Serving For the Growth of Others and Ourselves

It is very nice to be with all of you today back, and it's always wonderful to go somewhere, to travel abroad, to visit God's people wherever they may be, but it's always a joy to return home again as well, to home and family and God's people here. I bring you greetings from your brethren in Nigeria and Ghana, and very warm greetings as well from Dari and Tone and Kimbo.

They obviously spent a couple of trips here over the years, and they give their greetings, and they ask about you by name. And their hope is to one day return and to spend time with all of us, but again, they're very warm greetings to us all.

Brethren, this trip to Nigeria and Ghana was a particular blessing, and heading in the door to Nigeria especially was a blessing because it had been two years since I was last able to be there.

It's interesting how fast the world can change. Last time I was there, there was this word COVID that was just hitting the news front and center when I was in Nigeria, and then on this trip when I was in Nigeria, Ukraine, of course, exploded onto the headlines. So the world really can change in a moment, and I appreciate Mr. Klein's message and the reminder that, you know, God's in charge, and man will do what man will do, but God will do what he will do, and all these things will ultimately be resolved to his glory. And even as we have concerns and maybe even speculations and curiosity about how all this will play out, we can rest assured that God's purpose will be accomplished. And that is a comfort, and I thank Mr. Klein for reminding us of that today. But again, the blessing was entering the door of Nigeria after two years, and little did I know after getting on the plane last time when Ben Light and I were there together that the door would close for that long. But it was a great rejoicing to be back together, obviously once again, and something that we had longed for for quite a while. Proverbs chapter 25 verse 25 states that, as cold water to a weary soul, so is good news from a far country. And if you turn on the news today, we have so much bad news from a far country, I'd like to counter that just a little bit today with good news from a couple far countries of God's people and how they are doing and the blessings that are taking place there. Due to this trip, it was something that wasn't surrounding the feast or the holy days. Usually if I go during spring holy days, for example, I can see a lot of assemblies of the congregations because I can go and pass over in one congregation, and I can be observed in another first day of 11 bread and Sabbath, last day of 11 bread following Sabbath, and I can hit lots of congregations that way. And the same with the feasts of tabernacles. I can assemble with a lot of people, but this kind of trip really, other than the Sabbath, I'm hitting place to place and is more so a gathering together with leadership. But those things are productive as well just to sit down and spend time with the leaders, and I see my responsibility over there very much as reinforcing the leadership and helping to give them the tools that they need so that they can serve the brethren as God has given them opportunity, and as the leadership is brought along in their service, then God's people are brought along in that manner as well. And so we all are serving in a way that is hopefully bringing others along with us in the process.

And honestly, that's very much related to what I'd like to talk about in the message today.

My title is Serving for the Growth of Others and Ourselves. Serving for the Growth of Others and Ourselves is what we've all been called to do in the body of Jesus Christ. We're to serve for the growth of others, and as we do, guess what happens? In return by result, growth in our lives occurs as well, because it is how God designed it to be. As an elder in the Church of God, it's my responsibility before God and Jesus Christ to serve my fellow brethren in a way, as the Bible says, to be helpers of your joy, to help encourage you in this way of life, and hopefully by God's blessing point you down the path towards the kingdom of God. And yet that's not just a ministerial responsibility only.

When we look through the Bible, we see we all have responsibility by God to be helpers of one another's joy, to encourage and strengthen and lift one and others up and point each other in our common calling to the kingdom of God. And so that's what I like to focus on in today's message. It's the calling we've all received to serve the spiritual growth of each other through our relationships, through our interactions, and essentially bring one another along with us in our calling from God and in our journey to His kingdom. Jesus Christ did that. Jesus Christ laid His life down in service for the opening of the door and the spiritual growth of others. And so as we respond in that way, we emulate our elder brother and we take on an aspect of His nature that God desires us to grow in. I want to begin today in Philippians chapter 2 and verse 3. Philippians 2 and verse 3.

Again, considering the example that's been set for us to imitate. In Philippians chapter 2 and verse 3, this is the Apostle Paul writing, and he says, Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.

And so this calling isn't all about me alone. Okay, it is about me, but it's not about me alone. And it's not about you alone. It's about what God is doing, yes, in us individually towards His kingdom, but it's about the relationships He's placed us into as well and looking out for the interests of each other and bringing one along one another along in our common calling.

It says, verse 4, Let each of you look out not only for His own interests, but also for the interests of others. And the interests of others is ultimately what Christ came for, was it not? You know, to lay down His life so that our purpose by God's design could be fulfilled. You know, if this was all about His interests, then why would He even do such? Why come in the flesh? Why subject Himself to the anguish and the torture and all that He went through.

It was to further us the ability to have this relationship with God and fulfill our potential. And the instruction is you, as the people of God, each of you look out not only for your own interests, but also the interests of others. And the interests of others in the body is the same as ours. To be in God's kingdom, to be successful in this calling, and to grow in our relationship with Him. And so we are to look out for that and nurture that and aid that in one another in our relationships as well.

You recall that Romans chapter 12 verse 1 talks about being a living sacrifice, laying your life down in service. It is what Jesus did for us and ultimate in the sense that it was His, not only His glory that He left behind to come in the flesh, but His life He laid down in the ultimate sense. Verse 5 tells us, let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant and coming in the likeness of men.

And being found in the appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. And again, if it was about Him only, in His own interest only, why do that? Why go through the agony and the anguish? And frankly, if it was about our interest only, why go through what is sometimes the agony and anguish of being in the congregation and being in these interpersonal relationships? It is a tremendous blessing, but it does at times come with its challenges. But God's given it to us as a blessing unto one another.

And this mind of Christ that went beyond His own interest for the good of others is the mind that's to be in you and I. As we understand the calling that God has given us, it's a mind of humility and a mind of sacrifice.

So again, brethren, this year as we approach the Passover, that should indeed, I believe, be a big part of our focus. Again, my relationship with God individually is obviously that is my highest priority in calling because how can I serve you apart from being right with God? So we each have that as our calling. It's, you know, you won't get in the kingdom on someone else's coattails. It doesn't matter who your spouse is or who your parent is. It's a direct and personal individual calling. And before God, we stand alone in this relationship, but He's brought us into a body by which may serve one another in the success of our common calling.

And that's a joy. Verse 9, let's notice how the Father honored Jesus' service.

He says, therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him a name which is above every name, that the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, those on the earth, and those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. It's always to the glory of God. Everything that Jesus did was to the glory of His Father, and everything that you and I do in His service is to the glory of God the Father and what He is working out in our lives as well. As to His glory.

I'd like to throw a brief map up there for you. Just a reminder, there's been a couple of years of the lay of the land in Nigeria. We have three congregations, Lego, Spinnin City, and O'Wary.

And then in the blue star there is a small Bible study group consisting of about 10. But we have a total of about 40 members in Nigeria, plus a number of Beyond Today subscribers that are scattered throughout the country. And many trips have been made going back and forth between these congregations and going up, I would say, primarily into the northwestern part of Nigeria, where we have some scattered members as well. The northeastern region is where Boko Haram and it got their foothold and establishment. But we really don't, beyond one or two Beyond Today subscribers, have much contact with individuals in that part of the country.

One of the most encouraging moments on this trip was the opportunity to baptize three young adults in the Lego congregation. This is Abednein being baptized and his calling, his commitment to God, his covenant commitment through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, is personal. Right? It's direct, and it is individual. And the calling that we each receive from God is personal in an individual calling. He calls us individually, and he works with us individually. But again, I want to convey to us that our spiritual growth as Christians is not designed by God to be merely a solo event.

You know, just you and me, God, and no one else. It is you and me, God. But he has placed us into a body. And that is important for us to understand because of the blessing that it brings us.

So we had three individuals baptized that day. Next to me is Rotuwa, that's Darien Tohn's son.

Next to him is Bright. And next to her is Abednein.

Upon our baptism and upon the receiving of God's Spirit, we become a part of something that's much bigger than simply ourselves. Right? We become part of a collective group that the Bible calls the body of Jesus Christ. It's the Church of God. And it's the people that are called out of the ways of the world called into assembly. And that's the word ecclesia. It essentially means the assembly, called out to assemble. God has brought people and called them out of the world, but called them as well together into assembly and a support system for one another. And so, as active members of the body, our spiritual growth is not intended to be something that happens on our own, often a corner somewhere. It's kind of an isolated event. God places us into a community where we can be supported, where we can be cared for, nurtured, and encouraged, and where we can receive the blessings of the gifts that others have to offer to our growth, our advancement towards the kingdom of God. So, I want to play with you for you here just a video, short video of song service there in the Lagos congregation. And just for the feeling of this is community, right? This is a body of believers that have been called in together. You may have one voice, but they're singing out amongst the chorus of other voices as the group that God has brought together for strength and encouragement.

So this is the church hall that was built into the first level of Dari's house, and it's just a blessing when people come together and they fill the house with music.

And again, the point is our relationship with God does very start out individually. He calls us personally and directly, but He brings us to a body. And the point of the body is to strengthen, to encourage, to bring to bear the gifts that God has given to each individual to lift up one another and to strengthen each other in the collective whole. And our calling is not meant to be a solo event, but rather something that we accomplish together. And as the body contributes to your growth or my growth and we contribute, it's brought back then to our fellow brethren in return. I want to notice the scripture pertaining to our collective calling, 1 Corinthians chapter 12 and verse 12. Again, I hope these are encouraging words and concepts for us. To me, I go back in my mind when I was in my 30s, I got whooping cough, right? So I was shut in for, I think it was six weeks on the webcast, and I was so grateful for the webcast, but it wasn't anything compared to being here. And I just yearned to be here among God's people.

And it's what He has built into us by desire in the Spirit that yearns earnestly within us to connect with others with God's Spirit. 1 Corinthians chapter 12 and verse 12, the apostle Paul says, For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body being many are one body, so also is Christ. For as by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves are free, and we've been made to drink into one Spirit.

He says, For in fact the body is not one member, but many.

Is that the foot should say, Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body, is it therefore not of the body?

And if the ear should say, Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body, is it therefore not of the body?

He says, If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing?

You know, it's like God didn't call us to be just cookie-cutter replicas of one another.

Everybody's an ear, so we can all hear perfectly, but what do you really have to say?

You know, the fact is, God has called us not all the same, and not from the same place, or the same experiences, and what he has given to us is not the same, so that when we come together, what we contribute makes a well-rounded body in his service. But if the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? And for the whole of the hearing, where would be the smelling?

But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as he pleased.

It's according to what God desires to see take place, and it's to, frankly, his pleasure.

When a president is in charge of the United States, they point people to their cabinet, and someone will say, I serve at the pleasure of the president. Well, we serve at the pleasure of our God, who has set us in a body to strengthen and encourage and contribute to the spiritual blessing for us all. What I have to offer, brethren, is hopefully something that is useful to you. By God's blessing, I pray that it is. But what you have to offer is something that I desperately need in my life to fulfill what God has given to me, because we're not all an ear, we're not all a mouthpiece, we're not all arms, legs, feet. We are brought together, and we combine those pieces, and we become something that is whole, as God has intended.

Verse 19, it says, And if they were all one member, where would the body be?

But now, indeed, are many members, yet one body. And that's such an important principle, many members, yet one body, because when you look all through the Bible, God is about taking multiples and making them one. One man, one woman, leave their father and mother, and become one.

Two shall become one flesh. God's about taking multiples and making them one. He does the same in the body. Many members, yet one body. And the point is, this is because it's modeled after the relationship the father and the son have. They're two distinct individuals, but they're bound together as one in unity by the Spirit of God. They're of one mind, one purpose, and God is doing the same with the body that has been created. Verse 21, again, The eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of you. Nor again, the hand to the feet, I have no need of you. No much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. You know, it's like, is there any part of our body that we say really isn't necessary? They are, and it says, even if you would consider them to be weaker members, we all rely on one another for our overall function.

And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor.

Why? Because I need you. And it's a blessing. Okay, on these we bestow greater honor. And our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks. And notice why, verse 25, that there shall be no schism in the body, no division in the body, that the members should have the same care, notice for one another. And then as it goes on, it continues to describe the interdependency. If one member suffers, all the members suffer with it. But again, it is by God's design and His purpose and is for our spiritual growth and our blessing. Brethren, called to be alone is not a teaching of the church of God. I read that somewhere recently. Called to be alone, and I thought, really? And yet, when I look at the Scripture, I see that what God has called us to is to be together. That's what the Bible teaches with us with the church of God. As always taught, we are called to be together as the people of God. Called to be alone is the justification of men to cover certain actions which have been taken apart from God. And you know, if your teaching is called to be alone, guess what the result will be? You will be alone because God has called us together, bound by His Spirit, in support of one another as a body, and unity is a choice. And it's worth fighting for, definitely. Here's the Akimbo family. Again, they send their greetings back to you.

Their love asks about many of you by name, who they know personally and have met over the years.

Dari is our office manager in Nigeria. He's also self-employed. As many of you know, he owns a company. They design websites, apps, databases. Dari has been incredibly busy, and over the years, he brings young adults in the church along into his business, and he trains them in marketable computer skills. And through the process, he's raised up the standard of living income and the way of life of those in the Lagos congregation in the surrounding region by what he can offer in terms of employment to the young people. As they learn the skill and the trade, a number of them have even gone on to other jobs, and entering into a level of work that is beyond what their education level is in terms of schooling. But they have the skill set that's been given to them. And so this has been Dari's process is to take the skill set he has and use it as a blessing to others to bring them along, to further them, and to help them. And I would say it's a physical representation of the spiritual process that God has called us up all to. And ultimately, the church benefits. When I did the pan around video, you probably saw there was a camera in front of the lectern. There's a camera over here. There's computers off to the side. They started up a webcast during the COVID shutdown, and they're able to connect the other congregations who have the technology to do so together. They're able to connect with Beyond Today subscribers who live around the region. And you have to understand this is Legos, 25 million people, give or take.

You can wrap your mind around that. You know, brethren oftentimes live 12 miles away and leave two hours early from church, and sometimes they have to turn around and go home because they've missed the service. I mean, it can just be a city of gridlock. And so there's a blessing to be able to have the webcast and connect. And we've actually was looking at Dari's setup, and the weak point is the camera. They were using his Handicam from 12, 15 years ago that he purchased, his personal Handicam. So I left some funds behind, and they'll purchase a camera then that will be sufficient for what they need. But again, this is a blessing that is a blessing now to the whole congregation. Next to Dari is his son Rotawah. Rotawah graduated university.

Next to myself is his wife Tone. And Tone works for the government office in Legos, and has most recently been overseeing emergency ambulance response and ambulance services, and especially as it pertains to COVID-19 response in Legos. So quite a responsibility. Their daughter next to her, Tommy Wah, is now in university, and the baby of the family, Bobby, is 14, which is incredible to consider. So you dart away for two years, and all the babes in arms are running around and getting ready to start school, and other ones have come along, and you've just sort of missed it. But it's a blessing to have the door open and to be back together again.

Dari and I traveled to the Benin City congregation midweek on the first week of my trip.

These are a few of the leaders there. It's actually a small congregation, but the men here are the ones that speak. Give the sermonettes and sermons. In the middle is Ralph Nduka, and you'll probably recall Ralph from the past. Ralph's been a very faithful individual. Ralph's the one. His wife, Agnes, probably about five years ago now died just very suddenly, and their daughter, Yovan, about two years ago died of cancer around the age of 20. Actually, there's probably about three years ago now, but these are his other two daughters by him. But Ralph's been very faithful in the service to God's people. There in the red is Samson, and over on the other side of Ralph is Elvis. Again, young adults that serve in the congregation. Most of our conversations on the trip were as I'm describing to you today. You know, how can we encourage each other? How can we edify and lift each other up in this common calling that we have? Because, frankly, the world's become a challenging place. A challenging place to remain upbeat and optimistic, but as God's people, there is a hope He set before us. He's called us to remain optimistic and upbeat because of what God has laid before us, but how do we encourage that in one another? How do we strengthen that?

That was a big part of our conversations as I traveled along through both Nigeria and Ghana.

Again, we reinforce the fact that spiritual growth is not intended to be a solo event, and all of us need to be committed to the service of one another for the benefit of all, not just ourselves. But you see, what we give out in service eventually comes around to benefits as others give that out in service as well. So the admonition of the Bible is, don't withdraw from that calling. You know, don't hide from it. Don't withdraw into yourself. Give over yourselves because I need what you have to offer, and we need what each other has to offer, and it is God who has given it to us to offer. And as we do, the blessings will be the result. 1 Peter 4 and verse 10.

Again, following through on this thread. 1 Peter 4 and verse 10.

Peter says, as each one has received a gift, minister it to one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. You know, to minister it means to serve one another. Take what God has given you. Be a good steward of that blessing and that gift. Nurture it, grow it, and use it to the benefit of your fellow brethren. It is why He's given it to you, and it's for the blessing of all.

Verse 11. If anyone speaks, let him speak as of the oracles of God. If anyone ministers or serves, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, knowing that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

And so it's amazing how many times the Scriptures come back to the fact that God is glorified when this is done. That when we take what He's given to us as abilities by His Spirit and the blessings of our calling and we share it with one another, the benefit that takes place and the growth that it applies to all is to the glory of God. Just as Jesus said, everything I came to do is to the glory of my Father, to speak His words and to do His will.

That's what we've been called to do today as well. Romans chapter 15 speaks to another aspect of this relationship as well. Romans chapter 15, because maybe sometimes we say, well, I'm doing my part. My part's pretty good, but you know that person over there, what do they really have to offer? I mean, if I look and do some comparison, first of all, comparison between each other isn't where the standard is, right? It's comparison us against the stature of fullness of Christ. And we realize truly how we measure up when we look around that way. But again, Romans chapter 15 and verse 1, what if we think that there's someone else that really doesn't have much that they can offer? Romans 15 verse 1, we then who are strong, it says, ought to bear with the scruples of the weak and notice and not to please ourselves. Again, it's not about me altogether, and it's not about you altogether, it is about us, about what God is doing in us. And so there's going to be those in the congregation who are strong, and there's going to be those who are weak, because frankly, we're not all in the same place spiritually.

And the fact is, we're in different places along this, if I want to say, timeline of growth, because some have been in the church 30, 40, 50 years, and others are brand new, and we're in different places, and different levels of spiritual maturity, different experiences that come to bear, and yet God has called us to work together nonetheless. And those who are mature are going to have to put up, and it says, say in a kind way, bear is the word it uses, they're going to have to bear with the scruples of the weak and not to please themselves. So they're going to have to exercise understanding and patience, because this is a process of helping in bringing one another along in the process. There's going to be teaching and mentoring, and just through the relationship, encouraging that takes place. And frankly, if the strong thinks, I just don't have time with this, guess what? There's a problem with what you perceive as your strength, because what God is doing, he's doing in preparation for his kingdom. And this is a training ground, and this is a school for us all. So there's a day coming when the strong will bear with the scruples of the weak of this entire world, as we help to bring them along and teach them the way of truth alongside Jesus Christ. And this is a training ground for that. How do we deal and interact with one another, and bring each other along in the process? I would say it is a learning experience for the strong as well, to stop and say, what does my brother need, and how can I help them, and how can I contribute to the growth that will be a blessing, not only to them, but to us all.

Verse 2, let each of us please his neighbor for his good, for the neighbor's good, leading to edification. For even Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, the reproaches of those who reproached you fell upon me. Verse 4, for whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. It says, Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded towards one another, according to Christ Jesus, that you may with notice one mind and with one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Again, it is God who gets the glory. When he takes multiples and he makes one and it produces the benefit, it is God who gets the glory.

And so the Bible calls us the ecclesia. It's the assembly. It's the one called out of the world, called into assembly with one another. And if there's something that the assembly should do well, it's assemble. It's for the purpose of iron sharpening iron and the purpose of opportunities for growth that the assembly provides. Through our congregational experience, God teaches us how to exercise outgoing love and concern for one another. He teaches us how to exercise patience.

Have you ever had to be patient with somebody else in the body? Has it ever been a challenge? You know, we don't learn patience, brethren, in any other way but having to be patient. And God allows us, through these interactions, positive and even sometimes what we would perceive as negative, to be an opportunity for growth in these interactions. Compassion, mercy, forgiveness, unity. These are all things that we learn by coming together in the assembly, rubbing shoulders with one another and growing in our relationship together. But the end result, obviously intended by God, is growth. It's growth for you, it's growth for me, and it's growth for us together.

And it's encouragement as we seek the kingdom.

Dari and I did not travel to the Owari congregation on this visit. I've reported before about the severe unrest that's taken place there. Honestly, it continues and I'd ask for your prayers for the brethren in Owari. There's a terrorist uprising that began about eight, nine months ago, and the police and the military has responded. And frankly, it's a little difficult to sometimes tell where the terrorist ends and the military and the police begin. People have been dragged out of the home in the night by the authorities accused of supporting terrorism never seen again.

Vehicles are shot up routinely along the street and burned.

This is somewhere we visited often. Dari and I often will take a hopper flight from Lagos to Owari and land at the airport, take about a 15-minute taxi ride over to the church hall.

So you can get there, have services, get back to the airport, and fly back to Lagos if you're trying to make it a day trip. And literally, the road outside the airport is so dangerous of kidnappings and shootings that have been going on that the brethren have told Dari, don't come.

And it's been probably close to nine months since he's been there personally as well.

So I would just ask for your prayers for them. And if you want to put a face to who you're praying for, the United News, just previous to this one, had a picture on the cover of Ben Lattanai when we visited the Owari congregation two years ago. And those are the people that you can pray for, for their protection, for their blessing throughout these circumstances.

After one week, I made the hop over to Ghana. That incorporated COVID test number four and five.

So, but it's been, it's been interesting travels for sure. But again, we have six congregations in a Bible study region in Ghana there, and interactions on the trip was mostly with the leadership. Again, I was back with the Accra congregation last Sabbath, but as we went place to place, a lot of what we did, Henry and I, was to check up on projects that are taking place in Ghana, to meet with the leadership, to answer questions, and to support them. I'd like to share with you just some of the updates on updated projects and blessings that have been able to come to them through support that has come here. This is the Yeji congregation. This picture is from my trip last year to them, but I'll remind you they're largely a farming community. Most of these families are farmers. They own plots of land, and they grow crops, and it's backbreaking work by, by hoe and shovel and manual labor. And when I returned last May, I briefly commented on the idea that a tractor would be handy. You know, it would be a benefit to the region, as those in the congregation could put more land into production and higher yields, and even higher out in services to the community that would bring in resources for the brethren and for the congregation.

And after that time, when I mentioned that, I heard from a number of individuals that wanted to help from various areas. Eureka is online today. Eureka pulled funds and donations and sent in a contribution and said, we'd like to contribute to a tractor fund. And others did personally as well.

At the end of the year, end of December, somebody made a generous donation that was matched by their employer through LifeNets towards the tractor fund as well. And then while I was actually on this trip in Nigeria, I heard from Rick Shaby, their Orlando congregation had had a fundraiser as well towards towards the tractor. So as a result, there's enough funds that have been donated now. There's a team that's tractor shopping. It appears we should have the funds sufficient to purchase the tractor, some implements like the disc plow and harvester, to build a kind of a shelter for the tractor within one of the members' gated communities that can be locked up and protected. And it's a blessing.

And the brethren are encouraged, and they send their heartfelt thanks. But again, it's an opportunity that God's given us in a physical way to contribute so that it is a blessing to others that can then take that blessing and use it and put it in production as well. Acts chapter 20 verse 35. Paul quotes Jesus when he says, it is more blessed to give than to receive.

It's more blessed to give than to receive. And you know, that's an interesting concept because I don't know about you, but I kind of like being on the receiving end of gifts and blessings. But you know what? When you extend yourself out to reach out with those to other people as well, it's a blessing. And it shows us, indeed, that the recipient is not the only one who is blessed.

There's a blessing that comes in the process of giving. And indeed, the principle from Jesus Christ is that more blessings come from giving than from receiving. So it's a win-win to serve.

And I'm trying to translate this into the spiritual principle of whatever it is you have to give in an outward expression to the congregation. It is a blessing to those that would receive it, but it is a blessing to you as well, by which God would bring back around that blessing, and that it would be an increase unto you. That's how this principle works.

Again, these projects, both Nigeria and Ghana, are totally funded through private donations that come through programs like LifeNets or Good Works or local donations that are sent in to the Spokane congregation, and we try to use them in a way that will help to lift the brethren up in their service to one another and as a congregation. Okay. So you'll recognize maybe this building, or at least you've seen it in partial construction. This is the church hall in Kuan Yaco, Ghana. We have a congregation there. This is built to be a church hall as well as a community center, and the roof is on. The roof is on, and it's really turned out wonderfully. This has been actually a project over two to three years of time, something that has been worked on by the brethren themselves. We've had members come from Kuan Yaco, Winnebuh, and Nagona, and all work together on this project. Funds have been sent over, again, partially through good works, partially through LifeNets, and partially through private donations that have come locally, but even good works and LifeNets are funded through the private donations of the brethren. All these things have been taken and put together and has produced something. Not everybody produces the same thing, do they? Some have contributed finance, some have contributed time, others have contributed their skill, others contributed their labor, because this was done completely by the members of those congregations. But what everybody contributes are not the same things, but it all eventually comes together and it builds the structure. In the body, it builds the structure in what it is that God is doing, and that's how this works spiritually, each part contributing to build the whole of what God is doing. Now here's an interior shot. I mean, it's not finished by any means, but they about have their foot in the door. You remember, this is the congregation that met on a postage stamp-sized piece of land, and they had a shelter that was put up, and the government came in and put high tension power lines overhead and said, you have to get out. And fortunately, they've sort of allowed the can to be kicked down the road a few times now, but they're almost ready to step foot in here, at least for it to be serviceable at a minimal level. They have to come in and level out the ground inside. I said, maybe we can rent a skid steer and get in here and make short work and, you know, bring in some dirt and level this out. And they said, no, it's okay. We've got shovels and wheelbarrows. So they've had some dump truck loads of dirt delivered, and they're going to get in there, again, very much by hand, level out, pack it down, and then it's their intent to not to have to require much additional outside help. You know, they want to, through their own resource, you know, pour the floor and continue to finish this. But once they get a floor in there and tamp down, they're doing good, and they can be in there and begin using it in their church services.

The ultimate plan for the structure, again, is to ultimately serve as a community center for the surrounding community as well. There's hopes of someday having, perhaps, education classes or other types of outreach here. Maybe we can bring in Youth Corps and take some computers and do some classes there for technical training for some of our young people in the church and even others in the community. There's possibilities, but the point is this is not only taking what is a benefit to ourself and keeping it for ourselves. It's extending it out so it's a blessing to those around us as well. I believe it is what God would have us to do as his people. Next to me is Henry Akins, our office manager in Ghana, my travel buddy. Next to him as well is Samuel Oafka. He's the leader there in Kuan Yaco. He's overseeing quite a bit of the construction of the hall and organizing this materials and people and the manpower, bringing it all, putting it all together.

A brief intermission for the children, because maybe I've just been kind of boring for some of our youngest children, but who doesn't like a cute kitty cat? So this is your Auf actor. Kids, if you're ever thinking that maybe someday when you grow up and are almost as old as me, you might want to go to Nigeria and Ghana and visit God's people. Be assured there's cool things there, like God's people and kitty cats and goats and all kinds of neat things. So here's your here's your cute Auf actor, and that's for Amy too.

Winnebuh Church Hall. You've seen this building before as well. We have a congregation there, and this structure was actually built 20 years ago, intended to be a temporary facility. The church didn't even own the land at the time, the congregation that met there. This was actually prior to them becoming a part of the United Church of God. They had this piece of land. They built the structure as a temporary structure for meeting. Ultimately, come down the line a number of years, the church purchased the property that it sat on, but the congregation is busting out at the seams. The hall is too small, and the concept of upgrading this hall and putting much time and effort and money into it really doesn't make a lot of sense. So this is the site of another project that has gotten underway.

Barely started, but the plan is to enlarge the footprint, build a block structure that will be much more serviceable. We'll have some rooms that'll be off to the side of the main congregation meeting hall, something that will be serviceable for a long time and permanent. So you see they've got some of the footprint, and the way they're doing this is this going to be, I don't know, 100% sure, but basically build up around the building that's there, and you're going to meet in the existing structure as long as possible until, I guess, you rip it out and put the cap on the new structure and carry on. But this may be a multi-year project, but it started out as something that is looking towards the future for them. Upgrade here will be some utilities.

Plumbing is in. They put in a drain field, and this is what will in the future be. Washrooms off to the side, because they're in town, and right now you've just got like a four-foot wooden wall.

If you need to take a break, you dart out back behind the wooden wall. Again, you're in town, and it's, you know, sanitation. We're looking for upgrades. So they brought in the plumbing, they've put in the drain field, they brought in the water, and eventually there will be these washrooms, which also be a big part of the upgrade of this hall. The gentleman there with Henry Akins is Peter Bonsie. He's our deacon there, the leader of Winnebuh congregation, and Peter by trade is a building contractor. He's the one that he and his crew put the roof on the Kwan Yaco Hall, and actually did quite a bit of the other upper-scale work that was done on that. But they put the roof on there, which if you get underneath and you look up and the skeleton of that roof could be pretty intimidating. He said after they finished the crew, the crew was sick, frankly, not sick with a virus, but just ill because of, you know, it's a little bit of stress getting up, putting that framework skeleton up and getting up there and putting that roof on. But they did a wonderful job, and Peter here's the one that is overseeing and working on the building project then in Winnebuh, and he and Henry here are looking at the blueprints and the designs that he has drafted. Again, I offer my thanks to those who have lent their support to these projects over time.

The brethren there send their heartfelt thanks. It's greatly appreciated, and it's being put to a use that will be a betterment of the church and their facilities that they meet in for years to come. Brethren, God the Father and Jesus Christ are in the building business for themselves, and you and I have been called to be part of that living structure.

God is bringing blocks, and he has mortar, and he's building a structure. Ephesians chapter 2 and verse 17.

Ephesians 2 and verse 17 hear the apostle Paul writing, and he says, And he came and preached peace to you who were afar off, speaking of Jesus Christ, and to you who are near. It's referring to the fact that the Gentiles were far off from the promises of God, having been outside of what we call the Old Covenant, as opposed to Israel, who was near by covenant to God. But Christ came, and now the covenant can extend to all, and he's bringing those who are far near through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. If you back up a couple verses, it's talking about, He's taken the two and made them one man. Again, multiples of combination of where Jew and Gentile become one in this calling. Verse 18, For through him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father. Now therefore you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, members of the household of God. Having been built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building being fitted together. Notice that word, together. And what happens when they're fitted together? The whole building being fitted together grows, it matures, right? It expands into God's service. The whole building being fitted together grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. And so the point is, God doesn't intend us to be rocks just out scattered in the field somewhere. That's where we all started, just sort of out there scattered in the field, but God called us, entered in a direct relationship, and He picked us up and He brought us to the assembly, and He has placed us as living stones in the structure, mortared side by side, bound together by the cohesive power of His Holy Spirit. And He's building a building that is the habitation of His presence. And that's an incredible calling. It's an incredible blessing. And He doesn't intend for us to be, again, scattered, rocks in the field somewhere, but assembled. And when we come together as God's people on the Sabbath, that's what we do. We assemble the house, and we work on our relationships, and we increase the integrity of that mortar and that bond between us, because, you know, we don't want crumbling mortar and rocks that just kind of fall out of the structure. The structure becomes weakened. But each rock that's been placed in the structure and mortared alongside the others, bound by relationship, by God's Spirit, gives strength to the structure so that it will stand.

So that it can stand through the storms and the adversity of life and what our adversary would throw. So again, we assemble the house as we come together. So I want to give you, as almost our last slide, a glimpse into our Accra congregation. Then we all came together on the last Sabbath I was there, which was last Sabbath. Enjoyed services together. Afterwards, we had food and fellowship, and we all just came together as a hymn sing. And we sang hymns for about 45 minutes and literally had to shut it down. Everybody was requesting songs and just the joy of being together and singing together. It's everybody rejoicing at the blessing on the Sabbath to build one another up.

It's the assembly. It's coming together. It's strengthening each other and rejoicing together. It's what God has given us as an incredible gift. We don't ever want to take it for granted. Brethren, God knows that we need one another. He has not called us to be alone. In fact, He has given us as a blessing to one another, brought us together by the power of His Spirit.

Focusing on our spiritual growth is important. I need to focus on my growth as we come up to the Passover. I need to examine myself, not my neighbor, not my spouse. Focusing on our individual growth is important, but focusing on the growth of one another and as a collective body is important as well. Be on the lookout, brethren. Be on the lookout for ways that we can contribute to one another, ways that we can serve in the growth of others. Look out for ways that we can contribute to the strength and the unity and the spiritual cohesion of this assembly because the strength that it contributes, the strength that it brings, is not just something that is for me. It is not just something that is for you. It is a blessing that God has given to us all.