Read: Luke 14: 15-24
“Come, for everything is ready now. But they all alike began to make excuses.”
(Luke 14:17-18)

Reflection: How many reasons are there for not participating in a capital campaign? The possibilities are endless! There are more than enough reasons to justify anyone.

A modern parable might begin like this:
The kingdom of God is like a capital campaign. God gave His people a vision. “Come!” said God, “Take your place prepared for you. Take up your part in My work. Everything is ready now. All of you are invited to make a difference. When you take your place and take up your part, all will be blessed to break bread in My kingdom.” But they all alike began to make excuses ….

The most important piece of a jigsaw puzzle is the piece that is missing. Every part is important to making the whole picture work. Synergy is a word best understood when divided. Ergo, is Greek for work, while the prefix syn means together. When merged, the words mean “working together.” However, there is more. Synergy is better defined to mean that the result accomplished is greater than the individual parts. Sports teams demonstrate the meaning of synergy. Playing together makes them better than playing as individuals. However, even one team member failing to do his or her part can make everyone lose. Just like one musician not in concert with the orchestra can ruin the music.

Your participation in the mission of this church is unquestionably significant. No one can play your part but you. No one can give your part but you. Others can only do their part. No one can make up for your part if your gift is excused.

Prayer: Lord, when Your call challenges me, it is easy for me to excuse myself. Reach me! Compel me to respond to Your call in whatever ways I can.

Action Item: If you have already made up your list of excuses, then take that list and offer it up as a burnt sacrifice. Go back to the list you made on day two — reasons why these projects are important. Looking over that list, can you now find reasons to give?

Read: Romans 12:1-2
“Offer yourselves as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is.” (Romans 12:1)

“Love the Lord your God … with all of your mind.” (Matthew 22:37)

Reflection: What motto is on your T-shirt? What values do you conform to? Where do you re-shape yourself in order to “fit in.” What do you give yourself to as a kind of living sacrifice? Anything advertising to make us the greatest, the most successful, the most famous, can capture us and conform us to its own set of values.

A magazine ran a series of articles asking people “How has your mind changed?” Some people answered by telling how a relationship changed their racial prejudices, or by sharing how some tragedy or suffering made them more aware of and compassionate toward others.

What can change your mind? That is an interesting question. Changing one’s mind is a difficult and rare thing — especially if the transformation means changing our directions, our opinions, our goals, and our plans. Yet such change is exactly what Paul calls every Christian to. He calls us to be completely transformed by the renewing of our mind. And he calls us to give ourselves as a living and holy sacrifice.

Would anyone notice that your life is molded by the mind of Christ? Could any-one see your transformation? How has your life in faith changed your mind? How have your priorities changed? How has your life changed? Ask yourself, do you feel conformed to this world, or are you being transformed? Could anyone notice the difference in you as you offer yourself more fully to God?

Prayer: Lord, lead me to see things differently, to think differently, to live differently. Reset my priorities. Transform my mind … and my life!

Action Item: Get in touch with the “mind-set” that you have entered our campaign with. What have you predetermined? What are you stubborn about? What have you already decided? Be honest here — write those things down. Is this helping or hindering you in allowing God to prepare His way in your heart? Then make a commitment with yourself to be open-minded. Listen, look, reflect — and see what you learn. You may be surprised to find yourself transformed before this prayer journey is finished.

Read: Mark 12:41-44

“Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury; for they all put in out of their surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned.”
(Mark 12:43)

“Love the Lord your God … with all your strength” (Matthew 22:37)

Reflection: After a long morning of teaching in the temple courtyard, Jesus took a break with his disciples. Sitting right across from the treasury, their gazes drifted over to observing many people who were making their offerings.

Never one to miss a teachable moment, Jesus asked his disciples about what they had seen. “Who put in more?” is the implied question. The answer is obvious to anyone reading or watching — those who gave the greatest sums put in more!

Jesus turns the tables on the obvious, teaching his disciples an important principle of giving. Giving is not measured by dollar amounts; giving is measured by how much we truly give of ourselves. Some who gave large sums offered out of their surplus gifts that they would never even miss. But what this widow offered meant the world to her, although it was just a penny. Her gift affected her life. Her seemingly small gift is the one Jesus singles out for praise. She put in more of herself than all of the others.

Commitments are not about equal gifts, but about an equal sense of sacrifice. Not everyone has the ability (the resources) to make a multi-million dollar gift; but every person does have the ability and the opportunity to meaningfully invest themselves in what God is doing in their church. In terms of the commitment, rather than the amount, would God be honored if every person in our church made a sacrifice equal to my own?

Prayer: Lord, each and every gift makes a difference to Parkway Heights. Teach me to give in ways that actually make a difference in my life.

Action Item: Whether you imagine your financial gift to be “large” or “small,” stop … right now … trying to measure your pledge (in dollar terms) with what other people are able to do. Put that kind of “measuring” away! Every gift from every person is immeasurably significant if that gift represents a meaningful commitment within the context of their blessings. Continue to ask yourself this question: in terms of the level of commitment — not the dollar amount — would God be honored if every person in our congregation made a sacrifice equal to my own?

Read: Matthew 6:19-21 and Luke 19:1-9
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth … but lay up for yourselves treasure in heaven. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:21)

Love the Lord your God with all your heart. (Matthew 22:37)

Reflection: We tend to grow uncomfortable when the church talks about money. Why? Are decisions about how we live and how we use those resources unimportant? Is our faith supposed to be separate from our finances? Are not believing, and praying, and loving more important to our faith? Look at a revealing count of New Testament words:

• Believe, Believing - 275 times
• Pray, Praying - 371 times
• Love, loves, loving - 714 times
• Giving or give - 2,162 times

Jesus knew that our treasures and our hearts are inseparably linked. For Him, talking about treasure was to reach more completely for the full allegiance of people’s hearts. Jesus knew that dealing with our treasures is one of those critical places where the rubber meets the road … where the practicality of our faith is tested … where what we believe becomes tangible and real.

Remember the story of Zacchaeus in Luke 19? We have no idea what happened between Jesus and Zacchaeus other than they had dinner together. But we do know that Jesus reached and dramatically changed that person’s heart. How do we know that? Follow the money! Look at what happened with Zacchaeus’ treasure. Half of what he possessed he gave immediately. Every wrong he set himself to make right. Seeing where the treasure went, Jesus exclaims, “Today salvation has come to this house!”

Maybe we are uncomfortable with talk about money because that conversation is getting awfully close to the heart of our faith. Maybe we are uncomfortable with talk about our treasures because we are afraid for something as powerful as salvation to come very near our house today.

Prayer: Lord, teach me to love You with all my heart – and with all my life. Let salvation come to this house!

Action Item: Sketch out a simple budget of where your treasures are (of where your financial resources go). Now write down your current giving to the ministries of the church. How does your giving to God’s work through the church compare to your investment in your other treasures? What does that level of giving say about where your heart is? Where would you rather your heart be?

Read: Matthew 14:13-21 and John 6:1-11
“They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” (Matthew 14:16)

“There is a boy here with five loaves and two fish, but what are they among so many people ?”
(John 6:9)

Reflection: Jesus had been with the crowds all day, ministering to people’s needs. It was getting late — past suppertime. And, frankly, the disciples were tired of dealing with all these people. “Send the crowds away,” the disciples told Jesus. Let them go home and take care of themselves for a while. Surely you do not expect us to be responsible for all of their needs.

When a church is challenged with growing needs, it would be easy to say “just send the crowds away” — surely it is not our responsibility to minister to all of these needs. It would be easy saying that to your fellow disciples who are also ready to go home for supper, but don’t try saying that to Jesus. Jesus’ response was, and still is, clear. “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.” A crowd of more than 5,000. How can we meet that kind of need? It is overwhelming! As Philip says in John’s version, “Six months wages would not buy enough bread for each of them even to get a little!”

Then, seeing the need and determined to do what he could about it, a boy in the crowd gave five loaves and two fish. It must have taken all the composure the disciples had to receive the boy’s gift with gratefulness and seriousness without laughing in his face. What are these gifts among so many people? Jesus took the gift, blessed it — and the crowd of more than 5,000 were fed.

Every miracle begins with a person — with a person making a gift of the best they can offer and asking Jesus to bless and to use that gift. Expect a miracle. The need may seem overwhelming. Your gift may appear to be inadequate to cover all of the need. But all Jesus asks is the best that you can offer. When you give the best that you can to Jesus, then expect a miracle. Expect God’s grace to work in and through you — and in and through other people — to accomplish more than you ever imagined.

Prayer: Lord, with your blessing and Your grace, multiply my gifts to make more difference than I ever imagined.

Action Item: Begin now to think about your part, your gift, in our campaign. What role will you have in God’s story here at Parkway Heights? No one can do your part for you. No one can make up for your part. You have a part in this miracle that only you can provide. Start the conversation that asks, “Lord, what would You do through me?”

Read: 1 Samuel 3:1-11
“Speak Lord, for your servant is listening” (1 Samuel 3:10)

Reflection: In the time of Samuel, the bible says, “the word of the Lord was rare in those days, and visions were not widespread.” Isn’t it easy for people to feel the same way today. How many of us have heard God call their name? Who has heard God speak a word to them? Is there a great, Godly vision that drives your life?

Most people seem to want to think that the word of the Lord is rare, that the word of the Lord only comes to people like the pastors who are somehow “specially” called. Most people seem to want to think that God has no word, no calling, no vision for them.

Maybe, like the boy Samuel, we simply are not listening well. Perhaps we need to learn to listen better for a word from God. Perhaps it is not a word from God that is rare, but faithful listening from those who would serve God that is so rare.

Every Christian has a calling. In fact, every Christian has several callings — as well as the God-given gifts, graces, and blessings to respond to those callings.

God calls us to be faithful stewards of the talents, time and resources given by Him. Being a faithful steward is a personal calling — a word from the Lord. It is a calling that comes with your name attached to it. It is a calling that only you can make a decision about. You can ignore that calling completely. You can brush off that calling by responding only in minimal ways. Or, recognizing God’s claim over your life, you can wake up and listen for God’s own voice. There is a word from the Lord for you in this program. There is a God-given vision for your church in this campaign. “Speak to me Lord. I am your servant. I am listening to hear from You.”

Prayer: Lord, teach me not only to say Samuel’s prayer, “Speak, for your servant is listening,” but to actually listen for Your word, Lord, and to do Your word.

Action Item: Are you listening for God’s word? List where you hear God’s word (in scripture, in worship, in prayer, in other faithful people, etc). In your daily prayer time and your journaling, make note of the ways that God is speaking to you.

Read: Matthew 28:16-20
“Go therefore and make disciples” (Matthew 28:19)

Reflection: When a church has a capital campaign, everyone seems to have the same kind of question — What are we building? What does the building look like? What color will the carpet be? Or perhaps, what debt are we eliminating? What am I going to get out of this? What is my part to play?

Fundamentally, all of those “what” questions are far and away the least important questions to ask. The most important question in a capital program challenge is not what, but WHY. Why are we building? Why are we expanding our ministries? Why is Parkway Heights here? Why am I here at this place and this time?

No church builds a structure just to have a nice building. No church expands ministries just to be a bigger church. No person makes a sacrificial financial commitment just to get some kind of service or program benefit. People — and churches — do not give their lives or their resources or their selves to a building or to a program or to being bigger. What people will give their lives to is a God-given purpose, a higher calling. So the most important question to answer in our capital campaign is not what are we doing, but WHY are we doing it. Why is Parkway Heights doing this? What does God call this church to be and to do? And how does this capital campaign provide tools for us to respond to that calling? The last commandment Jesus spoke for every Christian was, “Go … make disciples of all nations … teach them all that I have commanded you.” Every church and every Christian has a God-given purpose to be and to do what God calls us to be and to do. This program is not simply about buildings or finances. This program is about reaching and teaching and changing the lives of people with the good news of Jesus Christ. The resources raised provide the necessary tools to help us better connect, equip and send faithful disciples.

You needed Christ. Your life has been reached, taught, changed by the witness and ministries of Parkway Heights. Would you like for other people to have a story of faith to tell and a purpose for their lives? Their stories depend now on your faithfulness.

Prayer: Lord, grow my passion for Your purposes in my life and in my church. You have brought me here for a reason. Show me what You would do through me.

Action Item: Make a list of WHY these projects are important. How many people will they help your church reach? How many people will they help your church teach? Can you put a value on what changing those people’s lives may be worth? When you focus on the WHY question, how important do these projects become for you?

Read: Luke 11:9-11
“And I say to you, Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you.” (Luke 11:9)

Reflection: Most of us are good at the first baby step of prayer. It is easy to ask God to do
something! Unfortunately after the asking, it can be easy, perhaps more comfortable, to think we are finished; we think that since we have already asked, we are expected to do nothing more.

The first step in any journey is critical. We do need to ask in order to receive. But asking is just the first step. It takes many more steps to continue a real journey of prayer.

Jesus offers his disciples a model for such a prayer journey. Ask — yes, of course! But then seek. And finally, knock on the doors that you find.

Seeking God’s will is much more work than simply asking; seeking takes time, attention, listening, looking, searching. That journey of prayer will lead us far past asking, deep into new paths of seeking God’s way for our lives. Along those paths we will discover doorways — places where choices and decisions must be made. Do we have the courage and commitment to knock on those doors? And when those new doorways are opened, will we step into a new way of life?

Simply asking demands little of us. Seeking means searching for God’s will in our lives; and such seeking will undoubtedly change us — redirecting us in God’s way. Knocking on the doors that God would open to us may well lead us down paths that we never imagined! We do not know what God has in store for us when we begin such a journey, but one thing is certain — such a journey of prayer will change our lives. After all, changing us has always been the real power of prayer.

Prayer: Lord, I seek Your will and Your way in my life. Lead me down Your paths for Your name’s sake. Open new doors that I might find a new way of life!

Action Item: Capture this journey of prayer that you are committing yourself to by journaling your adventure. During your prayer time over the next several weeks, write down what you are asking and what you are given, what you are seeking and what you are finding, what doors you knock upon and what is opened to you.

Read: Colossians 4:12-13
“Epaphras is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, and be mature.” (Colossians 4:12)

Reflection: Wrestling is an ancient sport. In the first century, wrestlers struggled
for their lives, not for TV ratings. In the language of the day, the wrestling ring
was called the agone, and the wrestlers were called antagonists.

Such is this word-image that Paul uses to describe the work of prayer from a spiri-
tual leader of the Colossian church, Epaphras. Paul tells the church that Epaphras
wrestles in prayer for them. We would catch Paul’s wordplay if we say that
Epaphras agonizes in prayer for them. What a powerful image - and a biblical
image too - like Jacob wrestling with the angel all night for a blessing (Genesis
32:24-31) - and like Jesus praying so fervently in the Garden of Gethsemane
that his sweat became like drops of blood (Luke 22:41-44).

What is so important that Epaphras would pray so fervently? That the Colossian
church would grow in their knowledge of God’s will and in their maturity of faith.

This capital campaign is a call to prayer for you and for our congregation. We will
be encouraged to reflect on a simple question - What would You do through me
Lord to make Your will happen in our church? Genuinely reflecting on that ques-
will in your church. This challenge is a time to exercise your faith. The struggle to
respond faithfully will not be - nor should it be - easy. As Paul would later say
of Epaphras, “I vouch for him that he is working hard for you.” The process of
making a decision will not be - nor should it be - short-lived. Like Jacob, you
may spend more than one restless night wrestling for an answer and a blessing.

Parkway Heights needs an Epaphras or two just now. We need people who will
for the future of our church?

Prayer: Lord, lead me in prayer to wrestle hard with Your will. I will hold fast to
You until I find Your blessing.

Action Item: Decide now to make a prayerful decision about your participation
in our campaign. Set aside specific time (at least 15 minutes) every day for the
next three weeks to spend in prayer and reflection using this devotional guide.
Make an appointment with yourself (and with God) right now. Write down when
and where you will spend your prayer time each day for the next three weeks.

Dear friend,

The pages that follow are an invitation to you and me — an invitation to a 20-day spiritual journey. In the coming weeks, we will each be asked to make a commitment to our Prepare the Way capital campaign. Making a faithful commitment of finances is about more than a commitment card; it is about responding to how God needs you to partner with the vision for Parkway Heights in the coming years.

In these pages you will find daily prayers and devotions. I believe that if the entire Body of Christ seeks God’s will together, then great things will happen among us. So, I invite you to join me in the next 20 days in a time of focused prayer and spiritual preparation for what God will do in our own lives and in our midst.

God has great things ahead for us, as we Prepare the Way for future gen-erations to experience the grace and hope of Christ through the work of Parkway Heights.

This journey will culminate on the weekend of April 26-27 with a Prayer Walk and Commitment Sunday. May God guide you and lead you in these important days.