Last week, as we launched into a new year, I found
myself thinking about how we finish a year as a culture. This past week, like
most years, was marked by an attitude of reflection. For example, just think of
what programs dominate television in the final week of a calendar year. The
final week is dominated by “best of” shows. The best football games of 2014.
The top 10 movies of 2014. The top 100 songs of 2014. The top ten tragedies of
2014. The top music videos of 2014.
It seems that we end every year by looking back and
reflecting on the significant events of that year. And we tend to do the very
same thing as individuals, don’t we? In our culture, we have a tendency to
spend the last days of the year looking back in the rearview mirror of the past
year to reflect on the events and relationships that shaped our lives.
Just think about what happens the last two weeks of
the year on Facebook, for example. For the past two weeks, Facebook was covered
with people sharing their "moments of the year" courtesy of Facebook.
And just like our culture, just like individuals, as a church we tend to look
back and reflect on the events and the relationships that shaped us as a
community in 2014.
So today I want to pause and take a minute to look
in the rearview mirror, so to speak of all that God has done this past year at
City Bible Church. First off, let’s
look at what God has done in and through the various ministries here at City
Bible Church during the past year.
In Element, which is our children’s ministry
environment, we have seen God continue to expand the influence and impact that
we have in the lives of children and their families as we create space for
children to connect with Jesus. The AWANA midweek children’s environment now
impacts over 70 children and their families on a weekly basis.
In addition, on Sunday mornings,
the Element ministry staff loves and serves over 50 children during our Sunday
morning Kids Konnection environment. As a result, we have watched children’s
lives being transformed as more and more children and their families are
engaged with the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel in real and
practical ways.
And this past Halloween, we had
the privilege of loving and serving over 1,700 people who came through our
campus as we created a safe and fun environment for families and the community
during the Candyland carnival.
Then there is Fusion, which is the
ministry to Jr. and Sr. High school students. This past year, we have watched
as these students came to know God, own their faith, and make their faith
known. The Fusion staff gave above and beyond in terms of their time and talent
to renovate the Fusion ministry room. Jr. and Sr. High students are also
visibly engaged in investing their talents serving God by serving others in
many ministries here at City Bible Church throughout the week.
In addition, Fusion launched
community groups where students are meeting to develop those supportive and
encouraging relationships that help them take that next step when it comes to
their relationship with Jesus. And this past summer, thirty two students and
staff loved and served the camp staff at Prescott Pines Camp in a way that will
have a lasting impact.
Speaking of serving God by
serving others, did you know that during this past year, approximately 51% of
the people who attend City Bible Church regularly invest their talents serving
God by serving others in a ministry? Did you know that on an average Sunday, between
30-35% of the people who attend City Bible Church also attend the Adult Bible
Fellowship and Kids Konnection? Did you know that between 50-55% of those who
regularly attend City Bible Church are involved in a community group?
In addition, when it comes to
investing our treasure in the Kingdom mission we have been given; did you know
that, this past year, the average adult gave $21.00 per week? Did you know that
30% of those who attend City Bible Church gave less than $50.00 for the entire
year? Did you know that 13% of those who attend City Bible Church provide 70%
of what is given?
Now you might be reading this
and you might be asking one or two different questions. You may be thinking “I
didn’t know we kept track of all these statistics? And why do we keep all of these statistics?”
If those questions are running through your mind, here is my response: Yes we
do keep all of those statistics and the reason why we count people here at City
Bible Church is because people count here at City Bible Church. As we look back
at 2014, we can see the evidence of God’s activity in all aspects of ministry
and at every age and stage of life here at City Bible Church.
But as a culture something happens on New Year’s
Eve, doesn’t it? On New Year’s Eve, as the ball begins to drop in Times Square,
as individuals and as a culture, we begin the transition from a time of
reflection and evaluation of the past that is focused on where we presently
find ourselves to a time of hope for the future.
We begin the attempt to leave the past behind and
begin a new year with a new and fresh slate and with new and fresh hope when it
comes to our future. And as part of that
process, we sit down and make a list of what we are going to do differently in
the New Year. We even have a name for that list, don’t we? We call that list
our New Year’s Resolutions.
And what is the case individually is also the case
for us as we live life together in community. Just like individuals, as a
church, we have a tendency to look at the New Year as a time to reflect on the
past, evaluate the present, and plan for the future when it comes to the unique
mission that we have been given.
But as a church, what should be on our New Year’s
resolution list? What should our focus and our goal be as a church as plan for
the future in 2015? Fortunately for us, in an account of Jesus life that is
recorded for us in the Bible, called the gospel of Matthew, Jesus provides for
us a timeless goal that we should strive towards, both as individuals and as a
church.
Tomorrow, we will look at Jesus timeless goal...
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