A people came home from exile to rebuild the house of God — and a month into the work, the older ones stood on the job site and wept. They remembered Solomon's Temple. They looked at the rough stone in front of them. And the memory of the former glory began to poison their joy in the present.

Into that discouragement, God spoke a third word through the prophet Haggai: the best is yet to come.

In part three of Let's Build a Church, Pastor Shears preaches Haggai 2:1–9 and traces three words for anyone building something that looks smaller than they hoped — be engaged, be encouraged, be excited. God meets engaged people in the middle of the work, while the scaffolding is still standing. He hands a trembling people a working courage that runs from the heart, down the arm, into the hand. And He makes a promise that settles every weeping saint: the latter glory will be greater than the former.

Why greater? When Solomon finished the first house, the glory of God filled it like a cloud. When the second house was finished, the glory of God put on flesh and walked through the door. Those tired hands were stacking the very stones where Jesus would one day stand and teach.

Once more is still coming. God is still shaking, still filling, still building.

God didn't send a blueprint. God didn't send a budget. God didn't send a building committee. God sent four words — and those four words were enough to move a discouraged remnant from paralysis to purpose.

In part two of Let's Build a Church in Haggai, Pastor Shears preaches from Haggai 1:12–15 and draws out a truth that is as urgent today as it was in the sixth century before Christ: the presence of God is not a reward for obedience — it is the power behind it. Before the work began, God spoke. Before the first stone moved, God stirred. And what God declared over that remnant, God is still declaring over every willing hand and every stirred spirit today.

"I am with you" — four words that have never stopped changing the world.

The book of Haggai opens with a people who survived exile, came home, and then spent sixteen years building their own lives around what God had called them to finish. The altar had been restored. The foundation had been laid. But the house of God sat in ruins while personal comfort became urgent and divine assignment became optional.

Into that moment, God sent a prophet with four words that cut to the center: Consider your ways.

In this message, Pastor Shears opens the Let's Build a Church series by walking through Haggai 1:1–11 — examining the focused address God sent to leaders by name, the forced awareness He created between what the people said and what they did, the frustrated ambitions that revealed a theological crisis hidden inside an economic one, and the forward action God commanded when the confrontation was complete.

The Hebrew behind "consider your ways" does not mean think about it. It means set your heart. That is not an invitation. That is a decision. And it is the same decision God is calling His people to make today.

Location: New Hope Baptist Church | North Little Rock & Conway, Arkansas

Firstly, we explore the gift of the Holy Spirit (v4), a transformative power that dispels ignorance and misconceptions about God's kingdom, even turning moments of confusion—such as the apparent inebriation of the disciples (v13)—into powerful testimonies of faith.

Our journey doesn't end there. We'll delve into the characteristics of a Hallowed Speaker (preacher) (v14), examining how Peter's response to the Pentecost event models relevance, responsiveness, humility, and preparation. Peter's passionate delivery underscores the beauty of God's use of imperfect vessels to convey His perfect message.

Finally, we celebrate the Heavenbound Saints (v37&41), those early adopters of the faith who showed us the way through their devotion to doctrine, communal living, and acts of kindness and generosity (v45). Their example sets a blueprint for Christian living that goes beyond mere belief to embody the gospel in daily actions.

Join us as we reflect on these gifts and consider how they continue to shape our lives and our communities, reminding us that the Church's birthday is not just a historical event but a living, breathing legacy that we are all a part of. Whether you've been a believer for years or are simply curious about the Christian faith, this episode offers fresh insights into the significance of the Church's beginning and its ongoing impact on the world.