Last November, when we started talking about our building expansion, we focused on the theme “Consider…Building for God’s Glory.” Much has happened over the last year since the expansion was first proposed to the congregation, and now we are approaching the last couple of months of construction. Walls have been framed, drywall is being hung and the final finishes will start to be installed in the very near future. While the project hasn’t been without a few bumps in the road, progress has been steady and it appears the building will be finished very close to the original target completion date. We are very grateful for the prayers, generosity and patience of our church family during the building expansion.
As construction continues on it is easy to get caught up in all of the decisions that have to be made. Necessary and important questions about carpet color, paint colors and what kind of tables and chairs to buy can quickly tempt us to forget why we are building in the first place: for God’s glory. The purpose of taking on a building expansion flows out of Jesus’ command to “go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matt. 28:19-20). Our prayer is that like Paul, we will “make the word of God fully known” (Col. 1:25) and that we would proclaim Christ, “warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ” (Col. 1:28). The new children’s area will give us adequate space to teach our children while also freeing up existing classrooms to provide multiple discipleship opportunities for adults. Our hope is that through these additional opportunities God will be glorified as we are conformed more and more into His image.
As a part of the construction process, we have been able to minister to the contractors that are onsite in a variety of ways through our Ministry of Construction. Volunteers have been praying for those onsite and bringing snacks and drinks every week as a way of thanking them for their hard work. Our children showed their appreciation by writing thank you cards that were distributed to the different trades working on the building. Over the course of the project, we have also hosted two events in which we served lunch and briefly shared the gospel with everyone onsite. In total, over 100 volunteers have helped serve and pray for the contractors over the course of the project. These are just a few more ways we are trying to be faithful to our commitment to build for God’s glory.
As we look ahead to the next two months, we still have some inconveniences coming. After the children’s wing is completed, construction will move inside to the main set of restrooms, Zone 56 and the Library/Café area. The availability of these areas will likely be affected on Sunday mornings, so we will keep you updated on any changes. In the meantime, please continue to pray over our expansion project, including the workers, Ray Theaker - our Building Rep, and our Ministry of Construction Team.
Funding for the project has been steady, and we thank you for your financial sacrifice. As of this writing, $849,510 of the $2,116,755 pledged has been received. When the project is completed, which is anticipated in January of 2016, the full amount due for the construction will be required. With that in mind, any funding that we receive before project completion will reduce the amount of short-term construction loans that the church will need to secure. Any gifts on your three-year pledge that you can give early will therefore help us significantly. As of now, the Worship Center expansion will be left incomplete due to a lack of funds. If you are new to LifePoint and see yourself committing yourself to membership with us, would you consider a pledge to the building fund that might help us close the gap on that funding? Pledges can be made either on our website (http://www.lifepointindy.com/building-pledge/) or by filling out a pledge card, which can be found at the offering slots.
If you would like to know how you can volunteer in the Ministry of Construction or have questions about financing our expansion project, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Pastor Chris
(
or 317.881.4010)
