9/12/2021 - I Will Build My Church - Matthew 16:18 - Pastor Jason Fritz

And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Matthew 16:18

This verse forms the foundation for the future vision of Illuminate. We should never forget that Jesus has made this a promise. In other words, the church will be built because Jesus has all authority. Notice carefully who does the building. It rests solely upon Jesus himself. It is ultimately dependent on the power and wisdom and faithfulness of the risen and living Christ to keep this promise: "I will build my church." Not, "You will build my church." Or, "Missionaries will build my church." Or, "Pastors will build my church." But, "I will build my church."

I don’t think a church can follow the command of Christ to make disciples without a growth mindset. At Illuminate, we value people and we lift up Jesus. Because of this, people will be attracted to us. As the church grows the culture is transformed. Growth keeps us from being inwardly focused. Growth gives more people the opportunity to serve God. Growth increases our influence in our city and beyond. This week we begin a five-week look into the future of Illuminate Community Church. We have three words we use to describe this: Bigger (greater influence for Christ) Smaller (moving from attending to engaging) and Deeper (becoming a disciple). Join me on this journey of spiritual transformation as we ask God - "What do you want to do IN and THROUGH me?"