The Dream Team, Part 2
Type: Sunday Morning Service
Series: The Dream Team
Sermon: Part 2 - First Round Draft Pick
🗣️ Speaker: Pastor Tom Van Kempen
You are not an accident—you were chosen, designed, and destined by God to live out good works He prepared in advance for you (Ephesians 2:10; Ephesians 1:4). Your true identity isn’t defined by the world’s labels but by Scripture: a royal priesthood, holy, and God’s special treasure (1 Peter 2:9). Because you are God’s workmanship, uniquely shaped with gifts, passions, abilities, personality, and experiences, it’s time to get off the sidelines and serve.
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Additional Info
The info below was generated by an AI from the audio recording of the sermon.
Chosen Before the Foundation of the World
Many people wrestle with feeling unseen or overlooked, but Scripture declares a different story. Before the creation of the world, God chose you (Ephesians 1:4). This isn’t wishful thinking; it’s a settled reality. Being chosen means you’re not random, forgotten, or expendable—you are wanted and known.
Your True Identity: Royal, Holy, and Treasured
When the world judges by height, speed, résumé, or platform, God looks at the heart. The Bible calls God’s people a “royal priesthood,” a “holy nation,” and “God’s special treasure” (1 Peter 2:9). Royalty carries dignity. Priests have direct access to God. Holiness means forgiven, set apart, and made righteous by Christ. Let this identity drown out childhood taunts, cultural comparisons, and the enemy’s lies.
God’s Workmanship: A One-of-a-Kind Masterpiece
You are God’s workmanship—His poiēma, His masterpiece—created in Christ Jesus for good works (Ephesians 2:10). You are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14). God personally designed your eye color, hair, skin tone, wiring, and temperament. He didn’t mass-produce you; He crafted you.
Your SHAPE: How God Designed You for Purpose
Your design reveals your destiny. A helpful way to see this is through SHAPE:
S – Spiritual Gifts: The Holy Spirit gives each believer gifts to serve others (1 Corinthians 12:7).
H – Heart: Your passions and holy discontents point to where you should invest (Proverbs 27:19).
A – Abilities: God has given each person abilities to do certain things well (Romans 12:6).
P – Personality: God uses every temperament—lion, otter, beaver, golden retriever, and every modern category—to reach different people.
E – Experiences: Your life story—wins, wounds, work, and worship—uniquely equips you to help others.
You’re not one in a million; you’re more like one in a trillion. No one else carries your exact combination of SHAPE.
Destined for Good Works—Prepared in Advance
God prepared good works “beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10). These aren’t random tasks; they are divine appointments woven into your everyday life—holding a door, buying lunch for a neighbor, serving on a ministry team, praying for the sick, mentoring a student, or learning an instrument to lead worship. Even in seasons of captivity and setback, God’s heart is the same: “plans for good… to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11).
Time to Get in the Game
You weren’t drafted to sit in the stands. Step into your calling: children’s ministry, tech, worship, hospitality, prayer, security, facility care—there is a place for you. God delights to work through willing people who see themselves the way He sees them—chosen, crafted, and commissioned.
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Use the questions listed below as a launching point to discuss the sermon points together as a family. These are great for dinner table discussions and small groups.
Opening: Share a childhood memory of being picked first or last for a team. How did it shape how you see yourself today?
Scripture: Read Ephesians 2:10; 1 Peter 2:9; Jeremiah 29:11.
Discussion:
Which label from 1 Peter 2:9 (royal, priesthood, holy, special treasure) is hardest for you to believe—and why?
Where do you most feel “less than” compared to others? How does Ephesians 2:10 confront that?
Share one element of your SHAPE (gift, passion, ability, personality, or experience) that God might be inviting you to use right now.
What “good works” may already be prepared in your weekly rhythms—home, work, neighborhood, church?
Prayer: Pray for courage to step out, for freedom from false labels, and for the Spirit to activate gifts.
Action Step: Before your next meeting, each person will (a) identify one ministry or service opportunity to try and (b) do one practical act of kindness for someone outside your home.
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Ephesians 2:10; 1:4
Written by Paul to believers in Ephesus (AD 60–62) during imprisonment, Ephesians emphasizes God’s eternal plan in Christ. “Chosen before the foundation of the world” (1:4) roots identity in God’s eternal will, not human performance. “His workmanship” (2:10) follows a passage on salvation by grace, underscoring that good works are the result—not the cause—of salvation.1 Peter 2:9
Peter writes to scattered believers in Asia Minor facing pressure and marginalization (AD 62–64). He applies Old Testament Israel language to the church—“royal priesthood,” “holy nation”—to affirm dignity and purpose despite social rejection.Psalm 139:14
Attributed to David, this psalm praises God’s intimate knowledge and creative power. “Fearfully and wonderfully made” affirms the intentionality and care of God’s design for each person.1 Corinthians 12:7; Romans 12:6
Paul addresses spiritual gifts in two contexts: a divided, gifted Corinthian church (AD 54–55) and the Roman house churches (AD 57). In Corinth, gifts are for the common good; in Romans, believers have differing gifts according to grace—both emphasizing service and unity.Jeremiah 29:11
Jeremiah writes to exiles in Babylon (6th century BC), instructing them to settle in, seek the city’s peace, and trust God’s future hope after 70 years. While historically given to Israel, its theological theme—God’s good intentions amid hardship—echoes across Scripture for God’s people.Proverbs 27:19; 23:7
Wisdom sayings from Israel’s wisdom tradition (Solomonic and later collections). They underscore that the inner life (the heart) reveals and shapes a person’s true self. -
Theme: God Made Me for a Purpose!
Intro (3 min): Show a toolbox with different tools. Ask: Does a hammer do what scissors do? God made each of us with a special job too!
Scripture (5 min):
Ephesians 2:10 – “We are God’s masterpiece…”
Psalm 139:14 – “I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”
Craft (7 min): “Masterpiece Mosaic”
Kids glue colorful paper squares on a heart or hand outline and write “God’s Masterpiece” with their name. Talk about how every piece matters, just like every child.Game (7 min): “Team Builder Relay”
Stations: stacking cups, simple puzzle, beanbag toss. Different kids lead different stations. Point out how every role helps the team “win.”Discussion (5 min):
What makes you special?
What is one way you can help at home, school, or church this week?
How does God feel about you?
Wrap-Up & Prayer (3 min):
“God, thank You for making us Your masterpieces. Show us how to help others this week. In Jesus’ name, amen.” -
We're in the... I wouldn't say we're in the middle. We're at the beginning of a new series. We started it last week, and the series is called The Dream Team. And I made this comment last week that of the 12 members of The Dream Team, all 12 of them were first-round draft choices. And today, I want to talk about you being a first-round draft choice. Now, two months ago, I was watching the NBA draft, And they drafted a teenager as number one. Did anybody see this? This guy's 18 years old and he becomes the next mega gazillionaire. And his name's Cooper Flagg. And when they called out his name, he gets on up there like he's surprised, which he wasn't. He was the best player in the country at the time. And he hugs his mom and he hugs his agent. And he hugs the commissioner of the NBA. Well, when I was 18 years of age, I didn't get drafted for anything except for taking out the trash. My mom would draft me. And I didn't even get a hug afterwards, all right? She just said, take out the trash. She told me to do the dishes. She had me vacuuming the house every single Saturday. I told my mom a lot of times, I said, you're training me to be a great wife someday. And now, of course, my wife is going, where did all those skills go? I don't see them any longer you know. I remember watching the pre-show of the draft and in the pre-show they were showing the scouting report on all of these new young men that were coming into the NBA and Cooper Flagg he's 6'9 18 years old 6'9 he weighs 225 pounds he has a 40 inch vertical jump. I'm just like he He already can touch the rim without jumping, and now He can jump 40 inches higher than that. They said that He's one of those big men. He can dribble with His left hand. He can dribble with His right hand. Now, if there was a scouting report on me, it would be below average height, super slow. He can't probably dribble with His left hand at all, and He's half blind now because He can't see like He used to. But here's the good news. God doesn't judge me based on the outward appearance. Who can say amen? I mean, the world judges on what you can do physically, what you can do mentally, but God judges on the heart. Say heart. And so that's really what this whole series is about. Is we don't serve God because we are so talented He can't live without us. We serve God, because we love Him. And we have this sense of loyalty and allegiance to Him. And we want to do whatever we can. Now, at the same time, it's interesting that the Scripture actually says this about us. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. I look at this first word here. His. For we are His workmanship. You might say, Pastor, I don't get it. Well, when it comes to the draft, if you do get drafted in the NFL, if you get drafted in the NBA, the NHL, the team that drafts you owns the rights to you. They can trade them away or they can keep you, but they own your rights. In other words, you and I were drafted by God. Some people are like, I don't think God really knows about me. I don't think He cares about me. Yes, He does. Ephesians 1, verse 4 says this, Before the creation of the world, He chose us. You and I were chosen by God. So you were chosen. You were picked. You were drafted. Unfortunately, this is what I recognize. Just like in the NFL, just like in the some guys don't want to play for the team that drafts them. Some guys hold out because they think they can get a better team or a better deal with somebody else. Some people think that the devil or the world offers a better contract than God does. I'm here to tell you they are mistaken who can say amen. But it goes more than that. God's retirement plan is much better than the devil's. this world, yes, it's heaven over hell, and it is better every single time. And so being picked by God should give us an unbelievable confidence that we actually can do what it is that He wants us to do. Now, I know the world says that we're not enough. I know that maybe when you were growing up, even kids made fun of you possibly. But I'm not saying what the world thinks, and I'm not even saying what you think, is the most important thing. It's what does the Word of God say about you? Who can say amen? 1 Peter 2, verse 9 says this, but God chose, here we go again, this is another verse where God's choosing you. He chose you to be His people. You are a royal priesthood. You are a holy nation. And this particular translation says that you are God's special treasure. Being picked by God, literally gives you a brand new identity. You belong to God. You're a son. You're a daughter. And God will move mountains on your behalf if you belong to Him who can say Amen. He'll move mountains on your behalf. He'll do wild and crazy things. If you're a royal priest, which you are, royalty possesses dignity. And so no matter what has happened to you yesterday, this stand for freedom out here. There are about 30 of us holding signs because we were saying that the world needs to be aware that slavery still exists. That there are little boys and little girls and teenagers that are being sold around the world and being sex trafficked. And it's a disgusting thing. But when they come out of that lifestyle and meet Jesus Christ, they now have dignity. Who can say amen? God gives them dignity. Because they're now royalty in His eyes. They are priests, which means that they have direct access to God at any time, any place, 24 hours a day. And they're holy. I don't know about you, but sometimes I feel so dirty. Sometimes I feel like I've let God down so much, and I'm just not where I need to be. I haven't done what I should do. I haven't said what I've said. I've let God down. I've let my family down. I've let the church down at times. And the guilt starts to weigh me down. And yet the Scripture says that God sees me as holy. My sins forgiven. That I have literally become the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Who can say amen? So when God looks at me, He sees perfection. When God looks at me, He sees beauty. He sees someone who's amazing. and literally a special treasure. And He picks me because He prizes me. Because He sees so much potential on the inside of me. Again, I want to reiterate that we can't listen to the voices of the world. That we have to forget about the childhood memories that sometimes echo in our minds. We have to forget about the criticisms we receive at work or even in our families. We have to quit listening to the devil as he markets to us in all of these different forms of media and tells us that we're not smart enough. We're not pretty enough. We're not young enough. We're not old enough. That's what marketers do is they try and make you feel less than. They try and devalue you. I started thinking all the way back to like fifth and sixth grade. Can you put yourself back to fifth or sixth grade? I mean, it's a lot different nowadays. than it was when I was a kid. I mean, I'm talking 50 years ago. The world was different. It was more innocent, there's no doubt about it. But there was still a lot of meanness that took place. And what I mean by that is, I was the smallest person, not the smallest boy. I was the smallest person in my class in all through elementary, all the way through ninth grade. And then I grew, you know, like 10 inches in one year. But when you're the smallest, and they're picking basketball teams, guess where you get to be picked? Last. That's right. Because they're looking for tall guys. They're looking for guys who can get rebounds, and who can play defense, and can get those hands out in the passing lanes, and all of these different things. And that wasn't me. What about you? Can you remember being on the playground, and they're deciding kickball teams, And you're sitting there going, oh no, not again. Oh no, this is embarrassing. This is difficult. This is challenging. I can tell you, for every person that is picked last or even in the second half of the draft, they feel unappreciated. They feel like they're not worth as much as somebody else. They feel like they're unseen. But I need you to know today that God sees you and values you. God thinks that you are something special. Robin, would you come on up here? She's going to give me what I believe happened. And she's going to stand right here next to the TV because she's Vanna White today. Yes. Give Vanna a round of applause. So what happened to me at some time in my life is God said, now with the first pick and the upcoming Christian draft, I choose Tom Van Kempen with the number one pick. That's how I feel. Not all the time. Sometimes I feel like a loser. I really do. Sometimes I feel like I'm coming up short, but God tells me in His Word that I am a top first round draft choice and that I have value. Who can say amen? Amen. Number two, not only were you drafted by God, Number two, you were designed by God. Robin will do something here in a second, all right? I just want you to know. I know she's a great beauty. No, don't hide. Don't hide. I need you out here. You were designed by God. So for we are His workmanship. Okay? A wonderful word. One of my favorites. This verse really means a lot to me because when I I memorized this verse in Bible quiz. Not only that, but when we won the national championship as a team out of Las Vegas, we were studying Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon. And we won the national championship. And now this year, our church's Bible quiz team is studying Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon. And so I believe that we have young people in this church, that can memorize all five of those books. Did any of the young people say amen? I heard one of the coaches yell amen, okay? I know they could do it. God has created them with this enormous capacity to memorize. God has designed each of us His workmanship. Do you know what this means? Literally, in the Greek, it's poiema. We are all poems or masterpieces that God has made. We are beautifully designed works of art. When I was a kid, I got the game Masterpiece for Christmas one time. Has anybody ever played Masterpiece? One person. Two people. Three people. Wow! Four people. Did you really? No, you didn't. Okay, well, I loved the game. And in the game, if you've never played it before, there would be works of art that would look like this. Sunflower by Vincent Van Gogh. You've got a Leonardo da Vinci painting, The Virgin and the Child with Saint Anne right here. And then my personal favorite is American Gothic. And, eww. Now, we're laughing at that painting. I remember playing the game. I did not ever want to get that. But sometimes that would be the most valuable painting in the game. It would be the million dollar painting. And so you couldn't do it based on taste. You had to understand that all of these artists painted something beautiful or there were two forgeries that were absolutely worthless in the game. Sometimes we Christians are like, I'm a forgery I'm just not worth anything I I can't do what it is God wants us to do but did you know the last Leonardo da Vinci sold for almost 500 million dollars this American Gothic right here I went to AI and I go how much money is American Gothic worth and it said it's not for sale and the reason is is it because it depicts a part of American history that literally makes this painting priceless. You and I are priceless in the name of Jesus Christ. We are invaluable. That's how God sees us. And again, one of the reasons is because we're His workmanship and we were created by God. That next word, created in the Greek, literally means that God used His hands, as it were. Now, we know God doesn't have hands, okay? a spirit. But it speaks to the personal nature of God's design of your humanity. He gave you the color eyes you have on purpose. The kind of hair that you have. The skin color you have. He made you that way on purpose. And you are beautiful in His sight. I have a new friend. His name is Rex. And Rex designs custom-made vehicles. He and his partner sometimes will buy or be given a vehicle that already is worth a lot of money. And then they try and tinker with it and paint it and fix it in a way. This is what he says. We try and, number one, push the limits. Number two, we want to do something that has never been done before. And their goal is to make a one-of-a-kind custom creation. to be a one-of-a-kind custom creation. Say amen. You've got to see yourself that way. You've got to know that that's who you are. Psalm 139.14 puts it this way, I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Marvelous are your works. Two words in the Hebrew language here both point to the fact that you are unique. Rick Warren many years ago planted a church in Southern California and it grew to over 25,000. And one of his main points was that everyone has a unique shape. Say shape. A unique shape that was given to them by God. And S stands for, oh, I guess I need to clear this for you, Vanna. All right. Huh? I'm ready for the new screen right here. Oh, wrong one, right there. S stands for spiritual gifts. Uh-oh, Vanna can't reach that high. Has anybody received a birthday card from my wife? She has the coolest printing in the entire world. I'm just telling you, she can do it now. If she can do that reaching up, I'm looking forward to the rest of them here. But listen to this. S stands for spiritual gift. We know that everyone has at least one gift. But experience teaches me that most people have what I would call a cluster of gifts. Some that are associated or related to one another so that you can do something special for God. 1 Corinthians 12.7 puts it this way. The Spirit has given each of us a special way of serving others. So when you give your life to Jesus Christ, there's a special anointing that literally comes upon you by the Holy Spirit. And He dispenses these spiritual gifts. This verse is right in that same area where He talks about the word of wisdom, and the word of knowledge, and healing, and miracles, and all of these different things. Now everyone doesn't get the same amount. Some people are five talent people. Some are two talent people. Some are one-talent people. But in a specific gift, you have a varying degree of anointing in your life so that you can use it to serve the body of Christ who can say amen. So we need to remember that. H stands for heart. Heart. You've probably heard these Scriptures before. Oh, no, it's too late. Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks, right? As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he. In the Proverbs, chapter 27, verse 19, as a face is reflected in water, so the heart reflects the real person. In other words, there are those personas that we portray to people. Who we want people to think we are. But then there's the real person is deep down inside. That's why God looks at the heart and not at the appearance. He wants to know what's on the inside of you. He wants to know what are your true passions, your interests, your motivations, your ambitions, and your dreams. Much of that was pre-programmed in you by God Himself. And He wants you to use it for His glory. A stands for abilities. This is the one that we're all most familiar with. Romans 12, 6 says, God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well. And there's no doubt about that. One of the things that surprised me this week in my study was there's a number of studies that say that this, the average person, has between five and seven hundred abilities. Between five and seven hundred. I've taken a test called the Strength Finder Test. And Gallup tests you just in 34 different areas. But these other studies are saying there's 500, 600, 700 unique talents and gifts that we all possess. Personality is P. So has anyone ever taken the DISC personality test? D-I-S-C. A couple of you. How about, do you remember, I remember back in the 80s and 90s, Dr. Smalley took the disc personality test and he tweaked it a little bit. And he said people have lion personalities, otter personalities, golden retriever personalities, and what was the other one? Beaver. Thank you. You took the test, didn't you? Okay, so four different personalities. So I started thinking I got online and I found there's the red, Blue, Green, Yellow, Personality Tests. As a matter of fact, there are dozens, if not scores, of personality tests that say you have four personalities or even more, up to 16 different personality types. I wanted to know, where did this all come from? This has been going on for over 2,500 years. One of the Greek doctors, Hippocrates, the Hippocrates oath that doctors take, he came up with This idea of four personalities 2,500 years ago, and today we're still trying to figure each other out. Who can say amen? What I am. I'm an otter. I just like to play all the time. Robin is the otter and the golden retriever. I'm more the lion and the beaver. Lion and Beaver. Lion! Lion! E is experiences. And with that, I'll let my beautiful Vanna White have her seat. Would you give her a round of applause, please? So, how many people are over 50. Let me ask you a different way. How many are under 50? Six of you. This church needs more balance. That's all I can tell you. We need more balance here. But can you imagine the amount of experiences you've had over the course of your lifetime, no matter how old you are. And how unique those experiences are. So based upon this shape acronym, you're not one in a million. You're not even one in a billion. You are more than one in a trillion. In other words, there has never been, there is not currently, and there never will be another person like you. That means only you. Say me. Only you can do what God desires of you for His kingdom's sake. It reminds me of a story I read a long time ago. This is one of my favorites. Snoopy's on the side of the road and he's watching all the kids go by and this is what Snoopy says, I wonder why it is that some were born people and others were born dogs. It just isn't fair. Why am I the lucky one? Do you see yourself is blessed by God. I hope so. Because the Scripture paints a picture of you being highly favored by the Creator of the universe. And He designed you this way simply as an expression of His grace. Simply as an expression of His goodness. Because He wants you... Oh, I've got to get rid of this. Go back to this one. Listen to what the Scripture says. For we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus. You are a manifestation of the very grace of God. And because of His grace, He wants you to reach your full potential. And He wants you to realize a purposeful life every single day. Not just once in a while. Third and finally, and pastor you can come on up now, you were designed by God. I'm sorry. You were destined by God. Yes, you were drafted or picked. And you were designed. But you're also destined. I don't know what happened to my scripture. There it is. Look it. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand. Beforehand. Remember, we started this by saying from Ephesians 1.4 that you were chosen before the foundation of the world. In other words, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit were having a meeting at one time in eternity past, and they started discussing this idea of humanity and what it was going to look like and how Adam and Eve were probably going to mess this whole thing up, but He designed you and you. and you and you as a means of his redemption he designed you in such a way that you are literally going to help people bridge the gap from lostness to foundness he designed you with with good works that we're going to encourage people to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior listen these aren't random works they're literally preplanned by God. Your life is not an accident. You literally have a divine assignment. We all know Jeremiah 29 11 or most of us do anyway. And what frustrates me are Christians who try and remove blessings. For example, I see online people going, Jeremiah 29 11 isn't for the church today it was for the Israelites the people who say stuff like that are so mistaken it's sad oh it was for the Israelites there's no doubt about it the Israelites were in captivity okay because of their sin and they were going to be in captivity for 70 years and God wanted to paint a a vision for them of what he had planned for them okay but remember Romans tells us that Everything written in the Old Testament is for spiritual lessons for us today. Everything. Say everything. And so this verse is for anyone who's ever been imprisoned, which includes all of us. Listen. For I know the plans that I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future, and to give you a hope. Wow! I'm telling you, sometimes I can read that, sometimes I can quote that, and no matter where I am in the moment, all of a sudden my spirit gets buoyed. No matter what's going on, I begin to see that God has something better and bigger for me. I begin to realize that the challenge I'm facing right now is momentary, and that together, especially as Oxford Assembly of God Church, We can literally do anything for Jesus. And so that's why the last part of this verse is that we should walk in them. We should walk in these good works. You might say, oh, what does that mean? It's time to get off the bench. It's time to get out of the stands. It's time to get into the game. You are not drafted in the first round to be a You're not drafted in the first round to sit on the sidelines. You are drafted to get in the game. This entire series is pointing towards September 28th where we're going to have this giant ministry fair out in the gymnasium. And I heard that we canceled this year's ministry fair because almost nobody signed up last year. Did you hear me? I was looking at the sign-up sheets and over 50% of them, not one single person heard the call of Jesus Christ. I find that hard to believe that God's not calling anyone to be a part of the team. I know everyone is called. I know you guys are so talented and so faithful. Filled with the Spirit that God wants you to be intimately involved. Not the 20-80 rule. It's not 20% do 80%. It's 100% or 100% involved. Who can say amen? That's what God is looking for. For everybody to get into the game. Did you know there's divine opportunities all around you? I'm not just talking about volunteering at church. life. It's filled with service opportunities. Opening a door. Buying someone a lunch. Bringing someone a gift. Yes, then there's ushering. There's working in the tech department. There's singing and playing the drums and the guitar. I believe, this is just me, I believe God is calling some people in the church right now to learn to play a musical instrument. Oh, I'm too old for that, Pastor. No, you're not. I just went to Kentucky Fried Chicken. I know that disappoints some of you, all right? But I just went to Kentucky Fried Chicken, and you know he didn't even start his first restaurant until he was 65 years of age. He didn't start until he was 65. I'm telling you, it's never too late. It's never too late to get involved. It's never too late to do something. You might say, Pastor, I'm physically handicapped. I can't do that. Well, we have roles for that too. We're going to be starting a new prayer ministry here where we're going to have people who are praying for the church every single day of the week, 365 days a year, who can say amen. That's coming. We have a security position where you can sit at a computer and watch all the screens of everything that's happening in the sanctuary, in the lobby, in the parking lots because of the craziness in the world today. But there is something for everyone. There are times when we ask for prayer partners to come forward and we have way more people needing prayer than people who are willing to pray for them. Now, I don't believe that there aren't enough people here that God isn't speaking to saying, would you please be a prayer partner for the church? I need to have people available to come down here and to lay hands on people, to anoint them with oil, to pray for healing. Did you know that just two weeks ago, I prayed for a man with a heart condition. He told me he was healed. instantaneously in the name of Jesus Christ. Something happened in that moment. The pastor's not the only one who gets that blessing. He wants all of us to be a part of something. Because you are a first round draft choice. God wants to hand you a jersey with your name on the back of it. Would you stand with me please? I'm going to pray for you and then we're going to close with a song by this wonderful team. Come on, you guys can come on up here. Heavenly Father, I thank you for my favorite congregation in the entire world. This is a group of wonderful, wonderful people who I believe are just waiting on your Holy Spirit to lead and guide. So in this moment, I pray that you'd begin to build some excitement and enthusiasm. I pray, Father God, that we'd begin to see ourselves as dream team members of the greatest team the world has ever seen, the church. I pray, Father God, that as members of Oxford Assembly of God Church, that we'd take the call and listen to the call, Father God, and that we would sign up to volunteer and walk. that we would sign up for children's church, for the nursery, Father God, for cleaning the facility, for cleaning bathrooms, Father God, for picking up trash, for mowing the lawns and trimming the hedges, for building things, Father God, for building your kingdom more than anything. So in this moment, Father God, I pray that you would just draw us first to you, to that specific thing, Father God, and free us to be, the one-of-a-kind workmanship masterpiece that we are. I pray this today in Jesus' holy and precious name. And together, everybody says, Amen.
