Building People In Our New Building

Building People in our New Building

Ex 35:30-36:5

5-18-03

Richard Tow

Grace Chapel Foursquare Church

Springfield, MO

www.gracechapelchurch.org

A year ago on April 14th, we walked out onto a dusty spot west of our sanctuary and broke ground for this new facility. We did it knowing that we didn’t have enough money to finish it. But we also did it knowing that the Lord had told us to do it! I remember a meeting prior to that on a Wednesday evening when I shared a proposal as to how we might solve our space problem for the children’s ministry. I had found a couple of places we might rent. Everybody knew those locations were not what we really needed. But it looked like the most we could hope to do. It was a big surprise to me when the whole congregation confidently said it is time to build!

For that ground breaking service the Lord took me to Zech. 4:6-8

6So he answered and said to me:

"This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel:

’Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’

Says the LORD of hosts.

7’Who are you, O great mountain?

Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain!

And he shall bring forth the capstone

With shouts of "Grace, grace to it!" ’ "

8Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying:

9"The hands of Zerubbabel

Have laid the foundation of this temple;

His hands shall also finish it.

Then you will know

That the LORD of hosts has sent Me to you. NKJV

I knew we could start it—I knew we could lay the foundation. But for the life of me I could not see how we could finish it. Today as we “bring forth the capstone” so to speak, all we can say is “Grace, grace…by the grace of God this building is being completed.”

And today we thank the Lord for His faithfulness in bringing it about.

Walking through this project together as a church family, we have seen the Lord provide the necessary resources over and over. Last January we came to a point where the funds simply were not there to continue the project. Some organizations can simply increase their loan at times like that but we could not. We had to believe the Lord for the funds to come in or simply stop construction. At the Leadership Retreat we prayed about the problem and were in the process of dismissing the meeting. I had decided to close by letting each leader make a brief comment. It was in those closing moments that God moved on Dot Hash to say, “Lets begin here & now to raise the $ 17,000 needed.” Within a few weeks the money had come in.

It wasn’t just money we needed. We also needed--know how. I have experience in project management but I have very little construction experience. It has been amazing the way God brought a team together to get the job done. People like Dave Myers, Jeff Loyd, and Larry Ellsaesser have been priceless gifts to this church-- Dave Turner and many others. I think the fish and bug figures on the walls that Shanon Pennell and Carol Cron painted are absolutely delightful. All those skills are gifts from God. In Exodus 35 the Tabernacle was built. God gave to various people in that congregation the talent and ability that was needed to construct the Tabernacle.

In verses 30-35 we read,

30Then Moses said to the Israelites, "See, the LORD has chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, 31and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts-- 32to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, 33to cut and set stones, to work in wood and to engage in all kinds of artistic craftsmanship. 34And he has given both him and Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, the ability to teach others. 35He has filled them with skill to do all kinds of work as craftsmen, designers, embroiderers in blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen, and weavers--all of them master craftsmen and designers. NIV

Thank God for the craftsmen and designers in this church.

Do you know what the best gift is? It’s the one needed at the time. During the construction of this facility there were gifts in some of you I didn’t even know you had. But you used it for the Lord and we all benefited.

I am grateful to those who pressed in spiritually while I was investing a lot of time leading the building program. During this last year Debi has lead a Thursday evening worship time in addition to the regular services. Thank you Debi for your perseverance in prayer and worship as a leader in this church. Many of you gave yourselves to prayer and intercession, which was vital to our success. Thank you Terry Wiegand for organizing a prayer effort for the pastors of this church. We look back over this building effort—with all the things that could have gone wrong but didn’t—and say, indeed, “It is not by might, nor by power, but by the Spirit of the Lord.”