passion of God's grace.
Folks, if you're a follower of Jesus Christ and that doesn't get your heart going - take your pulse, because it is exactly the wave God is calling us to ride..Man, I am fired up for this season ahead. We're on the cusp of a great wave that God has brought to us - let's ride it together. |
