Biblical Foundation

Youth participation with
Holy Graffiti

Building God's Way is founded on the Biblical elements of faith, prayer, vision, relationships, stewardship and outreach. Many of the BGW construction principles are illustrated in the story of Nehemiah. Following the destruction of Jerusalem in 587 B.C., the Israelites were exiled to Babylon. The Lord raised up a Building Vision to Nehemiah, cupbearer to King Ataxerxes I.

When faced with the plight of those who survived the exile and remained in Jerusalem, Nehemiah wept. He sought the Lord in mourning, fasting and prayer. "They are your servants and your people," he prayed, "whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand."

His heart for the people and faith in God's ability to work through him led him to the building vision. He prayed that God would bless his endeavors and recalled the Lord's instructions to Moses. "'If you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen."

Nehemiah prayed for favor and submitted his request to the king. "If it pleases the king...let him send me to the city in Judah where my fathers are buried so that I can rebuild it." The king granted his request and Nehemiah set a time for his return.

Nehemiah continued to step out in faith, leaning on his relationship with the king. He requested letters to area governors for safe passage and timber from the king's forest for the gates of Jerusalem. The king granted these requests because of the gracious hand of God.

When he arrived in Jerusalem he first inspected the walls and gates. Then he presented the vision to the people who would do the work. He effectively shared this vision, reaching out to those with a stake in the project. Each of the gates and wall sections were repaired by families or townspeople living nearby.

This distribution of work enabled these workers to take ownership in the building process. The entire construction project was completed in an astounding 52 days.

God Inspired Vision
Your Christian organization can learn many lessons from this Bible story about Nehemiah's building campaign. First, he began by following a vision inspired by God. He prayed and sought the Lord's direction to affirm the vision. The confirmation came through God's favor when Nehemiah approached the king. He continued to follow God's leading through prayer and planning.

Faith Despite Opposition
Second, Nehemiah was faced with considering the cost of following God's vision. He left the security of his home, venturing to a land he had never even visited to lead a group of people he didn't know. The project was continually faced by opposition from Sanballot - not only attacks on the construction area, but also on Nehemiah's life. Nehemiah trusted God's faithfulness and also led the people in faithfulness.

Community Involvement
Third, Nehemiah shared his vision with the people, giving them the opportunity to embrace the project. God used Nehemiah to bless the lives of the people involved in construction. The project changed their lives, both physically (by providing security inside the city walls) and spiritually (by gathering a community of believers able to worship inside the city). Their involvement in the process, Nehemiah's outreach to the people affected by the project, and the ministry growth that happened in Jerusalem is an early illustration of the success of a Ministry of Construction.

Gifts In Kind
Fourth, the example set by Nehemiah in requesting donations and service from the king is an illustration of the Gift in Kind principles used in Building God's Way. The king offered timber, safe passage and military escort to Nehemiah for the success of the project. Nehemiah had a relationship established with a man of influence and he used this linkage to bring about God's vision.

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