For several years now, we’ve planned our preaching calendar one year in advance and it never surprises me how God is able to know exactly what our church will need to hear, especially when we take the time to pray, fast and plan one year in advance.

I just received an email from one of my Coaching Alumni that reminded me of the power of this principle:

You guys teach us to set the preaching calendar and then avoid the temptation to change it. I was tempted two times this year to change what I had prepared, but in the end stuck with the original plan (and I’m so glad I did).

1. I decided to do a series through the book of Colossians, but as the series approached I realized that no one (and I mean no one) out there has done a series on that book. I was tempted to go in a new direction but stuck with the plan. Long story short, the exact problems that prompted Paul to write Colossians in the first place, began happening in our church right before the series started (i.e. some anti-Christian beliefs that were circulating in culture began to infiltrate the church). God could not have planned it more perfect. Exactly when we needed it, Colossians was there to address the issues we were facing.

In the series we addressed:

1. the lie that Jesus was less than God (chapter 1)

2. the lie that salvation is a mixture of faith and works (chapter 2)

3. the lie that you can become a Christian without changing your life (chapter 3) we spent two weeks here: one week on the evil deeds of the sinful nature that need to be stripped off and a second week on the Christian virtues we need to clothe ourselves with

The other example of when I followed this was that God led us to NOT do “God at the Box Office” this summer. When it looked like we were going to relocate to a movie theater, it seemed logical to change the sermon series we had planned and to repeat “God at the Box Office.” But I followed your advice and stuck with the plan. Good thing I did. RIGHT BEFORE we would’ve been starting God at the Box Office the movie theater location fell through.

Just wanted to encourage you guys with these stories. Keep telling people to fast and pray over what to preach on and then to STICK WITH THE PLAN. If God leads us to put something on the calendar, it’s for a reason! 🙂

Mike Sorcinelli
Lead Pastor
www.newdaychurch.cc

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About Nelson Searcy

Nelson Searcy is an experienced church growth strategist, pastor, church planter and coach, consulting with churches around the world. As founder of Church Leader Insights and the Renegade Pastors Network, he has personally trained more than 3,500 church leaders in over 45 denominations through live events, seminars and monthly coaching. Nelson is also the Founding and Lead Pastor of The Journey Church, with locations across New York City and in Boca Raton, FL. Nelson and his church routinely appear on lists such as “The 50 Most Influential Churches” and “The 25 Most Innovative Leaders.” He is the author of over 100 church growth resources and 18+ books, including The Renegade Pastor: Abandoning Average in Your Life, Ministry and The Difference Maker: Using Your Everyday Life for Eternal Impact, and At the Cross with the People Who Were There. He and his wife, Kelley, have one son, Alexander.