This morning I am implementing something new. I am designating Labor Day Sunday as Vision Sunday here at New Life. Each year I try to preach one message on where we are as a church and where I feel the Lord is leading us. The first time I presented a vision message to you was on December 4, 1999 – one month after I became the pastor of this fellowship. The last time I preached such a sermon was 16 months ago — May 16 of 2010. From this point on, I will be preaching such a sermon each Labor Day.
THE IMPORTANCE OF VISION
Certainly one of my favorite vision verses in the Bible is found in Habakkuk 2:2. I want to read it to you from several translations:
- New King James Version, “Then the LORD answered me and said: ‘Write the vision And make it plain on tablets, That he may run who reads it.’”
- The Message, “And then GOD answered: ‘Write this. Write what you see. Write it out in big block letters so that it can be read on the run.’”
- The Living Bible, “And the Lord said to me, ‘Write my answer on a billboard, large and clear, so that anyone can read it at a glance and rush to tell the others.’”
The prophet Habakkuk saw himself as a watchman on the walls of Jerusalem. He understood that he was not only to watch, he was also to wait – wait for a message from God. When he did receive such a message, he wanted to be able to communicate that word quickly and clearly.
I too feel the need to speak in such a way that you hear and understand what I trust to be a word from the Lord.
The value of vision is captured in this story. Several weeks ago my cousin Steve stopped by for a brief visit as he was traveling from the Chicago area on his way back to his home in northern Arizona. During the course of our conversation, Steve told a humorous story about one of his two now grown daughters. Back as early as when she was 8 or 9 years old, Steve noticed that the girl always seemed to get everything that she asked for. Christmas. Birthdays. Regardless, if she wanted it she eventually got it.
One day Steve decided to bring this to her attention in the form of a question.” Laura,” he said, “how is it that you seem to always get what you ask for?” “Daddy,” she replied, “you gotta remember what you want.”
The child had learned the value of staying focused on one thing. That to me is the secret of vision. Vision is not going in a thousand different directions. No. It is rather targeting in on one thing.
- Vision is Abraham leaving home and family to go to a new land; a land of promise.
- Vision is Noah building an ark.
- Vision is Moses leaving the ease of Egypt to become Israel’s deliverer.
- Vision is David going before the giant Goliath while armed only with a slingshot and five smooth stones.
- Vision is Mary agreeing to bear the very Son of Almighty God
- Vision is Jesus going to the Cross.
- Vision is Paul going to Rome to stand before Caesar.
These people were directed by a sense of VISION.
One of my favorite biblical characters is Nehemiah. Not much was happening in Jerusalem in Nehemiah’s day. The city was but a shell of its former glory. It’s walls were broken down, its gates had been “burned with fire.” It was also true that no one was doing diddly about it!
I want to pick up the account at this point. Nehemiah 2:17-18 (The Message), “Then I gave them my report: ‘Face it: we’re in a bad way here. Jerusalem is a wreck; its gates are burned up. Come—let’s build the wall of Jerusalem and not live with this disgrace any longer.’ I told them how God was supporting me and how the king was backing me up. They said, ‘We’re with you. Let’s get started.’ They rolled up their sleeves, ready for the good work.” One man with a vision to do something literally made all the difference in the world!
Glyn Evan’s in his excellent devotional entitled Daily With The King wrote: “The more I think about it…, the more I realize that great saints live in another world, feed on another food, see intangible things, and believe that which is plainly rubbish to the world. Like Moses, they constantly see the ‘invisible.’ And like all powerful saints, theyrealize the spiritual and bring it into actuality.” Evans was talking about vision.”
YESTERDAYS DREAM
Back on November 12, 2000, you heard a message from this pulpit entitled “THE NEXT STEP”. Please listen as I highlight several items from that message:
“I want to now share with you some goals for the future of this assembly. This is not meant to be prophetic. God is not giving these figures. However, I do believe that the Lord is telling us to PLAN, TO PREPARE, WORK, and HAVE FAITH. I know that if we work together toward these common goals – in unity – these goals will not only be reached, they will be exceeded!”
Run 1000 in average attendance. Obviously, we have not reach this goal. However, I do want to share with you the rest of the story. Currently we run somewhere around 550 in Sunday morning attendance for the year. In addition to this, we have given close to 200 people away between two of our church plants and with our investment of people in Rock Assembly. We also suffered a loss of a good number of folks with the closure of the GM plant and the sick economy.
However, the news is not all bad. Due to our many outreaches throughout the week, we now have many people that attend New Life that never darken our doors on Sunday. Our total attendance for all of our activities during the week is now close to 1500 – by actual count. We have simply had to learn to do church differently. The plan is working.
Start three new churches. Actually, we have started four churches. Turning Point, Living Waters in Elkhorn, our Hispanic church that meets here on Sunday afternoon, and the New Life Korean Church that used to meet here but now meets in Rockford.
Now I want to move to some general items which were listed in that message some 11 years ago:
- Hire a music minister
- Expand to care groups (Our care groups are now called Life Groups and encompass a number of diverse groups).
- Improve the quality of our TV ministry.
- Neighborhood outreaches: this included having our various outreaches such as the Movie in the Park and last week’s Service in the Park. However, this was still before our early two Days of Compassion outreaches and the ten years of Freedom Fest.
- Food distribution ministry for those in need within the church from out of the church
- Start a Hispanic outreach
- “A lit sign complete with a message center. Have the sign next to Highway 14 with the lettering facing East and West. (Presently between 16-20 thousand cars a day pass by our church. I want a highly visible sign that tells those people who we are and what is taking place here. I believe the sign – like a billboard – can be an extension of our witness in the community.)”
Next it was noted that we needed to start a variety of outreach groups that would meet in the church throughout the week. Here are some of the actual groups that were noted in that November 2000 sermon:
- Weight control workshops/Aerobics group
- MOPS
- English as a second language
- Play groups
- Various support groups
- Professional Connections (We now call this our Leadership class)
- Divorce recovery
- Blended families
- Hobby groups such as photo scrap booking
Each one of those groups are now a reality plus a number that were not listed back then – including our Sonshine Patch Preschool.
In looking back now, that sermon almost stands out as being prophetic. But then again, it simply serves to remind us of the power of a dream; a holy dream.
A DREAM FOR TODAY
As with the message from 11 years ago, I again want to emphasize several goals and needs that I hope we can address in the short and long term. Most of what you are about to hear are matters that have been before the staff and the board over the past number of months.
1. COMPASSION
Gary Haugen, President and Founder, International Justice Mission made this observation in a message entitled, “Just Courage”: “If you want your leadership to matter, lead in the things that matter to God.” A part of my time, my study, as well as my prayer life centers around the issue of finding out what really matters to God. In this quest I have discovered that the latest fad really doesn’t matter all that much to God. The biggest and the best doesn’t seem to impress Him either. Nor does the prevailing public opinion polls.
In short, if our leadership is to please the Lord as well as have any lasting value, then it must focus less on the things of this world and more on the things of the world to come. We are going to have to see though different eyes and hear with different ears. We are going to have to center on the things that matter to God.
Let me direct your attention to one of the most familiar stories in the New Testament – the account of Jesus feeding the five thousand. Jesus had spent the day in ministry. He was tired. Nevertheless, a mass of people had gathered to hear Him as well as be touched by Him. Finally, as it was getting late in the day, the disciples pulled the Lord aside and instructed Him saying, “‘This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food’” Matthew 14:15. Certainly the disciples knew that Jesus was powerful enough to meet the need. However, they did not turn to Him for help. Rather, their counsel to the Lord was: “Send them away!”
That, though, wasn’t the Lord’s solution to the problem. Rather He said, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat” Matthew 14:16. One of the things that amazes me about this story is, Jesus was seemingly unfazed by the extent of the need. The math didn’t matter to Him. All He wanted from the disciples was a willingness to give of what they had and He would make up what they lacked!
Notice now verse 17-21, “‘We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish’ they answered. ‘Bring them here to me,’ he said. And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children” Matthew 14:17-21.
To fully appreciate what is going on here, though, you have to go back to verse 14. There we see that Jesus had compassion on the multitude. The word compassion as used here speaks of having “one’s inner being stirred.” As such, the word is somewhat stronger word than sympathy. The word is used twelve times in the Gospels, and eight of those references refer to Jesus Christ:
- Jesus was “moved with compassion” when He saw the needy multitudes.
- Twice He was “moved with compassion” when He beheld the hungry multitudes without food.
- He was also moved with compassion when He saw the two blind men in Matthew 20 as well as the man who was sick with leprosy in Mark 1.
You see, compassion matters to God. Human need matters. The sick matter. If we truly want to see the miracle working power of God, we are going to have to do something other than “send them away.” We are going to have to be in a place where we can give them something. Where God can move though us to bring about His miracle!
Along that line, I invite you to pray with me that we will be able to raise $10,000 by the end of the year for a missions project in North Africa. Hopefully this will include food relief for the people affected by the famine in Ethiopia.
According to a news report dated August 17, 2011 by CBS News, the Ethiopian government says 250,000 people need food aid amid what the U.N. says is the worst drought in 60 years. An aid organization and agricultural officials say the number of people who need emergency food aid in Ethiopia is bigger, around 700,000. Most of the people affected by the drought and famine are described in the article as being the “poorest of the poor”. And please remember, the famine reaches well beyond Ethiopia.
Then too, I want to see us continue to offer the Day of Compassion Medical Tent as a normal part of Freedom Fest in upcoming years.
I would also love to have a volunteer on staff who would oversee our compassion ministries throughout the year.
Steve Sjogren General Editor of Group magazine wrote: “We love, serve, and care for others because that is normal behavior for people who are filled with God’s Spirit. We are Christians. Christ was the ultimate servant. We can’t help but serve because the Spirit of the Servant has filled our hearts. When we serve, we are just being who we naturally are.”
2. DISCIPLESHIP
Kirbyjon Caldwell, pastor of Windsor Village United Methodist Church in Houston, says, “The point of church growth is not to collect new people and cage them with church programs. The goal of church health is not to fatten church members up for show. . . . The church exists to equip people, according to their calling and gifts, to be salt and light in their churches, communities, family, workplace, media, and government—in the whole society.”
As someone has observed, the question is not, “How big is your church?” Rather it is, “How is your church impacting your community?”
When Jesus commissioned His disciples just prior to His ascension back to heaven, He told them to “go and make disciples.” At New Life we take that charge very seriously. Everything that we do, in one way or another, points in that direction. Every ministry. Every outreach. Every day; every night. Everything has making fully devoted disciples -followers of Jesus Christ as its ultimate goal.
I have a chart for you. You have already seen similar charts from the other pastors. Again I want you to see how important discipleship is in the whole scheme of things. For your information, we have similar charts for nearly every area of the church.
Under the umbrella of discipleship, I want to bring up something that I have stressed as a need over and over again. Thus far, due to one reason or another, we have not been able to make it happen as a church. I want to see a complete youth annex on our property. This would include:
- Classes for tutoring and after school events.
- A full-size gym and large stage.
- An event center complete with a arcade room. I would love to see the complex open every Friday and Saturday so the youth of the Janesville area can have a place– a clean, Christian, wholesome place — to just come and hang out. I would love to see the complex on the grounds of New Life Assembly of God!
- An office suite.
We have an excellent youth ministry with excellent students and youth leadership. I see the youth center as being an extension of what the Lord has placed in our hands.
Doing this would free up the New Life Center to be a wholly dedicated children’s area. Again, we have excellent children’s programs under the leadership of Pastor Laura. I would love to give her the complete east end of the church and turn her loose. Pray with me about this. Also, see if the Lord speaks to your heart about giving to this need.
Another part of this discipleship dream is year-round program to train aspiring ministers of the Gospel. This is an another area where the Lord has expressed to us His obvious blessing and favor down through the years. Do you realize there are churches that never produce someone who desires to go into full-time vocational ministry? On the other hand, New Life has produced a good number of pastors and staff pastors, ministry spouses, missionaries, music ministers, and the like. Let me direct your attention to the list that is up on the screen. We do have a number of additional names from an old list, however, we were not able to verify that the people were still in ministry or even alive. As good as this church has been in this area, I am nonetheless convinced that we can and we must do better.
Before I get to some of the specifics of this vision, I want to share something that is heavy on my heart. Anytime that a pastor speaks of raising up the next generation of pastors, teachers, missionaries and the like, people say, but what about Christians who chose not to go into full-time Christian service? I understand that question. It is important to me. In fact, I am thrilled that New Life is presently raising up students who aspire to be doctors, lawyers, businessmen and women, teachers, members of the military and more. I mean we actually have people right now who are pursuing these and other life skills. They are going to be a powerful force for good and for God in the market-place.
However, I want you to understand, the church does not look to Sears, Woodmans, to the US Air Force, or the Chicago School of Law to produce ministers of the Gospel. That is simply not their thing. If there are to be ministers to serve the next generation, the church is going to have to have a hand in raising them up, training them, and equipping them. The church has got to be intentional about it.
Therefore, as a part of this vision, I am wanting to see New Life produce a year round internship program. This would include Bible college courses that are available here or though our district’s school of ministry in Milwaukee. Plus, we would offer hands-on training while working side-by-side with one or more of our pastors. Various preaching – teaching assignments in the sanctuary, before the youth group, in rest homes, as well as other venues. New Life obviously offers numerous ministry opportunities during any twelve-month period. A school of ministry is just a natural fit for this church.
Another item here. Pastor Jason has already noted, we want to establish some sort of school of music here at New Life. This has been another long term dream of mine for this fellowship. I believe with all my heart that if the church world doesn’t act soon to produce more musicians, the church is going to experience a crisis in ten years or less in this area. The church universal just isn’t training and equipping enough talented instrumentalist as well as vocalists. It is hard to have a praise team without people to staff it; it is also hard to have a praise band if people no longer know how to play an instrument.
While here I want to add a thought about the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit of God provides the power to drive ministry; to drive a successful discipleship program. New Life is a Pentecostal church. That means that we model our services after the church found in the New Testament in the book of Acts.
So far this year I have taught on the Holy Spirit from this pulpit, taught on it as well in my Bible study class during Sunday school. I have also stressed to my staff that I want them to spend some time centering on the work of the Spirit as well. Finally, I intend to start a series of messages in November on the nine manifestation gifts of the Spirit found in 1 Corinthians 12.
I crave an environment where God regularly shows up in our services and in our lives outside of the church! I have prayed numerous times that people will sense the presence of the Spirit of God when they drive onto our property; when they walk into our building.
Again, I want to experience God – I want our youth to experience God in our time. Not just read about it in some book. As I noted in the series on “Moving to the Core”, the Holy Spirit is one of our core values here at New Life. Our discipleship is Spirit-filled discipleship.
3. OUTREACH
Freedom Fest certainly deserves mention here. Who would have imagined that it would have become what it has become in ten short years? Who can envision what it might be in another five years or ten years, should Jesus tarry?
I really see a need to purchase the twelve acres across Highway 14. That is where we shoot off our fireworks. We currently hold a first option on the property. At some point in time, we are going to have to exercise that option, or we are going to lose the chance to gain the property. That would be a shame. I see us gaining that property as being the next major move for Freedom Fest.
Some have suggested that we make Freedom Fest a two-day affair. Others have wanted it to evolve into a full-fledged Jesus music festival. Each of these as well as other options have been and will continue to be discussed as we feel directed by the Lord.
I loved the Service in the Park last week. What a beginning. Again, there is no telling where that event might end up in ten years. I am excited about the prospect. I would also like to see us in time plant a church close to that area, but more on the west side of town.
Also under outreach I want to touch on our Internet ministry. Hardly a week goes by that we do not discuss this vital ministry in our staff meetings. Pastor Cameron, Pastor Jason, and Pastor Ben have really moved our website forward and are continuing to do so almost on a weekly basis. The potential that is there nearly blows my mind.
Walt Wilson, the founder and chairman of Global Media Outreach, reports that “each day, more than 5 million searches are done on the Internet for spiritual terms.” On his own Web site, they “see a decision for Jesus Christ every 35 seconds.” As you can see from the chart, better than 15 million people have indicated a decision to follow Christ due to the web ministries of Global Media Outreach.
There are now Internet churches with thousands of members who have never met in real life. Pastor Tom Mullins of Christ Fellowship Church in West Palm Beach, Florida, explains that his church has an online congregation of ten thousand people.
LifeChurch.tv, pastored by Craig Groeschel is an evangelical church that meets in 15-16 locations in five states across the United States (not including the internet campus). LifeChurch was listed in late 2009 as the second largest church in the United States with an attendance of 26,776.
The church began in Oklahoma City in January 1996, with 40 congregants meeting together “in a two-car garage, equipped with just a borrowed overhead projector and two construction lights purchased at Lowe’s for $19.99.”
I understand that the church has seen more people come to Christ through its media outreaches – specifically the internet – than it has in all of its brick and mortar campuses.
In my November, 2000 sermon, I never even mentioned a website. Today, it is my vision to have our website offer a complete worship experience 24/7/365 to every corner of the globe. It is happening!
4. THE GROUNDS
The temple in the Old Testament was the most magnificent place in all Israel, if not on the face of the earth. I want our building and grounds to also serve as a testimony to our love and worship to God.
Thus far this year, we have been able to remodel our sanctuary and to some extent, the foyer. The Toddler Room has also been updated. No doubt, you remember our putting in a new sound and media system earlier this year. Last week a new roof was put on the east end of the building. This afternoon and tomorrow the parking lot will be resealed and stripped – all of this was done without incurring any debt!
The grounds have also received a great deal of attention this year with multiple trees and scrubs going in – with more coming. The area where the pipeline went in during late Spring is set to be reseeded sometime this month.
Having said all of that, I would like to see us add a large pavilion in the center of the grounds. This would replace the food tent at Freedom Fest. It would also be available for wedding receptions, family reunions, parties as well as outdoor potlucks and services. The end result of all of this will be grounds that will look better than any park around and will, again, bring honor and glory to our Lord.
I believe that even the building and grounds can help serve to make Janesville and area Christ conscious.
5. THE NEW FELLOWSHIP AREA IN THE FOYER.
This improvement is coming soon and will include tables and chairs as well as a very sharp coffee bar.
Fellowship is so important in the life of a church. Acts 2:42 confirms, “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”
AS I CLOSE OUT THIS MESSAGE, I WANT TO LEAVE YOU WITH ONE FINAL ILLUSTRATION:
“Tell me the weight of a snowflake,” a robin asked a wild dove. “Nothing more than nothing,” was the answer. “In that case”, said the robin, “I must tell you a marvelous story,” “I sat on the branch of a fir, close to its trunk, when it began to snow–not heavily, not a raging blizzard, no, just like in a dream, simply light fluffy snow. Since I didn’t have anything better to do, I started counting the snowflakes settling on the twigs and needles of my branch. There was only a few at first, but then the numbers kept climbing and climbing until the number reached exactly 741,952. When the next snowflake dropped onto the branch– nothing more than nothing, as you say–the branch broke off.” Having said that the robin flew away.
As I read that story, I couldn’t help but wonder:
- How many great causes fail one voice short of victory?
- How many needs are one prayer short of being meet?
- How many people are one witness short of finding Christ?
- How many problems are one dollar short of being solved?
- How many mountains are one shovel short of coming down?
- How many times do we quit one moment too soon?
We are not going to quit dreaming, working, praying, or serving. As someone wisely noted, “It is always too soon to quit.” No, we are moving forward in the power of the Holy Spirit and with THE POWER OF A DREAM.
