Jesus did not say "wait and I will send those people to you who I wish you to minister to."
Christ sent the disciples out. They were to "go." The church has been sent out into the world and we want to reflect that sentiment in our actions.
We want to be a church that has been sent.
What does this mean?
It means that we are going to be outwardly focussed--that the target of our time, energy and affection cannot terminate on ourselves, but must be constantly seeking further into the world for those unloved people for whom Christ sent us. We want to be looking outside of our body, our family-- yes even getting up out of our homes and church buildings--for people to love.
We want to be a church that sends. We want to mirror Christ by empowering those people in our midst to go. We can do this by equipping and empowering each and every member in our church community to minister, teaching them that when Christ said "go", yes, He was talking to you too. No one escapes. We are all on the move in this world looking for those lonely hearts that Christ longs to make a home in.
These ideas have a number of practical implications for us. Just like we are a church plant that has been sent out into a new community, we will also be sending people out from us into new communities, perpetuating this cycle of the sent sending. Our ministries will have an outward focus, lavishing our attentions on the needy of our community. We will have a visual presence in the community, not with media and sign-age, but with our loving actions and real tangible presence.
This is even the reason why we do Home Groups.
By meeting in each other's homes we are sending a message that this church pours out past the walls of any one building. It is out there in the world, in your homes and in your lives. And when we do have a building, it will be located in the middle of the city, not on its outskirts. We don't want to set up shop, open our doors and say "we are here, now come to us," but instead we want to communicate that we have come here to be with you.
This is part of the vision of Vineyard Church BCS, to be an outwardly focussed church.
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