Catch the Vision for 2025
Join us for our combined service at 11am on Sunday 2nd March for our Vision Sunday and AGM!
Together we will celebrate all that God has been doing through our church over the past year and look ahead with vision to 2025.
Key details
Sunday, 2nd March 2025
8am Morning Prayer
A Combined Service at 11am (no 5pm service)
BBQ Lunch Served After Church
AGM at 1pm
Why We Need Vision
Vision Fulfils Our Purpose
Scripture teaches that we are God’s masterpiece, created for good works:
"For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." (Ephesians 2:10, NIV)
Before we were born, God had a vision for our lives:
"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations." (Jeremiah 1:5, NIV)
Each of us is uniquely crafted with strengths, personality, and a divine calling. Living without vision means missing out on God’s best for us.
Visioin Motivates Us:
Vision gives us direction and fuels our passion. Without it, life can feel aimless. But with a clear vision, even ordinary tasks take on meaning. Just as we go to great lengths for something we truly desire, vision compels us to endure challenges with joy.
"Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life." (Proverbs 13:12, NIV)
Vision for Our Church
Just as individuals need vision, so does the church.
As a church, we don’t want to drift aimlessly. We want to be intentional about where we’re going. God is calling us to something greater, and together, we will seek His vision and step into the future He has for us.
At Gymea Anglican, we are driven by a simple yet powerful mission: to grow God's church in Gymea by loving Jesus, loving each other, and loving Gymea.
These three pillars form the foundation of our church, guiding every aspect of our life together. In practical terms, they push us in three directions:
Upward, as we exalt God (Love Jesus);
Inward, as we edify one another (Love Each Other);
Outward, as we evangelise the world (Love Gymea).
Our LOCAL MISSION Strategy: LOVE
To help us love outwardly, we’ve developed a local mission strategy using the acronym LOVE:
L – Lift in Prayer: Who in your life needs the gospel? Pray for them daily.
O – Open Your Life: How can you live in a way that makes Jesus known? Invite people into your life and be intentional in your everyday rhythms.
V – Voice the Gospel: Look for opportunities to talk about Jesus in a natural, engaging way, always with grace and wisdom.
E – Extend an Invitation: Who can you invite to church, to a small group, or into a gospel conversation?
The Apostle Paul’s words in Colossians 4 provide a beautiful and compelling framework for sharing the gospel in our everyday lives.
L – Lift in Prayer
Paul begins this section of his letter by emphasising the foundational role of prayer in evangelism:
“Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ.” (Colossians 4:2-3)
If we are going to share the gospel effectively, it must begin with prayer. N.T. Wright captures this truth well: “What opens the door, again and again, is prayer.”
Paul urges steadfast, watchful, and thankful prayer. He recognises that unless God moves, evangelistic efforts will be fruitless. It is not enough to rely on our own abilities; we must ask God to open doors and to make the gospel clear.
Hudson Taylor, the great missionary to China, once discovered that a particularly successful mission station was being upheld in prayer by someone who had committed to interceding daily. This reminds us that prayer is not a passive act—it is essential, active participation in God’s mission. Who in your life can you lift in prayer? Who needs the gospel? Who needs encouragement? Pray for open doors, clarity, and boldness.
O – Open Your Life
The second aspect of evangelism is how we live. Paul continues:
“Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time.” (Colossians 4:5)
The word “walk” refers to how we live. Evangelism is not just an event or a conversation - it is a way of life. Paul calls us to live wisely and intentionally so that our lives become a compelling demonstration of the gospel.
Jeff Vanderstelt, in his book Saturate, highlights the importance of living with gospel intentionality. He reminds us that we don’t need to wait for church events to evangelise; instead, we should integrate gospel living into the natural rhythms of life:
Eat – Share meals with others and invite Jesus into the conversation.
Listen – Tune in to God’s voice and to the hearts of those around you.
Story – Know God’s story, learn others’ stories, and connect them to Christ.
Bless – Go out of your way to serve and encourage, even those who don’t deserve it.
Celebrate – Be part of the community’s celebrations, bringing gospel joy.
Recreate – Use hobbies and downtime to build relationships and reflect Christ’s peace.
When we live in a way that demands a “Jesus explanation,” people will notice. How can you make your everyday life an invitation to the gospel?
V – Voice the Gospel
While our actions matter, evangelism is not complete without words. Paul concludes with this exhortation:
“Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.” (Colossians 4:6)
Gracious, winsome, and wise speech is a key part of evangelism. It’s not about having all the answers or winning debates but speaking the gospel in a way that is both attractive and compelling. As James Dunn puts it, Paul expects Christians to “hold their own in the social setting of marketplace, baths, and meal table and to win attention by the attractiveness of their life and speech.”
Evangelism is not about being forceful or argumentative. It’s about making the gospel appealing and clear. Sometimes, this means admitting when we don’t know the answer and committing to follow up. It always means making Jesus the hero of every conversation.
Engaging with grace is a crucial part of voicing the gospel. Paul’s final encouragement reminds us that how we engage with others matters:
“Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt.” (Colossians 4:6)
Engaging with grace means being patient, kind, and respectful in all our interactions. It means listening well, asking good questions, and being sensitive to where people are spiritually.
Tim Keller often spoke of the need for both truth and love in evangelism. He pointed out that Jesus was full of grace and truth (John 1:14). If we emphasise truth without grace, we become harsh. If we emphasise grace without truth, we compromise. True gospel witness requires both.
E – Extend an Invitation
Paul’s teaching encourages us not just to live wisely and speak graciously but also to take action by inviting people to respond to the gospel. This could mean inviting someone to church, to a Life Group, or simply into a deeper conversation about faith. Evangelism is not just about being a good example; it’s about actively helping people encounter Jesus.
Throughout the Gospels, Jesus frequently extends invitations: “Come, follow me” (Matthew 4:19), “Come and see” (John 1:39), “Come to me” (Matthew 11:28). He calls people to move from curiosity to commitment.
As we share the gospel, we should be bold in inviting people to take the next step. A simple invitation - whether to a church service, a Christianity Explained course, or a personal discussion about faith - can be life-changing. Who in your life can you invite to take a step toward Jesus?
We live in a culture that may seem resistant to the gospel, but Paul wrote these words in an even more hostile setting—and yet, he was full of hope. He believed that God could use even new believers to share the good news. That same confidence applies to us today.
With God’s help, as we pray, live, speak, and extend invitations, we can be part of His great mission.
Let’s embrace the LOVE acronym and be faithful in sharing the gospel.
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