My daughter Michelle was given an eye test in school and they recommended that we take her to the optometrist. On her first visit we discovered she could not easily read even the large E that the chart begins with. We ordered glasses and when they arrived, picked them up. Through the door of the eye clinic my daughter walked out into an amazing large world she did not know existed before. Incredulously she asked us, “when did they put that mountain there!!”
To clearly see the present and the future is our goal in Vision 2020. God will move mountains to accomplish His will both in the present and for the future. We need to clearly see and take the first steps He has shown us. This “Bridge to Tomorrow” is one of those steps and addresses our need for physical space in which to grow. The remodel of the barn is the first part of building a bridge to the future. We will need to add some spaceto move our offices and have additional “Life Group” classes as a possible 2nd step. This would allow us to consolidate all our activities to the one location. With the sale of our current location on Railroad Avenue we will be able to pay off the two loans and have funds to begin the planning of our new building on the 4 ½ acre Whiteriver property.
We also need to develop in all the other areas that are important for a church to grow in (Evangelism, Discipleship, Worship, Fellowship, and Stewardship) and to have leaders trained and leading in each of these areas. Some of the steps to develop in these areas include: enlisting leaders in our life groups and encouraging these groups to be small churches in care and fellowship within the larger church; starting an evangelistic and caring visitation program that contacts the people that God brings to our church and reaches into new areas of our community; enhancing our worship with the needed equipment and continued inclusion of the many talented people God has brought here to serve Him; offering training that addresses marriage, family, stewardship, and discipleship needs.
We must seek God’s vision to see clearly what to do now and what He has prepared for the future. What kind of church do we see with 20/20 vision now and in the year 2020. My hope and prayer is that the year 2020 will find us as a strong stable church in a great facility that will enable us to reach our community for Christ. It can happen if we allow God to grow His church by “the power that works in us” for His glory.
