We recently received a note from the school nurse explaining that our son’s vision was getting blurry, and we needed to take him to get some glasses. His blurry vision didn’t happen overnight, and he did not even notice until the nurse revealed the problem. Fortunately, the nurse told us the truth, and the doctor was able to solve the problem. Continue reading
Tag Archives: vision
Creating a Vision for Emerging Adult Ministry
A vision of a renewed Jerusalem was given by Nehemiah to rebuild the walls. In Nehemiah 2:17-18, Nehemiah says,
Photo courtesy of Aaron Robert Photography. Copyright 2014. www.aaronrobertphotography.com
“You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.” I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me and what the king had said to me.”
Nehemiah starts with their present condition, and moves to where they should go by providing them a vision and a reminder that God is with them.
A vision does not provide a picture of the way things are, but an image of what could and should be. It focuses a community on where they are going and what must be done to get there. It unifies them as they work towards the common good.
If you are seeking a vision for how to minister to emerging adults, here are a few reflections:
Visions are God-given.
Photo courtesy of Aaron Robert Photography. Copyright 2014. www.aaronrobertphotography.com
True visions cannot be copied. You do not pick them up at a conference, or by mimicking another ministry model. Visions come while seeking the presence of God. Due to the overwhelming church-as-business culture, the terms vision and mission statement are often misconstrued to be synonymous when they are quite different. We have been taught all visions must be easy to read, look nice in print, and be filled with hip lingo. However, true visions do not require confirmation by human intellect, approval by church hierarchy, and cannot be minimized by available resources. If you want a God-given vision cancel your conference, turn off the noise, and sit in the presence of God’s Spirit.
Visions are Spirit-led.
Leaders are always searching for evidence of the Spirit’s work. They are constantly seeking for stirrings of spiritual growth, and wondering either how they can help, or how to get out of the way. In Henry Blackabee’s study Experiencing God, he says, “Go to where God is at work, and join Him there.”
Due to the dynamic nature of our world, visions can change. They are not eternal, but have a shelf-life which is often dependent upon leadership. This doesn’t mean that the vision was wrong, but that it needs to shift due to our constantly changing world.
Visions are human-powered.
While visions are given by God, we are His hands and feet in this world to accomplish the work. I Corinthians 3:9 says, “For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.” We have the privilege of working side-by-side with others in God’s service. Because developing and realizing your vision is so much work, it is important to enlist the help of a team.
Nehemiah couldn’t build the wall alone, and neither can you. Look to God for a vision, seeking guidance by the Spirit, and recruit a team to work beside you.
Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he. (Proverbs 29:18)
Dr. G. David Boyd is the Managing Director of EA Resources, a non-profit designed to equip churches and parents to minister to emerging adults.
Raising Expectations on Emerging Adults
What does your church expect of emerging adults in your congregation? Continue reading
A Guide for Setting Expectations on Emerging Adults in Your Church Community
Thank you for believing in emerging adults! May God guide you as you seek to set expectations on emerging adults in your community.
Before you begin:
- Include church leadership from the highest level.
- Include emerging adults in the discussion (participation will cause ownership).
- Educate participants on the current challenges and characteristics of emerging adults.
- Hand out discussion questions before the meeting.
Discuss Questions:
- What characteristics do we desire for our emerging adults to have? How are we going to help them develop those characteristics?
- Is it our goal to provide an extended “youth group” experience that will keep them interested in church?
- How will we assimilate them into the adult population and activity of our community?
- What are the needs of emerging adults in our community? How are we specifically designed to meet any of those needs?
- What roles do we desire for our emerging adults to have within our congregation? How are we going to identity and create space for them within our community to help them fit those roles?
- What kind of relationships are important for emerging adults? What can we do to provide ways for these to be established?
- What problems are emerging adults facing? How can we empower them as they face these obstacles?
Before you leave:
- What are some actions steps to take because of your discussion? Who is taking responsibility for each step?
- When will we meet again to check in about progress in this area of our ministry?
- Are there any key players that were not able to attend, but need to brought into this discussion?
This is just the beginning of issues that need discussed by churches. Add your thoughts or questions to the article by commenting below.
Dr. G. David Boyd is the Founder and Managing Director of EA Resources. If he can help your community minister to emerging adults, you can contact him at gdavid@earesources.org.