Our Anniversary…Our Future

Did you know our church’s 20-year anniversary is coming up? If not, you’ll be hearing plenty about it over the next month. We’ll celebrate on Sunday, October 20 with a special service and activities that afternoon.

It’ll be fun to celebrate our past while pondering what is next. After all, Shaun has asked us to iMAGiNEXT.

In the movie Facing the Giants, Coach Grant Taylor is getting whipped on every side. His team is losing, the fans are against him, and loyalty within his football team is waning. Put simply he is a beaten man with one foot out the door — and he might just get pushed out that door by the folks working against him. Fortunately his buddy Mr. Bridges shows up one day in his office and changes Coach Taylor’s life forever.

He tells Coach Taylor, “The Lord is not through with you yet. You still have an open door here, and until the Lord moves you, you are to bloom right where you have been planted.”

Coach Taylor changes his mindset and eventually he and his team reap blessings that can only be achieved when walking with Him. They praise God when they win and they praise God when they lose. Relationships are repaired, potential is uncovered, and the team learns what living really is.

It reminds me of Joshua and Caleb as recorded in the book of Numbers. After leading the Israelites out of Egypt, Moses sent a group of men to cross the Jordan and check on the land that God intended for the Israelites to inherit.

The land was just as God had described. It was fruitful — flowing with “milk and honey”. However, there were some obstacles. Strong people stood in their way. Most of the crew told Moses of the problems and that the Israelites should just stay put. Thankfully, Joshua and Caleb felt differently. In Numbers 30:13, the Bible tells us:

Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.”

For those of you sports fans, in the midst of chaos and fear of the future, Caleb told Moses and the people that “we can take ‘em!”

Where are you now? Are you ready to take that next step…to put your foot in the Jordan and cross to the other side…or are you content just to stay on the bank?

We’ve all been planted at this moment at JCBC. And folks, He isn’t done with us yet. It is time to bloom. I’m convinced that we’re at a pivotal moment in our church’s life. Right here, right now. We have a lot to celebrate in October and there is so much to look forward to — across the river.

It is time to take that step into the Jordan. iMAGiNEXT…

Ed Rivers
Recreation Director
Johns Creek Baptist Church