Sonoma Avenue Church of Christ
This morning we want to talk about how we are going to move forward with our vision statement and values
Key Scripture
When you think about Jesus, what are some of the main adjectives you would use to describe him?
John 5:16-20 NIV
Children's Sermon
Psalms 27:14 NIV
Vision Statement
We believe that the love of God in Jesus changes everything.
Vision Value One - Belong: Jesus Changes the way we experience community.
We are a family that accepts people as they are. Our family looks out for one another and encourages each other to be more like Jesus every day. We take responsibility for one another and strive to help each other know the love of Jesus in all of life’s ups and downs.
Vision Value Two- Grow: Jesus changes the way we see ourselves
Who are we? We are imperfect people. In every moment, in everything we do, we need the love and grace of God that is found in Jesus. This need defines us, but it does not discourage us. There is always something better in Jesus and we want to continually grow into that something.
Vision Value Three- Give: Jesus Changes the way we respond to others
Jesus saw people and loved them in a dynamic and passionate way no matter who they were, no matter where they were. He responded to what he saw. We want our eyes to be open so that we can love people in that same way.
Vision Value Four- Go: Jesus changes our understanding of what others need.
So what do we do now?
God, what do you want to change in me?
God, what do you want to change in us as a church?
Pray
Wait
Listen
Do
Ephesians 6:18-20 NIV
Prayer is a way of actively involving God in every facet of our lives
We pray so that we learn to follow God’s will and not our own will.
We are to “Always keep on praying for all of the Lords people”
Matthew 7:7-8 NIV
We have to wait.
Who waited?
Noah
Abraham
Jacob
Joseph
Moses
Joshua
David
ALL OF THE PROPHETS
The exiles
The earth
Anna and Simeon
Jesus
The apostles
Saul/Paul
The whole of creation
Everyone waits on God
When people wait on God, they receive guidance from him every time without fail.
Lamentations 3:22-26 NIV
1. When we wait we are showing that we have faith that God will answer us.
2. When we wait we honor God by quieting our own voice, our own desires
3. When we wait we open ourselves up to a world of opportunities; things that we in our rush to find answers would never think of or overlook
4. When we wait we find God’s direction more clearly.
5. Everyone waits on God. Everyone who wants to hear his voice in their lives calls out to him and then waits for him to answer. And everyone who waits on God hears an answer from him and they know it is his voice.
Isaiah 64:4 NIV
We have to listen while we wait and continue to engage God
There is not a formula for hearing the voice of God
We are not promised God will speak to us in a certain way, but church we are promised that he will speak
Psalms 5:1-3 NIV
Once we hear, we go.
Micah 7:7 NIV