I Have A Dream

Luke 14:28-30

I have a dream (vision)

“Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, saying, ‘This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’

My vision for this church is a simple one. To expand the kingdom of God! A place where people understand you can be a Christian and not be a part of or attend this meeting or that or not go to this activity or that one or joining this organization or that one. But understanding you can not be a Christian by not being a part of the church.

The Church is not an organization or a club or a business. It is a living growing organism, a culture of love, acceptance, encouragement, a gathering of people looking forward, leaving the past behind for a chance of experiencing the eternal.

You start building first with a vision, or dream if you wish, of what you are building looks like. A house, Church, business or what ever, even a program has to start with someone having a vision or idea of what it will ultimately look like or become.

This vision I see starts with understanding where we must go, or the end result.

1.We must accept a change in our thinking.

We must realize that there are different types of worshippers who worship in the church. For instance:

A. The sensate: they worship God through there senses.

They want to be lost in the awe, beauty and splendor of God.

B.The Caregiver: They worship God by serving others.

C. The Intellectual: Worshiping God with their mind.

Their mind is awakened and they feel closest to God when they first Understand something new about Him or His ways or with His Children.

D. The Traditionalist: Worshiping God through rituals & symbols.Traditionalist are fed by what we call traditional services, what we Have used for 100 years or so, called the liturgy style.

Liturgy is, according to Webster: prescribed forms or ritual for Public worship in any various Christian churches.

You see there are many types or styles of worship but it all leads to God Himself.

Let me use this little story to explain.

There was once a great pianist who was giving a concert in a large hall. When he finished, he received a standing ovation. It seemed everyone loved his performance- everyone except for an old man in the front row. He did not stand. He sat in silence as people around him cheered wildly.

The pianist walked offstage crying. His manager asked him what was wrong and he replied. “Didn’t you see that man in the first row?”

The manager said,” sure I saw him. But he was the only person who wasn’t standing and cheering. Why worry about one old man?” The pianist replied,” You don’t understand. That old man was the composer of the music I played tonight. He is the only one who counts.”

You see, it doesn’t matter what style of worship we use- formal, informal, traditional, contemporary or blended. What matters is that we remember who it is we are called to please.

2.We must except a change in the way we do things

We must look to the best way to grow Gods kingdom, what ever it takes we must do it.

A.We must be willing to give every thing to grow Gods kingdom, what ever the cost. Money, time, effort, everything. We must go on faith not feeling or fear. We can never succeed if we do not and are not willing to move in that direction. Building starts with a commitment, a commitment to the finishing of the project no matter what distractions, pitfalls or shortcomings may come at us. All ways looking to the finished result, the completion not where we are now.

B.We must all be willing to do our part. Our part not trying to get someone else to do it, OUR, personal part. We might not know where we are going or where the end will be just yet, but there are those, the Elders who know and are willing to move with the vision we have started.

3. We must understand the Vision

What exactly is the vision we are working on? Where will it lead?

Who is involved? Ill take one question at a time and explain.

A. What exactly is the vision we are working on?

To expand the Kingdom of God. To reach as many people as we can in a manner they can understand, or where they are, using what we have available here in this building, God has given us. YES I KNOW THE CHURCH IS NOT THIS BUILDING!!! But it is where we need to start from and move out into our community, for the church does meet here.