Big Vision for Little People
We're about due for another growth spurt at Gospel Light. I can feel it.
A couple of years ago, my wife and I were struggling with the thought of staying. We had visited a couple of other churches, and were impressed with the verticality of their offerings; something for every age group. My wife made the argument to me that there wasn't enough for our children to do or grow with in our present church. I prayed on it constantly, agonized over it, even.
God spoke clearly to me and said that if Gospel Light wasn't all I wanted it to be, then the right thing to do is stay and make it better, or at least as much as I could. So we stayed. Several years later, my wife and I were asked to lead up the children's ministry. A year later, and I was asked to become pastor of the children's network. I've been looking at all kinds of resources for children's ministries, reading voraciously, and most of all visiting the websites of churches that appear to be growing and vibrant, and seeing what they are doing. There's a lot of great work going on.
Recently, God gave me another big vision. This one is scary big. As we are expecting expansion in the church, I truly believe the children's ministry needs to be strong, to have an identity of it's own, not separate from the church, but distinct in it's own right; a destination, a real place. I really believe that the vision that I have is God's vision. I also know that it cannot be accomplished with the resources we have, thus there must be growth.
I've written it down. Habakkuk 2: 2-3 says thus: Then the LORD answered me and said: “ Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time; but at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry." So I wrote it down in a plan, and the plan is moving forward.
We will take the first big step come September. So keep us in prayer, if you will.
A couple of years ago, my wife and I were struggling with the thought of staying. We had visited a couple of other churches, and were impressed with the verticality of their offerings; something for every age group. My wife made the argument to me that there wasn't enough for our children to do or grow with in our present church. I prayed on it constantly, agonized over it, even.
God spoke clearly to me and said that if Gospel Light wasn't all I wanted it to be, then the right thing to do is stay and make it better, or at least as much as I could. So we stayed. Several years later, my wife and I were asked to lead up the children's ministry. A year later, and I was asked to become pastor of the children's network. I've been looking at all kinds of resources for children's ministries, reading voraciously, and most of all visiting the websites of churches that appear to be growing and vibrant, and seeing what they are doing. There's a lot of great work going on.
Recently, God gave me another big vision. This one is scary big. As we are expecting expansion in the church, I truly believe the children's ministry needs to be strong, to have an identity of it's own, not separate from the church, but distinct in it's own right; a destination, a real place. I really believe that the vision that I have is God's vision. I also know that it cannot be accomplished with the resources we have, thus there must be growth.
I've written it down. Habakkuk 2: 2-3 says thus: Then the LORD answered me and said: “ Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time; but at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry." So I wrote it down in a plan, and the plan is moving forward.
We will take the first big step come September. So keep us in prayer, if you will.
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