INTRO
* If we're not careful we can spend a lot of time looking backwards at
What was
* And /or a lot of time looking at
What will be...
* Religious people do this
The good old days
God bring revival on the verge of revival
* Parents do this
Longing for the infant days
Looking to the out-of-the-house days
* Business people do this
Look back at where they started
Look up to where they are going
* If we're not careful we can be so busy
Looking back
Looking forward
* WE MISS OUR NOW!
* My now:
o Releases me from the past
o Prepares me for the future
* God is telling Joshua
- NOW my servant is dead
- NOW get ready
* Your NOW is getting you ready for your destiny
* Have you ever asked someone for directions...
* ...and you know right away they didn't know.
EXAMPLE: Back roads of Ohio
- Looking for my destination, but my NOW isn't helping me
- You go slower
- You miss landmarks
- You don't enjoy the journey
- You waste time
- You miss intersections (decisions)
* Because that's what happens
o When your NOW is not right
o Where are you getting directions NOW?
* I got a GPS -- in LA
o It always says turn NOW
o Therefore not missing my destination
* Taxi
o You don't know if they know where they're going
o JD & I
o You could be asking someone who's never been where you're trying to go
o To get you there
o Wasting
Money
Time
Mad at JD
o Foreign country - honeymoon
* Maybe it's time to get on the bus.
o It's interesting about a bus
* On the side of a bus
* In big letters -- digital -- painted -- sign
* It has its destination
o Doesn't tell you the name of the driver
o Doesn't tell you how many people are on the bus
o Doesn't tell you what kind of music the bus driver likes
* It does tell you the destination!
* And you shouldn't get on the bus
* If you don't want to go where it's going
EXAMPLE: As a little kid I got on the wrong bus because a kid was going to beat me up.
Reaching your destination might mean a fight!
* The taxi will take you wherever you want to go.
* I want you to know...
o Citipoint isn't a taxi
o It's a bus with a destination
* Some people get on -- some people get off
* He was -- is -- is to come
* The Lord says, I am Alpha and Omega
* Beginning & end
* Then & future
* Author & Finisher
* He's A -- Z
* But most of life is in the
o L, M, N, O, P
NOW = this present time -- the Now
Without further delay
Used to strengthen a command
* When you come to Citipoint
o Our relationship with Christ
o Has to do with where we 'was'
(sign - was)
* I was a sinner
* I was a druggie
* I was a crazy
* I was addicted
* Many people get stuck in what 'was'
* Therefore you can't get into what is NOW
* You're struggling with your NOW because of what was...
* Messing up your "is-to-come"
* When you don't have a vision for the future
o You will always be stuck in what was
o Because the bus -- NOW is always moving toward what is to come
* A lot of people are stuck at the bus stop (what was)
* Churches -- are at bus stops (explain)
* Christians ...
Singing He was there all the time
Because you look back and see he was
But not believing He is
* Putting you on the bus of NOW
* A lot of your old friends don't realize you've got on the bus
And what you were
You're not any more
* Last year as a church
o At the State of Church Address
o The Divine Dozen
o And their goals
1. Forward Thinking
1. Web Page
2. Bookstore -- ministry catalog
3. Pod cast
4. T.V.
5. Update technology
2. Supernatural
Institute:
6. Intercessory prayer
7. Pastor's prayer partners
8. Corporate Prayer - Altar
3. Promptness
Everything
4. Acceptance
9. Membership
10. Visitor friendly
11. Hispanic service
12. K-nex groups
5. Participation
13. Enlarge leadership base
14. Build program management team
15. Bring understanding & accountability to CPO's
6. Order
16. Clean-up building
17. New nursery
18. Paint outside
19. Café
20. Building excellence
21. Draw definite ministry lines
22. Mind your own ministry
7. Increase with integrity
23. Kingdom Builders
8. Deliberately Driven
24. Youth ministry -- explain
25. Children's Outreach
26. Rebuild Nursery
27. Growth engines for the school
9. Identifiable Leadership
28. Deacons to a more spiritual role
29. Empower
30. Qualifying people for ministry
31. Those involved support & present
10. Generosity
32. District appreciation
33. Everywhere -- to -- everyone
- love down
- love side-to-side
- love up
11. Method Not Sacred
34. Big Events
February -- Superbowl Weekend
March -- Easter -- Dash
April -- No Absentee Sunday
May -- Mother's Day
June -- Father's Day
July -- Outdoor Patriotic Service
August -- Back-to-School Service
September -- Biker Sunday
October -- To Hell & Back
November -- Feed The Multitude
December -- Bike Giveaway
12. Grace
35. Dream Again
36. P.C.
* But that was then
* And this is NOW
* And our NOW
o Moves us to what will be!
* The bus is always moving
* Don't become comfortable at the place you got on.
EXAMPLE: At ROC some got on when I did everything!
- Visitation
- Weddings
- Counseling
- Turn on Lights
* Later they didn't like their NOW
* They were more comfortable with what was
* We now struggle with what...
"is to come"
* There are always going to be people stuck in was
20 year class reunion
Asking -- remember when we was
* They will never get to...
What is to come (destiny)
* Because they won't get on the...
Bus of NOW
* The NOW isn't your destination
o It's your transportation
That's why the scenery on the bus (the church)
Is always changing, evolving
The wheels on the bus go round and round
* The bus keeps shifting gears
EXAMPLE: aren't you glad styles change?
EXPLAIN Living in the NOW
- Stop looking back
- Stop wishing for tomorrow
* Start living NOW!
CONCLUSION
* The bus is going to a destination
