Committing the Vision
A brief summary of an exhortation given by Brother Dan at our Bible study on March 21st. Email Dan with any questionsA few things that are key points about where we stand, where we are at, from where we have come and where we hope to go -- the substance that supports the vision.
Where We've BeenWhy some of us moved here: to be together growing in the faith of Christ, to make being a Christian the most important priority of our lives. To be dedicated, committed and involved full-time in the work, labor, occupation, community and manifestation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This is how we got here or what you've stumbled across -- this is what God has led us together for!
Things we've covered in the last two years:
- Primitive Christianity, our doctrinal statements on the biggies, contending for the faith once delivered (Jude 3)
- Faith without works is dead. This causes us to diverge from other Christians.
- Separation from the world. Christians not being involved in worldly affairs (the military, excessively involved in money making, etc.)
- Simply getting to know each other. 'Can we work together?' "Who are you anyway?" 'Hey I love you brother/sister, let's be in this together!'
More recently, we've been discussing the need to stir up the personal giftings of individuals in the body to minister to the body. There are four things we need to consider in this area:
- Our personal walk
- Our walk with our families and roommates (our closest relationships)
- Our gifts/grace as poured out and ministered to the body -- our responsibility (the next closest relationships, needing to be cultivated)
- Our outreach to the world at large--evangelism, the spreading of the good news with a hope to have some part in discipling of new souls
Our focus needs to be on one aother and not ourselves. We can so easily get so caught up in our own little world.
Keeping our head above water--we can't effectively minister if we are distracted by our own personal wants and the wants of our stuff, protection from the great delusion.
So on to the vision. Generally speaking:
To see a functioning, healthy, mature/ing, helpful, useful expression of the Body of Christ in the Fort Collins/Loveland area. And then upward and onward!
What this would mean is:
A local expression that has the manifesting of the various offices and gifts of the body as expressed in the scriptures.
A few notes first:
Now we are, or should be, currently working on this -- examining ourselves and each other for the manifesting of the gifts and offices -- some are already established and need to be "continued therein," others need to be cultivated or enacted.
An assumption: Much of this aspect of our work assumes a personal dedicatoin on behalf of every single individual involved -- this fellowship, unlike other fellowships and large mainstream churches, does not or cannot support the half hearted believer. Get zealous, we need your sacrifice as does Yeshua, the head of the body. If there is any half-heartedness, that needs to change.
To not spin our wheels and get distracted...
We must have this vision. So we are moving forward hopefully to fulfill this vision of what the Body should be like (which will be a continual learning, growing process-- we will be like Him when He returns and we see Him as He really is), and not just maintaining. This is significant. Our Christian lives cannot be those of maintaining, merely trying to stay above water. We need to ascend lest we stagnate, and if all our dedication amounts to is just staying above water, we have a problem.
So here is some of the vision I'd like to commit that hopefully will serve to do two things:
1. Get us all on the same page (several times in the NT it says we are to be of "one mind," e.g., Php. 1:27, Eph. 4:13) so that we can be patient with one another and help each other get there, and
2. That we could be diligently aiming for this (read Nehemiah 1:1-2:8 with reference to vision, prayer and adversity)
Within the Body: The specifics of the work to do within. What to look like:
1. To come up to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, to each become more like Him and together be His witness on the face of the earth--more particulrly in Fort Collins/Loveland to start with. To be His bride, prepared, spotless, blameless, ready for the return of the bridegroom, waiting for Him with lamps lit and burning.
2. How to do it: the Body coming together as a body. To see what needs to be put in place and act accordingly. Examining ourselves and each other, and tenderly bringing one another to that place or letting each other know what needs there are -- stirring up the gifts in ourselves and each other.
Spending sufficient time with one another. Faithfulness in attendance of planned and spontaneous meetings. Meeting each other's needs--physical and spiritual. Working together for the most needy people among us, keeping dibs on them and communicating it with each other.
Being careful not to spread ourselves too thin, spending time here there and everywhere with everyone, while we neglect that which is immediately in front of us.
3. The power to do it: prayer togetehr. Friday morning 6:30/7am (might need to change this day so everyone can come). We have failed here and this is so crucial. Can we expect the ship to sail without wind?
4. Help we need that's not here: Seeing gifts of others out there that would complete where we lack -- prayer that they would come, that God would send them, making phone calls to other assemblies to see if they have any extra brothers or sisters to send.
Without the Body: Specifics of work to do outside
1. Making local conenctions with individuals to establish friendships, relationships and discipleships. This means each of us having a list of individuals we are looking to further relationships with.
With unbelievers (CSU, Old Town, Front Range, wherever, Walmart)
With other churches, Christian individuals
With other community groups
2. Eventually extending ourselves out -- further into Fort Collins and Loveland. The establishing of more autonomous house churches (testimony of Zack's church in Boulder).
3. To the rest of the country. Replicating the vision of full-time fellowship and the occupation of declaring the Gospel to other cities where we may be led (particularly aiming for the harsher places in this country, reservations, inner cities, Appalachia).
4. To the heathen third world. Having a body that can send and support (in various ways, not necessarily financially) people who live or temporarily sojourn in non-native lands where poverty and unchristianity prevail. This to me would be the crowning achievement for ANY body of believers.
Note: this may be accomplished faster (going to the third world) by joining a larger, more established church/body or mission organization, or people already going to these places (River of Life). I would greatly encourage this, part-time or full-time (if God is leading you). Currently, it seems evident to me, many of us are still growing (recovering) and feeling led to estalish our own little expression, the steps have apparently led in this direction. So while we are here, let us be busy about the Father's work, seeking His leading where we currently reside, work and exist, and pray if He would send any individuals (or all of us) to a more effective place/body/work -- all the while seeking to fulfill this vision here and now.
Right here right now, let us acknowledge there is much work needed to be done here. Where we stand, just the people currently involved need each other to grow, stay afloat at times, and become experienced at being loving, being committed, being consisted, being like Jesus to each other. Let's not neglect the trees for the forest, the nuts and bolts of the vision vs. the vision itself. We want to see the world won for Jesus, but are we willing to do the small tasks before us?
Little potential goal to shoot for: let's keep praying if it is God's will for us to live in closer proximity. It seems this is an obvious thing that can be worked out to engender closer lives with each other. This could be comething that could take years, money, situations and a common desire to manifest to accomplish -- if it is God's will for us. At leart ponder the idea - a little collection of us living and working close together, an obvious patch of people in some neighborhood, seeing our kids growing up together, growing together in love, trials, the work of the ministry. A close knit group that can take in and come around needy people and pour into them the love of Christ. Just think on it. I don't think it's necessary, or necessarily commanded, but it seems it would sure be helpful and nice...
While considering all this, remember, we need to acknowledge where God has brought us thus far and not neglect to tak enot of His work in us. We have become a recognized light in the community at CSU, Old Town, and hopefully Front Range. People have been noticing us for the past two years and can see there are Christians who care enough to openly hate sin and come out, reaching out to people with spiritual truth.
Also acknowledge the relationships that have been made and are being built up and growing, let us not be foolish to forget who we are to each other, that we are a family (of this we need to be reminded, in our broken family culture and to see the spiritual revelation of family as my "brother," my "sister"), and family sticks together. We ought to be one another's precious treasure in the world, seeing we have put off the seeking of worldly riches. Where else would we go? What better thing is there in which to invest our time? Paid positions on church staff is not the only reality to "fulltime" work for the gospel. Our mark of oddness is that while having so many "great opportunities," we seek the heavenly/beyond work of the Gospel, denying ourselves in this world. Paul counted all his advangtages as "dung" to instead have Christ. Not seeking after the things the "Gentiles" seek. If we have much in this world to do--good money-producing jobs that can help support ministry--we have to be extra diligent to keep to and attain the vision.
Acts 1 and 2, being of one accord, one mind, same page, prayer and supplication, apostles' doctrine, fellowship, breaking bread.