We're Growing (New Member's Sunday)

[SPEAKER_01]: All right, building a table.

[SPEAKER_01]: Turn with me to a Philippians chapter one.

[SPEAKER_01]: Philippians chapter one.

[SPEAKER_01]: We're going to reverse this three through six.

[SPEAKER_01]: I promise you, I'm not going to keep you long.

[SPEAKER_01]: We're going to get out of here.

[SPEAKER_01]: Philippians chapter one, three through six, says this and you want to follow on the screen.

[SPEAKER_01]: as well you can do so says I give thanks to my God for every remembrance of you always praying with joy for all of you in my every prayer because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now I am sure of this that he who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

[SPEAKER_01]: If you're taking notes for this quick 10 minute message this morning the title would be where growing.

[SPEAKER_01]: Come on, somebody, say we're growing.

[SPEAKER_01]: All right, look at somebody and tell them, we're growing.

[SPEAKER_01]: All right, all right, Father, we thank you, Lord, for your word.

[SPEAKER_01]: We thank you, Father.

[SPEAKER_01]: For just all that you have done so far this morning, God, we just so delighted by all of these amazing stories that we got to hear and just how people got here and what you're doing in their lives.

[SPEAKER_01]: And we know that that represents everybody that's sitting in here today.

[SPEAKER_01]: And those that watch online as well, are that you are really doing a work in all of our lives.

[SPEAKER_01]: And you have brought us to this place.

[SPEAKER_01]: And to this point of time for a specific reason and a purpose.

[SPEAKER_01]: And we're just so grateful.

[SPEAKER_01]: We're grateful to partner with you God and your plan for our lives.

[SPEAKER_01]: We thank you for it and Jesus name it by said.

[SPEAKER_01]: Amen.

[SPEAKER_01]: All right, so we're growing.

[SPEAKER_01]: So when it comes to the church at Philippi, I taught you last week about the church of Ephesus.

[SPEAKER_01]: We started in Ephesians.

[SPEAKER_01]: Go in here to Philippians.

[SPEAKER_01]: The church at Philippi was very unique.

[SPEAKER_01]: It was very unique because it wasn't started like the other churches were started.

[SPEAKER_01]: Okay.

[SPEAKER_01]: It was started as a reroute.

[SPEAKER_01]: Okay.

[SPEAKER_01]: There was a whole plan.

[SPEAKER_01]: Paul was supposed to be going to Asia.

[SPEAKER_01]: All right.

[SPEAKER_01]: And the Lord, literally, that says in the scripture that the Spirit of God told him, don't go to Asia, but go this way.

[SPEAKER_01]: And so he literally was rerouted by the Lord, rerouted by the Spirit of God.

[SPEAKER_01]: And he began to go a different way, all the way through into Macedonia, to land into Philippi, where we get the church of the Philippians, the church of Philippi that was birth.

[SPEAKER_01]: And so we see that story and you can go and you can read it actually in Acts chapter 16.

Acts 16 · chapter mention

[SPEAKER_01]: All right, Acts chapter 16.

Acts 16 · chapter mention

[SPEAKER_01]: Now the only reason that Paul found himself in Philipise because the Spirit of God told him to go there, don't go to Asia.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I just want to say this today before we get too deep into this this morning that when the Lord shuts a door, it is more about clarity than it is about God saying you're not qualified to go through that door.

[SPEAKER_01]: A lot of times, a door is shut in our lives, and we say, oh, God must have just not been for me and God must have not allowed, or maybe I'm not good enough to go through that door.

[SPEAKER_01]: I'm not qualified enough to go through that door.

[SPEAKER_01]: No, I want us to understand that a closed door is an opportunity for us to get better vision.

[SPEAKER_01]: for us to get stronger clarity and direction on where and how the Lord would lead us, amen.

[SPEAKER_01]: And if God says no to one thing, it's not because God can say no, but it's because God is trying to redirect you.

[SPEAKER_01]: And there are some people in the room today that maybe you've been dealing with fear or bitterness or worry or confusion, a lot of those things that some of the folks shared here when they came up just now and shared of some of those things that were literally broken off of their lives over the course of time since they've been at this church.

[SPEAKER_01]: And so maybe you've been dealing with some of those same similar kind of things and maybe it's because you've been dealing with them over doors that didn't open for you.

[SPEAKER_01]: A lot of times we can get so worried and frustrated and just upset like God, I thought you were going to open that door for me and the door didn't come open and all of a sudden that leads to bitterness or frustration or whatever it may be.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I just really believe that the Lord would say to us today that while the door to Asia may have been shut before you, there's an open door to fill a pie that he wants to take

[SPEAKER_01]: Just because God shuts one door does not mean that there's not going to be another door that becomes available to you.

[SPEAKER_01]: When God shuts a door, he opens another.

[SPEAKER_01]: And so if you'll just get into agreement with the Lord today, he will absolutely blow your mind with what he has in store for you.

[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, there may be some closed doors and some seasons of time where you're not going to be able to do certain things or experience certain things, that's okay.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's because God actually is working something so much better for you.

[SPEAKER_01]: There's something that's so much grinder for you in your life that he has in store.

[SPEAKER_01]: Listen, church, if the business plan didn't go as expected, or if the relationship didn't work out, or if that job promotion was given to somebody else and not you, listen, instead of getting all up tight and mad over it, we ought to think the Lord today that he didn't allow you to walk through a door that didn't have his hand on it.

[SPEAKER_01]: So when he closes a door, it's for your own protection.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's for your own good.

[SPEAKER_01]: He's not closing a door just because he can close a door and he's trying to keep something away from you.

[SPEAKER_01]: He's trying to protect you from something.

[SPEAKER_01]: What if on the other side of the door was the very thing that would eliminate you and take you out with harm you unlike anything else and you said, God, I wanted that promotion or God, I wanted that this or God, I wanted that and he protected you from it.

[SPEAKER_01]: You didn't understand it, you still might not understand it, but that's okay.

[SPEAKER_01]: That's just the way the Lord works.

[SPEAKER_01]: And so I want to take a moment of time and rejoice and celebrate not just for the fact that God has opened doors in our lives because He's opened up amazing doors.

[SPEAKER_01]: Amen.

[SPEAKER_01]: That we've been able to walk through.

[SPEAKER_01]: But I want to take a moment of time and clap our hands and think the Lord for the closed doors and the closed opportunities that He protected us from.

[SPEAKER_01]: Now, we can say today, thank you, Lord, that I can go through that door because on the other side that door was destruction.

[SPEAKER_01]: I remember last, I think it was about a year ago, maybe less.

[SPEAKER_01]: I was like, man, this is a great opportunity, and I went, and I went to the interview, well, I had an online interview with them first, and it was good.

[SPEAKER_01]: They liked me a lot, and they said we're going to bring you in, and I go in, and I sit down with them, and the guy says, I'm going to just cut straight to the chase man, we're hiring you.

[SPEAKER_01]: You're exactly who we've been looking for, and I'm like, okay, well, that was easy.

[SPEAKER_01]: And he's like, really, today the purpose is not to actually interview the interview.

[SPEAKER_01]: The purpose is to introduce you to everybody and take you around, give you a tour, all these different kind of things and I said, okay, awesome.

[SPEAKER_01]: So I do that.

[SPEAKER_01]: Do that very thing.

[SPEAKER_01]: And then when we wrap up our time and we conclude, he says, okay, we're going to get, you know, an offer letter sent to you today via email and you'll have it.

[SPEAKER_01]: And just whenever you're ready, just sign it and get it back to us.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I left there and I got in the car and I called Melissa, and I said, I've got to let her come in today.

[SPEAKER_01]: And it's, I don't know how much more a year.

[SPEAKER_01]: It was tremendous amount more a year.

[SPEAKER_01]: Like 20 plus thousand dollars a year more.

[SPEAKER_01]: Okay, then what I was currently making.

[SPEAKER_01]: So it's kind of like one of those no-brainer deals.

[SPEAKER_01]: Like, yeah, you just, you know, you take that kind of opportunity.

[SPEAKER_01]: And, but I got in the car, and I called Melissa, I said, as great as that was, I don't feel peace about it.

[SPEAKER_01]: As great as the money sounds, just don't feel that good about it.

[SPEAKER_01]: And she said, why?

[SPEAKER_01]: And so, I just began to kind of talk, and as I was talking, I began to realize what that reason was, and just began to share.

[SPEAKER_01]: And then I said, I don't think I'm gonna take this opportunity,

[SPEAKER_01]: Long behold, they sent me that offer letter that same afternoon, and I pulled it up, and I looked at it, most money I would ever have made.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I was like, man, this is a game changer for our family.

[SPEAKER_01]: This can really shift things, especially financially for us, and really help us out a whole lot.

[SPEAKER_01]: But I looked at that, and I just knew that the Lord was actually closing that door.

[SPEAKER_01]: And so without really an answer or an explanation or a knowing of why I felt the Lord was closing that door I said I still got to be obedient to what I'm feeling right now.

[SPEAKER_01]: And so I wrote them back.

[SPEAKER_01]: I replied to the email and I said, you know, I know this sounds crazy.

[SPEAKER_01]: I enjoyed my time there with you all and thank you for your.

[SPEAKER_01]: time over the last couple days and all of your efforts and all of this, the job sounds amazing, the ministry is great, y'all are doing great things, but I just don't feel like this is the right thing for me to do right now.

[SPEAKER_01]: And would you know, to this day, I never got to email back.

[SPEAKER_01]: I never got to reply.

[SPEAKER_01]: I never said, okay, thank you or, you know, whatever it may be, not even, not even

[SPEAKER_01]: And after a couple days went by, I told Melissa, I said, now I know it was the Lord, that closed that door.

[SPEAKER_01]: Because for me, I understood in that moment by even not getting a response back, it told me everything I needed to know.

[SPEAKER_01]: And so I began to thank the Lord, thank you for giving me that discernment

[SPEAKER_01]: And I knew it was you, Lord, and I began to say, thank you for that, and it was a closed door opportunity.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I began to seek the Lord, and I began to thank the Lord.

[SPEAKER_01]: Thank you, God, for doing that for me.

[SPEAKER_01]: Thank you, God, for showing me the reality of where I was at that time.

[SPEAKER_01]: And what you know, it was right after that, the Lord opened up another door.

[SPEAKER_01]: And so God will open up doors for you and He'll also shut doors for you.

[SPEAKER_01]: And when He closes a door, it's to protect you.

[SPEAKER_01]: So Paul goes and he's going one direction, the door closes, he goes to Philippi, when he gets there, the Bible says that he goes down to the river to pray by himself.

[SPEAKER_01]: And while he goes down to the river, a lady named Lydia walks up, he shares about Jesus and she gets saved.

[SPEAKER_01]: Now, had he not been obedient to the closed door, we would have never known about Lydia to this day.

[SPEAKER_01]: So, if God consented his spirit to redirect Paul to a church in Philippi and start a movement, then we know that the Lord could redirect, Austin and Melissa O'Neill to what we were doing at the point of time that we were doing seven years ago,

[SPEAKER_01]: and redirect us to launch a church into a church that's touching people's lives like you just heard out of our obedience and it was an open door opportunity and we said yes to it and now because of our yes and our obedience to the closed doors but also to the open door now we can experience what we're experiencing today

[SPEAKER_01]: We can have people walk in here and truly fill the love of Jesus, and truly be grafted into this family that is called Church of the City, come on somebody.

[SPEAKER_01]: And if Philippians chapter one, he says, I am confident in what God is doing in you because what he has started in you, he is what?

[SPEAKER_01]: Faithful to finish, or some of your versions say, well, faithful to complete it.

[SPEAKER_01]: So what he has started, he is faithful to finish on your behalf.

[SPEAKER_01]: And so we gotta have the power of God at work.

[SPEAKER_01]: That's changing people from the inside out because I just like Paul and declaring to us today that I am confident that he who began a good work in your lives come on is faithful to finish it.

[SPEAKER_01]: Why?

[SPEAKER_01]: Because we are growing.

[SPEAKER_01]: We're growing.

[SPEAKER_01]: When I said we're growing the title today's message is we're growing is not we're growing numerically.

[SPEAKER_01]: Because that sounds nice.

[SPEAKER_01]: Oh, we're growing.

[SPEAKER_01]: No, we're growing up in the things of the Lord.

[SPEAKER_01]: We're growing up in the things of God.

[SPEAKER_01]: And what the kingdom has for us, amen?

[SPEAKER_01]: Because that's far more important to me than having more people in this place is that we are literally growing in the things of God.

[SPEAKER_01]: That when God says, yes to something we follow.

[SPEAKER_01]: And God says, no to something we are obedient to it, amen.

[SPEAKER_01]: Now the enemy, we know, doesn't want you to finish what God has started.

[SPEAKER_01]: He doesn't.

[SPEAKER_01]: And he's gonna try everything he can to stop it.

[SPEAKER_01]: But I just believe in Jesus name that everything that the Lord has called you to build.

[SPEAKER_01]: Everything that the Lord has called church of the city to build, that we will build it with His help.

[SPEAKER_01]: And we shall see every good thing come to pass, amen.

[SPEAKER_01]: And listen to me church, I didn't understand this

[SPEAKER_01]: At 18 years old, was handed to youth ministry.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I didn't want nothing to do with it.

[SPEAKER_01]: I told my best friend at the time who liked speaking in front of people, I said, you do all the preaching.

[SPEAKER_01]: I'll do all the behind the scenes work.

[SPEAKER_01]: I'll still play the drums.

[SPEAKER_01]: During worship and I'll come out of the drum cage.

[SPEAKER_01]: I'll do whatever I got to do, but I ain't preaching.

[SPEAKER_01]: I want nothing to do with it.

[SPEAKER_01]: I didn't understand at 18 what the Lord was trying to do and what he was leading me into that I can see now today and little did I know that all of those years ago that we would be standing here welcoming into our church family 13 amazing new people come on somebody.

[SPEAKER_01]: I didn't see those people all of those years ago.

[SPEAKER_01]: I didn't know what God was trying to do.

[SPEAKER_01]: I didn't know what he was leading me to do and leading us to do.

[SPEAKER_01]: I didn't understand it at that time.

[SPEAKER_01]: I said, I don't want nothing to do with preaching.

[SPEAKER_01]: I don't care about it.

[SPEAKER_01]: I don't want to be a pastor.

[SPEAKER_01]: I don't want to lead a church.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I remember being pushed into ministry opportunity after ministry opportunity and constantly being pushed and pushed and pushed and I remember Sean and Christa Smith laying their hands on me, if you don't know who they are, you gotta look them up they're amazing, Sean Smith laid his hands on me and I hit the floor and a god did a work in me we went and did a work in me we went and did a work in me and did a work in me and did a work in me and did a work in me and did a work in me and did a work in me and did a work in me and did a work in me and did a work in me and did a work in me and did a work in me and did a work in me and did a work in me and did a work in me and did a work in me and did a work in me and did a work in me and did a work in me and did a work in me and did a work in me and did a work in me and did a work in me and did a work in me and did a work

[SPEAKER_01]: back and to our youth ministry and we experienced a move of God and the God began to move and kids were getting healed and lives were being touched.

[SPEAKER_01]: We were carrying kids out to their cars because they couldn't walk because they were slain in the Holy Ghost and we needed to leave the building and we were carrying them out into their cars and we were experiencing a move of God but all of that to say like I had no idea at 18 what God was going to do later on.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I could have said, I don't want nothing to do with it, and been firm in that and took a step back and said, that's it.

[SPEAKER_01]: But even though the flesh of me did not want to do it, there was something on the inside of me that I didn't understand that God was working, that God was doing, that God was leading me unto.

[SPEAKER_01]: I didn't know it at the time.

[SPEAKER_01]: I didn't know that inside of me was a church.

[SPEAKER_01]: called Church of the City.

[SPEAKER_01]: I didn't know on the inside of me was a church that we see today that exists for that sole purpose back there to impact lives, to build faith, to restore the city and to raise up leaders.

[SPEAKER_01]: I had no idea at that time and I'm saying all this to encourage you today that the Lord has called you to do something.

[SPEAKER_01]: That the Lord has called you to the table, Josh, you can come up.

[SPEAKER_01]: The Lord has called you to the table, and He will be faithful to complete that which He has started.

[SPEAKER_01]: I want to encourage us this morning, and this is for all of our

[SPEAKER_01]: new members and for pre-existing members and for those that attend on this new members Sunday, this isn't just about welcoming new members, but this is about building, building something.

[SPEAKER_01]: We might not be able to see entirely what that looks like yet.

[SPEAKER_01]: We might not be able to fully envision

[SPEAKER_01]: exactly what the Lord is doing, and what He's working behind the scenes.

[SPEAKER_01]: But I am sure of this that God is working something.

[SPEAKER_01]: He's building something, and as a result of it, we're growing.

[SPEAKER_01]: We're growing.

[SPEAKER_01]: Personal declaration of your life should be, I'm growing.

[SPEAKER_01]: I'm growing.

[SPEAKER_01]: As I step into this next work week, I'm growing.

[SPEAKER_01]: As I lead my family, I'm growing.

[SPEAKER_01]: In whatever you have for me, God, I want to be in a constant state of growth.

[SPEAKER_01]: I might not understand it now, but I know that when I look back, 10 years from now, I'll see your hand on everything that you were leading me to do, because everything that God does is not in vain, it's not in vain, and he's doing it for a reason and a purpose, and can I tell you, that's why the devil hates you so much, that's why he tries to stop you from being here on Sundays.

[SPEAKER_01]: That's why he tries to cause division.

[SPEAKER_01]: That's why he tries to cause certain things to creep up in your heart or in your mind.

[SPEAKER_01]: That's why he tries to stir up the spirit of offense.

[SPEAKER_01]: Because I'm not giving the devil credit, but the devil is wise enough to know that God is up to something good here.

[SPEAKER_01]: And the Spirit of God is at work.

[SPEAKER_01]: And people's lives are being changed.

[SPEAKER_01]: You just heard a few examples of everybody that's sitting in the room.

[SPEAKER_01]: Come on, just a few examples of what God is doing.

[SPEAKER_01]: And if God can rescue these 13 people that were up here earlier, in whatever ways that he did, that's certainly he's up to something good.

[SPEAKER_01]: Come on, I said, certainly God is up to something good.

[SPEAKER_01]: are the beauty of being the pastors of the churches that we get to really know the stories.

[SPEAKER_01]: We get to know the craziness that Zach and Holly have been through over the past couple years in the journey that they've experienced, stuff that nobody else in this room knows yet, but the hell that they've been through.

[SPEAKER_01]: And to hear what they had to say, I promise you is a miracle.

[SPEAKER_01]: Only he can really testify to that.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's a miracle.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's a miracle.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's a miracle.

[SPEAKER_01]: I remember Tiffany, your first couple weeks.

[SPEAKER_01]: You're not the same person that you used to be.

[SPEAKER_01]: You were messed up and all kinds of ways and then God just began to come in and change stuff and God began to do a work.

[SPEAKER_01]: God has up to something, God has up to something.

[SPEAKER_01]: And for people to stand here and testify of what the Lord has done,

[SPEAKER_01]: is beautiful church and I know we all have those stories, your stories are amazing.

[SPEAKER_01]: I'm constantly amazed at the stories, constantly amazed at the story of Jesse and Patricia.

[SPEAKER_01]: Just what the Lord has brought them through and just seeing them here just going after the Lord.

[SPEAKER_01]: The way they are.

[SPEAKER_01]: I'm constantly amazed at the stories in this room.

[SPEAKER_01]: I could go through and say, everybody's name, I promise, and say it's a beautiful thing.

[SPEAKER_01]: What God is doing?

[SPEAKER_01]: Can you imagine coming into complete partnership with the Father so much so that you say God literally lead me to those that need to experience the same thing?

[SPEAKER_01]: being so led by him that you just begin to share what Jesus has done for you.

[SPEAKER_01]: And then, a couple of months from now, we have another Zach and Holly and another John and KK and all these others in David and Amanda Marshway, all these people, can you imagine just by you?

[SPEAKER_01]: sharing and expressing how good God is what he's doing in your life and how far he's brought you some miracle you are a miracle God is doing something good church and we're growing stand to your feet with me I remember when Brother Jerry Hobbes came and preached

[SPEAKER_01]: This last year, and he preached on the Scripture of none go with me, I still will follow.

[SPEAKER_01]: Y'all remember those that were here, and he got on the keyboard, and he's saying that song to us, praise the Lord.

[SPEAKER_01]: He was the organ player for Katherine Coolman, and

[SPEAKER_01]: Jack Coe an amazing revivalist back in the day and he was here in sharing the gospel with us and let us in that song and taught on the whole subject of if none go with me I'll still follow.

[SPEAKER_01]: That needs to be our prayer today, our goal today, our heart today, and if none go with me still I will follow.

[SPEAKER_01]: If none go with me, still I will build.

[SPEAKER_01]: If none go with me, still I'm gonna continue to grow.

[SPEAKER_01]: Hallelujah.

[SPEAKER_01]: Thank you, Jesus.

[SPEAKER_00]: Thank you for listening to today's message.

[SPEAKER_00]: We pray you were inspired, challenged, and marked by the word you heard.

[SPEAKER_00]: If this message blessed you today, we encourage you to subscribe to the Church of the City Podcast.

[SPEAKER_00]: There you can find more faith-filled messages to uplift you and help you on your journey of faith.

[SPEAKER_00]: For more information about Church of the City, head on over to www.cotcdfw.com.

[SPEAKER_00]: And until next time, remember this, the best is yet to come.