A Call to Prayer | December 1 - January 9

December 1, 2025
 
Church Family,

Over the past several years, we have been praying, planning, and seeking the Lord together about how best to steward the facilities He has entrusted to us so that we may reach, serve, and disciple people throughout the Roanoke Valley—now and for generations to come.

In 2022, we unanimously adopted an updated master plan to guide future renovation and construction. This plan was the result of many hours of prayerful evaluation, input from people involved in our various ministries, and a shared desire to best use our campus in the work of making disciples well into the next century. When fully realized, our campus will be easier to navigate for first-time guests, for families, and for seniors and others with limited mobility. Most importantly, it will help us continue proclaiming Christ and welcoming those He brings across our path.

While the full master plan will unfold over many years, one reality has been clear for a long time: our preschool and kids ministry spaces urgently need to be consolidated, secured, and updated, and our gym needs improvements to better serve as a space for worship without losing its functionality during the week.

After adopting the master plan, the church unanimously voted to move forward with schematic drawings for these priority areas. Then, we again unanimously voted to continue with design-development drawings so we could obtain more reliable cost projections. Those drawings and budgetary details have been completed and reviewed in a joint meeting of our Long-Range Planning and Budget Committees.

As many of you know, inflation in general—and construction inflation specifically—has not been our friend in recent years. Although inflation has cooled off some, the rising cost of waiting continues to outpace interest rates. At the same time, the Lord continues sending us guests. Almost every week, we meet new people, including new children and new parents, seeking a church where the Bible is preached without compromise, the worship comes from the heart, and the people genuinely love Jesus, one another, and our community.

All of this brings us to a significant moment in the life of our church. A plan must, at some point, become a project. While that moment seems to be drawing near, we want to move forward only in step with the Lord. Yes, we want to improve security. Yes, we want easier navigation. Yes, we want a worship space that better serves our mission. But, above all, this is about Jesus—His glory, His gospel, His people, and the generations He intends to reach through our obedience.

As we stand at this crucial point, I want to call us to a dedicated season of prayer as a church family.

Two Scriptures guide my heart as I write:

“Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.” (Psalm 127:1)

“Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all we ask or think… to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever.” (Ephesians 3:20–21)

These passages remind us:

1. Our “why” is Christ. Buildings are tools, but the mission is to reach and disciple people the Lord loves.
2. We are dependent on Him. If He does not lead, guide, provide, and bless, then our labor is in vain.
3. He is able. The One to whom we pray owns it all, rules it all, and delights to do more than we can imagine for the glory of His Son.

Many of you have joined North Roanoke in recent months and years. You may have seen the artistic renderings near the gym that show the heart behind completing the first phase of our master plan. As we approach important decisions in the next 30–90 days, this is a wonderful moment to pray together as one body—longtime members, brand-new members, and even regular attenders who are praying about joining our family of faith.

With this in mind, I want to ask us to embark upon 40 Days of Prayer, beginning today, December 1, seeking the Lord’s will, wisdom, provision, and power. 

Here are some specific ways we can pray:

• For our Long-Range Planning and Budget Committees as they prepare a motion for our consideration in a future business meeting.
• For construction prices to stabilize, or even decline, as we finalize our next steps.
• For continued generous giving and a strong “down payment” giving us confidence to proceed now if that is the Lord’s will.
• For the many guests and families the Lord is bringing, that they would hear the gospel, be warmly welcomed, and be rooted in our faith family.
• For the decisions we make as a church in the next 30–90 days to result in thousands upon thousands of lives reached for Christ starting now and extending well into the future.

In addition to these basic categories, I have also prepared a guide (see the file below) with 40 days of prayer prompts as we endeavor to seek the Lord and do His will in the weeks to come. 

​Beloved, God has been incredibly kind to give us much to steward for the glory of King Jesus. He’s also been gracious in allowing us to see Him answering the prayers of many, including many who have gone on to glory, for a new generation of believers eager to magnify Christ as a part of our faith family. So, let’s continue to be a praying people. Let’s enter this season seeking Him together with humility, expectation, and gratitude—trusting Him to lead us every step of the way.

All because of Jesus,
Pastor Daniel

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