Planted #2

Good morning, My name is Jamey. I’m the lead pastor at Northside and I’m so glad you're here.

We are in the 2nd week of an important mini-series called Planted (date and times slide)… as we start moving toward planting another church service here at Northside

Planted 2 Services starting September 13th 8:30 and 10:15 AM

One lie we’re often tempted to believe is… the greatest significance in life is being seen.

God has always measured significance differently.

The heart is never seen, yet without it the body dies. Ligaments never receive applause, yet they hold everything together (right Britaney). In the same way, some of the most important people in God's church are the ones whose names few people know.

On July 20, 1969, the world watched as astronauts walked on the moon.

Most people remember Neil Armstrong's famous words, but very few remember the hundreds of people who made that moment possible.

Engineers,

welders,

mathematicians,

computer programmers,

technicians,

Fabricators

Test pilots

Software engineers

logiostics

seamstresses who stitched the space suits,

janitors,

security, …

Each played a role.

Most of them were never on camera, but without them, the mission never happens.

That is exactly what we find in the book of Nehemiah. Nehemiah 3 is one of those chapters many people skip because it's full of names. But God didn't waste ink on those names. He recorded them because every person mattered, every assignment mattered, and every faithful act became part of a much bigger story.

Israel's walls had been destroyed for nearly 140 years.

The city that represented God's people lay in ruins.

Broken walls weren't just a construction problem—they represented

broken security,

broken hope,

and broken testimony.

God gave Nehemiah a vision to rebuild.

But here's something fascinating.

Nehemiah didn't rebuild the wall.

Thousands of ordinary people did.

That's the message of chapters 3 and 4.

One man received the vision, many shared it.

An entire community accomplished the mission.

God still works that way today.

As we've shared over the past several weeks, we believe God is leading Northside into a new season by planting a second worship service.

This isn't about becoming a bigger church. It's about making room for more people

to hear the Gospel,

to find hope,

to experience community,

and to become fully devoted followers of Jesus.

That vision isn't something the elders and staff accomplish.

It's not even something our current volunteers accomplish.

It will only happen if all of us decide, "This mission belongs to me and us.

Nehemiah 3:1–5 (NLT)

Nehemiah 3:1–5 NLT

Then Eliashib the high priest and the other priests started to rebuild at the Sheep Gate. They dedicated it and set up its doors, building the wall as far as the Tower of the Hundred, which they dedicated, and the Tower of Hananel. People from the town of Jericho worked next to them, and beyond them was Zaccur son of Imri. The Fish Gate was built by the sons of Hassenaah. They laid the beams, set up its doors, and installed its bolts and bars. Meremoth son of Uriah and grandson of Hakkoz repaired the next section of wall. Beside him were Meshullam son of Berekiah and grandson of Meshezabel, and then Zadok son of Baana. Next were the people from Tekoa, though their leaders refused to work with the construction supervisors.

Then Eliashib the high priest and the other priests started to rebuild at the Sheep Gate. They dedicated it and set up its doors, building the wall as far as the Tower of the Hundred, which they dedicated, and the Tower of Hananel. 2 People from the town of Jericho worked next to them, and beyond them was Zaccur son of Imri.

3 The Fish Gate was built by the sons of Hassenaah. They laid the beams, set up its doors, and installed its bolts and bars. 4 Meremoth, son of Uriah and grandson of Hakkoz repaired the next section of wall. Beside him were Meshullam son of Berekiah and grandson of Meshezabel, and then Zadok son of Baana. 5 Next were the people from Tekoa, though their leaders refused to work with the construction supervisors.

I. THE MISSION IS BIGGER THAN ONE PERSON

Nehemiah was an incredible leader.

He prayed.

He planned.

He cast vision.

He faced opposition.

But if you read chapter three carefully, something becomes obvious.

Nehemiah's name almost disappears.

Instead, the chapter becomes a long list of names.

Priests.

Goldsmiths.

Merchants.

Families.

Daughters.

Government officials.

Tradesmen.

People from different towns.

Different backgrounds.

Different skill levels.

Different occupations.

What do they all have in common?

Every one of them picked up a stone.

Every one of them repaired a section.

No one rebuilt the entire wall.

Everyone rebuilt part of the wall.

That's how God's Kingdom works.

Sometimes we imagine ministry happening because of a handful of gifted people.- That is a sign of a struggling church… that is not all it could be; not all it’s gifted to be.

The pastor preaches.

The worship team leads.

The children's director teaches.

The elders make decisions.

But that's never been God's design.

Paul tells us that Christ gave leaders "to equip the saints for the work of ministry."

Did you catch that?

The leaders don't do all the ministry.

They equip the church to do ministry.

One of the greatest misconceptions in American Christianity is that the church is something we attend.

The Bible describes church as something we become.

This is why our mission isn't simply to gather people on Sundays.

It's to help people grow in their

Relationship with Christ,

Engage deeply in His Church, and

impact our Community.

Those three values… are best lived out in unity… together. That’s why Jesus prayer in Jn 17 is primarily about unity. That truth is central in scripture… echoed throughout it.

Imagine if every family here simply asked one question:

"What is my section of the wall?"

Not, "What is someone else doing?"

Not, "Why doesn't somebody fix that?"

"What has God asked me to build?"

Because

When everyone owns part of the mission, in view of the overall mission (unity), nobody carries the entire burden.

That's why planting another service isn't simply creating another worship time.

It's creating another opportunity for someone to meet Jesus.

Every empty seat is more than an empty chair.

It's someone who hasn't yet found hope.

It's a marriage that could be restored.

A teenager looking for purpose.

A child hearing the Gospel for the first time.

Someone who doesn't even know yet that they're searching for Jesus.

We aren't building a schedule.

We're making room for people.

II. EVERY ROLE MATTERS

Nehemiah 3:28–32 (NLT)

Nehemiah 3:28–32 NLT

Above the Horse Gate, the priests repaired the wall. Each one repaired the section immediately across from his own house. Next Zadok son of Immer also rebuilt the wall across from his own house, and beyond him was Shemaiah son of Shecaniah, the gatekeeper of the East Gate. Next Hananiah son of Shelemiah and Hanun, the sixth son of Zalaph, repaired another section, while Meshullam son of Berekiah rebuilt the wall across from where he lived. Malkijah, one of the goldsmiths, repaired the wall as far as the housing for the Temple servants and merchants, across from the Inspection Gate. Then he continued as far as the upper room at the corner. The other goldsmiths and merchants repaired the wall from that corner to the Sheep Gate.

28 Above the Horse Gate, the priests repaired the wall. Each one repaired the section immediately across from his own house. 29 Next Zadok son of Immer also rebuilt the wall across from his own house, and beyond him was Shemaiah son of Shecaniah, the gatekeeper of the East Gate. 30 Next Hananiah son of Shelemiah and Hanun, the sixth son of Zalaph, repaired another section, while Meshullam son of Berekiah rebuilt the wall across from where he lived. 31 Malkijah, one of the goldsmiths, repaired the wall as far as the housing for the Temple servants and merchants, across from the Inspection Gate. Then he continued as far as the upper room at the corner. 32 The other goldsmiths and merchants repaired the wall from that corner to the Sheep Gate.

One of my favorite things about chapter three is how ordinary everyone is.

There are

no superheroes.

No celebrities.

No famous builders.

Just ordinary people faithfully doing ordinary work.

Some repaired gates.

Some repaired walls.

Some hauled materials.

Others probably cooked meals.

Some watched children while others worked.

Everyone contributed differently.

And that's still true today.

The church isn't built only from this stage.

In fact, most ministry never happens here.

It happens in classrooms.

Parking lots.

In homes

In the workplaces

In the community

Coffee conversations.

Prayer circles.

Nurseries.

Think about an iceberg.

Only about ten percent of it is visible.

Ninety percent is below the surface.

Church ministry is much the same way.

Most of what God uses isn't seen.

Someone prayed for this service before you arrived.

Someone unlocked doors.

Someone brewed coffee.

Someone cleaned the bathrooms.

Someone prepared children's lessons.

Someone ran sound.

Someone greeted you.

Someone watched the babies so parents could worship.

Prepared a small group discussion and cleaned a house

Most people never notice.

God notices every bit of it.

Jesus once said that even giving a cup of cold water in His name matters. (Matt 10:42)

Nothing done for Christ is insignificant.

Sometimes people say,

"I don't really have much to offer."

Can I lovingly challenge that?

The most profound impacts that God has allowed me to make are almost exclusively in “smaller” things. (Ryan/camp)

We cannot forget how God works.

Throughout Scripture, God delights in using ordinary people.

Fishermen.

Shepherds.

Tax collectors.

Teenagers.

Widows.

Carpenters.

He still does.

You may never stand on a stage.

You may never preach.

But

Your faithfulness could help create an environment where someone hears the Gospel and their eternity changes forever.

Thats massive.

What greater investment could there be?

One of the reasons we're talking about planting another service is because we don't simply need another worship gathering.

It's also about…

people investing their gifts.

People growing…

As parents, spouses, singles, mentors, servant-hearted leaders,

My prayer is… we all say… WITH JOY… I'll take my place."

III. WHEN GOD MOVES, EXPECT OPPOSITION

Nehemiah 4:1–15 (NLT)

Nehemiah 4:1–15 NLT

Sanballat was very angry when he learned that we were rebuilding the wall. He flew into a rage and mocked the Jews, saying in front of his friends and the Samarian army officers, “What does this bunch of poor, feeble Jews think they’re doing? Do they think they can build the wall in a single day by just offering a few sacrifices? Do they actually think they can make something of stones from a rubbish heap—and charred ones at that?” Tobiah the Ammonite, who was standing beside him, remarked, “That stone wall would collapse if even a fox walked along the top of it!” Then I prayed, “Hear us, our God, for we are being mocked. May their scoffing fall back on their own heads, and may they themselves become captives in a foreign land! Do not ignore their guilt. Do not blot out their sins, for they have provoked you to anger here in front of the builders.” At last the wall was completed to half its height around the entire city, for the people had worked with enthusiasm. But when Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabs, Ammonites, and Ashdodites heard that the work was going ahead and that the gaps in the wall of Jerusalem were being repaired, they were furious. They all made plans to come and fight against Jerusalem and throw us into confusion. But we prayed to our God and guarded the city day and night to protect ourselves. Then the people of Judah began to complain, “The workers are getting tired, and there is so much rubble to be moved. We will never be able to build the wall by ourselves.” Meanwhile, our enemies were saying, “Before they know what’s happening, we will swoop down on them and kill them and end their work.” The Jews who lived near the enemy came and told us again and again, “They will come from all directions and attack us!” So I placed armed guards behind the lowest parts of the wall in the exposed areas. I stationed the people to stand guard by families, armed with swords, spears, and bows. Then as I looked over the situation, I called together the nobles and the rest of the people and said to them, “Don’t be afraid of the enemy! Remember the Lord, who is great and glorious, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes!” When our enemies heard that we knew of their plans and that God had frustrated them, we all returned to our work on the wall.

1 Sanballat was very angry when he learned that we were rebuilding the wall. He flew into a rage and mocked the Jews, 2 saying in front of his friends and the Samarian army officers, “What does this bunch of poor, feeble Jews think they’re doing? Do they think they can build the wall in a single day by just offering a few sacrifices? Do they actually think they can make something of stones from a rubbish heap—and charred ones at that?”

3 Tobiah the Ammonite, who was standing beside him, remarked, “That stone wall would collapse if even a fox walked along the top of it!”

4 Then I prayed, “Hear us, our God, for we are being mocked. May their scoffing fall back on their own heads, and may they themselves become captives in a foreign land! 5 Do not ignore their guilt. Do not blot out their sins, for they have provoked you to anger here in front of the builders.”

6 At last the wall was completed to half its height around the entire city, for the people had worked with enthusiasm.

7 But when Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabs, Ammonites, and Ashdodites heard that the work was going ahead and that the gaps in the wall of Jerusalem were being repaired, they were furious. 8 They all made plans to come and fight against Jerusalem and throw us into confusion. 9 But we prayed to our God and guarded the city day and night to protect ourselves.

10 Then the people of Judah began to complain, “The workers are getting tired, and there is so much rubble to be moved. We will never be able to build the wall by ourselves.”

11 Meanwhile, our enemies were saying, “Before they know what’s happening, we will swoop down on them and kill them and end their work.”

12 The Jews who lived near the enemy came and told us again and again, “They will come from all directions and attack us!” 13 So I placed armed guards behind the lowest parts of the wall in the exposed areas. I stationed the people to stand guard by families, armed with swords, spears, and bows.

14 Then as I looked over the situation, I called together the nobles and the rest of the people and said to them, “Don’t be afraid of the enemy! Remember the Lord, who is great and glorious, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes!”

15 When our enemies heard that we knew of their plans and that God had frustrated them, we all returned to our work on the wall.

The moment construction began…

Opposition arrived.

Sanballat mocked them.

Others threatened them.

Fear spread.

Workers became tired.

Some wanted to quit.

That sounds familiar, doesn't it?

Whenever God begins moving, resistance usually follows.

Not because God has abandoned the mission.

Often, because the mission matters.

If you've ever remodeled a home, you know this.

Before things become beautiful, it gets messy.

Dust everywhere.

Furniture everywhere.

Nothing works.

You wonder why you ever started.

It often feels uncomfortable before it feels exciting.

As we move toward two services, let's be honest.

There will probably be challenges.

Some mornings may feel different.

Some people may have to attend a different service than they're used to.

Parking patterns will change.

Volunteer schedules will change.

It may even feel inconvenient at times.

But inconvenience isn't always a bad thing. Its often a growing thing.

Sometimes, it’s simply the cost of making room for someone else.

Think about Jesus.

He continually inconvenienced Himself for people.

He stopped for blind beggars.

ate with sinners.

welcomed children.

interrupted His schedule for hurting people.

Love always costs something.

So if this season stretches us… Good. Stretching is good.

Don't interpret resistance as failure.

Sometimes resistance is confirmation that we're moving in the right direction.

Nehemiah didn't stop building because people criticized.

He kept building.

The church has never advanced because everything became easy.

It advances because ordinary believers remain faithful when things become difficult.

IV. PRAYER AND WORK BELONG TOGETHER

(summarize Nehemiah 4:7–9, 14–20) Nehemiah 4:7–9 (NLT)

Sanballat (governor of Samaria)... heard that the building was happening… and became furious… He made plans to fight them… confuse them…

BUT… they prayed… and acted.

Nehemiah told them… Don’t be afraid…

Remember the Lord, who is great and glorious, Be on the same team… protect each other…

And do your best to be courageously and humbly obey God. Be on guard… and be ready to help when you see your brothers and sisters under attack.

20 “When you hear the blast of the trumpet, rush to wherever it is sounding. Then our God will fight for us!”

One of the things I love

Nehemiah never separates prayer from action.

He prays.

Then he works.

He trusts God.

Then he picks up another stone.

Sometimes Christians swing toward one extreme.

"We just need to pray."

OR swing the opposite direction.

"We just need better planning."

Nehemiah says it's both:

Prayer without obedience isn't faith.

Planning without prayer becomes self-reliance.

They belong together.

"Prayer is preparation for the work." There's truth there.

But I actually think it goes even deeper.

Prayer is part of the work.

There is a LABOR in prayer…

When we pray for those who are hurting, lost, and alone… people…

We're participating in God's mission.

When we pray over our children's classrooms…

We're building.

When we pray for volunteers…

We're strengthening the wall.

When we pray for unity…

We're protecting the work.

When we pray over future guests who haven't even walked through these doors yet…

God begins preparing hearts long before they arrive.

AUG 2… Prayer and worship… 6:30 PM at OGE.

That's why, beginning next week, we're inviting our entire church into 55 Days of Prayer leading toward this big day of planting another service.

This is important…

Prayer is our first priority.

Here's what I'd love to ask every person to do.

Every day...

Pray for our future guests.

Pray for our volunteers.

Pray for unity.

Pray for protection.

Pray that God would send people who desperately need Jesus.

Pray that He would prepare us to receive them well.

Because ultimately, this isn't our church. It's His.

And

If He is leading us, He will provide everything we need. We simply need to be faithful.

CONCLUSION

Several hundred years ago, workers built magnificent cathedrals across Europe.

Many of the craftsmen laying the foundations knew something remarkable.

They would never live to see the building completed.

Some projects lasted generations.

Still… They laid stone after stone.

Not because they’d get to enjoy the finished product, but because they believed in what they were building.

WORSHIP TEAM COME UP

That's the kind of faith God is inviting us into.

Some of what god is doing in this today… We may never fully see.

The child who comes because another service made room may someday become a missionary.

The teenager who hears the Gospel may someday become a pastor- that was me.

The struggling marriage restored through this church may raise children who love Jesus for generations.

We don't know.

But God does.

That's why this matters.

This isn't about attendance. It's about eternity.

This isn't about filling volunteer slots. It's about joining God's mission.

So let me ask you one final question.

Where is your section of the wall?

In order to make it work, we need about… ___ volunteers…

Biggest needs are…

Set up ___ (once a month commitment)

Greeters

Small Group leader

Hospitality.

Security.

Prayer.

Mentoring younger believers.

Everyone has a section. Nobody has the whole wall.

As we prepare to launch another service,

Let's not ask, "What are they going to do?"

Let's ask, "What is God asking me to do?"

Because God's work moves forward when God's people step forward in faith…

One person laying one stone may not seem like much.

But many faithful acts of obedience build something that changes lives forever.

Let's be the kind of church where everyone builds, where everyone prays,where everyone makes room.

Because somewhere in our community is someone who doesn't yet know they're one invitation away from meeting Jesus.

And perhaps...

The section of the wall God has given you to build… is the very section of the wall that leads your kids or grandkids to Jesus… or… makes room for the one who will.

Let's build together. Amen.

It will only happen if all of us decide, "This mission belongs to me and to us.

Pray