Planning for God's Direction
Notes
Transcript
Failing to Plan, is Planning to Fail - how many of us have been told if we are to be successful we have to plan for that success? We are to set goals, and benchmarks to reach those goals. This month, I am writing my annual faculty report, but it started last year with a plan of work - setting goals for how I was to achieve those goals for the year.
We keep calendars, we have schedules all for the purpose of remaining focused on the task at hand. So,we plan - put a “plan in place”. Planning is the process of figuring out what needs to be done, when it should be done by, and who is responsible for completing tasks within a certain timeline. It involves a set of actions designed to ensure that resources, time, and effort are used efficiently to achieve the desired outcome.
So, what are some things we plan for? Birthday parties? Anniversaries? Vacations? Movie? Dinner with family/friends? Grocery shopping? What we are going to eat for breakfast, lunch, supper? I mean, if you think about it we plan for about anything we do.
The church should be no different. We know that the business of the church should be done decently and in order.
1 Corinthians 14:33 (ESV)
33 For God is not a God of confusion but of peace.
While the church has different ministries, we all still must come together as a functioning, complete body. It is the way that we put those ministries together in a disciplined, orderly, and purposeful manner directed by God that makes it successful. Now, if we are to be what God wants us to be, as a church, then we must look at planning. That means we must formulate a plan for creating, growing, and sustaining disciples. How do we prepare for those coming in, how do we grow those that are here, and how do we mature into disciplers of disciples.
Starting next week, we will work on the future planning. Church council will meet at 5:00 next Sunday afternoon and ALL department heads need to in attendance so we can start this process (SS director, Treasurer, Food Pantry, Women’s ministry, Youth, VBS, etc) and we will schedule monthly meetings until we complete the planning process. It will take us all working as a team to make this work and to plan for a short term and long term plan for our church. I ask that the church start praying for the church council and for God’s direction for our church. If we allow Him to lead, guide, and direct us then we can accomplish His will in our community.
This is the key for the planning process, we must focus on God’s Will for our church, and we will do so in a organized manner.
Self Sufficiency
Self Sufficiency
13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”—
14 yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.
We cannot rely on ourselves during this process. Self sufficiency is seeking to do something without God. Now, self sufficiency sometimes rears up because we have been let down by others in the past, things aren’t going as planned, or we don’t trust others to do their part properly. It will take us all working together to accomplish God’s will for the church. We should plan for the future, as scripture says we are not to be slothful in business or in any endeavor.
11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.
As we look at the purpose and plan for this church, we must also yield to the fact God is the head of the church, God is the head of our lives, and God will be the one leading the planning process. Here James is speaking of those who do not seek God in their planning process. Unfortunately, when things aren’t going the way we think they should, or as quickly as we think they should, we want to try to “help God out”. We can become short sighted and think that we are in control of our life. I mean, how many of us truly take the time to seek God’s Will when we apply for a new job? Look for a new vehicle? Pick out paint for the house? I mean, some of this seems comical, but when we don’t seek God in the small decisions then it becomes easier to not seek God in the big decisions. Then when we don’t get struck by the proverbial lightning bolt of lightning, we tend to ignore God’s direction on other things. Until things go to pieces, then we all the sudden want to let God take over again. I mean, it kind of like Carrie Underwood’s song “Jesus take the Wheel” - driving in the snow and the cold, not paying attention, going way too fast, and then hitting black ice…THEN calling out for Jesus to take the wheel...
The reason WE don’t take planning into our own hands is because we do not know what tomorrow brings. There are literally thousands of things that can happen to derail our plans! A split second decision can change our lives. If we are honest, most of us don’t know what we will eat for lunch tomorrow so how can we have confidence in planning for large decisions without the guidance of God? James reminds us that our minds are limited, we don’t know the future, and no matter what we plan or think we are in the dark.
So how do we plan for things of the church if we are in the dark? We must come to the light and seek the wisdom and guidance of God. Too many churches today are trying to figure out how to become bigger, better, attract more people - all without truly seeking the Will of God and unfortunately they wind up simply refining their entertainment and are ineffective in impacting the Kingdom of God. We are reminded that our lives are a mist, a vapor that will only be here for a season so making wise decisions guided by the author of the universe should be foremost in the churches planning process.
Acknowledge God
Acknowledge God
15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.”
We should acknowledge God in all that we do. If the Lord wills we will… In planning for creating, growing, and sustaining disciples we will have to seek God’s will and acknowledge all that we do will be if the Lord wills. He is the one in charge of how this church will impact this community for His Glory. But it is up to us to be seeking His will and then DOING His Will. We must learn to trust and depend on Him, seek His will, and lean on Him on everything we do. If we look at things through the eyes of God, then it allows our will to align more perfectly with His will for our lives and for the church.
As we look at a planning process for the church, we must realize that all we do is completely up to the Will of God. Nothing we do should be done without first consulting God.
17 pray without ceasing,
As stated earlier, many of us have forgotten to include God in making out our daily plans. We acknowledge Him when (if) we pray, but many of us go through a simple recited prayer and don’t put the time, effort, or even think about seeking God’s Will until something goes wrong THEN we look to God.
We cannot allow our churches to become like this to, we should be seeking God’s Will through prayer on a regular basis and should desire God’s direction in everything we do, not just when there is a crisis. As a church, we must focus on Him! Just as John instructed I must decrease, and He must increase also works for planning the future of the church.
30 He must increase, but I must decrease.”
To be honest, if we are directing the path of our churches without seeking God’s Will then they are already on a destructive path. We must not only seek, but acknowledge God in all that we do.
Arrogance in Self
Arrogance in Self
16 As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.
17 So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.
When a church tastes “success” - big programs, big numbers, big building projects - it has the tendency to become arrogant. In saying that, we must look at what arrogance truly is - it is bragging about something we think we have, but not really possessing it. If a church brags of its programs, brags of its numbers, brags of its campus size, brags of it’s entertainment, and forgets that it was all successful because of the Lord then it has failed as a church.
Why is it we boast? We want recognition for what we have done! We worked hard, we spent countless hours, we did a good job - we try to show that we are more successful than others. We get to comparing who has “bigger” programs, “more” things, “larger” crowds and THINK that is success. You see, we fail to forget the reason we have success is because God allowed it.
We must look at the planning for our church in a way that does not focus on numbers but focuses on God’s Will and direction for the church. When we quit focusing on “things” and start focusing on God, then, maybe then, we will come together as a church, and we can see His Kingdom grow as a result.
We know this is what we should do, and to know it and not do it is a sin. We must focus on God, pray for God’s Will, and then be diligent to follow where He leads. This way, we know all that comes in the future is from God.
Conclusion
Conclusion
As we look at planning for the future of Mt. Carmel we have to seek the will of God. This requires us to take a deep breath, be patient, and keep an open mind. It will be a process, but one in which will be needed for the success of the church and it’s future. We cannot fall into the trap of looking at other churches as an example of what we should be doing. While evaluating programs and processes may be helpful, we must remember God has us here at Mt. Carmel for a specific purpose and reason. I find it exciting as we look to the future of creating, growing, and sustaining disciples through planning by following God’s Will and direction. It’s time, church, to start praying for every step of this process so that we will be sensitive to God.
Reminder - all church department heads will meet next Sunday, 5:00 p.m. to start the process of church planning and we will discuss it further in business meeting at 6:00.