Pentecost Vision

In Acts 2, we have a description of the church in its earliest manifestation. What an exciting, inspiring way of life that we see there.

Acts 2 is Our Vision text. A vision text for a church is that scripture that God has drawn us toward, which is serving as a guide to God’s preferred future for us. Several years ago, we came together as a group of Christians to really look hard at what God was calling us to do, and more important what God was calling us to be. Because this text in Acts 2 is really describing a way of life, more than it is describing a thing to do. A way of living and being with each other and with the world, rather than a list of instructions about what we are supposed to do. Our vision as a church in the 21st century is the vision of the early church that we see in Acts 2 - Inviting and bringing people into a vital relationship with Jesus Christ. This is the life the Spirit brings!

42They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Our vision, then, is to invite and bring people into a vital relationship with Jesus Christ… What an incredible vision of the church! People so totally devoted to God that their life together was charged with the Spirit’s power. Believers loved each other with a radical kind of love. They took off their masks and shared their lives with one another. They laughed and cried and played and sang and served together in authentic Christian fellowship. Those who had more shared freely with those who had less until socioeconomic barriers melted away. People related together in ways that bridged gender and racial chasms, and celebrated cultural differences. And God added to their numbers day by day those who were being saved!