“So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.” Philippians 2:1-3
Vision is not about one man’s dream. We really have to get a hold of this. If we want to see genuine renewal, it can’t be my dream. It must be our dream. We must be united in spirit and intent on one purpose. God has not given me the job of preaching once a week and you the job of listening once a week. Listen, this is so important for vision. If we desire renewal and revival, we must get rid of the idea that we go to church and adopt the idea that we are the church. The priorities of the Scripture are not my priorities, they are our priorities. The ministry of the church is not for the pastors, but for all of us. Making disciples is not my job; it’s our job. If God has called you into this body, renewal cannot happen as long as we are thinking about church as a social group or an event and not like a family or better, a battalion of soldiers stationed in a particular region.
How can I describe this to you? When you are a believer in Jesus, you are not on mission when you come on Sunday or when you participate in an outreach event. You aren’t united in spirit and intent on one purpose once a week. This is a new identity. It’s a new family. It’s a new purpose. And if we want to see God move, we must grasp that. And that means that the vision is not my vision; it’s our vision. True, someone has to articulate it and remind us of it over and over again and that ministry has been given to me. But the church is not composed of spectators in the vision but participants in it. I invite you to be a part of this local church. Grace and peace.