"Living Stones" or "Concrete Stones"

In 1 Peter 2:5, Peter says: "...you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ."

This is the verse that Pastor Petersen referred to last night at our Annual Meeting in reference to the focus of our new construction at Central Baptist Church. From the very beginning of the project, the focus has continued to be on God, what He is doing in and through the people of Central and what direction He is leading us.

This verse seems to capture that focus and was a great reminder for me on a night when I would stand in awe of the size and magnitude of the structure being built. This is what gripped me last night (again, thanks to what God has been doing already and what I believe He will continue to do): all I could think about as I was walking through the huge hallway and gawking at all of the rooms and space and peering down into the gym was, "Think of the people that we can reach for Christ."

I found myself so excited about what God might do in this place. I found myself praising Him for providing for the expenses for the project so far. Then, it hit me. Are we ready? Are we ready for the opportunities that God has in store for us? How is He preparing us?

As Peter says, we are "living stones...being built into a spiritual house". The questions that come to me are, "How am I being built?" and "What am I being built for (what purpose)?" The time is now for God to prepare us for what we will do when the new sanctuary is open and the gym is ready to be used. There will be more opportunity for people to come for events, concerts, basketball leagues, youth events, and Sunday morning worship. The question for each of us is: "Where do I fit into the spiritual house? What is my role? What is my sacrifice?"

As Peter said, our purpose is to "be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." Over the next few months, I am challenging myself - and you - to seek God's direction for your involvement at Central. There is no doubt going to be a lot of adjustments for everyone. It will be different for everyone. The cool part about change is that there are new opportunities that open up. What is God stirring up in your heart? Pray about it. Talk about it with others. Watch what happens, because God will knock your socks off if you just ask Him - and there's nothing more fun to be a part of. Oh, did I mention to pray - there is nothing more important or significant we can do.