Here are some more pastoral thoughts on the vision of the house that I wanted to share with you. I know God is moving greatly in us and I want to see us continue to grow and steward what the Holy Spirit is doing in us.
As the Lighthouse we must understand that this is not just a name we chose but this is a calling from God. It is our identity. It is who we are as a body of believers. It is the specific vision that God has given us to fulfill the great commission.
"Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12
Jesus is the Lighthouse and He is our identity. As we continue to grow in Him we reflect His light into the world around us. I think we all share this sentiment and would agree with these statements, but where the struggle takes place is in the how.
How do we go about being the LIGHT? How do we live in God's Holy Temple, or live our lives in these natural bodies in a way that reflects God to the world and brings Him glory? The instructions on the right way to live are in the Bible, and while at times can be difficult to understand and digest, the answers are within the context of what God has already spoken. These are the clear instructions for our individual lives. In many ways, it is easier to figure out what God expects of us as an individual. On the other hand, what does God expect of a group of believers that join themselves together? How do we live together in a way that represents the overall body of Christ, Living In God's Holy Temple?
Unity is the key for us as believers working together. Jesus talked a lot about being one. For any group of people to be able to accomplish something greater than themselves they must find common ground where they have a passion to see a unified goal accomplished. Unity is one of our five core values at the Lighthouse. It is a characteristic by which we function together. As we individually shine the light that Jesus has given us, we must also remember that we are all part of a greater body. We are individual members. As we come together the light that shines in us becomes unified and burns bigger and brighter for all to see.
ONE LIGHT! As we come together in Spirit not just our physical location, Jesus is reflected even greater into our world. Disunity is what causes the light to dim or casts a shadow on the image of Jesus. When that happens Jesus is distorted to the people we are trying to minister to and the authentic Jesus is not shown, nor is he glorified. Our job at the Lighthouse is to burn as one light. God is giving us direction and goals to see Him glorified on earth. We may not always agree on the way we are trying to go about the mission of letting our lights shine. Those are the moments we fall back on our core values and allow Honor, Openness, Unity, Service, and Excellence to lead the way as we learn how to better work together. Remember, we are all one light burning in the Darkness of this world so that all may see the eternal life and light that lives inside of us. His name is Jesus!
"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin." 1 John 1:7
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