Vision Sunday
Good morning Chapel family. Genesis chapter 12 begins like this:
1 The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.
2 “I will make you into a great nation,
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.
3 I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you.”
4 So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Harran. This is the Word of the Lord.
That was the beginning of a journey that would change the course of history. In fact, if Abram (who later became known as Abraham) had not answered the call of God and set out on that journey, we would not be here today. Because when God is about to do something great, it often begins with a journey. And every journey begins with the first step. I wonder, as we enter into this fall: what’s the next step in your journey?
I am excited to say that God is calling The Chapel on a journey. This summer, we started a 16-month process of mapping out our next ten years as a church. You know why that’s significant? Because ten years from now will be the 100th anniversary of this church. Isn’t that cool?
That means a lot to me, because the Chapel has been a big part of my story. This fall marks my thirtieth year on staff here. I have this framed picture in my office: this is the day I was installed as Senior Pastor; I’m with Pastor Earl Comfort, who preached the message that day. So I came in 1996; Pastor Comfort served here from 1970 to 1995, and before him there was a founding pastor named Tom Allen. So I am deeply aware of the baton that I’ve been handed, and I’m aware of the thousands of other leaders that God has raised up through this church to represent Jesus in North Jersey for the past ninety years. This place has an amazing legacy. So throughout this planning process, we’re going to honor The Chapel’s past, but I promise you: we’re not going to live in the past.
So this summer we’ve started bringing together staff and elders to pray and dream together; we’ve held focus groups; we conducted an all-church survey. Throughout this process, we’re trusting God to make our future clear. One year from now—on Vision Sunday 2027—I’m going to present that Centennial Vision and invite all of you to join me in living it out together.
God is inviting our church on a journey. To get us started, we’re going to spend this fall studying the life of Abraham. As we follow his journey, we’re going to ask God to guide us on our journey. And I want you to open your heart and ask God, “What’s the next step in my journey? And how do you want me to be a part of the future that you’re building at The Chapel?” So today is the day to get ready for what lies ahead. And I want to tell you about four things that will guide us on this journey.
First, We Bring our Compass. A few years ago I was staying at my brother’s lake house, about half an hour from here. It’s a remote cabin, only accessible by boat. So I woke up early on Sunday morning, and I had to come here and preach. So I went outside to get in the boat, and the fog was so thick, I could see about ten feet in front of my face. So I got in the boat; I pointed it in the direction of the end of the lake, where my car was parked, and I started going, slowly. I told myself, “If I just maintain a straight line, I’ll get there.” After about 30 minutes, I saw a house emerging out of the fog, and I realized I was on the completely other end of the lake, opposite of where I was trying to go. It turns out that my inner sense of direction was wildly inaccurate, and I realized: there might not be a sermon this morning. (By the way, I did eventually make it, but it took about an hour for what should have been a 10 minute boat ride—it was crazy). If only I had brought a compass.
Look: if you rely on your instincts and your common sense to move you forward in life, you might feel confident, but sooner or later you will get lost in the fog. You need a compass. And for The Chapel, our compass is our mission: Building a family of Christ-followers who love God, love people, and serve the world. That’s the compass that guides us forward. It’s not a GPS—it doesn’t give us turn by turn instructions—but it sets the direction we need to go.
So how do you build a family of Christ-followers? Well, look at the last words Jesus said to his disciples—Matthew 28, verses 19 and 20: 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
The main command is “Go and make disciples.” We call that “building a family of Christ-followers.” Okay, so how do you do that? Do you see the two verbs that end in “-ing”? What are they? Baptizing and teaching. The way we build this family of disciples is by baptizing and teaching. “Baptizing” means leading people to faith in Jesus for the first time—otherwise known as “evangelism”; “teaching” means helping those people grow in their faith, which we call “discipleship.” So baptizing and teaching is evangelism and discipleship. If you were here last month as we finished our series in John, you heard Jesus give two memorable pictures of evangelism and discipleship:
Evangelism is like being a fisherman, but instead of fishing for fish, we’re fishing for people. So as a church, we cast our nets by proclaiming the good news of Jesus and inviting people to believe and be saved. In our personal lives, we talk about our faith; we bring up spiritual things; we pray for people; we invite people to church; we pull over and help people change their tires and then tell them why we did it. Every time we’re doing that, we’re casting our nets. I was talking to a woman from the Chapel last week, and she said, “Ever since that sermon I’ve been casting my net with everyone. I’m inviting people to women’s events; I’m inviting people to Alpha; to church. Some of them shut me down, but some of them are really interested. I’m having so much fun casting my nets.” I love that! Because when we’re faithful to do that, as a church and as individuals, sometimes we get the joy of leading people to faith and celebrating their baptism. Over this past year, we’ve seen an outpouring of baptisms. It’s been awesome. So the first way we build this family of disciples is by evangelism. Casting our nets.
The second picture Jesus gave is a shepherd, caring for his sheep. Jesus tells Peter, “If you love me, I want you to care for and feed my sheep.” And that’s a picture of discipleship: helping people grow stronger in their faith. This is why we’re starting new discipleship groups this fall. This is why we offer J-term every January and June. This is why we’re encouraging you to pick up a Bible Study Journal in the lobby today, to help you go deeper in what you’re learning on Sundays. As you grow more mature as a disciple, you will become a person who loves God, loves people, and serves the world. And God will then use you to be a fisher of people and a shepherd of sheep, and the family will keep growing.
So over this past year, we’ve been guided by that compass, and God continues to bring growth. And I want to introduce you to someone that God has recently brought into our Chapel family. Would you give a warm Chapel welcome to Jacqueline Rodrigues? I think you’re really going to appreciate Jacqueline’s story.
1. Jacqueline, rewind the clock 4 years. You were a teacher, loving life. What happened?
(Talk about the vision, hearing, other problems...doctor saying you have anxiety...finally getting MRI and diagnosing condition).
2. So what did they do to treat you?
(Talk about surgery to make room for brain, but not effective).
3. Did you have to have another surgery?
(Talk about needing ten additional surgeries, and the effect on you emotionally—anger, etc.)
4. But then your aunt invited you to church.
(Talk about coming to church with your aunt, attending Alpha and Young Adults, discovering an actual relationship with God).
5. How are you different now?
(Talk about the fact that your health is not much improved, but you have peace, contentment).
Thank you so much for sharing your story!
That is such a good example of how God is building this family of Christ-followers, one person at a time. So as we look toward the future, that compass of our mission is going to continue to guide us. Here’s my challenge for you: will you join us in being a fisher of people and a shepherd of sheep, and help us grow this amazing family?
Here’s the second thing that guides us: We Travel Together. Does anyone remember the dumbest thing King David ever did? All of his men were out on the battlefield. But instead of joining them, David stayed home at the palace. Alone. One night he was walking on the roof of his palace, and he noticed on a nearby roof there was a beautiful woman bathing. She was a married woman, but David wanted her. So he committed adultery with her. That decision led to years of pain and heartbreak in David’s family and in the whole nation of Israel. And the whole thing started because David isolated himself.
My friends, don’t isolate yourself. And I want to speak especially to the men here, because we are so bad at this. Men, don’t isolate yourself. Life is too hard, and there is a real Satan who is gunning for your soul and wants to destroy you and your family. You need brothers around you. And that’s just as true for women; you’re just a little better at it than we are.
This summer, one of the questions we’ve asked people is, “What do you love about The Chapel? What makes this place special?” One of the most common answers was: this place feels like a family. I am so grateful for that. Because in a world of digital isolation and artificial everything, people are craving something real: real friendships; real community. And they’re finding it here.
People who struggle with mental health need a family, and they’re finding it here.
People who battle addictions need a family, and they’re finding it here.
People who are wounded from their previous church need a family, and they’re finding it here.
And people like King David—highly successful men who don’t seem to need anyone—actually do, and they’re finding family here.
So, if you don’t currently feel like you’re part of this family, you need to join a group. Go to the Chapel web site; click on “Get Involved” and “Small Groups.” Look at the groups available, but here’s what I’m going to ask you to do: let us guide you personally to the right group. On the bottom of that page you’re going to see: “Contact Us.” And you’re going to see these two names: Susan and Jackie. Email one of them and they will get back to you and personally help you connect with a group that fits you best. Because this is a journey that we travel together.
Do you know when your next opportunity is to experience this family? In about 25 minutes. Because we are providing free donuts/pizza for everyone out on the Village Lawn (gym). So stop by; grab some food. And listen: if you are already well-connected here, I have a special assignment for you. Are you ready? Don’t hang out with your friends. Grab some food and find someone you don’t know—especially if they seem new; go and meet them and get to know them. Help them to feel a part of this family…because we’re going to travel this journey together.
Here’s the third thing: We Pack Wisely. When Norma Jean and I travel, there are two main mistakes that we make when we pack. Maybe you can relate to one of these. First, we often forget to bring something important. Even though we have this packing list on an app that we’re supposed to check, we don’t always check. So we’ll show up at our hotel and I’ll say, “You’re not going to believe this: I forgot socks.” Or whatever. Sometimes we forget to pack important stuff. Our other mistake is we don’t leave room for new stuff. So we’re in some new place, and we want to buy gifts for people back home, but we have zero room in our luggage. So if I’ve never brought you anything from a trip, that’s why.
Here’s the point: as we set out on this journey as a church, we’re going to remember to bring the important stuff, and we’re going to leave room for some new stuff.
The important stuff are the unique strengths that God has given us. These are the things that make The Chapel, The Chapel. So let me tell you six things that we’re definitely going to pack. These things have been part of The Chapel, and will continue to be part of The Chapel:
Preaching. We are a church that values expository teaching through books of the Bible, and we will continue to be that kind of church.
Family. We are a church that looks and acts and feels like a family, where every person is welcome.
Children. We are a church known for our strong kids ministry, and our outstanding preschool. Chapel Kids volunteers and Preschool teachers, put your hand in the air—let’s appreciate these guys!
Growth. We are a church that helps people grow in their faith, through small groups and J-Term and Young Adults. And I have to mention Alpha. Alpha is a conversational group that gathers around food, for people who have questions about the Christian faith. We launched it last year and it was a huge success, and we’re offering it again this fall. Great thing to invite people to.
Special Needs. We are a church that is known for our love for people with special needs and disabilities. I love that about our church.
And finally… Outreach. We are a church that intentionally mobilizes to serve the people around us, particularly our 12-mile Bridge initiative, which includes eight partnerships with organizations in the city of Paterson. By the way, one of our 12-Mile Bridge partners is Servant’s Heart, the free trade school in Paterson—incredible ministry. One of the leaders of Servant’s Heart is a Chapel guy named Nate Dorka, and this year, we’ve asked Nate to join our Chapel staff on a part-time basis and help us take our 12-Mile Bridge ministry to the next level. So if you’ve always wanted to get involved in Paterson but you’ve never done it, you are going to have some great opportunities this year.
So: those are six things that make the Chapel The Chapel, that God has already placed in our pack, and they’re going to stay in our pack. And we’re going leverage those strengths.
In addition, we’re going to leave some room for new stuff. Because as we seek God’s direction for the next ten years, there are some new things that God wants to put into our pack. Let me mention two possibilities. First, we think God wants to do some big things with our Student Ministries—middle school and high school. Over the past couple of years, without even having a youth pastor here, we’ve seen some really good things happen. Heather Horn, our Director of Family Ministries, has built a great team of volunteer leaders; kids are inviting their friends; they’ve built their own worship team. God is working. But the best days are still ahead. In fact, we have a pastoral candidate visiting with us this weekend, so pray with us for God’s wisdom on that decision.
And here’s what you need to know. If you are in middle school or high school, you do not want to miss our Student Ministry kickoff. It’s next Sunday, September 20th. There’s going to be a taco bar catered from Chiano’s Mexican restaurant, games, and a chance to meet the leaders. Both students and parents are invited—there’s a separate thing for the students and the parents. This is a great thing to invite your friends to. So we’re leaving room in our pack for how God is going to shape our youth ministry in the days ahead.
Here’s one more thing we’re leaving room for: every time we have a ministry leader from around the country come and visit us at The Chapel, they stand on our campus, and they say, “Wait—you own all this land? I can’t believe you have this kind of property in Northern New Jersey. This is so rare anywhere—but especially in Northern New Jersey.” And they’re right. We have been incredibly blessed with property, and no debt. And here’s what I want to say: I believe God wants us to leverage this property in ways that we’ve never thought of before. Dream with me a little bit:
How could we use our property to help more lonely people find community?
How could we use our property to build a youth ministry that people cannot stay away from?
How could we use our property to preach the gospel to even more people on Sunday mornings?
How could we use our property to bless the towns around us during the week?
Does that get you fired up like it does me? The possibilities are huge. So we’re leaving room in our pack for creative, bold ideas on how we can use our property.
As we set out on this journey, we’re going to pack wisely. There are some things we already know we’re going to have in our pack. But we’re leaving room for God to surprise us.
We bring our compass. We travel together. We pack wisely. One last thing: We Follow the Guide. At the end of the day, this is a supernatural journey. When Abram decided to obey God’s voice and leave his homeland, he wasn’t following a religion or a philosophy; he was following a living God, who acts in surprising and unpredictable ways. God said, “Leave where you are now and follow me to the place I will show you.” And we are trusting that God will do the same thing for us.
Proverbs 3, verses 5 and 6:
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will direct your paths.
As we set out on this journey, let’s trust in the Lord and not just lean on our own understanding. Let’s allow him to surprise us. Let’s keep in step with the Holy Spirit.
And the best way for us to do that is to pray. So we are calling our church family to 24 hours of fasting and prayer. Are you ready for this? This is why we’re giving you pizza today. Starting after dinner tomorrow night, we’re asking you to abstain from food so you can focus on prayer. And we have some guidance for you. On our web site, click on “Events,” and choose the event called “The Journey Begins.” First of all, register to join us, if you haven’t already—last year 500 people came together to pray. But on that page you’ll see a “24-hour Prayer and Fasting Guide,” to help guide you through this. And then we’ll gather here on Tuesday night to pray together and break the fast—we’re going to have Panera this year. But here’s the important thing: We are going to cry out to God to lead us on this journey.
When you came in today, there was a little card on your chair that says “Prayer Request.” So here’s what I need you to do: we’ve talked a lot today about the journey God is leading us on. But I want you to think for a minute about people outside these walls. And I want you to think of someone who’s struggling on their journey. They’re struggling spiritually or physically or emotionally or with addiction. And I want you to write their first name, and just a word or two about what’s hard about their journey. You can write “Bill—addiction” or “Jennifer—anxiety” or “Anthony—spiritually lost”—whatever it is. And then as you leave today, there’s a pillar in the lobby, and I want you to take a pin and just pin that on the pillar. Tuesday night, when we gather here for prayer, there will be hundreds of people who come and pray for that person you love.
There’s a great scene in the book of Joshua, where the people of Israel are crossing the Jordan River, on their way to the Promised Land. God temporarily stops the flow of the river and they’re able to cross over. But before they go any further, God says, “I want you to take twelve stones from the river, and bring them over to this side, and set them up as a memorial. And in the future, when your children ask, ‘What are these stones for?’ tell them what happened here. Tell them how faithful God has been.” They hadn’t yet reached their destination! They were still on their way to the Promised Land! But God never wanted them to forget that he was faithful to them in the past, and he’d be faithful in the future.
What a perfect message for us today. For the past 90 years, God has been so faithful to this church. In a culture that has become more and more secular, where so many churches have had to close their doors, God has maintained a powerful gospel witness on this hill in Lincoln Park, New Jersey. Let’s never forget that! And let’s follow our faithful God into the future. Amen?