Read Pastor Tom's letter to the congregation.

PASTOR TOM ALLEN’S VISION

For

MARANATHA BIBLE CHAPEL

I would summarize my vision with five (5) statements:

First, I See A Church Without Walls

My vision for Maranatha Bible Chapel (MBC) is to see this church open its doors to the community by welcoming all people without regard to race, socioeconomic status, or current lifestyle. As authentic servants of Christ, I envision this fellowship becoming the “friend of sinners.”  Reaching out to the lost, the last, and the least is not easy, but it is mandatory if MBC is to fulfill the Master’s Great Commandment and Commission. There are many who desperately need the Good News of the Gospel!  MBC must commit to being an “inclusive” congregation—“a church without walls.”

Second, I See A Church Willing To Trade “Familiarity With Each Other” for “Maximum Impact for God”

My vision for MBC is to see a congregation that experiences continuous growth in a community that is poised for more expansion. Although it is comfortable to come to church each week and greet the same people, MBC cannot be a Great Commandment, Great Commission fellowship by simply maintaining the same basic group of parishioners. I see a fellowship that celebrates new faces in the audience. Although it should be understood that there will be different “seasons” for expansion (slow, medium, and fast), I envision a congregation that assumes and expects growth as “the norm.”

Third, I See A Church That Celebrates And Learns From Its Past, Responds With Relevance To The Present, And Prepares Diligently For The Future

As for the past, my vision for MBC is that they will remember the good things that God has done, and the lessons that have been learned.

As for the present, I envision a church that is contemporarily relevant to this present culture by patterning itself after the ancient tribe of Issachar—                  I Chronicles 12:32 tells us that these leaders “understood the temper of the times and knew the best course for Israel to take.”  MBC must strive to know the mind of the world without becoming worldly-minded.

As for the future, I see a fellowship that prepares in every possible way for anticipated needs—whether in the area of vision, staff, the spiritual needs of the congregation, or building issues.

Fourth, I See A Church That Maintains A Disciplined Focus On The Great Commandment And The Great Commission Of Jesus Christ—Locally, Nationally, and Globally

My vision for MBC is to be a church that unapologetically scrutinizes every decision based upon how that choice would impact the fulfillment of the Great Commandment and Commission of the Master. The statements the Commander-in-Chief made in Matthew 22 and 28 are not just “everything”—rather, they comprise the “only thing” that really matters. If MBC fails as a body of Christ to love God wholeheartedly, love its neighbors consistently, and make disciples of all nations, it has quite literally failed completely. I envision a team of pastors, staff, leaders, and laity that will labor fervently together to create a “Global Impact Family” for the glory of Jesus Christ.

Fifth, I See A Church That Strives For A Degree Of Excellence That Is Exportable

My vision for MBC is to become a church of influence within the district and the denomination. As the Lord works mightily in its midst, MBC should become a center for learning, inspiration, and healing for struggling pastors, churches, and congregants locally and nationally. MBC should strive to be the kind of church that can export the many blessings of God to others. This will mean that MBC must be willing to share its staff, leaders, and other resources to have its maximum impact way beyond its own borders.