Our Third Meeting

We've been doing a lot of brainstorming in our meetings thus far.  What we've really been doing is beginning the process of building trust and teamwork.  We haven't gotten very far down the field yet as a Mission/Vision Team, but we are in the training phases of understanding each other, understanding the issues, and working together.  But we haven't arrived in any of those areas yet.

It's interesting to watch.  I'm the newbie.  I see a different perspective of the group than they see of each other.  Sometimes, we have a tendency to put people in boxes over time and see things from only one perspective.  As I've infused some new blood into things and we've brought some new people into the mix, there's a new thought process taking shape.  I think it's going to be a very strong process.

what I see in the process is a team of people who are coming to a clearer understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the church.  Over the next few weeks they will get some perspective on the demographics of the area we're seeking to reach.  And last night we began to pick over the process of the great commission - what we're called to do.  Matthew 28:18-20 serves as the great commission - a commission to go and make disciples. 

We also handed out copies of a book called, "The Externally Focused Church."  In this book, the author says the goal of the church is to seek the lost and serve the least.  While we do that, we're building community amongst ourselves and we're growing disciples together.

There are no more meetings planned for a couple of weeks.  We've got some assignments to work on over the next few weeks on studying the community.  It's a time of reflection.  Hopefully we'll see some parity of who the community is and how we would be able to reach them.  We'll also, likely, see some disparity and have to take some stands or make some changes.  Both are feasible.  

Please keep praying for the process.  I think things are going together well.  Last night we looked at sample mission statements and talked about what we liked and didn't like in those.  It was the beginning of discovery as to what a mission statement is and how it works.  

Mission is like the hub of a wheel.  The hub is attached to something solid (Jesus), and the wheel (everything the church does) turns on the hub (the mission of the church).  Every decision we face in the future will be measured against whether it will help us accomplish our mission or not.  In other words, we're going to do things on purpose, not by accident.  And our mission is our purpose.  

Hungry? Feed Yourself!  Break the Famine (Amos 8:11)

roger walter

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Senior Pastor Seventh-day Adventist Community Church of Vancouver

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