One of my heroes of the faith is the little-known missionary William Borden.
William Borden’s funeral took place at The Moody Church in Chicago.
During my college years, I discovered the beauty of the gospel while attending The Moody Church.
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Never, Never, Never Give Up
“Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin...”
( Zechariah 4:10 )
5 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK, I WAS THE ONLY STAFF MEMBER OF A 9-MONTH-OLD CHURCH START-UP.
My worship pastor had just quit and moved back to Florida.
We were meeting in a local elementary school as a portable church stuck at 60 people.
I was angry, discouraged, and our baby church was homeless.
A phone call completely out-of-the-blue from a Lydia of Thyatira (see Acts 16) led to a walk-thru of this former golf store in the shadow of Freeland, Michigan.
GOLF MANIA HAD BEEN IN AND OUT OF BANKRUPTCY FOR YEARS.
The latest owner had grown so frustrated at the lack of customers plus mounting bills that he abruptly locked up the facility one day and walked away, never looking back.
Bankruptcy is a funny thing: everything in Golf Mania was frozen in time.
The show room was still stocked with expensive golf gear.
Receipts were strewn everywhere from freshly-fired employees who never bothered to clean up.
WHEN YOU TRAIN TO BECOME A CHURCH START-UP SPECIALIST, YOU ARE SKILLED AT ALWAYS SEEING THE POTENTIAL IN EVERY PROBLEM.
The facility and furniture were exquisite.
I couldn’t believe this facility was just sitting here unused!
This facility was chock full of potential!
The facility tour was in December of 2013.
It would take eleven long, drawn-out-months before we could begin gathering inside the old Golf Mania.
2014 was a year of vision-casting to a dwindling audience, pleading with the Landlords to take a risk on our church start-up, never taking No for an answer with city officials concerned about Zoning, and intense fundraising.
I could have given up.
I felt like giving up.
Yet I didn’t.
Elisha said,
“God’s word: Dig ditches all over this desert valley. Here’s what will happen—you won’t hear the wind, you won’t see the rain, but this valley is going to fill up with water and your army and your animals will drink their fill. This is easy for God to do!” (2 Kings 3)
THE WORD IMPOSSIBLE IS NOT IN GOD’S VOCABULARY!
If He has called you to it, He will see you through it!
Do not despise the days of small beginnings.
Do not give up when you are in the very situations that are ripe for a miracle of God.
Once we opened the doors on a 24/7 leased facility (it was a huge step of faith; we could not afford the monthly rent at that point and I was scared!), the floodgates of blessings were poured out.
People started showing up.
Lives starting changing.
The facility was simply a tool for ministry… and our perseverance was paying off.
We were praying for God to fill our worship space in 3 years…
…and He literally did it in just 3 months!
Never give up.
Fight tooth-and-nail.
Kill the doubts in your head before the Liar kills the dream in your heart.
ISRAEL, DAY FIVE: WHERE JESUS DIED AND ROSE
KIDRON VALLEY
The Kidron Valley sits between Mount Moriah (which I am standing in front of in the photo above) and the Mount of Olives.
Abraham would have crossed the Kidron Valley enroute to sacrifice his son Isaac on Mount Moriah.
3,000 years ago David stood in this valley beholding the Jebusite stronghold which would become Jerusalem, the City of David.
Hebrews believe that this valley is also where King David would have been standing when he “looked up” to see the Angel of the Lord standing between heaven and earth (1 Chronicles 21).
When fleeing Absalom, King David escaped through the Kidron Valley and up the Mount of Olives.
A thousand years later, Jesus would often stay with his best friend Lazarus in the suburb of Bethany. When Jesus would head into Jerusalem, He would cross over the Mount of Olives and through the Kidron Valley enroute to the Temple.
THE WESTERN WALL
As Jesus predicted, the Roman Empire ransacked Jerusalem and destroyed the Temple in 70 AD.
The only portion that remains standing to this day is a portion of the Western Wall, also known as the Wailing Wall. Jews revere this wall as their holiest spot since it faces where the Holy of Holies would have been (now covered by a Mosque and the Dome of the Rock).
We were not allowed to photograph directly at the Wall, and so we snapped these photos from a ledge above the area before making our way to the Wall for prayer.
CHURCH OF THE HOLY SEPULCHRE
We visited this historic site built under the direction of Constantinople’s mother Helena in the 4th Century. This building is so ancient that is even boasts graffitti from the Crusaders!
The entryway (pictured here) has remained virtually unchanged since the 12th Century. This site contains where many believe Jesus was crucified and His nearby empty tomb.
You can read more about the Church of the Holy Sepulchre’s history here.
NO, YOU DON’T NEED TO GET WORKED UP OVER “XMAS” AND “HAPPY HOLIDAYS”
Every Christmas the “outrage” grows on social media: “they” are trying to take Christ out of Christmas by saying “Xmas” or “Happy Holidays.”
Chill out, Hall-Monitors-for-Jesus.
Once we understand the history behind these two phrases, we can all take a deep breath, relax, and actually become totally fine with these two phrases.
WAR ON CHRISTMAS?
Over the last decade or so, many Christians have felt like there is a “War on Christmas.”
Xmas is not an attempt to take Christ out of Christmas (or, Christ’s Mass to be more precise).
Although, some people may be deliberate in their attempts, the statement by itself is not offensive.
The first letter in the Greek word for “Christ” is chi. In the Roman alphabet, chi is represented by the symbol X.
This means that Xians don’t have to be flustered by hearing or seeing, “Merry Xmas!”
”I’M OFFENDED BY HAPPY HOLIDAYS”
Talking heads in the media that get worked up about this second phrase are nuttier than a Snickers bar.
This statement may be an attempt at being “politically correct.” However, holiday literally means, “holy day.” Celebrating the birth of Jesus definitely makes it a holy day.
Thankfully, because of the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus; everyday can be a happy holy-day.
To the Christ Follower, Christmas shouldn’t be a one-day celebration, but rather, a lifestyle of celebrating the truth that Jesus is Immanuel – God with us.
Israel, Day Five: Where Jesus Died and Rose
Kidron Valley
The Kidron Valley sits between Mount Moriah (which I am standing in front of in the photo above) and the Mount of Olives.
Abraham would have crossed the Kidron Valley enroute to sacrifice his son Isaac on Mount Moriah.
3,000 years ago David stood in this valley beholding the Jebusite stronghold which would become Jerusalem, the City of David.
Hebrews believe that this valley is also where King David would have been standing when he “looked up” to see the Angel of the Lord standing between heaven and earth (1 Chronicles 21).
When fleeing Absalom, King David escaped through the Kidron Valley and up the Mount of Olives.
A thousand years later, Jesus would often stay with his best friend Lazarus in the suburb of Bethany. When Jesus would head into Jerusalem, He would cross over the Mount of Olives and through the Kidron Valley enroute to the Temple.
The Western Wall
As Jesus predicted, the Roman Empire ransacked Jerusalem and destroyed the Temple in 70 AD.
The only portion that remains standing to this day is a portion of the Western Wall, also known as the Wailing Wall. Jews revere this wall as their holiest spot since it faces where the Holy of Holies would have been (now covered by a Mosque and the Dome of the Rock).
We were not allowed to photograph directly at the Wall, and so we snapped these photos from a ledge above the area before making our way to the Wall for prayer.
Church of the Holy Sepulchre
We visited this historic site built under the direction of Constantinople’s mother Helena in the 4th Century. This building is so ancient that is even boasts graffitti from the Crusaders!
The entryway (pictured here) has remained virtually unchanged since the 12th Century. This site contains where many believe Jesus was crucified and His nearby empty tomb.
You can read more about the Church of the Holy Sepulchre’s history here.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="2500.0"] Helena had this structure built over the site of the Empty Tomb. [/caption]
