The other day our Pastor asked us to dream about where we wanted our church at in 1, 5, or even ten years from now. He said church Bodies aren’t meant to come and go in a community but to withstand a tempest. Well, maybe those weren’t his exact words but it’s pretty close to what he said. Little did he know I’ve dreamed for years, he just opened up the floodgates to what I want to see God do, for if God’s people can do it on their own, then we do we have any need for Him at all. Why bother to dream if you believe your church can do it yourselves?
When I think about the future I dream about a lot of things, the things which only God can do, mostly. Today I want to share with you just one example. In fifty years I want to see the church thriving so well, we’re sending out well-trained pastors and two hundred people from within our church Bodies to begin new satellite churches. The new church start could be five, twenty, sixty, a hundred or 1000 miles away it wouldn’t matter, the point of this dream suggests the church Body from which they would leave, to go build the new church Body, is strong with love and faith in God; has a mindset on reaching others for Jesus Christ; and are willing to make sacrifices to fulfill the will of God to make such a thing happen.
I even dream about stuff that seems completely incongruous, what I dream of is, let’s get the “Beam me up Scotty” thing going already! I guess it’s called a transporter, but a transporter is anything from a pair of roller blades to a space shuttle. So we have to define this dream, I want the real deal, the transporter from “Star Trek”. This way when it comes time to move the 200 people and the new pastor it takes only a few seconds and not several months. Much easier this way and families don’t get separated while one goes ahead of the rest to find work, a dwelling place, etc.
They all leave together, they all work together towards gainful employment and housing for each family who has moved to the new place. Why? Simply put, love, fellowship, and kinship. As Christians, we’re all part of one big family already, we belong to and in the Family of God. This makes us beyond just friends and neighbors. Under Jesus’ Blood, we are brothers and sisters to Him, and to one another – that’s something pretty special.
You see, there’s nothing wrong with large or big, or huge, or mega-churches; but how are we going to reach all the areas of the United States and or other Countries if we Christians congregate in our own comfortable congregational church buildings?
“We’re desperate,” We say, ” for more missionaries on the field! Pray see if God wants you to go out on the missions!”
However, believe it or not, my fellow Christians, it’s not just our missionaries responsibility to reach out to other people who are lost in the world. It is our responsibility too! This means us, the everyday “regular” congregation members. Inviting people to church so they can hear the Gospel message is not what Jesus said to do; sharing the Gospel message with other people, one on one, is our responsibility. Matthew 28:19-20 says this, “19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” People attending church after they accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, well, that’s their responsibility and often a very a deep want in their heart along with reading the Bible.
Jesus gave this command in Matthew to all His followers, not just to teachers and preachers, but all His followers. However, the opposite appears as norm and not exception. In my dream for the future, yes, there would be no more large or big, or huge, or mega-churches, but wouldn’t that be awesome? Because then we would be having a Christ healthy church in every town or in every farm area in every country on earth. It would mean people being snatched from the edge of the fiery pits of hell itself and we could have a part in it! Praise God!
This dream, is a dream in which, there would be no shortage of missionaries because everyone in the Body of Christ will have finally taken on their rightful and Jesus assigned role as a missionary to the lost. Every congregational member of the church Body would have a deep compassion and longing for sharing the Gospel with those around them.
In the book of Revelation, in the Bible, the church Bodies get judged for their works, then the saints get judged. How will our churches today hold up under God’s scrutiny? How will we and our works as Christians hold up? How about fifty years from now?
Did you hear that whisper? Shhh, Listen... 