In Lewis Carroll’s classic adventure “Alice
In Wonderland” young Alice encounters the Cheshire Cat during her attempt to
find her way through the maze of a fairy-tale forest. “Would you please tell me
which way I ought to go from here?” says Alice. “That depends on where you want
to get to” the grinning cat answers. “I don’t much care where” a flustered
Alice replies. “Then it doesn’t matter which way you go!” says the cat.
There is one statement I want to plant in
your mind “It is much easier to “imitate” than it is to “initiate”. It is
easier to just do what everyone else is doing, rather than find the blueprint
that God has for an individual church. I have said before that I believe God
has placed every church where it is for a reason and a specific purpose. Every
church will have it’s own particular fellowship,
culture, passion, purpose, and gifts. And, because of this, each one
will have a very unique vision as
well.Now, that does not mean that you can’t use styles and programs that have been successful in other churches; you may want to adapt them to fit our style and purpose. We ought always remember that while the gospel never changes, our culture does… and in our ever changing culture, the church must find it’s “nitch” it’s “piece of the eternal puzzle” and adapt as well - while keeping its purpose and vision on course.
Let me explain my idea of “vision” in the form of a question; “When you look at a picture of a forest, what do you see?” Most people would be quick to answer “Trees!” But, having vision means seeing houses, and furniture, and paper, and lumber, and even heat! These things are all there! But, only people of vision can see them…it’s called “Potential”.
What turns a bunch of trees into a house? (process) It takes the time, energy, talents, skills, and giftedness, of many people) It takes money, and if you add God into this equation, you have the “church”. What turns a vision (or potential) into reality?...(same process)
Read with me a scripture from Matthew 9:27-30 I read it first from the N.I.V. - and then from the way it is translated in the Message. Here is what it said; “When Jesus got home, the blind men went in with him. Jesus said to them, “Do you really believe I can do this?” They replied, “Why, yes Master!” He touched their eyes and said; “become what you believe”. Let me repeat the question again – “Do you believe I can do this?”…You see, when most churches catch a vision of what they might be able to do, they catch a vision of the “possible!” I think what we need today are churches that catch a vision of the “IMPOSSIBLE” except for the power and hand of God!
What can you believe God for? Vision begins with the imagination. It begins with a dream. One of the problems with our stagnant churches today is that the members have stopped dreaming! God taught Abraham how to dream; He said “Look up at the heavens and count the stars - if you are able to count them” - Then he said, “So shall your descendants be!” God is saying to every church, “Look up, look around, look within, what do you see?” As believers, we have stopped dreaming about the wonderful things God can do for His church, for our families, and for our future! You have heard me say it many times and you will hear me say it many more times; Ephesians 3:20 - (benediction) ”Now, unto Him who is able to do exceedingly, abundantly, more than we could ever ask or imagine…!” No matter how big your dream may seem to be, God is able to do exceedingly, abundantly, more than that!
In the beginning, you may feel inadequate or ill-equipped to do anything, and we always tend to look at what we don’t have…But, we have to realize two major things: #1. God will always start with what we do have, and build from there! And, #2. God will never ask for- nor give us- more than we can handle. Although, there will be times when it will seem to be beyond what you are able to do; that’s the whole point! Because God wants us to see what He can do!
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