A High-Calling Church | Dan Lord

Do you know that your church is impacting literally the world for Jesus Christ? Oh, you may not know that, but our church is so impacted because of your church and your church family. And I just want to encourage you, you can’t slow down because the rest of the church will slow down if you slow down at Champion Center. We got to keep going strong. Come on, high five your neighbor. Tell them keep going strong.

Come on. We’re going to keep taking ground in Jesus name. Well, Paige and I, Pastor Kevin mentioned we do have five children. I want to pop their faces up on the screen. You say, “Wow, you love children.” No, I love my wife. Praise the Lord. Five for five.

So, we not only love our kids and our kids love your pastors, but you need to know our children love your church and they are impacted greatly. Every single summer we get to come to team church. And we started bringing our kids a few years ago. And you know what’s so wild is now if we even hinted we’re not sure if we’re going to go this year, we have mutiny in our house. It’s like we could never, you know, they’ll stay home from family vacation, but they will not miss team church at Champion Center. You know, that’s like their value system.

So we just want to say big thank you to all of you who help set the tone—all the locations, everyone who serves, everyone who gives, everyone that’s involved in any capacity here at Champion Center—because you are building and have built a church that has built and shaped our lives.

Pastor Kevin mentioned how Pastor Sheila was my Sunday school teacher, but not only that, at school, we had this little Christian school. Pastor Sheila—how many of you know Pastor Sheila is the most upbeat human in the world? She was an awesome teacher.

But what Pastor Kevin didn’t tell you is one time I was writing out my Bible verse on a test at the school. We had a little Bible verse to memorize and I was struggling. Anybody ever been on the struggle bus at school? And I wrote out a little piece of paper with my Bible verse… I was cheating.

Did anyone ever cheat in school? Be honest. There’s three people in all four locations today. Come on.

So I was like, “I’m going to fail this.” So I wrote out my little scripture and I was filling it out and Pastor Sheila was like, “Daniel, what do you have there?”

I was like, “Pastor Sheila, I didn’t know my Bible verse, so I wrote it out.”

And she was like, “You’re going to have to go to the office.”

How many know it’s a miracle for me now? Cheated on my Bible verse, but now preaching at Champion Center. Come on. How many know God’s a merciful God?

Alright, grab your Bibles. We’re going to jump into God’s word today. And it is an honor beyond honor. It’s a great privilege to stand here in this pulpit where Pastor Kevin brings the word of God not only to you but to the nation. And I’m so honored. It is beyond a privilege, Pastor Kevin, to be here today and to preach from this pulpit. I thank you for the opportunity.

Paige and I don’t take it lightly, and I’m trying not to be intimidated. How many know when you preach in front of your mentor, it’s like the scariest thing in all the world?

Everybody say, “Grace, grace, Pastor Dan.” Come on, help me out.

I want to speak a message to you today entitled “A High-Calling Church.”

Say, “What’s this message all about?”

Well, consider yourselves a championship runner. You’ve trained for this. You’re going to the Olympics and you want to get gold. How many of you know an average runner just going out on a Saturday jog doesn’t think the same way as a champion athlete who wants to win gold?

God didn’t call Champion Center to be an average, ordinary church, but rather to be a high-calling church—to run in such a way as to get the prize.

We’re not training for a Saturday jog—we’re training for eternity.

We’re running to win.

We’re not trying to fit into the world—we’re trying to fit into God’s design for the church.

Philippians 3:14 says, “I press on toward the goal unto the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

God’s call is upward. He’s always calling us higher.

When God meets with people in Scripture, He calls them up—Moses up the mountain, Abraham up the mountain. God reveals Himself in higher places.

And while God meets us in the valley, He never intends to leave us there.

He lifts us up.

He sets us on a firm foundation.

Then He calls us to climb.

We must give up to go up.

God is always working to close the gap between His thoughts and our thoughts.

We are all under construction.

So embrace the process.

Let God work on your heart.

Three Attributes of a High-Calling Church

1. A High-Calling Church Hears and Responds to God’s Voice

We cannot “ghost” God when He calls us.

He speaks through His Word, through leaders, through people—and we must respond.

Matthew 11 reminds us that it’s dangerous to become spiritually deaf.

We need ears to hear.

God has called us to action—to serve, to build, to reach people.

Take the call seriously.

2. A High-Calling Church Is Unified

Philippians 2 teaches us to be of one mind, one love, one purpose.

If we’ve received His love, we should reflect it through unity.

We are called to work together.

To love deeply.

To move forward as one.

“Make us one to reach the one.”

3. A High-Calling Church Depends on God’s Power

It’s not by our strength—it’s by His Spirit.

Psalm 84:5 says blessed are those whose strength is in Him.

We are pilgrims—people moving toward something greater.

We must keep our eyes on eternity.

Acts 1:8 reminds us that we receive power from the Holy Spirit to be witnesses.

God wants to use us—but we must step out.

Don’t fall in love with comfort.

Don’t settle.

Keep listening for God’s voice.

Keep moving forward.

Even when it’s hard.

Even when it costs something.

Set your heart like this:

No matter what happens, I will keep going toward God.

I will keep responding to His call.

I will keep moving forward until I see Him face to face.

Closing Prayer (Salvation Moment)

Maybe today you feel far from God.

You don’t have to fix yourself to come to Him.

You come to Him, and He changes you.

Jesus died for you so you could have life, forgiveness, and a new beginning.

If you need to get right with God today:

Pray this prayer:

“Dear Jesus, I invite you into my life.
I need you to be my Savior.
Thank you for loving me.
I repent of my sin and turn to you.
I receive your forgiveness and your purpose for my life.
Help me to follow you all my days.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.”