STEPS - an introduction

Hebrews 11:6 says that without faith it is impossible to please God.

Are our lives full of faith? Faith in Jesus to save us; faith in Jesus to save others; faith in God to provide; faith in the Holy Spirit to come and heal the sick? Or are we following Jesus in style but not substance?

I want to share with you an occasion in the life of the Vineyard here, and therefore in your life and my life, when we can demonstrate some measure of faith. Today is an important day in the life of this Community of Faith. It is time to think about the steps we have taken and the steps we wish to take in the future. STEPS is our ongoing programme to raise our faith levels and to provide the opportunity to build resources - financial, people and practical - with which to construct the financial and physical aspect of this community.

Although we are involved in a lot of Reach Out activity, there are practical and financial implications if we wish to be effective at reaching out in the long term. We are called to grow the kingdom of God and we think that God plans to do that primarily through the establishment and the growth of the church, his body. If the Vineyard is going to be ministering effectively in the Leeds and West Yorkshire area in 10 years, 50 years, 100 years’ time (unless the Lord returns) we should invest carefully in buildings, resources and people.

Some 60 years ago a group of intrepid church planters were sent from Harehills Lane Baptist to plant a church in Moortown. They gave sacrificially to build a church and a couple of generations later Moortown has a profound and extensive ministry throughout North East Leeds. Hundreds of people have come to faith, been trained and sent out from there over these years. Amongst them, many of us.

If we want to leave a legacy of a similar sort then it falls to us, in this generation, to give, to invest, to do: whatever it takes to join in with what the Lord is wanting to do in and through us.

David Flowers, 08/03/2010