Where Do We Go Now?
Earlier this year (on Sunday the 26th of January to be precise), I preached a sermon titled ‘Where Do We Go from Here?’. We looked at Jesus’ challenging words in John 6 about the necessity of “eating” his flesh and “drinking” his blood to receive and enjoy true and lasting life (v.53-69), and we talked about where we believe God is leading us as a church into the future.
It seems an odd combination, I know, but the point, I hope, was obvious. Wherever we go, whatever plans we make, whatever steps we take, the point of it all, and the hope through it all, is to bring us all closer to Jesus. This is why the church exists, after all; to glorify God by making and growing followers of Jesus (Matt. 28:20).
In the sermon I spoke about some steps we hope to take in the future to help us keep moving forward as a church. Steps such as a fresh articulation of our vision, mission and values, and a new name and logo. In light of all that has happened so far in 2020 and all the changes that have been forced upon us, you might rightly be wondering: Where do we go now? In other words, are the plans we made for our church pre-COVID-19 still the plans we have for our church now?
Of course, the current situation has meant we have had to adapt and make some changes to the initial plan. We want to be wise stewards of our time and resources, especially in an economically uncertain environment. But we also serve a God who is not constrained by economic downturn or limited by distancing regulations. We still believe God is leading us to step into the future with a new articulation of who we are, as we seek to reach more people with the life-giving message about Jesus. We look forward to sharing more details about this in the future.
It’s also important to make clear that not everything is changing; far from it! We will continue to remain the church family you know and (hopefully) love. We will remain grounded upon the truth of God’s word, committed to prayer, with our eyes fixed on Jesus and our mouths filled with the good news about him. We will remain devoted to keeping in step with the Spirit by growing in fruitfulness and seeking to serve others in love. We will continue to remain devoted to one another, to “…the fellowship, the breaking of bread, and the prayers” (Acts 2:42).
I love our church family deeply, and I know many of you do as well. I am so thankful for what God has done in the past, humbled by what God is doing in the present, and excited about where God may be leading us into the future, for his glory.
Thank you to those who have previously offered feedback, it is much appreciated and has been received gratefully. Should you have any questions or suggestions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Grace and peace,
Adam
