Presidents Address

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Presidents Address

• No Looking Back
• Luke 951-101
• General Board of Global Ministries
• Stamford, Connecticut
• April 27, 2009

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No Looking Back

• What marvelous love the Father has extended to
  us! Just look at it were called children of
  God! Thats who we really are. But thats also
  why the world doesnt recognize us or take us
  seriously, because it has no idea who we are or
  what God is up to. But friends, thats exactly
  who we are children of God. And thats only the
  beginning. Who knows how well end up! What we
  know is that when Christ is openly revealed,
  well see him and in seeing him, become like
  him. (I John 31-2, The Message)

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No Looking Back

• We are children of God, because God loves us.
• We are on a faith journey, because who knows how
  we will end up.
• We will become like Jesus, because we will see
  him as he truly is.

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No Looking Back

• Who Knows How We Will End Up
• Global financial crisis
• What is essential
• Organizational audit

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No Looking Back

• Indeed, who knows how we will end up.

6
No Looking Back

• There is one over-riding characteristic to Jesus
  teaching and example about being in missionno
  looking back.

7
No Looking Back

• If we each of us gathered here -- if the
  General Board of Global Ministries is to be
  fully available and fully obedient to Gods
  mission of ushering in the reign of God on earth
  as it is in heaven, then we must assume a posture
  of facing forward. We must demonstrate a
  face-forward faith. We must not look back.

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No Looking Back

• Are we ready to follow this Jesus?
• Are we ready to pay the price?
• Are we ready to surrender all?
• Are we ready to set our faces toward Jerusalem
  and the cross?
• Are we ready to seek Gods preferred future for
  the Board and our ministries?
• Are we ready to not look back?

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No Looking Back

• Jesus teaches us that a no looking back posture
  has three components
• Walk on
• Walk away
• Walk forward

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Walk On

• Reflection Questions
•  
• How do you think others generally perceive the
  GBGM as ready and able to go wherever Jesus
  wants us to go or as an entity set in our ways?
• What are one or two ways the GBGM can best
  reflect the call of Jesus to keep walking on, to
  remain on the move?

11
Walk Away

• Reflection Questions
•  
• Do you see any signs or evidence that the GBGM
  turns back to focus on that which is dead or
  dying?
• What are one or two things the GBGM must walk
  away from in order to invest in new life and
  emerging mission opportunities?

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Walk Forward

• Reflection Questions
•  
• What signs or evidence do you see that the GBGM
  is walking forward into an unknown future?
• What are one or two ways the GBGM can remain an
  agency that is always positioned to embrace the
  future?

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Walk Forward

• After this
• After this the Lord appointed seventy others and
  sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town
  and place where he himself intended to go.
  (Luke 101)

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No Looking Back

• So the essential questions have not changed for
  2000 years. They remain the same for us as for
  those who questioned Jesus on the road about
  following him.

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No Looking Back

• Are you ready to walk on, not looking back, but
  trusting in the Holy Spirit?
• Are you ready to walk away from all that is dead
  and dying?
• Are you ready to walk forward into Christs
  preferred future for you and our ministry?
• Are you ready to set your face toward Jerusalem?
• Are you ready to go and proclaim that the kingdom
  of God has come near?

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• NO LOOKING BACK