Vision for the Future...from 1998
Today our leadership team is going to spend 5-hours together working on the future. We are dreaming about the impact we want to have in our community and across the world. I couldn't be more jazzed about the process and the outcome.
We've gathered input from thousands in the church. And now we will begin to pull that together. To begin, I've asked each person on our senior team to write out their personal view of what the future might look like in five years (today we will share those initial thoughts with each other). As I was writing mine, it jogged my memory to a similar process twelve years ago. Here was how I envisioned the future of Granger Community Church in 1998.
It is the dream of a biblically functioning community, where Christ-followers are continually taking steps in their walk with Jesus. It is a place where all are quickly connected in meaningful and life-changing relationship with others; where care and comfort happens in the context of shared life together; where a plethora of opportunities are available to help seekers and believers take their next step toward Christ.
It is the dream of sending scores of our people all around the world as career missionaries, and sending hundreds on short-term mission projects to every continent.
It is the dream of a campus large enough to support a regional ministry and national training site. It will include a state-of-the-art auditorium seating thousands, a comfortable gathering area for discussion and fellowship for hundreds, a care and counseling center, a technologically advanced and flexible training center, and top-notch childcare facilities. It will be set in a peaceful environment with bright flowers, beautiful trees, pools of still water and sparkling fountains.
It is the dream of 10,000 gathering each weekend to explore Christianity and take their first steps toward Christ, and 4,000 growing together in spiritual maturity through worship, study and fellowship – loving, laughing, and learning together, understanding God’s plan and living life to its’ greatest potential.
It is the dream of a truly cohesive ministry strategy to reach all generations with the love of Jesus. A place where we celebrate the strengths of all and focus on the similarities while accepting the differences.
It is the dream of a people who never shrink back from communicating the truth of God’s Word using relevant and innovative means; where “cutting-edge” is normal and change is readily accepted; where artists are pursued, affirmed, cultivated, loved, and released to use their gift in the church.
It is the dream of a church that makes an indisputable impact on our region, where people of all races and religions will wonder aloud what God is up to at GCC.
- Tim Stevens (February 12, 1998)
So much has remained the same in my vision. And--so much has changed. It's going to be fun to hear everyone's dreams this afternoon. If you have a minute--pray for us!