Each New Year is filled with hope and promise for a better year than the last. “This year I’m going to eat right and get healthy.” “This year is going to be the year that I get organized.” “This is the year I’m going to take that trip I’ve been wanting to go on.”
As a church, we are gearing up for an incredible 2018 filled with new and exciting things planned to move our mission and vision forward. You’ll often hear Pastor Gabe say that, “any vision that doesn’t include reaching the world is too small.” Our vision is that in our first 50 years as a church, we will REACH: 50 communities in our city and region with ongoing multiplying small groups, 50 cities in our nation with church plants that we have sent, and 50 countries in the world that we have reached where we have ongoing partnerships.
Currently at The Point, we have over 40 small groups in our area and region. That is 40+ biblical communities meeting weekly to study the Word of God and sharing the Gospel with their friends, family, co-workers, and neighbors. We also have monthly REACH projects in which the entire church and community is invited to come and serve our city and region together! We are partnering with organizations like PACEM, which organizes shelters and activities for the homeless in the winter, Camp Holiday Trails, which serves the special needs community, Salvation Army, Habitat for Humanity, The Toy Lift, and more! We also partner directly with our Charlottesville city offices on projects as well. Internationally, we are sending teams to 4 different countries: Guatemala, Cuba, the Philippines, and Nicaragua. We will be exploring the opportunity to expand that REACH to Liberia this year as well. The Lord has opened so many doors of ministry already both locally and internationally for our church!
To make it a little more personal for you, in Matthew 28 the Lord called each of us to “go and make disciples of ALL nations.” Whether that is right here in your community or across the world in the Philippines, He has called each of us to share the love of Christ with all that will hear. While I might have some of the same New Year’s resolutions as others reading this, I think we could all add one more – to GO and make disciples with more intentionality and purpose than ever before. Some might be thinking about sharing your testimony, the Romans Road, walking someone through the complete Gospel story, etc. However, I’m talking about sharing the love of Christ in every situation big and small to hopefully lead to that greater conversation. I want to have more patience, show more grace, give joy, speak life, gain wisdom, and so much more. “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom,” Psalm 90:12. We don’t have the time or luxury to hope that we bump into a few Gospel conversations this year. Get involved in a small group, come to REACH projects, or go on a mission trip! Make the most of every moment by making it a moment that will have an eternal impact.