One Step Closer: By Faith

Morning announcements and ministry reminders open the gathering, followed by a prayer that centers gratitude and dependence on God. The narrative moves from a personal testimony of a kidney transplant and a camp shirt motto—“nothing is impossible with God”—into a sustained theological focus on faith rooted in Hebrews 11. That chapter receives careful exposition: faith earns commendation through concrete acts that trust God’s promises, illustrated by Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Rahab and many others who persevered without seeing full fulfillment in their lifetimes. The resurrection of Christ marks a decisive advantage for contemporary faith, granting believers a visible, completed promise that the ancients lacked and calling for a bolder confidence in expectation and practice.

A call to present-minded obedience emphasizes that God’s plans unfold in the current moment; faith should energize daily choices rather than only distant hopes. The congregation receives a concrete institutional challenge: the opportunity to purchase 26 acres near the present campus and to fund that purchase within a year as the first phase of a “One Step Closer” capital initiative. The leadership, staff and strategic planning team report months of prayer, research and fasting that culminated in a congregational vote to proceed and an upcoming closing on the property. Financial specifics include a $250,000 purchase price with $100,000 down from existing funds and a clear goal to repay the loan and replenish the building fund.

Teaching on giving underlines sacrificial, not equal, gifts: God asks for proportional sacrifice from varied means. Biblical examples—David’s temple provision and the boy with five loaves and two fish—serve as models for how small, surrendered offerings may multiply through divine action. The congregation receives sealed “One Step Closer” envelopes and commitment cards, with instructions to pray, consider pledges, and return sealed commitments by Palm Sunday for public prayer and a reveal of pledged totals on Easter. Leadership models transparency by sharing an aggregated pledge from staff and leaders without exposing individual amounts. The message closes by tying present generosity to the legacy of past faithful generations and urging continued ministry focus even as new opportunities expand.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Nothing is impossible with God God’s past interventions, including personal testimony of miraculous restoration, frame a theology that refuses human limits. Confidence in divine possibility reshapes risk, inspires endurance, and reframes suffering as a context for God’s activity rather than proof of abandonment. Expectation of God’s power motivates bold obedience when circumstances look impossible. [19:49]
• 2. Faith acts before outcomes appear Hebrews 11 defines faith as confidence in hoped-for realities and assurance in the unseen, demonstrated by decisive acts. Acting now on promises transforms character and aligns present choices with eternal truth, even when fulfillment remains distant. Faith’s power lies in its capacity to orient life toward God’s unseen but real purposes. [23:58]
• 3. Created for this exact moment Scriptural portraits like Esther and the communal history of the congregation insist that each life carries timely purpose. Recognizing the present moment as the arena of calling prevents future-anchored passivity and summons faithful engagement with immediate opportunities. Purpose rooted in present fidelity cultivates communal continuity across generations. [33:29]
• 4. Sacrificial giving unlocks multiplying grace Biblical examples from David and the boy with loaves show how willing, proportionate sacrifice invites God to multiply resources for communal mission. The emphasis on equal sacrifice, not equal gifts, honors varied means while asking everyone to surrender something. Small, faithful offerings can catalyze large, kingdom-scale outcomes when offered in prayer and trust. [44:40]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [05:38] - Announcements & upcoming events
• [07:43] - Opening prayer and worship
• [18:23] - Testimony: “Nothing is impossible”
• [23:58] - Hebrews 11 explained: faith defined
• [28:44] - Resurrection’s impact on faith
• [31:05] - Living for “such a time as this”
• [36:43] - One Step Closer: property opportunity
• [40:55] - Campaign goal and finances
• [44:40] - Sacrificial giving and envelopes
• [48:30] - Commitment cards and timeline
• [50:45] - David’s example from 1 Chronicles
• [53:49] - Leadership pledge revealed
• [55:07] - Closing prayer and benediction

Bible reading: Hebrews 11:1-3, 6, 8-10, 13-16, 39-40 (ESV)
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible... And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him... By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God... These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city... And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.

Observation questions

1. According to Hebrews 11:1, what two things define faith?
2. What does verse 6 state is absolutely necessary to please God?
3. What specific action did Abraham take "by faith," even though he didn't know the destination? [24:53]
4. According to verses 13 and 39, what was the common experience of all the people listed in this "hall of faith"?

Interpretation questions

1. The passage says these heroes of faith "did not receive what was promised" in their lifetimes. How does the fact that we have seen the fulfillment of God's greatest promise in Christ's resurrection change the nature of our faith compared to theirs? [28:44]
2. The sermon mentioned that a call from God is not about "equal giving" but about "equal sacrifice." How does this principle reflect the heart behind the offerings made by the various individuals in Hebrews 11? [43:32]
3. The people of faith described themselves as "strangers and exiles on the earth." In the context of a capital campaign for a physical property, how does this truth help maintain a proper eternal perspective?
4. Verse 6 connects faith with believing that God "rewards those who seek him." What kinds of rewards might the author have in mind, and how do they differ from worldly ideas of reward?

Application questions

1. The boy with the five loaves and two fish offered what he had, not knowing how Jesus would use it. What is a seemingly small resource—time, talent, or treasure—that you can offer to God in faith right now, trusting Him to multiply it for His purposes? [44:40]
2. We were created for this exact moment. What is one specific, immediate opportunity God has placed in your path this week—at home, work, or in your community—to act on your faith, rather than waiting for a future, grander plan? [33:29]
3. Sacrificial giving is about proportional sacrifice, not equal amounts. After praying, what would a faithful, sacrificial commitment to God's work look like for your household in this season? What would it require you to trust God for? [44:18]
4. The leaders in 1 Chronicles 29 gave willingly first, setting an example. Who in your sphere of influence—your family, friends, or coworkers—is watching how you respond to God's challenges? How can your faithful actions inspire them to trust God more? [53:49]
5. The ancients acted without seeing the full outcome. What is a step of obedience God is asking you to take that feels like a risk because you cannot see the final result? How can the truth that "nothing is impossible with God" change your willingness to take that step? [19:49]
6. The commitment process involves prayer, discussion, and a decision. How will you and your family intentionally create space to seek God's will together over the next few weeks regarding your part in His work? [46:39]