Archive for December, 2006
I’m writing this on Thursday at 11:55am…why is that important? Because, today around 3-4:00pm we will hear whether or not a miracle happened. We will know whether or not we are able to have 4 of our 7 Christmas weekend services at our new Clifton Park location on Sunday. As you know, we have been praying and working tirelessly towards the goal of remodeling a former gym in Clifton Park into a church. We have heard from the experts that is absolutely impossible…that these are insurmountable odds. That there’s not enough time and too much to get done…then throw in the fact that it’s the Christmas season, and how busy and chaotic everybody’s schedules are…and here we are.
In a matter of hours, we will find out. Well, the whole message of Christmas is “anything is possible.” The angel announced to Mary, the mother of Jesus, “Anything is possible with God!” That is the message of Jesus. That’s why Jesus was born at Christmas…that’s why our Heavenly Father sent him to earth. Emmanuel…God with us…to show us that with Jesus anything is possible!
Well, moment by moment our objective seems daunting and completely unpractical and impossible. As our deadline had passed and with the punch list and people needed and approvals needed…I could sense our team was tired and discouraged. I could tell they didn’t want to give me an update…they were trying to prepare me for our current reality that it just doesn’t seem possible by Christmas Eve.
At that recent update, I was asking God in prayer,
“Why are you making us wait until the last possible moment? God, why wont you let us know earlier? Why? God wouldn’t it be better to have people know a month out where our services will be? God, you know the challenges of communicating to people. God, you know more people are open this one time of the year more than any other to hear your message. God we could accommodate and reach more people with the opening of our Clifton Park campus. God, by the way this will be embarrassing if you don’t come thru. People are exercising their faith like never before. God they are working around the clock. You said faith without works is dead…it takes both, and we are doing both. So cant you please come thru a little earlier?”
Do I sound like I’m whining yet? God spoke to my spirit in that moment.
“Buddy I have Northway Church and the entire Capital region watching. From businesses to contractors, to officials, to the media. Why? Because if this happens…It’s got to be a miracle! Its got to be Me. Its got to be a God thing! Buddy it will happen. But make no mistake, I want everyone to know it was a Miracle on 146th Street!
In other words God will get all the glory because only God can pull this off! God thank you for the Miracle on 146th Street. God thanks for the people of Northway…bless them for all of their hard work…they are the best! God, thank you for the contractors, they’re working into the wee hours to get the job done. Thank you for the leaders of Clifton Park who have been gracious to us! Thank you for the miracle on 146th Street! Thank you God! Now I can get back to studying for the Christmas Eve message. I’m titling it: Christmas is all about a comeback!
Update, Friday morning, 12/22: God did it! We just got the news that we have our Certificate of Occupancy for this weekend. Way to go God! Alright, now I really can study for the message! 
I don’t think we’ve ever had as many news cameras at Northway as we have this month! God is continuously using the News to get the word out about Northway in the Capital Region, and He’s done it again!
News Channel 13 came up to Northway a few weeks ago and they’ll be airing a feature story this evening during the 11pm news. Now I know we’ve been in the news a lot lately, but Channel 13 has taken things to the next level - they’ve been advertising this feature story for several days. How cool is that?
The story is going to focus on our use of technology in the church. I’m pumped to see it! Make sure you tune in to Channel 13 with me at 11pm tonight!
Check out this e-mail I received…
Hi Buddy:
You have got to get down to CP soon - the progress and transformation of the interior is absolutely amazing!! I stop by about every 2 days and tonight just blew me away.
God is SO in that place already.
VIPs throughout the building serving in the dust with smiles. Women mopping the floors with mops larger than they are - smiling and using all their strength to clean the foyer. The personal sharing and stories about life change that VIPs just want to spend time talking about as they work. I have never experienced anything like this, I didn’t want to leave tonight…..I shut the place down.
Most of the sheet rock is up forming the walls and entry ways into the worship area - it is incredible…..I can imagine all the faces from my neighborhood, baseball fields in Clifton Park, grocery stores and Shen coming through those doors — lives to be changed forever and all eternity. I am completely humbled and thankful to be a part of this…..and it hasn’t even opened yet. God is SO GREAT!!!
I am overwhelmed with emotion! To see prayers answered before our eyes with all the work and outpouring going into that facility is like nothing I have ever seen before. Unforgettable….and this is just the beginning!! I feel uplifted and transformed…..so many things……Whew….you’ve got to see the latest work for yourself!
My family and I headed down to Clifton Park last night to pitch in to the renovation efforts. What an experience! We had the best turnout to date last night - I can’t say it enough Northway, you’re the most generous church out there! Thanks so much for responding to our need for volunteers, stepping up to the plate, rolling up your sleeves and doing some serious work for God in Clifton Park!
I had an awesome time with our volunteers…what a phenomenal team! We got so much accomplished, and we had a blast doing it! There is just such a great spirit in CP. The evening hours for volunteers have been extended to 5-9:30pm, and now, there is a project manager available on weekdays too. E-mail efoxhoven@northwaychurch.tv if your availability falls in the daytime hours and she’ll get you plugged in. Now that I’ve been down there, I can say this from experience: You do not want to miss out on this! It’s an unprecedented opportunity to have fun with your Northway family while making a very tangible contribution to the future of our Clifton Park Campus.
We plan to go back Wednesday night and do some more painting. Who knows, maybe I’ll learn to sheetrock, too…ok, maybe I’ll just stick to the painting, but I’ll be there either way! See you then, Northway!
I’m back and catching up! We had a blast in Philly! I had the privilege of meeting and speaking to some great leaders and pastors from around the Northeast. It’s great to see men of passion and perseverance for our area. I loved sharing the Northway story! God is doing a new thing here in the Capital Region!
I took some of my staff with me. We left Sunday, went full throttle and returned Wednesday night. We worked hard, had great creativity and planning meetings…the reward? We hit Pat’s Cheesesteaks in downtown Philly…the home of the original cheesesteak sandwich…I think we will eat these in heaven :) ! I work with an exceptional team!
Speaking of exceptional…have you seen the latest pictures of our Clifton Park Campus? I must confess I got a little emotional when I saw this!
A dream is becoming a reality! THANK YOU to all of you VIP’s who have volunteered your nights to work tirelessly in order to ensure that we are ready to open in 16 days! I want to give a special shout out to three VIP’s in particular…Bob Courtney, our builder…Jim Ether, our project manager…and Eva Foxhoven, our project administrator. You guys rock! I ask everyone who reads this blog to remember to pray for these leaders, for these VIP’s and for this project…and also to pray that we will be able to open for Christmas Eve! Would that be the coolest Christmas gift ever or what? A new church for Christmas!
Hey Northway! I’ve said it before and I’m proud to say it again–you are the most generous church out there! What an amazing weekend. After being entrusted with $40,000 as a church, you went out and used your God-given creativity, multiplied what you were entrusted with, and brought back $310,000! Way to go God! Way to go Northway! God put his extra with out ordinary and the results speak for themselves. I can’t wait to see what God will do with this investment as we use it to prepare and launch Clifton Park.
Speaking of Clifton Park, we need lots of volunteers to come out each evening this week and help prepare the facility. I can’t thank our volunteers enough for giving their time and talents to God by volunteering. If you’re available this week, check out specific times and specific tasks on the Clifton Park Blog.
This weekend while we were celebrating God’s Miracle Offering, we had lots of company! Channel 10 WTEN and Capital News nine were both there to cover the story. Check out the Capital news article and video here.
I’m in Philly again this week. Twice in one month; it doesn’t get much better! I’ll be speaking at a high school chapel today, then speaking and hanging out with a group of 150 pastors from across the East Coast. It should be a great time, and I’m sure I’ll find time to sneak in a Philly cheesesteak somehow. I’ll fill you in when I get back.
