The Journey of Faith (My Last Sermon at Pleasant Grove Methodist Church)

Introduction
Do you remember the first sermon I preached here at Pleasant Grove?  Probably not.  That’s OK.  You probably won’t remember this last sermon either. 

But I do hope you will remember me.  I know I will always remember and thank God for you.  You have been a blessing to me and my family.  Most important of all, I want you to remember how good, how faithful, how wonderful is God.

I have preached over 700 times since I came to PG 15 years ago.  But this last sermon I only get to preach once.  So, I have prayed a long time about what I should say.  And through prayer, God told me this last sermon doesn’t need to:  summarize my ministry, justify why I am leaving, or secure my legacy.  Instead, I simply want to:  be a witness to God’s faithfulness, trust God with what I cannot carry forward, and release you.

Hebrews 11:8-16
⁸ It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going. ⁹ And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith—for he was like a foreigner, living in tents. And so did Isaac and Jacob, who inherited the same promise. ¹⁰ Abraham was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God.

¹¹ It was by faith that even Sarah was able to have a child, though she was barren and was too old. She believed^[a] that God would keep his promise. ¹² And so a whole nation came from this one man who was as good as dead—a nation with so many people that, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore, there is no way to count them.

¹³ All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth. ¹⁴ Obviously people who say such things are looking forward to a country they can call their own. ¹⁵ If they had longed for the country they came from, they could have gone back. ¹⁶ But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

Abraham & Sarah
Abraham trusted God enough to leave his homeland and go to a “Promised Land”.  Abraham didn’t even know where he was going, but trusted God to show him how to get there. 

Obviously, I feel a kinship to Abraham.  I spent my childhood moving from town to town.  Then I became a pastor who moves from church to church ever so many years at the Lord's direction.  So, I I can relate to Abraham in the sense of literally following the Lord by leaving a place you love to go where the Lord is sending you.

Sarah also had great faith.  She left her hometown too, going with Abraham.  I am so thankful for my wife, Kelly.  She lived in the same home for her entire childhood.  Then she married me and has been moving every since, because the Lord has moved me and she has been so faithful to go with me everywhere I've gone.  And that takes a lot of faith and dedication.

Sarah also trusted God to give her a son, even though she was old and barren.  And He did.  Sarah gave birth to a son, Isaac; and through him came countless descendants.  Sarah and Abraham had many biological descendants: the 12 tribes of Israel.  

But their descendants also included are many non-biological descendants.  Anyone who chose to follow the God of Abraham became a one of Abraham’s children.  In John 8, Jesus explained being a descendant of Abraham is not about bloodline;  it’s about faithfulness.

Hebrews 13a
Hebrews 11:13a says:  “All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it.”

These people who trusted God with everything died without receiving what God promised.  Yet they still believed.

Now think about that.  That takes some deep faith.  Can you trust God even if you die before receiving and answer to your prayers?  True Christian teaching holds that we are saved by God’s grace when we have faith.  God promises that all who repent of their sin and trust in the atonement on the cross shall be forgiven their sins and welcomed into the eternal Kingdom of Heaven.  Do you believe God’s promise to you through Jesus Christ?

God Has Been Faithful to Us
God has been faithful to me. 15 years ago, I was sitting in a hunting blind in the woods on a spring day, hunting turkey in Forsyth, GA.  My District Superintendent called.  That’s the only reason I answered the phone while hunting!  He said, "I know you've enjoyed serving your church in Smarr for 5 years, but it's time to move.  The Bishop plans to appoint you to Pleasant Grove United Methodist Church in Dalton."  

I didn't know much about Dalton, except the made a lot of carpet.  And it was on the complete opposite side of the North Georgia Conference.  But I promised to go where they sent me.  So, we packed up everything and moved to Dalton.

For 15 years, God’s been faithful to me as I’ve shepherded this flock. He has taken care of my family.  My children each knew your love in ways that shaped them for the rest of their lives.  Kelly and I have been shaped by you too.  I've learned so much , grown as a pastor and a Christian from having been with you.  Thank you for loving me and my family.  And thank you for growing in Christ along with me.

God has used me to bless many here in Whitfield County—not because of my talent or anything good in me.  God has blessed you through me simply because I said yes.  If anything good has come from my ministry here, it is because of God’s goodness and blessing.  Any mistakes or harm that's been done is on me.

Trusting God Means Letting Go
Trusting God means letting go.  You may have your own ideas about how things should go. But you can’t be a control freak about your life and put your trust in God.  It requires letting go.  You may not understand His ways, but you trust His way is always best. 

It’s hard for me to let go when it comes to you.  I love you.  

For 15 years, I’ve focused so much of my heart on you.  And I have a shepherd’s heart.  I always want to protect you.  I always want to lead you in the right direction.  But now God has called me to go shepherd another flock. And I trust God above all else.  And that means I have to let go.  I have to entrust you to another shepherd God will send.

So I will not cling to you.  I will not try to meddle in your affairs after I leave.  I will not compete or hinder your next pastor in any way.  Because I trust God is sending you just the right shepherd He has chosen to lead you as God wants you to be lead.  So, I will be very careful not to do anything that interferes with you accepting and following the new shepherd God brings to lead you.

I’ve spent the last few months preparing to depart.  I’ve tried to get things ready.  I’ve turned over duties to different leaders I trust so Pleasant Grove can continue to serve God.

I’ve helped setup a transition team to lead you until God sends a new pastor here.  Amy Harris, David Crawford, Sherry Dickson, and Kelsey Ikerd have agreed to take turns preaching on Sunday mornings.  They already have the next 8 weeks scheduled.

Rev. Don Dexheimer—a retired Methodist minister—will cover pastoral needs that require an ordained minister (holy communion, baptisms, funerals, etc.).  He will also facilitate Wednesday night discussions (resumes Jan 14^th).

Sherry Dickson will teach Thursday morning Bible study (resumes on Jan. 15^th).

And I have never tried to micromanage you because I know God has given each one of you a special gift to help uplift this congregation and carry out the mission to make disciples of Christ.  So, I trust God will help each one of you to step up and support this church in your own way.

I can’t tie up every loose end.  But I’ve done what I can.  Now I want to bless you and commend you to God.  I trust Him to take care of you, just as I trust Him to take care of me and Kelly and our family.

Home is Not A Place on Earth
One of the main ideas in Hebrews 11 that really resonates with me and is so important for us is:
Home is not a place on earth. 

Hebrews 11:14-16a says Abraham’s descendants were, “…looking forward to a country they can call their own. ¹⁵ If they had longed for the country they came from, they could have gone back. ¹⁶ But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland.”

Whether you've around a lot or lived in the same home your whole life, I want to leave you with this important truth from Scripture.  Our true Home is yet to come.  God has promised eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven for all who trust Christ as their Lord and Savior.  And that will be our true Home, our Promised Land.

I hope I will see you again in this life.  But even if I don't, I hope we will be together for eternity in our Heavenly Home.  We will gather around the throne of God.  And we will never have to leave each other again, because we will live together with God and each other in perfect harmony.  And there will be no more sickness or sorrow or suffering or death.

Closing Ceremony 
As I close today, I want to have a special ceremony to symbolically release and bless each other as I pass the light of Christ on to you to carry it forward.

I would like to invite some members of the transition team up to the altar.
[David Crawford, Amy Harris, Kelsey Ikerd, Don Dexheimer, and Sherry Dickson]

Pastor:  “The light that has guided us does not belong to any one pastor or season. It is the light of Christ.”

[Light transition team's candles from the Christ candle]

Pastor:  “This light is now carried not by one voice, but by many.  And it belongs not only to those who preach, but to all who serve.”

Pastor Asks the Transition Team:  “Will you serve faithfully in this season, listening for God’s voice and caring for this congregation with humility and courage?”

Transition Team Representatives:  “With God’s help, we will.”

Pastor Asks the Congregation:  “Will you continue in the worship and mission of this church, trusting God to lead you into what comes next?”

Congregation:  “With God’s help, we will.”

Pastor Asks All:  “Will you pray for one another, speak the truth in love, and remain open to the work of the Holy Spirit?”

All:  “With God’s help, we will.”

 

The Church | A Sermon on Ephesians 2:19-22

Introduction
This is the last message in our series on Holy Ground.  We have studied the historical contexts of God making space to meet with people on Holy Ground.  We’ve learned about the Tabernacle where God chose to live in a tent while the Israelites wandered through the desert.  We learned about the Holy Temple in Jerusalem Solomon built to reflect the glory of God.  Today, we will consider the Church, the new living Temple where people meet with God on Holy Ground.

This is also a significant day in the life of our congregation.  For today we will rededicate
Pleasant Grove Methodist Church to the glory of God and the mission of His Church.
In January of this year, Pleasant Grove official moved our membership from the United MC to the Global Methodist Church.  It was not an easy process.  It took a great deal of work, a great deal of patience, and a great deal of money to fulfill our obligations to the United Methodist Church and to cover disaffiliation fees.

I want to express my gratitude to everyone for your support and dedication through this transition.  I greatly appreciated your care and concern for me and my family…

More importantly, I am grateful to the Lord that He has blessed me to serve a congregation that places allegiance t the Word of God above all else and was committed to do whatever necessary to remain faithful to God by practicing biblical Christianity in ways we felt led.

This has been a long process that has been bathed in prayer from the start.  We began discussions about our relationship with the UMC in early 2020.  It was at that time we changed our name from Pleasant Grove United Methodist Church to Pleasant Grove Methodist Church in anticipation of expected changes in the direction of our church.  We expected a change might happen at the scheduled 2020 General Conference that May, but then COVID delayed General Conference and any changes it might bring.  In July of 2022, we had a town hall meeting and polled members about their preference for PG’s future.  They indicated their desire to seek disaffiliation from the United Methodist Church.  Illegal and unfair stalling by the North Georgia Annual Conference of the UMC in early 2023 delayed Pleasant Grove’s exit from the UMC until the Superior Court of Cobb County ruled the NGUMC must honor their offer to allow churches to disaffiliate for reasons of conscience.  

Within 6 months, Pleasant Grove raised over $50K to cover disaffiliation fees.  I’m so proud of the church's commitment God’s Word.  It is one thing to say you believe the Bible with your lips.  It is another thing to put your money where our mouth is.  Pleasant Grove proved their true allegiance is to the Holy Bible.

I want to specifically name those who served on Pleasant Grove's disaffiliation team:  Marcus Blalock, Maribeth Reno, and Rita Wagers.  And also those who were part of the affiliation team:  Debra Sloan, Elaine McDonald, Harold Brooker, Kevin Roberts, Kyle Marlow, Mike Wilson, Salena Weed, and Tom Dickson.

On July 25^th of 2023, Pleasant Grove officially voted to disaffiliate from the UMC.  On November 19^th of 2023, PG officially voted to join the new Global Methodist Church; our church was the very first in our community to choose to join and be approved as a GMC church.  Since that time, our church has been working through the transition.  And today, we officially rededicate our church as Pleasant Grove Methodist Church, a Global Methodist Church.   

I want to emphasize that this is not just a change of denominational affiliation but a recommitment to our shared faith and mission.  At PGMC, we believe the Bible is the foundation of all we believe and practice.  And we believe we live out our Christian beliefs in connection with other believers.  Our congregation does not stand alone.  We live out our faith connected with other Christians from around the entire globe.  We are part of a global movement, with churches all across the US, in the Phillipines, Europe, Africa, and South America.

And so today, it is very significant that we hold this service to rededicate ourselves as a symbolic act to embrace our identity and mission in the Global Methodist Church.  And today, I want to share 3 Scriptures from God’s Holy Word to help chart our future as God’s people at PG.

Joshua 24:15
"But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve... But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord."

These were Joshua's words to the Israelites as they took possession of the Promised Land.  He challenged them to make reaffirm their covenant to serve their Lord, Yahweh, alone.  

It is fitting that we should remember these words today as we rededicate our church to the Lord, Yahweh.  I challenge you to make a personal and collective commitment to put God first, above everything else in your life.  This is the sacred covenant we make on this holy ground.

2 Chronicles 7:14
"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

This Scripture was spoken by God to Solomon during the dedication of the Temple in Jerusalem nearly 4,000 years ago.  It reminds us of God’s promise of renewal and healing when His people turn to Him wholeheartedly.  As we rededicate our church and seek renewal (both personally and as a congregation), we must commit to humbling ourselves, seeking God’s face, and being true to His word.

Our Core Values
Our decision to join the Global Methodist Church is an outward expression of our core values to
hold to scriptural authority in connection with other believers who live holy lives and seek to make disciples of Jesus Christ.  Prayer must be at the center of everything we do.  

As an outward expression of the centrality of prayer to our church, we are renovating our prayer room to make it a beautiful place of peace, inviting to all to come and lift up prayers to our God.  This is a fresh start for our church and a new chapter in the life of the church.  Let prayer always be at the center of everything we do.

Ephesians 2:19-22
"Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, ²⁰ built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. ²¹ In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. ²² And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit."

Last week, we learned about the glory of the Temple in Jerusalem where God dwelled.  But this Scripture in the New Testament teaches that, because of Jesus Christ, Christians have become the new Temple where God’s Holy Spirit dwells.  The Church—which is not a building but every person who follows Jesus—is the new Temple.  Jesus is the cornerstone, and the teachings of the Apostles about Jesus in the New Testament are the foundation of everything we believe and do.

But everyone of you (if you believe in Jesus) is a living stone in this spiritual Temple.  And together, we reflect God’s presence in the world.  Just as this building, located here on Cleveland Highway, stands as a physical symbol of God's presence to the thousands of people who drive past it every day, you who are part of this church are a living reminder to everyone you encounter, everyday, that God is presence in our world.  What you say and how you live are testaments to Jesus Christ every moment of your life.  Therefore, I encourage you live out your faith, carefully and prayerfully, for you are the Church.

Conclusion
We are physical people who live in a physical world.  Therefore, it is helpful for us to have physical things to remind us of our spiritual covenants.  We have been focusing all year long on renovating and renewing both the physical aspects of our worship as well as reviving the spiritual practices of our  lives.  Many things have already been done:
We installed a new LED sign in 2020 showing our new name - Pleasant Grove Methodist Church.
We stalled new floors in our Sunday school wing in 2021.
We purchased new hymnals and new pew Bibles for our sanctuary this year.

There are other things still in progress:
We will soon publish a new pictorial directory for our church.
We will repair our flag poll and install new flags.
We have several clean up projects to accomplish around our campus.
We will renovated prayer room.

How could you live out the commitments we make today with a renewed commitment to clean up and maintain our physical environment as we also renew our spiritual lives? 

Ceremony of Rededication
"Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve... But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord."

Place Rock on the altar – 

This rock was picked up from the ground in the Holy Land during a trip in 2008.  We place it on the altar as a call to remember our church is holy ground.  Let us remember and treat these grounds as sacred.

Place Bible on the altar
We place this Pew Bible on the altar as a reminder that we stand firmly on God’s Holy Word.  I call upon you to study the Bible, to know it's precepts, and to live them out everyday.

Place Hymnal on the altar

We place this hymnal on the altar as a reminder that we must worship Jesus passionately.  I call upon you to worship Jesus passionately in Spirit & Truth.

"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

Place Prayer Book on the altar
We place this book of prayers on the altar to remind us of the centrality of pray in Christian living.  I call upon you to pray fervently.

Place Candles on the altar
We place these candles on the altar to remind us that we are to be the light of the world.  Jesus said, you are to be like a city on the hill whose light shines for all to see.  I call upon you to be the light to the world, shining forth good deeds that point people to Jesus our Lord.

Rededicating Ourselves as Members
Do you believe in God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit? I do.

Do you confess Jesus Christ as Savior, put your whole trust in His grace, and promise to serve Him as your Lord? I do.

Do you receive and profess the Christian faith as contained in the Scriptures? I do.

Do you promise, according to the grace given you, to keep God’s holy will and commandments and walk in the same all the days of your life as a faithful member of Christ’s holy church? I do.

Will you be loyal to Christ through the Global Methodist Church and joining with your brothers and sisters around the world do all in your power to fulfill its mission? I will.

Will you be a faithful member of Pleasant Grove Methodist Church, a Global Methodist local church, doing all in your power to strengthen its ministries through your prayers, your presence, your gifts, your service, and your witness as Christ’s representative in this world? I will.

Place a Bottle of Oil on the Altar

We place this bottle of oil on the altar to remind us that we are filled with the Holy Spirit and annointed to share the Good News about Christ.  I call on you to be filled with the Holy Spirit ad to be witnesses for Jesus Christ.

[Invite the congregation to come forward and be anointed with oil.]

Prayer of Dedication