Happy Birthday Legacy City!
Pastor Robbie casts a broad vision for where Legacy City has been the past two years, and where we are trusting God to take us this upcoming year!
This past Sunday we departed from our typical transition into a new series and celebrated the successes that God has brought Legacy City these past two years. Not only looking back but Pastor Robbie also cast a tremendous vision for what we are praying for God to do this upcoming year! If you were not able to make it to our Gathering this past Sunday, know that we missed you and hope to be able to see you this upcoming Sunday!
Being as young of a church as we are, there are certain obstacles that we faced when we started - especially given the very unorthodox way we got started. Most churches have a ‘ramp-up’ of organizational support ranging from funds and resources to trained personnel to help with the whole process; Legacy City did not have any of these things, we trusted God to provide what was needed to begin a church that would be For Greenwood, and He came through for us big-time! Being able to look back on two years of ministry for young churches is a big milestone, and we hope to be able to continue to meet them going forward! We hope that you ave enjoyed what time you have been with us, and hope to be able to provide what spiritual and community needs you desire; we believe that Church should be enjoyed, not endured!
Going into this new decade, 2020, Pastor Robbie cast a specific vision that he will be covering in much more detail in our next series, but he gave three overall points of focus that we hope to be able to embody this coming year. The first of which is to be a ‘Naming Community’ this idea comes from Isaiah 43, in that we have all been called by name, we have been called out into the grace of God, that he would heal and fill our hearts - establishing a unique sense of fellowship and community among all those who would call themselves believers. Acts 2:42-47 describes this sense fo community as something that we are called to saying, “And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.” This is a perfect example of fellowship. Many say it’s too perfect, unattainable even. We think this could be attainable, this level of community. We’re not advocated dropping Netflix or Disney + or anything, we’re just saying there’s a difference between us not being able to do something and us not being willing.
This upcoming year we are also going to continue to work towards a more total and complete identity of being a house and community of healing. We want to be a people of restoration, renewal, refreshing in our soul. We started out like this without realizing it. God started to bring in those who were de-churched. They had been hurt by the church or had left the church long ago for whatever reason. Some had moved here and just couldn’t find a place to worship until we started up. One of those probably encompasses your situation, but if it doesn’t that’s okay too - the community does not have to be founded on negative situations, but we are more than willing to receive people where they are. In Matthew 8:22-25 we see Jesus healing a man of blindness, and there is much to be learned from this situation beyond faithfulness - we see Jesus’ process live and in-action. Jesus receives the individual where they are, personally engages with the person, and then heals them. We hope to be able to continue to improve our model of engaging with those in our immediate church community, but also those who we are able to serve in Greenwood abroad. The whole process should be moving towards healing and restoration, through a relationship with God.
To conclude our summary of vision casting for 2020, Pastor Robbie spoke on the need for us as a church to be mobile towards people in our communities! We are to be a sent people, not a complacent and stagnant people on a church-wide level to a personal level. Jesus calls the disciples. He brought them in, he gave them a purpose, and then one verse later (after he names them all), he sent them out. They were blessed to bless, they were healed to heal, but Jesus saves and sends all within one verse (Matthew 10:1). Ephesians 3:10 displays God's purpose in all of this was to use the church to display his wisdom and its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. Jesus sent out the disciples, didn't he? And how did he do it? Two by two, you're better together; we are sent people, God's strategy for mission. We have a next level that we are trying to reach this year. We are believing God for some big things and can’t wait to join with you in accomplishing them!
SOME KEY TAKE-AWAYS
Happy Birthday, Legacy City: The first two years of Legacy City Church has been an incredible journey of faithfulness and unification, this next year, however, we hope to be even more excellent - we are shooting for big things, and we hope that you will be apart of them in 2020!
Main Scripture Passages: Ephesians 1:18; Isaiah 43; Acts 2:42-47; Matthew 8:22-25; Ephesians 3:10.
We Are To Be: A Naming Community - We as a church, and as believers have been called in a community with unique distinctions; we have been called by name for the Mission of God, we need to take hold of this identity in 2020!
We Are To Be: A House of Healing - We have prided ourselves on being a community that welcomes any and everybody, including those who were hurt by the church, we want to continue to grow into a community that supports people through all trials in life.
We Are To Be: A Sent People - Jesus did not come for us as believers to be merely healed and then stop there, we are meant to go and bring others into this saving knowledge and relationship - we must go out and be the hands and feet of Christ!
If this topic piques your interest or if you would enjoy listening to this sermon in more depth, check out Legacy City’s Podcast, available here, or on Spotify and Itunes.
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Join us next Sunday as we begin our vision casting series for 2020!
We’re saving you a seat, and know that You Are Loved!