Beyond the Horizon: Embracing Our Mission Together

 

Summary

In this exciting new chapter for Kingsford Church of Christ, we embark on a journey titled "Beyond the Horizon," a series that seeks to explore and expand our vision and mission. Our motto, "To know Christ and to make Him known," is enriched by the call to do so through our words and actions, guided by the Great Commandment and the Great Commission. As we navigate this path, we are reminded of the importance of loving God and our neighbors, and the ongoing mission to make disciples of all nations.

Our current vision is to know Christ and make Him known by seeking God in worship, prayer, and scripture (up), being a caring and inclusive family (in), sharing Jesus with those around us (out), and growing deeper as disciples (grow). This directional approach will guide us through the challenges and changes ahead, including the redevelopment of our church facilities and the influx of over 1,000 students to our area in the coming years.

Drawing inspiration from the Old Testament prophet Habakkuk and the story of Nehemiah, we are called to see beyond our current circumstances through God's eyes. Nehemiah's example of seeking God first, even in the face of daunting challenges, teaches us the importance of aligning our vision with God's will. His patience and prayerful posture prepared him to seize the right moment to act, a lesson we must embrace as we move forward.

Our vision for Kingsford Church extends beyond the immediate future, aiming to establish a hub for disciple-making, evangelism, and church planting in the Eastern suburbs. This vision is not confined to a building but is about creating a community that integrates faith into all aspects of life, serving as family to those far from home, and unlocking the potential within each individual.

As we embark on this journey, we are invited to establish a listening posture, to participate in prayer, and to discern God's heart together. Let us place our trust in Jesus, allowing the Holy Spirit to guide us, and work together to fulfill the vision God has set before us.

Key Takeaways:

1. The Great Commandment and Commission: Our mission to know Christ and make Him known is rooted in the Great Commandment to love God and our neighbors, and the Great Commission to make disciples. This dual focus calls us to live out our faith through both words and actions, embodying the love and teachings of Jesus in every aspect of our lives. [36:02]

2. Vision Beyond the Horizon: As we face the challenges of redevelopment and growth, we are called to see beyond our current circumstances through God's eyes. This requires a posture of seeking God first, aligning our vision with His will, and trusting in His timing and provision. [39:06]

3. Nehemiah's Example: Nehemiah's story teaches us the importance of patience, prayer, and preparation. By seeking God first and aligning his vision with God's, Nehemiah was able to recognize the right moment to act and secure the king's favor. This example encourages us to remain steadfast in prayer and trust in God's timing. [51:14]

4. A Vision for Generations: Our vision for Kingsford Church extends beyond the immediate future, aiming to establish a hub for disciple-making, evangelism, and church planting. This vision is about creating a community that integrates faith into all aspects of life, serving as family to those far from home, and unlocking the potential within each individual. [56:37]

5. Trusting in God's Provision: As we pursue this vision, we are reminded that God will provide, often in unexpected ways. Our role is to align ourselves with His mission, seeking to join Him in His work rather than asking Him to bless our plans. This requires a posture of humility, trust, and openness to the leading of the Holy Spirit. [01:06:10]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:30] - Introduction to Beyond the Horizon
- [02:15] - The Great Commandment and Commission
- [05:45] - Vision and Mission of Kingsford Church
- [09:30] - Challenges and Opportunities Ahead
- [12:00] - Seeking God, Seeing Beyond
- [15:20] - Lessons from Habakkuk
- [18:45] - Nehemiah's Example of Seeking God
- [22:30] - Aligning with God's Vision
- [26:00] - A Vision for Generations
- [30:15] - Trusting in God's Provision
- [34:00] - Invitation to Prayer and Discernment
- [37:45] - Closing Prayer and Song
- [40:00] - Invitation to Fellowship and Connection

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: Beyond the Horizon

Bible Reading:
1. Mark 12:29-31
2. Matthew 28:18-20
3. Habakkuk 2:2-3

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Observation Questions:

1. What are the two main components of Kingsford Church's motto, and how are they connected to the Great Commandment and the Great Commission? [36:02]

2. How does the story of Nehemiah illustrate the importance of patience and prayer in aligning one's vision with God's will? [51:14]

3. What challenges and opportunities does Kingsford Church anticipate in the coming years, and how do they plan to address them? [39:06]

4. How does the sermon describe the role of the church in integrating faith into all aspects of life and serving as a family to those far from home? [56:37]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the Great Commandment to love God and our neighbors influence the way Kingsford Church approaches its mission and vision? [36:02]

2. In what ways does Nehemiah's example of seeking God first challenge the congregation to trust in God's timing and provision? [51:14]

3. How does the vision for Kingsford Church as a hub for disciple-making and evangelism reflect the broader mission of the church as described in the sermon? [56:37]

4. What does it mean for the church to align itself with God's mission rather than asking God to bless its own plans? [56:37]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on the Great Commandment and the Great Commission. How can you personally embody these principles in your daily life through both words and actions? [36:02]

2. Nehemiah waited patiently for the right moment to act. Is there a situation in your life where you need to practice patience and seek God's guidance before taking action? [51:14]

3. Kingsford Church is preparing for significant changes and growth. How can you contribute to the church's mission during this transitional period? [39:06]

4. The sermon emphasizes the importance of integrating faith into all aspects of life. Identify one area of your life where you can more fully live out your faith. [56:37]

5. How can you help create a welcoming and inclusive community at Kingsford Church, especially for those who are far from home? [56:37]

6. The sermon encourages a posture of listening and prayer. What steps can you take to establish a regular practice of listening to God in your life? [01:11:53]

7. Consider the vision of Kingsford Church as a hub for disciple-making and evangelism. How can you actively participate in this vision, either within the church or in your personal life? [56:37]

Devotional

Day 1: Living Out the Great Commandment and Commission
Our mission to know Christ and make Him known is deeply rooted in the Great Commandment to love God and our neighbors, and the Great Commission to make disciples. This dual focus calls us to embody the love and teachings of Jesus in every aspect of our lives, through both words and actions. As we strive to live out our faith, we are reminded that our actions should reflect the love of Christ, serving as a testament to His transformative power. This is not just a call to personal piety but a challenge to engage with the world around us, demonstrating the love of God in tangible ways. [36:02]

Matthew 22:37-39 (ESV): "And he said to him, 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'"

Reflection: Identify one way you can actively demonstrate love to a neighbor or community member today. How can this act of love reflect the teachings of Jesus?


Day 2: Seeing Beyond Our Circumstances
As we face the challenges of redevelopment and growth, we are called to see beyond our current circumstances through God's eyes. This requires a posture of seeking God first, aligning our vision with His will, and trusting in His timing and provision. By focusing on God's perspective, we can navigate the uncertainties of life with confidence, knowing that He is in control. This perspective shift allows us to embrace change and challenges as opportunities for growth and transformation, trusting that God is working all things for His glory. [39:06]

Habakkuk 2:3 (ESV): "For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay."

Reflection: What is one challenge you are currently facing that requires you to trust in God's timing? How can you seek His perspective in this situation today?


Day 3: Embracing Nehemiah's Example
Nehemiah's story teaches us the importance of patience, prayer, and preparation. By seeking God first and aligning his vision with God's, Nehemiah was able to recognize the right moment to act and secure the king's favor. This example encourages us to remain steadfast in prayer and trust in God's timing. Nehemiah's patience and prayerful posture prepared him to seize the right moment to act, a lesson we must embrace as we move forward in our own journeys. [51:14]

Nehemiah 1:11 (ESV): "O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name, and give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man."

Reflection: Consider a decision or action you are contemplating. How can you incorporate patience and prayer into your preparation process today?


Day 4: Building a Vision for Generations
Our vision for Kingsford Church extends beyond the immediate future, aiming to establish a hub for disciple-making, evangelism, and church planting. This vision is about creating a community that integrates faith into all aspects of life, serving as family to those far from home, and unlocking the potential within each individual. By focusing on long-term impact, we can build a legacy of faith that influences generations to come, ensuring that the love and teachings of Jesus continue to spread and transform lives. [56:37]

Isaiah 54:2-3 (ESV): "Enlarge the place of your tent, and let the curtains of your habitations be stretched out; do not hold back; lengthen your cords and strengthen your stakes. For you will spread abroad to the right and to the left, and your offspring will possess the nations and will people the desolate cities."

Reflection: What is one way you can contribute to building a lasting legacy of faith in your community? How can you start taking steps towards this vision today?


Day 5: Trusting in God's Provision
As we pursue this vision, we are reminded that God will provide, often in unexpected ways. Our role is to align ourselves with His mission, seeking to join Him in His work rather than asking Him to bless our plans. This requires a posture of humility, trust, and openness to the leading of the Holy Spirit. By trusting in God's provision, we can move forward with confidence, knowing that He will equip us with everything we need to fulfill His purposes. [01:06:10]

2 Corinthians 9:8 (ESV): "And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work."

Reflection: Reflect on a time when God provided for you in an unexpected way. How can this experience encourage you to trust in His provision for your current needs?

Quotes

"And so today, we are beginning a series titled Beyond the Horizon. And Beyond the Horizon is a phrase that we used during our, as Duncan had shared, a time where we were looking at the church. We did a church health check. We went through a revitalization or going through a revitalization process and just looking at our vision and mission and, I suppose, an expansion of that." [00:33:11] (36 seconds)


"Simple in the fact that as apprentices of Jesus, Jesus, we're guided and directed by what our, I suppose, our forebears have labeled as the Great Commandment and the Great Commission. Right? So part of this is to the Great Commandment. And the other part to make him known is part of the Great Commission." [00:34:38] (24 seconds)


"And so after some consultation and some workshopping, the current working vision for Kingsford Church of Christ is this. To know Christ and to make him known by, and you'll see that there are directions in there, up, in, out, and grow. To seek God in worship, prayer, and scripture." [00:37:51] (22 seconds)


"To know Christ and to make him known by being family, that's in, a caring and inclusive family, by sharing Jesus with those around us, and growing deeper as disciples of Jesus. So directionally it's up, in, out, and down. And over the coming weeks, this month, we're going to unpack what this means and the implications and the applications for us as a local church." [00:38:53] (28 seconds)


"And before we go beyond our current circumstances, our posture must be one that sees what lies beyond through God's eyes. Not through our own, but through God's eyes. In Habakkuk chapter 2, it's in the Old Testament, God says this, Write my answer plainly on tablets so that a runner can carry the correct message to others. Here's the key." [00:40:42] (31 seconds)


"This vision is for a future time. It describes the end and it will be fulfilled. If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed. Now, in the context of this Old Testament prophet, Habakkuk, what he was doing in the first chapter and the second chapter is he complained fiercely to God." [00:41:12] (29 seconds)


"Nehemiah was the cup bearer to the king, to King Artaxerxes, right? Which meant that he was a trusted person, that he was in the court of the king. What we know about Nehemiah, that he had great leadership skills and that he was concerned about the poor and the oppressed. And ultimately, Nehemiah was a man who sought God first after hearing about Jerusalem's condition." [00:49:44] (33 seconds)


"And so I want you to see, this is what I want you to recognize is that Nehemiah's relationship with God prepared him to recognize the moment, to prepare him to recognize the opportunity to ask for the king's favor. In Nehemiah's prayer in chapter, in the previous chapter, in chapter one, he says this in verse 11. He says, oh Lord, please hear my prayer." [00:52:55] (25 seconds)


"And the assumption here is that God is on mission, that he's already moving. And it's an invitation from God for us to join him in his mission, in his work, rather than the other way around where we do something and we go, God bless me in this, right? There's a subtle difference, right? One is about us going, God, I want to do this. I want you to bless me in this and let's go." [00:57:31] (26 seconds)


"And so this vision, I suppose in all its messiness is this, um, if I can share this, is that Kingsford Church of Christ in its new facility, in the way it will be designed, I pray that Kingsford Church of Christ will be the Eastern suburbs hub for disciple making, for evangelism, and for church planting, right? With over a thousand students on our doorstep by 2030, knowing that most will go back to their home country, how do we become this hub for disciple making and evangelism and church planting?" [01:02:58] (40 seconds)


"Let us allow the work of the Holy Spirit to unite us, to show us areas where we need to change and areas where we are being invited by God to move into. All right, let us work together, pray together, and discern together the heart and the will of God. Amen." [01:12:31] (21 seconds)


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Transcript
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