Vision for Mission

Earlier this month in my sermons I shared with you Biblical importance of “seeing.”  Blindness is contrasted in the Scripture with Vision.  One of Jesus’ parables used the image of blind leading the blind, and both falling into a ditch.  Apostle Paul spoke firmly to believers in his day that it is devil who darkens our understanding, who blinds our sight (2^nd Corinthians 4:4).  Apostle Peter challenged believers that if they are not willing to look at the big picture and have a balanced all-inclusive wide-ranging faith, then they have forgotten their salvation and short-sighted to blindness (2^nd Peter 1:5-9).  The verdict to Laodicean final days church is “blind” and the message is to get cure, to be able to see (Revelation 3:17).

I shared with you the importance of Vision among the leaders.  Greek term episcope, is translated as supervisor, overseer, bishop – all implying Vision, Seeing – it is the word for eldership!

What do you see ahead?  What is your vision of preferred future?  How far do you see?

For the last few months our elders had been grappling with a common shared Vision for our church as we come to meet together.  I had met with a Leadership consultant Andre Thomas on the same subject.  He asked me a question that caught me by surprise: “What is the culture of your church?”   Hmm.....What is our culture?  Our values reflect our underlying culture.   What are those values?  A year ago the Board of elders produced a document “Towards becoming a Prevailing church” outlining those values.  Was it for real, or was it only wishful thinking? What’s on a paper but not in our hearts is not really a culture.  Just like the Law of God, when it is on the stone, outside of us – at best it leads to legalism of trying hard to act out.  It is not until the same Law is in our heart, and we act from within those values that we could claim the Culture of the Law.  Same with our church’s Vision, a statement on a banner, a write-up in the document is not it, until it is internalized in our dreams, in our hopes, in our heart.

Allow me to share just a few fragments of my vision of a preferred future for our church:

·         Our church services, sermons, teaching events are broadcasted online, marketing our product beyond our walls

·         Home-churches in various parts of the city where groups meet weekly to converse about spiritual lessons of Sabbath worship, to nurture new believers and to support each other socially, emotionally, materially

·         School of Ministry where people are taught Biblical Doctrines, Spirituality, Mission and are equipped for Ministry continually

·         Loving community where everyone know each other’s business and helps one another to endure in love until Jesus returns.

You could call it “Church without Walls”