Early each year we dedicate one Sunday to set our vision for the year as a church together. Our bigger vision hasn't changed, we're still all about multiplying and maturing wholehearted followers of Jesus, but this is a time where we work out what that might look like for us as individuals and as a community over the next 12 months.
Last year we set ourselves the goal of being part of someone's story. We took it upon ourselves to do what we could to be part of God's work of bringing friends and family to faith in Jesus. It was a great encouragement to see so many take this up and really pray for and engage with others about their faith in Jesus.
This Sunday we will be launching our vision for 2024 - Going Further. We are praying that this year we go further with the opportunities that God provides to know and love him more, to seek and save the lost, and to love and serve our church community.
There will be plenty this year that will challenge us as a church and as individuals to 'go further'. Whether it is going further in conversations with those who don't yet know Jesus, going further in our own spiritual growth, going further in our sacrificial service of one another, or a major one of going furtherto plant a new congregation in the Hutt Valley. We're planning and praying that this year will not be a year of spiritual and missional retreat but of going further.
As the Apostle Paul travelled the Mediterranean sharing the life changing news about Jesus, he was constantly seeking to go further. Further geographically so the gospel might spread to the corners of the earth that had not yet heard of Jesus and also further into the lives and hearts of the people of God.
We see this beautifully in his letter to the Christians in Rome. He wants the Romans to go further in their knowledge and love of God and mature as followers of Jesus as he writes in chapter 1,
'I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong— 12 that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.' (Romans 1:11-12)
But he also wants them to partner with him as the gospel goes further in the world as he seeks support from them in chapter 15,
'But now that there is no more place for me to work in these regions, and since I have been longing for many years to visit you, I plan to do so when I go to Spain. I hope to see you while passing through and to have you assist me on my journey there, after I have enjoyed your company for a while.' (Romans 15:23-24)
We're so thankful for all God has done in and through our church but we can't be content with that when we look at how many in our city remain lost! Please join us on Sunday as we commit to going further together in 2024.
Grace & peace,
Andrew