Championing What God Will Do Next
Day 5 — Championing What God Will Do Next
Read
Read Philippians 1:3–6, Ephesians 3:20–21, and 1 Corinthians 3:6–9 slowly.
Philippians 1:3–6 (HCSB)
3 I give thanks to my God for every remembrance of you, 4 always praying with joy for all of you in my every prayer, 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. 6 I am sure of this, that He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Ephesians 3:20–21 (HCSB)
20 Now to Him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us—21 to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
1 Corinthians 3:6–9
Paul reminds the Corinthians that he planted, Apollos watered, but God provided the growth. Both those who plant and those who water have a role in God's work, but ultimately the growth belongs to Him. Paul describes believers as God's coworkers, working together in His field and building.
Reflect
Nine years ago, my wife and I set out to plant Kairos Church with a desire to impact lives, marriages, families, and our community with the life-changing message of Jesus.
At the time, we couldn't fully imagine what God would do through this church or the countless people He would bring alongside us to help carry out that mission.
And today, as I look back over these nine years, I stand in awe of all God has done.
We've watched people who were far from God embrace Jesus and begin following Him. We've seen marriages strengthened, families restored, friendships formed, and people discover a community where they can worship, serve, and grow together.
We've watched children grow into teenagers and young adults, learning Scripture, developing their faith, and beginning to serve and lead others.
We've celebrated around 250 baptisms and upwards of 400 decisions to follow Jesus over these nine years.
And behind every one of those numbers is a person, a story, a family, and an opportunity to celebrate the life-changing work of Jesus.
But none of this happened because of one person or one family.
It happened because God called and equipped people to stand shoulder-to-shoulder, faithfully giving their time, talents, and treasure to support the mission of His Church.
As Paul writes to the Philippians, he expresses his gratitude for their partnership in the gospel from the very beginning. He recognizes that their faithfulness and participation have contributed to the work God is doing through the Church.
And then he reminds them that the One who began the good work will carry it on to completion.
I love that reminder because it helps us recognize something important.
We are called to faithfully participate in the work God is doing, but God is the One who produces the growth.
Paul makes this even clearer in 1 Corinthians 3 when he explains that he planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.
Each person had a role. Each contributed to the work. But neither could take credit for what only God could accomplish.
The same is true for Kairos Church.
For nine years, we've planted seeds, watered them, prayed over them, and watched God produce growth in ways we never could have accomplished on our own.
And while it's important to celebrate what God has done, I don't believe we're finished.
In fact, as I look back over the past nine years, I find myself praying, dreaming, and planning for what God may do through our church in the next nine years.
I imagine Kairos settled into a permanent church home, with Echo Ministry headquarters, Echo Coffee, and a playground where families can gather and build relationships.
I imagine us sending out a church planter, launching another Kairos campus, or helping establish a sister church that continues carrying the gospel into another community.
I think about Pastor Patrick stepping into the role of lead pastor, perhaps at another campus or church plant, and Sean stepping into the role of youth pastor here at Kairos.
I imagine the children and teenagers growing up in our church today becoming the men and women who serve, lead, teach, and disciple the next generation.
I pray for more families answering the call to foster and adopt children. For more staff who can intentionally serve and disciple a growing church. For hundreds more adults, children, and students gathering each week to worship and grow in their relationship with Jesus.
And I imagine celebrating another 300 baptisms and hundreds more people making decisions to follow Jesus.
These aren't guarantees of what the future will hold. They're prayers and dreams shaped by what we've already watched God accomplish and by our desire to continue making a greater Kingdom impact in our community.
Because the goal isn't simply to become a bigger church. The goal is to become a church that continues growing spiritually, with that spiritual growth producing opportunities to reach and disciple more people.
And that future begins with what we're willing to do today.
The children we disciple today may become the leaders who disciple the next generation. The families we encourage today may become the families who open their homes and help others experience Christian community. The people we invite today may become the ones who stand shoulder-to-shoulder with us tomorrow.
And the sacrifices we make today through worship, serving, and giving may help create opportunities for people to encounter Jesus long after we're gone.
That's what it means to champion the Church.
We're not simply celebrating what God has already done. We're faithfully participating in what He is doing now while preparing for what He may do next.
But none of this happens if we remain on the sidelines.
If you're not engaged and participating, I want to encourage you to take a step.
Attend 1st Moments and discover how you can begin serving. Join a Crew or start attending Brotherhood or Sisterhood. If you've made a decision to follow Jesus but haven't been baptized, take that step of obedience.
Begin faithfully giving to support the mission of the church, and prayerfully consider whether God may be leading you to give above and beyond toward our Boldly Go future home campaign.
Whatever your next step may be, don't underestimate how God can use your faithful obedience to make a difference.
Paul reminds us in Ephesians 3 that God is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think, according to His power at work within us.
I don't know exactly what Kairos will look like nine years from now.
But I do know that the same God who has faithfully led us to this point is able to accomplish far more than we can imagine.
And I eagerly anticipate what God has yet to do in us and how He plans to use our church to make an even greater Kingdom impact on our community.
Let's never stop celebrating and being champions of what God is doing through His Church!
Respond
As we close out this week's devotionals, take a moment to reflect on the ways you've personally experienced God's faithfulness through the local church.
How has your relationship with Jesus been shaped by the people, ministries, and opportunities God has placed around you? Who are some of the Church Champions who have helped encourage, equip, and disciple you along the way?
Now consider what God may desire to accomplish through your faithfulness in the years ahead.
When you imagine your church five or ten years from now, what do you hope to see? More importantly, how might God be calling you to participate in helping that vision become a reality?
Are you actively investing in the spiritual growth of others, or have you become comfortable simply receiving what the church provides?
Today's challenge: Identify one specific next step you can take to become a more engaged Church Champion.
Maybe that means joining a Crew, attending 1st Moments, beginning to serve, getting baptized, becoming more consistent in worship, or prayerfully evaluating your financial giving.
Then take time to pray for the future of Kairos Church. Pray for the people who have yet to walk through our doors, the children and students who will become future leaders, the families who will be restored, and the lives that will be changed through the gospel.
Remember, the Church we become tomorrow will be shaped, in part, by how faithfully we follow Jesus together today.
Pray
Lord, thank You for Your faithfulness over these past nine years. Thank You for every life changed, every marriage strengthened, every family restored, and every person who has come to know Jesus through the ministry of Kairos Church. Thank You for the countless Church Champions who have faithfully given their time, talents, and treasure to support the mission You've entrusted to us. Help us never take for granted what You've done, and never become so comfortable celebrating the past that we stop faithfully pursuing what You have for our future. Continue growing us spiritually, strengthening our unity, and expanding our capacity to serve and disciple others. Raise up future leaders, pastors, church planters, and families who will carry the gospel into our community and beyond. Provide wisdom, direction, and resources as we pursue a permanent home for our church. And help each of us recognize the role You've called us to play. May we continue standing shoulder-to-shoulder, faithfully championing Your Church and trusting You to produce the growth. Above all, may everything we do bring glory to Jesus, today and for generations to come. Amen.
Living Out Our Value
Champion the Church
We will support and defend the vision and mission of our church. We will stand shoulder-to-shoulder with those God has chosen to lead it.
As we finish this week, remember that championing the Church isn't simply about being excited over what God has done. It's about faithfully participating in what He continues to do.
Through worship, we gather to praise God, study His Word, and grow together.
Through serving, we sacrifice our time and use our talents to help others encounter Jesus and grow in their faith.
Through giving, we faithfully invest our resources in the mission of the Church and the opportunities God places before us.
And as we stand shoulder-to-shoulder, each doing our part, we become a church that is continually helping people embrace Jesus in every moment.
We've seen what God can do through nine years of faithful Church Champions. Imagine what He may accomplish through another nine.