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Calvary Baptist Church |
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God-centered, Truth-driven, Gospel-loving... |
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DISCUSSION OF THE VISION STATEMENT
Introduction: Order & Priority
There are three main elements of our vision statement. There is an order and priority to how they relate to each other, but all the elements are essential. When we are deficient in one, it affects our pursuit of the others. God is supreme over all things so our vision begins with God at the centre. We want is to know, worship and enjoy God in all of life. This is to the central objective in our church.
The second component of our vision statement flows from, and at the same time leads to, that central objective. For example, as we are transformed by knowing, worshipping and enjoying God, the overflow of our hearts will be proclamation and demonstration of God’s Kingdom to those around us. In proclaiming and demonstrating the Kingdom of God, our hope is that more people will come to know God, worship Him and find ultimate enjoyment and peace in so doing.
The third component which includes biblical teaching, discipleship and community, describes some of the practical pathways by which the two primary components are pursued. They also are fueled from the overflow of our hearts in knowing, worshipping and enjoying God. For example, we will want to know more about who God is and what his purposes are (Biblical Teaching), we will want to be transformed into the likeness of Jesus (discipleship) and we will desire to be with His people in a community organized by Kingdom principles (community). This component calls us to action. These pathways must be walked – not just observed from a distance – if we are to know, worship and enjoy God.
However they are expressed, the components of our vision statement are beautifully interrelated with God at the centre. The Christian life flows from a central, awe-inspiring vision of God and as we live our lives – individually and in the Church of Christ – our desire is to see an expansion and deepening of knowing, worshipping and enjoying God. 1. Knowing, Worshipping & Enjoying God
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind…” (Luke 10:27).
“For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen” (Rom. 11:36).
“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31).
“Then will I go to the altar of God, to God, my joy and my delight. I will praise you with the harp, O God, my God” (Psalm 43:4).
“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11 ESV).
“Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world” (John 17:24).
“Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and glory are in his sanctuary. Ascribe to the LORD , O families of nations, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength. Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; bring an offering and come into his courts” (Ps. 96:6-8).
Knowing people involves, first, knowing facts about them and second, entering into a relationship with them. How deep this relationship goes depends on how much we know about their desires and interests, how much we share those desires and interests and how much we seek to exalt the one we love. It is the same with knowing God. When we speak about knowing God, we need to know some essential facts about his character and the more deeply we appreciate these characteristics, the more we will want to enter into a relationship with him. But enter into a relationship we must. Knowing God is about having a relationship with God.
Worship will be the central activity of heaven and it should be our central activity of this life. John Stott wrote that “Christians believe that true worship is the highest and noblest activity of which man, by the grace of God, is capable.” One sense of the English word “worship” is to attribute worth, to worship God then is to ascribe to him supreme worth, for he alone is supremely worthy. When we know God, worship is a natural response. However, like relationships with people, we sometimes take God for granted and neglect to worship Him. At such times we need to be reminded that God is worthy of our worship and challenged and encouraged to offer our lives as worship to Him. We want our church to be a place that helps people to worship God in all of life. This is why our passion as a individual Believers, as a local congregation of Believers and as members of the Church throughout the world should be to worship God, that is, to bring glory to God in all things.
Since God is all satisfying, knowing and worshipping Him should create within us a joy unlike any other.
This should bring intense joy and peace that passes all understanding. Other relevant verses include: Ps 16:5-11; 86; 144:15; Luke 2:10; Rom 10:36; 1 Cor 6:20; 10:31; Phil 4:4; Rev 4:11; 21:3-4.
We seek to know, worship and enjoy God by growing in: Biblical Teaching – the more we know of God, the better we can worship and enjoy him; discipleship – as we seek to be disciples of Jesus we will experience communion with the father as He did; and community – true fellowship based on the unity of the spirit will encourage and challenge us to deeper discipleship and deeper worship and enjoyment of God.
At Calvary Baptist Church we want to pursue knowing, worshipping and enjoying God with all our mind, heart and strength. By God’s grace, he will unfold more and more of what this means as we seek Him.
2. Proclaiming and Demonstrating God’s Kingdom “For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20).
“Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age’” (Matt. 28:18-20)
“But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect…” (2 Pet. 3:15).
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).
“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven” (Matt. 5:13-16).
“Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us” (1 Pet. 2:12).
Proclaiming and demonstrating the Gospel through evangelism, missions and ministry is the second element of the vision statement. They are important concepts and are indeed the subject of commandments from our Lord. The Great Commission to make disciples is frequently put forward as the central element of a church’s vision. Our vision statement describes a different priority for evangelism which we believe gives a stronger foundation for the critical tasks of evangelism, missions and ministry. Knowing, worshipping and enjoying God is the strongest foundation for the proclamation of God’s greatness and demonstration of the values of His Kingdom. If God is supreme in our lives the natural result will be an outpouring of compassion for those around us who do not know and enjoy our God. The goal of proclaiming and demonstrating God to others is bring glory to God and call more people to become joyful worshippers of Him. We proclaim the Gospel because we want more people to know, worship and enjoy God. We want to see more joyful worshippers bringing glory to God and we want to be part of God’s call to all peoples!
We have used three words in this component of our vision to accent three aspects of what is really one activity. Evangelism generally describes the sharing of the good news that Jesus died and rose again so that we might have a relationship with God. When we speak of missions, we want to highlight the need to go beyond our own surroundings and culture and bring the good news of Jesus to people in a cross-cultural context. Ministry describes our call to not only preach the Good News, but to live it by being salt and light in the world. We are to work for justice and righteousness in our society and oppose evil and oppression in all its forms.
3. Biblical Teaching, Discipleship and Community
The third aspect of our vision statement describes the means through which we pursue the central objectives. It is composed of three elements which in turn have many facets.
Biblical Teaching
“Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you. Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers” (1 Tim. 4:13-16).
“…and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God” (Prov. 2:3-5).
“It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” (Eph. 4:11-13).
“These are the commands, decrees and laws the Lord your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the Lord your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life” (Deut. 6:1-2).
We can worship and enjoy God better when we know more about Him - His character, His actions in human history and His expectations of us. Calvary Baptist church believes that the pursuit of biblical theology and doctrine is essential to worshipping and enjoying God. The scriptures are God’s inspired and inerrant revelation to us and we desire to grow in our understanding of this revelation. Biblical teaching is not to be sought as an end in itself, but as a way to know God better. John Piper says it well:
“But to enjoy him we must know him. Seeing is savoring. If he remains a blurry, vague fog, we may be intrigued for a season. But we will not be stunned with joy, as when the fog clears and you find yourself on the brink of some vast precipice. Our experience is that clear knowledge of God from the Bible is the kindling that sustains the fires of affection for God.”
Since its inception, Calvary Baptist Church has placed a strong emphasis on sound teaching and preaching. One of the objectives of our church is “to help people experience a growing knowledge of God through preaching and teaching of biblical truths.”
Other relevant verses include: Pr 9:9-10; Hos 4:6; Jn 8:32; Ro 12:2; Eph 4:11-16; Phil 1:8-10; Col 1:8-10; 3:10; 2 Tim 2:15; 2 Pe 1:2; 3:18.
“For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son…” (Rom. 8:29).
“And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit” (2 Cor. 3:18).
“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Rom. 12:2). Our constitution calls us to “be Christ-like in our daily living by striving for total commitment of life, personality, possessions, gifts, and talents to the Lordship of Christ.” This is the essence of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. Paul counseled Timothy to “discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness” (1 Tim 4:7 NASB). Spiritual formation or discipleship is the process of being transformed on the inside. Jesus teaching focused on the transformation of the heart, rather than the adhering to a code of external behaviour. The progression of spiritual formation is outlined in various passages of the New Testament. It is most fully spelled out in II Peter 1: "Now since you have become partakers of the divine nature, the writer says, "applying all diligence, in you faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge; and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness; and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love." (vvs. 4-7) This process of becoming more and more like Christ is described as discipleship and involves the practice of spiritual disciplines such as bible reading, prayer, meditation, scripture memory, evangelism, fasting and many others.
Community
“How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity! It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron's beard, down upon the collar of his robes. It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the LORD bestows his blessing, even life forevermore” (Psalm 133).
“So that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 15:6).
“We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make our joy complete” (1 John 1:3-4).
“Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful” (Col. 3:12-15).
“By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:35).
The Church is the community that is described as the body of Christ. The local church is the place where we live out and demonstrate the dynamic Christian community described in the New Testament. This community is not only possible, but normative for us. When we fail to experience such community, we miss the fullness of life that God intends for us. Many aspects of knowing God can be best pursued in community. Community includes partnership, participation, contribution and commitment. It implies communication and vulnerability. It is much more than gathering for coffee and donuts. Jesus wanted his disciples to experience a unique relationship when they came together – unique in their love for and their unity with one another. The fruit of the Spirit, led by agape love are the key ingredients in creating a real community. We desire Calvary Baptist Church to be a place where we accept one another and are accepted, love and are loved, shepherd and are shepherded, encourage and are encouraged, forgive and are forgiven, and serve and are served.
There are at least two reasons to make community an important element of a vision statement – one inward related and one outward related: 1) because it is difficult to pursue spiritual formation and Biblical Teaching on our own and 2) because Christian community is a demonstration of Christ’s presence on earth, and the standard the bible gives by which non-Christians can judge true Christianity (John 13:35). True community is something we must deliberately pursue since we live in an individualistic culture that feeds our rebellious “me-first” selves. True community will truly be like a city on a hill that cannot be hidden.
Closing Thoughts…
Christianity is a relationship to be enjoyed and a life to be lived to the glory of God. A vision statement helps us to focus on some key concepts. There are many aspects of the Christian life not explicitly contained in the vision statement, but as it is unpacked, explored and experienced, these aspects will find their place.
This vision statement is meant to guide our ministry as a church. It should be the subject of much prayer. It must be lived and worked out and refined as we sense the Lord leading us. When we consider how we can live out this vision statement, we must acknowledge that none of these elements are “natural” in the human sense. While there is a natural and essential priority to these elements, each element must be proactively and purposefully pursued in God’s strength. Indeed, our vision statement is a reminder to us to challenge us and provoke us.
So from time to time we may decided together to embark on a special effort to highlight Biblical teaching through conferences, or retreats to foster community, or specific missions to reach people with the Gospel. As we embark on these special efforts our vision statement will help us to pursue them in a manner that increases the worship and enjoyment of God in all things for His glory.
Visioning is a process. Let us discuss this vision together, pray earnestly over it and begin to live it in our church. As we do this, the Lord will guide us to a fuller understanding of his call on our lives individually and corporately.
For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.
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