Easter is upon us! What an exciting time as we celebrate the resurrection on Sunday, April 16 (to be followed by our Easter Potluck!). On Saturday, April 15, we’ll be having our COMMUNITY FAMILY FESTIVAL from 11-3 p.m. Don’t miss it!!
This past week I posted a picture of the new sign on the house. Grace Castor wrote and asked about the house expansion and when that might occur. Verle Ramirez responded and encouraged her to pray for $1,000,000. The house expansion won’t cost 1 million but it will have some cost. It got me to thinking that perhaps now was a good time to explain what’s happening.
First, Dennis Wilkison has done an outstanding job in assessing our needs and space requirements. Jack Chen has been an invaluable resource person. Renovating the house is something that needs to be done whether we built another building or not. The City of San Jose will require us to bring the house up-to-date no matter what we do. Expanding the house makes the most sense at this point simply because we need the space. Most of you understand we’re cramped. Space is limited and sometimes just not available.
Second, Dennis has shown us preliminary drawings of what an expansion would look like and how much floor space we would realize. Many of you saw these drawings at our meeting in February.
Third, we don’t have a true approximate cost yet. We’re working on this. Over the years, I’ve had people ask me how churches function financially. I told them everything we do is made possible because of the offerings of God’s generous people. They look at me (sometimes) incredulously and offer up: Salaries? PGE? Phone? Water? Building Improvements? Unexpected items? To which I always respond YES, YES, YES, YES, YES, AND YES!
When a church undertakes a building program, it means that God’s people need to pray for God’s provision to become apparent. It normally also means that God’s people need to pray and see what they can do to meet this need. And it means that the giving needs to be above what they are already doing. So, for example, pretend you give $100 per month. The Lord might lead you to do $125 per month (or an even greater amount).
I’m not one of those pastors who cries for money because I know God will supply all our needs according to His riches in glory in Christ. Therefore, I’ve always made it a policy not to burden people with where the church stands financially every time I turn around. You haven’t heard me say that we had a nice January, a poor February, a so-so March in all the time I’ve been here.
However, as the ministry has grown and expanded, we have had some good months and some not-so-good months. In fact, 2016 was a year we ended in the red. I’ve seen God do wondrous things financially over the years so ending a year in the red never bothers me. But if we’re planning to expand the house and begin that reality, we cannot be in the red financially. If we procure a loan from a financial institution, they want to see that we’re in the black.
I write all of that to encourage you to join me in prayer to trust God to supply the finances we need to make the house expansion a reality! The God we serve can do all things wondrously and marvelously and I’m already excited to see what He is doing to do through us to accomplish His goals in reaching San Jose for Christ through loving, caring, and serving!
How can that be accomplished? First, pray on your own. Second, pray as a family about what you can do. Third, increase your giving (this requires a step of faith). Fourth, consider a one-time gift and label it “house expansion.” Fifth, look for some sort of “unexpected income” that you didn’t know was coming — and then consider putting a portion or all of it towards the “house expansion.” Sixth, I’ve seen people even donate stock so a goal could be met. There are all sorts of ways to see the “house expansion” become a reality.
I truly believe we’re going to have all sorts of stories about what God did through us individually and corporately trusting Him. The “house expansion” is for God’s glory. If you have questions, please see me or Dennis Wilkison.
Have a great rest of the week … and I look forward to seeing everyone
at the Community Family Festival on Saturday and Easter Celebration on
Sunday!
Love,
Pastor Chuck