Embracing Our Legacy: The Saturate Vision
Summary
To understand where we are headed, we must first appreciate where we have come from. First Baptist Church of Spartanburg has a rich history, beginning in 1839 in a small room, much like the one we are in today. Our church was born out of a desire to transform the "Wicked Village of Spartanburg," a place once known only for its brothels and bars, into a community that knows and loves God. Brave believers moved into the area, started worship services, and the ministry began to grow. Despite challenges, including a devastating fire in 1962, the church rebuilt and thrived, continually innovating to reach more people for Christ.
Today, we stand on the shoulders of those who came before us, ready to embark on a new chapter called "Saturate." Our mission is to saturate Spartanburg, the Carolinas, and the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Our buildings are not the end goal but a tool to reach people far from Jesus, helping them find their purpose and identity in Christ. We are committed to building new spaces for our children and students, ensuring that First Baptist remains a place where families can grow in faith.
Drawing inspiration from Nehemiah, who rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem in 52 days, we are called to partner with God in this endeavor. Our vision is not just about physical structures but about creating a home for prodigals, a place where people can encounter the love of God. We aim to finish the task, to bring the future into the present, and to be a prophetic witness in our city for the name and renown of Jesus Christ.
As we move forward, we are guided by the principle of "excellence without extravagance," ensuring that our resources are used wisely to glorify God. We are inviting everyone to participate in this historic moment, to make a commitment to saturate our community with the gospel. Together, we can accomplish far more than any of us could individually, and we trust that God will provide the resources needed to make this vision a reality.
Key Takeaways:
- The history of First Baptist Church is a testament to the power of faith and vision. From its humble beginnings in 1839, the church has continually adapted and grown, overcoming challenges to become a vibrant community of believers. This history reminds us that God can use our stories to make a difference in the world. [00:00]
- The vision of "Saturate" is about more than buildings; it's about reaching people with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Our mission is to create spaces where individuals can encounter God's love and find their purpose in Christ. This requires us to look beyond our current moment and dream about what God can do through us. [32:04]
- Nehemiah's story teaches us the importance of perseverance and partnership with God. Despite opposition, Nehemiah completed the task of rebuilding Jerusalem's walls, demonstrating that when we partner with God, He accomplishes great things through us. Our efforts are ultimately for His glory, not our own. [37:09]
- Excellence without extravagance is a guiding principle for our building campaign. We aim to use our resources wisely, focusing on what is essential to fulfill our mission. This approach ensures that our efforts are sustainable and aligned with God's purposes. [43:02]
- Worship is a costly endeavor, as demonstrated by King David's refusal to offer sacrifices that cost him nothing. True worship involves sacrifice and commitment, reflecting the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus. As we pledge our resources to this vision, we are investing in something that will outlive us and impact future generations. [01:10:26]
Youtube Chapters:
[00:00] - Welcome
[00:30] - The History of First Baptist
[03:45] - The Vision of Saturate
[07:20] - Nehemiah's Example
[10:15] - Excellence Without Extravagance
[13:50] - The Importance of Worship
[17:30] - Building for the Future
[21:00] - Phase One: Must-Do Projects
[25:45] - Phase Two: Should-Do Projects
[30:10] - The Call to Commitment
[34:00] - The Power of Collective Effort
[38:20] - Preparing for the Future
[42:00] - Invitation to Participate
[46:30] - Closing Prayer
[50:00] - Final Encouragement
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- Nehemiah 6:15-16
- Habakkuk 2:14
- 2 Samuel 24:24
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Observation Questions:
1. What significant event in the history of First Baptist Church of Spartanburg was mentioned in the sermon, and how did the church respond to it? [32:04]
2. According to Nehemiah 6:15-16, how long did it take to complete the wall, and what was the reaction of the surrounding nations?
3. What principle did King David demonstrate in 2 Samuel 24:24 regarding offerings to God, and how does this relate to the church's current building campaign? [01:10:26]
4. How does the sermon describe the role of the church buildings in the mission of "Saturate"? [37:09]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the story of Nehemiah inspire the church's current mission to "Saturate" Spartanburg and beyond with the gospel? [37:09]
2. In what ways does the principle of "excellence without extravagance" guide the church's building campaign, and why is this important? [43:02]
3. How does the vision of "Saturate" align with the prophecy in Habakkuk 2:14 about the earth being filled with the knowledge of the glory of God?
4. What does the sermon suggest about the importance of sacrifice in worship, as illustrated by King David's refusal to offer something that cost him nothing? [01:10:26]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on the history of First Baptist Church. How can understanding the past of your own church or community inspire you to contribute to its future? [32:04]
2. The sermon emphasizes the importance of partnering with God in the church's mission. What steps can you take to actively participate in this partnership in your daily life? [37:09]
3. Consider the principle of "excellence without extravagance." How can you apply this principle in your personal life, especially in how you manage your resources? [43:02]
4. The sermon calls for a commitment to the "Saturate" vision. What specific actions can you take to support this vision, whether through time, resources, or prayer? [01:19:20]
5. King David's example shows that true worship involves sacrifice. What is one area of your life where you can offer a meaningful sacrifice to God this week? [01:10:26]
6. The sermon mentions creating a "home for prodigals." How can you make your home or community a welcoming place for those seeking God? [01:19:20]
7. Reflect on the idea of leaving a legacy for future generations. What legacy do you hope to leave, and what steps can you take now to ensure it aligns with your faith and values? [52:51]
Devotional
Day 1: The Transformative Power of Faith and Vision
The history of First Baptist Church of Spartanburg is a testament to the transformative power of faith and vision. From its humble beginnings in 1839, the church has continually adapted and grown, overcoming challenges to become a vibrant community of believers. This history reminds us that God can use our stories to make a difference in the world. The church was born out of a desire to transform the "Wicked Village of Spartanburg" into a community that knows and loves God. Brave believers moved into the area, started worship services, and the ministry began to grow. Despite challenges, including a devastating fire in 1962, the church rebuilt and thrived, continually innovating to reach more people for Christ. [00:00]
"Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert." (Isaiah 43:18-19, ESV)
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you need to trust God to transform your past into a testimony of His faithfulness?
Day 2: Reaching Beyond Buildings to Transform Lives
The vision of "Saturate" is about more than buildings; it's about reaching people with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Our mission is to create spaces where individuals can encounter God's love and find their purpose in Christ. This requires us to look beyond our current moment and dream about what God can do through us. The buildings are not the end goal but a tool to reach people far from Jesus, helping them find their purpose and identity in Christ. We are committed to building new spaces for our children and students, ensuring that First Baptist remains a place where families can grow in faith. [32:04]
"And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." (Hebrews 10:24-25, ESV)
Reflection: How can you use your current resources or talents to create a space for someone to encounter God's love this week?
Day 3: Perseverance and Partnership with God
Nehemiah's story teaches us the importance of perseverance and partnership with God. Despite opposition, Nehemiah completed the task of rebuilding Jerusalem's walls, demonstrating that when we partner with God, He accomplishes great things through us. Our efforts are ultimately for His glory, not our own. Drawing inspiration from Nehemiah, who rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem in 52 days, we are called to partner with God in this endeavor. Our vision is not just about physical structures but about creating a home for prodigals, a place where people can encounter the love of God. [37:09]
"So we built the wall. And all the wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work." (Nehemiah 4:6, ESV)
Reflection: What is a current challenge you are facing that requires perseverance and partnership with God? How can you invite Him into this situation today?
Day 4: Excellence Without Extravagance
Excellence without extravagance is a guiding principle for our building campaign. We aim to use our resources wisely, focusing on what is essential to fulfill our mission. This approach ensures that our efforts are sustainable and aligned with God's purposes. As we move forward, we are guided by the principle of "excellence without extravagance," ensuring that our resources are used wisely to glorify God. We are inviting everyone to participate in this historic moment, to make a commitment to saturate our community with the gospel. [43:02]
"Whoever is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and whoever is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much." (Luke 16:10, ESV)
Reflection: In what ways can you practice excellence without extravagance in your daily life, ensuring that your resources are used for God's glory?
Day 5: The Cost of True Worship
Worship is a costly endeavor, as demonstrated by King David's refusal to offer sacrifices that cost him nothing. True worship involves sacrifice and commitment, reflecting the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus. As we pledge our resources to this vision, we are investing in something that will outlive us and impact future generations. The commitment to saturate our community with the gospel is an invitation to participate in something greater than ourselves, trusting that God will provide the resources needed to make this vision a reality. [01:10:26]
"But the king said to Araunah, 'No, but I will buy it from you for a price. I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God that cost me nothing.' So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver." (2 Samuel 24:24, ESV)
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you can offer a costly act of worship to God this week, reflecting your commitment to Him?
Quotes
to know where you're going you need to know where you've come from at First Baptist we have an incredible history as a church. We come from small beginnings and the people that built this place were people that believed that God wanted to use their life and their story to make a difference. They said, God, we want you to remember us for good. First Baptist Spartanburg started in 1839 in a room that looked a lot like this one. This is a replica of our very first house of worship that was built to celebrate our 150th anniversary as a church. And in this place, believers began to dream that God could use them to change their community for Jesus. [00:25:22] (36 seconds)
But it survived and it thrived. Around the same time, a group of bold dreamers began to look at a new type of technology that was beginning in the community. Television was beginning to sweep onto the scene and some forward -thinking leaders within the church each pledged to give $2 a week for the church to start having its services broadcasted. And over the past 186 years, we've continued to see people far from Jesus choose to trust Christ and grow in their faith. And the church began to be filled with families and people from all over the county as a vibrant church in the heart of the city until one fateful night in 1962. [00:26:05] (41 seconds)
Today I'm standing on the roof of that vision, which we call The Hangar. We're standing on the shoulders of giants, of the people who went before us. People who dreamed that God wanted to do great things in our city and attempted to do great things for the glory of God. And so today we're starting a new chapter in the history of Spartanburg. Saturate. We're going to saturate Spartanburg, the Carolinas, and the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ. And we believe that the buildings are a key way for us to be able to do that. Our buildings are not the goal. They are a tool that we can use to reach people far from Jesus and help them experience a family that will love them and care for them and help them find their purpose and identity in Christ. And we're doing this not for us, but because God wants to use us and we want to be available for his purpose so that our children, our grandchildren, our neighbors who need a church home, will experience that here at First Spartanburg. More than anything else, we want to hear God say, well done, good and faithful servant. [00:29:44] (63 seconds)
Nehemiah finishes the walls. It takes them 52 days, roughly two months. They overcome adversity. They advance anyway. They build the walls, even though their enemies are attacking them. They fight on. They have a shovel in one hand, a sword in the other. And they finish the task. And at the end, what does it say? It says two things. Number one, all their enemies were dismayed. Their enemies shook with fear. And everyone realized that the task was accomplished not by the people, but by the Lord. And that's my desire for us as we step into this, that we would partner with God, that God would get all the glory, because ultimately all of this is always for Jesus, isn't it? [00:35:01] (55 seconds)
It's because of Jesus that we're here. It's because of his sacrifice and his name and his renown that we're doing all of this. It's not for us that people would say, man, you guys got an awesome building. It's because we want to see people come home. It's because of worship, not walls, that we're doing this. Habakkuk 2 14 is one of the verses the Lord's just placed on my heart in this season for our church. And it says, for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of God as the waters cover the sea. What a statement. [00:35:43] (40 seconds)
So one of the things that we've been talking about a lot internally is we want this value of having excellence without extravagance. That we want it to be excellent, but we are not looking for extravagance. We want it to glorify God, but our buildings are ultimately a tool for us to reach people. And so we want to be both excellent without being extravagant. And I talked to you guys about this idea last week about how I look at the world, specifically in my personal life, but then also in leadership. So there's three buckets I kind of put all things into. One, things that are must do, things that are should do, and things that are nice to do. You guys remember this last week? Must, should, and nice. And I gave you some examples of this in my personal life. So things that I must do, or things that I must do, are being a great dad and being a great husband, right? The Lord has given me a family, and this is my first group of people that I need to disciple and train up to know and love the Lord. There are people I need to invest my life in. If I don't do this right with my kids, I'm not doing that right with anybody else. [00:39:04] (66 seconds)
We're investing in the future. We're going to be putting in new adult life group spaces. So, life groups are a big part of our church. If you're not in a life group, you need to get in one. We want to continue to study the Bible and provide community because life groups are the place where people make friends, and friendships change people's lives forever. And so, we're investing in our life group spaces. Our current life group spaces, many of them have deteriorated dramatically. And so, we're going to be updating those. We're going to be building in new connection spaces in our church. So, we're going to be looking at all of our entrances and our connection spaces. We need a new lobby because if you go through these doors afterwards, what do you find? It's jam -packed. You almost need like an offensive lineman clearing the way to get through it, right? [00:41:38] (51 seconds)
And when we think about worship, some of us think like, hey, worship's just free. It's easy. But it wasn't free for Jesus. Jesus gave up everything. Gave up heaven. Gave up his life. Gave up all his privilege so that we could be also children of God. It cost Nehemiah. Nehemiah left his hometown. He left his family. Left his job. Never went back to being a cupbearer because he had a calling on his life. He was threatened and attacked. And it cost him. It cost Jesus. It cost Peter. It cost Paul. Paul gave his life for the gospel. It always costs us to advance the kingdom of God. And that's okay. And listen, if you're overwhelmed by that and if that's hard for you to hear today, know this. We've all been there where we've said, you know what? It's hard for me to open my hands to the Lord. To have an open hand and open heart to the God of the universe. But here's the thing. The God of the universe has given us everything. [01:16:01] (61 seconds)
And we can advance his name and renown so that the city is saturated with the good news of Jesus Christ. Because what we're trying to do through this campaign is create a home for prodigals. Your neighbor, your children, your grandchildren, your best friend to have a place to know that there's a God in heaven that loves them. That's why. So Saturate, it's a three -year financial pledge to rebuild the walls of First Baptist so that worship will flourish in Spartanburg. And we can do it together. And together, we can make our enemy Satan tremble because of what God is going to do in this city because it's always and only been Jesus doing the work. And he gets the glory and we get to watch him do it. So be praying with me. Our next steps look like this. Next week, we're having our pledge day. If you want to give a firstfruits offering that Sunday, that would help us out a ton. [01:17:42] (71 seconds)
Let's commit this to the Lord. From the first moment I got here, I said, well, this has got to be something in prayer, not something we can do ourselves. So let's just pray. Would you put your hands in a posture of openness before the Lord? God, today we come with open hands and open hearts to what you want to do in the city of Spartanburg. And God, we pray that your dream for our church would be far greater than our dream. And we release this church to you yet again. It's not Pastor Mike's church or the deacon's church or the member's church. It's your church, Jesus. So build it up. Use our money money to change lives. God, I pray that the legacy of what happens in these buildings that are built would amaze us as we see thousands of people choose to follow you. [01:19:23] (62 seconds)
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