Gospel Prism

Mark Lauterbach has an awesome testimony of how God moved to finally get Grace Church the permit they have been looking for to build. And listen to how Sovereign Grace responded as a whole to their situation:

Months ago I posted the story of our church’s pursuit of larger space for our meetings. We live in Southern California — land of very high priced real estate and dense development. Most churches move from renting school space to leasing some kind of commercial space. It is the only path for growth that seems possible — either that or they share a facility with another church.

We concluded that it was time to seek a larger place and began a quest with prayer and fasting. God provided a landlord and gave our people grace to give in an extraordinary way. But here in San Diego there is no land or lease-able space zoned for church use. You must buy the land or sign the lease and then apply for permission to use it as a church. We signed the lease and applied for the permit. This process usually takes 4-6 months. We budgeted for this. We hired the best help to expedite the process we could get.

Quite to our surprise the local community and the city looked with disfavor on our request. In their desire to serve the community, they did not want to compromise the industrial park for non-industrial use (certainly an understandable position). In the months that followed God gave grace to walk with honor toward the planners, provided free legal counsel, free environmental impact studies, and wonderful persistent faith and unity in the church.

In short, 13 months later we have our permit.

That brings me to the extraordinary grace we have found in our Sovereign Grace Ministries family of churches. I want to honor God’s grace in this post and tell you of this grace.

First, there has been nothing but support and prayer and counsel from our leadership. Every step of the way they have cared for us, asked great questions, stood with us, given us time and counsel. They have prayed for us and led others to pray for us.

Second, our costs have been large as we have had to pay the lease on an empty building — but our people have given with great sacrifice and the Sovereign Grace leadership team has helped. And more than that, two other churches, without our asking, have given substantially to our project. When the checks came from these other churches, I was struck by the sense of Gospel-partnership they represented — not something I have seen anywhere else in ministry in the USA. One church gave 10% of their building fund. The other gave with abundance as well. This last Sunday we announced this exceptional gift and there was an audible gasp in the congregation, then spontaneous applause.

God is to be glorified for such grace as it is only grace that would call and enable a church to sacrifice to serve another fellowship in need. This is NT partnership.

Sounds familiar to this story in 2 Corinthians 8:1-4:

We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, 2 for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. 3 For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, 4 begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints—

Isn’t this how the church is supposed to be? Praise God for Sovereign Grace for its faith in a Sovereign God who gives greater grace!