Partnering with God: Cultivating Growth in 2025

 

Summary

In reflecting on the past year, we celebrate the incredible work God has done in and through our church community. We've seen growth in discipleship, with 51 new members, 27 baptisms, and nearly 400 people engaged in community groups and Bible study. Our family ministry has thrived, with Vacation Bible School and youth conferences enriching the lives of our children and youth. We've also made significant strides in our neighboring ministry, serving thousands through our Haven Pantry and supporting local schools. Our worship services have been a cornerstone of our community, drawing an average of 1,300 attendees weekly, both in person and online. Through your generosity, we've expanded our ministries, supported missions, and improved our facilities, bringing us closer to becoming a debt-free church.

As we look to 2025, our theme is "Cultivate," inspired by 1 Corinthians 3, which reminds us that while God makes things grow, we are partners in this work. We are called to prepare for, nurture, and invest in growth in our personal lives, families, and church community. This year, we'll focus on assessment, planting and nurturing, and harvesting. We'll conduct a demographic survey, study emotionally healthy spirituality, and deepen opportunities for connection and discipleship. We aim to clear our mortgage debt and expand our facilities to accommodate growth.

To be part of this journey, commit to prayer, find your place to serve, and stay engaged with our church community. Whether through joining a team, sharing your talents, or participating in community groups, your involvement is crucial. God has incredible plans for us, and we need everyone to be part of this journey. Let's walk forward with faith, hope, and love, ready to partner with God in all He has for us.

Key Takeaways:

1. Gratitude and Growth: Reflect on the past year's blessings and growth, both seen and unseen. Recognize areas where you've become more patient, forgiving, and serious about your walk with God. Take time to thank God for this growth and continue to seek His guidance in the coming year. [34:44]

2. The Sanctuary Five: Our church's discipleship is rooted in five values: connect, grow, serve, give, and invite. These practices have led to significant blessings and growth within our community. As we recommit to these values, we witness the transformative power of living as "people of the book," grounded in God's Word. [39:35]

3. Cultivate in 2025: Our theme for the year, "Cultivate," emphasizes partnering with God in growth. Inspired by 1 Corinthians 3, we recognize that while God makes things grow, we are co-laborers in this work. This year, focus on assessment, planting and nurturing, and harvesting to prepare for the growth God desires in our lives and church. [01:09:43]

4. Assessment and Planting: Begin with assessing the soil of your life, asking God to search your heart and reveal areas needing growth. Plant seeds of joy, purpose, and grace, and nurture them through prayer, community, and remaining in Christ. This intentional cultivation leads to spiritual fruitfulness. [01:17:50]

5. Harvesting and Community: As we cultivate our spiritual lives, we anticipate a harvest of authentic relationships, prayer, and worship. Seek to grow your gifts and serve others, fostering a generous heart and open hands. Pray for a burden for the lost, desiring that all may know Jesus's love. [01:25:50]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [34:44] - Reflecting on 2024
- [39:35] - The Sanctuary Five
- [43:51] - Introducing "Cultivate"
- [59:30] - The Call to Cultivate
- [01:09:43] - Spiritual Growth and Co-Laboring
- [01:12:27] - The Hard Work of Ministry
- [01:13:40] - Assessment: Evaluating the Soil
- [01:17:50] - Planting and Nurturing
- [01:22:43] - Dangerous Questions for Growth
- [01:25:50] - Harvesting: Reaping the Fruit
- [01:29:09] - Praying for the Lost
- [01:30:13] - Personal and Church Cultivation
- [01:32:17] - Invitation to Participate
- [01:39:16] - Invitation to Know Jesus

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- 1 Corinthians 3:6-9
- Psalm 139:1-24
- John 15:1-8

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Observation Questions:

1. What are the key values that the church has committed to, as mentioned in the sermon, and how have they contributed to the church's growth? [39:35]

2. According to 1 Corinthians 3:6-9, what roles do Paul and Apollos play in the growth process, and who ultimately makes things grow? [01:10:42]

3. In Psalm 139, what does the psalmist acknowledge about God's knowledge and presence in their life? [01:14:27]

4. How does the sermon describe the process of "dethatching" and its spiritual significance? [01:08:17]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the concept of being "co-laborers" with God in 1 Corinthians 3:6-9 influence the way believers should approach their spiritual growth and church involvement? [01:11:28]

2. What does the sermon suggest about the importance of assessing the "soil" of one's life, and how does Psalm 139 guide this process? [01:16:49]

3. In John 15:1-8, Jesus speaks about remaining in the vine. How does this metaphor relate to the idea of nurturing one's spiritual life as discussed in the sermon? [01:19:35]

4. The sermon mentions the need for planting seeds of joy, purpose, and grace. How can these concepts be practically applied in a believer's daily life? [01:21:35]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on the past year. What specific areas of personal growth can you identify, and how can you express gratitude to God for these changes? [34:44]

2. The sermon emphasizes the importance of the "Sanctuary Five" values. Which of these values do you find most challenging to live out, and what steps can you take to strengthen this area? [39:35]

3. As we focus on the theme "Cultivate" for 2025, what specific actions can you take to partner with God in your personal growth and the growth of the church community? [01:09:43]

4. Consider the process of assessing the "soil" of your life. What areas do you feel need the most attention, and how can you invite God to reveal and address these areas? [01:17:50]

5. The sermon encourages planting seeds of joy, purpose, and grace. Identify one of these seeds you want to plant in your life this year. What practical steps will you take to nurture it? [01:21:35]

6. How can you actively participate in the church's mission to cultivate authentic relationships and a life of prayer and worship? What specific role can you play in this effort? [01:25:50]

7. The sermon calls for a burden for the lost. Who in your life do you feel called to pray for and reach out to with the love of Jesus? What steps will you take to engage with them this week? [01:29:09]

Devotional

Day 1: Gratitude for Spiritual Growth
Reflecting on the past year, it's essential to recognize the blessings and growth that have occurred, both visible and hidden. This growth may manifest in increased patience, forgiveness, and a deeper commitment to one's spiritual journey. Taking time to express gratitude to God for these developments is crucial, as it acknowledges His role in our lives and sets the stage for continued guidance and growth in the coming year. [34:44]

"Let us test and examine our ways, and return to the Lord! Let us lift up our hearts and hands to God in heaven." (Lamentations 3:40-41, ESV)

Reflection: Identify a specific area in your life where you've seen growth this past year. How can you express gratitude to God for this change today?


Day 2: Living the Sanctuary Five
The church's discipleship is anchored in five core values: connect, grow, serve, give, and invite. These practices have been instrumental in bringing about significant blessings and growth within the community. By recommitting to these values, individuals can experience the transformative power of living as "people of the book," grounded in God's Word. This commitment not only strengthens personal faith but also enriches the entire church community. [39:35]

"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: Which of the five values (connect, grow, serve, give, invite) do you feel most called to focus on this week? What specific action can you take to live out this value?


Day 3: Partnering with God in Cultivation
The theme "Cultivate" for the year emphasizes the partnership with God in fostering growth. Inspired by 1 Corinthians 3, it acknowledges that while God is the one who makes things grow, individuals are co-laborers in this divine work. This year, the focus is on assessment, planting and nurturing, and harvesting, all aimed at preparing for the growth God desires in personal lives and the church community. [01:09:43]

"For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's building." (1 Corinthians 3:9, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you feel God is calling you to cultivate growth? How can you actively partner with Him in this process today?


Day 4: Assessing and Planting for Spiritual Fruitfulness
Begin by assessing the soil of your life, inviting God to search your heart and reveal areas needing growth. Plant seeds of joy, purpose, and grace, nurturing them through prayer, community, and remaining in Christ. This intentional cultivation leads to spiritual fruitfulness, allowing individuals to experience a deeper connection with God and others. [01:17:50]

"Break up your fallow ground, for it is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and rain righteousness upon you." (Hosea 10:12, ESV)

Reflection: What "seeds" do you need to plant in your life today to foster spiritual growth? How can you nurture these seeds in the coming days?


Day 5: Harvesting Authentic Relationships and Service
As spiritual lives are cultivated, a harvest of authentic relationships, prayer, and worship is anticipated. Individuals are encouraged to grow their gifts and serve others, fostering a generous heart and open hands. Praying for a burden for the lost and desiring that all may know Jesus's love is a vital part of this harvest. [01:25:50]

"And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up." (Galatians 6:9, ESV)

Reflection: Who in your life can you reach out to today to build an authentic relationship? How can you serve them in a way that reflects Jesus's love?

Quotes

"Let me begin today by expressing my gratitude to God and to each of you for an amazing year of ministry in 2024. God did some amazing things in us and through us last year, and I believe that we are blessed in ways that we notice and in ways that we are yet to discover. I want to ask you as you go through the year to notice the places where you've grown, where you've grown more patient, more forgiving, more clear, more honest, and more serious about your walk with God. As you come to those realizations, don't ignore them. Take a moment and thank God for the growth that 2024 produced in all of us." [00:34:49] (35 seconds)


"Our life together as a church is rooted in making disciples of Jesus, and we've adopted five values that capture our rhythms of discipleship. We call them the Sanctuary Five, and as we committed in 2024 to the practices of connect, grow, serve, give, and invite, we witnessed some wonderful blessings. We are people of the book. In 2024, we again rooted ourselves as a church in the affirmation that God's word, the Holy Scriptures, are central to our life together as a church. We believe this is true in every church, and even more important to a diverse church seeking to honor God and each other across our differences." [00:36:29] (42 seconds)


"Cultivate is rooted in 1 Corinthians 3, which reminds us that only God makes things grow, but that we are partners with God in that work. I believe that God is calling Sanctuary to prepare for growth, to nurture growth, and invest in the growth he wants to bring in our individual lives, in our families, and in our life together as a church. There's God's part, and there's our part, and we're excited to have each one of you lend your hand this year. We'll approach this theme in three phases, focusing on assessment, on planting and nurturing, and on harvesting." [00:41:18] (38 seconds)


"Assessment is the work of evaluating the condition of the soil. It is the work of preparing the ground for planting. And we find this idea of assessment in the book of Psalms, number 139. I want to read us that entire Psalm, because it paints a beautiful picture of God doing the work of assessing our heart and our condition. And then the writer cries out to God a declaration that I believe all of us this year will need to make if we are to do the work of assessment." [01:13:35] (36 seconds)


"This is the work of actually sowing seeds, of tending to the growth of those seeds through watering and nourishing and nourishing. It is also a process of learning to wait on God and remain in the vine. John 15 gives us this idea of remaining in the vine. It is the work that each of us must learn to do if we are going to produce fruit. In John 15, we see the words of Jesus. We see the red letters in the Bible. We see Jesus say this, I am the true vine." [01:18:56] (37 seconds)


"Friends, the reality is that your life today is perfectly designed to give you the results you've been getting. Many of us, planted apple seeds and we stand in front of the tree every year looking for grapes. So this process of planting and nurturing, it calls for us to plant the right seeds in healthy soil and then tending to those seeds and remaining in the one who is able to help it to grow. And so what what is your life today? What are you cultivating in your life today?" [01:21:57] (47 seconds)


"There are some things in your life, friends, and forgive me if this scares you, there are some things in your life that need to simply go this year. I know it's familiar. I know it's comforting. I know they know you, but they're not helping you to be who God has called you to be. Perhaps this is the season to cut it off, but I want to encourage you not to do this all willy-nilly. Some of you already started preparing the text already." [01:22:43] (40 seconds)


"Galatians 6 and 9 is one of my all-time favorite passages. It says, let us not become weary in doing good for at the proper time, we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. It's okay for you to reap the harvest of what God has for you. We are not one of those churches who says that following God always means lack. God loves to bless God's people. So do not become weary in doing well, for at the proper time, we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." [01:25:44] (34 seconds)


"I believe that God has actually already showed many of you what God wants to cultivate in your life this year. This is not the beginning of a conversation with God for many of you. I believe the Lord has already begun to show you, here's what I want to cultivate in your life this year. So as we close today, I want to pray for us. I'm going to take a moment and pray for us, and then around the outside of the auditorium, we have some stations set up where we're asking you for the sake of sharing with your church family, we want to know what are the things that God is cultivating in you this year?" [01:29:09] (44 seconds)


"Father, thank you for the privilege of at the start of this year being mindful of the fact that God is cultivating in you this year. And that there is a great invitation you give us to join with you in the work you're doing. God, I pray today for every brother and sister in this room, every person watching online, that they would know beyond a shadow of a doubt that you are speaking to them. Not to their neighbor, not to their friend, but speaking first to them." [01:32:17] (36 seconds)


"God, I pray that as a church, as each of us grabs a hold of your hand and the work you've called us to, that we as a church may increasingly grow into the church. you've called us to be. God, thank you for 22 years of faithful ministry. Thank you for lives changed and lives transformed and relationships reconciled. Thank you that we've been able to feed the hungry. Thank you, God, that we've been able to stand and speak on behalf of those who don't have voice. And God, I believe that the best is yet to come." [01:33:36] (35 seconds)


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Transcript
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