An Expanded Vision
Well, God has done it again. After seeking what’s next for Friendship; thinking we had discerned a plan of action; and starting the process to implement the plan; even when things didn’t seem quite right in my spirit, God enlarged our small thinking into a God-sized vision. He did this in 1998 and I believe strongly He is doing it again in 2007.
In early ’98 the plan was to build a sanctuary that would seat around 500. As we prayed and listened we sensed God calling us to also build a multi-purpose building to welcome a people that do not like a ‘traditional’ service. So, in acting in obedience we built two facilities.
Since the completion of our sanctuary and multi-purpose building in 2000, our attendance has grown three fold. From an average attendance of 250 in early 2000 in two services, to around 750 today in three services, God has shown us the fruit of our obedience to the enlarged vision He gave us in ’98.
As we’ve maxed out our current facilities we began to ask ‘what’s next.’ Initially we sensed it would be to construct a worship center, as the bulk of our growth has occurred in the two contemporary services. Yet, something didn’t seem quite right about this.
Over the past two months God has led me through a spiritual discernment process. He has pierced my heart during this time with a wake-up call to discover where He’s at work at Friendship. We are blessed to have people of all ages and backgrounds coming, but over the last six months God has brought to us good numbers of 20’s and 30’s. So many in this younger generation are not in church and resist even thinking about attending church. “Boring and irrelevant” are the two words I keep hearing from this age group.
Yet, we are attracting this new generation in good numbers. God has opened for us a window of opportunity to reach a significant segment of our area that is turned off to ‘old ways of doing church.’
Picture with me a Sunday morning in 2010! A couple with two children, park their car. The little boy and girl eagerly exit the car, pulling on their parents to hurry up. They cannot wait to enter the Children’s Center where they can join hundreds of other kids eager to have a fun
time and learn about Jesus. After dropping off their children and feeling secure doing so, this late 20’s couple enter our worship center looking forward to experiencing God in a real and refreshing way. They encounter Jesus and their lives are transformed. Friendship met them where they were, welcomed them, invested in them and they will go invite others to join them as there is something powerful happening here.
We have an opportunity before us to reach this new generation for Christ. It will take a new way of thinking and a different kind of vehicle than what’s gone before. I am willing to die for his vision of doing whatever it takes to reach this generation that are now in our care and influence. I hope you will join me.
And, on that Sunday in 2010, we can praise God that we had the courage and obedience to invest our lives in those who come behind us; those who have joined us in the quest for a life-changing relationship with God’s Son.
In early ’98 the plan was to build a sanctuary that would seat around 500. As we prayed and listened we sensed God calling us to also build a multi-purpose building to welcome a people that do not like a ‘traditional’ service. So, in acting in obedience we built two facilities.
Since the completion of our sanctuary and multi-purpose building in 2000, our attendance has grown three fold. From an average attendance of 250 in early 2000 in two services, to around 750 today in three services, God has shown us the fruit of our obedience to the enlarged vision He gave us in ’98.
As we’ve maxed out our current facilities we began to ask ‘what’s next.’ Initially we sensed it would be to construct a worship center, as the bulk of our growth has occurred in the two contemporary services. Yet, something didn’t seem quite right about this.
Over the past two months God has led me through a spiritual discernment process. He has pierced my heart during this time with a wake-up call to discover where He’s at work at Friendship. We are blessed to have people of all ages and backgrounds coming, but over the last six months God has brought to us good numbers of 20’s and 30’s. So many in this younger generation are not in church and resist even thinking about attending church. “Boring and irrelevant” are the two words I keep hearing from this age group.
Yet, we are attracting this new generation in good numbers. God has opened for us a window of opportunity to reach a significant segment of our area that is turned off to ‘old ways of doing church.’
Picture with me a Sunday morning in 2010! A couple with two children, park their car. The little boy and girl eagerly exit the car, pulling on their parents to hurry up. They cannot wait to enter the Children’s Center where they can join hundreds of other kids eager to have a fun
time and learn about Jesus. After dropping off their children and feeling secure doing so, this late 20’s couple enter our worship center looking forward to experiencing God in a real and refreshing way. They encounter Jesus and their lives are transformed. Friendship met them where they were, welcomed them, invested in them and they will go invite others to join them as there is something powerful happening here.
We have an opportunity before us to reach this new generation for Christ. It will take a new way of thinking and a different kind of vehicle than what’s gone before. I am willing to die for his vision of doing whatever it takes to reach this generation that are now in our care and influence. I hope you will join me.
And, on that Sunday in 2010, we can praise God that we had the courage and obedience to invest our lives in those who come behind us; those who have joined us in the quest for a life-changing relationship with God’s Son.
posted by Calvin at
8:17 AM
1 Comments:
Calvin,
I'm excited about the vision God has for this Church. I know what Friendship has done for my 20's and 30's kids. Kids that wouldn't go to church with me once they were old enough to object....now they have each been on a mission trip, Lisa has seen a miracle in her own life, and Chris is trying to find his way back through Celebrate Recovery. God bless you, Calvin for taking on the responsibility of following God's lead. I know it's hard and you struggle. I know it's a burden that must sometimes seem to heavy to carry. But lives are changing and souls are being saved because you refuse to give in to the temptation of giving up.
Lynne
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