DoublePortion_October2023_8.5x5.5_REV.indd

services, with a $15 million 1800-seat sanctuary project in the works.What’s even more wonderful is the fact that other church es around us are undergoing similar expansion. Although they weren’t anywhere near this massive, we did undergo seven building programs over nearly two decades at the church I served in Northwest Georgia. Most were geared more to ward remodeling than expansion. Nevertheless, it was great to see God work and the people excited.There’s something about new projects, especially building, that encourage and motivate people. No doubt those students at the school of prophets experi enced such elation, especially since Elisha was all in on the project. Before going out to look for wood, they invited him to go along. “‘I will,’ Elisha replied, and he went with them” (2 Kings 6:2).This may seem small to us, but it wasn’t to them. Elisha, a hero among them, was willing to roll up his sleeves and join in the work (a good lead ership lesson for all times). Emotions were surely running high until frustrating misfortune put a damper on their building project. “As one of them was cutting down a tree, the iron ax head fell into the water.‘Oh no, my Lord!’ he cried out.‘It was borrowed’” (2 Kings 6:5). Carefully observe that the ax head was: Borrowed- We’ve all borrowed tools from time to time. Usually the problem is forgetting to return them rather than los ing one.Yet, imagine that feeling you get when you lose it or the tool breaks while you’re using it. Valuable- This was first century Palestine and not 21st century America.Tools were much harder to produce and far less available.There wasn’t a Lowes or Home Depot in sight. And even if there was, these students couldn’t have afforded it. Most were poor, accustomed to leaving meagerly, willingly sharing what they had with one another.

115