Greater Growth

All right. You can be seated if you'd like. You can get your notebooks out, your journals. We are March the 18th, 2026. Feel free to take notes if you want. Um the uh theme for this month of course for the year be disrupting back there but for the year our theme is greater and for the month of March greater growth. Everybody say growth. >> No really say growth. >> Growth. What's it like to grow? painful. Yeah. What else? Good. Huh? The journey's good, right? What else? To grow. >> It's a process. Absolutely. What else? To grow. And and in any sense, longsuffering. You got to wait. Sometime, you know, you're trying to grow a nest egg, for an example, takes a lifetime. I I know we understand the principles of just growth. We we get that just by living and and understanding and studying science and whatnot. But tonight, see a couple of lessons that we've had already. We talked about how we connect through our prayer time, our time with God, how we make that valuable. And the closer we get to him, uh we discovered a few weeks ago, the more that we are able to hear him. And when we're able to hear him, we can respond and we can reflect on what he is doing in our lives or in someone else's life. And then last week, Brother Sam taught uh a lot of statistics, a lot of uh meat and potatoes, if you will, on growth and how that our culture and our society looks at church and religion and whatnot. Tonight, I want to take us into another direction, if you will allow me to. Session number three. um h how we grow into our communities, how we grow into our communities. Uh question, and you this you might have to guess or you may actually keep up with this. It'd be a shame if you did, but uh how many people do you come in contact with each day? Okay. Aside from that, how many people do you touch? Do you come in contact with every day? What's a guess? >> 20. Okay. Anybody else got any guesses? 20 sound reasonable? Brother, you bring such a challenge to my class. Can't ask him anything. Have you ever shaken a God said dead or alive? Oh boy, you just ruined the whole class. Uh now to for to to answer how many people you come in contact with or you touch on a daily basis that that has a lot of uh variables if you work from home. I mean it's you you know I I for an example I own my own business right aside from pastoring here.

Uh, and so, man, my company parties are terrible. Uh, sorry, cuz I'm the only one. It's just me and it's I call every meal like, "Yeah, we're going out for lunch today, right?" Um, not a whole lot of folk if I'm out on a job somewhere, it's me or me and a helper and maybe one others. So, I have to find ways intentionally to connect with folk. H how about you? Anybody want to want to share with us how many folk in a day that you come in touch with come in contact with? >> How many? >> 130. Okay. Why? Why so many or so few? >> Hospital. >> Oh, a hospital. There you go. >> Okay. >> I mean everybody. >> The whole Okay. Well, there you go. Very cool. Anyone else? What about you, Dakota? >> My wife. >> He works from home. Anybody else? >> And then that would be >> at work at your job. Okay. All right. Anyone else? >> Okay. So, so you you so you see here the point is if I may 130 to four to one or two um that's that's a huge gap there. Now, let me ask it this way and it might it might come a little closer home to you. Again, this is part of our session tonight. Who is walking into your life every day in a small way, but they're leaving a big footprint? because I'm sure that we all you may not know it now, but you may be rubbing shoulders or interacting with someone now uh that actually is investing in you in ways that you you really won't know until maybe even the future. You know, for an example, my grandmother, my grandfather, I didn't they were interacting with me. I didn't realize until way later in life the impact they had on my life. You know, I just thought it was a bologoney sandwich and tomato soup. But to my grandmother, that was that was how she interacted with folk. And then that impressed me. You see what I'm saying? So those things, how about you? How how many who do you come in contact with in a small way, but yet they leave a a big impression, a big footprint in your life? Can you name somebody maybe in your life? All right. So, nobody. Very cool. We live good lives. Um, >> okay. >> Now, >> okay. Now she is 90. Okay. called me one day. >> Oh, wow. >> I don't think about it that much, but she was >> Okay. Didn't know it then. >> Yes. >> You were just trying to get through school and Okay.

Wow. Anybody else care to share? >> Um church and I've got a gentleman who lost his son Robins. I can call him any feeling down like I've got to go. call him because he has positive attitude. So, you know, you got different people in your life that I'm having good day or I want to share something with somebody. There's just certain ones that >> do can I ask a question if you don't mind? Do do you take it for granted? >> I do. >> Yeah. And and that don't we all? I mean, really. I I really didn't know how much I'd missed my mom until she's gone. And now I'm like, "Wow, there was so many things." You know, for an example, all of a sudden, all of a sudden, um, who do you pass every We're headed somewhere. Stay with me. Who do you pass daily? And, and anybody here ever go shopping at Walmart? I don't want to put a cloud over the class, but anybody Oh, most of y'all probably order it and then go pull up and they come throw it in your trunk, right? And you hope and pray that it's No. Okay. Can I ask you this then? Then your trip to Walmart, let's just I'm using that one as a basis here. What is your purpose in going there? >> Get what? >> Get what you need and and then get out. What what what if what if God had a purpose in your trip to Walmart? It's a question. >> Is it okay to think that in our busy lives and in our day in and day out rumaging through life trying to make ends meet and trying to figure out if they even know each other. um that maybe God actually has a plan and somehow some way just wants to know that your journey to Walmart to to get that ice cream that you so desperately feel like is good because it's called moose tracks or something like that. I don't know. I'm just saying. >> Oh, revival in the back row. Gotcha. Um what what if God was in your ice cream set? Let me go with here. when you come in contact with people every day at your work, at the store, uh on a walk, at the office, you know, getting out of your car, going in to a a place of business, I I really feel like that God has a way of seeing through all of what we are doing and he has a way to say, I have a reason that you're going there. Now, I I would dare say most of us would testify that in some time in our life, we've been thrown off by that.

Some somebody just a moment ago even said, "Yeah, you know what? last week in Walmart or last week in the store and it's like this thing happens and this interaction happens and you weren't at all expecting it maybe and all of a sudden you're standing and 30 minutes later and you're praying with that person in in a store or whatever happens to be or you're exchanging uh phone numbers or or email account, you know, because all of a sudden in the middle of your mundane trying to accomplish life, God shows up. Huh? I've had some very, very incredible life changes in my life and I was not at all expecting it. Have you ever thought about what you would do if you met somebody rich and famous? Oh, come on. Don't lie. Boy, if if they give me a chance, I I'd ask Shaq for a million dollars and I'd have to do it like this. or you know if boy if I met Bill Elon Musk first I'd buy him a pair of shoes and then then I'd ask him for you know what I'm saying come on am I the only silly one >> some of y'all think that I know you do because I see it I see I see it when you're praying Lord I if you just let me get this money I'll pay tithe on it I will I I'll give my 10 cents Lord you know I will here here's the thing sometimes in life we are trying to figure out the value of someone we meet by what they can give us, what they can do for us. That that's not at all what Jesus did. In fact, Jesus was very very determined in life to simply do life and look for ways to impact people. All right? There is no way in this world anybody thought Jesus wise for walking up to that tree and shouting at the short man. Today I'm going to your house. But Jesus was intentional with that. Okay. There's no way that that you or I would even say Jesus is probably you probably want to leave that tomb alone because the dude's smelling by now. Jesus is saying I'm got something I'm trying to do. And Lazarus is going to come out of the tomb. Let's go to the Bi. Can we do Bible? We Okay. Biblical things. Yeah, that's that's a good idea. Matthew chapter 5. This is probably memorized by most of most of you. And I I'm trying to watch my clock. Matthew chapter 5. If you didn't bring your Bible, you can use the screen over there.

Uh can there's 16 verses we need to read here. Can can we start somewhere and just kind of read around the room and and uh so we can all act like we were in Bible class tonight. Brother Dakota, will you start back there, please? >> Verse two, someone >> three someone >> four Five. >> Number six. >> Number seven. >> Eight. >> Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God. >> Nine. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. >> 10. >> Blessed are they which are persecuted fore. >> Very good. 11. >> 12. 13. >> 14. >> 15. 16. >> In the same way, let your light shine that they may see your good works and glorify your father in heaven. >> Very good. Notice Matthew 5. These are known as >> the batitudes. Yes, the biatitudes. The attitude you should be the way you should interact, the way things are. They're very, very They're probably on a plaque in your grandmother's living room. may buy a home interior if anybody remembers that or they're on a card that you got for some kind of something in your life. Jesus begins. Now, all of this, if you've got the King James, you'll notice they're in red. This would be the closest they could tell were words of Jesus. There's a multitude there. He sits down and he begins to talk and the disciples are there with him and he starts blessed, blessed, blessed, blessed, blessed, blessed, blessed, blessed. And he gets through this list of blessings. And every single one of the blessings have a um repercussion for blessed are these because this will happen. Blessed are this because that will happen. Blessed are these and those because this will take place. The references here for the biatitudes, if you will. Jesus was simply explaining to his followers, there's a lot of things here that humanity will and cannot do well. But if you'll go above and beyond, peacemaker for an example, if you'll go above and beyond and you'll do things uh the meek for an example, or you go above and beyond and and and you're sad when somebody else is sad, you mourn with them, whatever. There are blessings that come to you and then he he he changes gears. It's almost as if he's he's right in the middle of this. But in the teaching, if you note anything about Matthew, these five, six, seven, eight, man, these are incredible topics that Jesus is teaching and he's just going through these and people are following and and and they're sitting there trying to grasp everything he's throwing at him and then all of a sudden he begins to talk about uh you are the salt of the earth.

You are the light. Uh somebody help me here. If you're the salt of the earth, what what tech again, aside from Matthew 5 account, what does it mean to be salt? >> Flavor. What else? Absolute. What else? >> To preserve. >> Preserve. Okay. What else? Anybody? What else for salt? You melt the roads when they're covered in ice. What else? It'll change the makeup and the compound of some things. You know, you can put salt. You can put salt on on flesh. Man, it changes the entirety of what that flesh looks like. Salt will. In fact, my dad had this bright idea when I was a kid and I had a a canker sore in my mouth. He said, "Put salt on it. It'll heal it. and I was nine. >> And you remember >> and he poured in there and then he said, "Now hold it." AND I'M S DYING AND I'M LIKE, "GET the world. My foot's hurt worse now because it's all the way through." Salt changes things. It flavors things. It preserves things. It changes ice to water. on and on and on. The beauty of this lesson that Jesus gives is he said blessed are those blessed are those blessed are those and you are salt. I mean that's basically what the lesson is because salt is used for something that actually changes what it comes in contact with. We're talking about greater growth. We've been talking about how that prayer a couple weeks ago will take us to a greater level in God. Talk about how we interact with other people and how that takes us to a greater level in God. Tonight, what I what I'm talking about here is your daily activity and how you interact with folk because you are salt. You can actually change the atmosphere, the situation where you are. You can go into your job and if you're full of the Holy Ghost and you're walking in the spirit, if you will, even on your job, you can walk in with such peace and and it can overcome an incredible terrible situation that somebody's going through. I know there are some of you that work in the medical field and and and that's very taxing. You know, watching people hurt hurts. Watching folk suffer causes you to to see things differently. And so there has to be something some way that you can transition from the down and out feeling bad for them and perhaps change the atmosphere to where they may still be hurting but something can bring hope to them. It's just called contact with them. That's all. The pat on the back, the hand on the shoulder, the brief prayer with them.

Uh I believe that salt is represented there. I think that as you interact in your day-today life, greater growth says intentionally now you show the love of God to others. Greater growth gets you past the hurry up, let me run into Walmart, get what I need, and get out the door. And instead, it causes you to say, 'Lord, I'm about to jump out of this car, run inside, and get a gallon of milk that cost me $7, and I don't like it. But I'm going, and Lord, if I go in there and I do that, can I please have a good attitude? You know, because I'm always tested and tried, oo, tempted and cast down when I get into Walmart because I got to go check out myself, Matt. I'm like, woohoo. I gotta ring myself out. When is payday? >> Amen. >> That's what I ask. They get all mad at me. I'm like, when when I come get my check, >> right? >> Nobody else asked that. I do. I When I get my day, >> man, ain't a bit of salt here. I'm about to get salty, though. You know what I'm saying? You know what I'm saying? >> Listen to me carefully. Always >> sometimes some please please don't get me sidetracked on that one. Better yet, go into a store and ask for where something is. >> They got and they get their phone out. Okay, I'm sorry. Sorry, I got sidetracked. Sorry about that. Here, here's the thing. We are living I I I've stated this before months and months ago. You can actually live in your house, climb out of your bed when the alarm goes off, go drink your coffee, get into your car, push the button for your garage door, back out of your garage, push the button to close that door, drive to work, pull into the work garage, get out of your car, go right to your desk, sit down, work your eight hours, go back to your car, go you can do your entire day and never interact with anyone. >> Absolutely. >> Some of us probably relish the fact that you can do that. And all the while, all the while, listen what happens. All the while, your testimony begins begats weaknesses and become begins to >> to Wayne because you're not sure. I don't know about you, but when when I'm down and or when I'm I'm preoccupied or when my mind's in a thousand directions and somebody stops me in my tracks and says, "Hey, can you help me pray about a situation? I got to go." Whoa.

Okay. Got to turn that into another gear. It changes me. Now, what what if, if I may, I know there'd be it might be a slight chance, but what if God actually knew what he was doing? I mean, what if he actually knew that that person that you're going to stand with in the line at the grocery store is in desperate need of a kind word and he trusted you with it. Well, that ought to that ought to move us about. Bunch of years ago, we were on the mission field in South America. I think I've shared this, but um I had a pastor's session for a week in the Bible school. Brought in a speaker from the states. He came down and we had several. It was just for pastors. There was probably 15 or 20 total pastors there that session. And one of the exercises we did, I divided them up into three groups. And there's like four or five in each of the groups. And on a on a anybody remember a dry erase board? I've got two in my office for those who don't think I know how to write. I divided up in three groups. I had 200 flyers, little invitations to church printed up. 200. I said, "All right, you five, these are yours. As quick as you can, go towards the shopping mall. It's about a mile down the road. It's real main downtown Monte Vido. You go right down there. walk right into that shopping center, pass out these 200 invites, and come back. That's group one. Group two, what I'd like for you to do is take and I had another like 50 of these others that had a couple of possibilities of interaction. In other words, you can hand it to someone, but then I ask the pastor to hand it to them and say, "May I give you this?" Something just to engage them in a conversation. just no no real in-depth and if it's turned something fabulous. Group two, about five or six of those guys. And then group three, I printed up three questions on a half sheet of paper on clipboards and I gave it to the five or six guys and said, "You head towards the same shopping. All of you go in that direction to the T Scrus shopping mall. When you're done with your assignment, turn and come back. Give you about an hour and a half or so to, you know, it's probably 10-minute walk there and 10-minute back. So, you get about an hour and then come back and we're going to talk about it." So the third group had three questions on a half sheet and they were very very pointed.

Do you believe in God? Yes. No. Do you believe the Bible is the holy written word of God? And then the third question on those three were, is there something right now that I can help you with using the Bible as an answer? That was the three questions. Okay. So here they go. Man, it ain't 20 minutes. And the group with 200 tracks comes back and they're all, man, they're high-fiving. They're Yeah, got rid of them record. All right, y'all sit down and have something to drink. You know, the next group came back about 40 minutes or so. They had had about 50 of those handouts, very specific. They came back and they're like, "Yeah, we did." You know, we right around here, we got here. All right. And then the third group comes back in. I mean, they had taken they were well over their hour and 30 minutes. I mean, it was it was bouncing up to two hours almost. They come back in and they are so messed up. Every one of them is redfaced. Every one of them, man, they've been beat up, you know. I'm like, "All right, guys, sit down. Here we go. You guys, how many did you hand out?" 200. I said, "All right, out of 200, how many will be at church Sunday?" Well, we don't know. What do you mean don't know? You gave out 200 invites. Well, all we did was hand them out. That was the assignment. Oh, okay. So, don't know. Zero. The middle ones. Yeah, you had time to actually look at them and hand them something and say, "Would you come?" You know, just something quick, but it was interaction. There's less of them. How many are coming to church Sunday? Man, they were excited. There was like two said that they'd see if they could make it. Two. Perfect. Out of 50. Not bad. Got to the third list. I said, 'All right, you guys, you had three questions. What What' you come How many What'd you come up with here? Let's I'm going to put a number down here because we're going to compare some things here. And I want you to know the Holy Ghost fell in that room in seconds. I mean, just instantly, it filled that room. And those guys had been out asking these three questions. I said, "How many did you talk to?" They said, "About six people." And the group of 200 went the group of 50 went I said, "Stop. Tell me about these six. They had names, addresses, phone numbers. I said, "Wait, what do you mean?" They said, "Yeah, we're walking towards the mall.

There's an ambulance service that's on the left side of the road down and there's a picnic table and some of the ambulance drivers were sitting there." So, we walked by, asked if I could sit down. One of the guys said, "I sat down. They're taking a break from, you know, work." Guys, you have time for three questions. Absolutely. Do you believe in God? Yes, sir. We do. Yes. Do you believe the Bible is the infallible, the written word of God, and it's for us? We do. What can I help you with right now? Here they go. These two or three workers sitting there starting to explain the trials, the things of driving an ambulance and being involved in people's worst moments in their life. >> Couple of those guys didn't stop there. They went around went into a park next to the mall. And one of the pastors, he's actually was a pastor of the central church, what we called there in Monte Vido. Uh he started, he said, "Can I say something?" Said, "Certainly." He says, "I went and sat down at a picnic table and I really feel silly because I pastor a church and I'm sitting at this picnic table trying to figure out how to get up the nerve to ask somebody these three questions." Okay, confession's good. He said, "And I saw this lady sitting over on a a another picnic table like 30 feet from me." And he said, "I got out the courage and I walked over said, "Ma'am, I'm sorry to bother you, but I have a questionnaire that I'm working on for a class that I'm in. Do you have a second? I can ask you a question." She said, "Absolutely." You know, she's her kids playing on the playground there. He says, "Uh, well, question number one, do you believe in God?" And she stood up and looked at him. He he said, "I'm standing with my pen. I got my clipboard. I'm looking at her." She sat back down and started weeping. He said, "I backed up." I said, "Ma'am, are you okay?" And she said, "Hold on a minute." She started yelling for her husband. He's over there with the kid. He grabs up the kid, brings the kid over. The wife's sitting here. the lady sitting at the table crying and saying, "I need you to ask my husband what you just asked me." And he said, like he's afraid this dude's going to beat him up or whatever, right? He's offended the world. And he says, "Oh, well, my first question that I had for her was, "Do you believe in God?" And he looked at him and stood up and reached out to him.

He said, "I need to ask you something, sir." He said, "What?" He said, "What's your name?" came. He said, "My name is Luis and I pastor this church up here on Oo." He He said, "We came to the park this afternoon, this evening with our child to play." And my wife and I are at Wit's End. And my wife said, "Baby, when we get out of the car and go into this park to play with our little girl, if we don't hear from God, >> we're going to I don't know what else to do. It's over." And you ask me this question. Do you believe in God? He said, "Can I ask you the second one?" >> And now the husband and wife standing, the little girl's watching, what's going on? He said, "Do you believe the Bible is real?" He went, that was the other thing my wife said, "Is the Bible pertinent for us today?" And then he said, "The third question is is would you be interested in attending a Bible study?" And they looked at one another and said,"We have already decided that if we don't get in the Bible, our marriage is over. We're going to lose everything. We need what you're saying." >> So 200, >> 50, and probably four. And I asked the guys in there, I said, "Which one has more value?" >> Now, all of them are good because we've all we've done all three. Which one has more value? And all of them without a doubt said this one here. Here here's my whole point in sharing this testimony with you. I watched a group of pastors ignite with the fact that when they began to ask very pointed things to people, no, not offensive. They're not trying to hurt. They just simply want to ask questions. That connection launched them into a a time of faith in our work that now, man, it's though I don't know what they're doing now, but at that point, pastors every weekend are saying, "Hey, we're going back into this park. We're going into this community. We're going into this one with question and answers." Why does that matter? I'll tell you why. Because when you are intentional about the things of God, because you're full of the spirit of God, God has moments that he's trying to get you to. I'm convinced greater growth will come for our church when some of us begin simply doing what we already do, but we do it intentionally. You get out of bed in the morning, you say, "Lord, today somebody's going to cross my path, and I want to know, can I be salt to them?

Can I be light to them? Can they see you? Can they see you in me? Can I just simply have a moment? I don't I don't Listen to me, friend. You don't have to preach to them. You don't have to pound them with an Acts and 238s. You can simply just share love or just share a kind word or just just say, "Look, there there's something bigger than you." Here here's the part that that brother Sam and I through these lessons on this month with growth is prayer is going to is going to push us into a level that we will become more sensitive to the things of God. That's why I talked about a couple weeks ago. But also understanding our society and our culture. We live in a world that's desperately hurting, man. They are st they are so tired of the lies and the misinformation and the the artificial intelligent things that are hard to believe and hard to wrap your mind around. Jesus says, "Blessed, blessed, blessed, blessed, blessed, blessed, blessed." By the way, they're not going to like you. But here's this. You're salt and you're light and you can change the world. I I'm convinced last year at at Cornerstone, we baptized over 30 people. this year we we baptized one or two. You know what? I think that we can continue that growth from last year. When people begin to say, I I don't have to go out and beat them up or I don't have to go out and and share something with them that I'm uncomfortable with. I can just simply make a contact with them. How you doing today, Frank? Man, I'm good. You know, one of the things that I've made part of my vocabulary, right or wrong, I don't know. Uh, and y'all, if you've been out to eat with me, you see when I sit down and and a waitress comes or server comes, hey, my name's Joanne. Joanne, I'm so glad you're here today. Or if they don't tell me their name, I ask them, "Hey, what's your name?" My name is whatever. And I said, "That's a beautiful name. I'm glad you're here today. Nobody else will wait on us. They made you come over here, and I'm thankful for that." I've watched their countenance just flip. They've they just come across three or four tables of hateful folk. not about to let them come to my table, be hateful to them, too. That that's little. That is almost insignificant. But if you're about to blow a gasket at work and somebody's actually kind to you, you can actually turn a corner for them just by being, say it with me, Christlike.

Just by connecting with them. You don't have to become their bestie within three minutes. You don't have to get on each other's Facebook and no, you just make a contact with them. Now, is anybody here, you know, like again, I I think Walmart probably put in the um cash registerless people because of me. I I believe that I take full responsibility because I'd walk in there and and they say, most of them don't say nothing. Anybody notice that they got this scowl and these rubber gloves and they're ready for break. They're even yelling that across to the ones that's at the OTHER REGISTER. WHAT TIME'S YOUR BREAK? YEAH, I got 48 more minutes. I pause. Hey, how are you today? I'm good. How are you? Good. Good day to know Jesus. Just take it. Just Just take it. Listen to me, man. That's nothing. That is so small. But you know what? Eight and a half times out of 10, it's not for the one behind that counter, but the one behind me in the line is the one who heard it. I know that's right. I've had more people that are in front of me trying to get their bags together say, "Jesus is the answer." I said, "You know it. Hang on to him." I go get my haircut at a place over in Udawa. Anybody? I need one, right? Trent, you go to the same guy. No, I'm joking. I know Seth does. Um, when I walk out the door and I'm done, I'll stop, turn around, say, "Hey," and whatever the phrase happen, it doesn't matter. That's always different. Hold on to Jesus. He's your only hope. And I'll shut the door. There's about six or seven guys in there. Or you better keep the main thing, the main thing, and I'll shut the door. Keep it between the lines because if Jesus ain't with you, don't tell him where. I'll just say something. I'm not doing that to be mean, trying to stand out. I'm simply saying I believe contact matters. I do. Now, for the sake of time, when Jesus says, "You are the light, go shine." When he says, "You're salt. Be salt." Then what he is saying to us is greater growth is done with intentionality. As a church, if we want to grow, then it's going to take more than just us hurrying up in out of our beds and into through the kitchen and grabbing the coffee, jump in the car, push the button, come to church, jump out, and hope nobody sees you in the parking lot, run through the door, get to your class, and sit down.

I mean, honestly, what would it be like if you were to honestly believe what you believe? I know that's a simple way to ask that question, but what if you actually got here early enough to say a 10-minute prayer before service and God got you in a state of mind where you didn't have to be rah read in the service because you actually believed that God's going to show up today. I'm asking if we're called and we are called to be connected to our world and greater growth through connections is going to change our city of Chattanooga. Here here's I I I took the time I got two or three minutes. I took the time to look it up because I thought some of y'all might be interested. Here's this is one of the SAM things. You know, it's a number. According to researchers, we meet about 80,000 people in our lifetimes. That's a 70 year old life. 80,000 people that we meet. We actually see a little over three million visual in our lifetime. The numbers then are this. Basically, every day, every day you interact with three new people on average something somewhere somehow. Again, we live in a very close society. We got folk working at home. We got folk but it things change in your life. If that's the case and in your life you're going to come across 80,000 people. Can you name 80,000 people right now? No, probably not. You can probably name a dozen. Let's say 25. But the fact that you came in contact with them gave you a pause, an opportunity to be able to say, 'Lord, let the 80,000 know that I loved you. I I may not have a time, Lord, to sit and pause and say, "My name's Raymond and I pastor a church." But Lord, if they see me, can they see you? And if they see you, can you do something in their life? Huh? What would it be like in Chattanooga with 500,000 people if a church like ours were a was able to say, "You know what? We're coming in contact with some folk today and we don't even know who they are, but we're just going to say, you know what, Jesus loves you." Somebody may even get brave enough to ask you what's wrong with you. Then you can simply share with them. And you don't have to aha them. What's wrong with me? Listen to me now. You don't have to. You don't have to get the praise break going on. You can just simply say, you know what? I once was lost, but now I'm found.

Or is there something I can pray with you about today? Or you know what? I I really feel like that I'd like to shake your hand. Whatever that is, greater growth says, "Lord, help me to shake out of a shell and help me to find a kind word or kind gesture, kind something in the word that I can simply impart to someone else." I I think we all believe the Bible's alive, and it's alive, man. It's breathing, right? It I mean, it's you can read it today, read it tomorrow, and have a whole new look on it. Why? Why is that the case? Well, not only that, he's alive and he's in the word. So, here we go. Perspective does change as you see him more. Absolutely. But in in that word, then if you just get that word moving in your life, guess what's going to happen? It's going to show up on things that that you interact, people you interact with, situations you come in contact with. Huh? What would it be like if for for for one month, this is great challenge, 30 days. Let's not say one month. Let's say 30 days. That sounds a little easier. One month. Because y'all pick February, right? Because there's 28 days in it. What if you were to intentionally say, "Lord, today I'm going out this door. Help me, God, to get out of myself and just simply be kind to someone with a gesture, with a something. Grab the door and open it for them. And in so doing, God bless you." What would it be like if you thought that through and instead of running as fast as you can just to get through it, you were to simply pause and say, 'Lord, I am a vessel of honor for you and you've done something in my life and I think that I can be happy about that and let others see it. Is that a challenge worth taking? Well, pray with me. Lord, thank you so much for our time together tonight. Thank you for the word. We are salt. We are the light. Nothing happens, Lord, by accident. But in the midst of all things, God, we can be a light in this world. We can savor this world. I pray tonight, Lord, that you would help us as a church. Let us grow closer to you, Jesus. Let us understand the power of the cross that makes a difference in people. Help us, God, to receive from you, Lord, and then share with others. Help us, Lord, not to be selfish with it, but God, just with a smile, with a a gentle touch, Lord, with enthusiasm, God, we can encourage somebody to fall in love with you, and you can change their life, forgive their sin, and fill them with your spirit.

I pray for that, Lord. Let our church grow. Help us God to go to the next level. Our faith to stretch our intentionality Lord Jesus to move in the right direction. Pray Lord for each one of us God that we would find favor every day. I love you. I serve you Lord and I trust you and with confidence I know that you are blessing and you are moving in great ways. In the name of Jesus, thy kingdom come and thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. In Jesus name we pray. Amen. Somebody say amen.