Day 9 | Purpose, Mission, and Vision
Riverdale Assembly of God should always keep in mind its Purpose, Mission, and Vision. I’m not sure the proper sequence for these items, but let me quickly give you my thoughts on these items as they relate to RAG.
- Purpose: Riverdale Assembly of God exists to lead souls to Christ, teach and disciple in sound doctrine, provide resources to families, and to love and encourage each other in our daily walk of faith.
- Mission: To provide a place of salvation, worship, fellowship, learning, outreach, opportunity, and inspiration.
- Vision: To see the ministry grow in size, resource, power, and influence according to Acts 1:8: “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”
- Pray that the vision and purpose of the ministry will come to pass (Habakkuk 2:2-3) and the people begin to duplicate Christ’s character (Acts 11:26).
Habakkuk 2:2-3 And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. 3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.
Act 11:26 And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.
- Pray for God to give us special favor in our communities as we reach out to those that need salvation (Psalm 84:11).
Psalms 84:11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.
The Purpose of the Light
"There is an old story about a lighthouse keeper who worked on a rocky stretch of coastline. Once a month he would receive a new supply of oil to keep the light burning so that ships could safely sail near the rocky coast. One night, though, a woman from a nearby village came and begged him for some oil to keep her family warm. Another time a father asked for some to use in his lamp. Another man needed to lubricate a wheel. Since all the requests seemed legitimate, the lighthouse keeper tried to please everyone and grant the requests of all.
Toward the end of the month, he noticed his supply of oil was dangerously low. Soon it was gone, and one night the light on the lighthouse went out. As a result, that evening several ships were wrecked and countless lives were lost. When the authorities investigated, the man was very apologetic. He told them he was just trying to be helpful with the oil. Their reply to his excuses, however, was simple and to the point: "You were given oil for one purpose, and one purpose only - to keep that light burning!"
A church faces a similar commission. There is no end to the demands placed on a church’s time and resources. As a result, the foundational purposes of a church must remain supreme."
SOURCE: James Emory White, Rethinking the Church (Baker Books, 1997), 27-28./Contributed by: Joel Smith
Toward the end of the month, he noticed his supply of oil was dangerously low. Soon it was gone, and one night the light on the lighthouse went out. As a result, that evening several ships were wrecked and countless lives were lost. When the authorities investigated, the man was very apologetic. He told them he was just trying to be helpful with the oil. Their reply to his excuses, however, was simple and to the point: "You were given oil for one purpose, and one purpose only - to keep that light burning!"
A church faces a similar commission. There is no end to the demands placed on a church’s time and resources. As a result, the foundational purposes of a church must remain supreme."
SOURCE: James Emory White, Rethinking the Church (Baker Books, 1997), 27-28./Contributed by: Joel Smith
Remember the Mission
In 1629, when the favorite wife of Indian ruler Shah Jahan died, he ordered that a magnificent tomb be built as a memorial to her. The shah placed his wife's casket in the middle of a parcel of land, and construction of the temple literally began around it. But several years into the venture, the Shah's grief for his wife gave way to a passion for the project.
One day while he was surveying the sight, he reportedly stumbled over a wooden box, and he had some workers throw it out. It was months before he realized that his wife's casket had been destroyed. The original purpose for the memorial became lost in the details of construction. They built the Taj Mahal, but they forgot the reason for the building. They forgot what their mission truly was!
(Dr. James Dobson, Coming Home, Timeless Wisdom for Families, (Tyndale House Publishers, Wheaton; 1998), p. 122)
We must keep our eyes on the prize. If we don't, we will end up not building our lives correctly. They will be built without solid walls, without solid construction. But when we keep our eyes on the finish line, our lives will be built securely in the power of Christ!
(From Jonathan Fallwell’s Sermon "Preparing to Build-6")/Copied from Sermon Central
One day while he was surveying the sight, he reportedly stumbled over a wooden box, and he had some workers throw it out. It was months before he realized that his wife's casket had been destroyed. The original purpose for the memorial became lost in the details of construction. They built the Taj Mahal, but they forgot the reason for the building. They forgot what their mission truly was!
(Dr. James Dobson, Coming Home, Timeless Wisdom for Families, (Tyndale House Publishers, Wheaton; 1998), p. 122)
We must keep our eyes on the prize. If we don't, we will end up not building our lives correctly. They will be built without solid walls, without solid construction. But when we keep our eyes on the finish line, our lives will be built securely in the power of Christ!
(From Jonathan Fallwell’s Sermon "Preparing to Build-6")/Copied from Sermon Central
Godly Vision
The capacity to create a compelling picture of the desired; state of affairs that inspires people to respond; that which is desirable, which could be, should be; that which is attainable. A godly vision is right for the times, right for the church, and right for the people. A godly vision promotes faith rather than fear. A godly vision motivates people to action. A godly vision requires risk-taking. A godly vision glorifies God, not people.
(Bob Logan, 10,000 Sermon Illustrations)/By Rodelio Mallari/Copied from Sermon Central
(Bob Logan, 10,000 Sermon Illustrations)/By Rodelio Mallari/Copied from Sermon Central
Posted in 21 Days of Prayer & Fasting