I wrote a bulletin article for my church this Mother's Day that I thought I would share. Some of it is specific to goings on at Vineyard Boise but most of it is relevant to anyone:
I want to talk to you about three things today: Pursuing your dreams, Vineyard Leadership Institute, and Mother’s Day. It’s going to be challenging and fun to combine those three topics. Here we go…
Do you have a dream to serve God and share His love with others? I bet you do. I think God places a dream in all of us. Sometimes we refer to these dreams as a vision for our lives. Although the shapes of our dreams may differ, they are part of our spiritual DNA. Maybe you have followed your dream and are already realizing it. Or perhaps you, like many, have had your dream on a shelf for a long time and haven't been pursuing it - or you've followed after one dream but you now see a bigger one on the horizon.
We'll talk more about dreams later but for now I'd like to tell you a story about an amazing woman named Ann Maria Reeves Jarvis who followed her dreams. That's a really long name so let's just call her Ann for short. Ann was born in 1832 and was the daughter of a Methodist minister. She married the son of a Baptist minister when she was nineteen and gave birth to eleven children. Sadly, only four of them lived to adulthood. I can only imagine how painful those losses were for her. In fact, the deaths of her children motivated her to educate others and address some significant needs in her society. She was deeply troubled by the poor health and sanitation conditions in her community and felt God calling her to do something about it. At the age of twenty-six Ann grabbed hold of her dream and began to follow it.
The realization of Ann's dream was the founding of a community organization that provided health care essentials for the poor, especially children. The organization grew and many chapters were established in other communities. Despite the outbreak of civil war, Ann fought to ensure that her organization did not take sides and that it provided the same level of care to everyone no matter the color of their uniform. When typhoid fever and measles epidemics put her ideals to the test she passed with honors.
Despite her incredible civic efforts and responsibilities, Ann found time to serve in her church. When her church's building program was completed she became the assistant superintendent of the primary department of the church school and devoted twenty-five years serving in that capacity. Ann understood that education was of primary importance. She was considered an excellent teacher as well as a knowledgeable public speaker. One of Ann's surviving daughters, Anna, shared her mother's values for education and also became a teacher.
I'd like to ask you to stop for a moment and think about your dream. Maybe you already know what it is or maybe you need some time to recognize it. Do you have it in mind? Okay, now if that is truly a big dream then you probably realize that it's more than you are capable of taking on by yourself. It's funny how God works isn't it? You're going to have to depend on God and others to make that dream happen. It's also quite possible that you are going to need further training to assist you. The good news is that there are programs designed to meet your needs and they are available to you here at the Vineyard. If you are a young student then VCOM is your best course. However, if you are a working adult with a household and/or career then Vineyard Leadership Institute (VLI) might be exactly what you need to help you reach your full potential. Remember, “God doesn’t call the equipped, He equips the called.”
VLI is a two-year, part-time, accredited (ACE), college level program (http://www.vli.org/). This excellent program was the dream of Steve Robbins, a Vineyard pastor from Southern California. You do not need to be a church planter or a pastor-in-training in order to qualify for VLI. I know from talking to some of you that this is a common misconception. What you do need is a heart to serve and to lead others. You will also need an abundance of commitment because this journey is going to result in a lot of growth and growth always takes effort. In VLI you will read and be taught through the entire Bible. I’ll bet a lot of you have always wanted to do this. The quality of instruction is excellent. You will have the privilege to learn from the best of the best. During VLI you will have an opportunity to learn who God created you to be. Your gifts and abilities will become much clearer to you as you put them to use and as you engage in real, hands-on ministry leadership in the church. You will also have the opportunity to be mentored personally and in small group settings in various areas of ministry leadership, some prescribed and some of your own personal choosing.
I’m getting excited just writing this and thinking to myself that you may be making a decision to pursue VLI at this very moment. My wife and I pursued a dream—we are VLI graduates. It was an enriching and life changing experience for both of us. I have also had the privilege of facilitating the weekly class for the past couple of years which has allowed me to see others finish the journey and pursue their dreams. I would encourage you to consider whether VLI might be the next step in your discipleship journey.
Here is a verse that harmonizes beautifully with the idea of being equipped to pursue your dream: Proverbs 16:9 says, "In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps." I believe that life is not truly lived until it is lived for a purpose. That was essentially the message of Rick Warren's, "Purpose Driven Life" and why it had such a tremendous impact in our culture. I would invite you to take that concept and turn it into a reality. I hope that this is striking a chord in some of you. What would it be like if you could start living a life of purpose? If you think that VLI might help you do that then I invite you to simply note your interest on the v-mail in this bulletin and we will be in touch with you. You can also attend any of the VLI intensive weekends which are open to anyone. The next one is Team Building and it is a particularly good one. It will be held the evening of Friday, June 1st and finishes Saturday, June 2nd. Watch the bulletin for an announcement.
I like how songs capture ideas in poetic form that communicates with our hearts as well as our minds. Michael W. Smith wrote a song titled “Pursuit of the Dream” that I think has some insightful and passionate lyrics:
Wake up and dream about
Do you have a dream to serve God and share His love with others? I bet you do. I think God places a dream in all of us. Sometimes we refer to these dreams as a vision for our lives. Although the shapes of our dreams may differ, they are part of our spiritual DNA. Maybe you have followed your dream and are already realizing it. Or perhaps you, like many, have had your dream on a shelf for a long time and haven't been pursuing it - or you've followed after one dream but you now see a bigger one on the horizon.
We'll talk more about dreams later but for now I'd like to tell you a story about an amazing woman named Ann Maria Reeves Jarvis who followed her dreams. That's a really long name so let's just call her Ann for short. Ann was born in 1832 and was the daughter of a Methodist minister. She married the son of a Baptist minister when she was nineteen and gave birth to eleven children. Sadly, only four of them lived to adulthood. I can only imagine how painful those losses were for her. In fact, the deaths of her children motivated her to educate others and address some significant needs in her society. She was deeply troubled by the poor health and sanitation conditions in her community and felt God calling her to do something about it. At the age of twenty-six Ann grabbed hold of her dream and began to follow it.
The realization of Ann's dream was the founding of a community organization that provided health care essentials for the poor, especially children. The organization grew and many chapters were established in other communities. Despite the outbreak of civil war, Ann fought to ensure that her organization did not take sides and that it provided the same level of care to everyone no matter the color of their uniform. When typhoid fever and measles epidemics put her ideals to the test she passed with honors.
Despite her incredible civic efforts and responsibilities, Ann found time to serve in her church. When her church's building program was completed she became the assistant superintendent of the primary department of the church school and devoted twenty-five years serving in that capacity. Ann understood that education was of primary importance. She was considered an excellent teacher as well as a knowledgeable public speaker. One of Ann's surviving daughters, Anna, shared her mother's values for education and also became a teacher.
I'd like to ask you to stop for a moment and think about your dream. Maybe you already know what it is or maybe you need some time to recognize it. Do you have it in mind? Okay, now if that is truly a big dream then you probably realize that it's more than you are capable of taking on by yourself. It's funny how God works isn't it? You're going to have to depend on God and others to make that dream happen. It's also quite possible that you are going to need further training to assist you. The good news is that there are programs designed to meet your needs and they are available to you here at the Vineyard. If you are a young student then VCOM is your best course. However, if you are a working adult with a household and/or career then Vineyard Leadership Institute (VLI) might be exactly what you need to help you reach your full potential. Remember, “God doesn’t call the equipped, He equips the called.”
VLI is a two-year, part-time, accredited (ACE), college level program (http://www.vli.org/). This excellent program was the dream of Steve Robbins, a Vineyard pastor from Southern California. You do not need to be a church planter or a pastor-in-training in order to qualify for VLI. I know from talking to some of you that this is a common misconception. What you do need is a heart to serve and to lead others. You will also need an abundance of commitment because this journey is going to result in a lot of growth and growth always takes effort. In VLI you will read and be taught through the entire Bible. I’ll bet a lot of you have always wanted to do this. The quality of instruction is excellent. You will have the privilege to learn from the best of the best. During VLI you will have an opportunity to learn who God created you to be. Your gifts and abilities will become much clearer to you as you put them to use and as you engage in real, hands-on ministry leadership in the church. You will also have the opportunity to be mentored personally and in small group settings in various areas of ministry leadership, some prescribed and some of your own personal choosing.
I’m getting excited just writing this and thinking to myself that you may be making a decision to pursue VLI at this very moment. My wife and I pursued a dream—we are VLI graduates. It was an enriching and life changing experience for both of us. I have also had the privilege of facilitating the weekly class for the past couple of years which has allowed me to see others finish the journey and pursue their dreams. I would encourage you to consider whether VLI might be the next step in your discipleship journey.
Here is a verse that harmonizes beautifully with the idea of being equipped to pursue your dream: Proverbs 16:9 says, "In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps." I believe that life is not truly lived until it is lived for a purpose. That was essentially the message of Rick Warren's, "Purpose Driven Life" and why it had such a tremendous impact in our culture. I would invite you to take that concept and turn it into a reality. I hope that this is striking a chord in some of you. What would it be like if you could start living a life of purpose? If you think that VLI might help you do that then I invite you to simply note your interest on the v-mail in this bulletin and we will be in touch with you. You can also attend any of the VLI intensive weekends which are open to anyone. The next one is Team Building and it is a particularly good one. It will be held the evening of Friday, June 1st and finishes Saturday, June 2nd. Watch the bulletin for an announcement.
I like how songs capture ideas in poetic form that communicates with our hearts as well as our minds. Michael W. Smith wrote a song titled “Pursuit of the Dream” that I think has some insightful and passionate lyrics:
Wake up and dream about
The plans you have in store for you
But keep in mind
It's not just what you do
But what you do it for-and who
There are roads to discover
There are stories yet to be told
As you see the big picture
Just beginning to unfold
Now, let me weave Ann’s thread back in. You see, today is Mother’s Day and Ann is known as the Mother of Mother’s Day. Shortly after her death in 1905 her daughter Anne wanted to honor her mother and all mothers so she pursued that dream and a few years later it became a reality. Today we honor mothers across the U.S. and in several other countries because of these two ladies who pursued their dreams. Therefore I would invite you to pursue your God given dreams also. What could possibly be a better Mother’s Day gift than for you to live a life of purpose as you follow your dreams and add to your mother’s legacy?
To all of you mother’s I thank you for the blessing of life and I pray that you are blessed this day. Happy Mother’s Day!
Now, let me weave Ann’s thread back in. You see, today is Mother’s Day and Ann is known as the Mother of Mother’s Day. Shortly after her death in 1905 her daughter Anne wanted to honor her mother and all mothers so she pursued that dream and a few years later it became a reality. Today we honor mothers across the U.S. and in several other countries because of these two ladies who pursued their dreams. Therefore I would invite you to pursue your God given dreams also. What could possibly be a better Mother’s Day gift than for you to live a life of purpose as you follow your dreams and add to your mother’s legacy?
To all of you mother’s I thank you for the blessing of life and I pray that you are blessed this day. Happy Mother’s Day!
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