VISION

• Transformed by the Gospel 
  
• Active in Service 
  
• Active in Community/Small Groups 
  
• Worshipping Daily & Corporately from our Hearts 
  
• Giving to Church Needs & Campus Expansion 
  
• On Mission with God
  

August through September represents a time of refreshing and refocusing on the Mission of God for us here at Shadycrest Baptist Church! The chart (pictured right) illustrates the process of church health and growth that will allow us to fulfill the Great Commission here in Pearland, TX.

We have taken 7 weeks to pray and focus our hearts together on the Mission of God and we have discovered some themes that will help us join God in His Kingdom's progress here in Pearland and around the world:

Change--Week 1 represented a call to be open to change. In fact, believing the Gospel is a life-changing experience (2 Corinthians 5:17). Change is often hard for us, but the Gospel demands we change toward holiness & obedient living everyday. The Gospel also demands we change corporately as we see God moving in order that we remain willing to do whatever it is He calls us to do, for His Kingdom and His glory.

Servant--Week 2 represented a call to service. Disciples don't just study the Word of God, they do the Word of God. In other words, disciples do! Every believer is gifted and tasked by the Lord to use whatever gifts they have to serve the Lord and bless God's Kingdom (1 Peter 4:10). We agreed together that any program or idea in the church that disempowers believers from involvement in ministry is unhelpful and likely sinful. Instead, we are seeking to empower one another toward the goal of everyone in the church becoming active servants in the church.

Worship--Week 3 represented a reminder that we often live misdirected lives worshipping self and material objects. The calling of the Gospel is to center our lives on the cross of Christ through dedicated worship from our hearts. We discovered together that God does not care about the styles of our worship, instead He cares about the condition of our hearts (1 Samuel 16:1-13). Thus, we will use whatever methods and styles in worship which contribute to passionate, heartfelt worship of our God.

Community--Week 4 represented a call toward community. We discovered that God has created us with a craving for community and a longing for belonging. We discovered that it is God's will for us to develop relationships with other believers through committed small group experiences which encourage our spiritual growth in Christ (Ephesians 2:12-22). Therefore, a key component which will govern the health and growth of Shadycrest in the future will be our ability to reproduce small groups which connect believers in relationships and instruct us toward spiritual maturity, including prayer, bible study, giving, and active service in the church.

Expansion--Week 5 represented a call toward giving and church growth. We discovered that when we believe in Jesus, God transforms our hearts and changes something about everything in our lives. We learned that Jesus came, not to bring us bread to eat, but to be the Bread of Heaven and offering us eternal life (John 6:1-29). With this new and eternal perspective we are able to let go of our wanting of earthly things and give sacrificially to the needs of the church and the Kingdom of God. Jesus made plain to us that in order for Him to be Lord of our heart, He must first be Lord of our finances (Matthew 6:21). Thus, through sacrificial giving we become partners with God in fulfilling His Mission!

Mission--Week 6 represented a opportunity to refocus on mission and evangelism. We discovered that Jesus is presently building His Church and we are called to join Him on this mission (Matthew 16:18). Jesus' proclamation that "I will build My church" compels us toward partnering with God in this mission. Each one of us has a role in this mission. Each one of us are called to open our mouths and proclaim the transformational Gospel that others might hear and believe (Romans 10:17).

In week 7 we reviewed all that we had discovered together and we continued to seek God's blessing for Shadycrest Baptist Church. We are willing to follow God wherever He leads us. The chart above represents a visual aid that will help us to evaluate whether or not we are staying on point in fulfilling the Great Commission here in Pearland and toward the goal of spreading the Gospel to the uttermost parts of the earth (Acts 1:8).