The Vision of Fenway Church - Intro

This Sunday, I was in the middle of preaching from Acts 2 on our church's vision and values when the fire alarm at the club went off! Since the church is the people, not a building or service, we had no problem moving outside to the Fens. 

Kinda the closest I've ever gotten to an epic Jesus outdoor preaching moment. I'm thinking we should do some outdoor services this summer... anyone down?

Anyways, the preach got me thinking about the vision of our church and how important it is. Let me take a moment (or two) to describe it (ok it ended up being three separate posts, don't worry links below), and I think you will see why. Here it is...

Loving Others, Transforming Neighborhoods, Serving Nations

Loving Others -> Click Here

Transforming Neighborhoods -> Click Here

Serving Nations -> Click Here

Part I: Loving Others

The first of three parts describing the vision of Fenway Church

Loving Others

At the heart of Jesus' ministry and the early church was the greatest commandment. Jesus said everything in life is based on it, “Love one another.”

In the gospels, we see the incredible love that God the Father and Jesus the Son have for each other. John put it simply, “God is love.”

People who have genuinely encountered the love of God, through understanding the love Jesus demonstrated in his life-giving death on the cross, cannot help but respond with a similarly genuine love for others: their church family, those who still remain lost in their sin, and their Savior, Jesus.

Everything we do as a church is motivated by the love of Jesus as we express the love he's given us through getting to know and serve others. This reality is why visitors to our church the last few weeks have said the following things:

“It was awesome. I definitely felt the compassion.”

“I fought back tears throughout the service because I really felt his love... people made a point to welcome us and introduce themselves (at least 15 people).”

A love like that can change a life, can change a city, can change the world. Which gets us to our next part...

Part II: Transforming Neighborhoods -> Click Here

Part II: Transforming Neighborhoods

The second in a three part series on the vision of Fenway Church

Transforming Neighborhoods
You can't escape it... In the book of Acts, the early church transformed the cities they lived in. These early churches fed the poor, cared for widows, and rescued orphans. They preached the gospel fearlessly (and in the midst of great persecution and push back) yet were held in high esteem and enjoyed the favor of the cultures that they lived in.

Why? It is because they didn't just talk about love, but they demonstrated love. How? By working for the welfare of their cities and neighborhoods.

Imagine! The early disciples lived with the images of Jesus ministry to the poor and his sacrificial death on the cross emblazoned in their minds. They had watched him heal the paralyzed stranger, hug the outcast, feed the poor, and minister hope to the “least of these.” They watched him give away his life and be beaten, mocked, whipped, crucified because he identified more with sinner and beggar than he did with the religious and political establishment. Whatever difficulties the early church faced, the example of Jesus' life and death would motivate them to keep giving until lives, cities, and neighborhoods were transformed.

We too aim to seek the transformation of our neighborhood, starting with those who need it most. That's why our church members volunteer at the youth program at a local non-profit called Operation Peace. That is why we host family days and participate in park clean ups.

It's why several of our young men return to Abundant Grace Church twice a month to help lead their outreaches to at-risk youth.

It's why we seek to break down barriers and be a church that welcomes people from diverse backgrounds. It's why our DTP interns this summer will serve teaching computer classes, loving seniors, volunteering at youth programs, and hosting events for kids. It's why we won't be satisfied with just a growing church. We will only be satisfied when we see tangible transformation taking place in the Fenway.

The job won't be done until every person in the Fenway knows that we are present not because of our loud, large services but because they see us investing in the lives of our neighborhood like Jesus invested his life into ours.

Well not quite done...

Part III: Serving Nations -> Click Here

Part III: Serving Nations

The third in a three part series on the vision of Fenway Church

Serving Nations

Since our church's inception, countless prophetic words have been given about our involvement in nations. Pictures of bridges being built between us and other nations mix with the words, “You will gather quickly in order to scatter.” It constantly rings in our hearts and minds.

The focus of God's purpose in this world is to make the name and power of His Son's Name, Jesus, known among every people group, tribe, family, and nation. Matthew 28 lays out clearly that God's intention-- from Adam, to Abraham, to Jesus, to us-- was to send his image bearers to the ends of the earth until the whole world was full of the knowledge of his glory.

Thus, we don't just live to love one another or to serve our own neighborhoods. We live to serve and love all the peoples of the world.  Specifically, those who have yet to have a chance to know the love of Jesus and who will not unless someone goes to them. They are the last unreached people groups of the world.

We not only support our friends who have gone to lay down their lives to love and seek the transformation of neighborhoods across the globe, but each year, we are involved in sending our own members to areas of the world where these last unreached people groups live.

It has taken several years to get to the point where we can truly say we are beginning to scatter, but I am excited to know that within the next year or two, we will be sending out eight of our members to other countries and six of these members to the unreached nations of the world.

They will carry the same commitment to love others, preach the gospel, and seek the transformation of the nations and villages they will adopt; our own hearts, prayers, and money will travel with them as they lay down their lives like Jesus did for the sake of his unreached children.

This is the vision of our church. This is a cause worth living for.

Intro to Our Vision Posts -> Click Here