Vision 100 Leadership Stretch Cont.

Another factor that Vision 100 leaders need to be aware of as the network grows is the development of an a growing independence in the Network. In the early stages of the movement, there was enthusiasm and a strong desire and necessity to work closely together.  But as we grow it is important that existing leaders do not drift apart and new leaders coming in are caught up in a a sense of spiritual movement. In order to encourage this, Vision 100 can do several things:
(1) Continually cast the vision and values for the movement.
(2) Call people to regular prayer for the movement.
(3) Ensure new and existing leaders attend the annual Vision 100 Leaders conference.
(4) Ensure the Vision 100 Committee is representative of the whole Network.
(5) Involve new leaders are involved in organising the different Vision 100 events.
(6) All leaders and apprentices across the Network meet together (not necessarily often, but) regularly socially and for prayer.
(7) Vision 100 needs to constantly review what it does to ensure that it is assisting leaders and contributing to the work of the local church, and not adding any unnecessary load in what is often already a very busy ministry.

As mentioned previously, prayer is vital to the work of Vision 100, and it must start with the leaders. There is nothing that will create a sense of independence in the work more, than a lack of praying together. Prayer is the work, and does more to strengthen the Network, and align it to God's vision, than any other activity.
(1) As we pray together we acknowledge this is God’s work
Christ said “I will build my church.” Christ rules the church as it’s head and leads the work.
(2) As we pray together we express our dependence on God
We live in a resistant, hardened, secular culture.  Only God has the power to change people’s heart. We need the Spirit of God be powerfully at work in the movement.
(3) As we pray together we make ourselves available to Christ for his mission
We express our desire to serve, and acknowledge that it is a singular privilege to serve. Our service to the King is the best work there is.
(4) As we pray together we demonstrate our love for the lost
God seeks lost sinners and we are his representatives. We want to align ourselves with God’s heart.
(5) As we pray together we take the opportunity to confess our sin
We need to confess our fear & lack of boldness, and our lack of willingness to step out of our comfortable risk-adverse lives. We need to confess our self-reliance when we do thing in our own strength.
(6) As we pray together we express our need of each other for the work
The whole body of Christ is needed for the work. Unity is Christ is essential for the work.
(7) As we pray together we praise and thank God for his wonderful grace to us in Christ
In saving us, in growing his church, in strengthening the work, in raising up new workers, and for the joy we have in all this.

May God help us to work closely together across the Vision 100 Network, expressing our unity in the Gospel, in order that the church planting work is strengthened, and more Tasmanians are won for Christ as our Gospel witness spreads to new communities.

Vision 100 Leadership Stretch Cont.

One of the factors that Vision 10o leaders need to constantly address and check is the subtle power of denominational competitiveness.

As a movement Vision 100, because of it's clear values, has been, by God’s grace, reasonably successful in resisting denominational competitiveness and replacing it with gospel generosity towards each other. We have achieved this by joining together through the Vision 100 organisation as follows:

(1)  Sharing resources – preaching, training, Ministry Challenge and other conferences, ideas

(2)  Raising and disseminating funds through Vision 100 Resources

(3)  One joint church plant – Cornerstone (now a Presbyterian work)

(4)  Supporting the University work (AFES & FOCUS) across all participating denominations

(5) Vision 100 leadership and prayer meetings

At present we have several churches from two denominations (Presbyterian and Christian Reformed) and two independent churches (Crowded House in Spreyton and the Evangelical Reformed Church in Launceston) in the network. These churches all share the values of the Vision 100 movement, which are critical to a genuine working together under Christ and in the gospel.

Several other churches have been encouraged to participate, but because they do not share the Vision 100 values, have other priorities, or lack of gospel leadership, have not participated in or joined the Network (St Johns, Anglican and Baptist churches, CRC Hobart and the CRC Launceston). Some of these churches suffer from an unhealthy commitment, either to the denomination, or to liberal theology.

Vision 100 is against independentism, and sees great value in it’s member churches being part of a denomination. Through a radical commitment to the gospel, we want member churches to have a reforming effect in the denominations. At the same time we recognise the dangers of being infected by ‘denominational malaise.’ How are we to guard against the subtle power of denominationalism infecting the movement?

(1)  The Vision 100 leaders continuing to set and example of gospel generosity across the network in practical ways (giving, preaching, training, practical help).

(2) To seek to make Vision 100 networking activities a priority, especially where they are more singularly focussed on the spread of the gospel through local churches. (ie. Tea and Talk has ‘died’ and we are encouraging elders and church leaders to attend the Vision 100 Leadership and Prayer meetings)

(3) Network leaders meeting and working together for the sake of the gospel to support each other, to encourage stepping out in faith and to keep each other accountable.

(4) Promote the denominations working together through joint church planting and other activities through 'Pauline' teams, made up of leaders from various denominations.

(5)  To, as much as possible, direct non-local church financial resources to Vision 100 for distribution even if it is ear marked for a particular work. We need to enlist the wealthy gospel-hearted folk in our churches to regular giving to Vision 100.

Vision 100 Leadership Stretch cont.

Only a living, responsive faith in Christ, persistent pleading prayer, a preparedness to sacrifice comfort, and a humble dependence on the grace of God will lead to the break-throughs necessary for genuine Kingdom growth.

In order for Vision 100 to be like this the leadership needs to be stretched to address the following areas as previously noted:

1. The lack of praying together

2. The subtle power of denominational competitiveness

3. A growing independence in the network

4. The lack of a ‘Pauline team’ Biblical model of leadership

5. The limited flexibility in function and pay of existing and new leaders

6. The loss of urgency for one to one discipleship of all members

I'll address each one of these over the coming weeks.

The lack of praying together

Prayer is not some sort of ‘magic.’  It is essentially a vital expression of our relationship with our Heavenly Father through His Son our Lord Jesus Christ, by the Spirit of truth.

The spheres of prayer are the individual, the church, and the world.  As a child of God, I have been convicted by the Spirit, of my sin and of the great salvation extended to me through the finished work of Christ. That wonderful salvation has brought me into a fellowship of love with other believers (the church). It has also caught me up in the mission of Christ - the spontaneous joyful, Holy Spirit-directed expansion of the church bringing the gospel to a lost world. Each sphere needs my attention, first and foremost in my persistent, pleading prayer.

The key strengthening Agent of the Vision 100 movement is the Holy Spirit. There is nothing like urgent, honest, pleading prayer to quicken us to the Spirit’s power in us and working through us. We need to regularly and persistently call all Vision 100 partners to such prayer. What is it that stands in the way of such prayer? Here are some suggestions:

(1)  Leaders not meeting together solely for prayer. We need a regular gathering of all leaders for times of open, heart-felt, urgent prayer.

(2)  Leaders not communicating the need for prayer (the reason for this requires some soul searching).  We need to make a much greater effort in calling people within the movement to persistent, pleading prayer every Sunday. As leaders we should teach our people how to pray in these times especially by our example. Perhaps we could also produce/find some suitable set prayers for congregational use to help us in this.

(3)  A lack of penitence. We need to, by the Spirit’s conviction, give opportunity for times of confession and repentance from specific sins committed by those within the movement (ie. some dangers we regularly face & fall too include pride (in position, status, ability, influence), lack faith and true dependence on God, materialism and the lack of willingness to sacrifice, including half-heartedness, lack of love for the lost, and a low expectation that the gospel will save – there may be other that the Spirit will convict us of.) Such conviction will only come through the Word of God radically applied to the culture of our day. Where is this happening in our movement?

(4)  Loss of confidence in (& dependence on) the power of Christ & his gospel. We need a clearer vision of the Ascended Christ and of his mission. Christ has all authority and is the Head or Commander-in-chief of the church. The church (that’s us) is to be the Lord’s forward movement in a lost world Such a vision will drive us to pray. We should consider a focus on this in our preaching throughout the movement.

Vision 100's Leadership Stretch

Vision 100 Resources is a network of leaders from various denominations committed to working together for the spread of the Gospel in Tasmania through church planting. We've made a good start, but there is a need for 'leadership stretch' if we are going to break through our current limited impact (Lord willing).

We need leaders to break through the inhibiting forces (evils) that are stopping us from effectively serving our Lord & King, so that his Kingdom will come in power in Tasmania. There is an urgent need for courage to address the following:

(1) The lack of praying together

(2) The subtle power of denominational competitiveness

(3) A growing independence in the network

(4) The lack of a 'Pauline team' biblical model of leadership

(5) The limited flexibility in function and pay of existing & new leaders

(6) The loss of urgency for one-to-one discipleship of all members

These challenges need prayerful, thoughtful and bold responses. The solutions are likely to result in some opposition from the denominations. Only a living, responsive faith in the Ascended Christ, persistent pleading prayer, and a preparedness to sacrifice comfort will enable us to make the break-throughs necessary. May God help us.

What gospel ministry should look like

There are many books on what ministry is all about. If you are looking for one of the great books on ministry, Colin Marshall & Tony Pane's new book The Trellis and the Vine is a must read. Check out Tim Chester's blog for a review, including a video clip from Mark Dever recommending the book on (see http://timchester.wordpress.com/2009/12/03/thursday-review-the-trellis-and-the-vine/)

Ordinary work, extraordinary work

Gospel proclamation is ordinary work. It's not difficult to understand or to do. It is the plain work of spreading the good news of Jesus Christ to people you meet and get to know. It can be done anywhere and at any convenient time; at home, over lunch, after sport, or at a party. The resources for gospel proclamation are always available. It is simple ordinary work. Any idiot can do it!

Yet at the same time, it is extraordinary work. It is supernatural work. It is powerfully effective, transformational work. The gospel changes everything, because God is at work. As the simple message is spoken and heard, the Spirit of God works in the heart of a person impressing on it two great truths, "I am more wicked than I realised, and more loved than I ever dared hope for." By God's mighty, supernatural power those two truths draw the heart to Christ in repentance and faith.

This combination of our ordinary work and God's extraordinary work should give us greater confidence than many Christians seen to have. May God forgive us. It should lead us to:

(0) Thank God daily for his saving grace to us in Christ

(1) Make sure we are clear on the gospel and how to present it

(2) Make time & create opportunities for telling people the gospel

(3) See the image of God in every human being & love them

(4) Pray constantly for God to work through our witness

(5) Make the most of every opportunity (most other thing are less important!)

(6) Expect conversions

(7) Work together with other Christians for support in our witness

(8) Realise that nothing we do for Christ is wasted

(9) Thank God for the privilege of serving Christ in this way

It's that easy. So let's go reach Tasmania for Christ!

Great Sinner, Great Saviour

The gospel tells us, as John Newton, the writer of the hymn Amazing Grace, once put it, I am a great sinner, and Christ is a great Saviour.

How do you react to that statement? What feelings does that evoke in you?

Does it encourage you? Does it make you feel assured and loved? Does it make you want to sing for joy? Or does it make you feel uncomfortable, offended, or angry?

The Apostle Paul tells us that the gospel is the fragrance of life among those being saved, and the smell of death to those who are perishing.

Christians do not want to take the gospel for granted. They do not want to assume the gospel. They wanted it to be at the very centre of their lives and the life of the church. Why? Because they believe it is the power of God to save people.