When Man Can't, God Can
This past week was Vision Sunday for us at Sanctuary and we shared how God has been moving and where He is leading us as a church in this next season, it was a great time together. One thing that God had me do is to share an overview of my journey with God and how Sanctuary came to be a part of that. I wanted to share those stories with you and how I experienced that with man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.
This all begins second semester of my senior year in college, I had a job lined up after graduation and was ready to start making some real money. But I was being mentored by a guy on staff with Campus Crusade for Christ (Cru) and he invited me to join he and his wife on an overseas missionary team to Australia! I said, No. God clearly didn’t understand that I needed to make money and missionaries don’t make enough of it. But after I prayed about it, God made it very clear that He was calling me to go. I wrestled with God but eventually acquiesced and agreed to go. As someone who idolized wealth, God blew me away through support raising and provided every cent I needed for the two-year trip! God provided everything I needed and He knew this was a good fit for my gifts. This may have seemed impossible to me, but God made it possible.
While I loved campus ministry with Cru I came back from 2 years in Australia still thinking I was going to work in a secular profession but God had other plans. After two years I knew once again He was calling me back to ministry. I had lunch with a youth pastor friend of mine and at lunch he shared with me that he was leaving his position and he invited me to apply for it! I had must come to grips with ministry but youth ministry was not something I wanted to do. However, God made clear to me, this is what I have for you, so I applied. But right before I was to get married, in August 2011, after a couple of interviews I was told, you’re not the guy, we’re looking for someone with more youth ministry experience. That was fine with me, I didn’t want it anyway. But God kept telling me, this is what I have for you, to which I replied, God, you don’t seem to understand, they already said “no” but God persisted. I got married, honeymooned, two weeks passed, and as soon as I got back I had an email waiting for me that read, Hey Dave, it didn’t work out with the other 3 guys, we’d like you to come back in for a final interview. I was floored, man had literally said no and God made a way for the impossible.
Then years later I had moved on to youth ministry at Yorba Linda Friends and I heard from God one day that I’m taking you to Anaheim Dave. I didn’t know what that meant at the time but a couple weeks later our pastor let the staff and church know our next church campus was going to be in Anaheim and I knew I was in trouble once again. So, I told the pastor that despite not desiring to plant a church myself and feeling unprepared I sensed God leading me to plant the Anaheim Campus. The pastor responded with Sorry Dave you’re not the guy, we’ve got someone else in mind. I was fine with that. But wouldn’t you know it, two weeks later I meet with the pastor and he proceeds to tell me that it didn’t work out with the other guy and we’d like to offer the lead pastor position at Anaheim to you! Once again God had brought about His will and way in spite of man’s plans and in February 2019 we planted the church.
But after a while I realized God was calling us to a different house church model but that was a different model than we and our sending church had been pursuing. Through Covid God made a way and the lead pastor told me (not the other way around) that he’d like me to meet in homes and reach the community organically until we grew and we’d reevaluate at a later time. I was floored! God had made a way for the model He was calling us to. Fast forward up to today and we’re preparing to separate and plant out of Yorba Linda Friends. I was fearful and had no idea how we could sustain as a small house church movement. From my human perspective, this was impossible. Yet, here we are today in January 2023 as our own church, sustained by God, still learning, but reaching new people, preparing to multiply, and seeing fruit of discipleship in the lives of our people. God made it possible.
Take time often to listen for God’s voice and leading. Find others who can help you co discern God’s voice. Check your heart’s willingness to surrender to God’s will even if it isn’t what you would choose or you don’t fully understand it from a human perspective. Remember who God is and that He doesn’t operate within our limits, constraints, or understanding. Be discerning but be faithful.
Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Matthew 19:26
This all begins second semester of my senior year in college, I had a job lined up after graduation and was ready to start making some real money. But I was being mentored by a guy on staff with Campus Crusade for Christ (Cru) and he invited me to join he and his wife on an overseas missionary team to Australia! I said, No. God clearly didn’t understand that I needed to make money and missionaries don’t make enough of it. But after I prayed about it, God made it very clear that He was calling me to go. I wrestled with God but eventually acquiesced and agreed to go. As someone who idolized wealth, God blew me away through support raising and provided every cent I needed for the two-year trip! God provided everything I needed and He knew this was a good fit for my gifts. This may have seemed impossible to me, but God made it possible.
While I loved campus ministry with Cru I came back from 2 years in Australia still thinking I was going to work in a secular profession but God had other plans. After two years I knew once again He was calling me back to ministry. I had lunch with a youth pastor friend of mine and at lunch he shared with me that he was leaving his position and he invited me to apply for it! I had must come to grips with ministry but youth ministry was not something I wanted to do. However, God made clear to me, this is what I have for you, so I applied. But right before I was to get married, in August 2011, after a couple of interviews I was told, you’re not the guy, we’re looking for someone with more youth ministry experience. That was fine with me, I didn’t want it anyway. But God kept telling me, this is what I have for you, to which I replied, God, you don’t seem to understand, they already said “no” but God persisted. I got married, honeymooned, two weeks passed, and as soon as I got back I had an email waiting for me that read, Hey Dave, it didn’t work out with the other 3 guys, we’d like you to come back in for a final interview. I was floored, man had literally said no and God made a way for the impossible.
Then years later I had moved on to youth ministry at Yorba Linda Friends and I heard from God one day that I’m taking you to Anaheim Dave. I didn’t know what that meant at the time but a couple weeks later our pastor let the staff and church know our next church campus was going to be in Anaheim and I knew I was in trouble once again. So, I told the pastor that despite not desiring to plant a church myself and feeling unprepared I sensed God leading me to plant the Anaheim Campus. The pastor responded with Sorry Dave you’re not the guy, we’ve got someone else in mind. I was fine with that. But wouldn’t you know it, two weeks later I meet with the pastor and he proceeds to tell me that it didn’t work out with the other guy and we’d like to offer the lead pastor position at Anaheim to you! Once again God had brought about His will and way in spite of man’s plans and in February 2019 we planted the church.
But after a while I realized God was calling us to a different house church model but that was a different model than we and our sending church had been pursuing. Through Covid God made a way and the lead pastor told me (not the other way around) that he’d like me to meet in homes and reach the community organically until we grew and we’d reevaluate at a later time. I was floored! God had made a way for the model He was calling us to. Fast forward up to today and we’re preparing to separate and plant out of Yorba Linda Friends. I was fearful and had no idea how we could sustain as a small house church movement. From my human perspective, this was impossible. Yet, here we are today in January 2023 as our own church, sustained by God, still learning, but reaching new people, preparing to multiply, and seeing fruit of discipleship in the lives of our people. God made it possible.
Take time often to listen for God’s voice and leading. Find others who can help you co discern God’s voice. Check your heart’s willingness to surrender to God’s will even if it isn’t what you would choose or you don’t fully understand it from a human perspective. Remember who God is and that He doesn’t operate within our limits, constraints, or understanding. Be discerning but be faithful.
Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Matthew 19:26
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