OGC owns a building!

When I was young, I grew up in my parents' house. It was a great house, and I loved it. The lack of responsibility was fantastic, but at the end of the day, it was my parents' house. As I got older, I got to live in a dorm, where life was great also, but the dorm was not mine. I was subject to a series of rules, some I liked, some I didn't, but nevertheless the dorm was a great place to live, while still being a temporary place.

As Christians, we certainly understand the concept of a temporary home. We understand being strangers in a strange land. This is one of the reasons that we are so excited about things that bring us closer to our permanent home (like worship, prayer, Christian fellowship, and discipleship). John Piper said, "We pray because we are homesick!"

I will not forget the day that Kelly and I moved into our first house together. The house did not, and does not, define us to those who know us best (though it may, to a degree, to those who know us a little). The fact that the house is ours, however, gives us a little comfort, the ability to set roots, a focus point for our ministry, and a place for our kids to grow up and leave.

At Orlando Grace, we have been in a temporary home for our existence. That doesn't de-legitimize our ministry in any sense, but having a building will allow us to set down better roots, have a focus point for our ministry, and have a place where we can raise those servants that will one day represent us in other ministries or on the mission field. This building is a huge step, and those of us who are members at this point of OGC's history get to do this!

Just as on a personal level, I could have never achieved what I did without my parents, we could never have achieved this without those who have supported OGC over the years. We could never have done this without the "support" of the city. God sovereignly has put the pieces together so that we can have this building, and a committee of seven members has been meeting to try and make sure that we have an appropriate show of appreciation at the dedication. I am blessed to be a small part of that committee.

As a committee, we want to honor those who came before us, those who allowed us to do this project from the outside, and what God has done with those of us whom He is knitting together into His church. We want this to be a launching point for our ministry to achieve even greater things while "Engaging peoples everywhere to pursue ultimate satisfaction in Jesus." So, in the coming weeks, as you are hearing about various things the church will be doing to help us reach this ultimate goal, take note.

Hold us accountable so that we don't idolize this new gift from God, but certainly join us in celebrating the incredible gifts He has bestowed upon us!