New Season, new start! Snow-white, ironed shirts, oversized blazers and pristine schoolbags. As every parent of school age children knows, these are the signs of the real new year. Forget January, life begins in August.
August means new beginnings in the rhythm of the church year too. So, this is a great time to remember what we are about and what we are here for. At QPBC, we take a special Sunday to remind us of our vision (To call our City to Life – in Jesus!) and to consider how we are each making that Vision a reality. Think of is as our Vision-to-action Sunday – or “get stuck in season”. We pick one of our three vision themes to focus on, to strengthen and develop in the months ahead.
Encountering God
Encouraging transformative relationships in one another
Engaging in bold outreach
This year our focus is “Engaging in bold outreach” as we seek to reinforce and ramp up a culture of mission and evangelism.
And to make the theme stick we will be thinking of feet.
Yes feet!
Where do your feet find themselves this week?
Where will my feet go next week?
Joshua was a man with a Mission.
Joshua 1:1 tells us that Moses the mighty man of God is dead. The Israelites are on the threshold of God’s land, and the baton of leadership has dropped into young Joshua’s hand. (he is a sprightly 60 years old)
His task?
To bring Moses’ vision to action, to turn God’s promise of his people occupying the promised land into a boots-on-the ground reality.
The promise is recorded in Deuteronomy 11:24 – “Every place you set your foot will be yours.”
It’s God’s land but Joshua and the people of God are to take hold of what God has given, setting up communities of witness to the presence of God in the “land of milk and honey”.
God’s kingdom now, in Christ, is global in its dimensions yet our task is similar to Joshua’s.
We Christians are God’s agents and ambassadors on earth. God makes his appeal through us, he expresses his kingdom rule in and through us, and everywhere we put our feet has the potential to bring something of heaven to earth and to call people to know king Jesus.
How do we turn that vision to reality?
Here’s what S D Gordon in “Quiet Talks on Prayer” says:
“Prayer is man giving God a footing on the contested territory of this earth … the man wholly given over to God gives Him a new sub-headquarters on the battlefield from which to work out. And the Holy Spirit within that man, on the new spot, will insist on the enemy’s retreat in Jesus the Victor’s name. That is prayer. Shall we not every one of us increase God’s footing down upon His prodigal earth!”
So how to increase God’s footprint in our world?
Ask: How, and where do my feet touch earth?
We think of the places we work and play, the streets we live in, our friendships and family and the places we serve within church and community. No doubt we each have many touchpoints in the world to pray over, speak life into and act compassionately towards.
Ask: How am I stepping out and stretching into new territory for Christ by faith in this new (church) year?
Here’s some thoughts for starters
Am I contending prayer for a particular person or issue?
Am I believing God’s truth over a particular lie that has invaded my thinking?
Am I taking a stand for justice or advocating for an issue?
Am I showing grace and compassion to someone who is showing me contempt?
Am I being more bold and direct in praying or sharing my faith?
Am I taking on a new project or serving in a new way?
Let’s go! And take new footholds for His advancing kingdom
Iain