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Clay Reed (Southlake Baptist Church) uses a term that I really like for their new church plant, vintage. You can read all that he wrote about it in part one and part two from his blog. Below are some excerpts that I think are very fitting to Vision Baptist Church.
All the following comes from these two articles. I have sought for ways to describe the type of church that I want us to be and think that he does a great job in these two posts. Read and ask questions.
“In a world dizzy with change, people have a deep-seated need to immerse themselves in something ancient and transcendent. Unfortunately, all some churches offer is a splash in whatever hip new trend happens to be stylish. And while that kind of worship can draw a crowd, the heart cries out for something deeper and more authentic.
I like the word “Vintage,” because it says our church is connected with the best of the past.
Not everything from the past, of course, is worth keeping. Not everything is “Vintage.” Some things, over time, wear out. They get stale. They get weak and outdated. They go out of style.
But some things stand the test of time. Classics. They stay strong. They transcend the ages. They’re Vintage.
When we say we are “Vintage” Christians, we conjure up the very best of our past – all the way back to Jesus Christ himself. Strong theology. A strong sense of loving community. A mission emphasis with a call to a crucified life.
Vintage is not a little wade in the kiddie pool of hip, feel-good religion. Vintage is not a passing fad; it is timeless.
Vintage says, “I’m not trying to reinvent Christianity with cheap innovations.” Vintage speaks to a historic body of Bible truth and biblical practice that we treasure, honor, and preserve so it can be handed on to the next generation. Vintage is firmly anchored in God’s Word and Baptist traditions.”
Vintage describes a time-tested theology. Its roots are deep in Scripture – relevant in all generations because it is based on the timeless, unchanging truth of the Gospel. It is a theology passed on to us by our fathers. It is based on something far more profound than feelings or fads. It is very old and very, very deep.
As Baptists, we profess a living faith, a heritage rooted and grounded in Jesus Christ, who is “the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” The sole authority for our faith and practice is the Jesus Christ whose will is revealed in Scripture.
Vintage evokes a strong sense of community. It says our church family endeavors to connect with each other, to encourage one another as we continue the mission Jesus began. Over the past quarter century, America has experienced a significant loss of community. In many ways, churches have reduced people to numbers, while Christ commanded us to love people as neighbors.
Vintage speaks to a need for authentic Christianity – Aren’t you tired of the show? Shouldn’t there be somewhere we can go every week that isn’t a performance? A place where we can hear the truth and find real answers? We believe people are looking for a place to hear God’s honest Truth, spoken in love, without the pretense or ritual of empty religion.
Vintage speaks to the need for a simpler Christianity. We live in an over-programmed world. In some ways, this attitude has crept in to our churches. We contribute to the hectic pace of life, rather than giving frazzled people a calm place to encounter the Living God and experience community with one another.
Vintage is timeless and relevant to all generations. We will endeavor to apply the timeless truths of Scripture in timely ways to the challenges of everyday life. It does not grow stale like man-made religion or human philosophy. It is fresh and timeless.
A living faith must experience a growing understanding of truth and be continually interpreted and related to the needs of each new generation. Throughout their history, Baptist bodies – both large and small – have issued statements of faith that succinctly describe a consensus of their beliefs.
The third step we all need to take if we desire to be a Baptist Church Committed to World Evangelism is to
3. organize our ministries so that World Evangelism is taught and put before the people every week through the church, the pulpit, the Sunday School, VBS etc
It is a sad commentary that the mission of the church given by the Lord Jesus was that we were to take the gospel to the entire world. We were to teach, baptize, and then teach to observe all He had taught us. Matthew 28:18-20.
That is we are to make disciples in all the world. We are to take them on to full maturity.
If that is to be the case then we need to not make World Missions one of our ministries but the very center of all that we do. World Evangelism is not one of the spokes in the wheel but the hub.
We want to keep missions, world evangelism, before our people all the time. It should be taught in Sunday School, it should be regularly mentioned from the pulpit and in the messages. It should be taught in Sunday School and every ministry of our church.
Our people should feel a responsibility to get the gospel to the world.
That is what we try to do at Vision. Tomorrow is our monthly World Evangelism Sunday School class. Each adult class will focus on World Evangelism. We will meet in committees. We will discuss missions, our missionaries, have prayer for them and study how we can get involved.
Don’t miss the 9:30 hour. It will be a wonderful time.
Past articles in series:
Though the Howeths are not members of Vision Baptist Church they have been a vital part of everything we have done as a church since the beginning. They are “honorary members!” Tony has taken on so much responsibility for our church when I am on the road. He has counseled, discipled, preached, pastored, and everything else he can do to help us.
It was great to have Ethan there last night for his first service. What a privilege to see God working in their lives so much.
Thank you to all of you. We love you very much.
The danger in a post like this one is that I will leave someone out that I shouldn’t. Please know that I wish that I could mention everyone of you.
I am so grateful for all that God has done in my life. He has been so very good to me. Today I wanted to just give some special thanks.
I thank him first for my family. God has wonderfully blessed me with a great wife, 4 wonderful children and spouses, and 11 grandchildren with two more on the way.
God has given Betty and me over 36 years of marriage and many wonderful years of ministry. Betty has been the most wonderful wife, friend, co-laborer, etc that any man could ever want or dream of. I have been extremely blessed and I am grateful to God for her.
Chris, Andria, Jacob, Hannah, and Andrew are all serving God in Arequipa, Peru. The moment that I learned that Betty was pregnant with our first child I begged him for a son that would bear the name of Christ around the world. God has given me my dreams.
David, Stephanie, Philip, Dave, Ronnie, Andrew, Matthew, Jonathan, and one more to come have been a great blessing to me. I am very grateful to God for my daughter and her family. She is a great mother, maybe the best ever. They serve God in Antioch Baptist Church and Antioch Printing Ministry. I wasn’t certain I could love a daughter because all I knew was my son but then along came Steph. She changed my life. She made me learn more and more about love. I am so thankful to God for her.
Joy, Benjamin, and Lelia Soncco live and work in Arequipa, Peru. Joy has lived up to her name. I remember telling Betty that pain may endure for the night but that Joy would come in the morning. This girl has been a great joy for me. She has the most wonderful personality. She is super smart, hard working, enterprising young lady I have ever known. There is literally nothing she can’t do. I am thankful to God for her.
David and Katie Gardner serve God in Arequipa, Peru. They are a tremendous blessing to me. I suppose that David has caused me to laugh more than anyone else on the planet. He has the greatest personality. He is our youngest. I think that maybe I had matured enough not to be so hard in the discipline area. Maybe I wasn’t trying to impress people so much with my perfect kids so I was able to enjoy him as a child. David is super talented. He is a great blessing to his dad.
Trent, Stephanie, Thatcher, and a little girl yet to be born, Cornwell are our full time staff at Vision. Trent is a super man of God. He loves God. He loves people. It is my great honor and privilege to work with him. I do not know of any young man with a greater desire to get the gospel to the world anywhere. God blessed me the day He gave me Trent to work with. I am grateful. Along with a thousand other things Trent serves on the World Evangelism Committee.
Chris and Kathy Fies are volunteer staff at Vision. Chris left his job to take the next step towards whatever it is that God wants him to do. He is super hard working, self sacrificing, dedicated and in love with the Lord Jesus. I appreciate him and all he does. I am honored to serve with men that are so in love with the Lord Jesus Christ. Chris also serves as one of our deacons in training. Chris has been licensed to preach by our church.
Micah Rastelli is a student at the Our Generation Training and works as volunteer staff at the church. He is also a deacon in training. I am grateful for the many long hours he is willing to give so that our church can continue to progress and honor God. Micah has been licensed to preach by our church.
David, Stephanie, and Sean Velke also serve on the volunteer pastoral staff of Vision. David is also a deacon in training. He is always there asking what he can do and being a blessing to me in the ministry that God has given me. Again I am grateful. David has been licensed to preach by our church.
Philip and Lori Bassham also serve on the volunteer pastoral staff of Vision. Philip has been at my right hand for all these years. He has been a super blessing in our music ministry. Philip also serves on the World Evangelism Committee. Philip has been licensed to preach by our church.
Scott, Melissa, and Elena Newton also serve on our volunteer pastoral staff. Scott is also a deacon in training. I am very grateful for the way they carry so much of a load in our church, in music, the training center, Friday night Bible study, etc. Scott has been licensed to preach by our church.
Wayne, Lina, Alex, Jordan and Abigail also serve as volunteer pastoral staff. He leads the ministry that we currently have at Cabbagetown. He has been a true friend and has a great heart to be used of God. Maybe God will leave him with me for many years. Wayne has also begun to serve on the World Evangelism Committee.
Mike and Cindi Shane also serve as deacons in training at Vision. They have been a major encouragement to me as pastor and help to carry much of the load at our church.
Ben and Crystal Johnson also serve as deacons in training. Ben has a heart for the world and super hunger for the glory of God. It is my privilege to serve with him.
Chuck, Leisa, Hannah, Luke, and Lidia Littlefield are fairly new to our church but already and integral part. Chuck is serving as one of our deacons in training right now.
I know this picture doesn’t do Vision justice but it will have to do. We do not really have a large total church picture and I would really like to have one someday. But I have been privileged to work with the greatest church in the world. The heart for God, the passion to get the gospel to the world, the desire to be used is unequal. I love being the pastor of Vision Baptist Church. I love the ministry God has allowed me to have.
One of the things that I am most proud of and grateful to God for is the missionaries that are members and staff of Vision Baptist Church. We call them staff because we believe that everyone is worthy of being on our church staff as pastors yet God has called them to another part of the world to serve. Here they are with a small amount of information about them.
Chile
Jason and Lori Holt and their children, Katie, Josh, and Andrew serve God in Santiago, Chile. They started and are pastoring the Iglesia Bautista Fe or Faith Baptist Church. They have been on the field more than 7 years now. They are missionaries with Macedonia World Baptist Missions.
China
Mark and Natasha Tolson with their daughter Ava are raising support to go to China this next year. God has tremendously blessed their deputation. They are missionaries with Vision Baptist Missions a ministry of Vision Baptist Church. Mark has been licensed to preach by our church.
Hispanics in the USA
Ronald and Asunta Tubillas with their daughters Shurama and Tabatha are from Peru. God is using them in the USA to pastor two Spanish churches. They are wonderful servants of God. They are missionaries with Macedonia World Baptist Missions.
Northern Africa
Tyler and Gretchen Masters with Norah and Judson are raising support to get to North Africa in early 2010. They have already served for two years in Peru. They are an exciting family with a brand new baby. They are missionaries with Macedonia World Baptist Missions.
Northern Ireland
Travis and Teri Snode with their children Grant, Darci, and Cali serve in Londonderry, Northern Ireland. They are pastoring two churches in two different towns. They are missionaries with Macedonia World Baptist Missions.
Peru
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Mark and Amy Coffey and their children Emilee and Luke represent the Peru Bible College and Vision Baptist Missions. They are missionaries with Vision Baptist Missions a ministry of Vision Baptist Church. Mark has served with me more than anyone outside of my immediate family. We have worked together for more than 15 years now. He has been my blessing from God.
David and Katie Gardner serve in Arequipa, Peru. Katie is still in language school and doing great with the language. They are missionaries with Macedonia World Baptist Missions.
Chris and Andria Gardner with Jacob, Hannah, and Andrew serve in Arequipa, Peru. He is the pastor of Omega Baptist Church that they just started. Chris also serves as the Spanish Speaking South American Director for Macedonia World Baptist Missions.
They are all obviously members of Vision Baptist Church and we are so blessed of God to have them.
God has also given us the privilege to have two families serving on the mission field of Peru right now as short term missionaries. I am so grateful to God for that blessing.
Robert and Kelli and one to be born are in Arequipa, Peru right now. They will be coming home in just a few weeks. Robert was like my right hand man when he left and I have missed him very much. Robert is also a deacon in training. They are serving a 6 month short term mission service right now. Robert and Kelli are expecting their first baby.
Andrew and Holly Pearson are short term missionaries in Arequipa, Peru right now. They are serving there for 3 months. God has blessed our church with such fine young people that are willing to leave it all to try and find what He would have them to do with their lives.
John and Sandy Pearson serve on the World Evangelism committee. John also serves as the church treasurer. He has been a super blessing to me in all of my ministry and especially now here at Vision. The World Evangelism Committee is the main committee that helps in the direction of Vision Baptist church.
David, Anne, Kathleen, and Allison Lundy also serve on the World Evangelism Committee. David has been a blessing and a help from the very start of Vision Baptist Church.
Now this has got to be the longest post you have ever seen me write but I have yet to tell you about so many people that make a difference in our church on a daily basis. Time fails to talk of all the work that goes into the music ministry, Sunday School, discipleship, cleaning, visitation, and a thousand other things.
Vision is a very unique church. First, we currently have 36 of our people serving actively in missions. That might not sound like much until you realize that we only have 130 members. Granted, four will be coming home in less than a month but that still leaves 32 on the field. By the way, 4 are planning to leave in March to go to Peru.
I dare say that I have been blessed more as a pastor than any man ever deserved. What a great church and what a great people serving the great God of Heaven. I am blessed!
I wish that I could mention all the new families in our church and how God is working in their lives. But just know this, I am very grateful to God on this Thanksgiving weekend.
Vision Baptist Church Baptists Committed to World Evangelism