Building_One_People_Crossing_the_River_Again.pdf

And when all the people had finished passing over, the ark of the LORD and the priests passed over before the people. The sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh passed over before the people of Israel, as Moses had told them. About 40,000 ready for war passed over before the LORD for battle, to the plains of Jericho.—Joshua 4:11–13

Rivers make springtime front-page news in Minnesota: The Red out west, the St. Croix on our eastern border, and the Minnesota and Mississippi rivers right here in the Twin Cities. Yet, so numerous are the metropolitan highways and bridges spanning the Mississippi that we give virtually no thought to crossing it, even in April ... no thought, that is, until the unthinkable happens and a bridge collapses. Then, page-one headlines!

Consider the total non-issue it was to regularly cross the Mississippi in 2002 to our North Site in Roseville and later in 2005 to Mounds View when planting the North Campus in its permanent facility. The folks that live up there just seemed like our near north-side neighbors. Even the tragic I-35W Mississippi bridge collapse occasioned little more than slight inconveniences for most of us. So now, what about crossing that other river and building out our third campus?

Despite going through the campus building experience once before—and therefore knowing it can be done—this time may seem harder. After all, the Minnesota River crossings are farther away.

Constructing our third campus in Lakeville would be four suburbs out from our main, central campus—one suburb farther away than our North Campus in Mounds View. (The Downtown Campus to Lakeville is about twice the distance of the Downtown Campus to the North Campus).

Then too, think of our folks in those faraway places south of the river ... some of them truly in the “deep south” (Rosemount! Farmington! Prior Lake! Northfield! New Prague!).

One of those southern enclaves is even called “Jordan,” which brings me to the connection between river-crossings, Bethlehem’s Building One People campaign, and an Old Testament story in Numbers 32.

There, for the second time, Israel was on the doorstep of the Promised Land and at the flood-swollen banks of the Jordan River. Moses faced the challenge of hearing leaders from two and a half of Israel’s 12 tribes request to settle on the east side of the Jordan River instead of seeking their inheritance with their brothers on the west.

Moses at first furiously mistook their intentions as a reluctance to move forward, akin to the spies of the previous generation who so disheartened the people that they refused to obey God and cross into Canaan.

Such was most decidedly not their intention! Instead, these tribes promised to encourage the whole nation by sending their fittest men at the lead into the campaign (Numbers 32:17), promising not to return to their possessions till the conquest was complete (v. 18), and laying no claim to anything yet unconquered (v. 19). And what they vowed, they lived up to, crossing in force with all Israel. (See Joshua 4:12–13.)

Granted, Israel’s success then, and ours today in Building One People, does not lie in numbers ... even if they and we number in the thousands. It lies with our God who fights for us (Joshua 10:14, 42) and unites his people to “cross over” together under his promises and protection.

With many “giants” yet to face in the south (traffic & site studies, sketch plans, building cost estimates), God did move us just last week to the other side of one barrier: Bethlehem finally has in hand an approved purchase agreement for the Jurel Way land in Lakeville.

And now, in the light of Pastor John’s invitation last weekend to the elders to join him in seeking God for “an Antioch Moment” for Bethlehem regarding the issues of succession, structure, and financing, I am reminded of a prayer event that began the year: 

On January 8, at about 2:00am, three campus-specific bands of Bethlehemites were engaged with God at the Downtown Campus, during our All Night of Prayer. Something not just symbolic but powerfully moving occurred:

In those wee hours, leaders of the Northern “tribe” led their group to cross the Sanctuary, surround their South comrades, and pray blessings on them ... then together, North and South walked into the Commons to encircle and bless those of the Downtown family. It was the night’s finest moment ... crossing over—God’s way—to “building one people.”

David Livingston
Pastor for Adult Ministries & Shepherd Groups
South Campus