Philippi was like a tollgate between the east and west with fertile ground. The Roman Empire had colonized it subduing Macedonia and dividing it into four districts. You could not own land or marry outside your district. Philippi was one of the four districts. It was a miniature Rome where veterans like Mark Anthony lived.

(Acts 16:9-10) During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, 'Come over to Macedonia and help us.' After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

The vision Paul had was of a man but the church began with women.

(Acts 16:13) On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there.

Because it was a Roman colony there were not many Jewish men around. The law required at least ten adult Jewish men to constitute a synagogue so the planting of the Philippian church was by a river.

(Acts 16:14) "One of those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul's message."

Members of her household were also saved. The beginning of a church whose members were predominantly women although the vision was of a man. Ten years later Paul writes a letter to the church he planted.

(Philippians 1:1) "To all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons…" (v4) "In all my prayers for all of you…" (v5) "…your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now…" (v6) "…he who began a good work in you will carry it on until completion…"

What started with a group of women by the river is now a thriving church with structure that has overseers and has not stopped growing because it is not yet completed. Six times Paul makes reference to "…all of you…" he concludes the letter with the same reference

(4:21) "Greet all the saints in Christ Jesus."

The first man that joined the church was a jailor. Lydia was a leader that influenced in the church.

(Acts 16:15) "If you consider me a believer in the Lord," she said,"come and stay at my house."

When Paul was thrown out of prison he went to her house.

(Acts 16:40) "After Paul and Silas came out of the prison, they went to Lydia's house…"

Lydia led her own family to the Lord

(Acts 16:15) "…she and the members of her household were baptized.."

There was an atmosphere of generosity.

(Philippians 4:16) "…when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid again and again when I was in need." (Philippians 4:14-15) "Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid again and again when I was in need." (2 Corinthians 11:9) "And when I was with you and needed something, I was not a burden to anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied what I needed."

They were not rich.

(2 Corinthians 8:1-4) "Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints."

The third core value of what we do is growth oriented. This operates on a personal and corporate level. There is no corporate growth without personal growth. There is no personal growth unless it is incorporated into a bigger world because no one grows out of a vacuum.

Personally growing as a person, marriage, family and church has to be intentional. There are many traps on the journey of growth. When you have been working towards something and accomplish that goal the temptation is to stop the journey. This is why figurative death will quickly follow any accomplishment. A price was paid to get where you are today but the lie is to believe you will not keep paying it. When someone is on a roll be careful not to roll back down hill. (Philippians 1:5) "…your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now…" The process for the Philippian church consistently recognized and paid the price for their growth. Paul recognized after ten years they understood the cost of growth on a personal and corporate level.

If there was a class of leaders in there early 20's they will all more or less be on the same level in life. But after their mid 30's the class will be divided into two. One half will be those who decided to grow and the other half of those who made a decision not to grow. The class itself will not ask or demand anything. Most people who decide not to grow have better school grades than those who decided to continually grow because they reached a goal in terms of career, money, marriage or family. A piano can sit in a room gathering dust with the music of masters in it. All it needs is disciplined fingers to work the ivory keys. The piano does not ask or demand that you learn the discipline. It's entirely up to you. The ball is in your court. It's your move. The world waits for leaders to lead but the world will not ask or demand anything from you. It is entirely up to you.

(Acts 13:2) While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, 'Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." (Acts 15:37-40) "Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches."

People with the call of God on their life make strange alliances with people who have no regard for the church and abort on what the Holy Spirit is doing.

Only time can teach you certain things and there is no substitute for it. Experience is not your best teacher but what you do with that experience. Turn your experience into insight. So age can come alone without maturity. What a man knows at 40 that he did not know when he was 20 cannot really be taught. A man at 20 knows all that a man at 40 knows but he has had no time to live it. He does not know love, hope, fear, failure, success, loss, grief, sleepless nights, victory or devotion like the older man. These things cannot be properly taught but experienced. Time gives you the opportunity to turn experience into insight. If you are young, borrow the experience from someone who is at least ten years older than you. Listen, ask questions, observe, imitate and learn from them.

(Philippians 1:6) "…he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."

Paul was encouraging the church in Philippi to let the process of time show what God was doing with them.

People who arrive know nothing. The illiterate of the future will not be those who cannot read or write but those who refuse to learn unlearn and re-learn. The more you grow the more you know and the more you grow the more you know you need to grow some more. A little boy learned his eleven times table and was asked what twelve times twelve was? He said there was no such thing. Leaders can turn a blind eye or deaf ear to something they do not know yet intentionally. There are four stages you will go through in learning something new:

"Enthusiastic beginner." You are excited but have no clue. Never allow enthusiasm to replace the discipline. America knows how to get all excited without the discipline. When you have finished your parade what will you do now? (Philippians 3:12) "I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me."

"Disillusioned learner." Reality sets in from what you expected to what you have got. You now know something you did not start with but your enthusiasm level has dropped. (Philippians 3:13) "I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it."

"Capable but cautious performer." You have a level of self-doubt. You know what to do but are nervous about doing it. What you need is confidence not more knowledge. (Philippians 3:13-14) "But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on…"

"Achiever but not achieved." With the proper support you can be an achiever. Its what you learn after you know it all that matters. (Philippians 3:15) "All of us who are mature should take such a view of things."

If you do not change you do not grow and if you do not grow you will not really live. To grow you have to give up a level of security and for a moment of insecurity. You never really change unless that change is applied every day without giving yourself a day off.

(Philippians 1:22) "For to me, to live is Christ…If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me."

Paul acknowledged that if he was going to really live it meant change.

It's not what you get from growth but who you become by it. The absolute golden rule for being a leader: It is who you are not what you do that influences people.

(Philippians 1:14) "Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly."

It was who Paul was that caused a courageous character in the church.

Grow in your strength never you weakness. You fight a culture that spotlights your weakness and demands you improve in it. You cannot make money being average. You cannot significantly influence anyone by being average. You cannot model anything being average. Every time you grow in something you go up by two points. If the scale is from 1-10 it will take you many years to turn a weakness into average. Stop spending your life this way. No one pays or listens to average. If you want to achieve be a 9-10 in something. Everyone is a 9-10 in something. Stop working on things 7 and below.

(Philippians 2:13) "…for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose."

When you get out of your strength it will hurt the group around you. Most people in church feel that their gifts and talents are not used in the church. The same people feel that their same gifts and talents are not used in their employment. There are two reasons for this common problem: People can be competent at almost anything - not true. The room to grow in is what you are weak in - not true

Conclusion

1. Growth is not automatic

2. Growth separates people

3. Growth takes time

4. The more you grow the more you know that you need to grow

5. Growth equals change

6. Growth inside fuels growth outside

7. Determine what areas you need to grow in

A church with a handful of women over ten years became a great and church. Paul had a vision of a man in Macedonia but found a group of women. The vision did not change but developed into an all-inclusive church.