Focusing on dreams often seems unrealistic. Visions of clouds, a fantasy future, and unrealistic goals plague our imagination. Memories of dreams had and dreams unfulfilled make us timid to dream again.
Yet time and time again in the story of our faith we hear about dreams, dreamers, and dreams fulfilled. We are encouraged to hear and respond to God’s whispers for the life of the world.
This weekend we begin a journey towards unlocking the door to God’s dreams for our life together. There are three keys that could make it possible:
Presence – a commitment to worship attendance, small group formation, and missional service for both our congregation and our community. It is through presence that we hear God’s voice and discern God’s way.
Facility & Equipment – a commitment to appropriately maintain and update our facility and equipment including flexibility in space usage and constantly asking: How do we use and care for our facility? What kind of equipment is needed in order to communicate the good news of Jesus Christ, be a place of healing and transformation, and send people as missionaries to the city and beyond? Facilities and equipment make space for rootedness and outreach in a mobile and inward centered culture.
Financial Resources – a commitment to offer our financial resources as investment in our spiritual formation and in God’s work of renewing, restoring, and redeeming all of creation; this is God’s Mission.
Last weekend I invited you to consider our call to not just be Grace Community but to be a community of grace. In order for us to continue living our call we must come together, offer ourselves as servants, leaders, and investors in God’s Mission.
This week I invite you to allow God’s Spirit to guide you during this important time. Speaking about and considering how we are committing to God’s work through us can be difficult. Talking about giving of our financial resources can make us uncomfortable and “turn us off.”
Over a decade ago our founding pastor spoke to us about the challenges of being a growing congregation. He challenged us to not become self-centered but instead to focus our energy and excitement towards the transformation of our city into a more loving, just, and compassionate community. Towards the end he admitted to not knowing the next steps but asked us to trust God who would show us the way through a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.
Today we are once again being challenged. This time I challenge us to become a growing congregation again so that we can be partners in God’s work in our community and beyond. It will take our investment, our time, and a commitment to follow God’s lead.
A decade later I too find myself not knowing all of the next steps, but I too trust that God will indeed show us the way. God will help us find the keys to unlock the dream and use them not for our glory but for the glory of the one who has formed us into a community of Grace!
Cannot wait to see you this weekend! Invite a friend and let us dream dreams together!