Pastor Phil MaCallum
September 3, 2006 - W0636

Our guest speaker today is Pastor Phil McCallum. Three years ago, Pastor Phil left us to plant New Hope-Brisbane, Australia. He recently returned to Oahu to join our staff as Director of New Hope International which oversees all our church plantings here as well as abroad. We are so blessed to have him back! Let’s listen as he shares about his journey back to Hawaii and his wise, life journey advice on how to get to the other side. 

Every one of us is on a journey. If you are a follower of Jesus, it began with a call to follow Him. So how are we doing on this journey? Well last weekend, one hundred and seventy-five people were baptized! On the other hand, in the past week, I’ve spoken to some who’ve had children go astray, others who are battling with cancer, some with false accusations against them, and even Bible study students who are struggling to get through a semester.

So, how do you get from where you are to where God wants you to be when the way seems so long?

To help us out, let’s take a look at the familiar story of when Moses led the people out of Egypt. It takes place in Egypt, the Sinai Desert and the Promised Land. Of these three, the final destination would be home. Just like when Moses led the people out of Egypt, when the Lord sends us out on a journey, He won’t necessarily provide us with a lot of detail about the journey. Instead, it is along the way that we discover what the journey is all about, and it is through the journey that we learn to depend on God.

Interestingly, God doesn’t do anything without words. If you think about it, this is how He created the Bible and how He created you; He spoke and things came to be. If you’re wondering why doesn’t God give more than words, look at it this way…If you were a stranger and I was to buy a car from you, we’d need to sign a contract because we don’t know one another, much less trust each other. On the other hand, if you were my friend, I could simply give you my word and we’d have a deal. Hence, the Lord does not deal with us as if we were strangers who need lawyers to run interference; instead, He asks us to take Him at His word and this is how we trust Him.

As for the people the Lord was leading out of Egypt, God used ten object lessons (plagues) to teach them how to simply trust His promises.  He spoke a plague and it happened.  He spoke another plague and it happened.  He did this 10 times and each time what He spoke happened. These plagues (and lessons) were so powerful that not only did it teach God’s people to trust His word but their pagan neighbors also believed. This story of Moses teaches us the first of three key lessons with respect to getting to the other side is…  

1.     DON’T LOOK FOR EXPLANATIONS, JUST TRUST GOD’S PROMISES.

“Some of Pharaoh’s officials believed what the Lord said. They immediately brought their livestock and servants in from the fields. But those who had no respect for the word of the Lord left them out in the open.” (Ex. 9:20-21 NLT)

This scripture tells us about the non-believing Egyptians who, after they saw the plagues played out, they understood and accepted the basic principle that when God says something, it’ll happen. This is a very powerful principle and one of the keys that’ll get you from where you are to where God needs you to be. The key tells us not to look for explanations on our journey but rather to trust in God’s word and His promises. Look to His Word, the Bible (that’s why reading your bible is so important), and He will point you in the right direction.  Then trust Him and go.

For me, one night in 1995, after praying, I felt God speak to my heart. He said, “I have a place that I’m preparing for you but it’s not ready yet.” Then in 1997, while at an airport looking out over the Pacific Ocean, the Lord spoke to me again. He said, “Your responsibility is going to expand beyond Australia. You’ll be responsible for all the nations around the Pacific Ocean.”

But, it was in 2000, when I attended a conference in Australia that God really took a hold of my heart. It was there that I heard Pastor Wayne Cordeiro speak for the first time. I was blown away by what I heard! As he spoke, something in my heart told me that I needed to get to know that man, “You need to go to Hawaii and visit his church.” (Now you know that it’s God speaking when the thoughts you’re having are smarter than what you can think of on your own!).  Just then, I turned around and saw a beautifully designed invitation to a leadership practicum with Pastor Wayne.

I attended the practicum and as Wayne began talking about his ministry, something stirred in my heart -- it was a desire to plant a church. On the very last hour of the very last day I was in Waikiki, God worked it such that I ran into Pastor Wayne bobbing up and down in the ocean on a surf board and our conversation changed my life. Pastor Wayne told me I needed to plant a church but that I lacked the confidence to do it. So he invited me to be on staff here at New Hope for awhile. This is where God prepared me to be sent out.  

When the time came, I went back to Australia with God’s blessings. We planted a church there that is making an impact for Christ and many people are coming to the Lord!

Needless to say, a few years later, there was an about-face turn on my journey.  Suffice it to say, the journey I had was much different than what I had expected. Here are helpful hints to know when God is directing you:

1.      Find scripture and spend time journaling – This is how my life was directed. It was through the leadership of the Holy Spirit.

2.      Listen for the voice of God and respond to it.

3.      Pray -- As we lay things out before God, He then gives direction.

4.      Wise advice of mature Christian friends and spiritual leaders.

5.      And finally, with open and closed doors. As God begins to reveal things to you, step into doors as He opens them.

The journey from getting from where you are to where God wants you to be is a process. Every time you face decisions, remember these five things. The bottom line is this. God wants you and me to be Word walkers so that every step we take is not based on explanation but simply trusting what God has said. So believe and trust in Him.

In addition to this, you’ll face two great obstacles on your journey. And these are two simple things, water and sand.  Here is an illustration. If I pour water out of a pitcher, will you afraid of it? I don’t think you will. However, if it was an ocean of water would you be afraid? With a lot of water the ocean can be intimidating. Therefore, we should treat it with respect. The same goes for leading a large number of people. It needs to be treated with respect.

With Moses, he led 1.6 million people out of Egypt. Imagine having sea-spray in front of you and Pharaoh’s headlights in your back window. Yet, this is what Moses faced. It was a huge body of ocean before him and an army closing in from the desert. So what is a man to do at a time like that? Here is the key to getting to the other side.   

2.     GO TO THE EDGE AND SEE WHAT GOD DOES NEXT.

“But Moses told the people, ‘Don’t be afraid. Just stand where you are and watch the Lord rescue you. The Egyptians that you see today will never be seen again. The Lord Himself will fight for you. You won’t have to life a finger in your defense!’” (Ex. 14:13-14 NLT)

The way to get across huge oceans in front of you as you make life decisions while following God is to bring yourself right to the very brink. This is the point of obedience where the only one who can rescue you is God. Take a step back and watch what the Lord will do. There’s something about acting on the promises of God that stirs the heart of God to action. And this is how the stone of a little shepherd brought down a giant, not because of his skills, but because of his risk. And this is how Moses made it through on dry land because he was prepared to take a risk that really mattered.

As for me, I faced a raging ocean in January. God gave a wonderful Pastor for Brisbane. It’s another story in itself and this Pastor is remarkable. He prepared for ministry and in fact the church there is doing well without me. Maybe I should have left sooner! Although everything fell into place, my bigger concern was for the friends and family I had there. Before going public, I spoke to ninety people in a matter of four to five days. Amazingly, for most people it went well except for one friend. He was a guy that was there from the beginning. For about five months our relationship was pretty icy &  fridgy. A part of me wanted to explain to make it right but I knew I couldn’t explain it. So I prayed about this.

Ultimately only God would be able to communicate to my friend’s heart. During that time, it was tough because we needed to communicate everyday. It was a few weeks before I had left that I attended a wedding. As it were, we were both seated next to each other for dinner. I then felt his arm around my shoulder. He then said to me, Phil the Lord has been speaking to my heart. I just wanted you to know that I’m really sorry for some of the actions I’ve made for awhile. Please forgive me. And, can we work together for the years to come? Out of that moment of healing with my very last week in Brisbane we both did a television special based on the Davinci code. This ended up going national on Australia across to New Zealand, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea! Because of this blessing of unity, my brother and I made it happen. It was God who led me through an ocean that really scared me. Yet it’s safe to follow the Lord when you put yourself in that place of risk.

The other thing that would stop you is another simple thing, little grains of sand. If we look at beach sand, it’s non-threatening. But the sand we’re talking about isn’t beach sand but rather desert sand. This is the kind of sand that hides rocks, scorpions and thorns. As for the people headed towards the Promised Land, they’d have to make it through miles and miles of desert sand. So how did they make it?

3.     HOLD ONTO THE CLOUD AS IF IT WERE A HUMAN HAND.

“The Lord guided them by a pillar of cloud during the day and a pillar of fire at night. That way they could travel whether it was day or night. And the LORD did not remove the pillar of cloud or pillar of fire from their sight.” (Ex. 13:21-22 NLT)

The people who followed Moses were not athletes, but mother’s with children, and frail people with walking sticks. It was God who got them through the desert by one principle. It is the voice of God who leads you through the advice of mature friends, through scripture, through closed doors, and answers prayer. As God leads you on this journey, trust Him and His voice through a pillar of cloud.

Wouldn’t it would be fantastic if we could have a Google earth that would map our way? Yet instead the Lord gives us is a cloud. So what are we walking into? What does God have ahead for us? In my heart I feel a great sense of anticipation of things that are ahead for us. And to be a part of it is a huge blessing from God! Next week New Hope will be celebrating its eleventh anniversary.

God has done great and wonderful things. Imagine the thousands of lives that have been affected on this island. It is through the ministries of this church that many other churches have been planted. Many leaders have come through here and the gospel is being taken all over the Pacific. Did you know that there have been one hundred and six churches planted? Thanks to you opening up your homes, your hearts and serving along side of them. There have been over eight hundred Pastors that have gone through leadership practicum here. They look to New Hope for their inspiration. Our website gets his three million times a month. And, thirty-six million hits a year! At the moment we’re working on another website that will be used to mentor and develop Pastors to train them.

The eyes of the world are looking. This church is not just a church for the island, but a church for the world. Remember that every time you make a name tag, give out a bulletin, whether on stage or doing sound, you’re actually shadowing the whole world. So keep following the pillar of cloud. The greatest days God has for us are yet to be.

On your life journey you’ll need a companion. Are you taking this journey with Jesus or are you feeling alone?  Jesus wants to walk with you. On our life journey, we will need to get to the other side. While on this journey, don’t look for explanations but trust in God’s promises. Read His Word and listen for His voice. Pray and seek advice from Godly mature people. And watch as the Lord closes and opens doors. And when you are afraid, go to the edge and see what God does next. He will be the one who rescues you. And when you cross the desert and face an ocean, hold onto the pillar of cloud as if it were a human hand. The Lord will guide you day and night! He will never leave you nor forsake you!

Discussion Suggestions

Q1) What season are you in? Is there an ocean in front of you that is intimidating? Or a desert you need to cross? Explain.

Q2)  Share scriptures through which the Holy Spirit is speaking to you.

Q3)  Where is your edge that you need to go to see what God does next?

Q4)  Has your faith grown to trust in God’s promises? In what ways are you able to grow more?

"All scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong with our lives. It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right. It is God’s way of preparing us in every way, fully equipped for every good thing God wants us to do.” (2 Tim. 3:16-17 NLT)

Sermon Notes Ministry: Debra Chang, Robin Hart, Leighton Loo, Doreen Rabaino

Jay Tsukayama, Rhonda Pang