BHAG . . . confidence to step out again

Being debt free! It really is everyone’s dream and goal, isn’t it? What a thrill it was last Sunday to be able to burn our current church mortgage and know that we are officially debt free. This is no small matter. When Dr. Young led Grace Church into this major step of faith of more than doubling the size of the facility, many people could not catch the vision. Several people even left the church during that time. Most every banking institution refused to loan the money feeling that we were too big of a liability.

But here we are today and what has God done? We never missed one payment. Even during the tight financial times of years past, I am told that we never even mailed one payment late. What a testimony to the marvelous work of God through His church. And today, as a result, we are literally reaching more people on a daily basis, than most people ever dreamed possible. But that is just like God, isn’t it? According to Ephesians 3:20, He is a God who does super abundantly beyond anything we could ever ask for and anything we could ever imagine! So let’s ask for more! Let’s dream bigger dreams!

So how do we respond to being debt free as a church? Well, there are some who would respond by saying, “Great! Now let’s never get in debt again.” I can understand that thinking, but to be perfectly honest, I can’t advocate it. God doesn’t give us victories so that we can say, “Great! Now let’s never step out on faith again!” God gives us victories in order to give us even greater confidence that we can take even bigger steps of faith as he leads us. It is when we look at the victories like we had last Sunday in burning this mortgage that we should develop what one writer has called BHAG’s. BHAG stands for

Big
Hairy
Audacious
Goals

Now is not the time for us to get comfortable and to say we have arrived. I remember the airline commercial years ago on television where the team is in the locker room and the coach is really giving it to them…yelling, pounding his fist against the locker, and overturning tables. Finally, one player asks, “But coach, aren’t we ahead by 24 points?” And to that the coach says, “That’s exactly the attitude I’m talking about…when you become satisfied as a football player we are through as a football team!” That is how I feel about the church. Folks, let me be honest. When we reach the point that we feel we are comfortable enough and no longer need to step out on faith anymore, than it is time to put the “closed” sign on the front doors of the facility and stop all ministries.

Now is the time for us to dream bigger dreams than ever before. Now is the time for us to take even bigger steps of faith. Why? Because we have developed confidence in our God! My dream remains intact. I want Grace to be a place that reaches 10,000 people. D.L. Moody said, “If God be your partner, make your plans large!” Amen and BHAG!