Sermon Recap: “How to Be a ‘Remarkable’ Church (and Why It Matters)” - 2 Corinthians 8:1-9

We wrapped up our Together series with a sermon rooted in Paul’s vision of what it means to be a “remarkable” church. While much of the service was devoted to important family business regarding our capital campaign, we also spent time soaking in God’s Word and looking at a portrait of radical generosity.

A definition of remarkable: “Unusual or special and therefore surprising and worth mentioning.” (Cambridge Dictionary Online)

Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 8 point to the churches in Macedonia—Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea—as stunning examples of generosity and spiritual vitality. These were communities under pressure, but their faith made them stand out. They were “worth mentioning.”

Paul held up these churches as a model for the Corinthian believers—and for us.

3 Traits of Remarkable Churches

1. Steeped in God’s Grace

“We want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches.” —2 Corinthians 8:1

Paul repeatedly refers to giving as an act of grace—not just something we do, but something God does in us. The grace of God initiates a generous spirit in his people.

Generosity isn’t about guilt or obligation—it’s a response to the grace we’ve received. As David Garland puts it, “The grace that is given to us is always on its way to another.”

Takeaway: Before we dig into our pockets, we must first dig deeper into grace.

2. Surrendered to God

“They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us.” —2 Corinthians 8:5

Remarkable churches are full of people who don’t just give money—they give themselves to God. Paul commends the Macedonians for their wholehearted surrender.

Kent Hughes said it well: “It’s easy to surrender part when we’ve already given the whole.”

Takeaway: Grow deeper in commitment and love for God. Surrender always starts with the heart.

3. Sacrificial in Suffering

“In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.” —2 Corinthians 8:2

What makes this so stunning is that Paul didn’t even ask them to give—they begged to be included. Despite suffering themselves, they responded with joy and generosity.

Paul’s “crazy-quilt logic” of the gospel (as David Garland calls it) shines here:

Joy + Affliction + Poverty = Wealth of Generosity

The real-life story of Eddie Ogan, a young girl from a financially poor family who gave sacrificially, learned (in a roundabout way) that they were rich. She closed her story by saying,

“I’ve never been poor again. I’ve always remembered how rich I am because I have Jesus.”

Takeaway: Begin where you are and grow from there.

Let’s be the kind of church that’s worth talking about—not for our buildings or programs, but because we are steeped in grace, surrendered to God, and sacrificial in our love.

Campaign Reminder:

This is our moment to leave a legacy—not just for today, but for generations to come.

“Legacy is what others accomplish because of you.” —Mark Batterson

Let’s do this—together.

Photo by Gabe Pierce on Unsplash

Snippet: Rage Baiting "Works"

Snip·pet | ˈsnipit | noun a small piece or brief extract.

This one is Esau McCaulley on the Esau McCaulley Podcast.

He’s talking about how stoking anger sells and offers an example from a little experiment he tried online. (The following is lightly edited.)

“A couple of months ago I put out this kid's book called Andy Johnson and the March for Justice. And I posted, hey everyone, I have this kid's book… three or four people liked it….

“And then, after the book came out, someone had put a comment that was mean about the book, you know, how can you talk about raising kids and blah, blah, blah, blah.

“…So [as a social experiment], I took the quote that someone had said about my book, and I posted it on my Instagram page. …It got like a thousand likes…and people started sharing it. And then they said, we're going to buy your book. And then the book starts going up the Amazon charts.

“And now my social media experiment has become an ethical experiment because it actually worked. I'm actually selling these books. But I took it down…because I didn't want to sell my stuff that way.”

It became an ethical experiment because it was getting his book into more hands. A good thing, right?

There’s a fine line here. Given the number of messages bombarding us, defining the stakes in a way that gets someone’s attention is about the only way to get read/heard and get action. The clearest way to define the stakes is to show contrast.

I think the difference is when we define the stakes in a way that repels those we should be trying to compel and persuade. It doesn’t even try to build a bridge. Also, while it speaks to the tribe, and they love it, it does so in a way that feeds disdain and anger toward people they disagree with.

I’m not saying we need to engage trolls. I’m talking about those who might lean in the troll’s ideological direction but still be open to dialogue.

I recently heard an interview with a Christian author who wrote a book with what I feel is a horrendous title. It whips up his tribe but makes everyone else a bit crazy.

A friendly interviewer gently challenged him on the title, saying its assertion isn’t always true.

The author explained that he used the title to get people’s attention.

And it’s “working.”

We need to pay serious attention to our information hygiene, exercise discernment, and help each other discern. We also need to tone down our rhetoric and take the longer, more difficult road in communication and being heard.

Photo by David Knox on Unsplash