This Sunday will mark the end of the journey that my congregation and I have been taking through the book of Nehemiah…and it will mark the conclusion of the capital campaign for our new building. Although I have no idea how close we’ll get to our fund-raising goal, I’ve been pleased by the way that this message series has allowed us to put the effort in context, and I’ve been gratified by the positive response of several of my church members.
In this last message, I seek to make the point that Nehemiah’s efforts were never just about rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem; he was seeking to rebuild the people of Jerusalem. He was seeking revival. By studying the actions taken after the wall’s completion, I think we get important clues about what’s needed for revival to take place.
This message, the series, and our capital campaign will conclude with a ‘praise parade’ (see Nehemiah 12) in which our worshipers will be invited to move toward the altar, to sing, and to offer their financial gifts and themselves to God. I think it’s gonna be a good day…
Rebuilding a People, Nehemiah-Style
