Last week, we finished a series of teachings on our vision statement, which the church’s Leadership Team developed as we listened to God’s call on Hope Crossing. As briefly as possible, I want to help all of us understand two things: why we need a vision statement and what it looks like as we live it out.

Why do we need a vision statement?
Hope Crossing is a diverse community of people with different backgrounds, church experiences, needs, spiritual gifts and hopes for the future. A vision statement gives us one purpose to anchor on. It helps us take stock of where we are now and clarifies future direction. When we embrace a vision, it transforms a group of people into a unified community of believers to collectively do God’s will.

What does it look like to life this out?
Briefly, I’d like to “give flesh” to the 4 main words in the vision statement:

Empowering

Hope Crossing is committed to teaching, training, equipping, supporting and sending each of you as missionaries into your neighborhood.

The primary way of empowering you will be Sunday School classes starting in the fall. We plan on offering two classes—a training track and a Bible discipleship class. There will be childcare available during Sunday School so that more of you can participate in this opportunity.

We understand that empowerment isn’t simply a human endeavor, but something that comes from the Holy Spirit. Each of you has been filled by God with specific gifts and passions that equip you for a specific mission. That’s why our first training track will be on Spiritual Gifts. We hope everyone will take advantage.

Sunday School kicks off on Sunday, September 7 at 9am. Please register for your class in August.

Engage

This word is rich with meaning.

To become engaged means to become formally connected. When we engage our neighborhoods we commit ourselves to the immediate and eternal future of these places and the people who are there. This word implies participation. We don’t hold the world at arm’s length, but get involved where God has placed us and begin to make a difference.

The concept of engaging is also a personal one—it implies relationship. We meet people where they are and develop authentic friendships that open the door for us to share about Jesus and/or serve them in His name. Engaging can be a one-time conversation at work or a long-term relationship with someone you disciple. It can be a helping hand or a listening ear—activities that give you opportunities to show the image of a loving, gracious God to your neighborhood.

Neighborhoods

We use this term to mean our spheres of influence, anyone we connect with through all the activities of daily life—school, work, our actual neighborhood, family, friends, etc.

Central to having genuine love for God is having genuine love for your neighbor.
 

Christ

He is our motivation. He is our model. He is our message.
All we do, we look to Christ first, and we do as he did, so that we might please “the Son of Man, who came to seek and save those who are lost." (Luke 19:10)

When we as Christ-followers live missionally, God’s Kingdom grows. The Kingdom grows when people confess their faith and become followers of Jesus. The Kingdom grows when the hungry receive food, the thirsty receive water, the lonely are put in families, the oppressed receive justice, the lost receive the Good News. Where Christ comes, you’ll always find peace, love, compassion, hope, joy, patience, reconciliation, and grace. May we engage our neighborhoods as the embodiment of Christ.
 

We desire that this vision becomes a foundational lifestyle for each individual and for Hope Crossing as we devote ourselves to God’s purpose. What steps will you take to know how God has empowered you and to engage your neighborhood for Christ?
Pastor Bob James