What It’s Going to Take (Joshua 1:1-9; 16-18)

Big Idea: Transforming into a thriving church requires strength, courage, obedience to God, and a commitment to making disciples while adapting to community needs.

I don't know how you came this morning. You might have come encouraged by what is happening at the church. As I talk to people, I sense an excitement about the future. I sense a deeper hunger for worship and a passion for evangelism. Some of our leading indicators would seem to suggest that we are making progress. Some of you came excited about the future at Richview, and that's great. I like that! I love the believing expectation that God is going to move in this group of people.

But some of you might have a little bit of fear, and that's okay too. You may be wondering what these two young pastors are up to. I sense, when I really listen, that many of you are trying to be supportive, but you're not sure. Perhaps there are some here this morning who struggle with the whole idea of change. You haven't heard everything you need to hear from leadership to be convinced. Or maybe you're carrying around baggage from the past. You've heard it all before, and you don't know whether or not to believe. You came this morning not completely buying into what's happening. For the past 5 or 6 weeks, we've been talking about changing as a church. We've talked about becoming a purpose-driven church. But some of us might not be sure that we want to change!

This morning, I want to discuss what it takes to become a transformational church that fulfills its mission. Last year I traveled to Israel. As we drove down the length of the Jordan River, I looked over and saw the land of Jordan. I saw the general area from which Moses would have viewed Israel. I imagined the millions of people camped out on the east bank of the Jordan River. As the book of Joshua opens, that is where they are. The Israelites are camped on the east bank of the Jordan River at the very edge of the Promised Land.

We have a lot in common with them. For one thing, there's new leadership. They had just lost the only leader they had known for 40 years. Moses was the one who started it all. Now there was a new kid on the block—one who had been chosen while Moses was still alive, but he was still a new leader. We encounter insurmountable challenges. It wouldn't have been hard for one of the children of Israel to stand up at a business meeting and say, "We've tried this before—40 years ago. Look at the river! What do you think we're doing?" The obstacles were clear. What they faced was impossible by human means. The only way to overcome was through implicit trust and absolute dependence on God's miracle-working power. And so it is with us.

Look around us. In Canada, 82% of people are unchurched. "No religious preference" is the fastest-growing religion, and most evangelical churches are in decline. They had another thing in common with us--they had God's guarantee; and so do we. God commanded them to go across the Jordan River and take the land he had given them. They had God's promise and guarantee of help. Jesus commanded us to go into the world and make disciples. We have his promise that he will be with us, that he will build his church. Staying on the east side of the Jordan River would have been disobedient and shown a lack of trust. For us to stay where we are right now would also demonstrate disobedience and a lack of trust.

There's one more similarity between them and us. There's the issue of choice. Remember what I said earlier? They could keep going the way they had been going for 40 years, and they could keep getting what they had always been getting. They could have chosen another few years of wandering in the wilderness, or they could enter the Promised Land. We have a choice. We can keep doing what we've always been doing. We can accept that 82% of Christians in this community are unchurched, or we can strive to become a transformational church. What will it take to enter the Promised Land? What will it take for our church to be a thriving church – a place where we see lives transformed?

I take a hint from what I read in Joshua 1. Four times in Joshua 1, God tells Joshua, "Be strong and courageous!" It's going to take strength and courage for us to become a transformational church. It requires strength and courage to welcome those important to God, support them, and guide them until they become devoted followers of Jesus Christ.

In Joshua's day, two and a half tribes had decided that they liked it better on the east side of the Jordan. They were just as happy settling on the east side, which had great pasture for their flocks. I imagine that some of them could have said, "We were here before. We didn't have what it took." There was probably a temptation on the part of many to settle east of the Jordan. Some of us are probably happy with things the way they are. It's going to cost us something to become transformational. There's a price tag attached to becoming the church that God wants us to be. But then I see what's at stake. I can see the other side.

I envision Richview as a thriving church that transforms lives. I can see Richview being a place of transformation. I can see our church making a significant impact on the community. People are at stake, and people matter to God! A little like the children of Israel, we face a choice of whether or not we are going to cross that river. So if you're interested, how are we going to do it? How are we going to get the strength and courage we need? It's going to take strength and courage on the part of all, not just me, but you. How can you get the strength and courage you need?

Joshua 1 gives us three steps that we will have to take.

First: Get your marching orders from God.

Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites. I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Great Sea on the west. No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life.

Was there any doubt what God's will was for the people of that day? They knew, without a question, who their leader was. They knew exactly where they were supposed to go. They knew the results that God had guaranteed them. We as a church need a crystal-clear understanding of what God has commanded our church to do. Question: Has God given us marching orders?

In the past two months, we've focused on our mission to guide everyone to become devoted followers of Jesus Christ. We've talked about the five purposes God has given us as a church: service, worship, outreach, relationships, and discipleship. By excelling in these five areas, we can become a more vibrant and energized church. We know the leaders God has given us. We need to be crystal-clear about what God is calling us to do. In early September, I promised to keep you updated on what's happening at Richview. Since that time, I have been meeting with key leaders to go over our strategy as a church. This month we will finish meeting with key leaders and getting their feedback. And on Saturday, December 5, we will begin to present to you what we believe our future should look like. We won't be coming with everything figured out. We will come to you with a plan to discern our future together as a church. As leaders, we are rediscovering God's purpose for Richview. It's not new — it's why this church was founded. It's as old as the New Testament. We believe we've got our marching orders from God, and I guess I have to say, are you willing to follow the orders we've received?

Because we're not sensing a lot of wiggle room in what God has called us to do!

Second: Obey His Directions.

Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.

God requires that we be a people who are absolutely committed to obeying the word of God. Did you notice that the emphasis in these verses is not knowledge, but obedience? John Maxwell says that most of us are educated way beyond our level of obedience, and I tend to agree. Imagine if we canceled church until we had obeyed everything in this week's sermon? It's very possible we wouldn't have to have church again until Christmas! It's one thing to understand, and it's another thing to obey.

Can I give you an example? One of the values that we're going to elevate at Richview is this value of outreach. Pastor Ed talked the other week about how lost people matter to God. Let's take a vote — how many people here believe that lost people matter to God? How many people believe that we need to do everything possible to reach everyone we can? Okay. Now, next week we have a discovery service. Next week, we will create a welcoming environment where seekers can clearly hear about the claims of Christ and their significance. Studies show that 10–15% of people come to a church because of mass marketing. 10–15% come because of drive-bys or name recognition. 70–75% of people come because of an invitation from a friend or relative. All it takes is an ask. Have you obeyed God by giving that ask to someone who doesn't yet follow Jesus?

Friends, we want to take these two steps. We want to get our marching orders from God. We want to obey his directions. It's going to take one more step.

Step Three: Expect God to Bring Results.

No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.

These people had an unwavering confidence that came from a calm assurance that God was with them in their obedience. They had expectations—they expected that God would work. They knew that as they entered the Promised Land, God would go before them and drive out their enemies. Jesus promised us:

Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

We have the same promise from Jesus. How much do you expect God to show his power in this church? What do you expect him to do? I can't wait to see what God is going to do here at Richview. I can't wait to see the lives that he will transform!

Billy Graham once said of Canada, "I believe that Canada stands in a very unique position. If Canada should have a spiritual awakening and a spiritual revival, I think it could lead the world. And I think Canada could become the world leader in the spiritual dimension!" For Richview Baptist Church, these are the best of times and the worst of times. In a short while, we're going to enter a new millennium. Call it 21-C for the twenty-first century, 3M for the third millennium, or what you will. As the year odometer changes over to a 2 followed by 3 zeroes, our society is in the midst of a major sea change. For those of us who are passionate about reaching this Canadian generation for Christ, this presents a major challenge. We live in a new day – a day which requires, in the words of Len Sweet, "the fieldwork skills of an anthropologist, the dedication of a missionary, the patience of a saint, the learning curve of a child, the cunning of a spy, the stamina of an athlete, and the resolve of a Coast Guard sailor."

Terry Cuthbert, our Fellowship's president, has observed three responses among churches.

The first is that of denial. He says, "These godly men and women do not want to admit to themselves that the world is changing dramatically around them. They are carrying on, business as usual. They continue to do what they have always done, except that it has been years since they have seen any significant spiritual results."

The second response is to "hunker in the bunker." Or, as younger people say while playing video games, "Shields up!" Terry Cuthbert says, "These godly men and women see the change coming but have developed a healthy fear of the negative aspects of these changes, without recognizing the significant opportunities. They would rather form the holy huddle and keep themselves untainted in this wicked and vile generation." The late Canadian novelist Robertson Davies said, "The world is full of people whose notion of a satisfactory future is, in fact, a return to an idealized past." We have not been called to serve previous generations. We have been called by God to serve this one. Thus, you and I need to adopt a third response.

The third response is to hoist the sails. Cuthbert says:

These godly men and women have understood that we are not of this world, but we still have a significant role to play in it. Separation and engagement go together. There are churches and individuals across Canada that with boldness and courage are scouting out this new world after the sea change. They are fully convinced of the priority of the great commission and are taking the necessary risks to find out how to connect to this new culture.

But there's a price tag attached. As one church planter asked, "What are you willing to endure to see change occur?" What are you willing to give up to enter the Promised Land?

Do you know what the Israelites decided to do?

Then they answered Joshua, "Whatever you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. Just as we fully obeyed Moses, so we will obey you. Only may the LORD your God be with you as he was with Moses. Whoever rebels against your word and does not obey your words, whatever you may command them, will be put to death. Only be strong and courageous!'"

They decided to hoist the sails. I stand before you today to tell you that God has given us clear direction. He's with us – he's promised to give us success. And I'm here to tell you, as for me and my house—we're going to hoist the sails. Are you?

Let's pray.

Dear Heavenly Father,

We come before you with humble and expectant hearts. Give us the courage to reach out and invite others to know you, especially in the week ahead. Help us honor and embrace the purpose you have given our church—to transform lives and make disciples for your kingdom.

Lord, strengthen our commitment to obey your word and follow your direction without hesitation or fear. Plant within us an unwavering faith that expects to see your mighty works unfold in our midst. We believe you are able to do infinitely more than we could ask or imagine.

May our congregation be a testimony to Your faithfulness as we step forward in boldness and trust. We commit ourselves fully to your purposes, knowing that you go before us.

In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.