WEBVTT 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:00.560 Hanging out. 00:00:00.640 --> 00:00:09.119 I want to bring you and take you back in time a little bit to August 5th, 2021, the Summer Olympics in Tokyo. 00:00:09.279 --> 00:00:15.119 Of course, it's 21 because 20 was crazy, and they decided to delay the Olympics for a year. 00:00:15.279 --> 00:00:22.079 But we are walking August 5th, 2021, and it is the four by 100 meter relay. 00:00:22.320 --> 00:00:26.320 The United States is stacked going into this race. 00:00:27.039 --> 00:00:31.920 Trayvon Bromel is the number one ranked sprinter in the world at the time. 00:00:32.159 --> 00:00:39.679 Fred Curley had won a silver medal three days prior in the individual 100-meter race. 00:00:40.000 --> 00:00:44.640 You had Ronnie Baker, who's one of the fastest runners to ever put on spikes. 00:00:44.880 --> 00:00:49.039 You had Craven Gillespie, who also is a burner. 00:00:49.359 --> 00:00:52.960 On paper, this race was a formality. 00:00:53.280 --> 00:00:55.439 Like it was just basically a done deal. 00:00:55.520 --> 00:01:00.240 They had four of the fastest runners that had ever been assembled together. 00:01:00.479 --> 00:01:14.239 It was just a matter of shooting the gun, executing the race, and then they could go get all of the acclaim and the prize that they clearly deserved in light of how good they were going into the race. 00:01:14.480 --> 00:01:16.239 Sure enough, the gun goes off. 00:01:16.560 --> 00:01:19.040 Very first leg takes place, no problems. 00:01:19.200 --> 00:01:20.400 They go and they hand it off. 00:01:20.480 --> 00:01:21.760 They go to the second leg. 00:01:21.840 --> 00:01:35.120 And the second leg, you have Fred Curley who is burning into the exchange zone, and you notice right away that Ronnie Baker didn't leave early enough, and you see this picture take place. 00:01:35.280 --> 00:01:37.920 Their timing was totally off. 00:01:38.719 --> 00:01:43.599 What you saw is Ronnie Baker had to slow down for a second in order to go and get it. 00:01:43.680 --> 00:01:51.920 While Fred Curley is running into him, all momentum was lost in the race, and they never were able to recover. 00:01:52.159 --> 00:02:02.400 Italy ends up winning gold, Great Britain ends up winning silver, Canada ends up winning bronze, and the United States got sixth place. 00:02:04.560 --> 00:02:07.200 On paper, it was a formality. 00:02:08.000 --> 00:02:13.039 But because of a failed exchange, they ended up getting sixth place. 00:02:13.199 --> 00:02:14.960 Here's what's crazy about Italy. 00:02:15.280 --> 00:02:23.039 Not one of their runners had even qualified for the finals of the 100-meter individual runs. 00:02:23.520 --> 00:02:27.439 Meaning they individually had no reason to win that race. 00:02:27.599 --> 00:02:32.000 However, they mastered the exchange zone. 00:02:32.479 --> 00:02:45.360 In fact, most track coaches will spend 40 to 60% of the time when they're training for a 4x100 meter relay on the exchange zone, not on the actual running. 00:02:46.080 --> 00:03:01.360 What's wild is that the exchange zone only represents 5% of the overall race, yet it is the direct outcome of 60 to 70% of the results of that race. 00:03:11.280 --> 00:03:13.199 And we've got to make a decision. 00:03:13.759 --> 00:03:24.400 Are we gonna be a church that hands the baton well and as a result lead to a gold medal race? 00:03:25.360 --> 00:03:39.039 Or are we as a church gonna instead fumble for the handoff and it lead to a disqualification or sixth place or something that isn't at all what we have the potential to be? 00:03:39.439 --> 00:03:42.000 We're starting a sermon series that's called Blueprint. 00:03:42.319 --> 00:03:52.960 What we're gonna be looking at is over the next five weeks, we're gonna be looking at how to build our lives and ultimately how to build our church on a foundation that can actually stand. 00:03:53.439 --> 00:04:05.120 We're gonna look at what are the key principles that we should be building on that allows us to have something that we're gonna be proud of that will withstand the test of time. 00:04:05.280 --> 00:04:13.439 And this morning on this encounter weekend, where it's been our student weekend, we're gonna be focusing on the exchange zone. 00:04:13.680 --> 00:04:18.720 We're gonna talk specifically about what it looks like for us to make the exchange. 00:04:18.800 --> 00:04:22.319 You know, the Bible has some really good gold medal exchanges. 00:04:22.399 --> 00:04:23.439 Let's just think of one. 00:04:23.600 --> 00:04:28.399 One of them would be Moses at the end of his time, leading the people to the edge of the promised land. 00:04:28.720 --> 00:04:31.199 He then anoints Joshua as the guy. 00:04:31.360 --> 00:04:34.560 There's this commissioning moment that takes place, and then guess what? 00:04:34.720 --> 00:04:37.519 Joshua leads them further than Moses ever could have dreamed. 00:04:37.600 --> 00:04:38.399 It's perfect. 00:04:38.720 --> 00:04:46.879 But then you also see after Joshua, the book of Judges tells us that there arose a generation after them who did not know the things of the Lord. 00:04:47.040 --> 00:04:48.480 How does that happen? 00:04:49.120 --> 00:04:50.720 Because they failed the exchange. 00:04:50.800 --> 00:04:53.279 There's good exchanges and there's bad exchanges. 00:04:53.519 --> 00:04:58.399 In Psalm 78, the passage we're going to look at today, the writer is a man named Asaph. 00:04:58.480 --> 00:05:01.439 We don't know much about Asaph in the Bible, but we do know this. 00:05:01.600 --> 00:05:03.519 He's writing a psalm kind of angry. 00:05:03.600 --> 00:05:03.920 Why? 00:05:04.079 --> 00:05:07.040 Because he saw a failed exchange. 00:05:07.759 --> 00:05:10.079 And he doesn't want that to happen again. 00:05:10.800 --> 00:05:24.160 He instead is giving us some insight into how to make sure that we take the baton that we have, we pass it off well, and the next generation can run hard after us. 00:05:24.959 --> 00:05:29.199 Would you stand in the reading of God's word with me in Psalm chapter 78? 00:05:29.439 --> 00:05:31.439 I'm gonna read the first eight verses. 00:05:35.199 --> 00:05:38.800 It says, Give ear, O my people, to my teaching. 00:05:39.360 --> 00:05:42.720 Incline your ears to the words of my mouth. 00:05:43.279 --> 00:05:45.519 I will open my mouth in a parable. 00:05:45.759 --> 00:05:52.319 I will utter dark sayings from of old, things that we have heard and known that our fathers have told us. 00:05:52.560 --> 00:06:02.720 We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord and his might and the wonders that he has done. 00:06:03.040 --> 00:06:21.839 He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children, that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children, so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments. 00:06:22.079 --> 00:06:32.560 And that they should not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God. 00:06:32.879 --> 00:06:34.079 You may be seated. 00:06:34.959 --> 00:06:38.560 Verse 7 and verse 8 show us two different groups of people. 00:06:39.199 --> 00:06:44.560 Those who are passing the baton and those who are receiving the baton. 00:06:44.639 --> 00:06:48.000 There's two different groups, and they have two different responsibilities. 00:06:48.160 --> 00:06:48.480 Okay. 00:06:48.800 --> 00:06:55.680 I don't have a biblical basis for what I'm about to do, but I want to split us into two different groups of people. 00:06:55.839 --> 00:06:56.240 All right. 00:06:56.399 --> 00:07:03.360 The first group of people, if you are here today and you are 35 or older, would you raise your hand and would you leave it up for me? 00:07:03.519 --> 00:07:05.199 Raise your hands, 35 and older, okay? 00:07:05.360 --> 00:07:07.759 Leave it up high, like lock it all the way out. 00:07:08.079 --> 00:07:10.480 Stretch it a little bit because it probably hurts, okay? 00:07:10.720 --> 00:07:12.079 Hurts to hold it up. 00:07:12.319 --> 00:07:16.879 I know that you would love to be more engaged in worship, but honestly, it just hurts after a little bit. 00:07:16.959 --> 00:07:18.959 And so therefore you got to kind of go down a little bit. 00:07:19.120 --> 00:07:19.839 Let's just keep it up. 00:07:19.920 --> 00:07:20.160 All right. 00:07:20.240 --> 00:07:21.279 We're 35 and older. 00:07:21.360 --> 00:07:22.399 I'm a part of that crowd. 00:07:22.959 --> 00:07:24.079 It's gonna, yeah. 00:07:24.240 --> 00:07:25.360 Okay, you can put your hand down. 00:07:25.439 --> 00:07:26.560 That does feel kind of good, doesn't it? 00:07:26.639 --> 00:07:28.399 Just kind of get the joints moving a little bit. 00:07:28.560 --> 00:07:30.879 Things just hurt a little bit different than they used to. 00:07:31.040 --> 00:07:31.279 All right. 00:07:31.439 --> 00:07:34.000 Okay, you're the 35 and up crowd, all right? 00:07:34.240 --> 00:07:37.040 Raise your hands if you are under 35. 00:07:37.199 --> 00:07:38.800 Would you raise your hands in this room, okay? 00:07:38.959 --> 00:07:41.680 First of all, did you see the energy by which they just put their hands up? 00:07:41.759 --> 00:07:43.680 Like it was just like shot up, okay? 00:07:43.839 --> 00:07:48.800 Uh you guys are gonna be representative of the ones that are receiving the batons. 00:07:48.879 --> 00:07:50.399 You guys can go ahead and put your hands down, okay? 00:07:50.560 --> 00:07:52.480 Now let me just go ahead and say a couple things up front, okay? 00:07:52.639 --> 00:07:54.399 I don't want to cause conflict today, all right? 00:07:54.480 --> 00:08:00.079 So if some of you are already offended by this message because basically you got put in the old category and you feel like you're young. 00:08:00.240 --> 00:08:04.639 Look, if you're over 35 and you feel like you're under 35, then you can be in that category. 00:08:04.720 --> 00:08:05.199 That's fine. 00:08:05.360 --> 00:08:08.319 But some of you are under 35, but you're an old soul, all right? 00:08:08.399 --> 00:08:10.319 You need to be talking about the old stuff, okay? 00:08:10.399 --> 00:08:11.600 I'm not worried about all of that. 00:08:11.680 --> 00:08:18.560 I just want us to put to two categories for the sake of conversation and give principles to both groups, okay? 00:08:18.800 --> 00:08:23.600 The first group I want to speak to is the ones that are over 35 and older, okay? 00:08:23.759 --> 00:08:26.079 I want you to write this down, page five on your notes. 00:08:26.160 --> 00:08:31.439 I want to give you two different principles for the over 35 crowd, two different principles for the under 35 crowd. 00:08:31.519 --> 00:08:39.519 The first principle to help us live this out to the over 35 crowd is this prioritize the next generation. 00:08:39.679 --> 00:08:41.200 I want you to write that down. 00:08:41.519 --> 00:08:44.559 Prioritize the next generation. 00:08:44.960 --> 00:08:52.399 I have said this repeatedly from this stage, and I will continue to say it as long as God allows me to be the pastor of this church. 00:08:52.720 --> 00:09:04.639 I will give more priority, building, budget, dollars, programming, space to the next generation, and I'm not gonna feel bad about it. 00:09:05.440 --> 00:09:07.440 I don't even feel guilty about it. 00:09:07.759 --> 00:09:18.879 I actually believe that if you want to reach all generations, the strategy by which you do it is by prioritizing the next generation. 00:09:19.519 --> 00:09:26.799 And many of you know either because maybe you came from a church where this was the experience, or you grew up in a church where this was experience. 00:09:27.039 --> 00:09:32.159 If you don't prioritize the next generation, you lose the next generation. 00:09:32.720 --> 00:09:41.840 And so what I'm calling us to do is to live out, I believe, the biblical mandate, which is to prioritize the next generation. 00:09:42.000 --> 00:09:44.720 Look at what Psalm chapter 78, verse 4 says again. 00:09:44.799 --> 00:09:59.200 Here's what it says We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord and his might and the wonders that he has done. 00:09:59.360 --> 00:10:01.519 I got three ways that you can prioritize the next generation. 00:10:01.600 --> 00:10:02.799 Let me write that, why don't you write these down? 00:10:02.960 --> 00:10:04.879 First one is this, through your giving. 00:10:05.120 --> 00:10:05.759 Through your giving. 00:10:05.919 --> 00:10:07.919 35 and up crowd, through your giving. 00:10:08.240 --> 00:10:09.279 Jason said it earlier. 00:10:09.440 --> 00:10:12.159 When you give to United City, you give through United City Church. 00:10:12.240 --> 00:10:14.399 When you give through United City Church, you know what you pay for? 00:10:14.480 --> 00:10:15.600 Yes, you have to pay for the lights. 00:10:15.759 --> 00:10:19.440 Yes, you have to pay for the air conditioning, because none of you would come if we had neither one of those things, okay? 00:10:19.600 --> 00:10:22.080 But let me tell you what you primarily pay for, okay? 00:10:22.240 --> 00:10:30.080 You pray for, you pay for illusionist and you pray for disco parties so that we can have kids have an incredible experience this past weekend. 00:10:30.240 --> 00:10:33.919 Almost 500 folks up here on this campus so that they can hear about Jesus. 00:10:34.000 --> 00:10:34.960 That's what you pay for. 00:10:35.519 --> 00:10:36.720 That's what you pay for. 00:10:37.519 --> 00:10:40.720 Make no mistake about it, it's not just a weekend, it's every week. 00:10:40.960 --> 00:10:42.799 We do this stuff every Wednesday. 00:10:43.039 --> 00:10:54.559 What you pay for is to making sure that we have a safe sanitary area where your kids and your preschoolers can go so that you drop them off and they're already wanting to come back before the service is ever started. 00:10:54.639 --> 00:10:55.919 That's what you pay for. 00:10:56.159 --> 00:10:58.799 And so we ask you absolutely to pay for. 00:10:58.960 --> 00:11:01.600 Well, some of you are like, well, I don't really have kids in that ministry anymore. 00:11:01.679 --> 00:11:10.080 And I would tell you, 1 Corinthians chapter 29, it says that David gave to the treasury to build the temple that he would never see. 00:11:11.039 --> 00:11:12.399 What does it show us? 00:11:12.559 --> 00:11:15.919 It's not about you investing in something that your kids involved in. 00:11:16.000 --> 00:11:19.600 My kids are in the cross right now, my kids are in tennis, and I get hit up all the time. 00:11:19.840 --> 00:11:20.879 Man, you can you give to this? 00:11:21.039 --> 00:11:21.600 Can you give to this? 00:11:21.679 --> 00:11:24.000 And we want to support the program, so we're gonna give to that. 00:11:24.080 --> 00:11:28.799 Can I please tell you when my kids are not on the cross and my kids are not in tennis, I ain't giving any more to it, all right? 00:11:28.960 --> 00:11:29.679 I'm just not. 00:11:29.840 --> 00:11:31.120 They can hit me up all they want to. 00:11:31.279 --> 00:11:31.759 I'm not. 00:11:32.000 --> 00:11:33.919 I'm doing it because my kids are in it. 00:11:34.159 --> 00:11:37.600 Can I tell you that this is a whole different ball game? 00:11:38.000 --> 00:11:44.559 This is something with eternal perspective that God is inviting us to be giver towards. 00:11:44.720 --> 00:11:45.600 So, what does this look like? 00:11:45.759 --> 00:11:50.879 What this means is that you want to give towards scholarships for camps, scholarships for encounter weekend. 00:11:50.960 --> 00:11:54.159 We're about to baptize 13 students at our next service. 00:11:54.480 --> 00:11:59.120 Six of those students came on a scholarship from somebody in this church. 00:11:59.360 --> 00:12:00.960 Six of those students. 00:12:02.240 --> 00:12:09.360 We got a bunch of students that are gonna be taking mission trips, they're gonna be going on spring break, and they're gonna be going to Egypt in this summer, and they're gonna be going to Puerto Rico. 00:12:09.519 --> 00:12:14.000 Go to our staff and say, hey, is there anybody that still hasn't gotten their mission trip covered? 00:12:14.159 --> 00:12:16.799 And you be the one that writes the check to cover that trip. 00:12:17.120 --> 00:12:25.519 Like we need to be a people who see it as our responsibility not to invest in our kids, but instead to invest in the next generation. 00:12:25.840 --> 00:12:26.879 Let me give you another one. 00:12:26.960 --> 00:12:28.399 Okay, number two is serving. 00:12:28.639 --> 00:12:29.759 It's serving. 00:12:30.080 --> 00:12:34.799 Folks, what this looks like is for you to go over to the pseudo ministry and you serve as a life group leader. 00:12:34.960 --> 00:12:40.000 It's for those of you that serve and maybe as an adult uh on Sunday morning and you teach a life group. 00:12:40.080 --> 00:12:40.799 Praise God for that. 00:12:40.879 --> 00:12:41.440 But guess what? 00:12:41.600 --> 00:12:46.159 We had 115 leaders that served this past week at encounter weekend, which is amazing. 00:12:46.399 --> 00:12:50.399 Most we've ever had, can I tell you we could have also used about a hundred more? 00:12:51.120 --> 00:12:53.759 So don't let that be a reason for you not to be a part of it. 00:12:53.840 --> 00:12:56.799 You instead figure out ways that you can come and serve and be there. 00:12:56.960 --> 00:12:59.679 But for some of you, you need to go serve in UC kids. 00:12:59.919 --> 00:13:06.240 For some of you, you need to go serve in the number one fastest growing area of our church, which is our preschool ministry. 00:13:06.559 --> 00:13:07.039 Why? 00:13:07.200 --> 00:13:13.120 Because we want to make sure that these kids hear about the stories of our God. 00:13:14.080 --> 00:13:19.279 And what we're discovering is this is that we have one of the largest student ministries we've ever had. 00:13:19.440 --> 00:13:28.879 We have the largest number of kids that we've ever had, and we also have the largest amount of parents who don't follow into faith while their kids are in our building. 00:13:29.360 --> 00:13:34.879 Which means this we have a responsibility to who much is given, much is required. 00:13:35.279 --> 00:13:38.320 So what I'm asking you to do is to figure out how God could have you to serve. 00:13:38.480 --> 00:13:41.440 You're like, well, I don't really, I don't really know about if that's my thing, I'll do it. 00:13:41.519 --> 00:13:42.799 So maybe some of my friends do it. 00:13:42.879 --> 00:13:46.879 And I would simply tell you this look, God, look, we're either we're serious about this or we're not. 00:13:47.039 --> 00:13:58.080 I'm not trying to guilt you, but I am trying to motivate you to be a part of what God is doing in the next generation because what you will quickly discover is that you're the one that's going to be blessed. 00:13:58.320 --> 00:14:15.440 Folks, if you were here this past weekend and you saw our students worshiping their father in heaven, putting aside all the distractions that go along in their normal world that fills their hearts and their minds, and instead began to focus on their God, I'm telling you, that is a drug you will never get over. 00:14:16.480 --> 00:14:18.240 It was incredible. 00:14:18.559 --> 00:14:20.960 And I just want to encourage you, get in the game. 00:14:21.039 --> 00:14:21.919 Let me give you the third one, okay? 00:14:22.159 --> 00:14:22.799 Number three. 00:14:23.120 --> 00:14:24.480 Over 35 crowd. 00:14:24.960 --> 00:14:25.600 Pray. 00:14:26.399 --> 00:14:27.120 Praying. 00:14:27.919 --> 00:14:38.799 I am fully convinced with every bit of my being that I am standing here today in front of you as a direct result of the answered prayers of Virginia Gardner, my grandmother. 00:14:39.039 --> 00:14:40.080 No question about it. 00:14:40.399 --> 00:14:48.080 Okay, this chair that she sat in and she prayed for all of us, and I just, I just, I feel like I'm just kind of sitting on top of her prayers. 00:14:48.399 --> 00:14:53.840 There's a ton of students and a ton of kids in our church who don't have Virginia Gardens in their lives. 00:14:55.279 --> 00:14:56.559 But you can be that. 00:14:57.519 --> 00:14:58.799 You can be that for them. 00:14:59.360 --> 00:15:00.720 I've got a little wristband. 00:15:00.799 --> 00:15:02.720 Unfortunately, it didn't work out last week with the weather. 00:15:02.879 --> 00:15:05.120 Our plan was to pass all of these out to all of you. 00:15:05.279 --> 00:15:08.799 We did as much as we could this past week during the Wednesday night groups and things like that. 00:15:08.960 --> 00:15:11.360 I've been praying all week, though, for Danny Tollison. 00:15:11.759 --> 00:15:14.720 Danny's a sixth grader girl, uh, and I've been praying for her. 00:15:14.799 --> 00:15:18.320 But here's the thing: I don't just want to pray for her this weekend, I want to pray for her all year. 00:15:18.960 --> 00:15:24.879 What I'm asking you to do is for you to say, hey, go to our team and say, hey, can I, is there somebody that I could pray for? 00:15:25.039 --> 00:15:31.519 And you literally pray in such a way as though God wanted to do something massive in their lives. 00:15:32.159 --> 00:15:34.960 Like you're just not saying, hey, I got this thing. 00:15:35.039 --> 00:15:36.159 Do you think you might want it? 00:15:36.320 --> 00:15:41.279 But instead, you got that thing firmly out there saying, I cannot wait for you to grab this. 00:15:41.840 --> 00:15:50.799 And I'm gonna pray in such a way where I believe God wants to do further in you than he's ever done in me, and he's done a lot in me. 00:15:51.440 --> 00:15:53.840 And that we pray with fervency. 00:15:54.000 --> 00:16:00.639 I'm telling you, church, what we just did over the last 21 days is the most important thing we'll do all year. 00:16:00.879 --> 00:16:03.120 But it doesn't mean that it has to stop. 00:16:03.279 --> 00:16:14.960 It instead allows us to be in a place where we can begin to pray and ask God to move in the hearts and the lives of some of these students who are meeting Jesus for the very first time. 00:16:15.200 --> 00:16:30.000 Or do you have some students who've been around Jesus so long, but they're not as passionate as they need to be, who need to be inspired by the God who is moving in their friends' lives and in their lives and are undergirded by the prayers of his people. 00:16:30.639 --> 00:16:35.120 Folks, what I'm begging for you is to prioritize the next generation through your prayers. 00:16:35.440 --> 00:16:43.759 Let us win this battle on our knees, and let us have an opportunity to propel them towards things that they could never have imagined. 00:16:44.720 --> 00:16:45.679 Let me keep going. 00:16:46.000 --> 00:16:48.000 Look at what it says in verse 6 and 7. 00:16:48.879 --> 00:17:02.320 He says that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children, so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments. 00:17:02.480 --> 00:17:06.720 Second thing I want you to write down over 35 crowd, position them for success. 00:17:07.839 --> 00:17:09.359 Position them for success. 00:17:09.519 --> 00:17:12.240 The goal of the exchange isn't just knowledge, it's faith. 00:17:12.480 --> 00:17:17.519 We want the next generation to set their hope in God, to not forget his works, to treasure his commandments. 00:17:17.680 --> 00:17:21.359 This requires intentionality, but it also requires space. 00:17:22.000 --> 00:17:37.759 I don't know if you realize this, but uh we have uh pretty much renovated the majority of our property and building um since Hurricane Harvey, except for the upstairs adult area, uh and then also the what used to be called the student building. 00:17:37.839 --> 00:17:39.519 It's now called the United Building. 00:17:39.680 --> 00:17:42.640 Uh, we put a new front face on that United building. 00:17:42.720 --> 00:17:43.920 It looks fantastic. 00:17:44.079 --> 00:17:54.000 Uh, but if you were to go into that building today, it would look the exact same way that it looked whatever last time you went in there before, because it ain't changed since 2006. 00:17:54.160 --> 00:17:58.720 Just as an FYI, all of you have changed a little bit since 2006, okay? 00:17:58.880 --> 00:18:03.599 You don't wear the same clothes, you probably don't have the same haircut, uh, you don't have the same style. 00:18:03.839 --> 00:18:05.279 It has not been updated at all. 00:18:05.359 --> 00:18:08.400 Let me show you a couple pictures of what uh the building currently looks like, okay. 00:18:08.480 --> 00:18:10.000 This is just what we're using it for. 00:18:10.160 --> 00:18:13.920 We've been spending$30,000 to$40,000 every single year. 00:18:14.079 --> 00:18:17.519 What I my phrase is this putting lipstick on the pig, okay? 00:18:17.680 --> 00:18:20.400 Uh, we've just been trying to dress it back up to what it was. 00:18:20.559 --> 00:18:32.640 We haven't improved anything at all because honestly, it would require so much of an investment that it has not felt worth it based upon the functionality of what the building currently sits and looks like. 00:18:32.799 --> 00:18:35.599 And what we've seen is that our youth have already outgrown it. 00:18:35.680 --> 00:18:37.039 They outgrew it a few years ago. 00:18:37.279 --> 00:18:39.599 Our young adults outgrew it last year. 00:18:39.759 --> 00:18:43.200 Our Espanyol ministry grew it, we outgrew it within a few months. 00:18:43.359 --> 00:18:57.839 And what we found is that it becomes a building that we're kind of using for a couple of classes, but it doesn't serve the functionality that we need, which is to primarily have our next gen ministry, our youth in particular, have a dedicated space that they can call their own. 00:18:58.000 --> 00:19:00.640 Let me show you what we're gonna be launching and wanting to do. 00:19:00.720 --> 00:19:01.039 Okay. 00:19:01.279 --> 00:19:05.839 This right here is gonna be the renovation that we're looking to do into this building. 00:19:06.000 --> 00:19:06.319 Okay. 00:19:06.559 --> 00:19:12.559 If you, if this right here is the front entrance right here on the bottom, this is the new facade that is there on the building. 00:19:12.640 --> 00:19:14.319 When you leave here today, you'll have a chance to see it. 00:19:14.480 --> 00:19:30.319 If you've been in there before, you've got two bathrooms that are right here that are gonna be moved to the corners, and we're gonna have a lobby hangout space that'll be an inviting entry point, which we have none of that right now, over in that building for any of the activities that we have going in there, primarily being youth. 00:19:30.480 --> 00:19:47.279 And then you're gonna be able to go into a fully functioning worship center room that seats over 550 people in rows, also seats about 220 people in tables, because we have table groups that meet at this 10 o'clock hour for small groups for our students. 00:19:47.440 --> 00:19:57.440 We also, I don't know if you realize this, but probably host between 20 to 25 banquets every single year for all of Umble ISD, some Newcany ISD, all around. 00:19:57.519 --> 00:20:02.000 And these banquets allow us to get students and families on our campus. 00:20:02.160 --> 00:20:08.640 It's been a huge strategy of outreach for us, and we're gonna be able to do that through this facility that is right here. 00:20:08.880 --> 00:20:12.640 We also know that this building is gonna be used for women's Bible studies. 00:20:12.799 --> 00:20:17.279 This building is gonna be used for young adults, this building is gonna be able to be used for Espanol. 00:20:17.519 --> 00:20:21.200 This building is gonna be used for new ministries that we haven't even thought of yet. 00:20:21.359 --> 00:20:26.880 It's gonna be a highly multi-purpose youth space that we're gonna be able to do many great things. 00:20:27.039 --> 00:20:29.440 Take a look at some of these pictures of what we're looking at doing. 00:20:29.599 --> 00:20:31.519 You see here, here's what the lobby would look like. 00:20:31.599 --> 00:20:36.720 It's kind of an inviting atmosphere that would allow folks to be able to hang out prior to walking into the worship center. 00:20:36.880 --> 00:20:37.920 Take a look at this next one. 00:20:38.000 --> 00:20:40.880 It shows you some pictures of what the worship center would look like. 00:20:40.960 --> 00:21:04.240 We're gonna be doing audio, visual, and lighting at the same quality that we have in this room, which will allow us to leverage the work that's already been done and created in those other spaces for overflow, for big weekends, for things like that, but also gonna allow us to be able to continually train up folks in this specific area, which we believe is gonna be where the world is going in every way. 00:21:04.319 --> 00:21:06.880 And we're gonna have the spaces to be able to do that. 00:21:07.039 --> 00:21:14.400 But I want you to notice there's a little door that is on the that goes towards the outside that heads back to our current kids' building. 00:21:14.480 --> 00:21:16.400 It's right there, okay, right through there. 00:21:16.559 --> 00:21:19.279 And I want to show you what our plans are for the outside, okay? 00:21:19.440 --> 00:21:20.319 Take a look at this. 00:21:20.480 --> 00:21:26.960 What we're wanting to do is to add two pickleball courts and a volleyball court in the back. 00:21:27.039 --> 00:21:30.400 So a back volleyball court, two pickleball courts that are on the sides. 00:21:30.480 --> 00:21:36.160 I can already see some of you over 35 thinking, you know, I that kind of hurt holding my hand up that long, but I can play some mean pickleball. 00:21:36.400 --> 00:21:37.599 Like I can do that. 00:21:37.839 --> 00:21:40.240 And and look, you can you can play some pickleball too. 00:21:40.480 --> 00:21:41.839 We'll allow you to do that, all right? 00:21:42.000 --> 00:21:51.039 But the primary goal is to create an environment where we can have next gen space where they can come and gather and be able to hear about Jesus. 00:21:51.279 --> 00:21:53.519 And so this right here is a project. 00:21:53.759 --> 00:21:54.880 There's another aerial view of it. 00:21:54.960 --> 00:21:57.039 You can kind of see what that what that would look like. 00:21:57.359 --> 00:21:59.599 This project costs four and a half million dollars. 00:22:00.079 --> 00:22:01.839 To be able to do four and a half million dollars. 00:22:02.000 --> 00:22:04.799 It would take us about five months to complete. 00:22:04.960 --> 00:22:10.079 Our ideal scenario is to start this project the day after Easter. 00:22:10.319 --> 00:22:18.640 And it would take five months to complete, and we wouldn't be able to use it at all, which by the way is a very big deal because we use that building all the time for a lot of different things. 00:22:18.960 --> 00:22:21.440 We've already thought through and think what that's going to look like. 00:22:21.599 --> 00:22:27.920 We have already raised half of that number, 2.25 million, which is incredible. 00:22:28.480 --> 00:22:30.079 But we need to close the gap. 00:22:30.720 --> 00:22:34.559 So what I'm asking you to do is one, pray for us about this. 00:22:34.799 --> 00:22:43.039 But two, I'm asking you, and a part of this generosity journey that we're going on to consider making this a part of what you give towards. 00:22:43.279 --> 00:22:45.279 So that we can build this and start it. 00:22:45.440 --> 00:22:47.200 We're going to do it whenever we get the money. 00:22:47.680 --> 00:22:54.400 But we also know we want to ask people to invest in something that we know is going to be of significant eternal value. 00:22:54.559 --> 00:22:55.519 Now, please hear me. 00:22:55.599 --> 00:22:59.599 This isn't like a vision moment where I'm telling you, man, man, God's got this great thing. 00:22:59.759 --> 00:23:01.519 This is not a vision project. 00:23:01.680 --> 00:23:03.519 This is a catch-up project. 00:23:03.759 --> 00:23:05.119 We don't even have to pray about it. 00:23:05.200 --> 00:23:06.240 We just need to do it. 00:23:06.480 --> 00:23:06.799 Okay? 00:23:07.039 --> 00:23:13.759 Because the reality is, while we've been fixing everything else, we needed to be fixing that, and we just had to prioritize different things. 00:23:13.920 --> 00:23:15.200 Now we got to catch up. 00:23:15.359 --> 00:23:16.799 And now we got to get this done. 00:23:17.039 --> 00:23:23.359 And so I want to encourage you, please consider what would God have you do to be a part of a project like this. 00:23:23.519 --> 00:23:33.680 Because here's the thing what we want to do is literally build the scaffolding where next generation can receive the baton and start to run. 00:23:34.559 --> 00:23:35.440 That's the goal. 00:23:35.839 --> 00:23:45.200 We got to prioritize them and we've got to make sure that we also do what we need to do in order to position them for success. 00:23:45.359 --> 00:23:46.319 Let's transition. 00:23:46.880 --> 00:23:48.960 Let's talk about the under-35 crowd. 00:23:49.119 --> 00:23:51.119 Under 35, raise your hands again for me. 00:23:51.200 --> 00:23:52.000 So I see what I'm talking to. 00:23:52.160 --> 00:23:52.400 Perfect. 00:23:52.480 --> 00:23:52.799 Awesome. 00:23:53.200 --> 00:23:56.079 Under 35 crowd, I'm going to give you two things as well. 00:23:56.480 --> 00:23:59.759 I want to make sure you know something, though, that's very important about this. 00:23:59.839 --> 00:24:04.799 Is what uh Ronnie Baker did not do, which is what caused that failed handoff to go. 00:24:04.880 --> 00:24:05.200 Okay. 00:24:05.680 --> 00:24:08.880 He waited too long before he started running. 00:24:09.119 --> 00:24:12.160 In the exchange zone, there's something called the fly zone. 00:24:12.559 --> 00:24:19.359 The fly zone means this: before you receive the baton, you're supposed to already start running. 00:24:20.319 --> 00:24:26.480 Too many times, the biggest problem with folks that are under 35 is they're just waiting for their turn. 00:24:27.359 --> 00:24:28.720 Don't wait for your turn. 00:24:29.359 --> 00:24:34.319 What I want to tell you is start running, and the baton will be put in your hand. 00:24:34.880 --> 00:24:36.319 Here's the things I want to tell you. 00:24:36.400 --> 00:24:38.079 Let's go back to Psalm 78, verse 1. 00:24:38.319 --> 00:24:39.519 Look what it tells us. 00:24:40.160 --> 00:24:42.880 Give ear, O my people, to my teaching. 00:24:43.279 --> 00:24:46.319 Incline your ears to the words of my mouth. 00:24:46.480 --> 00:24:47.279 Write this down. 00:24:47.440 --> 00:24:50.960 For you folks that are under 35, here's the first principle I want to give to you. 00:24:51.200 --> 00:24:53.839 Grab the baton with humility. 00:24:54.880 --> 00:24:57.440 Grab the baton with humility. 00:24:58.000 --> 00:25:10.240 One of the biggest things that I know I struggled with whenever I was under 35, and what I have times seen as well, is that I already know everything by the time that next generation gets to me. 00:25:11.519 --> 00:25:12.960 Already got it all figured out. 00:25:13.279 --> 00:25:14.480 I don't need your help. 00:25:14.720 --> 00:25:15.920 I don't need your hand anything. 00:25:16.000 --> 00:25:17.039 I'll do it on my own. 00:25:18.000 --> 00:25:20.640 And I'm telling you, there's been multiple examples. 00:25:20.799 --> 00:25:28.960 Second Kings chapter 12 gives an example of how Elijah, Elijah, took the mantle from Elijah and ran much further. 00:25:29.119 --> 00:25:34.480 But you also see other examples where basically Joshua didn't do what he needed to do. 00:25:34.559 --> 00:25:35.279 And what happened? 00:25:35.359 --> 00:25:38.640 It began to say that there's generations after him who didn't know the Lord. 00:25:39.200 --> 00:25:44.160 So what I'm asking you to do is to grab it with humility, a posture that says this. 00:25:44.319 --> 00:25:45.759 I got a lot I need to learn. 00:25:46.640 --> 00:25:48.240 But I'm also gonna run. 00:25:48.799 --> 00:25:50.480 Let me give you three things that you need to do. 00:25:50.559 --> 00:25:52.160 Number one is serve. 00:25:52.799 --> 00:25:53.839 What does this mean? 00:25:54.000 --> 00:25:57.759 Students, don't serve one day, serve right now. 00:25:58.799 --> 00:26:07.119 Go on a mission trip, go serve in kids' area, go through growth track and figure out ways that you can serve right now. 00:26:07.279 --> 00:26:14.240 This means young adults, don't wait until all the conditions are perfect and you feel like you're ready before you run. 00:26:14.400 --> 00:26:19.279 No, run with your hand out and serve right this moment. 00:26:19.680 --> 00:26:24.079 What you'll begin to discover is yes, you don't have it all figured out, but guess what? 00:26:24.240 --> 00:26:25.440 Neither did we. 00:26:26.799 --> 00:26:32.160 We may act like it now, but we promised you we had no idea what we were doing back whenever we were grabbing the baton. 00:26:32.559 --> 00:26:39.359 And so instead, what you need to do is just start running with your hand out, receive that baton, and you start serving. 00:26:39.440 --> 00:26:41.519 Let me give you the second thing, which is to share. 00:26:41.759 --> 00:26:43.119 Which is to share. 00:26:43.440 --> 00:26:46.880 Marquise Cox did an incredible job leading our encounter weekend. 00:26:46.960 --> 00:26:58.720 He's a pastor out of the San Antonio area, and he shared this very great outline that I want to share with you this morning that kind of challenges you that are specifically those of you, all of us, but really those that are under 35 to consider. 00:26:58.880 --> 00:27:05.119 And it's this idea of basically a model for how you build relationships with somebody to share the gospel with them. 00:27:05.359 --> 00:27:08.319 And he said, first of all, you just kind of talk about surface stuff. 00:27:08.559 --> 00:27:10.240 Hey, man, it's really cold outside. 00:27:10.480 --> 00:27:11.119 It's freezing. 00:27:11.200 --> 00:27:11.680 Can you believe it? 00:27:11.759 --> 00:27:12.720 Yeah, Houston, Texas. 00:27:12.799 --> 00:27:15.440 It's cold, you know, you're just kind of doing the whole generic thing. 00:27:15.599 --> 00:27:17.519 Then all of a sudden you kind of move towards something similar. 00:27:17.680 --> 00:27:19.440 Hey, man, that jacket, I got that same jacket. 00:27:19.519 --> 00:27:19.920 That's pretty cool. 00:27:20.000 --> 00:27:20.720 Where'd you get that jacket? 00:27:20.799 --> 00:27:25.440 Or whatever your similarity is, like you're talking to somebody and you're making that connect kind of connection. 00:27:25.519 --> 00:27:28.319 And then all of a sudden, it and sometimes it happens right away. 00:27:28.480 --> 00:27:32.640 Sometimes it takes some time, but something shifts and all of a sudden it gets serious. 00:27:32.880 --> 00:27:34.240 Maybe there's like, man, how are you doing? 00:27:34.400 --> 00:27:35.599 Oh man, it was a really rough weekend. 00:27:35.680 --> 00:27:36.960 Honestly, I'm struggling with some stuff. 00:27:37.119 --> 00:27:38.240 Or man, it was kind of tough. 00:27:38.319 --> 00:27:39.279 I actually went to a funeral. 00:27:39.359 --> 00:27:43.920 My my uh my my grandparents, they passed away, my grandmother passed away, and I had to go to their funeral. 00:27:44.000 --> 00:27:47.680 Like all of a sudden, you kind of just feel that moment where things just got serious. 00:27:47.920 --> 00:27:51.119 And at that moment, you don't just want to say, Man, I'm really sorry to hear that. 00:27:51.279 --> 00:27:52.400 That stinks. 00:27:52.960 --> 00:27:54.319 And then move on. 00:27:55.119 --> 00:27:57.359 That's when you want to move to spiritual. 00:27:57.920 --> 00:27:59.519 Hey, man, I'm really sorry to hear that. 00:27:59.759 --> 00:28:01.359 Can I pray for you about that? 00:28:02.160 --> 00:28:03.920 I've never met one person ever. 00:28:04.000 --> 00:28:08.799 And it's not because I'm a preacher, they don't know I'm a preacher who's turned down me offering to pray for them, never once. 00:28:09.440 --> 00:28:13.039 Even people who don't believe, they'll let you pray for them. 00:28:13.839 --> 00:28:25.440 Folks, what what I want to encourage you that are under 35, the statistics show this off the charts, that the thing that is working the most when it comes to evangelism is bold evangelism, it's not casual evangelism. 00:28:26.160 --> 00:28:30.559 You have platforms that those of us that are over 35 never even dreamed of. 00:28:31.200 --> 00:28:36.480 You've got opportunities to either scroll your life away or to share your life with others. 00:28:37.599 --> 00:28:51.920 So leverage the platforms that God is allowing you to have and use those things for the cause of Christ and the gospel, and you take what we never dreamed was possible, and you instead grab it and you begin to use it as you move forward. 00:28:52.000 --> 00:28:52.960 Let me give you the last one. 00:28:53.359 --> 00:28:54.720 Number three is partner. 00:28:55.599 --> 00:28:57.440