Making this vision a reality
In order to make a vision become a reality you have to add one important ingredient: intention!
In other words, the vision of “living to make a difference” and "being a Christian heart at the centre of the community" can't be left as nice straplines. We moving towards it by taking action and creating strategy.
Three important strategies have emerged.
Discipleship, Outreach and Serving the community.
- Discipleship
(Helping people to live as Christians) - There is a spread of discipleship that we'd love to see across our adults, children's and youth work. It's possibly our most vital area of church life. Key movement is being made to strengthen our homegroups for better discipleship.
- Outreach
(Helping others to see God's goodness) - This strategy helps us think through how we will share the good news with the community around us.
Examples include: Alpha courses, Saturday breakfasts etc - Serving the Community
- One of the key strategies for making a difference is to be involved serving the community. This is a high priority at St Michael's...
Examples include: Baptisms, Weddings, Coffee shop, Preschool
Communications Strategy
We are making the most of every opportunity to communicate our vision. God's promises. During our prayer meetings this verse from Isaiah came to mind:
"Enlarge the site of your tent,and let your tent curtains be stretched out; do not hold back; lengthen your ropes, and drive your pegs deep. 3 For you will spread out to the right and to the left, and your descendants will dispossess nation and inhabit the desolate cities." - ISAIAH 54:2-3
It is a familiar verse to St Michael's folk. It incorporates thoughts of obedience to God's calling. God's call to enlarge, to stretch, to not hold back, to drive the pegs deep into God's foundations
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And if we are faithful to this, there are the benefits of obedience, spreading out to the right and left, having many descendants and bringing renewal to what may appear desolate.
