Last week, I blogged about God’s leading for more Vista sites — the vision is for five total sites (including Dublin and Worthington) by the end of 2015 (#5by15)!
I want to continue our conversation by coming back to the focus of Vista Churches: missional. If we plant a new site that isn’t first missional, isn’t us living on the Gospel’s Edge, then we will have failed to do and be what God has called us to. What do I mean? Well, let me tell ya…got time?
It has always been the Vista intention to champion the normal Joe and Jane Christian, like you, like me. We have always believed that for the Church to do what Jesus set it on course to do, that it must rely on the Spirit-empowered work and lives of the multitudes, not upon the few “professionals.” We professionals have our roles (like coaches) but the game is won with dedicated, committed players! For us, players are those who have trusted Jesus and are now compelled to share the undeniable and phenomenal truth about Him with the lost and hurting world we rub elbows with daily.
We’ve worked hard for seven years to build a track, a model, a platform upon which Vista Churches (“the church”) can do its thing without being overburdened or distracted with some of what the American Church must be. That is, we have worked hard to free up Vista Sites to do organic, real-life, time-required, work outside church walls — with neighbors, associates, family, friends, etc. — while we replicate basic Sunday offerings (that we nonetheless hope are a powerful contribution to the cause…just not central).
As a team we can reproduce a quality “Sunday morning” that includes worshipful music, biblical teaching, Kids Community and leadership equippers and equipping tools, but that’s not church. Church is us getting it done out in the street, interacting with those far from God, engaging, loving, serving, storytelling, being.
Our goal — Jesus’ goal for the church — isn’t to simply be a movement, but to be missional. The goal is not to be the latest, or best movement, but to be the best, even if utterly unnoticed, missional community. Simply being a movement is a failure. Being missional is the calling of Jesus on the church.
Missional Movement or bust.
Hi Tracy,
Without a doubt we will be hearing and learning from those who are experienced! A must!
As we move forward to open a new Vista site will there be an opportunity to hear from the people that were instrumental in getting the Worthington site going? Maybe a panel of people sharing stories and a time for questions and answers?