Sunday, January 4, 2015

Write the Vision

#vision2015

And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.

Habakkuk 2:2

Where there is no vision, the people

perish.

Proverbs 29:18

Vision is foresight, with insight, based on hindsight.

“Sowing Seed in Suffolk”• We exist as a Spirit filled body of believers who

desire to impact our city with the seeds of the gospel and the expectation of a future harvest.

• To offer opportunities for the local church to experience God and be discipled through prayer, worship, and the Word.

• To sow seeds of compassion, trust, hope, and love in the lives of new and unchurched individuals in Suffolk.

This is the mission of our church.

Mission Statement

19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Matthew 28:19, 20

Go (Outreach) Baptize (Worship

experience)Disciple (Connection)

The mission of every church can be summed up in three words:

•Mission defines WHY your church exists. •Vision defines HOW you will fulfill the mission.

The question we must ask ourselves is:

“How are we

uniquely equipped, empowered, and

resourced, to accomplish the

mission?”

•Various wins are celebrated•Inward focused•Maintenance focused•Spectators•Change in life threatening

Without Vision:

•Everyone celebrates the same wins•Outward focused•Growth focused•Participators•Change is necessary to meet goals

With Vision:

•85,728 People living in the City of Suffolk•83% are staying home on the weekends

•71,154 people

• Proclaim • Experience • Cultivate • Serve

•Proclaim Christ Publically•Experience Christ Corporately•Cultivate Disciples•Serve with Excellence

Our Vision

I. Proclaim Christ

Publically

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Matthew 5:16

But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?

1 John 3:17

Compassion

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Proverbs 3:5,6

Trust

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Romans 8:28

Hope

…thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, there is none other commandment greater than these. Mark 12:31

Love

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

Romans 1:16

38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.

Mark 8:34

Who are 7 unchurched

people in your life that you want to reach in 2015?

“This church exists for the

people who are not here yet.”

II. Experience

Christ Corporately

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy; I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

John 10:10

FrustrationLoneliness

Purposelessness

The everyday struggles of life

give:

Peace & JoyA loving communityConnection to our

purpose

Life Giving Worship Experiences give:

The ultimate WIN for any

worship service is the salvation

of souls!

10 Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.

Luke 15:10

(Article 6) We believe in sanctification subsequent to the new birth, through faith in the blood of Christ; through the Word, and by the Holy Ghost.

(Article 9) We believe in speaking with other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance and that it is the initial evidence of the baptism of the Holy Ghost.

III. Cultivate Disciples

“Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you…”

And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

Acts 2:42 is our model for

discipleship:

The Word

Fellowship

Food

Prayer

The Early Church had four things in every

meeting:

IV. Serve with

Excellence

Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all for the glory of God.

I Corinthians 10:31

• Proclaim• Experience• Cultivate• Serve