A New Foundation: What God is doing at Preaching Christ Church

The Lord has been speaking many things to me since October. Recently, He has been waking me up in the middle of the night or very early in the morning hours to say specific things to me. I am thankful for these visitations because it reminds me I am not alone. All of the struggles I am facing are not only allowed by the Lord, but they are appointed of Him. Therefore, I can count these things as “joy” according to James 1:2-4.

Tonight, the Lord really showed me what He is doing in this season. He said, “I am pouring a new foundation for your Church. Fresh concrete of my sovereignty for you to stand on.” This meant so much to me because of the many things He has been saying to me since October.

Preaching Through the Book of Acts
While I was in Nicaragua, He spoke 3 primary things to my heart. First, I kept feeling like He wanted me to preach through the book of Acts (because of the size and depth of content, it is an intimidating idea to me). However, I kept hearing Him say that 2017 will be a “foundational year” for PCC. Now what does that mean? I was not quite sure, but I know in my heart that the Book of Acts is going to do some very specific and wonderful things in our congregation.

Since October, I have been reading and pouring through Acts. I am not sure how long it will take us. I am not sure at what pace the Lord is going to have us go? There are so many things I am unsure of in this season, but what I do know is that this is the right path for my church. I feel like God is going to do several things through the book of Acts in us…

I think we’ll see a deepening of prayer and the work of the Holy Spirit in our congregation. I think we will see genuine and explosive fellowship with one another and a new level of encouraging one another by studying how the early church did it. I believe we’ll see more of the Kingdom of God and His purposes for the Church.

A Pruning of Preaching Christ Church
Secondly, on our last evening in Nicaragua, the Lord told me He is going to “prune” my church. Pastor Chris Alford pointed out a banana tree that was beautiful and healthy. He grew up in Venezuela as a missionary’s kid. I remember him saying, “How you get a banana tree to be that healthy is you chop it down to the ground. It will grow back stronger and healthier than ever before.” Right then, the Holy Spirit said, “Chad, I am about to prune your church.”

This is the last thing any pastor wants to hear. I knew immediately that I was about to go through a painful process. I did not say anything in my heart. Well, it has been painful yet God has been faithful. I am thankful the Lord showed me what He is about to do. I would probably be going crazy right now, but instead, I am resting in God’s sovereign wisdom. Andrew Murray, the great missionary of the 1800’s, often said, “God is much like our bed. In Him we can lay down and rest.” I have found that true in this season.

There is a great difference when you not only understand what God is doing, but why He is allowing the situations He is allowing. Psalm 103:7 says that Israel knew the acts of God, but Moses understood His ways. That is the difference! I not only see what God is doing, but I understand why He is doing it!

A Blank Page for 2017
Lastly, on the plane ride home, I had been asking the Lord to give me His game plan for 2017. Pretty much every year, the Lord will tell me what to expect for the coming year. I could sense that the Lord was going to say something to me concerning the new year. I had my journal out writing some thoughts and I felt the Lord say, “Turn the page.” I eagerly flipped the page ready to write what the Holy Spirit would say. Then He said it…”I want a blank page for 2017.”

I couldn’t believe it! What does the Lord mean, “A blank page?” Does He not understand how good I am at making plans? Can He not see how well some of my strategies have worked out? What am I suppose to work on? What do I do with a blank page? Since October, the Lord has been showing me what He means by a “Blank Page.” I still do not understand all of it, and I am aggressively praying to gain that understanding.

But here is what I know so far, the Lord is not going to let me depend on my “strategies” or my “creativity.” He is forcing me more and more to depend solely on Him and I am finding that to be a sweet and comfortable place. Although the circumstances I am currently in are not comfortable, I am finding God to be comfortable and His plans for me. Knowing that all He is saying to me is happening all around me, it assures me that God is in full control.

The Concrete Foundation of God’s Sovereignty
Well, tonight at around 2am, the Lord really brought everything together. I woke up and begin thinking of that crazy 75ft. wall He helped us build at the church. The entire project was $20K and I raised about $200 in my own strength. When God was ready, He built that wall. Everything was donated and God moved on people’s hearts to accomplish an expensive project. He taught me that He was not going to share His glory with me or anyone else. In that season, He said, “You want to build a big wall. I want to build walls of faith in you and the church.”
When I understood what the Lord was wanting to do, I immediately dropped the wall project and began to focus on building walls of faith. My heart changed. My life changed. My preaching changed. Then, when the Lord was ready (about 4 months later), He built that wall to His own glory.

Likewise, the Lord has been telling me, “I am going to lay a new foundation at your church.” As I look at the season we are in, I am seeing that God is pouring new, fresh concrete for us to stand on. New opportunities to stand on His sovereignty. New challenges that force us to cry out to Him. These are good seasons because what is painful is always profitable.

I do not know what to expect come January. I hope I am on the backside of this fierce trial. It would be easier going into 2017 feeling strong and healthy. But that is not what the Lord wants. He is teaching me that if I am going to feel strong, it is going to be the in the strength of His might (not my own). If I am going to feel healthy, it is because He is the Vine and I am the branch and without Him, I cannot accomplish anything.

So if you are praying for me and PCC, I deeply appreciate it. If you want to know how to pray for us, please pray 2 Corinthians 12:9, “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”
Pray that God’s power will rest on us after we have tasted and seen the grace and sufficiency of Jesus Christ in all things.