a need for vision

Over the next five weeks Shane and I are going to be doing some blogging on each of the five p's of Bend City Church.

praying with utter dependence on Christ

proclaiming the gospel to believers and non-believers

pursuing lives of worship and service in community

partnering in ministry for the gospel

preparing leaders to do the same

I suppose that there are a good number of reasons why vision is important, but I only want to touch on two of them.  1) Vision Puts Life Into Perspective 2) Vision Helps Us Restrain Ourselves Toward That Which We Envision.  We, as people, tend to be very short-sighted which makes it naturally hard to see any situation in light of the bigger picture and this can lead toward giving up at the first signs of hardship.


Vision Puts Life Into Perspective 

Hebrews 12:2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

When Jesus looked at the cross He saw at least these two things: immediate shame and future joy.  The immediate shame of the cross was put into perspective by the future joy that the cross was producing.  This is what vision is supposed to do for us - put immediate life into perspective of future significance.  The bible does not say that Jesus enjoyed the cross - no He endured the cross.  The cross means pain, shame, and death.  But Jesus saw a bigger picture.  He saw himself seated at the right hand of the throne of God and He saw a means of salvation for all who would look to Him.  In a word - He saw joy.  Jesus was enabled to endure torment because of this vision of the future, and God has designed it so that we too are empowered to endure in light of a vision of God's future.  


Vision Helps Us Restrain Ourselves Toward That Which We Envision

Proverbs 29:18a Where there is no vision, the people cast off restraint. (ASV)

A medical student with a clear picture of being able to help save lives will endure many years of study.  Take away his clear picture of the future and the immediate hardships of school will overwhelm that student to the point of quitting.  Sometimes we need more discipline but often times we need more vision.  We need this short life put into  its proper perspective.


So what do both Shane and I see?  We see that one day all people will stand before the throne of the living God to give an account of everything that was done while in the body whether good or evil so that each person might receive what is due him from the Lord (2 Cor 5:10).  This is why the mission of Bend City Church is to call all people to live for the glory of God enjoying Him completely.  The five p's are what Shane and I feel that God is calling all of us at Bend City Church to restrain ourselves toward in order to prepare each other for that Day when we will give an account.


We hope that you join us as we blog about the five p's over the next five weeks and don't be afraid to leave a comment or two.

Mission

"We exist to call all people to glorify God, enjoying Him completely."

The mission of Bend City Church has 2 main points.

1) The first main point is that every person was created for two purposes, without exception. Every person was created to glorify God (Isaiah 43:6-7, 1 Cor 10:31) and to enjoy Him completely (John 15:10-11). Although each person could have a different gifting, personality, calling, life standing, or vocation, these two purposes are common to all men and women.

2) The second main point is that God has called His people to call others to fulfill these purposes in God. Jesus commissioned his disciples in what we call the Great Commission to make disciples of all nations, baptizing in the name of the Father, Son, and Spirit, and teaching them to obey all He commanded.

Put these 2 points together and you get the mission of Bend City Church. It is our hope that the community of believers that makes up the church be on this mission; that Bend City Church would be a missional community.