Vision Leaks

My blogspot has been lonely for a few weeks. What follows isn't really "bloggy" in my mind (whatever that means) and likely a bit too focused to believe I wrote it (although, as you can see, a considerable amount wasn't actually mine). It was a letter of encouragement and challenge to my church community. Hope it's encouraging to you.  In this format, it has a video of one of my favorite writings attached. In any case, here are some thoughts for all 2 or 3 of you who read this stuff. :) Blessings.

April 26, 2012

                Vision leaks. You put it out there, everyone gets all excited, and then it’s gone. It’s very easy to forget the vision of God’s purpose, and always worthwhile to re-state. With growing fondness and love for all of you, here it is (as simply as I can give it to you):

And he [God] made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment—to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.- Ephesians 1:9

                When Jesus started His ministry on earth, He made clear what it was about.

… Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!”- Mark 1:14b-15

                There is good news of an alternative to the corrupt kingdoms of this world. God has brought His reign to us. It is a now and future reality of renewing, rebuilding, repairing and restoring (See Isaiah 61) and bringing the outcast in. The vision of the order of the Kingdom of God/Heaven is the central theme of Jesus’ teaching. Jesus spends three years training up a core of people who understand Kingdom and who He is and who will act on His behalf

                … on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”- Matthew 16:18

                On the faith of ordinary people, Jesus will build a church that will destroy the power of Hell.

¹⁸ Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”- Matthew 28:18-20

                In this short statement (made just before He left this world), Jesus gives His church His authority, its mission as Kingdom builders, and the assurance that He will be with us as we carry it out. The guiding principle for completing the mission looks like this:

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”-Mark 12:30-31

                The love of God and that of our neighbor is to be our center. Jesus also tells us who we are:

⁸ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem [Toledo], and in all Judea and Samaria[the surrounding region], and to the ends of the earth.[wherever the Holy Spirit leads us]”-Acts 1:8 [parentheses mine]

                We, as the church of Jesus Christ, are empowered by God the Holy Spirit (with the power that raised Christ from the dead and brought our forgiveness) to give witness to the experience of Jesus in our lives. The whole idea of “church”, with all that we have laid on it over the centuries, comes down this simple purpose, principle, plan, and power given by God in scripture.

                We’re challenging our leadership/church family to re-focus on this scriptural description of church, letting go of anything that doesn’t purposefully aim for God’s objectives. Since January, we have been working on (and sharing with our community) the envisioning, formulation, and implementation of a clear process for making disciples for Jesus Christ. Considering what it means to get back to disciple making/Kingdom building, be prepared to stick to God’s vision. Pray God will make clear His voice and we will be open to hear and follow. Prepare to see the vision, read it, eat, sleep, wash, rinse and repeat it until we live it; until it’s contained within us and the leaks are completely sealed and we are trustworthy vessels of the message of Jesus. May God make us one as we do the work of the Kingdom.

YBIC- Kevin