Pastor Jeff's Corner
June, 2007
Brothers and Sisters:
In the King James Version, Proverbs 29:18 reads, "Where there is no vision, the people perish…" The new international version translates this verse, "Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint", and this verse in the New Life Translation reads, "Where there is no understanding of the Word of the Lord, the people do whatever they want…"
What King James’ scholars translated “vision”, contemporary biblical translators consistently render to mean God’s revealed word of instruction to us. For God’s people, both in Old Testament days and in the 21st century, a vision for the future must come from God.
I am convinced that God was faithful in revealing His will for our church as the elders, board and congregation adopted our statement of mission, vision and core values last year. I have seen this statement begin to transform us into the church body that God wants us to be.
Still, even this excellent statement does not provide for us answers for many of the pressing questions we now face as a congregation. What will our "next step" be in terms of facilities? From where will the resources come to enable us to take this step? What should be the timetable for taking the step that becomes apparent? Finding answers to each of these questions are crucially relevant to our life as a church right now.
So where will we find answers? How will we know God’s “vision” for our facilities future? To me, the answer is clear but not necessarily simple… God must reveal these answers to us.
One of our core values urges us to reach out to God in prayer and the reading of His Word. Never has living out this value been more important for us than it is right now. Why? Because, as Solomon observed, "Where there is no understanding of the Word of the Lord, the people do whatever they want". This includes churches seeking to answer their facilities questions.
Therefore, as pastor, and on behalf of the elders, I call each of us in leadership to a time of regular prayer and scripture reading. In my opinion it is irrational and perhaps irresponsible for us to talk about our need to hear from God without intentionally seeking Him in prayer and in the reading of His word. If we do this, I am convinced He will meet us and reveal to us that which we need to know.
After all it is Jesus Himself who promised, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Matthew 7:7-8)
Let us reach out to God in prayer and the reading of His Word for the answers and open doors that we need as a church right now.
You can find previous Pastor's Corner messages by clicking on Corner Archives.
In addition to being the pastor of Valley Bible Church, Pastor Jeff is an associate professor of Pastoral Ministry at Nyack College, in Nyack, NY. He holds a B.A. from Nyack College and an M.S. and M.Ed. from Columbia University Teachers College. You can e-mail him at pastor@wvefc.org.