What were you doing on Sunday, February 5th, 2017? I can remember it like yesterday. There was something big happening that would impact my life and those lives around me as well. Yes…it was Superbowl Sunday, but… it was much more significant than that. It was an unexpectant and unwanted trial that had turned into a blessing! It was what I like to call, a “Proverbs 16:9 moment”:
“The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.”
I certainly had a lot of plans on how to resolve this situation…prayer, fasting, counsel. In fact, many others around me had plans as well but the Lord stepped in and determined how our steps would go.
Like I said, three years ago on February 5th this not only happened to me, but it happened to “us”. We as a church family had just made it through one of the toughest trials of our church history; a summer of no real church home. Meeting on Sunday mornings, Sunday nights, Saturday evenings…Westside of Nashville…Southside of Nashville…Brentwood…Woodbine…we effectively grew from 200 people down to 60 hard core followers of Christ 😉. And then…February 5, 2017 we metaphorically and officially emerged from all the fog as Christ for the Nations Church!!!
And NOW, three years later we continually experience the faithfulness of God and His incredible love. I look at all the wonderful things that are happening…the gospel being shared at home and abroad, 28 commissioned Deacons, 5 Godly Elders (Whoops…can I say that, since I am included), healthy, growing Missional Communities, over 90% of our members involved in those Missional Communities, ministry among refugees, children, youth and Kurds, discipleship among the men, discipleship among the woman, church planting residency, Leadership Training Development, And Sunday Mornings…what can we say, babies…babies…babies...wonderful, spirit-filled worship, crazy parking issues and barely any place to sit! It all signals growth!
So, yes, February 5th is a mile marker of faithfulness, a stone of remembrance, a place setter of Celebration. Take time to thank God for what He is doing. And pray for guidance as we decide what to do with our “problems” of growth.