Building Momentum

29, December 2002

Dakota Community Church

Building Momentum

Introduction:

Common theme on testimony night – highs and lows -Over all positive, the goal is consistence in the storms and the celebrations!

Matthew 7: 24-27

24"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."

Since the summer we have been picking up speed! -What we have is momentum.

This week I want to look at where it comes from and what it can do, next week how to keep it going and build on it for 2003.

1. Momentum is a force of strength.

In sports, a train against a brick wall, steering the passat.

- Many times momentum is the only difference between winning and losing.

- With momentum teams play over their heads, without it they play down.

- The number one church problem is low moral.

Psalm 78

O my people hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth. 2 I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter hidden things, things from of old- 3 what we have heard and known, what our fathers have told us.

12 He did miracles in the sight of their fathers in the land of Egypt, in the region of Zoan. 13 He divided the sea and led them through; he made the water stand firm like a wall. 14 He guided them with the cloud by day and with light from the fire all night. 15 He split the rocks in the desert and gave them water as abundant as the seas; 16 he brought streams out of a rocky crag and made water flow down like rivers. He gave a command to the skies above and opened the doors of the heavens;

24 he rained down manna for the people to eat, he gave them the grain of heaven. 25 Men ate the bread of angels; he sent them all the food they could eat. 26 He let loose the east wind from the heavens and led forth the south wind by his power. 27 He rained meat down on them like dust, flying birds like sand on the seashore.

Remember when we met in the basement at Dan’s? Remember when we got into the lawn bowling building? Remember when Jake moved here married Joan and got us off of CD’s for worship?

Remember when we came to this new building?

Remember when we used to have only twenty people some Sundays?

Remember when Randy brought out Don and Cindy?

When Chris turned it around and started KOZ?

Remember when Jamie and Lisa fell in love and got married?

When Michelle took over the Nursery and Laura started teaching a class?

Remember when we had eighty people out for our Christmas concert and the biggest offering month in our history – last month!

Remember when we paid off our sound system, got an LCD projector, a sign, a phone number, a yellow page ad, a laptop, and a web site?

Remember when we realized we were getting caught up in something called: MOMENTUM!

2. Momentum comes from winning battles.

a.) As individuals.

1Samuel 17:36

36 Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. 37 The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine."

Saul said to David, "Go, and the LORD be with you."

Ill.

In 1962, Victor and Mildred Goertzel published a revealing study of 413 "famous and exceptionally gifted people" called Cradles of Eminence. They spent years attempting to understand what produced such greatness, what common thread might run through all of these outstanding people’s lives. Surprisingly, the most outstanding fact was that virtually all of them, 392, had to overcome very difficult obstacles in order to become who they were.

b.) As a church.

2Samuel

8 These are the names of David’s mighty men:

Josheb-Basshebeth, a Tahkemonite, was chief of the Three; he raised his spear against eight hundred men, whom he killed [4] in one encounter.

9 Next to him was Eleazar son of Dodai the Ahohite. As one of the three mighty men, he was with David when they taunted the Philistines gathered at Pas Dammim for battle. Then the men of Israel retreated, 10 but he stood his ground and struck down the Philistines till his hand grew tired and froze to the sword. The LORD brought about a great victory that day. The troops returned to Eleazar, but only to strip the dead.