This weekend we will celebrate 1 year as a church campus of Prairie Lakes Church in Waterloo. As I've journeyed from someone supporting this campus on the outside to someone who is leading it from within, I'd like to share with you some insights that have come from my reflection on our journey over this past year.
First, some insights about being a part of a multisite church campus:
- Vision is everything. A multisite church works, grows, and thrives on vision before anything else - just like any other church. If you have a clear vision connected to a compelling mission, you can face any challenge together. If you lose sight of the vision, or if it doesn't seem like you're accomplishing the mission, then the challenges, changes, obstacles, and course corrections seem overwhelming.
- Context is everything. We are one church, to be sure. But in our setting, if we don't continue to wrestle with how our community is
unique and how we can uniquely impact our community for God's kingdom, then why not just go back the 8 miles down Hwy. 20 to where we came from? It's the adventure of following God into our unique community, discovering what He's up to already, and challenging ourselves to get in line with what He's doing that makes what we do worth it.
- Being a part of a multisite church launch isn't for the faint of heart - especially if you're jumping on the multisite journey from a successful, established, thriving, big church. Those who are easily frustrated, easily discouraged, or easily tired will most likely end up feeling like the jump to a multisite campus is too big of a sacrifice or adjustment. Continuing to make a multisite church campus your home, especially if you're coming from an established sending campus, will require you to persevere in a sacrifical way that will test your boundaries and shape your character - often in an uncomfortable way.
So, as we continue into year 2, let me offer you a specific, personal challenge:
View everything about our current reality as well as how we think about the future of our campus through God's vision for Prairie Lakes Church Waterloo.
He has revealed to us a pretty compelling vision for Waterloo, hasn't He? A church that is compassionate to the urban community. A church that is multiethnic. A church that is in the community. A church that is building an irresistible community within its walls. Who wouldn't want to be a part of a church like that?
Now, have we fulfilled God's vision for our church in Waterloo? No! Not yet, at least. But that's where we're headed. That's what we've taken steps toward.
So in light of that first challenge, here's a second:
Rather than bowing to discouragement over how we're still falling short of God's vision for our campus, why don't we instead press into God and into one another together and give everything we have so that He can realize his vision for our community through us?
Remember: God-sized visions take more than a year to complete.
And, God-sized visions will inevitably come with God-sized challenges.
But, God's Spirit is leading and is more than capable to meet any of the challenges that come our way.
Friends:
I want to be on the front lines,
at times winning the battle,
and at other times losing it -
if only for the chance to see firsthand
the mighty hand of God
sweep across our community and change the landscape.
I don't want to miss it
because I fell back
when the battle grew heated.
Wounds are worth it,
as long as they are for the King.
I'm grateful to be leading the charge with you all. Looking foward to year #2.
Love God. Love People. Influence the World.
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