Stand Still, Retreat, or Go Forward?

In this part of the sermon: Martin presents the current financial data, showing a pattern of continuous shortfall in regular giving and outside support over the past five to six months, necessitating a…

Martin describes himself as a 'klutz' at concocting sermon titles, frustrating Mr. Deutsch, to introduce the title 'Stand Still, Retreat, or Go Forward?' as a rare exception he feels satisfied with.

on which he has inscribed certain aspects of his will for his church, and from which I trust we can derive directives that will help us to know the will of Christ, with reference to what we as the people of God ought to do, in the light of the present providences of God. Now most of you know that, in many things perhaps, you may judge me to be an absolute klutz, but in one area you know that I am, and that is when it comes to concocting sermon titles. I frustrate poor Mr. Deutsch when he'll ask me of a given sermon, how should we title it?

11:32 - 12:11 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin presents the current financial data, showing a pattern of continuous shortfall in regular giving and outside support over the past five to six months, necessitating a…

He compares his satisfaction with the sermon title to a baseball player hitting a single with bases loaded, bringing in two runs, even if not a grand slam, to convey a sense of accomplishment.

And I feel quite satisfied with that, and when a man is always popping up with the bases loaded and is able to punch one up the middle and knock in two runs, he must have a good feeling, though he may never hit a grand slam home run and get four ribbies. All right? Stand Still, Retreat, or Go Forward, Which Shall It Be? And addressing this subject at the encouragement and direction of my fellow elders and in consultation with the deacons, I want to do so first of all under our first heading, The Facts Concerning Our Present Financial Situation as a Church.

12:44 - 13:27 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: He outlines two unbiblical responses: 'moving ahead with increased commitments and trusting God' (presumption) and 'cutting back across the board' (fatalism). He argues against…

Martin uses the example of promising a handkerchief to someone weeping without having one, and praying for one to drop from heaven, to illustrate the difference between faith and presumption/fanaticism in giving.

when it is in the power of your hand to do it. Do not say to your neighbor, go and come again and tomorrow I will give when you have it by you. It's one thing for me to look upon someone weeping in the second or third row and say, excuse me brethren, I want to give my brother or sister a handkerchief to dry his or her eyes. I have a handkerchief in my hand or readily accessible.

21:42 - 22:16 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Using the account of Elisha and his servant, Martin illustrates that visible data (like financial bar graphs) does not capture all reality, and God can intervene in ways that…

The story from 2 Kings 6, where Elisha's servant sees the Syrian army surrounding them but Elisha prays for his eyes to be opened to see chariots of fire, illustrates that visible 'bar graphs' don't capture all reality and God can intervene supernaturally.

And there are many examples of this in the scriptures. As I was preparing this message, my mind went back to those examples found in 2 Kings. You wonder sometimes what these large historical sections have been put in our Bibles for. Well, they are rich seedbeds of illustrating vital biblical principles instruction in the way of righteousness.

32:13 - 32:39 Read in full sermon

Driving home: You see in the servant of the man of God learn the lesson not all reality can be captured on the bar graph. Not all reality is in the numbers by which the patterns of our giving have been carefully calibrated and tracked…

Martin recounts the church's own history of building its current complex, where computer calculations showed it was impossible, but prayer led to God's provision of 1.5 million dollars, demonstrating that God works beyond human computation.

other realities and we would not rob any of you nor ourselves of the privilege of seeing those realities which are only seen in the crisis where it's necessary for God to reveal them. And here I give just a little bit of church history that is Trinity church history for those visiting and those who are new among us. The building in which we sit and the adjacent buildings according to much less sophisticated than back then what 17, 18 years ago when the numbers were crunched in with regard to the amount of our giving, the patterns of our giving what it would cost to build a modest building to h...

36:47 - 37:32 Read in full sermon