Sunday, October 7, 2007

Today we observed our Harvest Sunday. The original intent was to have our Harvest Weekend (Festival & Worship service) the last week of October--as an alternitive to Halloween. However, there was a scheduling conflict with our special guests. Pastor Lloyd A. Pullam and St. Emmanuel Baptist Church (http://www.stemmanuel.org/) were our special guests. Pastor L.A.P. just so happens to be my father's brother (making him my uncle) and he is a dynamic, solid preacher. He, along with another one of my uncles, Rev. Monty E. Francis, were factors in my attending Soutwestern Seminary, where they both recieved their Masters degrees. It was good to finally have he, his family, and church family at Cornerstone. He shared from John 9:1-9 about the man born blind. His subject was 'The Man who was Born Blind'. Harvest Sunday was also intended to be the time I planned to break ground on the land we had spotted in the Houston-Pearland area. We started a capital campaign (Together We Build) to raise $75,000 for down payment of land, beginning the building process, and for a few things we didn't have--such as chairs, etc. What I am learning is this: Our plan is different from God's plan. I am also learning that there are some who will often VOICE their desire for more and to move, but action becomes the deciding factor on who will or will not follow through. In a real sense, there are some who've expressed, over and over, that we 'NEED' a place of our own; that we 'should have' our own place. As the pastor and founder of Cornerstone--I have expressed from the beginning that this is NOT one of my priorities!!! However, it continued to be a big issue that bothered me for some time--that some cannot see the forest for the trees . At every opportunity, the question of 'when are we going to have a place of our own?' would come up. At times, the insinuation may be that our not having a building is a sign of a misapropriation of funds, misplacement of priorities, etc. I will not go into all of that--God sees all and knows all! I have made it clear: Our first priority is the build people. I don't know if it is our second priority--but on the list of priorities has been for us to: fill the place (school or church) we are meeting in now! Incidently, those who desire the building the most...have given nothing (nothing) to the building fund (together we build) as of October 8, 2007 and the church attendance has not increased by their inviting others to our worship. Go figure! My philosophy is this: if we pack out the building that we are in, inviting our families, friends, coworkers and neighbors--there is NO CHOICE but to build or to move.

Here is what I have learned--or rather--what I already knew, but the Lord confirmed it even more: the enemy tries to throw the church and many pastors off course by getting us to MAJOR IN THE MINORS AND MINOR IN THE MAJORS. Most of us can re-visit our mission and vision statements--and will conclude, of course, after reading scripture, that Christ's priority was not buildings, budgets, or burgeoning congregations. It was transformation, reformation, sanctification, outreach, ministry.

After all--there are many congregations who didn't rush out to get a building. Higher Dimension (http://www.higherd.net/) opened its doors with hundreds in their first service; they grew to over 2000 within 3 years, and stayed at an elementary school 5 years. Saddleback (http://www.saddleback.com/) met for 11 years in over 30 different facilities before purchasing over 50 acres in Orange County. And then there is Fort Bend Church (http://www.thebend.org/) who is in the Houston metropolis who came out of Brentwood (http://www.brentwoodbaptist.org/). They had over 700 people in the first worship service--started about a year before Cornerstone--and they continue to meet in the Junior High School.

Now there is nothing wrong with that. My point is this: we allow (or atleast sometimes I have allowed) people who do not bear the weight of the ministry, the call, and accountable to God for the spiritual progress of the church--to steer and veer us off course. Before my time on earth is done--I want to be an encouragement to churches and pastors and remind them that we are accountable to God ONLY and that human lives are our first priority.

Bottom line--tell you how the Holy Spirit works--we have an awesome capital campaign (considering we didn't hire any outside sources)--you can see it at http://www.cornerstonefamily.org/ under Our Future. We kicked off the campaign in January '07. I lifted the challenge, set the goal, and chart our progress. Incidently, we have raised about $3500 toward our $75,000 goal. Do you know what? I have a mixture of emotions about this--I am both glad about it and saddened by it. I am saddened by it because--there is a part of me that would like to have a building (think of the extra programs, classrooms for teachers, children's space, etc.). I would like to have it--it's just not a priority. There is another part of me that is glad--because the Lord has shown me that this is a team effort. It is as if a weight has been lifted off of my shoulders that said that the reason that we don't have a building is because of me. I know now that that is a lie from the Devil himself (John 8:44). God gave me the vision, I lifted it before the church, and I have given to the vision myself; also getting about 3 people who were not members of our church to give to the campaign. I feel SO free.

So when it comes down to where we are with a building--those who have VOICED their problems with our 'NEEDing' our own--if they haven't given anything or contributed to seeing us move in that direction--they will either have to look straight or leave. Hate to see anybody go--but some can only look straight for so long. Now don't get me wrong--I DO NOT want anyone who reads this to think that we have a lot of complainers, etc. at Cornerstone. Cornerstone is the BEST church that there is--I mean that with everything I can muster. I am a pastor--and like many people--I am emphasizing the minority issue here by a small group. I hope that I do both--show my excitement with those whom God is using at our church; and also some of the struggles I have. I know it will bless some if I do--I always strive to be more transparent when I share on this sacred space called blogspot. Didn't mean to go there with all of this--but that's why its a blog!!!