This morning I shared again the vision of Springs of Grace Bible Church with our church family:
To glorify Jesus Christ by making much of Him in everything; by doing what He has sent us to do and by loving the people He has given us to love.
This vision or calling has birthed a dream in my heart. I know that God the Father will triumph in bringing a people for His Son. I am thankful to get to be any part in such a glorious cause. I recognize and acknowledge there is nothing in me or our church family that would make us likely candidates to be a part of such a glorious expression of God’s kindness to this city. God surely will do with this city what He plans and in His time and it may well happen long after I am gone BUT I long for and pray and hope and yes DREAM! Won’t you join me? We are praying for laborers to come and join in this dream.
I have a dream of seeing this city transformed into a city filled with people who treasure Jesus above all other treasures and who demonstrate their love for Him by loving others more than themselves – by parents loving their children – and by marriages filled with love and commitment – and by people from all races and social classes coming together as family (brothers and sisters in God’s family) only because of love for Jesus. I dream of a city where the people of Jesus’ family become the father of the fatherless and the giver of hope to the prostitutes and pimps; a city where the people of Jesus’ family offer forgiveness and reconciliation to those in gangs and seek to meet the social needs of our city. I dream of a city where those in Jesus’ family make sure that medical needs are being met equitably, legal justice is provided for all, the housing crises and educational crises are overcome. I dream of a city where the people of Jesus’ family love and care for the disabled and sound a cry of awakening to those living for the “American Dream” that offers real life but delivers eternal death. I dream of a city where the people of Jesus’ family lead the way in working to have in order to give it away because they have an eternal treasure that is sure and certain and better than anything this life can offer and better than anything this life can take from us. I dream of a city where prayer and worship and studying the Bible and ministry to the needy in Jesus’ name are more exciting than national championships and bigger news than billion dollar business deals or weather emergencies. I dream of a city where everyone is offered hope – the real hope of Jesus Christ. I too have a dream.