The New Morning Light
Early Wednesday morning, before the sun’s rays had even touched the horizon, twenty individuals braved the cold at the old Trinity Medical Center to hear from Joel. With the wind chill registering a brisk 26º, the group slowly made its way up to the top of one of the buildings on the site in almost complete darkness.
Along the way, Joel took some time to explain our vision for the site and the steps we’ve taken to get to this place. Thankfully, it’s not hard for most to see the need for a new building after spending time with us on a Sunday morning. Often, however, it is hard for us to see how a new building will be more than just a solution to current problems.
Need more seats on Sundays? Build a bigger sanctuary.
Need more classrooms for kids? Build more classrooms.
Need more coffee? Buy more coffee makers (yes please).
When we reduce a church building to a checklist, it’s easy to see an empty chair as a space to fill, rather than an opportunity to declare Christ’s love to the lost. And when we see a new building merely as a solution to our current problems, we neglect to trust how God can use bricks and mortar to advance His Kingdom for generations to come.
As Joel finished speaking, the darkness over the valley slowly gave way to a wondrous light. What began as a cold, dark tour ended with twenty people standing together on a rooftop, asking for God’s guidance and provision for our church as they watched the sun rise over the valley below.
Like that morning on the rooftop, we trust that God is leading us from darkness into light, shaping His legacy that will outlast us all. We hope to create a space where the light of the gospel continues to break through long after we are gone. A place where stories of redemption are told, voices of worship are lifted, and generations yet to come encounter Christ.
