It was another cold and dreary day in Indianapolis, but there was an uplifting message for those attending the opening celebration of Advance 2007.

Jack Graham, pastor of Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas, preached a 30-minute sermon on Keeping Our Faith and Maintaining Our Focus. Speaking from Zechariah 4, Graham noted that Zerubbabel was leading a building campaign to reconstruct the temple, but had nothing to show for his efforts after 20 years.

“We can work our fingers to the bone but still have a big pit in the ground,” Graham said. “We must rely on God's work in and through us. If you're weak, come to Him. You never assess your difficulty in terms of your resources.”

Graham encouraged the audience to rely on the Holy Spirit, spotlighting Zechariah 4:6, which says, “ 'Not by might nor by power, but my spirit,' says the Lord Almighty.”

Geoff Dennis, executive vice president of publishing services for Crossway Books, said afterward that he was uplifted by Graham's message.

“It was a very timely message for my life personally and for the ministry of Crossway,” he said. “It was a great way to kick us off to focus on God's purposes this week here at Advance.”

The opening celebration preceded the start of Expo at CBA Advance. Bill Anderson, president of CBA, told the opening celebration audience that there were 489 booths featuring 191 companies. He noted that there were 27 companies that were new for Advance 2007.

Kristy Sparks, who drove from Georgia with her mother, who is contemplating opening a store, said she was excited to be at Expo after not coming to CBA Advance for several years.

“It feels good to be back on the floor,” said Sparks, noting that her family had a store for 14 years until they sold it nearly three years ago. “We've made so many friends here through the years.”

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