When will our faith meet the grandeur and scope of the gospel of Jesus so that Emmaus City desires to see His glory continually revealed to future generations in Worcester, Massachusetts?
With Emmaus City, we want to be a city renewing church. Recently, I shared how City Life, Redeemer Presbyterian, and Trinity Grace have shared what gospel renewal looks like for these churches in their cities, and how we might pray to see gospel renewal in Worcester, MA. Here are links to those posts:
These are all stories worth celebrating because they are currently making and growing disciples of Jesus through thoughtful dedication and humility to His commands to obey His Word and grow His family with people across ethnic, cultural, and socioeconomic boundaries.
I've written multiple times about how Austin Stone Worship has impacted me here and here. And recently they released a 4+-minute 10-Year Anniversary Video entitled "Far More: What God Has Done." They also did a 45-second clip. Love the brevity and simplicity as well as the impact. Here are some quick details:
" ... Could we start a church, could we start a faith community where Jesus was exalted ... (and) could God do something special in the city ... We prayed together, we sought the face of the Lord, and just began to beg Him and ask Him to do something awesome through us. We said, 'Lord, would you do something that's so big, that's so beyond our wildest imagination, that when we look back at it, we can say, 'Man didn't do this. A pastor didn't do this. A worship leader didn't do this. Lord, the only explanation is that You did it.' ... For whatever reason He has taken a bunch of ragtag sinners, messed up, flawed people and has let us be part of the greatest story in history, which is the gospel of Jesus Christ. ... (Due to the amount of people around the world sent from the church) The sun literally never sets on the ministry of The Austin Stone Community Church for the name of Jesus Christ. ... "
We are fixed on eternal impact. |
In the last 10 years we have grown from 15 people to 7,000 worshippers
We are relentless in mission around the world. |
This August we'll send our 100th person to the nations
We are relentless in mission in our city. |
4,000 volunteers have served our 110 non-profit partner organizations
We are committed to one another. |
Over 3,000 people are committed to each other in 250 missional communities
And just like the Trinity Grace 7-Year Anniversary Video, The Austin Stone concluded with this verse.
With all that God has done with and through His people in Austin, not only with The Austin Stone, but City Life, Austin New, Vox Veniae, etc. (see Plantr for others), what more is on the horizon for their city? I don't know. But I want to take a moment and give praise to the Lord for what He has done with a "ragtag, messed up, flawed group of people" because that sounds a lot like who I am. And I have to ask "Could God do more in Worcester?"
God, help us. Help Emmaus City to know the service, commitment, and perseverance that we need to set before us and pursue with joy for the love of Jesus and the love of people in our city. We will need Your strength. This will take sacrifice by us, pointing to Jesus' ultimate sacrifice for us in dying on the cross for our sins and so that we could be given new life. Please give us the privilege and the pleasure to see Your Gospel impact many so that they can know the hope and joy of being redeemed and restored to who You created them to be.
Because I know that Spirit-fueled, Gospel-driven, Jesus-transforming change in the heart and life of just one person is worth the celebration of heaven (Luke 15:7, 10). Thank You for loving us in spite of ourselves. You are worthy of Your glory. May we pray to see far more done in Your name in Worcester beyond what we can possibly imagine – one precious person at a time.
– Sully
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