Vision Month: Week 3 | Get What You Get

Next Week is For the Future Sunday | Special Offering

Prayer Nights | Wednesdays at 7:00

Child Dedications | March 30

Dream Team Dinner Party | April 3 (No prayer on April 2)

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Joshua 1:10–11 NKJV

10 Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying, 11 “Pass through the camp and command the people, saying, ‘Prepare provisions for yourselves, for within three days you will cross over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land which the Lord your God is giving you to possess.’ ”

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A Season of Divine Momentum

We are in a season of momentum against all odds.

We had fourteen people jump onto teams last Sunday!

This is just the beginning!

Momentum brings with it the responsibility to steward it well!

Luke 12:48 NKJV

For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.

That is why we’re having a month wherein we are talking about vision.

Vision is the structure upon which for momentum to thrive!

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Three practical areas of focused vision

Today I want to talk to you about the three areas that I want us to focus on in regard to the vision that God has given us for momentum creation and stewardship!

These three categories will be the grounds upon which and for which we are raising money at our for the future Sunday offering and the proceeding weeks!

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1. We Are Going to Get Healthy

Last year we saw a decline in the health of the organization because there was a decline in my health.

There is something beautiful in seasons of collapse.

God is a God who rebuilds things to be better than they were!

I want to read to you the kind of language that God has used with his people when they experience season of brokenness

Jeremiah 30:17 NKJV

17 For I will restore health to you And heal you of your wounds,’ says the Lord, ‘Because they called you an outcast saying: “This is Zion; No one seeks her.” ’

Isaiah 40:31 NKJV

31 But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.

Isaiah 61:4 NKJV

4 And they shall rebuild the old ruins, They shall raise up the former desolations, And they shall repair the ruined cities, The desolations of many generations.

God is granting health again to those who have been weary and hurting.

Your mind can be healthy again

Your self image can be healthy again

Your marriage can be healthy again

Our church has never been hearlthier by the grace of God!

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I told our team when I came back from Sabbatical…

We will focus on health over growth.

Because a focus on health will result in an experience of growth.

This is really a transition from a pursuit of converts to a pursuit of discipleship.

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The proper way to deal with unhealthiness..

(a) Tell someone you’re struggling.

James 5:16 NKJV

16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

(b) Rest in the right room

Often when people take a break from serving or the area of their life where they are pouring out…they disengage from the church in general.

That’s like eating ice cream to calm your stomach ache

Hebrews 10:24–25 NKJV

24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

(c) Make sure you verify who is giving you your prognosis.

If you give the enemy the right to give you the diagnosis of your spirit…you will never find wholeness.

He will constantly and consistently tell you that you are done.

But when the enemy tells you that you’re done it’s the best news you can possibly receive.

John 8:44 NKJV

44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.

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2. We Are Going to Get Out

Matthew 28:19–20 NKJV

19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

We will not be a church that is focused on creating a comfortable environment for those who are already here.

The church was never supposed to be an organization that was internally focused.

If we want to be a spirit-filled church…we must maintain an external focus.

Acts 1:8 NKJV

8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

The internal filling of the Spirit was given for the external preaching of the gospel!

We are to be consistently and creatively making new initiatives and attempts to reach those in our city who are far from God.

There is no room for complacency in the life of the christian.

We have a limited time to reach the most people that we can with the gospel of Jesus Christ!

We are a church that plans to constantly stretch ourselves and push the limits of what is possible for the purpose of growing the kingdom of God.

Our community is growing and as such, our church should reflect that growth...we are determined to keep pushing until that is fully realized.

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Healthy things grow

As I said..We are going to grow...and we are determined to keep ourselves healthy to sustain that growth

to such a degree that we don't have to repeat this process.

While we believe there are practical steps to take in order to obtain and maintain health...

We believe the primary means of becoming healthy is experiencing life change through the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross.

Evangelism is our primary means of promoting health.

We will target a couple of specific areas in our evangelistic pursuits.

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(A) We will focus on reaching the next generation. $3000

Last year we laid out a vision for effecting the foster care system.

We weren’t able to see that vision come to pass for a multiplicity of reasons.

That is still a part of our vision as a church!

We will invest in outreaches on weekends to provide

hot dogs,

bounce houses, and

a gospel presentation in the common area of local apartment complexes.

We will invest in our kids ministry to make sure that it is secure, well equipped, and enjoyable.

We will invest in our teenagers by providing them an opportunity to go to our sending church once. a month to partner with their youth ministry

We will be developing a student ministry gathering on one Sunday a month

We will provide scholarships for kids to go to youth camp and kids camps

(B) We will invest in the existing foundation $1000

We are not standing on our own...We are all the product of those who have gone before us.

Unfortunately there are many who have gone before that have been forgotten by their family, their friends, and even the church

One of our elders has felt called to invest in this people group by reaching them with a nursing home ministry.

(C) We will invest in the family $3000

If marriages would get healthy...homes would get healthy.

We will be hosting marriage focused events and my wife and I will be hosting s marriage small group.

(D) We will invest in those who aren’t here yet. $10,000

It is our belief that we are the best kept secret in Cartersville…WE PLAN TO CHANGE THAT.

Printed material to make inviting our friends and family easier

Social Media marketing to let people know that there is an authentic spirit filled community here in Cartersville

Live Streaming our services to reach someone on their device in order to get them in the room.

There will be cost associated with all of these things...

BUT I'M IN THE ROOM WITH GENEROUS PEOPLE!

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3. We are going to Get Ready

I will repeat to you what I said in week one of this month...

WHERE WE ARE IS NOT WHERE WE ARE GOING!

God is just getting started with Awaken Church! IF WE BELIEVE WE ARE GOING SOMEWHERE…WE HAVE TO ACT LIKE IT!

Isaiah 54:2 NKJV

2 “Enlarge the place of your tent, And let them stretch out the curtains of your dwellings; Do not spare; Lengthen your cords, And strengthen your stakes.

Joshua 3:5 NKJV

5 And Joshua said to the people, “Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.”

Miracles are often predicated upon a nonsensical step of preparation….

Ryan building the crib for the baby they didn’t have…

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Steps of preparation

What steps of preparation are we taking

We are launching new service times on Easter Sunday...Two services 9:30 and 11:00

This will require all hands on deck in serving

But will avail the opportunity to sit one and serve one.

We are furthering our online ministry this year by live streaming our services

This will require some upgraded lighting and camera setups.

On For The Future Sunday we are believing for $20,000 for the outreaches, tech upgrade, easter marketing, next gen, and ministry launches..

But we are setting the posture of our hearts for the miraculous…

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THE NONSENSE BELIEF

WE ARE RENTING...WE BELIEVE GOD IS GOING TO GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO OWN THE PLACE WE WORSHIP.

We don't know where...

We don't know when...

BUT WE ARE GETTING READY.

We plan to raise $250,000 over the next two years for a down payment on the property God has for us!

$1.7M….PAY CASH

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God grant us $250,000 above operating expenses to be able to own the place where we worship!

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Next week…we are coming together for our For The Future Sunday offering.

We are praying to receive $20,000 above and beyond the tithe

We will also be making faith promises available for the larger initiative