Our Vision

Previously our Vision statement has looked forward just one year, but recently we have felt God prompting us to set our sights further ahead.

We have chosen a radically different style of presentation. In the past our vision was in the form of a list of things we believed God wanted us to do. However when looking further ahead than one year it seemed good to us to seek to draw a picture of what this church here in Gt. Barton might look like in 4 or 5 years time. This is not a plan of action, nor is it a programme of events, rather it is a picture of where we believe God is taking us; it is "directional" rather than a step by step plan of the route. (taken out "How do we plan?……)

In this "vision" we have sought to put into a word picture what we believe God is saying to us at the present. But at the same time we need to be flexible and to be open to the Holy Spirit's direction. A vision for our church cannot be seen in isolation. In any part of a journey you start the next chapter from where you finish the last. So we are shaped by our past, we are responding to what God is teaching us now and we live and witness in a world which is changing rapidly and which is impacting our lives and the life of the church.

We are a small, but growing fellowship with roots linking back to people who responded to the Gospel and sought to worship God and respond to His Word at a time when much of the Church had lost its zeal. Like those who have gone before us we are not affiliated to any particular denomination but welcome all who believe in Jesus and His saving grace. God has brought us together to do the work He wants us to do and He has blessed us with resources, both in us, the people He has brought together, and in the shape of the buildings we occupy. We seek to be a caring fellowship, drawing all into the family of the church.

1. He told us to pray; then He strengthened our resolve to keep on praying.
2. He taught us that He wants us to become a "healing" community not just a welcoming church.
3. He has told us to "rely on Him" and go forward in faith, being prepared to take that extra step out of our comfort zones.
4. He has reminded us that worship is more than singing and church more than Sundays.
5. He has re-emphasised that the children/youth/adults are of equal value and importance in the life of the church.
6. He has encouraged us to look beyond ourselves and widen our sphere of influence.
7. He has been teaching us that each of us has a ministry - a valued place in the body.
8. He has taught us to submit to the authority of Christ's word without fear. Encouraging us to take a stand in matters including morality, authority and lifestyle.

But what about what he has not said! As we write there is no obvious sense that God wants us to make any immediate major decisions regarding premises or church planting. Rather as we have prayed about the future, God has reminded us that the church is made up of His people and that His desire is to see us living out the Gospel. We believe that in the future small groups will play an increasingly important role in the Church. We believe, too, that the criteria for further building work will include greater utilisation of existing premises, the continued numerical growth in the numbers attending all services, and a clearer understanding of the needs of the community and the role of small groups in maintaining effective pastoral care and discipleship.

Future - What will the world look like in 4 or 5 years time?

Of course we don't know the answer to this but there are some trends in our society which may well become even more marked than they are today. The past says to us that things will change and that these changes will impact the way we live out our faith. The Bible tells us that as the end times approach things will not get better. Without wanting to appear too negative it is helpful to note the way society is changing and the opportunities and threats these changes might create and to remember that we in Great Barton will not be isolated from these.

1. A moral vacuum leading to lowering standards of behaviour, sexual promiscuity, drug dependence, crime and violence as well as increasing marital breakdowns and single parent families.
2. Growing pressures on the family from changing work patterns and the changing nature of Sundays. Continued breakdown of families into smaller isolated units leading to loss of the wider family support and loneliness.
3. Continued consumerism, (the desire for more and more, to have the latest gadget, to have what suits "me") will continue to create a growing dissatisfaction in peoples lives and a widening gap between the "haves" and "have nots".
4. Advances in science and technology give the impression of a "brave new world" but at the same time give rise to many ethical and moral dilemmas. Will communication technology strengthen or weaken communities?
5. Because of the widenening impact of terrorism by fundamentalist and anarchist groups people are less secure. This feeling of insecurity may well be heightened by increasing volatility of the stock market, affecting pensions, and commodity markets, affecting prices.
6. The decline of the institutional churches looks likely to continue both numerically and as regards its influence nationally. Evangelical Christianity looks set to continue to grow in many areas, but is likely to be marginalised and attacked, being labelled as narrow minded and a cult by a multi-faith society with a "pick'n'mix attitude to religion and spirituality.

The "Vision"

The remainder of this "Vision" document is presented in an unusual but thought provoking way. It is written from the viewpoint of a person attending the church in 2007, for example, one of our present young people writing to some friends who perhaps left to go abroad back in 2002. The writer tells them what has happened within the church since they left.

The Church in which we live - a view from 2007

"Looking back you will remember that 5 years ago we had a steadily growing congregation, but several of our folks were struggling with ill health and some with difficult marriage situations. As time went on our more senior members also needed increasing support. The Church has always been a welcoming, loving and caring fellowship, and we responded by placing greater emphasis on small groups and pastoral care. Consequently a Pastoral Team Leader was appointed who, whilst liaising with the Eldership, now oversees the pastoral care work of the church.

However, we sought not to be introspective and we have since also appointed a 'Community Worker'. Our Community Worker is continuing to build bridges with the local community and is spearheading our links with the community, with local groups and with other agencies to help us jointly and individually serve the community with our time, talents and other resources such as our church premises.

Both the pastoral care work and the community work are complemented by our discipleship programme. This is centred around small groups and includes 'Biblical application' and 'lifestyle' based modules assisting us to live in the freedom only Christ can bring with a positive alternative lifestyle, growing in faith and witnessing more effectively.

The church is continuing to place a high priority on overseas mission and mission support. It has been good to see more and more folks go on short-term mission projects whilst others continue to be involved in mission through prayer and practical support for struggling Christians and others overseas and at home.

We are linked with a church in Albania. The regular visits to assist in one another's development and the growing prayer links are proving a tremendous blessing to both fellowships. We have also linked with a church in an inner city area in the UK and we are finding this a source of great blessing and encouragement.

Our children and youth work has grown and it has been good to see our children and young people take a valued place in the church. For a number of years we have actively encouraged and supported our young people to go on short term missions but we have recently seen one of our young people from the Church becoming our first 'One Year Volunteer' working alongside our children's and youth work teams.

We are continuing to explore various cell church models to reach and disciple people who find normal church meetings 'off-putting' or inconvenient to their working and family lives.

Indeed the roots of the Church lie in small groups. Most members are in prayer partnerships. A sense of God's restoration and healing permeates our fellowship and prayer ministry is integral to our weekly church and community programmes. We want our church community to be a magnet to unbelievers. A sense of belonging and family comes from shared lives from a common vision as God dwells in our midst."

Conclusion

The above is a word picture, a black and white picture. It is crucial that we each find our place, and as we each play our part in bringing it to reality we will add the colour and make it three dimensional.

The key components of the vision which need development are:

1. A small group based discipleship programme.
2. Pastoral care provision.
3. Overseas mission with particular reference to Albania.
4. Small group models for reaching and keeping the 'unchurched'.
5. Links to and relationships with the local community.
6. Prayer in several forms.
7. Continued commitment to children and youth work and ensuring that they are seen as a valued part of the church.
8. Church as a Healing Community.

Whilst the utilization of our God given time, talents and resources (e.g. church premises) in the service of the Kingdom are not specifically mentioned the whole vision depends upon each one of us finding our place in the body and using the gifts God has given us.