PP0347 DATE
KEEPING OUR HOME BASE STRONG!
Psalm 11:3.
Ps 11:3 If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do? (KJV)
Everything depends on a foundation. The foundation must be solid and secure.
WTC. World Trade Center. We have heard a great amount of information about the World Trade Center since 911. I saw an interesting documentary on the Trade Center a few months back. It gave all of the information about the original buildings. There was a great amount of effort and planning on the foundation and structure under the ground. The dirt that was removed when preparing for the foundation was placed along the West harbor of Manhattan and increased the total land size by 11 acres. It is said that is some of the most valuable real estate in the whole state of New York.
The point I am making is that the foundation of anything must be strong and solid. Nothing will stand very long if the base is not solid. That’s why all the emphasis on “You’ve Never Been So Loved”. We are strengthening the home base here at BHBC. Isa 54:2 Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes; (KJV)
Ac 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto
me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. (KJV)
This is one of the most well know mission verses. We know that Matt. 28:19-20 tells us to go into “all the world” preaching the gospel. We see a little different definition of that same commission given in Acts 1:8. In that Scripture we see four parts of the commission. Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the remainder of the world. Three fourths of the commission has to do with “home missions.” By this I would assume that three-fourths of our mission efforts should be home focused. I do know that it is telling us to make and to keep the home base strong and secure in all areas of missions endeavor. If Baptists had followed this principal through the years there would be enough Baptist Churches world wide to send enough missionaries to all foreign lands. We haven’t kept our base structure firm enough. It takes a missionary from 2 to 3 years to raise support to go to any field. That is too long, but it is because there is not enough churches in the home base structure.
In times of war our president, his advisors and the military leaders are always concerned about the home base being solid and stable to support the effort that will be required in time of war. That same concern is always present in churches. God’s plan and program must also have the same emphasis. Without that effort the structure will be weak and will crumble eventually.
If we don’t keep the home base strong and functioning on all cylinders then we will have a collapse in all missions activity. Our purpose today is to focus on keeping the base strong. A large number of Baptist Churches working together for the purpose of missions can do more than the same number working separately.
By that I mean that we will have a solid and firm base with which to finance mission work all over the world.
How do we do that?
I. EVERY CHURCH MEMBER MUST PARTICIPATE
This must be a total church endeavor.
A. In Every Part Of The Plan.
1. The failure of one will hinder.
2. Every person has a place to fill.
3. If there are gaps in the plan failure will come. One little hole in the roof of a house will let a great amount of water leak through, and unless it is repaired great damage to the house will be caused.
If a tiny pinhole developed in the Boulder Dam the Corps of Engineers would have to immediately repair it lest the whole dam fail.
You might think your part of our missions program is insignificant, but it is very vital.
B. Success Depends Upon Every Member Participating.
Suppose with me for a minute what would happen if Tinker Field only had 15 – 20 percent of the people participating?
Suppose the same with General Motors – or any other organization that relied on people to function.
How can a local church be expected to make its program function and be strong if only a few are involved? Each member should be ready and eager to get into the program – we should have recruits standing in line waiting for action. If any object is expected to be strong all of the parts of that object must be acting in unison.
The rescue of Pvt. Jessica Lynch – all members of the military had a part in her rescue. The soldier interviewed said that no one took credit. It was a unified effort.
That’s the way our missions program must be – a unified effort. This family working together with this family and then this one and this one all working together for the purpose of missions.
II. EVERY CHURCH MEMBER MUST PRAY
A. Everything With God Is Appropriated Through Prayer.
1. George Mueller.
2. Our families life.
John R. Rice said, “All problems are prayer problems.”
Someone else said, “All that God does, He does in answer to prayer.”
Probably prayer is the most needed element of missions today. Every missionary has “prayer cards” – not “support cards” or “financial cards” – but prayer cards. That says to us that our prayers for the missionaries is very important.
B. Private Prayer Will Make All Things Possible.
Jesus commanded us to pray for laborers for the harvest. This would apply to what we are saying here now. We must pray for greater capability to strengthen our base.
Many of the countries of mission work are demon possessed and the missionaries must have the prayers of many Christians working for them.
C. We Must Pray For More Participation From The Membership.
Mt 9:37 Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;
38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest. (KJV)
I know that Beth Haven needs her members to be more prayer involved and I would say.
III. EVERY CHURCH MEMBER MUST PAY
A. In Giving. Lu 6:38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. (KJV)
1. “Give” – this is the individual’s part.
2. “It shall be given you.” God’s part.
If our home base remains strong and solid there must be a full participation by all members in this matter of paying. Churches cannot operate on part-time labor and pocket change.
No church can ever be strong in missions without the membership participating in giving sacrificially to missions.
Listen to this quote from the Baptist Watchman:
Last year Americans gave 2.9 billion dollars to overseas missions.
We spent 7.7 billion to see movies.
13 billion to buy chocolate.
23 billion to buy toys.
23 billion spent on pets.
24 billion for jewelry.
58 billion for soft drinks.
95 billion for lawn and garden care.
354 billion to eat out at restaurants.
Let’s face it we would rather go out and eat than support missions.
We spent .005 % for missions as we did for fun and pleasure.
B. In Time – our time is valuable and must be used for God. To have a strong active missions program requires a lot of time from the membership of the church. Record keeping – news letters – writing letters to missionaries – training people in missions education, etc.
C. In Talent – Teaching – Serving in all capacities – many members are multi-talented:
In singing.
In teaching.
In witnessing.
In discipling others.
All of these talents make a church strong.
D. In Faith Promise Giving.
Most churches have to refuse taking on new missionaries because of lack of funds. I receive from 5 – 10 calls weekly from missionaries seeking support. Most of them I have to refuse.
Most of us know that Faith Promise Giving works. It works for the mission’s program, and it works for the Christian. We give in faith, and God rewards openly, and abundantly.
I ask for testimony often as to how God has blessed this people in your missions giving.
The home base will not be very strong if the missions giving is not sufficient. Everything the missions program undertakes requires funding. This must be available and ready for any and all projects, and that finding comes only from you.
IV. EVERY CHURCH MEMBER MUST PROCEED
Mt 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Mt 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (KJV)
A. Go – Into All The World.
1. Jerusalem – the local community. This is the area that this local church reaches.
2. Judea – further out into the county or state.
3. Samaria – multi-cultural.
4. Uttermost part of the world. “uttermost” means to the “last ends”; “ends of.”
I heard a missionary say once that every Christian was either a missionary or a mission field.
B. Teach Everyone.
1. About salvation.
2. About scriptures.
3. About serving.
This cannot be done by a paid staff – there must be many volunteers actively expending spiritual energy. If this church is to strengthen the total missions base then every member must proceed forward in unity to make this possible.
V. EVERY CHURCH MUST PRODUCE
Ac 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. (KJV)
A. New Christians. What other purpose would any church have? We are to fulfill the “Great Commission”. This commission is basically this: “Go somewhere and preach the Gospel….”.
When the Lord gives a command His every expectation of His people is to get the job done regardless to cost or effort. He always gives every church enough people to complete the assignment He gives to that local church.
1. The “Great Commission” was given to the N.T. Church. Each member of each local church is to be actively involved in making and producing new Christians.
2. The present day culture will require more effort from each person in the church.
3. More hooks in the water. The more hooks we have in the water the more we are apt to catch fish.
(My dad’s theory)
B. New Families. There are Christian families close to this church that are not churched anywhere. We have started a new area of ministry this year. One man on staff whose sole purpose is to bring in one family each month. If he brings in two that’s even better.
C. New Churches. Churches must birth churches. (I will be talking more about this next Sunday.)
BHBC is the production of Maranatha.
Each member must be willing to give sacrificially to make these things happen.
Solid bases do not happen by accident – every building has a solid foundation that was planned, tested and proven before the sides, walls and roof went on.
I would like to see BHBC start and build 5 or 6 new churches in the next 10 years. We already have five in operation now, and three of those are in Oklahoma. By doing so when we have a missionary going to the field much of the needed support could be raised just within these churches birthed by the home church.
The Lord said that the gates of Hell would not prevail against His church. That doesn’t mean that there need be no guard and working effort to make this happen. He has instructed each of us to get behind the Pastor and make the program successful.
There are not more than a dozen good solid fundamental, independent Baptist churches in the Greater OKC area. There is enough land space, and population to support 50 such churches. Plus all the surrounding areas that need the same effort.
The State of Oklahoma could support 100 new churches easily.
We must participate.
We must pray.
We must pay.
We must proceed.
We must produce.
VI. EVERY CHURCH MEMBER MUST PREVENT
Ps 11:3 If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do? (KJV)
All that has to happen for evil to abound is for the righteous to do nothing.
If the righteous people will do the right things the foundations will not be destroyed.
Are we willing to keep the home base solid? Are we willing to sacrifice that the gospel message can go out to all of Jerusalem, then into Judea, Samaria, and finally the uttermost parts of the earth?
Why don’t you come and renew your commitment to the Lord tonight to do your part in this matter of being solid!
BHBC is only as strong as its weakest member. Let’s grab hands and circle this city with the Gospel and one day there will be off spring of BHBC all over this state preaching the blessed gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.
INVITATION
