Day 6
We recently had an opportunity to share our vision for a homeless church in Tallahassee with Mario Solari, Director of Chi Alpha Campus Ministries at FSU and Senior Pastor at Mosaic Church. Mario’s question was simple, “what will your church look like?”
Well, we began rambling about the unmet needs in the homeless community, the need to provide support, our current efforts, similar ministries and the difference in our approach, the constraints of serving in a non-faith-based organization as a minister, the ministries we wanted to emulate, where we were looking for a building, blah, blah, blah. Finally, after hours (ok, ten minutes), Mario offered this advice, “you need to develop a concise vision or your supporters will not understand the need.”
The needs of the homeless are great in Tallahassee. We want to meet each and every one of them, but without a clear vision, we will never accomplish our goal. We returned from Rescue Atlanta with a similar understanding. In a city the size of Atlanta, where thousands are experiencing homelessness, it is impossible for one ministry to meet all the needs. Pastor Mel Rolls chooses to clearly define the scope of his ministry. The people he serves understand the services they will receive, the staff are not overwhelmed, and the ministry is confident and strong. The benefit to strong proficient ministries is new services can be added without disrupting the firm foundation.
We help people experiencing homelessness transition back to stability. Twenty times a day we offer counsel to those looking to overcome homelessness. It often begins with the same questions. “Where do you want to be in six months? What does stability look like to you? What do you enjoy doing? How do you get there?”
Ever catch yourself giving advice to others you should follow yourself? Vision is important. Without vision the days tend to all run together. Without vision bad days turn into worse days and threaten to overcome us. With a clear vision we can see past the troubles of the moment. With a passionate vision we become overcomers.
Connections will develop a clear, passionate vision. This blog is actually the tool we have chosen to help us through the process. Jesus placed emphasis on vision and lack of vision. Throughout His ministry Jesus restored physical sight and shared His vision with His followers. He also expressed anger, sadness, and disappointment when he witnessed His disciples’ lack of vision or the spiritual blindness of God’s chosen. If vision is important to Jesus, it should be important to us as well.
Read the following passage. Saul (also called Paul), was spiritually blind and became physically blind when He encounter Jesus. Not only was Saul’s physical sight restored but, through God’s grace and mercy, he was blessed with a great vision for his future ministry. What is your vision? Where would you like to be in six months? What is your passion? Without vision you are blind.
5"Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked.
"I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he replied. 6"Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do."
7The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. 8Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. 9For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.
10In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, "Ananias!"
"Yes, Lord," he answered.
11The Lord told him, "Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. 12In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight."
13"Lord," Ananias answered, "I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. 14And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name."
15But the Lord said to Ananias, "Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. 16I will show him how much he must suffer for my name."
17Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit." 18Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized,19and after taking some food, he regained his strength.
We recently had an opportunity to share our vision for a homeless church in Tallahassee with Mario Solari, Director of Chi Alpha Campus Ministries at FSU and Senior Pastor at Mosaic Church. Mario’s question was simple, “what will your church look like?”
Well, we began rambling about the unmet needs in the homeless community, the need to provide support, our current efforts, similar ministries and the difference in our approach, the constraints of serving in a non-faith-based organization as a minister, the ministries we wanted to emulate, where we were looking for a building, blah, blah, blah. Finally, after hours (ok, ten minutes), Mario offered this advice, “you need to develop a concise vision or your supporters will not understand the need.”
The needs of the homeless are great in Tallahassee. We want to meet each and every one of them, but without a clear vision, we will never accomplish our goal. We returned from Rescue Atlanta with a similar understanding. In a city the size of Atlanta, where thousands are experiencing homelessness, it is impossible for one ministry to meet all the needs. Pastor Mel Rolls chooses to clearly define the scope of his ministry. The people he serves understand the services they will receive, the staff are not overwhelmed, and the ministry is confident and strong. The benefit to strong proficient ministries is new services can be added without disrupting the firm foundation.
We help people experiencing homelessness transition back to stability. Twenty times a day we offer counsel to those looking to overcome homelessness. It often begins with the same questions. “Where do you want to be in six months? What does stability look like to you? What do you enjoy doing? How do you get there?”
Ever catch yourself giving advice to others you should follow yourself? Vision is important. Without vision the days tend to all run together. Without vision bad days turn into worse days and threaten to overcome us. With a clear vision we can see past the troubles of the moment. With a passionate vision we become overcomers.
Connections will develop a clear, passionate vision. This blog is actually the tool we have chosen to help us through the process. Jesus placed emphasis on vision and lack of vision. Throughout His ministry Jesus restored physical sight and shared His vision with His followers. He also expressed anger, sadness, and disappointment when he witnessed His disciples’ lack of vision or the spiritual blindness of God’s chosen. If vision is important to Jesus, it should be important to us as well.
Read the following passage. Saul (also called Paul), was spiritually blind and became physically blind when He encounter Jesus. Not only was Saul’s physical sight restored but, through God’s grace and mercy, he was blessed with a great vision for his future ministry. What is your vision? Where would you like to be in six months? What is your passion? Without vision you are blind.
Acts 9:3-19 (New International Version)
3As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?"5"Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked.
"I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he replied. 6"Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do."
7The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. 8Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. 9For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.
10In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, "Ananias!"
"Yes, Lord," he answered.
11The Lord told him, "Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. 12In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight."
13"Lord," Ananias answered, "I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. 14And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name."
15But the Lord said to Ananias, "Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. 16I will show him how much he must suffer for my name."
17Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit." 18Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized,19and after taking some food, he regained his strength.
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