New City Plans to Move Forward on Capital Campaign
March 2005 by Pastor Nabors |
At the January Congregational Meeting the congregation voted on several questions concerning the capital campaign. Of the four items voted on, all received a positive response. However, on the question concerning renovating the Sanctuary platform, almost a third of the votes were negative. What was helpful was that several of these ballots had notes written on them. Some were to the effect that they were not against the renovation but wanted to wait until we had spoken to the consultant.
At the meeting we mentioned we had a small window of opportunity to do the renovation before the wedding season began. After that time, we would need to wait until after General Assembly in June. The Session has decided to wait to do any renovations until after we speak with the consultant, and after all the weddings take place. We hope this will take away any anxiety, both for those getting married and for those who were concerned about our moving ahead on this project.
This part of the Capital Campaign has been given the most time and the most description. We have viewed pictures from the architect and have a preliminary cost estimate. I realize that each time we have a congregational meeting there will be people who were not there the previous time or who are not aware of what has transpired. We are in no rush, and if the campaign is to be successful, we want to make sure as many of us as possible know what, and why, and how, and when about our plans as a Church.
I want to ask all of you to be praying about the campaign. I don't simply mean pray about it someday; I mean make it part of your daily prayers. Pray for the Lord to give us wisdom; pray for the Lord to help us make good decisions and choices; pray for the Lord to supply the money for the things He wants us to accomplish. Some of you mentioned that the idea of raising and spending this much money is scary and overwhelming to you. It certainly is to me too.
The temptation I have is to do nothing. Why should I stick myself out to get everyone excited about this, and then have the whole thing fail? That is a possibility. Why should I waste a lot of energy (and possibly the respect of the people) for advocating a project that some will not want, the results of which some will not like, the cost of which will be challenging to us all? It is far safer for me to simply say, "Let someone else do it if they want it that badly."
Being a leader is not a safe position. Now, I don't want to be someone who leads others astray. I don't want to make the wrong choice or try to coerce others to make a wrong choice. In my flesh there is a voice that says, "Don't blame me." But even, or maybe especially, when I am leading in the right direction, things can still be scary. God calls us to be faithful, not successful. To be called into leadership and do nothing because it is scary is being unfaithful to God. To lead in the right direction, and still be confronted by difficulty, and possibly even defeat, is ultimately victory. Projects do fail, and we sometimes come up short, but I can guarantee that sitting on our duffs and going nowhere gets us just there-nowhere!
My job is to help cast the vision and, together with the Session, to challenge the congregation to move with faith and confidence to accomplish the mission the Lord has given us. We are succeeding if we are moving in the right direction in answer to the call of God. That ultimately is the only question: "What is His call on us?"
I want to encourage all of you not to take counsel from your fears. I am very thankful for caution, for wisdom, for prudence, for faithful stewardship. Let us not confuse those things with playing it safe, hedging our bets, excusing mediocrity and apathy. So, I call on all of you to think BIG and to seek the face of God. Ask the Lord what He would have us do. Please give your thoughts and ideas to the Session. What are some of the most significant and strategic things we could do as a congregation to spread the Kingdom of God, and to fulfill the vision and the mission the Lord has given us here in Chattanooga?
Your ideas are welcome. Right now pray that we will choose the best consultant, one who will really help us. May the Lord get all the glory, whatever happens.
-Pastor Randy Nabors |
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