Jay Van Nostrand is our guest contributor to the blog this week.
Come and See
45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him about whom Moses in the Law and also the Prophets wrote, Jesus, son of Joseph from Nazareth.” 46 Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” (John 1: 45-46 NRSV)
In last week’s post Tyler referred to me as the “Chair” of the Vision Navigation Team. He’s in the habit of doing that and every time he does, I’m reminded of the famous line from The Princess Bride: “You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.”
When he asked me if I’d be willing to be the “Chair” of the Vision Team I sought insight and understanding as to what I might be getting myself into by praying, meditating and seeking wise counsel. I’d already figured out that the traditional visioning process – where the vision group goes up on the mountain and talks to God and then comes down and tells the church what God wants them to do – wouldn’t work and shouldn’t work. But I was stumped as to what we could or should do instead.
Despite no small amount of trepidation about the unknown, I said, “Yes.” Shortly thereafter I had one of the most eye-opening experiences I’ve ever had in my life.
This was in late 2021 as our Mission Team was presenting the vision and the plan for the Mission House. As I sat there it dawned on me that God was not waiting for a vision team to determine and communicate His plans and purposes for Ardmore Baptist Church. Despite COVID and all its disruption, His Spirit had been and was already at work using the resources and gifts that we already had to be His hands and feet and bring us and those we minister to closer to His Kingdom.
In that moment I realized that the Vision Team could lead our church to see how and where God is at work so that we can run as fast as we can to catch up with Him and what He is already doing.
The passage from John’s Gospel quoted at the top of this post illumines how we do that. It’s not a matter of assessing all the pros and cons, the pluses and minuses and then deciding whether we feel it’s worthwhile getting involved. Philip didn’t explain to Nathanael what he was getting into or anything about how he might benefit. And he didn’t try to counter Nathanael’s doubts. All he said was, “Come and see.”
That’s the spirit that I pray you will take into our Congregational Conversations starting this Sunday. Come and see how our Lord will bless and use our time together.
