This Sunday, we will begin a journey together of addressing our theme of GEAR UP. That theme will involve us looking at four dimensions of ministry that are vitally important in the next twelve months of the life of Quest.
First, we will wrestle with our profound need for connection and our need to BELONG. We were created relational beings with a built in need to be connected to those around us. We have a natural inclination to want to belong in a community of people. It is not always easy to figure out what belonging looks like but it is vitally important.
Second, we will investigate what it means to be EQUIPPED for ministry. The Scriptures tell us that every single person is important and necessary for the health of the whole body of Christ. In fact, the Scriptures tell us that the more necessary people in a church are those who are behind the scenes and less visible. The up front party boys are less critical to the on going health of the church. That may sound a little strange but it is true.
Third, one of the missing jewels of the church is PRAYER. Prayer seems to easily be shuffled off to a second tier of importance in the church and the Christian life. What a tragedy!!!! Prayer is actually a life line of intimacy between God and us. It is individual and it is corporate. It is public and it is private. It is humble and it is full of faith. It is speaking and it is listening. It is seeking and it is offering. There is nothing like it in terms of dependence on God.
Fourth, and maybe most challenging, we will come face to face with our commissioning to REACH the world around us with the proclamation and demonstration of the gospel of Christ. There has never been better news than what Christ offers to the people of St. Louis and the world. And amazingly He wants to use us to demonstrate it and explain it. Actually it is an amazing privilege to be a conductor of this message in every way.
So, this Sunday we begin our journey of GEARING UP for all that God wants to do in our lives and through our church. Get ready… there will be no room for sitting, soaking and souring. We will be on the move.