Grow and Stretch!

 

I'm wearing one of my "The Meeting Place" shirts this morning. It seems like such a long time ago that God gave me the vision of starting THE MEETING PLACE in Bluffton. I loved that ministry. In some ways I miss it, but I am so happy with where God has brought Stephanie and I. There are challenges every day but I have a clear mission from God that is not any different than when we started in Bluffton. I want people to go out and MAKE DISCIPLES WHO MAKE DISCIPLES. I don't think that is MY mission, it is God's mission. 

But, even at THE MEETING PLACE, I struggled, sometimes, with sharing exactly what that mission was. I had this vision in my head of the way God wanted it to be, but I had a difficult time conveying that mission to others. Right now, here at SMDCOG, the mission has not changed. The vision God gave me before heading to downtown Bluffton is the same vision I have today. The location and setting are different, but the vision is the same. 

Sometimes I think Paul and I are brothers. While I am not really comparing myself to Paul, I also see him struggling with people understanding and seeing his vision. When he was about to head back to Jerusalem, so many people tried to keep him from completing that part of his vision from God. This is his response:

"But he said, 'Why all this weeping? You are breaking my heart! I am ready not only to be jailed at Jerusalem but even to die for the sake of the Lord Jesus.' When it was clear that we couldn't persuade him, we gave up and said, 'The Lord's will be done.'" (Acts 21:13-14, NLT)

Paul was pouring his heart into ministry and he was not going to let persecution keep him from the task God had assigned him. Many of the people in his life, including the writer of this account, tried to keep him from that task. They weren't doing it out of faithlessness, they were doing it out of concern for their friend Paul. They just didn't see persecution the same way Paul saw it. 

I have a mission here at SMDCOG to get people OUT OF THE CHURCH, going into the community and making disciples who make disciples. It is not easy when there is years of church tradition that needs to be reimagined. I believe God has given me a mission to take this gathering of believers and stretch their faith. I believe God wants us to be more bold and to be more intentional how we bring others to faith in Jesus. I think he wants us to focus less on INSIDE the WALLS of this church and take the gospel OUTSIDE the walls, into all the world  The world has changed and I would agree it is not for the good. With those changes come the need for changes in how we GO INTO THE WORLD AND MAKE DISCIPLES.  We can't just BUILD IT AND THEY WILL COME. WE NEED TO GO!

Getting people to GROW AND STRETCH THEIR FAITH has always been the MISSION. That really is what you do when you become a disciple. You grow and stretch your faith! I want nothing more than to take this intimate fellowship of believers into all the world to make disciples in our community. 

Please Lord help me to get people to grow and stretch their faith. Help me to convey your mission in a way that is inspirational, motivational, encouraging, and effective to all. This cannot be done if I am doing my will. Lord, I want your will to be done, now and forever more. Lord, please fill us with your wisdom, your direction, and your power as we pursue your mission. Amen!

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If you haven't repented of your sin, accepted what Jesus did for you on the cross, dying for your sins, or if you have not committed your life to Jesus, TODAY could be that day. give your life to the Lord. 

"because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved." (Romans 10:9-10, ESV)

If you gave your life to Jesus today, text the word "faith" to (765)-896-4302 and we will follow up with material for you and join you in your walk of faith!