“Forget about what’s happened; don’t keep going over old history. Be alert, be present. I’m about to do something brand-new. It’s bursting out! Don’t you see it? There it is! I’m making a road through the desert, rivers in the badlands” (Is. 43:19, MSG).

There are certain moments in every worthwhile endeavor when it’s an “all hands on deck” kind of moment. A defining moment when everybody is required to step up their intensity a notch. On a baseball team, it’s in the 9th inning of the World Series.  In football, it’s the 4th and goal, game on the line play in the Super Bowl. For seamen, it’s when the enemy is spotted. And when God says to a church, “Stand ready! I’m about to do something brand new!” it’s an all hands on deck time. And for Mason First Church of the Nazarene (MFCN), that time is now! Can you see it? God is bursting in on us! He’s making a road in the desert and rivers in the badlands. The winds of change are blowing us into uncharted waters. All hands on deck! Prepare to dive deep, Mason First!! Surf’s up and God is doing something brand new!

We started the New Year off with a brand new pastor. The new guy has a long way to go but he is doing his best to start again, to begin anew, and to look at Mason First with fresh eyes. The last 11½ years have been very productive, and the church has grown and we’ve seen progress in many areas of ministry and community outreach. But I know that if Mason First is to be all that it can and ought to be in the days to come, our dreams for the future have to outweigh our memories of the past.

I, for one, want to do more than simply rewind the tape and assume that the next few years are to be a repeat, or even a continuation, of the past eleven. I am not interested in business as usual, because I believe Mason First is an “unusual” place, and we have an unusual opportunity to bring glory to God in this community.

As a new pastor, I want to make these days count. The psalmist put it like this: “Teach us to number our days aright that we may gain a heart of wisdom” (Ps. 90:12).

We count many things in the church: like the 25 new members we took in this year – 22 by profession of faith. Like our average morning worship attendance of 345, up 10 from last year. And our Wednesday evening average attendance of 183, up 3 from a year ago. Several were baptized this year and all of our Eternal Investment Funds were paid in full by April with the O.N.U. budget all set aside for processing of matching funds in hand before May 1st.

We sent 200 teens from this church and our community to Battle Cry at Ford Stadium this year. Upward Basketball ministry was launched with 137 children and over 100 adults involved. This monumental, legendary mission to our community, I believe, has the potential to change the entire complexion of our future. Yes, we count many things in the church. Our Sunday School attendance is reaching all-time highs. We’re beginning to count the costs of a new Community Youth Center. We know the number of missionary books read, our annual budget, the maximum capacity of our sanctuary and the number of parking places we have available.

But I’m thinking of something beyond that kind of counting; I am talking about making each day count. Every encounter ought to count; for what we do each moment this coming year will either add to or take away from the value and the impact of MFCN. The challenges of where we’re going to put everyone and how are we going to continue meeting the demands of growing ministries in one facility require our urgent attention. This is the season of change. Even though as a church we have prayed for God to do something new, even though we believe that God has led us to this point, I know change is hard. But that’s okay, because when the wind shifts in your life, when the wind shifts in your family, when the winds of change begin to shift in a church, God can do a new thing.

I believe that because Christ’s mission was to seek and save the lost—that ought to be priority number one for His church. Therefore, our mission & purpose is transformation: attitudinally, emotionally, financially, and spiritually within every individual and family currently here and those yet to join this fellowship called the family of MFCN. That’s what really counts. I know folks are counting on Mason First to continue to provide a mission of excellence to love, serve & share Jesus Christ with our world…to the extent that we turn irreligious people into fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.

I am totally committed to personal renewal in my ministry. I am so pleased to have the opportunity to begin this novel and exciting era as the “new” pastor of this church. As I strive to make these days count, may I count on you as well? MFCN needs all of you, every one of us, together to stand in unity as we meet the challenges of building God’s Kingdom. May we determine going forward, that love, in every situation, will win the day; that grace will always have the last word and that together, we will make every day count for the Lord!

MFCN, this is no time to pull back. Times may be tough, but the surf’s up! The winds of change are blowing, and this is a time to stand up and be counted. This is one of those defining moments when everybody needs to step up their intensity a notch. All hands on deck, MFCN! It’s time to roll up our sleeves like never before on behalf of the lost. It’s time to come together for the greatest cause on the planet—the cause of Jesus Christ. This is the time we must be bold, and we must be innovative, and we must not be afraid. Because when the winds shift, God can do a new thing in our church.

“This is what the Lord says…See, I am about to do something brand-new!”

Pastor Mark D. Rigg