IVY MANCHESTER VISION: Knowing, Growing, Going The Bible says, “Without a vision the people perish.” If we can’t see where we’re going, we’re not going anywhere! Our vision at Ivy Manchester isn’t complicated or long – it’s simply, KNOWING, GROWING and GOING. If that’s all you need to know to get behind it- stop reading now! If you want to know more – here goes… God has already done some wonderful things at this church since it was founded as a way to reach out to ordinary people here in the city, just over a hundred years ago. Now we’re excited to see what he might do for an encore - in our day! Leadership guru Tom Peters said in his book “In Search of Excellence” that core values stay the same, but we should willing to try all kinds of variations as to how we do things. KNOWING is about how we relate to God. It means we want to know God as he really is. And we can do that because he’s shown us. He’s become a human being, Jesus Christ – to show us how we can relate to God and life in all its fullness, now and forever. This isn’t religion, it’s relationship. Worship is relationship. We want to keep on being stretched in worship because however fantastic, powerful, wonderful we may think God is, He is – and then some! GROWING is about relate to each other It means we want to be intentional about community. Real friendships. Family. We are going to keep on moving anyone we come into contact with toward discipleship in community, and away from being lukewarm, away from isolation. Jesus faced off against people who were in those states. So everyone who calls themselves a Jesus follower and yet is in isolation and not in any kind of small group (we call them grow groups) or mid-size group (we call them clusters) will keep on being challenged about that. Jesus created your heart to need community, so you could know and be known, love and be loved, serve and be served, celebrate and be celebrated with, care and receive care. You won’t know the full extent of how great following Jesus is until you join in small group community. We don’t say that because we don’t think you’re busy already – just because it really is the best way to follow Jesus, in little tribes who love each other. When you get in one you’ll say, “Why did I resist this?” and then you’ll be one of the greatest advocates for it! GOING is about how we relate to the world God thinks and acts globally- He wants his kingdom to spread through the walls, hand won’t be contained by buildings. The walls here must never hold back the work of the Holy Spirit. So we’re fired up about this GOING thing, too. We’re going to keep asking you, “WHERE ARE YOU GOING?” We want to train people to be missionaries to Manchester – and wherever else God leads you! And guess what happens- when you decide to invest yourself in this, you will never be the same. How amazing - to be used by God to take his love and message to the world. Our strategy for this is pretty simple. You make friends, you invite them to a service, and we’ll do our best to make that experience a life-changing encounter with the living God. When you see God at work. You’ll never be the same. We want to help you to make a difference – with God’s Holy Spirit empowering us, anything’s possible (based on that promise - we want to add 1000 new believers in the next two years). So, how do you get involved in fulfilling this vision with us? 1) With your mind. Reflect on this, watch the news. Observe the needs of the world and here at home. Ponder and reflect - what is going to turn the church round, without strong churches getting stronger and reaching out and changing lives? Get to grips with on how vitally important the local church is and join us wholeheartedly. 2) With your heart; connect with some other brothers and sisters. Community is so important. Here’s what I’ve decided, personally - I really want to do what God wants me to do, and only to do it in community with people I love. 3) With your feet: Just saying, “I’m going to get in the car, or on the bus, because I’m going to be part of what God’s doing, when His people meet – I’ll be there too.” 4) With your hands: reach out - reach out to hands of need. To become part of the great thrill of sharing the love of God, investing time and love with someone and inviting someone too. Reach that hand out, roll up your sleeves, and use your gifts. 5) With your lips: Pray! Every day- for what God’s calling us into as a Church, And when you pray, say, “Lord, I’m praying for IVY MANCHESTER - give us your grace Lord. To do what we know what you’ve called us to do.” 6) With your cheque book- Give tithes and offerings - be generous, not under compulsion. Be a cheerful giver. Bring it joyfully, to see resources released. To see these objectives achieved, the city and the world changed for good. To say. “The cause is so important to me, I can release resources to it.” 7) With your diary- So a few years from now when we have so much to celebrate you’ll not be saying, “Well, I was a bit too busy to get that involved…” If you get behind this vision, and we’re all together, then years from now we’ll be worshipping the same God, and we’ll have so much to thank him for and so much to celebrate, and we’ll say, “Those years were the greatest…” And the glory will go to Jesus! Anthony Delaney

Anthony Delaney, 08/06/2009