The Future Of This Church

1. The Future Of This Church Dreams and Hopes August 8 – AM

2. Dreams and Hopes • What I am NOT talking about • Brain activity while you sleep • Direct revelation from God • Mysterious and mystical messages • What I AM talking about • Your imagination • Ability to see the future • Think about the possibilities • Grand things that can become reality

3. The Case for Dreams and Hopes • Nehemiah 2:17-18 - 17Then I said to them, “You see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lies waste, and its gates are burned with fire. Come and let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer be a reproach.” 18And I told them of the hand of my God which had been good upon me, and also of the king’s words that he had spoken to me. So they said, “Let us rise up and build.” Then they set their hands to this good work.

4. The Case for Dreams and Hopes WHEN ALL IS BLEAK GET A DREAMOF THE FUTURE

5. The Case for Dreams and Hopes • Luke 24:36-39 - 36Now as they said these things, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and said to them, “Peace to you.” 37But they were terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen a spirit. 38And He said to them, “Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.”

6. The Case for Dreams and Hopes WHEN ALL IS BLEAK HOLD TO A HOPE OF THE FUTURE

7. This Church Needs aDream and Hope • Do you have a dream for this church? • Dreams of members of this church: • Home for the aged • Christian School • Day Care Center • That will get you started (add your own)

8. This Church Needs aDream and Hope Here are some of the things on my list:

9. This Church Needs aDream and Hope • My practical list includes: • New ways to proclaim the gospel • Seek the lost and change lives • Biblical education beyond this building • Cooperation, hard work, all participate • Plan for future growth • Turn on the light for people in darkness

10. Our Future As A Church • Have we lost the focus of what we are all about? • What “business” are we in? • An article in the Harvard Business Review called “Market Myopia” talked about how some people didn’t understand what business they were in, for example, the railroad people didn’t realize they were in the transportation business.they thought they were in the railroad business.

11. Our Future As A Church • Had they realized there were in the transportation business they would have invested in the airplane. The telegraph people thought they were in the telegraph business instead of the communication business. In 1886 or so, they could have bought all the telephone patents for $40,000. So obviously these people didn’t know what business they were in. • I used to think these guys were really dumb because they didn’t know what business they were in. Then I asked myself, “What business am I in?”

12. Our Future As A Church • Have we lost the focus of what we are all about? • What “business” are we in? • We must clearly understand our purpose, our mission • Let’s do some dreaming about our future as a church • What is your personal dream and hope?