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.
11 Next to him was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. When the Philistines banded together at a place where there was a field full of lentils, Israel’s troops fled from them. 12 But Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field. He defended it and struck the Philistines down, and the LORD brought about a great victory.
13 During harvest time, three of the thirty chief men came down to David at the cave of Adullam, while a band of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. 14 At that time David was in the stronghold, and the Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem. 15 David longed for water and said, "Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!" 16 So the three mighty men broke through the Philistine lines, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem and carried it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured it out before the LORD. 17 "Far be it from me, O LORD, to do this!" he said. "Is it not the blood of men who went at the risk of their lives?" And David would not drink it.
Such were the exploits of the three mighty men.
3. The source of the momentum is the same thing that can stop it.
What are the things you have done that got momentum going in your life?
- Daily devotional
- Exercise
- Time management
- Ministry
- Positive confession
The thing that gave it to you is the thing that will take it away.
Jeremiah 2:5-7
5 This is what the LORD says:
"What fault did your fathers find in me, that they strayed so far from me? They followed worthless idols and became worthless themselves. 6 They did not ask, ’Where is the LORD, who brought us up out of Egypt and led us through the barren wilderness, through a land of deserts and rifts, a land of drought and darkness, a land where no one travels and no one lives?’ 7 I brought you into a fertile land to eat its fruit and rich produce. But you came and defiled my land and made my inheritance detestable.
Ill.
"I’m so depressed and I can’t get any dates," the 300-pound man told his minister. "I’ve tried everything to lose weight." "I think I can help," said the minister. "Be dressed and ready to go tomorrow at 8 a.m." Next morning, a beautiful woman in a skintight exercise suit knocked on the man’s door. "If you can catch me, you can have me," she said, as she took off. He huffed and puffed after her. This routine went on every day for the next five months. The man lost 115 pounds and felt confident that he would catch the woman the next day. That morning he whipped open his front door and found a 300-pound woman in a jogging suit waiting for him. "The minister said to tell you," she began, "that if I can catch you, I can have you."
Once you get it going don’t stop it! – What happens with youth ministry in most churches.
