Implementing the Vision
Proverbs 29:18 and Revelation 17:17
These past few weeks, we’ve been talking about the vision God has for Gretna United Methodist Church: “Connecting diverse communities to a lifestyle devoted to Jesus.” Now that we know what the vision is, the question becomes how are we going to fulfill the vision and that’s our focus for today’s message. I’ll call these the essential building blocks for implementing God’s vision and building a great church based on God’s vision.
Building Block #1: Sacrifice and risk. Sacrifice and risk are always involved in following the vision that God gives to his servants. Noah had to give up his day job to build an ark. Abraham had to start a family in his 90’s. Moses had to go back to Egypt where he was a wanted man. David had to face a giant. Esther had to risk her life to speak out for the Jews. Mary had to deal with getting pregnant out of wedlock. To follow God takes sacrifice and risk. It may mean giving up something you love so that you can be free to pursue God’s vision. It’s not that what you have to give up is bad, it’s just that you may have to give up something good for the potential best. And that may be the most difficult thing of all. That means you may have to leave the comfortable and familiar to embrace the uncomfortable and unfamiliar.
Stepping out in faith is in many ways like parachuting. You don’t “sort of” parachute. Even from the very first time, you realize that you either do it or you don’t. Visions never become reality until someone is ready to make the jump and that means a leap of faith. You’re either in the plane, or in the air free-falling to the ground. Goliath never would have been defeated had David not stepped out from the ranks of the Israelites to challenge him. Peter would have never known the thrill of walking on water had he not swung both legs over the side of the boat and stepped out into deep water. And we will never experience the fulfillment of accomplishing the vision God has given to us, if we are not willing to take the risk and make the sacrifice that is required. God envisions Gretna UMC as a different kind of church. A church where the leaders and members do whatever it takes to reach the diverse communities of the WestBank for Christ. Where we follow God even when it doesn’t seem to make sense. Where we sacrifice our preferences for the sake of our mission even though it’s not comfortable or convenient.
Building Block #2 – Vision takes teamwork. Vision is never accomplished single handedly. Nehemiah could not rebuild the wall by himself. And Jesus could not accomplish his mission without the disciples. In the same way, I can’t accomplish the vision that God has given for Gretna UMC Church on my own nor can the Vision Team or even the leadership of this church. It is going to take all of us working together.
http://www.pahighways.com/graphics/features/Quecreek12.jpg
In what the news called "The Miracle at Quecreek, nine miners trapped for 3 days 240 feet underground in a water-filled mine shaft. They decided early on they were either going to live or die as a group. The 55 degree (Fahrenheit) water threatened to kill them slowly by hypothermia, so they decided when one would get cold, the other eight would huddle around the person and warm them, and when another person got cold, the favor was returned. "Everybody had strong moments," miner Harry B. Mayhugh told reporters after being released from the hospital. "But any certain time maybe one guy got down, and then the rest pulled together. And then that guy would get back up, and maybe someone else would feel a little weaker, but it was a team effort. That’s the only way it could have been.” The result was they all came out alive together. What a picture of the body of Christ. Visions thrive in an environment of teamwork and unity; they die in an environment of division.
Building Block #3 – Trust God and work tirelessly to fulfill the vision. When God speaks to us we always ask how, but how is never a problem for God. God makes sure that it comes to pass. But we have to do our part and that starts trusting God and work tirelessly to fulfill the vision. We have to learn to stand on what God has promised will come to pass. Remember the story of Mary in Luke chapter 1? An angel appears to Mary and tells her the vision that God has for her life…to give birth to the Savior of the world. How does Mary respond? She asks “how can this be, since I am a virgin?” To which the angel replies, “nothing is impossible with God.”
God’s vision can sometimes seem overwhelming and impossible. When God puts something in our hearts, it always seems out of reach (because it is). God ordained visions are always too big for us to handle. There are always more questions than answers and more obstacles than solutions. But this we do know: God has called us to this and God knows what He’s doing. What God originates, He orchestrates. Our job is not to fulfill the vision. Our job is simply to do what we know to do and then expect God to make up the difference. Think back with me for a minute. Can you remember one story anywhere in the entire Bible where God gave the responsibility of figuring out how a divine vision would be fulfilled to the person that God had given the vision to? Did Moses have to come up with the plan to get the Israelites across the Red Sea? Was it Elijah’s responsibility to figure out how to get rid of all the prophets of Baal? When Jesus told the apostles to feed the 5000, did they have to figure out how to make five loaves and two fish go that far? No! How the vision would be accomplished was not up to them. They trusted God, did what they knew to do, and never lost sight of the vision.
Building Block #4 – Expect criticism and resistance but respond with renewed commitment and fervor. The pastor of a church decided that God was calling the church to a new vision. So at the deacons’ meeting, he presented the new vision with as much conviction and passion as he could muster. When he finished, the deacon chairman called for a vote. All 12 deacons voted against the new vision, with only the pastor voting for it. "Well, pastor, it looks like you’ll have to rethink your vision," the deacon chairman said. "Would you like to close the meeting in prayer?" The pastor raised his hands to heaven and prayed, "Lord! Please show these people that it’s not MY vision but it’s YOUR vision!" At that very moment, the clouds darkened and a bolt of lightning shot through the window, splitting the table in two. The deacons were all knocked out of their chairs as the pastor remained standing untouched. As the deacons dusted themselves off, the chairman said, "Well, that’s twelve votes to two now." There’s always going to be resistance to God’s new work, even within the church. The question isn’t if it’s going to arise but how we respond to it.
There are three things we need to do in the face of criticism. First Pray. Instead of responding to the criticism or defending yourself, talk to God about it. That will enable you to continue to channel your thoughts and energy in the direction of God’s vision, instead of focusing your attention on your enemies. Second, remember God’s provision and protection in the past. It’s by looking back that we can find the energy to move forward. There is no better indication of what God will do in our lives in the future than what he did in the past Third, stay committed to God’s vision. Never waver. The goal of those who criticize is to stop you and get you off track. Instead, in the face of criticism, renew your commitment to the vision.
That leads us to Building Block #5 – Avoid distractions. If you saw the movie Chariots of Fire, then maybe you remember the great runner Abraham. He had won so many races. His coach held up such discipline. But he finally lost one of the races because he looked to the side. Just as he was about to finish the race he looked to see where the competitor was. His coach said to him, that look cost you the race. Life is full of distractions. Important things are often sacrificed for urgent things. There are three primary distractions we face as we endeavor to pursue God’s vision. The first we have already talked about: Distraction #1: Criticism and resistance. Distraction #2: Opportunities – Every day of our lives, opportunities come along that have the potential to distract us from the main things that God has called us to do. Often they are “good” things. But to accomplish the most important things, we must learn to say no to some good things. Just say no and keep working toward the vision. Distraction #3: Fear – At some point or another in our pursuit of God’s vision, we will want to run in fear. We will think about all the “what ifs” and we’ll be afraid of failing. But we can’t let fear distract us. God always has a deeper purpose for the vision than what is visible on the surface. So we must stay the course for the vision and placing their faith and trust in God and His calling.
Building Block #6 – Stick to your core beliefs and values. UM Pastor Zan Holmes tells the story of his mother who would always say to him before he went out to play with the other kids in the neighborhood: “Remember who you are.” In those words, she was reminding him not only to remember who he was but what he believed and stood for. As followers of Jesus, we must not forget who we are, who God has called us to be and what we believe. We all have core beliefs that God has given to us, and we must live them even when it is not easy. We must operate within the boundaries of these beliefs as we move forward in the vision that God has given to us. In addition, we have 5 core values we have identified. These must be the guide for us of who we are and who God has called us to be. They become the anchor in what will be the storms which come our way while pursuing God’s vision.
Building Block #7 – Align everything to the vision. Every ministry must ask how they are contributing to the pursuit of God’s vision. Every decision made and every dollar spent must reflect working towards the vision. Unless we are constantly pursuing the vision in every aspect of our life together, things can get off track in a hurry.
Sir Frances Drake prayed this prayer, “Disturb us, Lord, when we are too well pleased with ourselves, when our dreams have come true because we have dreamed too little, when we arrive safely because we have sailed too close to the shore. Disturb us, Lord, when with the abundance of things we possess, we have lost our thirst for the waters of life; having fallen in love with life, we have ceased to dream of eternity; and in our efforts to build a new earth, we have allowed our vision of the new Heaven to dim Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly, to venture on wider seas where storms will show your mastery; where losing sight of land, we shall find the stars. We ask you to push back the horizons of our hopes; and to push into the future in strength, courage, hope, and love.
