Learning is Repetition!

I figure if I keep saying it and sharing it, some of us might just start living it. It is really consuming me recently. I have to admit something to you. Right now is the first time in my life that I have ever had such a clear vision! If someone would ask me my vision for CCF 3 years ago, I cringed. Because I was embarrassed. I didn't really know. What a shame! What kind of Pastor doesn't know the vision for the church he is leading? Well, today I was interviewing a candidate for the Youth Pastor position and he had a list of questions. His first question was "What is your vision for CCF for 2008?" Joy filled me! Seriously! I could hardly wait to answer him! I know what it is now!

I wrote the following today in preparation for Next Saturday's discernment morning. If you are a regular reader, it is the same wine in a different glass. Remember, learning is repetition!

Over the last few weeks, we have begun hearing in our messages about the need to simplify our purpose and focus as a church. As I have stated, I believe that these are tone-setting messages for our year and years to come! We have heard that “simple” works and people gravitate toward it. We have also began to take a true look at the way that Jesus illustrated that. He delivered to us 2 simple summary statements that captured what was most important as our purpose and our mission as a church. These 2 statements are known as the Greatest Commandment and the Great Commission (Matt 22 and 28). They basically say Love God, Love People and Make Disciples! Scripture is clear that the greatest gift of love that we can give to God is to be His Disciples (and all that entails) and the greatest gift of love that we can give to people is to influence them into becoming disciples (and all that entails). When we look at the early church in the book of Acts, we saw a model and means by which they accomplished this and GREW! It was through Large Group gatherings in temple courts and Small Group gatherings house to house (Acts 5:42).

Understanding this, what would happen if CCF were to simply and clearly define our purpose as:

Loving God & Loving People

(by building disciples through large groups and small groups)

What would we have to start doing differently?
What would we need to stop doing?
How would we all share in this purpose and begin to spread it and live it?

These and other questions are what we will be doing at our morning of discernment and discussion at table groups next Saturday at 9:00am here at CCF!

I SO hope you are there! This will begin to determine our future as a church!