Powerful Teamwork

A weekend of sun and blue skies like summer ought to be. Chuck welcomed us and shared a pair of announcements:
1. Someone lost a key last week. See Chuck.
2. Nancy Peyton shared an announcement about the prayer chain. They would like to try it with email this year.

In the past months we’ve begun our services with a call to prayer. Last Sunday our call for prayer was for our nation. This week our prayer is for people with addictions.

Darlene ushered us into worship with the hymn Bind Us Together.

Prayer for the Best family…. Bonnie lost her husband, the children lost their dad.
Prayer for the Paul family who was on their way to do mission work in Japan until struck by a truck in Nebraska.
Prayer for other special needs

Powerful Teamwork

Jeff Hagen was a speaker today. He began with an anecdote about the Minnesota Vikings and how Coach Zimmer is helping the Vikings define their roles on the team and unite them to move toward a common goal... a championship and then a Super Bowl.

He then had us turn to Romans 12:4-8. We each have gifts that different gifts. One of the gifts God has given Jeff Hagen is teaching, and he will be exhorting us this morning.

Jeff is part of an organization called Resolute. The founder is part of the Eagle Brook church in Minneapolis. The objective was to help men form a team. It’s intentional, and has a process. In two-and-a-half year they have graduated 500 men through this program.

When we made the decision to move from the building across the street to this building, it was a remarkable team effort. God has given us gifts to accomplish this, and now are we open to allowing God to mobilize us for the next phase?

There are three key ideas for "church" to work: pray together, play together and work together. “Unless the Lord build this house, they labor in vain who build it.”

Work together, promote events, engage compassionately with the community. The building exists here to engage the lost. God desires compassion more than just coming to church. The church is not just an exclusive club. When we engage the community things can sometimes get broken.

He told the story of the parable of the man who built his house on a rock, as opposed to the one who built his house on sand. What was the difference between the two? The one did what Jesus said to do, and the other did not.

In the Old Testament Moses led the people of Israel out of Egypt, but it was Joshua who was called to lead them into the Promised Land. The manner in which this occurred was significant. Joshua and the ark entered the Jordan and got their feet wet, obedient to God, and then God stopped the flow of the river till the people went across, replicating the Exodus across the separated Red Sea. They had to step out in faith first though. There was initially no evidence the river would stop to let them across until they got their feet wet. In this manner the people received affirmation that God was with them in this, and also that Joshua was the man to lead them.

In Stephen Covey's The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, habit #2 is Begin with the End in Mind. What do you want written on your tombstone? “He slept through life and sleeps here today.” Or “He touched a multitude or lives.”

The Spirit of God stepped in when Israel stepped into the river.

Mr. Hagen then read the Paul's prayer for the Ephesians in chapter 3.

God’s eternal purpose for the church is to be a city on a hill -- salt and light for the world.

"This is my prayer for New Life Covenant," he said, "That everyone will see that New Life Covenant Church is a City on a Hill."

We then shared Communion.

Following Jesus

Today was Communion Sunday

"This is the day that the Lord has made... let us rejoice and be glad in it."

Brad welcomed us warmly and our special guests Mark & Mary Lynn Rhoads, and the Hagens.

Announcement
Pray for our junior high kids who are going on a weeklong trek called M.U.U.U.C.E
Sept 13, Grand Opening / Open House here at our new church.
Seeking volunteers to help with church maintenance.
Bloodmobile next Sunday, Auguat 9.

The trio sang There Came A Man and then Heavenward Bound, another wonderful Gospel song after which we sang several songs as a congregation. During the offering we joined them in singing He's Everything To Me.

There were several prayer requests shared. After a time of prayer Brad read to us from Matthew 11:25-30.

Mark and Mary Lynn Rhoads, and Gwen led us in singing Trust and Obey before Brad introduced our guest speaker, Jeff Hagen who was visiting with his wife Sandy this morning.

Following Jesus

Pastor Hagen began by noting that he grew up a mile from Brad, and has followed our church community for some time through his friendship with the Cresman's. He spoke here a year ago across the road, and today gave a very solid message based on his own observations and life experiences. Here are some of the main points he made.

He started by saying that our new building is a new step, but what will make this new step effective begins with prayer. We need to pray for our pastor and for the church. "Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord."

The word "spirit" in Hebrew means "wind." And in essence we are wind instruments, as His wind/spirit flows through us.

Jeff shared that he considered calling this message Learnings Under the Yoke of Christ. These are some lessons he's learned along the path of life.

1. The Christian faith starts with a call to follow Jesus.
Salvation is a gift that is given to us.

2. Life is messy. We're not in control.

3. We're called to seek His kingdom first, and He will be our provider.
To get out of the boat and come after Him is a challenge. Faith is not faith unless you get out of the boat.

4. There is a price to be paid for following Jesus.
Jeff cited Bonhoffer's book The Cost of Discipleship. He ended up dying from his conviction to follow Jesus.

Following Jesus starts with a call.

Romans 8:28 states that "All things work together for good for those who are called according to His purpose." God allowed evil men to crucify His son, yet this very act undid evil.

God calls us, and deposits a seed of the word of God into our hearts. He invites us to cultivate that seed.

This call is a revelation of Jesus. When Peter professed that Jesus was Messiah, Jesus noted that flesh and blood did not reveal this to Peter, but it was revealed by God. But this call is just a start point.

Life is about a total renovation of the heart. God says, "If you want to follow Me, deny yourself, take up your cross and follow Me." From the heart come the springs of life. Life is a constant lesson of learning to pick up the cross, and letting Him take control.

Finally, there's a price to be paid for following Christ.

The spirit of a man is the lamp of the Lord and he searches the depths of our being.

Jeff shared how money made him feel secure. Our security is not going to be found in money.

We need the willingness to go where God wants us to go. Are you willing to follow Jesus?

If we follow, He will transform us from a selfish person to someone who looks like Jesus from the inside out. To reveal the glory of God, we need to be willing to submit to His yoke. He will shape our heart to the image of His son.

At this, Gwen and the Rhoads' led us in "I Have Decided To Follow Jesus."

At this we celebrated the Sacrament of Communion.