Seeking God's Vision / Responding to God's Call

The difference between being a dreamer and a visionary.

Proverbs 29:18a Jonah 3:1-5, 10 Mark 1:14-20          Rev. Todd B. Freeman

Bethany Presbyterian Church, Dallas           January 22, 2006

I was just 8 years old when I realized that I wasn’t like other boys and girls. Oh by the way, I’m referring to my eyesight. Some people are born with good vision. Others, sooner or later, find out that they haven’t been as blessed. I’ve had to wear glasses since I was in the third grade. I was one of those kids, who even at a young age, couldn’t even see the big “E” at the top of the eye chart. Within the past five years I’ve had to add a bifocal prescription to my lenses. Living with glasses, or contacts (which I did for a few years), is often a hassle.

I am deeply thankful, however, that I was born at a time in history when there are such things as glasses to correct poor vision. And thank goodness the author of the Old Testament proverb wasn’t referring to eyesight when he declared: “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” For “vision” can also be defined as: competence in discernment or perception; intelligent foresight. And just like those with poor eyesight, the vision of an organization, including churches, can also sometimes get out of focus. When that becomes the case, a vision check-up is in order. As a result, life often becomes clearer when looking through new lenses.

Lest there be any misunderstanding, let me proudly state that Bethany is a church with very good vision. This congregation has always had a good understanding of its identity and its mission. It has consistently sought God’s vision for itself and God’s vision for its role in the community and beyond. Believe me, there’s hardly a congregation in this huge presbytery that isn’t aware of Bethany and its mission.

Yet throughout its long life Bethany has also needed to update (notice I don’t use the word “correct”) its vision. And now, in the midst of impending changes at this church, it may be a wise idea to once again go in for vision check-up. It never hurts for a congregation to make sure that its vision is in focus, especially as it looks at its life thru new lenses.

When it comes to listening for God’s guidance, and seeking God’s vision for the church, Presbyterians have a long-standing tradition of believing that God speaks primarily to the community of faith, and not just to select individuals. Discernment, then, is best done with a group of persons dedicated to trying to listen to where God is leading. Of course it’s just a waste of time and an exercise in futility if there is no intention of actually trying to follow where we believe God is leading us.

Thankfully, this congregation also has a strong tradition of gathering together in community when it comes to the process of discernment. That was certainly the case when a decision needed to be made of whether or not to embark into full-fledged Hispanic ministry. It will need to be the case again as the events of this year unfold.

Another quick note on vision. The Hebrew word for “vision” that is used in this proverb refers to the vision provided by God, not human vision. It is not the vision of the people, but rather the vision given to the people by God.

And there is a difference between vision and mission. The overall mission of this congregation, in my opinion, will most likely remain the same. However, the vision of how to accomplish that mission may need to change or be updated. Discussions like this are already being undertaken by a new type of strategic planning committee, currently called the Group for Exploring the Bethany’s Future, moderated by newly installed elder Bruce Wittrig. This group (of which everyone is invited to play an active role) will be engaged in a process where it will indeed try to discern God’s vision, will, and purpose for this congregation – and how to accomplish that. In addition, an Administrative Commission established by Grace Presbytery (at the request of the Bethany Session, following an open discussion at a Congregational Meeting last fall) will begin its work later this month and help in this process.

That process will involve asking some tough questions like: do we like the direction this church is taking? Do we like the way it goes about its daily business? Do we like the way it provides programs and ministry and service to church members, to the local community, and to the world? How well are we encouraging one another to respond to the call of faithful discipleship?

This last question is an important part of the message from our two other Scripture passages this morning, both of which deal with following the call to discipleship. The Old Testament story of Jonah is a fascinating tale. Jonah was called by God to leave the comfort of his homeland to share a prophetic word of repentance in a far away, foreign land. What does Jonah do? He gets on a ship and sails in the opposite direction.

I think there are times in each of our lives, individually and as a congregation when we do the same thing. Are there not times when we feel, or even know, that God is calling us to do something (or not to do something), yet we run in the opposite direction instead?

God did not let Jonah off the hook, however. God persisted, and Jonah finally fulfilled his call to discipleship and the vision God had for his ministry.

God is persistent with us as well, calling us as often as we need to be called in order to fulfill our call to discipleship and the vision God has for our ministry. (Thank goodness it usually doesn’t mean being swallowed by a whale in the process.)

Our New Testament Gospel Lesson involves another fish story, of sorts. This time it is Simon Peter and his brother Andrew who were casting their nets into the Sea of Galilee. James and John were in their boat mending their fishing nets, along with their father and hired hands. Jesus calls out to the four of them to follow him and become his disciples.

Most of us are familiar with the verse, “Follow me and I will make you fish for people.” You may have noticed its portrayal on the cover of today’s worship bulletin. This text is often used to preach about the importance of evangelism – “fishing for people” to join the church. But it can have a different emphasis as well. Just as important as Jesus’ message to fish for people is the initial response of the new disciples in the first place. Sometimes we hear an important message, but if we do not respond or act upon it the message is ultimately for naught. Mark tells us that the four men whom Jesus called responded by immediately leaving their nets and following Jesus. In the case of James and John, they even left their father sitting in the boat.

By associating and contrasting the Old Testament story of Jonah, and New Testament story of Jesus’ call to discipleship, the lectionary is pointing us to ask the following important question: How do you respond (and how do we respond as a congregation) when you hear the voice of God calling you to follow?

You may be wondering what I mean by “hearing the voice of God calling you.” I believe in a God that interacts with humankind in ways that draw us together into true community; into right, mutual relationships; into acts of love and compassion; into paths of peace, hope, justice and joy. Paul Tillich described this in terms such as connecting with the Ground of All Being, and that which is our Ultimate Concern.

Yet, trying to describe precisely just how God calls us varies from person to person, and from church to church. I’ve always contended that God speaks to us in the way that each person and congregation can hear – and that may not only be in different ways for different people and different churches, but may even change throughout one’s own journey of faith, as it has in mine.

There are a few things, however, that may help us to discern God’s vision and call to discipleship within this congregation. As far a church work is concerned, I would say that God is calling you (as well as this congregation) to the particular type of service that excites you the most; the type of ministry you feel most compassionate about; the projects that energize you and fill you with vitality, not drain you.

There’s one more thing I want to address concerning this issue of a vision for this church. Our former seminary intern pastor, Nancy Willet, sent me a sermon she preached just last Sunday, commemorating Martin Luther King Day at the church she now serves in El Paso. Nancy quoted many memorable lines from King’s famous 1963 “I Have a Dream” speech, delivered at the Lincoln Memorial as part of the March on Washington for Civil Rights. She went on to comment:

Martin’s dream was a good one. I believe MLK was a modern day prophet of God. I think he had more than just a dream. MLK had a vision. He preached and practiced equality and justice. He lived, ate, and slept with what he believed, and was an excellent example of a servant leader, as he led thousands to make changes within the Civil Rights Movement.

Nancy makes a very good point when she distinguished between dreams and visions. She continues:

Did you know there is a difference between a church having a dream and a church having a vision? Dreamers are content to wish things were different; visionaries seek ways to partner with God to make a difference. There’s not much action involved in dreaming…

Andy Stanley in his book Visioneering states that “just about every God-ordained vision appears to be impossible. A true vision will be so large and challenging that the power of God is required to fulfill it.

So, will Bethany be content to merely dream, or will it take the action necessary to be truly visionary?

I want to close by using the words that Nancy Willet used to motivate her congregation: “Let’s live into and work with God on that vision of a future for the ministry here.” Going in for a vision check-up may be just what the doctor ordered.

Amen.