Welcome to the session information of Vision 20/20. Your presence here is an encouragement to me, our Ministry Team and Board of Deacons for it indicates to us that you love the church and want to be part of the good things he will do among us over the course of the next decade as we seek to reach our city with the gospel of Jesus Christ. My prayer is that you will be encouraged and challenged as we unpack the key components of our developing ministry plan. May it serve as a road map to unite our hearts as we are guided toward a better and more God glorifying future.
The things that will be shared over four Sunday evenings do not envision every challenge we will face and everything God will call us to do, but it will help us to chart a course and give us the framework within which we can be guided toward reaching of our goal of an enlarged and more effective ministry for Christ's glory. I am convinced that careful strategic planning is one of the imperatives that must be in place in order to position us to catch the wind of the Spirit.
Vision 20/20 is the result of a year of careful observation, interaction with leaders and consideration of our church's redemptive potential. I am convinced that within the providence of God, we have been entrusted with great responsibility of evangelizing a vast area. Thankfully the West Highland Worship and Ministry Centre is ideally located to aid us in this task. Close proximity to the Linc, Red Hill Expressway and the 403 make it possible for us to draw from and minister to people throughout the greater Hamilton area. With a growing number of new Canadians making their home in Hamilton we can truthfully say "the world is at our doorstep".
Vision 20/20 envisions a church that is sensitive and committed to the community needs (a community church), but whose outreach extends to our growing region (a regional church). It is my conviction that the apostolic pattern of evangelism requires the teamwork of dedicated people labouring effectively toward a predetermined goal. May God knit our hearts and lives into such a team and lead us with the blessing of His unity to do as the great missionary in India, William Carey once said:
"Attempt great things for God;
Expect great things from God."
Committed to making the Word fully known throughout Hamilton and beyond,
Soli Deo Gloria
John Mahaffey,
Lead Pastor and Ministry Team Leader
