The Vision of CCW

Where there is no vision, the people perish - Prov 29:18 KJV

Is Vision important? As a twenty-five year veteran of corporate America, I had heard quite a lot about “vision” in that universe, and to be honest I wasn't sure if “vision” had a place in church life.  So as a new pastor I kept my focus on teaching the bible, loving and worshiping God, and loving people.

But as the Lord has grown me over the years, my perspective has changed.  I no longer see vision as a poster hanging on the office wall, but something deeper. Last year our worship team travelled to CC Ft Lauderdale to attend a worship conference, and as I was sitting in one of the sessions I experienced a "God moment."  The session leader was talking about how they spend a considerable time with their worship school students imparting vision into their lives, which would naturally flow into their ministries.  It hit me:  Vision IS important, vitally important, because scripture tells us “Where there is no vision, the people perish” (Prov 29:18).

So last year I began a new ministry – the ministry of imparting vision into our leaders.  Not just any vision, but specficially the vision that God has called us to as a church, right here at Calvary Chapel of Wilmington.

Below is the vision that I have been sharing with our leaders for the past year, and now God has prompted me that it is time to share that vision with our people as well.  It is broken up in the three components:

• Vision – Our purpose, why we do what we do
• Culture – Our principles, what grounds us to our vision
• Environment - How we do things

Our Vision

To bring people into a relationship with Jesus Christ, and teach them to walk with Him in a meaningful and powerful way. 

The Biblical basis:
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you. (Matt 28:19-20)

What it looks like:

• We reach out to everyone we come into contact with – we never assume they are not interested in God, or in visiting Calvary Chapel.
• We pray for the lost, and for opportunities to share the gospel through our actions, and words when necessary!
• We are committed to ministering and making disciples; we give of ourselves to become part of other’s “God Story.”

Our Culture
Truthfully teach the word of God, worship Him in spirit and truth, and walk in the power of His Spirit. 

The Biblical basis:
Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. (2 Tim 4:2)

But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. (John 4:23)

And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. (1 Cor 2:4-5)

What it looks like:

• We are committed to the word of God; Reading it, teaching it, and following it.
• We desire to be filled with, empowered by, and led by the Holy Spirit of God.
• We are committed to our local church, and our church leaders.

Our Environment
We will give our best to our God, doing everything with a spirit of excellence. 

The Biblical basis:
And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ. (Col 3:23-24)

Then this Daniel distinguished himself above the governors and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king gave thought to setting him over the whole realm. (Dan 6:3)

What it looks like:

• We believe that each person is uniquely made by God, and that God gives gifts to every person to be used to minister in His Kingdom
• We believe that each person has been endowed with unique calling and purpose.  Through that through spiritual growth and development of their gifts, they will be transformed into the man or woman that God created them to be.
• We believe that when we show up to serve and minister, we should bring our best as an offering to the Lord.

So, there you have it - WHO we are, WHY we do what we do, and HOW we do it.  I pray that as you consider these truths in your life, that God will prompt you into being a part of what God is doing here at Calvary Chapel Wilmington.

In His Service,

Pastor Clay

2 Samuel 6 - follow up...

This verse has been stuck in my head and in my heart since Sunday:

By those who come near Me I must be regarded as holy; and before all the people I must be glorified. – Lev 10:3

Just contemplating the aspects of who God is:  How He is all knowing, all powerful, and ever present, able to speak the boundless universe into existence, setting it into a perfectly balanced set of physical laws that would allow life to exist.  How He expresses perfect love, perfect wisdom, and endless grace to all of mankind, whether we deserve it or not.  How he desires “…all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim 2:4).

And yet, God is willing to be involved in the smallest aspects of our lives, all we need do is ask.  I read something from Spurgeon’s “Morning and Evening” devotion this morning:

"Thus saith the Lord God; I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them."—Ezekiel 36:37 (KJV)

In other words, all Israel needed to do was ask God, and He would bless them.  What’s so interesting about this statement is that it comes in the midst of a message to the nation about how they had defiled everything they touched.  Because of their sin and rebellion they had defiled the land, their cities, their families, even the name of the Lord had been defiled. But God promised that He would one day cleanse them:

“Thus says the Lord God: On the day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will cause the cities to be inhabited, and the waste places shall be rebuilt. And the land that was desolate shall be tilled, instead of being the desolation that it was in the sight of all who passed by. And they will say, ‘This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden, and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are now fortified and inhabited.’ Then the nations that are left all around you shall know that I am the Lord; I have rebuilt the ruined places and replanted that which was desolate. I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it. “Thus says the Lord God: This also I will let the house of Israel ask me to do for them: to increase their people like a flock. Like the flock for sacrifices, like the flock at Jerusalem during her appointed feasts, so shall the waste cities be filled with flocks of people. Then they will know that I am the Lord.” – Ezek 36:33-38

In a way this reflects our own lives:  Before we knew God, we defiled everything we touched.  Sin ruled our lives, rebellion filled our hearts – but God revealed Himself to us, and when we were reborn by the Spirit we were healed, we were cleansed.  And there is an added promise: If we ask, He will increase our flocks!

Refection:  Wouldn't this be a truth that, when we absorb it into our heart, causes us to regard our God as holy, and worthy to be glorified?

Lord, thank you for saving me, thank you for cleansing me, and thank you that you are a loving and gracious God, so much so that in spite of my feeble being, if I will simply come to you, you will answer my request.

Pastor Clay

To listen to Sunday’s message, go here.