Salem Next
For 175 years, God has faithfully worked through the people of Salem to proclaim His name, shape lives through Christ-centered education, and share His love across generations. We celebrate this rich heritage with deep gratitude—and now we turn our hearts to what’s NEXT.
Rooted in the promise of Psalm 78:4—“We will not hide them from their descendants; we will tell the NEXT generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord.…” — we are launching Salem NEXT, a bold and prayerful campaign focused on the NEXT season of ministry and the NEXT generation we are called to serve.
This $25+ million initiative will transform our campus to meet the needs of today while preparing for tomorrow. Our Worship Center will be renewed to continue inspiring vibrant, Christ-centered worship. Our growing Kindergarten through 8th grade school—already serving nearly 400 students—will move into a fully updated, self-contained, and secure facility, designed for excellence in education and discipleship. And we will build a brand-new preschool with 50% more capacity, enabling us to reach more young families in our community than ever before.
Let’s step forward together—in faith—for the glory of God and the generations to come.
This is our next big move. It’s a ministry expansion designed to help us reach even more people for Jesus — not just today, but for generations to come.
This fall, we’re kicking off a churchwide journey that culminates with Commitment Sunday on November 2. That’s when everyone who calls Salem home will have the opportunity to step up and help make it happen. It’s been a while since we’ve tackled something this big, and we believe God’s inviting all of us to be part of it.
Discerning Your Role
God has given us a vision for what’s NEXT at Salem—and we believe He’s inviting us all to be part of it. That doesn’t mean everyone’s part will look the same. You might be excited about this season but still wondering, “What does this mean for me? What’s my role in all of this?” That’s totally normal.This journey is both spiritual and practical, and it’s something we want you to walk through prayerfully as a household. If you’re married, talk and pray through this together. If you have children, use this as a powerful moment for them to see your faith in action. As we each seek God and respond in faith, we believe He’ll do something beautiful—not just through our giving—but in our hearts.
STEP 1 • $3.25M • Summer 2026
- Convert Worship Dept. (backstage area) and Rehearsal Hall to new Salem Student Ministry
- Renovate Worship Center Lobby
- Move Preschool to a temporary location
STEP 2 • $10.3M • Fall 2026/Spring 2027
- Convert Community Center to Salem Lutheran School
- Renovate Worship Center
- Move Salem Kids to a temporary location
STEP 3 • $9.5M • 2027-2028
- Move Salem Lutheran School into newly renovated Community Center
- Demo existing school
- Construct new Preschool
STEP 4 • $4.95M • 2028-2029
- Build Multi-function Chapel space
- Renovate Adult Ministry space
- Build new Salem Kids space
- Renovate/create Administration area
STEP 5 • 2029+
- Build deck to enhance connectivity
- Build SSM Patio & begin South Athletic Fields
If God provides more resources, can we accelerate the project?
Yes! Our leaders will prayerfully evaluate resources and scheduling options. If the Lord provides more up front, we’ll move faster—while making sure ministry continues smoothly during construction.
PLEASE NOTE: These cost estimates are in 2025 dollars and are likely to change. Timelines and scope are also subject to change as God provides. (His Word quoted herein - doesn’t change!)
For years, we thought the next step would be a bigger K-8 school south of the Community Center. But Hurricane Harvey changed the rules. After 2021, Harris County increased detention (flood water storage) requirements dramatically.
Studies showed we’d need four times the water detention space to meet the new requirements and millions of dollars in dirt work because the land slopes about 13 feet. On top of that, leaving the existing school in place while adding facilities to the south would have required a $2.5 million sewage treatment plant on site. Simply put—too much cost, not enough ministry benefit.
The new Texas Educational Savings Account program could help more families choose Christian education. But we’ve learned that 500 students is a sweet spot—big enough to offer excellent academics and activities, small enough to remain highly relational.
If we choose to expand when utilities reach our property, it will be possible to expand the new school westward and grow to 800 students in the future.
Are we still planning for enhanced athletic fields?
They’re still in the vision! Athletic fields to the south will likely come later, once utilities move closer and detention costs can be shared. We’ve significantly improved our existing multi-use field to better meet our current needs. For now, we’re focusing on the facilities that will immediately impact ministry every day.
We’ve outgrown many of our ministry, school and preschool spaces – even to the point where we regularly turn preschool families away, are out of classroom space to grow school enrollment, and often have nothing available during the week for our ministries or community groups to use. It’s time to both enlarge and upgrade. After a lot of prayer, planning and hearing from you in surveys and interviews, it’s clear: now’s the time to make some major updates so we can keep growing, reaching and welcoming the next generations. We want our space to match the life and energy of what God’s doing here!
You’ll receive a Salem NEXT Giving Guide soon - it’s a tool to help you pray, plan and figure out what God’s asking you to give. Then on Commitment Sunday (November 2), we’re asking everyone to bring their Commitment Card to church. If you can’t be there in person, you can turn it in earlier too or you can GIVE ONLINE NOW.
How does this fit with my regular giving?
Your regular giving keeps our ministries running week in and week out — and that’s still super important. Salem NEXT is about stretching beyond what you normally give. It’s a call to trust God even more and invest in something that’ll bless lots of people in the future.
How long is my commitment for?
Salem NEXT giving will happen over 48 months — about four years. Spreading it out makes it way more doable for most people — and can help you commit more than you might think possible right now.
What could I give besides cash?
In addition to cash or savings, you can also give things like:
- Stocks & Mutual funds
- Annuities & IRA distributions
- Vehicles, land, real estate or even business assets
Sometimes giving non-cash gifts can save you money on taxes too - Pro tip: check with a tax advisor. Got questions? Reach out to us at salemnext@salem4u.com — we’re happy to walk you through it!
Our plan is to move forward as God provides. That means not taking on excessive debt just to rush things. As the money comes in, we’ll move ahead — and if needed, we’ll tackle the highest priorities first.
- $25 - $28 million project
- $8 - $10 million capital campaign Salem NEXT, over 4 years
- Growth in Preschool, School and Church revenue
- $4 - $5 million realized from sale of excess 50 acres
- After a 2 - 3 year break, second capital campaign of $5 -7 million
How will we handle increased costs to operate?
We believe many operating costs should go down. We’re replacing over 35 aging AC units with a high efficiency chiller system, replacing many single-pane windows with e-rated windows and using low maintenance finishes. Energy efficiency and smarter design will help us save in the long run.
- Roughly 100-acres where our main campus is located. We currently use about 35.
- The original church site (east side of Lutheran Church Road): Approx. 3-acres.
- Salem Cemetery: 9-acres—with room for nearly 10,000 more burials.
- 2920 frontage at Lutheran Church Road: about 6-acres (home to the big cross and the Salem sign).
- We also own a small parcel a bit farther east which holds our billboard.
If we sell 50-acres (surplus acreage), will we have enough land for the future?
Absolutely. Selling surplus land for residential development will bring families closer to Salem and still leave us plenty of space for parking, fire lanes, school expansion and even athletic fields in the years to come.
Simple: Stay connected to God and to each other.
Pray. Listen. Be in worship every week between September 21 and November 2 if you can.
Stay plugged in to your Connect Group. We’re asking God to move in a big way — and He’s got something incredible ahead for us if we’re willing to follow.
As we launch Salem NEXT, we begin where Scripture begins—in the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve’s story reminds us of God’s providence even in our failures. After sin enters the world, God doesn’t abandon His people. Instead, He provides for them, clothes them and sustains them.
This week we’ll explore how God’s provision continues even in uncertain seasons. Salem’s 175-year history stands as a testimony of God’s providence, and now we’re called to trust His provision for the next generation. As we begin this campaign, we’ll reflect on the ways God has provided in our personal lives, our church and our school - and how He calls us to partner in His ongoing work.
What does provision mean for Salem NEXT?
God always provides. He doesn’t necessarily give us what we want, but He always gives us what we need. God’s provision for Salem has been amazing through so many generations in our past. Salem NEXT is all about celebrating His provision through His people in the present and for the future.
20 Adam[a] named his wife Eve,[b] because she would become the mother of all the living.
21 The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them. 22 And the Lord God said, “The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.” 23 So the Lord God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken. 24 After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side[c] of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.
- Why did God choose to clothe Adam and Eve after they sinned?
- What has God provided for you through the ministry of Salem?
- A key truth in the Garden of Eden story is this: God doesn’t abandon His people. How has that statement been confirmed in your life?
- How might God be calling you to help Him provide for someone else’s needs?
Asaph, a worship leader in Israel, offers an honest and heartfelt example of prayer in difficult times. These psalms show a man wrestling with despair and yet choosing to remember God’s past faithfulness.
This week we’ll reflect on how prayer is our anchor during seasons of uncertainty and transition. As Salem looks ahead to bold changes for our campus and ministry, we are called to be people of prayer — seeking God’s guidance, expressing our fears and hopes, and trusting in His promises. Like Asaph, we’ll be reminded that even when circumstances seem overwhelming, God hears, remembers, and responds to His people’s prayers.
What does prayer mean for Salem NEXT?
Prayer is not just an “at church thing.” Prayer is ongoing conversation with a God who hears, understands, and answers according to His will. Salem NEXT is a discipleship journey covered in your prayers as we seek the will of our Heavenly Father for our overall ministry now and for generations to come.
1 My people, hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth.
2 I will open my mouth with a parable; I will utter hidden things, things from of old—
3 things we have heard and known, things our ancestors have told us.
4 We will not hide them from their descendants; we will tell the next generation
the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done.
5 He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which he commanded our ancestors to teach their children,
6 so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children.
7 Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands.
- What work or mighty deed of God do you like to think about when life isn’t going so well?
- If a member of the “next generation” was sitting with you at lunch and asked, “Why do you pray?” how would you respond?
- Why is it so important for us to keep sharing God’s praiseworthy deeds?
- What can you pray for Salem in this NEXT season?
Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice Isaac is one of Scripture’s most challenging and faith-filled moments. It reminds us sacrifice is at the heart of following God - placing what we treasure most into His hands and trusting His provision.
In this week’s message, we’ll consider what it means to sacrifice for the sake of others and for God’s Kingdom. Salem’s past generations sacrificed to build what we now enjoy, and we’re called to do the same for those yet to come. As we discern how God might be calling each of us to sacrifice during this campaign, Abraham’s story encourages us when we trust God with our best, He provides in ways beyond what we could imagine.
What does sacrifice mean for Salem NEXT?
We have freedom to worship because of people’s sacrifices. We have a beautiful campus on extensive property because of many people’s sacrifices in the past. Salem NEXT is our turn to collectively sacrifice so people many years from now will continue to celebrate Jesus’ sacrificial love through a growing ministry called Salem.
22 Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!”
“Here I am,” he replied.
2 Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah.Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.”
3 Early the next morning Abraham got up and loaded his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. 4 On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. 5 He said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.”
6 Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, 7 Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?”
“Yes, my son?” Abraham replied.
“The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”
8 Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together.
9 When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. 11 But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven,“Abraham! Abraham!”
“Here I am,” he replied.
12 “Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God,because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.”
13 Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram[a] caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called that place The LordWill Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.”
15 The angel of the Lord called to Abraham from heaven a second time 16 and said, “I swear by myself,declares the Lord, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, 18 and through your offspring[b] all nations on earth will be blessed,[c] because you have obeyed me.”
19 Then Abraham returned to his servants, and they set off together for Beersheba. And Abraham stayed in Beersheba.
Nahor’s Sons
20 Some time later Abraham was told, “Milkah is also a mother; she has borne sons to your brother Nahor:21 Uz the firstborn, Buz his brother, Kemuel (the father of Aram), 22 Kesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph and Bethuel.” 23 Bethuel became the father of Rebekah. Milkah bore these eight sons to Abraham’s brother Nahor. 24 His concubine, whose name was Reumah, also had sons: Tebah, Gaham, Tahash and Maakah.
18 Then the angel of the Lord ordered Gad to tell David to go up and build an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. 19 So David went up in obedience to the word that Gad had spoken in the name of the Lord.
20 While Araunah was threshing wheat, he turned and saw the angel; his four sons who were with him hid themselves. 21 Then David approached, and when Araunah looked and saw him, he left the threshing floor and bowed down before David with his face to the ground.
22 David said to him, “Let me have the site of your threshing floor so I can build an altar to the Lord, that the plague on the people may be stopped. Sell it to me at the full price.”
23 Araunah said to David, “Take it! Let my lord the king do whatever pleases him. Look, I will give the oxen for the burnt offerings, the threshing sledges for the wood, and the wheat for the grain offering. I will give all this.”
24 But King David replied to Araunah, “No, I insist on paying the full price. I will not take for the Lord what is yours, or sacrifice a burnt offering that costs me nothing.”
25 So David paid Araunah six hundred shekels[a] of gold for the site. 26 David built an altar to the Lordthere and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. He called on the Lord, and the Lordanswered him with fire from heaven on the altar of burnt offering.
27 Then the Lord spoke to the angel, and he put his sword back into its sheath. 28 At that time, when David saw that the Lord had answered him on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite, he offered sacrifices there. 29 The tabernacle of the Lord, which Moses had made in the wilderness, and the altar of burnt offering were at that time on the high place at Gibeon. 30 But David could not go before it to inquire of God, because he was afraid of the sword of the angel of the Lord.
- How do you define sacrifice? Read John 15:13. How does God define sacrifice?
- What’s the biggest sacrifice you’ve ever made?
- As you consider what’s NEXT at Salem, what might God be calling you to sacrifice to impact the next generation?
- Do you agree or disagree with the following statement: Sacrifice is a short-term (temporal) loss for a long-term (eternal) gain. Why?
As Moses’ leadership ends, Joshua steps into an intimidating role — leading Israel into the Promised Land. God encourages him to be “strong and courageous,” assuring Joshua of His presence and faithfulness.
This week we’ll reflect on what it means to leave a legacy of faith by God’s grace and as He leads. Salem has inherited a powerful legacy from generations before us. Now, like Joshua, we’re called to boldly step forward, trusting God’s promises and committing ourselves to the future of our church, school, and community. This message will challenge us to consider how our faith today shapes the legacy we’ll leave for generations to come as we lean on God’s power through it all.
What does legacy mean for Salem NEXT?
Stories and property are often passed from one generation to the NEXT. Salem celebrates passing the baton of faith in much the same way through legacy moments such as baptisms, worship, parent blessings, family events, graduations, weddings and funerals. Salem NEXT helps this generation pass our faith legacy on to the next generation.
34 Then Moses climbed Mount Nebo from the plains of Moab to the top of Pisgah, across from Jericho.There the Lord showed him the whole land—from Gilead to Dan, 2 all of Naphtali, the territory of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the Mediterranean Sea, 3 the Negev and the whole region from the Valley of Jericho, the City of Palms, as far as Zoar. 4 Then the Lord said to him, “This is the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob when I said, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’ I have let you see it with your eyes, but you will not cross over into it.”
5 And Moses the servant of the Lord died there in Moab, as the Lord had said. 6 He buried him[a] in Moab, in the valley opposite Beth Peor, but to this day no one knows where his grave is. 7 Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died, yet his eyes were not weak nor his strength gone. 8 The Israelites grieved for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days, until the time of weeping and mourning was over.
9 Now Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit[b] of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on him.So the Israelites listened to him and did what the Lord had commanded Moses.
10 Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, 11 who did all those signs and wonders the Lord sent him to do in Egypt—to Pharaoh and to all his officials and to his whole land. 12 For no one has ever shown the mighty power or performed the awesome deeds that Moses did in the sight of all Israel.
1 After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide:2 “Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites. 3 I will give you every place where you set your foot,as I promised Moses. 4 Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Mediterranean Sea in the west. 5 No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. 6 Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them.
7 “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 Keep this Book of the Lawalways on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
10 So Joshua ordered the officers of the people: 11 “Go through the camp and tell the people, ‘Get your provisions ready. Three days from now you will cross the Jordan here to go in and take possession of the land the Lord your God is giving you for your own.’”
12 But to the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh, Joshua said, 13 “Remember the command that Moses the servant of the Lord gave you after he said, ‘The Lord your God will give you rest by giving you this land.’ 14 Your wives, your children and your livestock may stay in the land that Moses gave you east of the Jordan, but all your fighting men, ready for battle, must cross over ahead of your fellow Israelites. You are to help them 15 until the Lord gives them rest, as he has done for you, and until they too have taken possession of the land the Lord your God is giving them. After that, you may go back and occupy your own land, which Moses the servant of the Lord gave you east of the Jordan toward the sunrise.”
16 Then they answered Joshua, “Whatever you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. 17 Just as we fully obeyed Moses, so we will obey you. Only may the Lord your God be with you as he was with Moses. 18 Whoever rebels against your word and does not obey it, whatever you may command them, will be put to death. Only be strong and courageous!”
- Have you experienced a leadership transition moment? How did it go?
- Who is someone in your life whose death profoundly impacted you? How did your life change because of it?
- How does God’s command to “Be strong and courageous” connect with your life right now?
- What do you hope your children or loved ones would say about you at your funeral?
David’s preparation for the temple—gathering resources and passing leadership to Solomon—models a grace-filled generosity for a mission beyond himself. Though David knew he wouldn’t see the completed temple, he gave freely, sacrificially, and joyfully, inviting others to do the same.
This week we’ll explore how God’s grace enables us to give—not under pressure, but with purpose—and how generosity fuels His Kingdom work across generations. As Salem NEXT calls us to invest in our campus and ministries, we’ll reflect on how giving becomes an act of worship, a response to God’s love. It’s not about equal gifts, but equal sacrifice, born from grateful hearts and trust in God’s provision. From David to a widow with two coins, Scripture shows that God delights in heartfelt generosity. Through grace, we’re invited to leave a legacy of faith, to celebrate giving as a joyful response to all we’ve received, and to build something lasting—together.
What does generosity mean for Salem NEXT?
Salem’s people are generous. They always have been, and by God’s grace, we will continue to be so. When a need arises, Salem’s people respond by willingly giving two of their most valuable resources—time and money. Salem NEXT recognizes the generous love of our God and flows out of the generosity of His people…that’s us!
18 Then the angel of the Lord ordered Gad to tell David to go up and build an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. 19 So David went up in obedience to the word that Gad had spoken in the name of the Lord.
20 While Araunah was threshing wheat, he turned and saw the angel; his four sons who were with him hid themselves. 21 Then David approached, and when Araunah looked and saw him, he left the threshing floor and bowed down before David with his face to the ground.
22 David said to him, “Let me have the site of your threshing floor so I can build an altar to the Lord, that the plague on the people may be stopped. Sell it to me at the full price.”
23 Araunah said to David, “Take it! Let my lord the king do whatever pleases him. Look, I will give the oxen for the burnt offerings, the threshing sledges for the wood, and the wheat for the grain offering. I will give all this.”
24 But King David replied to Araunah, “No, I insist on paying the full price. I will not take for the Lord what is yours, or sacrifice a burnt offering that costs me nothing.”
25 So David paid Araunah six hundred shekels[a] of gold for the site. 26 David built an altar to the Lordthere and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. He called on the Lord, and the Lordanswered him with fire from heaven on the altar of burnt offering.
27 Then the Lord spoke to the angel, and he put his sword back into its sheath. 28 At that time, when David saw that the Lord had answered him on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite, he offered sacrifices there. 29 The tabernacle of the Lord, which Moses had made in the wilderness, and the altar of burnt offering were at that time on the high place at Gibeon. 30 But David could not go before it to inquire of God, because he was afraid of the sword of the angel of the Lord.
22 Then David said, “The house of the Lord God is to be here, and also the altar of burnt offering for Israel.”
2 So David gave orders to assemble the foreigners residing in Israel, and from among them he appointed stonecutters to prepare dressed stone for building the house of God. 3 He provided a large amount of iron to make nails for the doors of the gateways and for the fittings, and more bronze than could be weighed.4 He also provided more cedar logs than could be counted, for the Sidonians and Tyrians had brought large numbers of them to David.
5 David said, “My son Solomon is young and inexperienced, and the house to be built for the Lord should be of great magnificence and fame and splendor in the sight of all the nations. Therefore I will make preparations for it.” So David made extensive preparations before his death.
6 Then he called for his son Solomon and charged him to build a house for the Lord, the God of Israel.7 David said to Solomon: “My son, I had it in my heart to build a house for the Name of the Lord my God.8 But this word of the Lord came to me: ‘You have shed much blood and have fought many wars. You are not to build a house for my Name, because you have shed much blood on the earth in my sight. 9 But you will have a son who will be a man of peace and rest, and I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side. His name will be Solomon,[b] and I will grant Israel peace and quiet during his reign. 10 He is the one who will build a house for my Name. He will be my son, and I will be his father. And I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.’
11 “Now, my son, the Lord be with you, and may you have success and build the house of the Lord your God, as he said you would. 12 May the Lord give you discretion and understanding when he puts you in command over Israel, so that you may keep the law of the Lord your God. 13 Then you will have success if you are careful to observe the decrees and laws that the Lord gave Moses for Israel. Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged.
14 “I have taken great pains to provide for the temple of the Lord a hundred thousand talents[c] of gold, a million talents[d] of silver, quantities of bronze and iron too great to be weighed, and wood and stone. And you may add to them. 15 You have many workers: stonecutters, masons and carpenters, as well as those skilled in every kind of work 16 in gold and silver, bronze and iron—craftsmen beyond number. Now begin the work, and the Lord be with you.”
17 Then David ordered all the leaders of Israel to help his son Solomon. 18 He said to them, “Is not the Lord your God with you? And has he not granted you rest on every side? For he has given the inhabitants of the land into my hands, and the land is subject to the Lord and to his people. 19 Now devote your heart and soul to seeking the Lord your God. Begin to build the sanctuary of the Lord God, so that you may bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord and the sacred articles belonging to God into the temple that will be built for the Name of the Lord.”
Jesus didn’t shy away from talking about money. In fact, He brought it up more than almost anything else. It isn’t that He was obsessed with wealth, but He knows how deeply connected our finances are to our hearts. One of the most powerful moments in the gospels is when Jesus notices a poor widow giving just two small coins. It wasn’t the amount that impressed Him—it was her heart. She gave all she had, trusting God would take care of her. Jesus also said, in Luke 12:48, “To whom much is given, much is required”. That’s not meant to guilt us—but rather invite us into something bigger. Because we have been blessed, we are called to be a blessing. We experience new life in Christ because of the greatest gift of all time!
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)
As you pray about your own giving, consider these simple prayers as a starting point. Giving isn’t just about dollars and cents—it’s a way we engage in God’s Kingdom work. And, through Salem NEXT, He’s inviting each of us to be a part of His Kingdom work at Salem.
Take time to pray over the numbers you’ve written down. Ask God to give you both clarity and peace. Pray that your commitment would come from a place of trust and worship—given with open hands and a willing heart. And be open to the Spirit’s leading. God may invite you to adjust your gift—up or down—to better align with His will for you and your household.
If you’re married, take time to pray through this together. If you have children, consider including them in the conversation in an age-appropriate way. These moments can plant deep seeds of faith for the NEXT generation.
- What might a sacrificial offering look like in your current season of life?
- How has someone’s generosity impacted your life? What lasting impact might your own giving have on the next generation?
- How does your giving reflect gratitude for what God has done for you?
- Which of the three giving pathways in the Giving Guide (Reasonable, Reprioritized, Faith-filled) is God nudging you to explore?
After the flood, Noah obeys God’s command to leave the ark and rebuild. God establishes a covenant with Noah, symbolized by the rainbow, promising steadfast love and provision.
This week’s message will focus on how obedience often involves stepping into the unknown, trusting God’s promises. Salem’s journey ahead requires collective obedience - following God’s leading, even when it stretches us. Like Noah, we’ll be reminded that obedience brings blessing, not just for ourselves but for generations after us. As we prepare to make personal and corporate commitments, this week invites us to align our hearts and actions with God’s call.
What does obedience mean for Salem NEXT?
Obedience is a marker for the mature Christian. We obey God’s commands including taking care of His creation. Salem NEXT asks this obedience question: How is God calling you to steward the resources He has entrusted to you to help Salem draw more people into a deeper relationship with Him both now and into the future?
15 Then God said to Noah, 16 “Come out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and their wives.17 Bring out every kind of living creature that is with you—the birds, the animals, and all the creatures that move along the ground—so they can multiply on the earth and be fruitful and increase in number on it.”
18 So Noah came out, together with his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives. 19 All the animals and all the creatures that move along the ground and all the birds—everything that moves on land—came out of the ark, one kind after another.
20 Then Noah built an altar to the Lord and, taking some of all the clean animals and clean birds, he sacrificed burnt offerings on it. 21 The Lord smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart: “Never again will I curse the ground because of humans, even though[a] every inclination of the human heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done.
22 “As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.”
9 Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth. 2 The fear and dread of you will fall on all the beasts of the earth, and on all the birds in the sky, on every creature that moves along the ground, and on all the fish in the sea; they are given into your hands.3 Everything that lives and moves about will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything.
4 “But you must not eat meat that has its lifeblood still in it. 5 And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting. I will demand an accounting from every animal. And from each human being, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of another human being.
6 “Whoever sheds human blood, by humans shall their blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made mankind.
7 As for you, be fruitful and increase in number; multiply on the earth and increase upon it.”
8 Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him: 9 “I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you 10 and with every living creature that was with you—the birds, the livestock and all the wild animals, all those that came out of the ark with you—every living creature on earth. 11 I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be destroyed by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth.”
12 And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: 13 I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. 14 Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, 15 I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. 16 Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.”
17 So God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth.”
- What is the hardest thing that God has asked you to do?
- The first thing Noah did when he came out of the ark was to build an altar and worship God. Why is worship important for us when we face NEXT seasons?
- How is God calling you to obedience here at Salem?
- Is there a place in my life where I am still fighting God and struggling to obey?
On Commitment Weekend, we look to Jesus, who set His face toward Jerusalem, fully committed to God’s mission. He models unwavering dedication, knowing the sacrifice ahead. In John 12, as crowds gather, Jesus reminds His followers that those who serve Him must follow Him wherever He leads.
This final message calls us to mirror Christ’s commitment to courageously step forward in faith for the mission before us. As we bring our commitment cards forward, we do so not merely as a financial act, but as a spiritual response, dedicating our lives, resources, and future to God’s work at Salem. Together, we claim this next season for God’s glory and the NEXT generation.
What does commitment mean for Salem NEXT?
Commitment is when theory and strategic talking ends. It is an active response that says, “Let’s go! I’m in!” Salem NEXT is dependent on all our sacrificial responses to reshape Salem’s entire campus for growth now and for decades into the future. Let’s go! I’m in!
46 An argument started among the disciples as to which of them would be the greatest. 47 Jesus, knowing their thoughts, took a little child and had him stand beside him. 48 Then he said to them, “Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For it is the one who is least among you all who is the greatest.”
49 “Master,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we tried to stop him, because he is not one of us.”
50 “Do not stop him,” Jesus said, “for whoever is not against you is for you.”
51 As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.
- What are some of the biggest commitments you’ve ever made?
- Why can commitments seem so scary?
- How have you committed to serving, growing, and supporting the ministry of Salem?
- If New Year’s resolutions are difficult to keep, how will you hold yourself accountable to fulfilling your Salem NEXT commitment?