Pursuing the Full Kingdom Potential of Our Congregation (Read 2 Cor. 5:1-10)
"We live by faith, not by sight.... we make it our goal to please him..." (2 Co 5:7,9)
In a recent book, George Bullard invites congregations to pursue their “full Kingdom potential”. He asserts that this means more than congregations being “healthy” or “faithful” or “successful”. He writes, “I am interested in your congregation being reimaged in the image of God. All too often we find congregations being reimaged in the image of the latest church growth, health, faithfulness, success, or transformation process of humankind. I am interested in helping your congregation understand the context in which you find yourself and then to fully, sacrificially, lovingly, and unconditionally minister among the people in that context.”
Paul invites us to “live by faith and not by sight” and make it our goal to “please God.” During this season of prayerful discernment we are seeking to communally “live by faith.”
For me as a leader that means it’s ok to be unsure of the plans that God has in store for First Methodist. As we humbly, prayerfully, and sincerely, seek His face together, God will reveal them to us. God knows us—our passions, gifts, talents and resources—God knows our community—our neighborhood, their longings, needs, and struggles—and as we communally take up the posture of listening and obeying, He will surely move us forward in pursuing our “full Kingdom potential” for the glory of Jesus Christ.
Bullard writes that this focus comes when we make it our priority to follow the leadership of God. “Kingdom potentials pull congregations forward rather than pushing them forward.”
PRAYER
Today let’s pray that we will respond to the pull of the Holy Spirit!
"We live by faith, not by sight.... we make it our goal to please him..." (2 Co 5:7,9)
In a recent book, George Bullard invites congregations to pursue their “full Kingdom potential”. He asserts that this means more than congregations being “healthy” or “faithful” or “successful”. He writes, “I am interested in your congregation being reimaged in the image of God. All too often we find congregations being reimaged in the image of the latest church growth, health, faithfulness, success, or transformation process of humankind. I am interested in helping your congregation understand the context in which you find yourself and then to fully, sacrificially, lovingly, and unconditionally minister among the people in that context.”
Paul invites us to “live by faith and not by sight” and make it our goal to “please God.” During this season of prayerful discernment we are seeking to communally “live by faith.”
For me as a leader that means it’s ok to be unsure of the plans that God has in store for First Methodist. As we humbly, prayerfully, and sincerely, seek His face together, God will reveal them to us. God knows us—our passions, gifts, talents and resources—God knows our community—our neighborhood, their longings, needs, and struggles—and as we communally take up the posture of listening and obeying, He will surely move us forward in pursuing our “full Kingdom potential” for the glory of Jesus Christ.
Bullard writes that this focus comes when we make it our priority to follow the leadership of God. “Kingdom potentials pull congregations forward rather than pushing them forward.”
PRAYER
Today let’s pray that we will respond to the pull of the Holy Spirit!