(This transcript was generated by AI. Apologies for any inacuracies)

If you are a guest with us today, we're in the third week of a three-week teaching series, a collection of teachings that we have titled Heart for the House, where we are speaking in to our church, inviting people into what God is doing.

This series is all about the vision of Valorous Church, the mission God has us on, and how people, you and me, can be a part of that and executing that in the world.

So during this particular teaching series, we are seeking to raise some financial resources above and beyond our current giving and what we normally give here at Valorous Church to execute three capital expansion projects here.

One of them is a lift to our upper room, our prayer room, so that people can get there that have handicaps and that will go in our foyer.

The second one is a baptism pool that we want to put out front on our campus and some dressing rooms to go with that.

So after each and every service, every weekend we can baptize people who put their personal faith in Jesus Christ.

We want to execute that.

And then we're also going to, on this campus as people ride up and down the highway, we're going to put a 35 foot empty lighted cross out there to let people know that there's hope here, finding a savior who his name is Jesus that gave his life on a cross and rose from the grave.

And so those are three projects we're committing to give to collectively to possibly execute.

And again, we're not going to execute those projects until we have the resources in hand because we don't want to add to our current mortgage payment that we have here currently right now.

And we want to raise above and beyond that.

Currently right now at this stage, our lift, we've raised about half of the dollars to execute and put the lift to the upper room in at this point.

And that's good news.

Come on.

And so we're hoping that over the next few weeks, possibly the rest of those dollars will come in.

And then as soon as they do, we'll begin to, to execute installing that we're currently right now, we've raised enough dollars to have the engineer drawings drawn up.

And those are currently being drawn.

And as soon as we get those back, we'll be putting those out to different companies.

I know some of you inquired about elevator companies and things like that.

And again, we will be putting that out to contractors and more than just putting the elevator in there, some, some structural stuff that has to be done.

But we will be executing that as soon as you can.

And so as soon as we can, so once we put that out, the bid gets on a contractor schedule, you should begin to see things happening with that lift in the lobby.

It's going to be a few months from now, it's not going to start happening next Sunday because there's a lot of things that have to happen in order for that to do soon as that money is in and we raise the rest of the money for the cross.

We will call the cross company.

We've already had it engineered, drawn up.

We have to send them half of the money for them to build the cross beforehand.

And as soon as we have that money in hand, we'll send them half the money.

And then it takes them about about 90 days to get that cross here and get it permitted and get it installed.

And we will install that.

And then the next, the bigger one is our baptism pool and our dressing rooms.

After all of that, if the rest of the money comes in, come on, somebody.

We'll begin to engineer and execute the pool out of front.

And then we have a lot more to do beyond that.

We have a children's building that we want to build over the next few years, right next door here, designated children's space for kids.

It's a growing ministry here.

And if you do want to partner and want to volunteer in that area, it would be greatly appreciated.

Come on.

It would be incredible.

We've got a lot of babies and you know, babies need some love.

Come on, grandmama.

Yeah.

So if you want to step up at one of our services, come to a service and serve in a service, that'd be a great place for you to serve and love on some babies and change some diapers and all that good stuff.

And then also in our children's minutes, we're educating them about the love of Jesus over there.

And you know, when you get a several a hundred kids running around, we need lots of people to help corral that.

Come on.

And that would be a great place for you to serve also.

But we do want to build a children's building here.

And those projects, if you'd like to commit financially to them, there's a card you receive when you came in.

You can also do this online, but this is a commitment card, write your information on there.

And if you don't want to commit all the money today, or you haven't already committed all the money you're going to give, and you want to do it over a period of time, there's a way for you to fill that out and let us know what does that do?

That helps us plan for the future.

In other words, if we know that there's some people committed to give to it, then we can begin to execute now.

And so if you want to give over a period of time, and maybe you're going to get a dividend check in July, I don't know, and you want to give it then, let us know that on this card and it helps us plan.

So that's literally what this is all about, this commitment card.

And so fill that out and check, I want to commit to funding Heart for the House and let us know what that looks like.

And you can turn this card in on the way out today, you can drop it in the buckets that are going to be at the door, or you can make your way out to the house and there's a group of people in red shirts that will receive questions and receive these cards from you.

If you just want to take it and hand it to them, that's what they are there for to answer any questions.

And there's one more note I want to make about this card.

Today, we're talking about partnership and what it means to be a part of Valorous Church.

And maybe you haven't partnered, there's many partners in the room, they've come to our partnership class, it's been with us on the journey for months, years, all that kind of stuff, and that's perfectly fine.

We're reminding them what partnership is, but a lot of new folks in the space, and if you want to partner with us, there's a place for you to fill out this card and simply check on there, I commit to partnering with Valorous Church.

And what we'll do is we're going to take these cards and we'll follow up with you and begin to talk to you exactly what that means.

But we're going to be talking about partnership today, but feel free if you do want to partner with us and you have not yet done that, fill this card out and hand it to the folks on the way out today that lets us know what's being involved.

We'll end this series today, but these cards will be available for, you know, for many, many months or whatever else, but that's what this information is about.

And in this little red thing right here is all the information about the vision, the values, the mission of the church.

And we're talking today about how you can get involved because you do know that God wants you to be a part, right?

Do you know that God wants you to be a part, right?

Yeah.

And so we're going to look a little bit at that today.

So if you have your Bibles with you, I'm going to ask you to open it up.

We're going to be looking at a passage of scripture in Philippians chapter one, where the apostle Paul has started a church in Philippi and he's writing that church to commend them for their partnership.

And he's talking to them about what it means to be a partner in some extent here in this book, the little short book in our New Testament called Philippians.

And we're going to learn today about not only what God wanted to do through the church at Philippi, but what he wants to do through you and me today in the local church.

And God has a lot in his word to say about partnership.

In other words, Jesus is the head of the church.

Jesus is our Savior, but Jesus don't want to only save us and forgive us of the penalty of sin.

The Bible says that God gives us the Holy Spirit to empower us.

Everybody say empower.

To empower us to be a part of what God's doing in the earth.

And we say a lot here at Valorous Church, we want to be a people who bring up there, down here.

We don't want to be a people that just go to heaven.

We want to be a people that bring heaven to earth.

Come on somebody.

And God intends for saved people, those people who have believed in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus for the forgiveness of their sin, to join in and know who he is and be a part of his mission here in the earth.

And again, the reason so many of us feel empty, alone, unsignificant, maybe life even in its struggles, not really going in the direction we want it to go.

The reason some of us feel so empty is because we need to be fulfilled by becoming a part.

And I'm going to talk a little bit about that today because, you see, we live in a culture where we understand that we have sinned against God.

We have missed the mark of his glorious standard.

We have all gone our own way.

And God, he sent his son to forgive us of that sin on a cross so that we're no longer penalized because of our sin, but we can have a relationship with him and we can have eternal life because of him.

And we live in a culture that gets that.

But what happens oftentimes is what the culture don't get is God didn't save you just so that you could go to heaven and have eternal life.

God saved you so you could have eternal life and be connected from him from this point forward.

And really live out your purpose as a human being.

In other words, the Holy Spirit of God is a teacher, is a counselor, is a comforter, is one that gives you gifts to participate.

Everybody say participate in what God is doing in the earth.

And so what God is going to do in the earth, he's going to do through save people.

He's going to do through people who have been delivered from darkness to light and people who are empowered by the Holy Spirit to begin to shine that light of Christ in the world.

And we're inviting you to be a part of it because we have a vision here and we have a purpose here and God desires for you to be a part of it.

I want to read to you before we move to Philippians, what Paul told the church at Corinth in second Corinthians, a letter he wrote them second Corinthians chapter six, verse one.

He says, as God's partners, everybody say partner.

Speaking to those people.

He says, we beg you not to accept this marvelous gift, speaking of salvation that he had spoke about in chapter five.

He says, don't accept this marvelous gift of God's kindness and then ignore it.

He says, don't receive salvation and then it's put it on the shelf for later and ignore it.

He says, because you know what?

That isn't why, why God brought you to himself, not so you could ignore the salvation, but so you could use the salvation to produce great things for his kingdom here on earth as it is in heaven.

And again, God calls us in to partnership, to not ignore the salvation, the kindness of God, but to use it.

Did you know your salvation is a powerful tool that God uses in this earth to transform your community, your street, your neighborhood, your family.

And again, the salvation that you and I receive can have powerful influence, can become a light that people are drawn to if we'll begin to share in it and be the part that God called us to be.

So today I want to talk about the benefits of partnership, of why you need to not only be saved, come on, by the finished work of Christ on a cross, but why you need to root yourself down and be a part, everybody say a part, of the local church.

Because there's benefits in being a part of the local church.

Philippians chapter one, verse five, Paul says this to the church at Philippi.

He says, for you have been my partners in spreading the good news about Christ from the time you first heard it until now.

And so here he commends the church for being his partner since they first heard it until the time he wrote that particular letter.

And why was he commending them for being partners?

Because when we become a part, we can accomplish the mission, the gospel mission, the good news mission together.

Did you know God has a mission for you?

And he wants you to live life on mission.

He wants me and you to live life on mission.

And a reason a lot of people aren't fulfilled because they're not living life on the mission that God has for their life.

They got a mission, but is it the mission that God has for your life?

And I'm here today to try to help us all understand that you are valuable, that you are created for significance.

You are created on purpose and with a purpose, but you got to engage yourself in the partnership that God calls you to.

It's a responsibility that we have as a Christ followers to not just receive the gift of salvation and ignore it, but to join in and be a part.

And so again, it helps us accomplish the mission.

Look what he says there again in Philippians chapter one, verses five and six.

He says, for you are my partners.

Everybody say partner.

We're inviting you into partnership in the local church here at Valorous Church today.

He says, you are my partners in spreading what?

The good news.

He says about Christ.

He says, and I'm certain.

He says, I'm certain that God who began the good work within you will continue his work until it is finally finished.

I want to point something out to you here in verse five.

That word there in Philippians one verse five, that word partners is a word taken from a Greek word that the letter was written in, and it's a word called koinonia.

And I tell you that because it has significance.

And the word koinonia, that word partners there in verse five is a word called koinonia.

This is what it means.

Fellowship.

Come on.

It means fellowship, partnership, pay close attention, participation, and shared investment.

That's literally what the word means.

And so what Paul is doing here, he's saying, he's not saying, I'm glad we get together just for fellowship.

And a church should be a place you fellowship.

Come on.

It should be a place you've got some friends.

It should be a place that you gather and encourage one another on your journey and have friends to do life with and talk about life events and all kinds of stuff.

But the reality of it is you can have fellowship in Walmart.

You can have fellowship in your neighborhood at the HOA meeting.

You can have fellowship at work.

You can have fellowship in the bar.

You can have fellowship in the club.

You can have fellowship on the ball team.

You have fellowship anywhere.

But why is this so significant?

Because he's not just speaking about fellowship.

And this is where we miss it a lot of times.

Church.

I want to go to a church where I just fellowship with all these people.

And what happens is you fellowship with all these people.

I like you.

You like me.

Hallelujah.

And nobody ever challenges you to step up and step in and do something great with your life.

And Paul says, no, no, no.

I'm not just after fellowship.

I'm after partnership.

He says, I'm not just after, you know, getting together in a small group, eating some pizza and talking about what happened last week, last night in the ball game next weekend.

He says, no, no, I want to commend you church.

Cause God started a good work in you and you are sharing in the investment.

You are participating.

You are partnering.

We are fellowshipping on purpose with a purpose together, doing something great in our community, in a Philippi in North Myrtle beach.

And he says, church, I commend you for your partnership.

Come on.

Yeah.

And so, so I want to commend some people today.

There's been some people on this journey and living life on purpose.

We've been fellowshipping together and you know what?

Sometimes we like each other.

Sometimes we don't, but can I tell you what holds us together?

It's not the fellowship.

It's the mission.

It's the mission.

It's the partnership.

It's the shared interest in what we're doing and what we're trying to accomplish.

And again, you know, every church needs to have fellowship, but every church needs to have a vision, a vision and a mission.

They challenge every person to become a part of.

And the mission is literally the same for every local body.

And it's to continue to use your gifts, your time, energy and resources, come on, together, put those gifts together and let's be a light to the community, a shining light to the community with the good news of Jesus Christ through the various gifts that God has given us.

And so if you're a follower of Jesus, if you're a person that's put your faith in Jesus Christ, the Bible promises you the gift of the Holy Spirit and a gift from the Holy Spirit to be a part of the local church.

But again, it's not just coming and attending, it's not just observing, it's participation.

And so again, people who are true partners don't just watch the mission, they join the mission.

You catch what I just said?

They don't just go, oh, look at that church over there on, what's the name of that road?

Robert Edge.

Look at that, it's amazing.

No, no, no.

People don't, and again, it's great to come here and check us out and sit in the seat, but really, and again, do that as long as you need to.

We're here to be a light to people, but we're drawing people in.

Hopefully they sit in a seat and they become a follower of Jesus Christ and he gives them a gift and together we put those gifts together and we spread this good news of who Jesus is together in the world.

Come on.

It's not just watching.

And some of us, we've been a, we've been a Christian.

We've put our faith in Jesus Christ 22 years ago and we have yet, we keep attending, but not rooting ourself down and investing in what God wants to do.

And I'm here to tell you today, man, there is life in a partnership.

So I want to, I want to, it's in this little red book in case you need to go back and look at it, but what does it mean to be a Valorous Church partner for the person partnering?

What it means for Valorous Church is we're going to do our part in our shared vision.

We're going to create environments for people to know who Christ is, grow up in Christ and become who he says that they are.

We're going to, we're going to continually do that.

Okay.

As a church family.

But, but what you're committing to is we ask people to commit to three things as a partner, to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

If you're going to be a partner, again, attend as long as you want to.

We welcome people from all different backgrounds, all different faith, all different pieces of the journey and attendance.

But if you're going to truly partner with us, we ask that you have confessed that you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ because of his death, burial and resurrection, you have a connection to God.

So you're saying, I'm a, I'm a saved person.

And then we ask that you publicly display that through water baptism, if you have put your faith in Jesus Christ.

And again, I'm not going to deliver a whole sermon today on baptism, but literally when you go through the baptism water, the Bible says that basically that's your first step of obedience as a believer, as you put in your personal faith in Jesus Christ, you go through the baptism water.

You say I'm dead to my old self.

I've been raised to new life in Christ Jesus.

And it's a way to express to the world that you're a follower of Jesus Christ.

We say it all kinds of way.

It's like putting on your God jersey.

It's like saying you belong to the team.

It's like, you know, however we want to phrase it in our modern day vernacular, but baptism isn't a ritual we do.

It's a, it's a way to say that we belong to the team.

I'm going to wear the jersey.

Other words, I'm not going to play for the Giants and wear a Philadelphia Eagles jersey.

Come on somebody.

I'm a part of team Jesus.

Come on.

So, and then the last thing we ask as a Valorous Church partner.

And again, let me, let me say this piece about baptism.

If you've been baptized as a follower of Jesus Christ and you belong to another congregation, we don't ask that you come be baptized into Valorous Church.

If you need to move that baptism, that is perfectly fine.

God doesn't ask you to get baptized 15 times, though, if you need to be baptized 15 times, that's a whole nother story.

But at the end of the day, you know what God does, that's not what baptism is about.

It's a way to show that you've died to your old self, you've been raised to a new life in Christ Jesus, and you're basically doing an outward expression of an inward change.

The last thing is this, if you partner with Valorous Church, we ask, again, attend as long as you want to, but if you're gonna check that box, I want to be a partner.

We ask that you use your time, energy, and resources to build the kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.

You serve, you share, and you help resource as you can help resource.

And again, that's what we ask out of our partners.

And we say, you want to be a partner of Valorous Church, it's those three things.

You put your faith in Jesus, you've been baptized as a believer, and you commit your life to doing your part and serving alongside of us together to change the world.

And again, that's our expectation in a partnership here at Valorous Church.

So here's a question we all need to ask because it helps us accomplish the mission that Jesus has for the church.

It's Jesus's mission, not my mission.

Go into all the world, change the world, make disciples.

Okay.

And so the local church is about raising up people that shine the light of Christ in the world.

But I have to ask myself this question, even 23 years into this journey as a partner of Valorous Church, I asked myself this question, am I consuming the light or am I helping shine the light?

Because again, we are to consume, we are to have a relationship with our great God and we are to lean into the church and we are to encourage one another.

But here, understand this, God doesn't expect anybody here to just be a consumer.

He calls us to be contributors, to shine the light of who God is in the world through the gift He put in your hand.

And again, if you don't think you got a gift in your hand, we have ways for you to discover that.

We have all kinds of spiritual gifts, tests, all kinds of stuff.

We'll put you on the journey and we'll get you involved.

We'll give you a hands-on training here.

But at the end of the day, it's really about participation.

And again, it's not to beat anybody up because we're here and we hope that to some degree, you're on a weekend when you come here, we're here to worship Jesus.

And we hope that we've cared enough and we had enough heart and we haven't beat nobody up and all that kind of stuff where you have a heart to come back and be a part of what God's doing here.

But make no mistake about it, we're also going to challenge, okay?

Because all of us need challenge and step up and be the part that God called us to be.

And so God has a mission for the church and that's you.

And he has a part to play.

If we all get in on the part, guess what?

It will literally transform the world.

If you don't like what you're seeing and you want it to change, that's a Michael Jackson song, ain't it?

I just, this came to me.

You know what I'm saying?

It starts with you.

I'm looking at the man.

No, see, no, no, no.

Everybody wants change.

But God designs it so we change the world.

The government ain't going to change the world.

Listen to me.

The school system ain't going to change the world.

The marketplace ain't going to change the world.

What's going to change the world is save people doing their part, coming together, shining the light, come on, shining the light of Christ in the world so that more people can know who God is.

It's the part.

It's the part God calls us to play.

But I wrote down a few more things about partnership.

I wrote it down this way.

Partnership develops us personally.

There's a personal benefit for you to be a part, not just about reaching other people.

It develops me in my journey, grows me up, helps me become all God's created me, helps me recognize his goodness.

Listen to what it says there in Philippians chapter one, verses nine and 11.

He says, I pray that your love will overflow more and more and that you will keep growing in the knowledge and understanding.

He says, for I want you to understand what really matters so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ's return.

He says, may you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation, the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ.

He says, for this will bring much glory and praise to God.

So partnership isn't just about activity, it's about maturity.

It's about development.

We develop by participation.

We develop by being our part.

We grow closer to our great God by putting the towel over our arm and serving together, working together.

And again, we invite you into that.

And I don't know what place and space that every person fits, but this is what I do know, that the church and getting this good news about Jesus out around the world, it's called to be done by a collective group of people, not just one person.

And God wants to develop every person in the journey.

Ephesians chapter two, verse 10 says this, says, for we are God's masterpiece.

Don't read that wrong.

Doesn't say you're God's masterpiece.

I used to read that verse that way.

Look at me.

I'm a masterpiece in God's hand.

It says we, and I find that significant because what he says that I'm going to bring people from a collective background from all different ways.

And I'm going to, I'm going to basically put brushstrokes on, on my great canvas.

I'm creating a masterpiece.

I'm going to bring person from this.

I'm going to bring the person from that.

I'm going to put them together.

And it says, for we are God's masterpiece.

He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

So what that verse tells me is, I don't care what color your hair is.

I don't care what your gender is.

I don't care what your age is.

I don't care what your native tongue is, what your ethnic background is, what the color of your skin is, what that verse tells me is God has a part for each and every one of us, men, women, boys, and girls alike, to come together and play and shine his light into the world.

And if you start participating, it'll begin to develop your confidence in who God is.

If you start doing the work that God created you to do, it'll develop your confidence that God is who he says he is.

Look what it says there in the scripture.

It says it this way in Philippians 1, verse six.

He says, I'm certain that God who began the good work within you will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.

You know, he's saying God began a work and he's going to finish it.

And whenever we begin to engage with that work that God is doing in our life and through our life, what it begins to do is it begins to show us that God is faithful.

That he'll do what he says he was gonna do.

We create an environment here for people to use their gifts that God gave them.

And the reason we do that is because you know what?

When people begin to use their gift, the light of Christ shines out in the world.

Come on.

And it don't only shine out in the world, it gives them confidence that God is using them to do something marvelous in the world and they are able to contribute with their part.

And they're able to see the big picture.

You wanna get confidence that God is who he says he is?

If God, if he gives you to get a microphone and stand in front of a stage like this and talk to people every single week, weekend, week out, multiple times about who he is, start participating in it.

And what I mean by that, you'll begin to see that you know what?

That you are weak, but he is strong.

You'll begin to see that you know what?

It's not by your power and might, but it is by his power and his word and his Holy Spirit and his gift that he has given you that changes the world around you.

Cause you don't have it in yourself to be faithful enough to keep doing whatever God calls you to do over and over and over again.

But if you participate and he is the supplier of all that you have, you will see the good work.

You will see it manifested and you would count on him to keep on keeping on feeding you to be that part that he's called you to be on the journey.

You'll have confidence in God.

People give up on what God's doing way too soon.

God develops you.

God strengthens you.

God guides you.

God puts you in a group of people that you can begin to exercise your gift.

But you're probably going to go through some seasons where you're going, well, I don't know.

No, no, God said it.

God gave you the gift.

His gifts are irrevocable.

And if He gave the gift and you steward the gift and work the gift, He will finish what He started.

You better bank on that.

But you can't develop.

You can't develop without being a part.

Partnership helps you develop into who God created you to be.

Then the last thing I wrote down about partnership is this.

When we partner, we have eternal impact.

We have eternal impact.

What you really believe about eternity is that you have to be a part to the urgency to be the part that God called you to be.

Do you really believe that people who put their faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ and His resurrection are going to be saved because they have put their faith in the work that Christ Jesus is born and they're gonna be saved and be a part of God's family for eternity?

That Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life and no one comes to God the Father except through Him?

Do you really believe that's what the Word says?

Do you really believe if someone don't put their faith in Jesus Christ that they're gonna spend eternity apart from Him?

Because what you really believe about eternity will determine how urgent that partnership is in your life today.

Do you really believe that there is a kingdom that is still yet to come?

Do you really believe that the kingdom of God is already here but not here yet?

Do you really believe that you know what, that eventually that Jesus is going to return and He is going to come back and He is going to purge out all evil and somehow, some way, heaven and earth are gonna merge together and His family are gonna live with Him in a world without evil, without any sorrow, any pain forever and ever again?

Do you really believe that?

Do you really believe that you know what, the people who haven't put their faith in Jesus Christ will spend eternity apart from God?

Because what I know is what you really believe will determine how serious you are about your partnership.

And again, the Bible says, Paul says, you know what?

Partners are motivated by what they ultimately believe.

Let me show it to you.

Philippians 1, verses 10 and 11.

He says, for I want you to understand what really matters so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ Jesus' return.

May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation, the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ.

For this will bring much glory and praise to God.

You see, Paul sees beyond the present moment.

Paul sees beyond the present week.

He sees beyond the gift.

He sees beyond the gift that God gave you and me.

Paul sees God starting a work in us as we steward that work.

He sees God bringing it to completion and this great and glorious day when Christ Jesus will return.

And man, I believe when we go to work with our gift and we partner together to make a difference in the world, that that day is on the way.

I also believe with my heart that God wishes no human being would perish or waste away, that every human being needs an opportunity to respond by faith to this good news about a resurrected Savior.

And His name is Jesus and He's coming back.

Come on.

And if you are driven by eternal things and not temporal things, can I tell you something?

You have no problem of rooting yourself down in the house of the Lord and flourishing and doing your part because you know what really matters is eternal things.

Come on, church.

Come on.

And so I close today with saying back to you what Paul said in 2 Corinthians 6, verse one.

Don't receive this marvelous gift of salvation and then ignore it because my friend, eternity is on the way.

It's closer today than it was yesterday and it matters.

I also believe what the word says about eternal investments, the return on investments.

Jesus said, where your treasure is, your heart is also.

We can flip that scripture on its head.

Where your heart is, your treasure will be also.

And so what that means is I'm gonna give myself over.

I didn't say I'm gonna just empty myself and not take care of my family and not do the things that are necessary but I'm gonna empty myself and I'm gonna connect my heart to eternal things and I'm gonna make investments with my gifts, my time, energy and resources towards what really matters.

Jesus said in Matthew 6, verse 33, he says, seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things you tend to worry about, you got your brain all squirrely.

He says, I'll add those things to you as well.

God is who he says he is my friends and he's inviting you to be a part but you can't do it.

Until you make Jesus the Lord of your life and commit yourself to doing your part in and through a local church.

We want our people to have a heart for the house.

We wanna change the world.

We wanna make a difference.

We wanna continue to expand and bring up there down here into the hearts of people.

The question is, is God calling you to be a part?

Can you bow your head, please?

Today, we're gonna close with a song in just a moment.

And as we close that song, I want you to consider if God is calling you to partner, and if he is, maybe fill out that card, check that box to say, I wanna partner, and give it to some of those folks in the red shirt on the way out today.

Maybe drop it in those buckets.

We'll have a team of people that's gonna get back with you over the next week or so and begin to commend you for that and begin to talk to you about some ways you can get involved in all kinds of things.

But if God is talking to your heart right now, don't leave this place without making that connection today.

There's others, you may be in the room today, you come in here for the first time, and you need to trust the Lordship of Jesus.

You need to trust salvation is found in Christ and what he did for us on that cross to forgive us of our sin, to have eternal life with God.

Maybe you never put your faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ.

Maybe you've been trusting your own works.

Maybe you've been trying to earn God's salvation, but it can only be found through the person of Jesus Christ.

Maybe you're tired, weary, and worn out, and you're tired of doing it by yourself.

I want you to know, come to Jesus.

And he will begin to lift that burden and forgive you of that sin so that you can move past the sin and move forward with your future.

But however you need to respond today, when we pray, after we pray, we're gonna sing this song, you respond.

Maybe some of you need to drop the card off on the way out.

Maybe some of you need to come forward and just pray at the altar.

Maybe some of you need to come meet with one of our prayer partners at the cross as to say, today I'm surrendering my life to Jesus.

But I'm gonna pray, and you move as they begin to sing.

Father God, I thank you for every person here today, for every man, woman, boy, and girl, every child.

God, I thank you so much for the partners that you have placed in the life of Valorous Church.

God, I pray by the power of your Holy Spirit, you begin to nudge the hearts of young people, young adults, you begin to nudge the heart of teenagers, children, older adults, grandmas, granddads, fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, God, nudge the hearts so that they can become a part of your great work.

God, what you have started, you will finish.

And Jesus, we thank you.

We thank you for salvation.

We thank you for the gifts of the Spirit.

We thank you for making us to be a part.

And God, we know today that you are who you say you are.

We pray this prayer in the mighty name of Jesus.

We stand to our feet, we worship together, In Jesus' name, amen.