When we talk about vision we talk about our purpose – our core mandate, the reason we exist.

We all need vision: Proverbs 29:18

• “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” (KJV)
• “Where there is no vision (revelation), the people are unrestrained.” (NASB)

• “Where there is no vision, the people cast off restraint.” (JND)

Our generation and society have largely failed to understand what church is.

• Many see it as just a meeting on a Sunday.
• Many Christians see it as optional, and chop and change with the latest flavour.
• Many people have forgotten that it is a community of people.

Church is not a person’s vision, or even that of a group of people. Church is God’s idea, and it was started by Jesus .

We need to rediscover God’s vision for church – the plan and purpose He has for His church.

Today you can have your Christianity served up to you without even attending a church, through:

• Conferences
• Conventions
• Books
• CDs
• Christian events
• TV, radio and Internet.

But it’s only by becoming built in to a particular church that we develop the long lasting fruit gained from working alongside others.

It is not just about making a once-off decision; it’s about becoming a long-term disciple; not just visiting another conference or event; but actually belonging to the community of Jesus.

In Matthew 16 Jesus says, “I will build my church”. Jesus called it ‘my church’. He identified himself as both the creator and the owner of the church.

Jesus created the local church, and has the right to define its purpose. The church was in the mind of God before creation. It is part of His master plan for humanity, His narrative for life itself.

We see Jesus’ heart for the house when He finds people being taken advantage of in church. He personally makes a whip, forcefully upturns the tables of the merchants and declares with passion, “My

house shall be called a house of prayer.”

Because Jesus knew the purpose of the church, He also had a passion for the church. We need to develop the same passion.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, February 10th, 2010 at 12:40 pm and is filed under Successful living. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.