I opened the yellow pages and counted the number of churches in Waterloo/Cedar Falls. Roughly 156 churches, plus or minus a few. If collectively, the churches averaged 150 people each, that would be 23,400 Christian brothers and sisters. That's a lot of potential for God and for good! Some good questions for the churches of the Cedar Valley:
What are the spiritual and societal impacts we are having on our community?
Are we building bridges into our community?
Are we going to those on the margins?
Are we bringing God's truth and grace, His light and beauty into the city?
If our churches closed down, would anyone outside of our churches notice?
A vision for all 156 churches can be summed up with this vision statement that belongs to Cincinnati's Vineyard Community Church:
"Imagine a ragtag collection of surrendered and transformed people who love God and others. They are mesmerized by the idea that this is not about them, but all about Jesus. They are transfixed by His story and His heart for the city.
They are seedthrowers and firestarters, hope peddlers and grace-givers, risk-takers and dreamers, young and old. They link arms with anyone who tells the story of Jesus. They empower the poor, strengthen the weak, embrace the outcast, seek the lost. They serve together, play together, worship together, live life together. Their city will change because God sent them. They are us."
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