Blog In Audio:
Greetings,
I have been addressing transforming a community of escape and refuge to a community of purpose and destiny. To do this we must first recognize that we have all come from a bondage of some sort and are therefore people of escape who are vulnerable to seek a place of personal safety and refuge. It’s ok to come from a place of captivity and find the freedom of refuge in Christ, but Holy Spirit wants to empower us to become a community of purpose and destiny.
God wants us to see what He sees, embrace His testimony, and live for His purpose in life. We must become a community of clear identity, unique testimony, and common purpose, that always lives for a 100-year plan. This involves generational connections, congregational connections, and tribal connections that give us a solid foundation in the past, an active embracing of all that is true today, and a vision for the generations that goes beyond where we have been before.
The culture of our community must become purpose focused. To do this we work together to know God’s general will for our community. When we know the general will we can find freedom in our specific role in our God-sent community. To make this happen, we must actively educate, train, equip, and send individuals to fulfill their role in the destiny of the God-birthed community.
In order to encourage each community member to find their role in destiny, leaders must envision individual ownership for the greater corporate purpose. This involves igniting a fire in the heart and mind of each community member to desire to become all they are meant to be for the sake of their part in the community. This is an igniting of passion and desire for the calling of Christ, the testimony of Christ, and the power of Christ to bring life to the world through the corporate expression of God’s family. This means that every community member is responsible before God to be obedient to the faith. That faith comes by specifically hearing God in their hearts even as those who lead them lead by hearing God for the corporate direction of the family.
I believe that the apostle Paul captured this well when He addressed the need to engage in being spiritual people. People in the world are inspired to be people of the world. That inspiration comes from an external focus that motivates them to seek the fulfillment of their personal needs and desires. They are led by life-less things that distract them from the true destiny of life. We must be inspired to be life-giving people of God’s Spirit. This comes from an internal connection to God in the Spirit and it motivates us to seek God’s kingdom and will to be done in our lives as sons and daughters of God. It inspires us to live our lives for something greater than anything we can find alone. It is a testimony only discovered in community life.
1 Corinthians 12:1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant: 2 You know that you were Gentiles, carried away to these dumb idols, however you were led. 3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.
The word ‘gifts’ in this text is not found in the original Greek language. It is added in an attempt to give us understanding of the chapter, but the chapter is not merely about gifts. It is about gifts, ministry, and works. These are the ingredients of being spiritual people. We must embrace the diversity of the power of the Spirit, find our own place in the ministry of Christ, and find our corporate connection of purpose for the work of God in all that we are and do. Every God-birthed community must be spiritual in its calling, testimony, and purpose.
1 Corinthians 12:4 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all.
These things are all a matter of individual responsibility and connection to God to become all that they are intended to be for the corporate purpose of the body of Christ, the family, and any expression of Christ’s community. Every community member must seek the power of God’s Spirit to enable them to be sons and daughters of God. They must willfully live to discover how they bring life to one another in becoming a corporate testimony of God’s life. As leaders we must seek to empower people to overcome in their individual struggles to give their lives for the testimony of God’s inheritance and the glory of His name. Our true product of life is our ability to expand the life of God into our world.
Food For Thought,
Ted J. Hanson
As we conclude the year of 2023, please consider making a contribution to House of Bread Ministry. We have increased our input to many parts of the world and your contribution will help us equip, train, equip, and send many for the purpose of God’s New Covenant Life and Grace in the nations. Thank You – Ted J. Hanson
Donations can be made at the link on the home site of:
Checks can be made payable to House of Bread Ministry and sent to:
House of Bread Ministry, 3210 Meridian St., Bellingham, WA 98225
To avoid us paying a transaction fee from your donation, you can also set up a payment or an automatic payment from your bank to House of Bread Ministry. Just set it up as a ‘bill pay’ through your online bank account and your bank will mail a check to House of Bread Ministry. We will record your payment as a donation to House of Bread Ministry (E.I.N. 91-2009037) and we will send you a contribution receipt at the close of the year.
Our Ministry Information Is:
House of Bread Ministry
3210 Meridian St.
Bellingham, WA 98225-1728
