Most of us drop by the eye doctor periodically to get our eyes examined. Maybe you have 20/20 vision. If so, you’re fortunate. Most of us need a little correction, or perhaps a lot, from time to time. Whether you wear contacts, glasses, or both, you, like me, know how wonderful it is to get some help with improved vision.
I think it is important for our church to get an “I” exam regularly, too. Another way to say this is that it’s good to regularly engage in robust self-evaluation to make sure our vision is clear and, when needed, corrected.
The “I’s” I’m referring to are: Invite, Invent, Involve, and Invest. These 4 “I” words, if you will, speak to what is important to us at BCA. And what’s important is people and helping all people (ourselves included) grow and become who Christ has called us to be. Our goal as a church is for us all to be engaged in all 4 “I’s” – and to bring others along with us.
Here are 4 things we at BCA aim to be about on an ongoing basis.
- INVITE: Invite new people to BCA and reach out in friendship to encourage them to stay.
- Many people are looking for a place to belong. Be a friend and include others.
- INVENT: Invent integration and inclusion opportunities.
- Let people know we have ministry opportunities and groups galore. There are countless ways for people to get plugged in if they so desire.
- INVOLVE: Involve everyone in gift discovery and gift deployment/use. There are many ways to serve God – and others.
- You have been gifted for greatness and are blessed to be a blessing.
- INVEST: Invest in others and their faith-discovery journey.
- It is vitally important for everyone to be investing – intentionally – in someone else’s spiritual discovery.
Really, this is a practical restatement of Jesus’ vision for His Church found in the Great Commission (Matt 28) and the Great Commandment (Matt 22). We must review it often to be sure we don’t experience mission drift or blurry vision.
I’d like to ask you to do two things:
- Personally examine your vision and engage or re-engage in all 4 I’s.
- Reach out to someone and help them engage and grow along with you.
Life is better together and as we grow in Christ let’s continue to encourage others to grow with us. Inviting, inventing, involving, and investing – it’s really Jesus’ idea for His Church and it’s something we want to do very well at BCA. I think its time for an “I” exam, and I’m excited for us all to do this – together.