I’ve been reading and thinking and talking with God. I just had to sit down and write out this vision. I don’t know if this is complete or right, but it is something I had to sort out and get down on [paper]. Perhaps if I were to shepherd a group of Christians, this is what God would lead us to. I wonder why is this vision coming to me. Does this resonate with anybody else out there?
The goal for each Christian family is to be completely submissive and obedient to the commands of Jesus. This will result in bringing Jesus and His Kingdom into their communities by engaging in relationships with those who live there. As Christian families are submissive to Jesus (the head) and His commands, they partner with God by being the hands and feet of Jesus in loving those who are in need.
These families are not autonomous but are connected to a greater community of believers who support, encourage and partner with each other to accomplish this task. Within this Christian community, Christian families who are in need are cared for in the same manner as the world families (community members bringing the power of Jesus into their lives for healing and restoration). This Christian community, through the power of Jesus (who is there because the community exists for His purposes a.k.a., gathered in His name) maintains the health of its members to see the power of Jesus at work and so that they can continue in obedience to Christ. (Which will, again, result in bringing Jesus to their communities)
These small Christian communities are also connected to a larger Christian community. This larger Christian community gathers together to corporately re-align with God or, in other words, submit to the Lordship of Jesus, glorify Him and corporately submit to His will for the life of the whole community. This larger Christian community also gathers to hear from God and to be equipped and encouraged to obediently serve Christ and others.
As families engage in relationships with those in their circle of influence, they seek to bring the Kingdom of God to them. This means they need Jesus to reveal the needs He wants these families to meet. Eventually, the Christian families invite these people into their Christian community (where Jesus’ presence is strongest) so they can experience The Kingdom, encounter Jesus, and allow the Holy Spirit to draw, convict and reveal to them their need for Him.
The final step for the world family is to accept Jesus’ gift of salvation and forgiveness, and give their lives to Him. They then are fully join together with the Christian community they already have a relationship with and, consequently, join the larger Christian community in corporate submission and a turning outward to meet other’s needs through the direction of Jesus.