What dream do you have for your city? That’s a question for every believer to consider. What we dream for our city will guide our prayers and the ministry of our families and churches. Please note, the question is not, “What dream do you have for your church?” That might be a follow-up question to the dream you have for your city. If you dream of a day when every person in your city has someone who loves them, and loves Jesus, and thus prays for them and ministers God’s love to them, that “city dream” will influence what you dream for your church. But dreaming about what you want God to do in your city should come first.
This morning I read the book of Jonah. Every time I read Jonah I am somewhat stupefied with how the book ends. Jonah was angry that God spared the city of Nineveh. God said, “Should I not care about the great city of Nineveh, which has more than 120,000 people who cannot distinguish between their right and their left, as well as many animals?” (4:11). These are the last words of that little book. Whether God was speaking about 120,000 children in Nineveh, or whether he was speaking of the ignorance of the people, is uncertain. What’s most striking is the reference to “many animals.” God spared the city, in part, because of the animals in the city.
We don’t know how Jonah answered God’s question. But we should have an answer to God’s question as it relates to our city. I should have an answer as it relates to the Northwest. My dream for the Northwest is that every household have someone praying for them, and that every household have believers who love them with God’s love. My dream is that every church be fully engaged in an Acts 1:8 evangelism and missions ministry. My dream is that joy and gratitude permeate our worship gatherings.
A favorite phrase of mine is that “it is a good day to serve the Lord in the Northwest.” I believe that. I also believe that “this is our day.” Yesterday belonged to others. Tomorrow belongs to the next generation. But today … today is our day. Paul told the Ephesian church to “make the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil” (Eph. 5:16). Evil days were good days to serve the Lord. That is true of our day. The presence of evil provides us the opportunity to make our day a good day in God’s Kingdom. So, consider the question, “What dream do you have for your city?”
Marsha Gray
Many of you know Marsha Gray. For 40 years Marsha has served Northwest Baptists. She has worked with six executive directors and dozens of convention staff. She has been a friend, adviser, and confidant to her coworkers and church leaders alike. In my five years no one has helped and supported me more than Marsha. I trust her, respect her, and love her as my sister in Christ. No one cares more about the Northwest Baptist Convention of Churches than she does. She has given much of her life, and her heart, to God’s work through Northwest Baptists.
June 29th will be Marsha’s last day in the office before entering a well-deserved retirement. It won’t be quite the same around our office. Even in retirement, however, Marsha will serve us as she begins a term as a trustee of Gateway Baptist Seminary. Thank you, Marsha! And send us a few pictures as you and Don travel the country.