2010 – The Year of Growth

Sunday we talked about our need as a church to grow this year.  2010 is a good year to grow.  My cousin has a theme for the year … “Win in 2010″ and I like that.  This is a year to be active, to go for it.  I’m excited about what the year will bring.

I’ve got three young children, and their growth is important to me.  I worry if I’m feeding them the right diet so their physical growth won’t be hindered.  I’m very sensitive of my interaction with them, because I know how important their psychological growth is.  And I can’t tell you how aware of their spiritual growth I am, always looking to reinforce their faith, and give them the right view of Christianity.  I am also becoming aware of how important it is to their development that I continue to grow as a man and leader, that I grow in my faith and relationship with God.  If I want them to grow beyond what I have been able to accomplish I need to make sure the bar is as high as I can make it.

I look at our church and get the feeling we’re all eager to grow again.  I think its been a long time since this was a priority for many Christians.  We get to a comfortable place in our faith and life, the kids get established and successful, life is in a nice groove, and soon you realize you’re on the tail end of things and its time to coast off into the twilight of our years.  This is the year to shake that perspective up, why fade away when you can go out with a bang, a big grand finale to a life well spent?

My Dad died literally died behind a pulpit, praising God one moment on earth, the next moment in heaven.  I was heartbroken for the loss, but I’ve been inspired as a man ever since.  My mother spent the last 12 years of her life in a wheelchair, but it didn’t stop her from hosting bible studies in her apartment, getting involved in ministries at her church, or starting a reality company her last three years where she flipped houses and used the proceeds to financially support missionaries she had met during a lifetime spent in ministry.  That’s the stock I come from, growing to the end, living life right up to the last moment.

From a sports perspective, its much more important how you finish games than how you end them.  In faith, there is always room to grow and be more productive.  I want to grow this year spiritually, I want to grow stronger physically, I desire to grow in my relationship with my wife and kids.  There’s plenty of room for it, and the only thing holding me back is effort and desire.

This year we’re going to put the effort into growing the church of Park Lake Drive Baptist Church, because there’s a need for it, and because we can grow it, we have the right tools in place and we’re going to start using them!  I’m going to also grow as a man this year, its not going to be a big banner driven thing, its just going to be personal.  I need to grow, and I’m looking forward with anticipation to what God is going to do through this process in my life this year.  Time will tell how far God takes me.

Win in 2010!  It’s a year of growth!  Not a bad theme, but really not a bad perspective on the rest of life either, looking to win out til the end, looking to grow right til the moment comes where our Lord calls us home to hear the wonderful words “Well done, my good and faithful servant!”