Through The Dust: Deacon Ordination Service

Deacon Ordination Service

“Through the Dust”

Sept. 29, 2002

AM Worship

For the next 28 days you are being asked to join us in prayer and fasting with the sole desire being that God will not just “show up”, but that He will “show off” in McLean County. On September 18th we embarked on a 40 day spiritual journey that would lead us up to October 27th when we begin two Sunday morning worship services – one at 8:30 and the second at 11:00. Our desire in making this move is to open up opportunities for more people to come and worship, for more people to come and hear the word of God, for more people to come and find cleansing from sin, for more people to come and find fellowship and love, and most of all for more people to come and discover the very presence of God. As one of our members said so appropriately just a few weeks ago, “God has always been here, now we’re acknowledging His presence”. I don’t know about you, but I want people to leave our services and say, “Surely the presence of the Lord is in this place”. Deuteronomy 4:7 says that “Our God is near us whenever we pray to Him”.

What happens when God is near us? What could happen if God showed off today? If you acknowledged the very presence of God today your life could change forever! Your stress would vanish! Your fears would dissipate! Your marriage could be revitalized! If God showed off today your emotional pain could be healed!

If God showed off today your physical illness could disappear! If Jesus displayed His power today your sins could be forgiven!

2

The Bible says in Psalm 97:

The Lord reigns, let the earth be glad; let the distant shores rejoice. Clouds and thick darkness surround Him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne. Fire goes before Him and consumes His foes on every side. His lighting lights up the world; the earth sees and trembles. The mountains melt like wax before the Lord, before the Lord of all the earth. The heavens proclaim His righteousness, and all the peoples see His glory.

Our sole reason for existing, as a church, is to bring glory to God! Just imagine what would happen if every member of this congregation began praying the same prayer at the same time – praying that the people of McLean County would be touched by the very presence of God! We must become intentional about being a witness to our community and the world. If we truly want God to show off then we must strive to grow closer to God in our personal lives and as a corporate body.

Ø If you’ve come here to criticize – then you’re in the wrong place!

Ø If you’ve come here to snooze – then go back home and go to bed!

Ø If you’ve come here to impress someone – no one is impressed!

Ø If you’ve come here to sit with your mind closed, your heart untouched, and your life unchanged – then you’re in the wrong place!

Ø But, if you’ve come here to witness the power and presence of God then hang on because you’re in the right place!

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You see, I believe that God is doing something in Calhoun Baptist Church very similar to what He did in the early stages of the church. We find God showing off in the opening chapters of the book of Acts. One man speaks and hundreds hear his words in their own native language! The Holy Spirit fills the disciples and it’s evident by the way they act. In fact, people are accusing them of being drunk at 9:00 in the morning! Visit most churches at 9:00 on Sunday morning and the people don’t look drunk – they look hung over! In the opening pages of Acts we don’t find a group of people sitting on their hands. We see the church in the streets witnessing and sharing the wonderful news of the presence of God that changes lives. We see an active church involved in ministry. We see a group of people on fire for God and changing their world. We see three thousand saved and baptized in a single day. We see people devoted to the teaching of the Word of God. We see people committed to prayer and enjoying fellowship with one another. To use the words of Acts 2, “everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done…All the believers were together and had everything in common…They met in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” Calhoun Baptist Church has the potential to be that kind of church. Now if you just said to yourself, “I don’t want to be that kind of church” then you’re in the wrong place because we are and will continue to be about the business of bringing glory to God by leading people to faith in Christ and on to spiritual maturity! We have one purpose and that purpose is to let God show off to McLean County in whatever way He chooses!