Westminster Community Church
Meet the Father, become like the Son, release the Spirit
Vision
When we talk about vision, we're talking about what isn't yet reality. We're asking God to show us with spiritual vision, His desire for our future. Our longings and His wisdom mix in a wonderful picture of an ideal destination. How should we be? What could we be? We're imagining, dreaming and longing for a better place, for a better future.
Ultimately our vision is heaven! A place where "the dwelling of God is with men.. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain.." Rev 21:3-4. Short of that, we long to bring heaven to earth: Jesus taught us to pray "your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven"
Yet we minister in a fallen world that is groaning under the consequences of man's selfishness, pride and indifference to God. So many people are in pain, and wounded spiritually, emotionally and physically. Whilst longing for heaven, we share Jesus' friendship with the dis-advantaged, the marginalised, the sin-wrecked and the poor (Luke
As we seek to become heaven on earth, in this broken, hurting world, we want to become a people and place of:
- The Presence of God (Meet the Father)
The Presence of God (Meet the Father)
Our greatest need is not for a higher standard of living, improved schools, safer streets, better healthcare, wiser politicians, more harmonious communities or even "bigger and better churches". It is for more of God. We long for Him, seek His presence, hunger and thirst for Him. In Heaven He is at the centre of everything, dazzling all with His presence: how we want that here & now! Although God is everywhere (Ps 139:7-12), we've all known places where He isn't that obvious! We want our church to become a place and a people where God is obvious, where He is "manifestly present". Where he can be sensed. Where He can be experienced. We don't invite un-churched into an academic understanding of some doctrine (however true it might be), but into a life changing relationship with the living Lord Jesus, which is tangible, understood and experienced.
It will be obvious by the love. The supreme revelation of God is love (1
When God is present it is like an "atmosphere": the anointing of the Holy Spirit, an intimacy in worship, an expectation and hunger for God, a longing for revival.
When God is present by His Holy Spirit, miracles happen: "the blind see, the lame walk, the sick are healed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised and the good news is preached to the poor"
We want to become a people and place of the Father's unconditional love, the Lordship of Jesus, and the the activity and anointing of the Holy Spirit. God's supernatural church, for ordinary people. We want God's presence to be at the core of who we are.
Discipleship (Become like the Son)
Living things grow. If they don't grow, they're dead. We want to be a church where we're all growing spiritually. And that means discipleship. It means not just learning more about God in theory, but becoming more like Jesus in practice. It means a place of accountable, transparent, non-judgemental relationships. It means knowing others and letting ourselves be known. It means a place of encouragement, endorsement and love, and also sometimes of challenge. It doesn't mean "heavy shepherding", but nor does it mean "anything goes". This flies in the face of our individualistic consumer society, and looks more like a wonderful, loving, caring family, where roles are filled and responsibilities undertaken. It's Jesus' command (Mt 28:19-20). We want discipleship to be at the core of who we are.
Jesus didn't live for himself. Nor do we. At the core of who we are is a desire to reach out to those who haven't heard or haven't understood the gospel. At home and abroad. With friends and with strangers. With those who look like us, and those who don't. We are a "sending church" with a world vision. We are a community church with care for our immediate surroundings.