Firm Foundations for Our Future

Dec 28, 2025 • Norm Duncan

Due to mic issues, this sermon had a number of audio issues. Therefore, I will try to list much of the sermon here. I have attached the handout for the State of the Church in the attachments below.

Every year, I prepare a sermon called the State of the church. The goal is to review what God has done in the last year, set a theme for the coming year, and cast a vision for where we believe God is leading us

This year, the theme is going to be Firm Foundations for the Future

Paul says twice that the body, meaning the church, grows as God causes it to grow.

David wrote in the Psalm 127:1

Unless the Lord builds the house,

those who build it labor in vain.

Here are some really exciting things that have happened in the last 12 months:

We outgrew our worship space on Hoover Road. We had set a goal of growing to 125 regular attenders. In 2025, we actually grew to 126 in regular attenders and 93 in weekly attendance. That is 40% growth in regular attenders and 37% growth in weekly attenders. That is over 100% growth since the middle of 2023.

Some people have asked me why I care so much about these numbers. I care because every single number is a person. A person like Huey or like Lauren, both of whom trusted Christ as their Savior recently. Every number is a soul. Every number is a father or mother or a son or a daughter. That is why numbers matter to me. And with almost a half million people in our city headed for eternal damnation, I will always be looking for ways that we can reach one more.

Quickly some other highlights from 2025: We hosted an evangelism conference and a marriage conference, we launched the TLC app, we launched our Discipleship Path, we hosted a missions emphasis weekend, we assisted First Baptist Church in Conway Springs with their outreach, we increased our ThanksGIVING and Angel Tree giving, we celebrated our 15th Anniversary, and we changed locations.

Let us remember that every good and perfect gift comes down from the Father above according to James. All glory belongs to the Father, and He will not be robbed of his glory,

God works with the humble and surrendered. He is looking for a group of people who will hear and obey. Listen to this parable that Jesus shared at the end of the Sermon on the Mount:

Matt 7:24-27

24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

Here, we see two builders, two foundations, and one inevitable storm. The difference is not in the listening. The difference is in the obedience. Are you wise and building a firm foundation through obedience, or are the fool who looks in the mirror and goes away forgetting what he has seen?

What will you build your life on in 2026?

Paul says to the Corinthian church:

1 Cor 3:10-15

10 According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled[b] master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. 11 For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— 13 each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. 14 If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.

Paul tells the Corinthians they can build with gold, silver, and precious stones, or they can use wood, hay, and straw. Eventually, just as the storms came for the builders in Matthew 7, the trials by fire will come for all believers and the evidence of what you have been building with will be tested.

Now, the first question: Have you built your life upon the Rock?

Jesus took his disciples to Caesarea Philippi and he asked them "Who do people say that the son of Man is?

And they said some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah or Jeremiah or one of the prophets. And then Jesus asked, but who do you say that I am?

Matt 18:16-18

16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock[b] I will build my church, and the gates of hell[c] shall not prevail against it.

What is the big rock? It is Peter's confession that Jesus is the Christ. That is the foundation on which you must build. What will you do with Jesus in 2026?

The second question is: With what materials will you build the rest of your life around? Will you focus on total obedience as you are led by the Spirit, or will you focus on the things that will be burned up?

In the next four weeks we are going to focus on creating firm foundations for your family, your finances, your fellowship, and your faith. We want to help you build with gold, silver, and precious gems.

Remembering Paul's exhortation that the body grows at God causes it to grow. We also want to be wise and build the church's future on firm foundations. So, our vision for 2026 is not about ambition. It is about humble obedience to Christ and faithful stewardship of what He has given us.

First: We have a vision for Worship and Discipleship.

We would like to grow to 150 regular attenders and 120 weekly attenders. We want to continually make it easy for you to invite your friends and family members. We want to host fun events like Bingo night on Jan 7th. We want to host another conference like the marriage conference. We would also like to get 40 people attending our discipleship path this year. We also want to host a prayer conference this Spring.

Second: We have a vision for Community and Fellowship.

We want to continue to engage everyone in finding ways for you to serve. We want to make it easy for you to plug into serving, and we want 90% of those who complete Step 3 to be serving in a ministry. We also want to launch 5 life groups this year. The goal is connection.

Third: We have a vision for mission connection.

We want to continue helping FBC Conway Springs. Also, we want to start quarterly serve days where we partner with Wichita missions.

Fourth: We have a vision for leadership development.

We want to provide more training and resources for those who lead our ministries. We want to equip teachers in TLC KidsZone, and we want to strengthen our Student Leaders. We want to develop our Deacon Family Ministry, which starts by identifying at least 2 new deacons.

Fifth: we have a vision for stewardship.

It takes money to do all we do, and our ministry is growing, which requires more money. Also, we need to build a building fund that will help us to build or buy.

Six: We have a vision to find our forever home.

Listen there is no building that will ever be our foundation, Christ is our foundation. And wherever we are gathered, Christ is there. However, the building can be the tool that supports what God is already doing.

So, what do we need for you in 2026:

Step One: Become a member of the body

Take Step One on Jan 10th at 8 AM (Text Step 1)

Publicly declare your faith by being baptize on Jan 18th (Baptism)

Step Two: Grow in Grace and Knowledge

Life Group - Participate in one (Text Life Group)

D Path - Starting in Feb (Text D Path)

Step Three: Steward your Time and Talents

Volunteer (Text Serve)

Start giving, even $5 (Text Give)

Step Four: Partner in Missions

Invite People (Text Invite)