If we get it, are we getting on with it?
When we talk about the church, the vision, about the mission, about all the things we’re going to explore over the next couple of months, there are many things about which we could say, “We get it”.
Our Vision, Mission and Heart
Our Vision: is to build a church that honours and glorifies God; built on biblical principles; teaching biblical truth; influencing its community; where personal relationships are deep.
Our Purpose: is to love people into a deep and growing relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
Our Heart: is to share God’s heart for the marginalised and oppressed.
Where have you seen this before?
Actually, you see it every week because it’s printed n the front of the bulletin!
Three keys to “getting on with it”
#1 Ownership.
How much would you say you “own” the vision? Not how much of it is yours and yours alone, but how deeply have you bought into what we sense God has called us to do and be as a community together?
Bill Hybels spoke last year at the Global Leadership Summit about hired hands and owners. Hired hands run away at the first sign of danger. When wolves come to attack the sheep, they say, “I’m not paid enough to risk my life for these mangy sheep”. And they up and leave.
Owners act differently. For the owner the sheep are his or her life. Without the sheep they have nothing. They are fully invested in sheep and therefore fully committed to their protection. Losing sheep is not an option and they will do whatever it takes to protect them.
If we own the vision, then we will be more interested in seeing that come to fruition than almost anything else. It will consume us.
#2 Passion.
When it comes to the life of the church, to the mission of God, the basic expansion plans of the kingdom then I believe that we need to be passionate about it.
This is no mere business plan to build a big church, this is about life and death, about eternal destinies, about the very heart of God.
In you go away with one prayer today, then let it be “Lord, give me a passion for the people you miss most.”
If passion escapes you, then listen to the radio on a Saturday night. Tune in to Radio 5 for a while and listen to the football ‘phone-in. You’ll hear some passion then!
#3 Purposefulness
As followers of Jesus Christ we are called to live our lives purposefully.
In other words we are not called to live our lives wandering around this world until the day comes when either God takes us up into heaven or Jesus Christ returns to the earth and then takes us to heaven.
Everyone knows that if you want to fulfil your potential then you have to work at whatever it is that defines that potential. Michael Phelps may be genetically well suited to swimming with his long torso, short legs, big feet and fast recovery times, but he would not have won 8 gold medals without application, without being purposeful about reaching his goal.
How much more significant is the goal of fulfilling our call in the kingdom of God? How much more significant than a gold medal is God’s affirmation, “Well done, good and faithful servant?”
Conclusion
If we get it, then we ought to be getting on with it.
It is a s simple as that.
If we own the vision, if we’re passionate about the purposes of the kingdom and we’re purposeful about living our lives for the glory of God, then how can we not get on with it? Tell me, how is that possible?
If we own the vision, if we’re passionate about the purposes of the kingdom and we’re purposeful about living our lives for the glory of God, then how can we not get on with it? Tell me, how is that possible?
