A vision tool I was taught last year involves working with this thought: "What do you want to headlines to read about your church in the next 3-5 years? What does the body of the article say? What are the details?"
As I've shared the past two weeks approaching our 15th anniversary I was drawn to an encounter between Jesus and Simon Peter in Luke 5. Simon and his fishing pals have been out all night fishing and they've caught nothing. Jesus instructs them to "launch out into the deep water" and when they do - against all common sense - they catch so large a catch that two boats can't handle it and they begin to sink. I chose out of that story the phrase: "Church Goes Off the Deep End" as a headline for Cornerstone. I want us to follow God off the deep end, stretching for His vision for us.
Yesterday someone said to me: "That was right on!" Whew, that's good to hear! Vision isn't going to settle well in everyone who hears it.
OK - so that was all some 8 days or so ago and then all hell broke loose in the Raker household for what seems like the umpteenth time in the last 11 months. First John got sick, immediately I got the same thing (but it's lasted much longer) then Caroline had her appendix out, then Kathryn began getting the "guys" virus and I missed worship for the 2nd time in 22 years due to illness. Stephanie, well, mom's aren't allowed to get sick.
So where was I....
Vision. I've heard positive comment after positive comment about some of the vision we shared over the past few weeks. Cornerstone, I believe, it ready to launch out into the deep water. I'm not sure what all that means but I do know it will involve risk and danger and going against some common sense - Just as was the encoutner with Jesus and Peter.
Ken came up to me at our Annual Leadership Summit on Sunday - which I attended but "sat" in the back to hear what our leaders were hearing. Thank goodness for a great team of people who kept the show going! Ken said: "You're under attack and I need to prayer harder for you." Thank goodness for people like Ken. I know there are more of you. And for people like Quinn who help serve some of the practical needs with offers of a a meal. Quinn, you are a multi-talented man. Thanks for being a servant at Cornerstone.
This weekend we kick off 40 Days of Community. We've been planning and praying and anticipating and it's finally here. Praise the Lord! My devotions this morning took me to Ephesians 3:20-21 - in summary - God is able to do more than anything we can think or dream up because of the power he has at work in us. I'm looking forward to see what that is for this 40 Days adventure. Don't miss it!
OK - so that was all some 8 days or so ago and then all hell broke loose in the Raker household for what seems like the umpteenth time in the last 11 months. First John got sick, immediately I got the same thing (but it's lasted much longer) then Caroline had her appendix out, then Kathryn began getting the "guys" virus and I missed worship for the 2nd time in 22 years due to illness. Stephanie, well, mom's aren't allowed to get sick.
So where was I....
Vision. I've heard positive comment after positive comment about some of the vision we shared over the past few weeks. Cornerstone, I believe, it ready to launch out into the deep water. I'm not sure what all that means but I do know it will involve risk and danger and going against some common sense - Just as was the encoutner with Jesus and Peter.
Ken came up to me at our Annual Leadership Summit on Sunday - which I attended but "sat" in the back to hear what our leaders were hearing. Thank goodness for a great team of people who kept the show going! Ken said: "You're under attack and I need to prayer harder for you." Thank goodness for people like Ken. I know there are more of you. And for people like Quinn who help serve some of the practical needs with offers of a a meal. Quinn, you are a multi-talented man. Thanks for being a servant at Cornerstone.
This weekend we kick off 40 Days of Community. We've been planning and praying and anticipating and it's finally here. Praise the Lord! My devotions this morning took me to Ephesians 3:20-21 - in summary - God is able to do more than anything we can think or dream up because of the power he has at work in us. I'm looking forward to see what that is for this 40 Days adventure. Don't miss it!
