SUMMIT

1. SUMMIT vision 2010

2. Summit Vision makes me think of the view at the top of the highest mountain on a clear day. • You can see for miles in all directions.  • Spruce Knob – The highest point in the state of West Virginia. • On a clear day, you can see for miles in all directions.

4. Your vision is clear and nothing is obstructing you. • When at the highest point, you can see further than you can from any other vantage point. • It is the view from the summit or Summit Vision. • This morning, let’s revisit the vision of Summit Church for several reasons: • Some of you have never heard it. • Those who have need to be reminded of it.

5. Having a clear vision for our church is extremely important. • A vision will answer the questions: • Why are we here? • Where are we headed? • What is our focus? • There are a lot of good ideas of what we as a church should be doing, but what is God’s plan? • Let’s look at what the Bible has to say about the importance of having a vision:

6. Proverbs 29:18 – Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he. (KJV)  • Proverbs 29:18 – Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; but blessed is he who keeps the law. (NIV) • Proverbs 29:18 – When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild. But whoever obeys the law is happy. (NLT)

7. The idea conveyed is without a vision or a direction, the people are scattered. • They go in all directions and everyone does their own thing. • There is no unifying force to keep everyone focused in the right direction. • It is like during the time of the Judges—Every man did what was right in his own eyes. • Without vision there is chaos. • This is what a vision does—it keeps us focused and moving in the right direction.

8. It is similar to the idea that is conveyed in: Matthew 9:36 – [Jesus]felt great pity for the crowds that came, because their problems were so great and they didn't know where to go for help. They were like sheep without a shepherd. (NLT) • Without a shepherd and without a vision, the people are helpless and scattered. • If sheep are not fed, led to water and taken care of, they will die. • They do not know how to take care of themselves.

9. Have you heard it said that a man without a plan is always subject to the man with one. • Or, If you don’t have a goal, you will hit it every time! • This is what a vision does for us: • Keeps us Focused • Keeps us United • Like a Map—shows us our direction. • Provides a Standard to judge ourselves. • How are we doing? • Inspect what you expect.

10. Many churches do not have a vision, and you can always tell. • You don’t know where they are going. • You don’t know if theywill ever get there either. • Like leaving on trip not knowing your destination.

11. Let’s look at another passage concerning Vision: Habakkuk 2:2-3 – Then the LORD said to me, "Write [the vision] in large, clear letters on a tablet, so that a runner can read it and tell everyone else. 3 But these things I plan won't happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed. (NLT)

12. Several important points concerning vision: • Write it down to be articulated • Make it plain and clear (Keep it simple) • Everyone should be able to read it and explain it. • Run with it! • Just do it! • Start the train moving in the right direction. • I will keep casting the vision to you. • Reminding you. • That is the job of the shepherd. • Growth is often slow and steady, but it will come. • Stand in faith, and it will come.

13. Put all this together, a vision keeps us together (unity) and moving in the same direction. • It is something that everyone needs to be able to articulate and share with others.

14. sum⋅mit (a noun) • the highest point or part, as of a hill, a line of travel, or any object; top; apex. • the highest point of attainment or aspiration. • the highest state or degree. • the highest level of diplomatic or other governmental officials: a meeting at the summit. • implies the topmost level attainable • Name = Vision – The name—Summit—reveals the vision.

15. Vision Statement: Tobring people from the deep valleys of life to the mountain top where they can meet Jesus—have their ownsummit experience! And then repeat the process. • Succinctly put: Win, Equip and Release.

16. Mark Bezet’s, of New Life Church, Conway, AR, vision: Bring them in, Build them up then Send them out! • Similar to fishing: Catch them, clean them, and release them.

17. Let’s look at our vision verses—Isaiah 2:2-3: Isaiah 2:2 – In the last days, the mountain of the Lord's house will be the highest of all [the summit]—the most important place on earth. It will be raised above the other hills, and people from all over the world will stream there to worship.

18. 5 Aspects of the Vision – let’s also examine how we are doing. • Outreach to the Lost here and around the world. • Summit Church is going to have a global scope. • Sending missionaries, finances and resources to the nations. • People will come here from around the world to have their own summit experience with the Lord! • The Guatemala trip is proof this is happening. • 10 people from this church went. • The church is giving well over 10% of its income to outreaches.

19. Worship– This will also be a place of worship to the Lord with songs, instruments, and other Biblical expressions of worship. • Summit Church will be known as a place for great worship. • Our worship band is filling up. • Remember when it was just Jeremiah & Becky? • Now, we have a drummer, bass and lead guitarists, keyboard player and 3 vocals with more being added all the time! • More people are being set free to lift their hands, clap and sing out loud.

20. Isaiah 2:3 – People from many nations will come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of Jacob's God. There He will teach us His ways, and we will walk in His paths." For the Lord's teaching will go out from Zion; His word will go out from Jerusalem. • Teaching Center – this is another aspect of the vision—a place where people are taught the ways of the Lord. • The Word of the Lord will go from here to the ends of the earth.

21. With our web site’s media page this is happening. • I am receiving reports from people downloading our messages and listening to them from various locations. • This is small, but we are moving in the right direction. • The mantle of teaching is strong here, and it will only continue to grow.

22. Sending Center – We envision this being a church where people go out from here to other places in West Virginia, this region, our nation and to the ends of the earth. • This has not officially begun yet, but itis in the Release aspect of the vision. • We envision training, equipping and releasing people to fulfill their call.

23. This is a part of what the local church’s calling. • To help believers discover their call and gifts, help develop them and then release them. • Charisma Magazine & Calvary Assembly in Winter Park, FL • Many pastors are fearful of doing this because they will lose members. • My response is every 1 you sow, God will replace them with 10.

24. Media Center – This will be a place where we will use all forms of the media to take the teachings to the nations. • As you can see, this is beginning as well. • We are just in the beginning stages. • Through the website, PowerPoint, videos, the projector and etc., we are using the different forms of the media to reach a “Sight and Sound Generation.”

25. Ephesians 4:11-13 – 11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; (NKJV) • NLT – 12 Their responsibility is to equip God's people to do His work and build up the church, the body of Christ.

26. Who does the work? • The believers! • Our job is to equip you to do this work. • We are the spiritual leaders and the vision casters. • We are the shepherds serving under the Good Shepherd Himself. • We must stay on course and not lose sight of the goal or the vision.

27. Acts 6:2 – We apostles should spend our time teaching the word of God, not running a food program. • They equipped 7 men to do this job and the Apostles remained in their teaching and equipping mode. • Look at the result: Acts 6:7 – God's message was preached in ever-widening circles. The number of believers greatly increased in Jerusalem, and many of the Jewish priests were converted, too.

28. When a church is healthy and running as it should, this is always the result—more people are reached for the Lord! • 4 Signs of a Healthy Church • When I first visit a church, how can I tell it is a healthy church? • When asked, I give them 4 things that will tell you a lot about a church even in just one service. • How are we doing @ Summit Church?

29. Love – There is an obvious love from the people to the pastor and leaders and from the pastor and leaders to the people. • If you are observant, you will notice it. • If it’s genuine love, you will be able to see it before and after the service. • I have heard it said that people select their church with their noses! • They can actually smell the joy on Sunday morning. • And people can smell the bad stuff too, if it is there.

30. People Sing – Not talking about quality worship leaders or bands or music. • Not even talking about styles of music. • That’s really not the issue. • But rather, the issue is: Do the people sing? • Ministered in a large church several times that has some of the best music in America. • But, if you peek around during the worship, very few people are entering in.

31. A major sign of a healthy church is a group of people who really look forward to worshipping. • Let that be said of Summit Church. • Response to the Message – this is something I can quickly tell. • Are the people hungry for the Word of God? • Are they paying attention, following along in their Bibles, taking notes and giving me eye contact? • The churches where this takes place are usually healthy churches which are growing.

32. This actually puts the pressure on us to consistently have good, solid teachings. • Outreach and Missions – You can just look around and see it. • Do they talk about it and is it an obvious part of their church.  • Conclusion – My goal is that the view from the Summit Vision will be clear and well-defined. • As time goes along we will make it more succinct and narrow the focus a little more.

33. New Building – as most of you know, when Lisa and I came here February 1, 2009, we had 20 people on a good Sunday. • Now, 1 ½ later, we are consistently running in the neighborhood of 90 people. • That is during the summer months with many people on vacation.   • My point in saying that is this building is fast becoming too small for us. • We are praying about what to do next.

34. The church owns the 7 acres behind Randolph Village Apartments. • The staff is working on vision statements for each of our respective areas which is the 1st step that an architect needs to start his designs. • Pray with us as we move through the preliminary steps in planning for a new building. • Timing, wisdom and the finances being released are 3 areas that you can commit to prayer.

35. SUMMIT vision 2010