A Vision For 2022 and Beyond<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pastor Don Carpenter<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Leadership \/ Proverbs 29:18<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the fairy tale, Alice in Wonderland I believe it was the Cheshire Cat who said, \u201cIf you don\u2019t know where you\u2019re going, any road will get you there.\u201d It could be we\u2019re just living a fairy tale if we don\u2019t come to a vision of where God wants us as a church to go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To be honest, these two years have been very difficult to navigate as a pastor. We have faced many unique challenges for the first time and much of the time, I found myself reacting to things rather than following a clearly mapped out path. As the dust clears I feel God the Holy Spirit leading me to lead us in a very specific direction. The purpose of this morning\u2019s message is to try to communicate with you where I believe we are headed in the next several years. The Lord has been focusing my attention to Reach the Lost and Unchurched and to Worship in Spirit and in Truth. I trust God will stir you as well as I share a Vision for 2022 and Beyond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A Vision To Reach<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Our Town – Our Jerusalem<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Acts 1:8<\/em> KJV<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022\tThe cultures in Torrington<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022\tReligious backgrounds in Torrington<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022\tFinancial Classes in Torrington<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022\tPolitical viewpoints in Torrington<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022\tIncrease Social Media Presence<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022\tIncrease Google Presence<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022\tIncrease EBC awareness through social ministry and outreach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022\tCurrently Enrolled in Church Marketing University learning best 2022 strategies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Lost<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Mark 16:15<\/em> KJV<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022\tThose that look lost<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022\tThose that look like they have it all together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n James 2:1<\/em> KJV<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022\tReach them within their background<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1 Corinthians 9:18\u201322<\/em> KJV<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022\tDevelop a passion to reach the lost where they are and meet them on that level with the truth of the Gospel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Scattered Unchurched Believer.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Ezekiel 34:4<\/em> KJV<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n In a 2017 Lifeway Research survey, a majority (66%) of Americans ages 23-30 said they stopped attending church on a regular basis for at least a year after turning 18. Among their top reasons was that church members seemed divisive, judgmental or hypocritical. – USA TODAY<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022\tWounded over demonic division<\/p>\n\n\n\n James 3:13\u201316<\/em> KJV<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022\tWounded over misuse of authority or scripture<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022\tA disembodied believer cannot thrive without finding a local church.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022\tIt is our job to provide a safe space to heal and grow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A Vision To Worship<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n John 4:24<\/em> KJV<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n In Spirit – Passion\/ Emotion<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022\tEarly churches had multiple pastors\/elders\/bishops<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022\tToday we have youth pastors, family pastors, outreach pastors\u2026 none of these are specifically in the Bible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Habakkuk 3:19 (KJV)<\/p>\n\n\n\n The LORD God is my strength, And he will make my feet like hinds\u2019 feet, And he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the <\/em>chief singer <\/em><\/strong>on my stringed instruments.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Vine\u2019s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words To Keep, Oversee<\/p>\n\n\n\n A. Verb.<\/p>\n\n\n\n natsach (?????, 5329), \u201cto keep, oversee, have charge over.\u201d The word appears as \u201cto set forward\u201d in the sense of \u201cto oversee or to lead\u201d in 1 Chron. 23:4, 2 Chron. 34:12, Ezra 3:8, and Ezra 3:9: \u201cThen stood Jeshua with his sons and his brethren, Kadmiel and his sons, the sons of Judah, together, to set forward the workmen in the house of God.\u2026\u201d The word appears as \u201cto oversee\u201d in 2 Chron. 2:2: \u201cAnd Solomon told out threescore and ten thousand men to bear burdens \u2026 and three thousand and six hundred to oversee them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022\tOpen your Bible to Psalm 4,5,6,8,9,11,12,13…. 55 uses of this title Chief Musician\u2026 <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022\tAs we grow and pray, I believe that we should pray for a Pastor of Music\u2026 an overseer of this part of the ministry\u2026 one that can shepherd our folks to use their abilities to their fullest potential in musical worship and outreach. Keeping in mind that we are to reach the multiple cultures in Torrington, the lost, the unchurched, and stir up the hearts of the faithful. I believe somewhere there is a man with the calling of God to fit into this Body with our needs and for our benefit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In Truth<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Proverbs 4:26\u201327<\/em> KJV<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Ponder the path of thy feet, And let all thy ways be established. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: Remove thy foot from evil.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Ephesians 4:11\u201314<\/em> KJV<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022\tMany good churches have lost their way because of politics or extra – Biblical \u201cstandards\u201d or man made rules.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022\tLegalism and scriptural inconsistency have driven many believers out of church into a spiritual wasteland. In 2022 and beyond we will drill down deeper into scriptural understanding\u2026 standing firmly on what the Bible actually says, and stripping away any man made theological house of cards that have served to confuse and stumble believers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Evangelical Baptist Church has been my home for 20 years. God willing I hope to be used for another 20 years at least. I am excited for where we have been and where we are headed. We are moving into a digital outreach age. We are looking to reach the blended cultures in Torrington, both the lost and the unchurched. We are looking to fan the flame of spiritual worship by deepening our musical experience and praying in pastoral guidance in this area. Most importantly, we seek to continue to grow deep roots of Biblical understanding and discernment. We seek continue to learn the difference between a Biblical mandate and a cultural or personal preference. <\/p>\n\n\n\n We have seen exciting days and By the Grace of God we will see new days of Grace and Growth ahead. That is your pastor\u2019s vision for 2022 and beyond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Exported from Logos Bible Software, 6:54 PM December 23, 2021.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A Vision For 2022 and Beyond Pastor Don Carpenter Leadership \/ Proverbs 29:18 In the fairy tale, Alice in Wonderland I believe it was the Cheshire Cat who said, \u201cIf you don\u2019t know where you\u2019re going, any road will get you there.\u201d It could be we\u2019re just living a fairy tale if we don\u2019t come to … Continue reading A Vision For 2022 and Beyond<\/span>