I was talking with a friend of mine this week about church stuff. He was sharing many frustrations with the way his church did things. He talked about not reaching the youth and being irrelevant. He said what it really boiled down to was this; they have no vision! He said that no one from his church could tell him what their vision was, why they existed or who they were trying to reach. In an environment like that there is always decline. People will not follow a leader without a vision. People will not be attracted to the church without a vision.
I am so thankful that at the church I attend, NewPointe Community Church, we have a vision. If you ask anyone on staff or in a leadership position they would say the same thing. Our vision is to “Lead people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ”. We will use whatever means is necessary to bring people to Christ and then help them grow in that relationship.
We talk a lot about what your next step is spiritually? We try to always make it clear what their next step could be. Then the person has to make a choice to either take that step, wait, or not take that step.
I felt bad for my friend, because he was at the end of his rope. He had tried to bring about change, but got very little help and a bunch of resistance. Changing a church is difficult as is changing people. However that is what God has called us to do. Transform ourselves and the church, so that we can be salt and light to the world.
My pastor wants to change the world! I love that and want to be a part of that. I want to be part of a movement that God is creating. A movement to impact our counties, our state, our country and our world. The local church is the hope of the world. Unfortunately many churches choose to ignore the world and circle the wagons and put up do not enter signs.
Where their is no vision there is decline or death. The Bible says with no vision the people perish.
