30-Day Challenge

Tomorrow begins the 30-Day Challenge here at New Covenant. I am really excited about it! But before I talk about the 30-Day Challenge, let me share what has led to my excitement and anticipation.

We are starting a stewardship campaign to raise the funds necessary to begin construction of a new facility. We have outgrown our current facility, maximizing it as much as possible trying to delay the inevitable. And so the day has finally come for us to raise the funds to make a move.

I have to be honest - I do not get excited about building projects. I don't get excited about budgets. I don't get excited about talking about money (especially other people's). But what has me excited in the middle of these things is the fact that I am part of a church family that has decided to keep the focus on Christ. This isn't about a building. This isn't about making a name for ourselves. This is truly and honestly about Christ and pursuing God's will. I have been so impressed with our elders and staff - the humility with which they have approached this project, the planning and prayer that has been poured into each step of the process, and the grace with which they have moved forward knowing there might be some who would question their motives and leadership. New Covenant is so blessed to have the skilled godly men of character we have leading this church.

To help our church family have the same focus the elders and staff have as we move into this Embracing Faith Campaign, we have decided to have a "30-Day Challenge". Each person in the New Covenant family is being challenged to read a selected Scripture passage each day for the next 5 weeks. These passages have been carefully selected to help us keep our focus on Christ and to honestly ask God what He wants to accomplish through each of us.

And so the idea of our church family all reading the same passages, being impacted together by God's Word as we enter this critical time in our church's history, has me extremely excited.

But it also has me nervous. The idea of honestly saying to God "what do you want to accomplish through me?" means I have to be ready to surrender anything to Him. What am I going to be asked to sacrifice? I don't know. But I do know that usually great sacrifice brings great joy and reward.

If you are part of Facebook, feel free to become a "fan" of the 30-Day Challenge. We'd love to have you join us!