"A Dwelling Place of God"

"…that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith…."

Envision a community of Faith where God lives in the hearts of people as the Apostle Paul prayed:

"¹⁴For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, ¹⁵from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name. ¹⁶I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, ¹⁷And that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. ¹⁸I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, ¹⁹And to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. ²⁰Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, ²¹To him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen." Ephesians 3:14-21 (NRSV)

Understand that "every family in heaven and on earth" comes from God and matters to God. All people fall under the umbrella of God's creation and God is at work to bring all people back into a relationship with him. Envision a community where all people are invited into the embrace of a loving God who welcomes them as his very own children. A God who works through the Holy Spirit's power in their inner being to prepare them to receive the living Christ into their hearts. Christ Jesus sets them free from emptiness, confusion, and misery; by bringing them healing, joy, and fulfillment. A community in which people are led out of isolation, loneliness, and sin and welcomed into a relationship with the God who loves them and offers them eternal life. Understand that as Christ dwells in our hearts, we begin the process of being rooted and grounded in love. We are nurtured by love. We are sustained and made strong by love. Envision a community where we are given the power to comprehend the love of Christ in its fullness.

In its breadth…

The love of Christ is so broad that it includes all people everywhere. No ethnic group is outside of Christ's love. No people no matter how they are identified are beyond Christ's love. As a community of faith comprehends this dimension of Christ's love, we begin to see one another differently. We begin to see through loving eyes.

In its length…

The love of Christ reaches all the way into our past. Nothing in our past can stand as a barrier to Christ's love. The love of Christ reaches all the way into our future. God has a loving plan and purpose for each one of us. Your future (and mine) is in the hands of a God who wants the very best for you. What God has in mind is "abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine." This comprehension is a great source of peace, as we trust in our Savior and Lord.

In its height…

The love of Christ is so pure that it brings us back into a relationship with the God of heaven. The God of all things, in heaven and earth, desires to dwell in our hearts, to live in a relationship with us. The God who understands all mysteries throughout the universe is our God. This God loves us and has a purpose for us.

In its depths…

The love of Christ reaches to the deep. There is no place in the depths of our hearts and souls, nor in the depths of the earth, that Christ's love cannot touch with healing and wholeness. There is no place in all creation, to the depths of the seas, that is outside of the Creator's loving reach.

The word picture drawn here by Paul shows that the love of Christ embraces everything, everywhere.

Envision a community ...

• gathered around the Cross of Christ, Biblically centered and empowered by the Holy Spirit.
• where people are discovering the joy and power of worshipping the almighty Creator of the universe in intimate and personal of ways, where people encounter our gracious God through Word and Sacrament, contrition and celebration, prayer and silence, music and singing. Worship to which people come eagerly and from which they depart Spirit-filled.
• where people are building deep, personal connections of love with each other through the fellowship of the Holy Spirit. Not only casual or superficial associations, but relationships that provide support, a sense of belonging, and a joy which is found in the fullness of God's love, where the lives of people demonstrate the love of Christ.
• where people are experiencing the transformation of their lives through a daily process of spiritual growth. Not only attending programs where we review abstract concepts, but a commitment to discipleship in which people come to know a love that surpasses knowledge-- that each person may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
• where people are discovering the unique gifts God has given them and where people are equipped to live for Christ in the world using those gifts effectively in fulfilling God's purpose within the community and beyond. A people genuinely responding to the grace of God in which effective service brings true joy and fulfillment.
• where people are making a real difference in the world around them, showing God's love in a way that brings a lasting change to those who are suffering. Not only a gesture that assuages our uneasy feelings of guilt, but bold action motivated by genuine compassion and love that actually touches the hearts and lives of people in need.

This is what it means to be the Church of Jesus Christ today. This is a glimpse of the purpose that God has for Bethel!

"Vision" is the God-given dream that shows us who we are meant to become as his people. It is mainly about becoming rather than doing. It is the goal that keeps us moving in the right direction. The Vision reminds us who we are and who we are becoming. It is really about people - sharing together the joy of lives being changed for the better. It is the most important guiding factor in our life together and we must continually renew, refine, and remind ourselves of God's vision for us as we move forward.

Reflection Questions

1. When have you experienced love in a faith community that touched your heart in a profound way?
2. In what ways have you experienced this kind of community at Bethel? How has that experience affected you?
3. What parts of this vision would you most like to see become more of a reality at Bethel? Why?
4. Are there parts of this vision that don't seem to fit for you? Are there other things you think should be a part of our vision? Explain.