WEEKLY FOCUS ARCHIVE

Setting out for the dream

February 9, 2005

The dream of being what the church ought to be can be and is called by God to be-that's the dream of Uptown Church. We dream of being effective in our efforts, through the Holy Spirit, to bring people who have not as yet realized the magnificence of life in Christ, to faith. Our dream is to turn irreligious people into fully devoted followers of Christ. We dream of being the Church in the world, Christians used by God to bring transformation to a culture that needs transforming as much as any other. We dream of being authentic in our attempt to walk out our faith. We want to go beyond the "church game" and step out in our dream to really live life truthfully before and in relationship with others. We dream of addressing the "big questions" of thinking minds with the answers that the God of the Bible provides. We dream of equipping believers with the foundations and tools necessary to go into the world with the compelling deep truths of scripture. We dream of providing a setting at church in which people might be comfortable, unthreatened and eager to come and hear a creative and inspiring message about life in the real world. We dream of building families, restoring relationships, aiding people in their fights against addiction, enabling people to use their creative gifts for the growth of the Kingdom of God, and inspiring people to dream big as they wonder what God might do in and through them. We dream of demonstrating what it means to know God and enjoy Him forever.

Big dreams? Yes! But such are the dreams of God's people throughout history. God is all about instilling dreams within His people, providing them with the means necessary to fulfill those dreams, and then unfolding the dreams before them. It happened with Abraham, Moses, Noah, Joseph, David, Isaiah, Paul, and many others. It still happens today.

What dreams has God birthed in you in your lifetime? Which ones still beat in your heart today when you take an honest inventory of your life and you sit before God in stillness and just wonder? Why have you not begun to pursue those dreams? What is stopping you? If you have begun to pursue those God given dreams, what resources do you need to bring the dreams to fruition? What steps can you begin to take today, whether big or small, that would help you on your way to the accomplishment of the dreams? These are important questions. The answers could have enormous implications for your life.

If you saw the movie Braveheart you may recall the line uttered with great passion as Mel Gibson said, "All men die, but few ever really live". Are you living a life worth dying for? Do you feel alive today? If your life were to end in the next few hours could you leave this world knowing that you pursued life with a hunger for God's big purposes? Many in our city the last few days have "lived it up". But are they living the dream life? Could they say with Stephen as he was being stoned to death (quite unlike most of the stoning going on in our city during Mardi Gras), "Lord, Jesus receive my spirit…do not hold this sin against them". Stephen died living for the dream of spreading the good news no matter the cost. While he died in his efforts, the church was spurred on, and ultimately, the man who looked on the stoning with glee, Saul, eventually came to see the truth of Stephen's message, was converted and became Paul, and went on to be the driving force for the New Testament church. What is God calling you to lay it all down for? What dream Must you pursue? What dream if left undone in this life would cause you to question it all? What dream if pursued would settle it all?

These are big questions. Ask these questions this week. Take an hour or take a few hours this week to ponder these things. Join us this Sunday as we worship together, look closer at these questions, and give you some practical guidelines for stepping out and living the "Dream Life".

Bruce Smith (Rev.)
Director of Development, Teaching Pastor
bruce@uptownchurch.net

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