I had the privilege last weekend of participating in the 100th Anniversary of First Baptist Church in Monterey. It was a fantastic party.
But wait a second. What lasts a hundred years? Mervyn's didn't. Not Montgomery Wards. Oldsmobile? Nope.
No president presides and no king reigns for 100 years. Nor do any pastors serve a church that long. One hundred years is a long time.
Lakeside Church is 22 years old. We've just reached adulthood. Barely. And like a lot of 22-year-olds, we're still trying to figure things out.
At FBC Monterey last weekend, they never told the story of how the church began. I know they have built two buildings in 100 years. I know the stories of some of their pastors, some great ones, and some of their members. But I didn't get to hear about the original vision. Who launched this church? Why? What moved them? Why Monterey? What did they hope to accomplish? Did they think it would last 100 years? Did they believe they would make a difference?
The worship service was spent mostly talking about the past. That makes sense, because they were celebrating where they had been. It is a good, solid history of honoring the Lord.
I had been asked to address the future. I started thinking 100 years out. Most leadership processes these days work on three-year plans. The standard used to be ten years, then five, but that is regarded as too long these days. Change comes too quickly. So people ask, "What's your three-year vision?" Or even, "What do you hope to accomplish this year?"
I wonder what it would look like if churches took a longer view. What if we asked, "If Lakeside Church--or any church--survives 100 years, what difference will it make in this community"? I want to know, "How will our town, our region be better because our church actively engaged it during these 100 years?" The answer to that question should be astounding!
What's your hundred-year vision?
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