It is hard to believe that in a little over a week, we will have occupied our Ministry Center for a year now! What a great and awesome year it has been! Looking forward to our Celebration Sunday on July 20, where we will look back and look forward.
In the coming year, I want us to look at who God has called us to be as Community of Joy! We will do that by looking at where God has placed us and the needs that are present there and by looking at who we -- what are the unique capabilities and resources God has given us and what particular focus most energizes us.
For me, I want to see us actively live our vision... being the hands and feet of Jesus and being a place where relationships matter. I want to see us identify ways we can make a profound difference in our community... ways we can bring up there, down here! Moving from an attractional model of ministry to an incarnational model of ministry.
I have a hunch that two groups of people that we can actively reach out to are the homeless and the university students...
What would happen if we reached out to the university students by sharing cold water on move-in day, inviting them to a free meal that night, then to another free meal the next week and then to our pork roast, and then we opened our building as a place to hang... sharing refreshments, free wi-fi, opportunities to connect?
What would happen if we purchased some property to turn into a transitional housing situation for a family on the edge and mentored them with life skills, financial counseling, and shared love with them?
What would happen if we bought a property and developed a training facility like DC Central Kitchen that would train street folks as we feed the hungry in our community?
Or what would happen if the burning desire of your heart became a reality and we found other ways to be the hands and feet of Jesus by actively reaching out with his love, hospitality, hope, healing, and peace?
It's time for us to think about, pray about, dream about such things! The growth of the church will be a by-product of our efforts to be the tangible kingdom of God!
In the coming year, I want us to look at who God has called us to be as Community of Joy! We will do that by looking at where God has placed us and the needs that are present there and by looking at who we -- what are the unique capabilities and resources God has given us and what particular focus most energizes us.
For me, I want to see us actively live our vision... being the hands and feet of Jesus and being a place where relationships matter. I want to see us identify ways we can make a profound difference in our community... ways we can bring up there, down here! Moving from an attractional model of ministry to an incarnational model of ministry.
I have a hunch that two groups of people that we can actively reach out to are the homeless and the university students...
What would happen if we reached out to the university students by sharing cold water on move-in day, inviting them to a free meal that night, then to another free meal the next week and then to our pork roast, and then we opened our building as a place to hang... sharing refreshments, free wi-fi, opportunities to connect?
What would happen if we purchased some property to turn into a transitional housing situation for a family on the edge and mentored them with life skills, financial counseling, and shared love with them?
What would happen if we bought a property and developed a training facility like DC Central Kitchen that would train street folks as we feed the hungry in our community?
Or what would happen if the burning desire of your heart became a reality and we found other ways to be the hands and feet of Jesus by actively reaching out with his love, hospitality, hope, healing, and peace?
It's time for us to think about, pray about, dream about such things! The growth of the church will be a by-product of our efforts to be the tangible kingdom of God!
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