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(Matthew 7:24-27) Message:

"These words I speak to you are not incidental additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundational words, words to build a life on. If you work these words into your life, you are like a smart carpenter who built his house on solid rock. Rain poured down, the river flooded, a tornado hit-but nothing moved that house. It was fixed to the rock. But if you just use my words in Bible studies and don't work them into your life, you are like a stupid carpenter who built his house on the sandy beach. When a storm rolled in and the waves came up, it collapsed like a house of cards."

The Christian life is not about tips and techniques with several steps for this and several steps for that. (Colossians 2:8) "See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ." (Colossians 2:20) "Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world…" Philosophy has three branches in the natural, moral and physical world. But this does not acknowledge Christ who is the firstborn over creation, the second Adam, the spiritual man.

What is excellence?

So in asking this question we have to look at what the Bible says. Excellence is gaining credibility by doing the right thing right. The Bible gives us two men who both did the right thing but only one did it right. He took what the Bible said into his world and applied it. The other simply had a Bible study. Life does not treat the believer any different than the unbeliever. The rain came, the river flooded and a tornado struck. The difference is in how the believer responds to it.

Doing the right thing right

You are driving in a terrible storm in your car. It is a sports car so there is only a driver's seat and passengers seat. At the bus stop is an elderly lady who is ill and needs to get to hospital, a friend who once saved your life and the girl of your dreams. Who would you offer a ride to? No matter which one of the three you would offer a ride to, the other two would be neglected. You would give the car keys to your friend to give the elderly lady a ride to hospital and stand in the rain with the girl of your dreams. The Bible goes beyond the traditions of men, philosophy, cultural trend or political correctness to something that is all-inclusive.

Doing it right

Our culture has a limited amount of people who respond to life by doing the right thing right by making sure the foundation is Biblical. People who speak knowingly and confidently often wind up with getting the right thing done right. There is a difference between a cocky self-assuredness and confidence with a no-fear attitude. Confidence and a no-fear attitude are determined by knowing when to push something forward and when to back off. It is the Word of God in action.

Pushing forward

1. Do you know something that needs to be known? It could be an unbelievable opportunity in front us you or and unbelievable problem surrounding us. If you know and no one else knows you need to push it forward.

2. Is time running out? It is better to have one word in time than several words afterward. Doing the right thing right has a window of opportunity that quickly opens and closes because inadequate time was given to moving through that window. Life can be filled with broken glass of lost opportunity because the window closed and the only way of getting through was to push forward too late.

3. Is your responsibility at risk? When you have something to carry out the expectation is that you follow through and get the right thing done right. If you are having difficulty people around you want to hear about it so they can offer help rather than see you fail.

Backing off

1. Are you promoting your own agenda? Then back off. The agenda is revealed in the attitude of the person: What can the church do for me? This person will ride other people they find useful to achieve a personal goal. What can I do for the church? This person is running with the churches vision of 'change through challenge' helping others run in the process.

2. Have you already made your point? Then back off?

3. Is what you are asking exceeding the relationship? Then back off and work on the relationship before you ask more of it.

Doing the right thing wrong

Three sons who became very successful decided to buy their mother a unique gift each on Mother's Day. The first purchased a 4000 sq ft home with new furniture. The second purchased a Rolls Royce complete with a driver. The third really wanted to impress and made a donation, that was more than the house and car combined, to a monastery who had raised a parrot trained by Jesuit monks to quote scripture. The mother loved to go to church and would appreciate the gift. After Mother's Day the mom called each son saying: the house was too big to clean, the car was too big, the driver was rude and all her friends thought she was a snob, but to the third son she said, 'I want to thank you for your gift, the chicken tasted great.' When you do not know what to push or when to back off you will not know how to do the right thing right.

How to do the right thing right

If doing the right thing right is building the foundation on the Word of God look for what is missing. Because what is usually missing is the Word of God. Many know how to improve what is already there but few can see what needs to be done right. When you see more than others see you will always see more than others. When you ask 'what are we missing?' it will kick start thinking. Remember that popular thinking is floored because it is popular so you do not have to think. 1787 George Washington led the convention that wrote the Constitution. One man suggested that there should be no more than 5000 in the military. Washington insisted that if this was written into the Constitution it should also say that any invading nation bring no more than 5000 men to the battlefield.

Two men doing the same thing

Christ had previously drawn up an identical way of teaching:

1. Two roads: one is a highway of destruction and the other a narrow path of righteousness.

2. Two trees: one produced bad fruit the other produced good fruit according to its kind and nature.

3. Two houses: one is build on solid ground the other on dangerous ground.

Christ makes a clear distinction that you are walking down the highway of destruction or the path of righteousness but you could not have a foot on both. That you produce this kind of fruit or that kind but not both kinds. That you build on one foundation or another but not both. In a world where gray is the predominant color between black and white this is decisive teaching.

1. In the world of sales: cars, retail, houses or products. You are doing the right thing by selling what someone needs. But do you do the right thing right because that is excellence.

2. In the world of providing a service: tradesman, builders or cleaners. Again you are doing the right thing because people want what you provide. But do you do the right thing right because that is excellence.

3. In the world of food: restaurants, food and beverage. You are doing the right thing. But do you do the right thing right because that is excellence.

These two men were certainly doing the right thing but only one of them was doing the right thing right.

City Church

The two men who built two houses on two foundations both experienced a singular storm. Our church does not face any challenge that any church does not face. People, problems, resource, money, giftedness, ability, availability, schedules, community, touching people and so on. This year we have been working on:

Strategy

" Bring, bridge, build and belong.

Purposes

" Worship: 'Worship the Lord with all your heart'

"Ministry: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'

" Evangelism: 'Go make disciples'

" Fellowship: 'Baptizing in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.'

" Discipleship: 'Teaching them to obey'

What we do as a church

" Christ Centered - Christ is the vine and we are the branches. Exchanging a self-based way of living for a Christ-based way of living.

" Visionary Leadership - Leadership is influence in your world. Visionary leadership brings anointed direction for our church.

" Growth Oriented - Growth is not automatic but intentional. Growth of a personal level affects the corporate level.

How we do church

" All-Inclusive - What God says is just as important as where. Developing a culture of acceptance and diversity.

" Effective - Gaining relevance by doing the right things.

" Excellence - Gaining credibility by doing things right.

The vision

" To bring change through Challenge

The mission

" See God's Word challenging people to

o Get off your duff

o Get it together and

o Go for it

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