Vision and not so much.

i always look forward to going to worship. seldom in my years have i not looked forward to it...except this time when we were...never mind.

anyway, today, our pastor talked to us about where the church started, when it started, and why it started. their thought was to create a place where people who did not normally go to church would want to come, so they could experience connections and encounter God. to teach in ways that actually met people where they were, real life. imagine that. thinking that jesus would actually be concerned with our situation, our pain, our fear.

they have stayed true to that vision from day one. he explained why. he explained what had been, and he explained what was coming.

we have all heard "with out vision, the people perish."

let me add that with true, passionate vision that is talked about, worked out in front of and with the staff and the invitation of the people to own it and come along with God to accomplish it...the people become intoxicated.

i sat there and almost wept at the simplicity of doing what God tells us to do and being surrounded by 2600 people who had come there originally because some one asked them to come.

i thought of what it meant for me to pour my life into a vision for the sake of being part of the body. not because i work there, not because it is my job to support the work of the church and the denomination...but because it was intoxicating.

i was pulled in by the Spirit and engaged and challenged to be part of a huge work. a simple work. an important work. a God work.

so i'm in. all in. having lusted in my spirit to be part of such team working vision casting, it seems sweeter just to be on the outside looking in.

something cool is going on here. www.lcbcchurch.com and i want to look back and say i was asked to help out and i did..all for the glory of God.

not so much in some places. when we were looking for a church to serve in, a pastor from another church who told me not to go there. "all they do is have a rock show for half hour, a 15 min sermonette, and they call that church." so i left there and drove over. tell me not to go somewhere is a sure way to get me to go.

what we have found is people with courageous leadership, passion for people...they actually like the people who come there, visible characteristics of Jesus and focus.

who knows what will happen, where we will end up. but for now, we are plugged in and serving. not because we had to settle...but because we get to part of what God is doing.

my prayer is that you never settle for where you worship, but that you would find, create, and be involved with vision. true vision. not maintenance, not the same ole junk, not someone who does not get the reality of life and speaks from personality. but genuine Jesus filled vision.