LWC Mission & Vision

Dave Leandre

Mission and Vision • Sermon • Submitted 5 years ago

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LWC Mission & Vision

Matthew 28:18–20 ESV

18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Read funny story about Why communication matters...

Now the text we heard this morning is one of the most concise ways to state the mission of the Church… to make disciple of all nations, by baptizing in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that Jesus commanded… Because he is with us always!

Yet like the story I just read, for some reason churches have seemed to become more than just delivers of that message but editors of it. Communication matters in the church. Get the message wrong and you could be damned to hell believing the wrongs things about God or even believing in a different god than the one that scripture points us to.

It is our desire to remove confusion from the mission of God through this church, by intentionally stating what our mission is, clearly and concisely. Also we want to present a picture or snapshot of what that future should look like here if that mission is taking place, by outlining our vision.

Now I realize this is not typical Sunday morning exposition of a specific text, yet the elders feel it is vital for us to hear, know and believe, if we are going to move forward as a church.

We would desire the language we are about to introduce would shape all our decisions moving forward. And we would desire that this sermon be listened to by hundreds of people who are not yet here with us, but will become members over the next few years, and will inform them of what we are all about. “So if you are listening online, because you took the membership class and we asked you to listen to our mission and vision sermon, then know that these words are not just prepared for the congregation that is before me today, but also with you in mind.”

But before we talk about the mission, I want to ask us some questions to keep in mind as we hear the sermon today...

WHY, HOW, and WHAT

Why does the church exist? - Post Tenebras Lux - The Latin phrase which means Light after darkness. This became a motto of the reformation. It is meant to declare the Glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ which caves sinners out of darkness into God’s marvelous light!

Our church exists by the will of God to declare the Gospel which is Post Tenebras Lux!

How do we make that come alive?

By gathering weekly, scattering into the communities we live in, gathering in homes through out the week for encouragement, By preaching the gospel to ourselves and others, by praying consistently, and by giving of ourselves in service and even by giving financially to enable the weekly gatherings to continue to be effective in reaching and discipling moer and more people.

So, WHAT does LWC have to offer that other churches do not?

We offer Gospel Centered preaching, Christ exalting worship, connection to historical Biblical Christianity, and true connectedness to each other as a real family.

So I want to ask you some what if questions, that if I do my job here today correctly we should be able to answer...

What if seeing Christ formed in you was more obvious and visible?

What if following Jesus was a passionate transformation that was infectious to others around us?

What if proclaiming the Gospel and glory of God was your real purpose for being alive?

What if seeing churches full of people like this was how we spent our life for the cause of Christ?

What if the main beneficiaries of this was not even ourselves but our kids and their kids for generations to come?

What if we did none of this?

None of what? Well here is the mission statement that our elders have taken careful and prayerful time to craft.

AT Living what church we are joyfully…

Forming passionate followers of Jesus by proclaiming the gospel and the glory of God

Now I want to assure that the every word and phrase here has been selected for a very specific reason. We believe that they are Biblical as I will show you from the scriptures, they are intentional for our specific culture, and that they are not inspired and can be changed.

I want to break this statement down for you by pointing to the scriptures that informed our decision to include these words.

Forming

Now we started with the idea or word of Discipleship, but felt that discipleship was first of all insider lingo and it only spoke of a disciplined learning process that is very real, yet there is more… What about the the moment of Salvation when when we are truly changed from Death unto life?

Ephesians 2:1–10 ESV

1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Did you hear what the Bible declares? We were dead but God made us alive by Grace through Faith in Christ! We had one nature but all that has changed because God saved us as a gift and not as a result of our work… we are his workmanship… created by him for him… Because God is forming Christ in you, starting with saving you.

But there is more to this concept that informs why we chose the Formed… look at romans 9…

Romans 9:20–21 ESV

20 But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” 21 Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?

romans9.

The Apostle Paul tells us here that we like a lump of clay have no right to tell God, who is the potter or molder, how he should make us and use us.

Oh that we would all be vessel that God is making for honorable use, like clay pots full of Living Water declaring the gospel to the nations. Yet it is God who is forming us all in sovereign wisdom.

And yet there is more to the use of the word ‘forming’ for us. This also speaks of a sanctification process in which we are growing in knowledge of Jesus Christ, being filled with the Spirit, and learning to eradicate sin from our lives. We are being formed by God, shaped by Christ, and chiseled by the Holy Spirits work in us.

And there are times when God’s people start to err, and believe false teachings. There are times when things are told to us and we want to believe them, but they would lead us away from truth. And so has charged men to be elders and be under-shepherds of God’s flock. We (as Pastors/Elders) must protect the integrity of the message of the Gospel, shepherd the Lord’s people by fending off wolves and false teachers, and give ourselves over to the pain and travail of ministry in order to see Christ Formed in our congregations.

This is exactly what Paul was telling the Galatian church when false teachers came in among them and started teaching contrary to the Gospel that saved them. And he was upset at those people and frustrated with his church...

Galatians 3:1–3 ESV

1 O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. 2 Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? 3 Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?

Paul was hurting and annoyed and upset… and it was messy yet bold of him to call it out. He told them that if even an angel would come to them preaching another gospel, let him be accursed! This church he had planted was confused and looking like it was going astray from truth. And Paul makes a statement that John MacArthur calls, “The Pastoral Mandate”

Galatians 4:19 ESV

19 my little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you!

Fellow Elders, and leaders, those who would aspire to eldership in Christ’s church… This is more than discipleship, and sanctification and the moment of salvation, it is the process that we rejoice in and also feel crushed by. From moments of sinners being saved by the preaching of the Gospel, to counseling sessions where the Spirit’s help brings wisdom, clarity and moments of breakthrough from sin patterns. To times of study and prayer, and yes even administering church discipline for restoration or disfellowship. It is a grace soaked journey that is heavy at times and joyful at other times, but we take it seriously enough to ingrain it into our very mission at Living Water Church.

We desire to see Christ formed in you all, but that is not is not for you to just have a head knowledge of who God is. See our theology, which is a word that means study of God, should inform our doxology, which is a word that means an expression of praise for God.

To borrow words from Shai Linne Theology without doxology is nothing but dead cold orthodoxy, which is no good for anyone. Why Because created us with emotions and our chief goal in life is to glorify God!

Yet Doxology without theology is nothing but idolatry… Because it is a random expression of praise that is not informed by the truth of who God is.

So we believe that God is concerned about both our theology and our doxology. God is concerned with an accurate understanding of him; and that understanding brings true expressions of praise or adoration of him.

SO the next word we included was…

Passionate

Tait helped me out with this one, and I want to share with you some of what he shared at our members meeting about the use of this word.

Why use the word passionate? Because passion covers a wide range of godly affections. We also wanted to use it because it reminds us of the the mission statement that was used at the beginning of this church, which included “spreading a passion for the supremacy of Christ in all things.”

But even more so because of what scripture says about our affections and our doxology. The scriptures are full of commands to feel - to have deep affections. We cannot obey the christian life without proper, godly affections. We can give away all we have to the poor, and we can deliver up our bodies to be burned, but if we have not the affection of love, we gain nothing.

1 Corinthians 13:3 ESV

3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.

1cor13

And love isn’t the only affection commanded of us in the Scriptures.

- Gratitude is an affection and it’s commanded:

Psalm 100:4 ESV

4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!

Psalm 100:4 ESV

4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!

- Hope is commanded: “Hope fully” (). - Joy is commanded: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice” (). - Sorrow is commanded: “Weep with those who weep.” You can’t just turn weeping on, but you’re commanded to (). - Compassion is an affection, and we’re commanded to do that () - Fear is an affection, and we’re commanded to have it (). - Contentment is an affection and says, “Be content with what you have.” - Hate is an affection and again, its commanded. says, “Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. - Zeal, fervency, patience...

- Hope is commanded:

1 Peter 1:13 ESV

13 Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

1peter - Joy is commanded: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice” (). - Sorrow is commanded: “Weep with those who weep.” You can’t just turn weeping on, but you’re commanded to (). - Compassion is an affection, and we’re commanded to do that () - Fear is an affection, and we’re commanded to have it (). - Contentment is an affection and says, “Be content with what you have.” - Hate is an affection and again, its commanded. says, “Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. - Zeal, fervency, patience...

- Joy is commanded:

Philippians 4:4 ESV

4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.

- Sorrow is commanded: “Weep with those who weep.” You can’t just turn weeping on, but you’re commanded to (). - Compassion is an affection, and we’re commanded to do that () - Fear is an affection, and we’re commanded to have it (). - Contentment is an affection and says, “Be content with what you have.” - Hate is an affection and again, its commanded. says, “Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. - Zeal, fervency, patience...

- Sorrow is commanded:

Romans 12:15 ESV

15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.

- Compassion is an affection, and we’re commanded to do that ()

Ephesians 4:32 ESV

32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

- Fear is an affection, and we’re commanded to have it ().

Romans 11:20 ESV

20 That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but fear.

Romans 11:20 ESV

20 That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but fear.

- Contentment is an affection

romans - Contentment is an affection

Hebrews 13:5 ESV

5 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

heb - Hate is an affection and again, its commanded. says, “Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. - Zeal, fervency, patience...

- Hate even is an affection and again, its commanded.

Romans 12:9–10 ESV

9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. 10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.

- Zeal, and fervency

Romans 12:11 ESV

11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.

If we are to believe the Bible, how dare we live this life for our Lord and not be full of passionate affections that that are informed by the truth of who God is!

And all of this is not possible if Jesus is not God! If God doesn’t come in flesh to be our Immanuel, God with us, who does for us what we cannot do for ourselves, who becomes sin for us so we can become the righteousness of God… Then all of our emotions and theology is wasted on nothing… We need a rescuer and a savior! We need someone who we can follow into the presence of God, someone who will lead us in the way of righteousness and take our sins away!

ADn all of this

So we cannot just point to God without explicitly pointing to Jesus. Which bring us to the next part…

followers of Jesus

Jesus comes from the father as the only begotten and not created Son, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary.

Suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried: The third day he arose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, And sitting on the right hand of God the Father Almighty, From there he shall come to judge the living and the dead.

The third day he arose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, And sitting on the right hand of God the Father Almighty, From there he shall come to judge the living and the dead.

He ascended into heaven,

And sitting on the right hand of God the Father Almighty,

From there he shall come to judge the living and the dead.

And in all of this he was not untouchable… He did not complete a work for us by being away from the creation he came to save. He walked amongst us and invited us to follow him… This is one of the most extraordinary marks of Christianity… Where other world religions make the case that an unknowable God is up on top of a mountain and we are below trying to work our way up to him, in Christianity God came off the mountain and came down to us to lead us back up to him by inviting us to follow him…

matt

Matthew 4:17–20 ESV

17 From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” 18 While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 19 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him.

Jesus called followers who came to know him so closely that they ended up being used by God to help change the world with the message of Jesus Christ. And as followers of Jesus they did not go out in their own authority or power, but under the Authority of Jesus, who is God, and in the power of the Holy Spirit, they were used by God. And this was not just for them, but it is at the core of the mission of the church… and so our main text again...

Matthew 28:18–20 ESV

The mission of the church has never been to make Decisions… When people preach the gospel for the sake of trying to get people to make decisions for Christ, they are not doing what Jesus commissioned the church to do. We are to make Disciples! Remember the story I told at the beginning of service about how a message can get all messed up and not even mean what it originally meant? that is what happens here.

As followers of Jesus, Under his authority, empowered by His Spirit, equipped by His Word, we make disciples of all nations! And so a church is not a place you come to belong at before you believe… It is a place where believers, belong to their God and each other as they worship God, by the Spirit in the name of the Son. Now Life change can happen in church while the Word is being preached and disciples are being made, but followers of Jesus belong to him.

And all this was not just for the original disciples, because the Apostle Paul who was not here in , get commissioned by Christ in the book of Acts, and then goes on to plant churches and write letters inspired by the Holy Spirit. And God by his Spirit is making an appeal through Paul to the churches and all who would follow after him, he extends the invitation they recieved from Christ.

1 Corinthians 11:1 ESV

1 Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.

Another translation says, Follow me as I follow Christ!

As Christ has saved us, and the Spirit regenerated us, God’s word informs us as Jesus invites us to follow him.

It is our desire to see Christ Formed in you as you passionately follow Jesus!

And this invitation from God in Christ, to have your sins forgiven and to be made new is the ultimate good news to all of creation. There is a word for that Good news… THE GOSPEL… and this is what we proclaim…

by proclaiming the gospel

People are invited to follow Jesus by hearing the Gospel preached and proclaimed. People are released from the darkness of sin when they hear of the love of the Father and work of the Son. When they hear the Gospel proclaimed the Spirit works inside of them and makes them new. None of anything we have mentioned today is possible if we do not hear the Gospel proclaimed.

William Tyndale explains the word Gospel for us… As Ray Ortland points out in his book, “The Gospel”

“Evangelion (what we call gospel) is a greek word, signifying good, merry, glad and joyful news, that makes a man’s heart glad and makes him sing, dance and leap for joy.”

William tyndale, the pioneer translator of the Bible into English, wrote these words in1525. And he sealed them with a martyr’s death. What a world we live in, that something so happy would be so hated! But so it is.

The Gospel is Good news, but it is not a law demanding that we pay our own way. The Gospel is a welcome announcement, declaring that Jesus paid it all. Again Ray Ortland said it is like a long awaited phone call. When phone finally rings, we grab the phone and eagerly take the call. The Gospel is a message to be proclaimed and believed (mark 1:14-15). It is the point of the whole Bible (). It comes from God above (). It is worthy of our utmost ().

Here is a basic Gospel message:

God, through the perfect life, atoning death, and bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ, rescues all his people from the wrath of God into peace with God, with a promise of full restoration of his created order forever - all to the praise of the glory of his grace!

And this Gospel is not man made news…

1 Corinthians 15:1–4 ESV

1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,

1cor15.

The Gospel is in accordance with the scriptures, meaning the whole bible is talking about it, and please notice the Paul says we preach what we received, meaning it has been handed down and recorded in scripture to keep it from being defiled.

And what happens when the historical account of the good news of Jesus Christ is proclaimed?

Romans 10:9–15 ESV

9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. 11 For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. 13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” 14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”

romans10.9-

Brothers and sisters in Christ, how important is it that we are proclaiming the Gospel? The we use words to declare the Glory of God? That we point people to Jesus? That people from every nation, race, tribe and tongue have an opportunity to hear this good news that God forgives sin and restores his creation!

We cannot see Christ formed in you unless you have a steady diet of Gospel preaching, and you cannot be passionate about who God is and how he has saved you unless you are reminded daily of this Gospel. And you cannot follow Jesus until you know him as your Lord and savior, the one you submit your life to.

But the Gospel is not just Good news of Jesus, it is a message of the glory of God!

and the glory of God

When we say the Glory of God, we don’t mean the fame of people, or the honor of wise men… The Glory of God is the brilliance of all the light in the universe for God is Light (). We don’t mean the simple feeling of love you get when from other humans, but the overwhelming, infinite and unbreakable Love that the only God who is Love () can give.

Glory as an eternal affection that can never fully make sense outside of talking about the creator of the universe. And so Paul concludes his writing to the romans with this...

Romans 16:25–27 ESV

25 Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages 26 but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith— 27 to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.

romans16.35-37

See all of this life is meant for the Glory of God. Your life is not about your own betterment, but as created being it is meant for you to enjoy God, Worship God and Glorify God… For all eternity! We are created for his Glory! And the Bible is not about you, it is about God… It is about his Gospel and His Glory!

Old Testament - Anticipation, The gospels - Manifestation, Acts -Proclamation, Epistles - explanation, revelation - consummation

The Bible is all about the goos news and the Glory of God! and all of this is wrapped in the God-man Jesus Christ! Every portion of scripture is speaking about him and pointing to him, and our job is to proclaim his supremacy in all things to all peoples!

2 Corinthians 4:3–6 ESV

3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5 For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

2cor4.

And so we will boldly, and yet humbly; joyfully and wholeheartedly give ourselves to Forming Passionate followers of Jesus by proclaiming the gospel and the Glory of God!

This is the mission of Living water church. And if we are going to do anything as a church, it better help us form passionate followers of Jesu by proclaiming the gospel and glory of God, or we will not invest our time into it.

And if we are doing this then our vision, Lord willing will be accomplished...

Vision

Advancing the multiplication of gospel saturated churches for all peoples, starting in Vancouver

One thing I want to say and two points of clarity… First, this vision states that we believe that we need more churches like ours. So ultimately we would love to see our church plant other churches that are Gospel Saturated and for all peoples, meaning we believe in missions deeply. AS far as our church is concerned we will probably need to move to a bigger location sooner than latter before we are ready to plant another location, and that would definitely be advancing and multiplying. That excites us!

But what does Gospel saturated mean?

Again Ray Ortland’s book the Gospel was helpful in this… There needs to be a balance between Gospel Doctrine and Gospel Culture...

…by proclaiming the gospel

Gospel Doctrine (or teaching) without Gospel culture (loving and forgiving one another) can lead us to hypocrisy. Were we talk about Love but show none.

Yet Gospel culture without gospel doctrine will lead us to Fragility, meaning we show love but it is not founded on the truth of who God is, and that easily breaks apart.

But Gospel doctrine and Gospel Culture will display God’s Power! When we teach people about who God is and Love people as an extension of him, then we are a part of a church that experiences true Gospel saturation.

Romans 1:16 ESV

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

So we desire to see more churches like this… Not ashamed of the Gospel and with a healthy balance of true gospel doctrine and true gospel culture. That is when people are saved, that is the power of God and we are not ashamed of the Gospel!

But finally, this is not just for us. It may start here in our church in Vancouver, but it will not be contained here. There are many Gospel saturated Churches in this world, but there is a great need for many more. And the truth is that not everyone will come to our church, and that is ok. We look different and act different than some people in this culture and in other cultures, and that should not be a hinderance to proclaiming the Gospel to all people… and so why For All Peoples?

For all peoples

Because from the very beginning when God made a promise to Abraham in his Gospel and Glory was for more then just a few...

Genesis 12:3 ESV

3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

genesis12.

The Gospel made its first appearance in the very beginning of the OT here when God makes a covenant with Abraham… He says ALL THE FAMILIES OF THE EARTH!!!!

AND since then people of every color and ethnic background have been saved by the all powerful, long suffering, everlasting and truly loving God!

In the church till this day we have the mandate to Make Disciples of ALL NATIONS! .

This is the work that the Lord will find us busy doing when he returns.

1 Timothy 4:10 ESV

10 For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.

This is not a gospel for just Americans, or europeans, or Africans, or Asians, or rich people or poor people or old people or young people or any other way this world tries to divide us from each other! The Gospel is for all peoples and we will help the Advancing of multiplication of Gospel saturated churches for ALL PEOPLES, starting in Vancouver.

As I close I would ask you again the what if’s I asked at the beginning...

What if seeing Christ formed in you was more obvious and visible?

It would help you trust God more in this life and help you raise your children to Love this God that they see in you!

What if following Jesus was a passionate transformation that was infectious to others around us?

Evangelism would be a natural part of our lives and not a burden we feel bad about not participating in.

What if proclaiming the Gospel and glory of God was your real purpose for being alive?

Well then contentment in all circumstances would be yours because you will not be defined by your job, or home, or family… You will be defined by who you are in Christ and to whom you belong!

What if seeing churches full of people like this was how we spent our life for the cause of Christ?

Giving would increase as the joy we have in seeing Lord save people becomes of higher value.

What if the main beneficiaries of this was not even ourselves but our kids and their kids for generations to come?

We would know that God used us to be part of the story of His church that was handed to us by the reformers and our fathers before us, and we stewarded it well, so our children may proclaim this Gospel also!

What if we did none of this?

Then God would simply raise up others in pur place because his plans will not be thwarted by men. We have an opportunity to partner with the Almighty God to see people saved from darkness, to be laborers in his harvest fields, and to be used by him to make a real difference by making real disciples.