PASSING ON THE VISION
1-17-2000
"Churches
are short on Christian love, forgiveness, and vision for the future." Do you believe this statement is true? Jesus said: “But go and learn what this
means: 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice.' For I did not come to call the
righteous, but sinners, to repentance." Matt 9:13 (NKJV)
David
prayed: “Have mercy upon me, O God, According to Your lovingkindness; According
to the multitude of Your tender mercies, Blot out my transgressions. Wash
me thoroughly from my iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin. For I
acknowledge my transgressions, And my sin is always before me. Against
You, You only, have I sinned, And done this evil in Your sight-- That You may
be found just when You speak, And blameless when You judge.” Psalms 51:1-4 (NKJV)
God responds
to Jacob's prayer. Notice what Jacob
did in Genesis 30:37-43. "Then he
set up these peeled branches by the watering trough so Laban's flocks would see
them...all of their offspring were streaked, speckled and spotted."
A
visionary church stays on course, clearly knowing and communicating the
vision God has for the whole Body for the long term. The vision goes beyond the present leaders to
a visionary people!
Petersen expands Eph.
4:11-16. “He handed out gifts of
apostle, prophet, evangelist, and pastor-teacher to train Christians in skilled
servant work, working within Christ's body, the church, until we're all moving
rhythmically and easily with each other, efficient and graceful in response to
God's Son, fully mature adults, fully developed within and without, fully alive
like Christ. No prolonged infancies among us, please. We'll not tolerate babes
in the woods, small children who are an easy mark for impostors. God
wants us to grow up, to know the whole truth and tell it in love—like Christ in
everything. We take our lead from Christ, who is the source of everything we
do. He keeps us in step with each other. His very breath and blood flow
through us, nourishing us so that we will grow up healthy in God, robust in
love.” Eph 4:11-17 (MSG)
Involve others in this work.
"It
is better to get ten men to work - than to try to do the work of ten
men." Have the vision, but it will
take others to fulfill this vision. A
vision shared stirs others and gives them something to believe God for. Leaders equip others to operate within the
vision. But, not all the vision comes
from the leaders. People are drawn to
the local church by the Holy Spirit - either to be saved (obey the gospel)
or to help fulfill the vision of the local church. We want to see others saved and made
followers of Jesus Christ [Matt. 28:18-20].
Peterson
expands this: “God authorized and
commanded me to commission you: Go out and train everyone you meet, far
and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name:
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I
have commanded you. I'll be with you as you do this, day after day after day,
right up to the end of the age." Matt
28:18-20 (MSG)
When
members share about a visionary church to others, they are sharing about a
movement that will outlast a man or a woman.
Note 2 Timothy 1:5; 2:1-2; 3:14-15.
“I thank God, whom I serve with a pure conscience, as my forefathers did,
as without ceasing I remember you in my prayers night and day, greatly desiring
to see you, being mindful of your tears, that I may be filled with joy, when I
call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your
grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also. Therefore
I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on
of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and
of love and of a sound mind.” 2 Tim 1:3-7 (NKJV)
1) A
visionary church moves ahead. People
are not attracted to sterile and lifeless forms, but to that which is
life-giving and relational. Where there
is relationship and spiritual life, there will be a natural numerical
growth. The old proverb: "You catch
more flies with honey than with vinegar" is still true. The honey is the Doing & Dying
& Rising Again of Jesus Christ.
“The
voice out of Heaven spoke to me again: "Go, take the book held open in the
hand of the Angel astride sea and earth." I went up to the Angel and
said, "Give me the little book." He said, "Take it, then eat it.
It will taste sweet like honey, but turn sour in your stomach." I
took the little book from the Angel's hand and it was sweet honey in my mouth,
but when I swallowed, my stomach curdled. Then I was told, "You must
go back and prophesy again over many peoples and nations and languages and
kings." Rev 10:8-11 (MSG)
2) A
visionary church grows leaders.
Nehemiah went for a ride one evening to inspect the walls of Jerusalem
3) A
visionary church is kingdom-minded.
We believe the kingdom did come on Pentecost (Acts 2) and spread to
cover the world (note PDaniel 2:44). A
visionary church is concerned beyond the local community to a vision of the
World conquered for Jesus! People are
not a means to an end - but they are God's greatest love! "God so loved the world..."
4) A
visionary church is authentic.
"New cars smell new for only a short time, and then the newness
wears off." Promotion attracts the
latest church-hoppers, but prayer breeds close-knit relationships that
experience spiritual vitality and a church of substance. People are attracted to God's love manifested
through relationships with people. God's
love is authentic! Note Romans 5:5; 1
John 2:7-8.
Older
is not always better. “And no one,
having drunk old wine, immediately desires new; for he says, 'The old is
better.' "
Luke 5:39 (NKJV) The
"new wine" of the Gospel must always be our first priority. If the "old wine" of the past is
not working for you, perhaps you need to "reload" the original
program of the Book of Acts and drink deeply from the springs of living
water. The reality of the Holy Spirit in
people's lives was evident. Acts 2:42-47
describe the process of relationship in a church with vision. "Praising God and enjoying the good will
of all the people." You must decide
where you fit according to your own spiritual values and build accordingly.
