Monday, September 20, 2010 40 Days of Prayer & Impact: 20 Days to Launch

Today, there are 20 DAYS before the Encounter Grand Opening on 10-10-10. We are asking you to join us in what God is doing and is going to do in these last 40 days.

Pray with us. Act with us. Imagine the impact we could have in Helena if each one of us is individually involved in making Helena a better place. Imagine the lives that could be touched. Imagine how the spiritual landscape of our community could be changed even BEFORE the grand opening.

Challenge Assumptions

Today, we are looking at Genesis 15:5 ...

Then the Lord took Abram [Abraham] outside and said to him, "Look up into the sky and count the stars if you can. That’s how many descendants you will have!"

God is full of promises for those who seek Him. In this verse, God takes Abraham for a night of star gazing. But it's easy to miss the significance of what God DID amidst the significance of what He SAID.

Can you imagine? Abraham was probably comfortable inside His tent. He was prepared for a good night's sleep. He assumed that his day's journey was at an end. But then, God took Abraham outside.

Sometimes we get comfortable in our assumptions, but then we cannot imagine what God has in store for us.

Immeasurably More

Today, we start the final countdown to the Encounter Grand Opening on 10-10-10. Our tendency is to rely on what we know — to assume we know what God has in store. But on the contrary! Ephesians 3:20 tell us that God can accomplish "immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine." That blows our assumptions to high heaven (pun intended).

Here are some assumptions that we, at Encounter, have been challenging over the last year:

• Churches don't go out to serve people and meet needs in the community.
• I have to clean up my act before attending a church, because people there are perfect.
• Church music is boring. They don't have rock bands ... or put on concerts.
• Sermons are long sleepy monologues that I can't relate with or apply in my life.
• A church congregation would never throw purple fuzzy balls around during the message.
• I can go back to my regular life after the worship gathering. There's no connection with my faith and real life.
  

We had our plans for Encounter, and while the vision God has given us remains the same, He has challenged our assumptions of what a church can be. He has created a community of faith that is more authentic, real, and exciting than we had every hoped or imagined. Isn't that Just like God?

TODAY'S PRAYER

In keeping with a simple focus, our prayer today is to ask God to challenge our assumptions. Even more, allow God to take you star gazing like Abraham and to tear down all your assumptions. Know right now, that He is doing far greater with Encounter that we can even see, hope, or imagine. And He is working in your life right now to do amazing things in the near future.

TODAY'S IMPACT

Consider today what assumptions are holding you back. Are you actively participating with others in making our city a better place? Are you engaging your friends, co-workers, and fellow students to encounter God? If not, why? One way might be to volunteer to help for the Kids Fall Fest on Saturday, October 9. Encounter is looking for just 6 volunteers to to operate FREE kids inflatables and give away FREE cotton candy & popcorn. If you are willing, contact us today. Take an intentional step today to "Be The Change."