Our Future As A Church

Our Future As A Church

“Taking the Positive Approach”

By Bill Denton

Introduction

A. Illustration

This may shock you, but I believe the single most significant decision I can make on a day-to-day basis is my choice of attitude. It is more important than my past, my education, my bankroll, my successes or failures, fame or pain, what other people think of me or say about me, my circumstances, or my position. Attitude is that `single string' that keeps me going or cripples my progress. It alone fuels my fire or assaults my hope. When my attitudes are right, there's no barrier too high, no valley too deep, no dream too extreme, no challenge too great for me.

-- Charles R. Swindoll

B. Illustration

A man who owned a small estate wished to sell it. Sending for a real estate agent, he asked him to write an advertisement describing the house and land.

When the ad was ready, the agent took it to the owner and read it to him. "Read that again," said the owner.

The agent read the description of the estate once more. "I don't think I will sell after all," said the owner. "I have been looking for an estate like that all my life, and I did not know that I owned it!"

C. For the next several Sunday mornings, I want to speak to you about our future as a church

1. Illustration

The future is an opportunity yet unmet, a path yet untraveled, a life yet unlived. But how the future will be lived, what opportunities will be met, what paths traveled, depends on the priorities and purposes of life today.

C. Neil Strait

2. On the one hand the future can be viewed as opportunities

3. On the other hand, the future must also be viewed as a choice, and that depends on

what priorities and purposes we choose to live by

D. This morning, I want to talk about taking a positive approach to the future

1. I think everyone believes this is the approach they are taking, but I’m convinced

that many people have just fooled themselves

2. By positive approach, I do not mean that we should ignore sin, that we should not

speak with God in condemning sin, or that we should never identify problems, or

that we ignore things that ought to be changed or corrected

3. But I am talking about a way to do what needs to be done, a way of dealing with

people, and a way of shaping our future as a church in the best, most positive light

E. Phil 3:7ff

I. A Positive Approach Begins With Serious and Sincere Faith

A. Dan 3:16-18

16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to give you an answer concerning this matter. 17 "If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. 18 "But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up."

NASU

1. I get the idea that you couldn’t discourage these young men – they had too much faith

2. Faith gives rise to hope, and hope give rise to courage, and courage gives rise to

a kind of living that does not give in to anything that would crush a lesser man

3. This is the kind of faith the church needs today

B. Heb 11:17-40 (read)

1. The future of this church will be determined by the degree to which we live with

the same faith as these people did

2. Toss out faith and we’re left on our own, with nothing but our own wisdom and

power, our own strength, and our own abilities – that’s not much to be positive about

3. Stand securely in our faith in God and his son, Jesus Christ, and we tap into a power

that has always lifted God’s people to victory

II. A Positive Approach Thrives in an Atmosphere of Love and Respect

A. Note the following verses:

1. Matt 22:37-39 -- And He said to him, ""YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR

GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH

ALL YOUR MIND.' "This is the great and foremost commandment. "The second is

like it, "YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.' NASU

2. John 13:34-35 -- "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another,

even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. "By this all men will know

that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." NASU

3. Rom 12:9-21 (read)

B. This is far more important than we might think – the future of any church is failure unless

Love becomes something real and not just something to talk about

1. People who love God are people who never tire of God

a. they don’t get tired of hearing about or learning about God

b. they don’t get tired of serving God

c. they don’t get tired of giving God the preeminent place in their lives

2. People who love one another are people who learn that love is more than a word

a. love doesn’t treat people badly

b. love doesn’t hurt people

c. love always performs as if other people are important

3. It’s time we acknowledge that a church full of love behaves as if that’s true, and it

does not merely make a claim to it.

III. A Positive Approach Believes That God Has A Purpose For Us

A. Illustration

A man stopped to chat with a farmer who was erecting a new building. He asked, "What are you putting up?" The farmer replied, "Well, if I can rent it, it's a rustic cottage. If I can't, it's a cow shed." --James S. Hewett, Illustrations Unlimited

1. Too often, that’s our version of building a church

2. Well, we’ll throw a few things together and see what it ends up

B. Note these verses:

1. Ps 33:11 -- The counsel of the LORD stands forever, The plans of His heart from

generation to generation. NASU

2. Acts 2:22-23 -- "Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man

attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed

through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know -- this Man, delivered over

by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the

hands of godless men and put Him to death. NASU

C. This is why it is so important that we begin thinking about God’s plans, and connecting our

Plans to his

1. God has sent us into the world to preach the gospel to the lost

2. God has sent us into the world to be salt and light

3. God has sent us into the world to ease pain and suffering by helping others

4. God wants to hear our praise and he wants to receive glory from us

5. If God goes to all the trouble to plan his actions why do we think we can just throw

a few things together, give it a hit-or-miss effort, and accomplish his will for us?

6. A positive approach takes seriously the fact that there is reason for being here, and

that God’s eternal purposes rest in our hands

Conclusion

A. I believe great things are possible, don’t you?

1. We’ve got some terrific opportunities before us

2. We’ve got some really good people in this church, with lots of talent, so I know that

the potential for something great is here

3. I know this church has gone through some tough times in the past, but guess what,

those things are all in the past

a. doesn’t mean we won’t have our share to difficulties in the future

b. but it does mean we get to decide how we’ll deal with them

B. The key to success is getting positive

1. We must have faith in God

2. We must work hard to develop an atmosphere of real love, both for God and for

one another

3. We must approach our work believing that what we are doing connects to, and

fulfills the eternal plans of God himself

C. What do you need to do today to get onboard?

1. Get your faith up to speed?

2. Change the way you practice love for God and others?

3. Change what you’re doing to match God’s purposes for your life?

D. Invitation