2010: The Year of GATHERING

Just before we started the last service of 2009, Kathy and I were sitting in the office talking about the new year.

We were discussing what we were believing for in 2010, and what the theme of the year would be.

With barely a hesitation, Kathy said, "This is the year of Gathering", and the phrase resonated in my spirit. What I mean is that in my heart I knew that what she had said was right!

THIS IS THE YEAR OF GATHERING!

For 45 years many have worked to make our church a important gathering place for believers in our city. Strong friendships have been forged, families have been started, those who were once just children in the classrooms are now leaders in the church.

Renewed passion for the work of "The House of Prayer", "Restoration Tabernacle", and now "family.life.church" has been stirred and the GATHERING has begun!

Yesterday we enjoyed an amazing day of GATHERING as the church family signed-on and committed to a year of faithful service in the church. I believe this was a picture of the beginning of what will be a continuous flow of leaders and workers GATHERING to GATHER the harvest.

Jesus said in Matthew 9:37-38, "The harvest is truly plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send our laborers into His harvest".

He did not say that the harvest wasn't ready. He did not say that "it's only a matter of time". He did not say that if we wait long enough the harvest will just be brought to us.

He said that if we want the harvest, that we should pray for harvesters, not more harvest. In fact, He says that there is PLENTY to be harvested, now we just need people to GATHER the harvest.

I believe that for the past two years, God has been preparing the people of family.life.church to be GATHERERS. To be the laborers that will go and GATHER the harvest.

So the year of GATHERING is two-fold for our church:

1. GATHERING people and leaders and resources to labor together.

Paul refers to us as "workers together with Him" in 2 Corinthians 6:1. We believe that not only will we work to GATHER the resources, but that resources will GATHER around us. As the vision grows in strength and clarity, so will the passion of people to help accomplish that vision.

We believe that this year will be like no other for the GATHERING of great leaders and workers to accomplish the vision God has revealed for us.

2. GATHERING the harvest.

Harvesting is hard and rewarding work. In many cases, farmers whose fields connect to one another will help one another with the work of GATHERING the harvest.

With all the work that goes into planting and weeding and waiting, it would be easy to get too tired to harvest the fruit of our labor. BUT...

Galatians 6:9 - "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up".

What are we GATHERING?

1. PEOPLE. We are believing that we will see more and more people come to Jesus in 2010 than in the past several years combined. By living the life of true Christians, we believe that others will see and come to that light and life.

2. PHYSICAL healing. We are believing for an amazing year in the area of physical healing. JESUS already made a way for us to receive healing from sickness and disease of ALL KINDS in our bodies, and this year we are believing for a significant increase of healing!

3. RESOURCES. People, money, land, buildings....whatever it takes to advance the kingdom. We are believing to launch new, significant opportunities for kids and teens in our area. That will require all of these resources. We are believing for a major impact for our families and older adults. Again, RESOURCES are needed for what God has shown us.

4. CLEAR VISION. We believe that God has called us to accomplish a specific purpose within the Body of Christ. We will partner with other ministries that are the BEST at what they do, and we will strive to be the BEST at what we do. Rather than taking a "do everything" approach to ministry, we want to be FOCUSED on what God is asking our church body to do. After all, when is the last time you walked on your hands? In the same way, we must understand what God has called us to be and be that to the best of our ability. If we are hands, let's be hands, and not try to be feet as well. We desire a CLEAR vision and unstoppable FOCUS.

There is room for every person to work the fields. Come GATHER with us and help us GATHER the harvest!