Community Update from Dr. Bob: 7/3/2024
Congratulations Community Church Rancho for getting our annual goals and budgets passed! When we do this in mid-summer, it’s always a good time to revisit and review the overall vision of our church. As you know, the board approved a new vision statement earlier this year—one that is more missional and outward-focused in its goals. Let’s take some time to look again and reflect on that vision we have for our church (italics mine):
We aspire to be a church that makes disciples who make disciples who make disciples. We want to grow as disciples of Jesus while making disciples of Jesus, and we recognize that we cannot do one without the other. As individuals and as a church community, we want to be a people who listen for the voice of the Holy Spirit, discerning where God is at work, and then joining him there. In this way, we will be part of bringing God’s Kingdom to earth. Toward that end, we desire to serve the community around us and demonstrate the love of Jesus to all those God puts in our path. In this way, we make disciples of all who are willing.
The bullet points that follow clarify what this vision will look like, and include items such as these:
- Individuals undergoing baptism and life change in Jesus, living lives of generosity, compassion and outward-focused mission, and making disciple-making disciples.
- The staff would channel their energy into equipping and developing people to do the work of the ministry.
- The congregation as a whole would offer robust, caring, and missionally-focused groups and span multiple cultures, ethnicities, and generations.
- The surrounding community would experience a generous outpouring of support toward the addicted, lonely, hungry, and poor, along with the launching of new expressions of incarnational-mission communities, resulting in disciple-making movements beyond the church.
I can affirm and celebrate this vision. It’s a great statement of our hearts and aligns well with what we have been preaching over the last year plus. We will continue to pursue this mission together as we venture into the next part of our transition process. ASPIRE Network, the association of churches that we’re a part of, will pull together recommendations and next steps coming out of their visit with us last weekend. I’m confident that these recommendations will help us further live out our shared mission.
Practice the vision this summer
As a community and as individuals, let’s practice that vision this summer. We don’t just take the summer off of God’s mission. How are you experiencing God this summer? How are you blessing our community and neighbors this summer? Who are you inviting to join you in some summer fun? How can you prioritize God’s heart in your relationships through the remainder of the summer?
As we practice the vision this summer, let’s remember to pray for some shared efforts as well:
Please pray for the children, youth, and counselors as they leave for camp this week! Pray for growth, faith, and a fresh experience of God. They are scheduled to leave this coming Sunday the 7th.
The following week, continue to pray for our WinShape Day Camp. It’s a fun day camp experience designed to reach kids in our community. Invite some families you know; you never know what God may do as you take steps of obedience toward the mission of Jesus. Register your kids/grandkids HERE this week [https://camps.winshape.org/day-camps/rancho-cucamonga-ca/] – share this link and the coupon code “neighbor50” for a special discount to bless a friend.
