Run Tell Dat

Write down the vision; write it clearly on clay tablets so whoever reads it can run to tell others. It is not yet time for the message to come true, but that time is coming soon; the message will come true. It may seem like a long time, but be patient and wait for it, because it will surely come; it will not be delayed. Habbakuk 2:2,3

Vision. If you've been around ministry for any amount of time you surely have heard people talking about vision. He has his vision, they have theirs, she is following her vision, etc. Pastor Jeff once explained vision to me simply by saying that it's seeing what is really there. A lot of people confuse vision with dreams. Simply because you long to run a multi-million dollar business does not mean that is a God-given vision for your life. Vision is more profound than a wishful dream, it's a glimpse into God's plan that will unfold. Allow me to give you an example.

I remember the day earlier this year that Pastor Jeff called me. I instantly knew it was going to be one of those phone calls that changes things because I could hear the beeping of his car through the phone and big things always happen when he's just finished driving. He told me through great excitement something that God had just laid on his heart. "Dude, God just told me we're going to see 2,000 baptisms this year at Blink."

I didn't even really have words to respond with so all I could conjure up was "Wow."

He continued talking but I wasn't totally listening because my mind was racing. This is going to happen, this is really going to happen. The sureness that I felt rising up in me was astounding. I wasn't just confident that it would happen because he said it, even though his word is enough for me, I was confident because I saw it too. God-given vision is for the whole Body of Christ, though it may start with one person, it doesn't end with that person. Vision doesn't cause a move of God to happen afterward, a move of God causes vision to happen beforehand. God always sends vision before he moves because He invites us to participate in the establishment of His will and Kingdom. Vision is what connects us to God's plan and allow us to be a part of it. Whether I chose to see it or not had no impact on the fact that it was indeed happening. The true issue was whether or not I would run with the vision. I heard it put this way a few months ago:

Revelation doesn't come to make you smarter, it comes so that you will become the person who is equipped to carry out what was revealed in the first place.

The vision God revealed to Pastor quickly became the vision I wrapped my heart around as well. It's dangerous to always think that a vision belongs to this person or that person. In the months that followed, I witnessed the entire Blink cast and crew adopt 2,000 baptisms as our vision. I watched volunteers pour hundreds of hours into this effort without even a moment of hesitation because they saw it too. Families gave it all for the sake of our vision- 2,000 people being baptized as a commitment to follow Christ (if this were twitter i'd insert #worthit right here.)

Now as we approach the final weekend of our show, I am more convinced then ever that the power of a God-given vision is unstoppable. Habbakuk says that a vision made plain allows people to run and share it, and through Blink: The Door 2 I have seen hundreds of people running. I've watched 400 people stand in the pouring rain because they refused to allow a storm to stop them from baptizing people. I've watched grown men and women weep at the sight of people being baptized because it's what they've been praying about for months. I was with a young man who sustained a serious head injury during one of the shows and upon hobbling out of the emergency room, amidst temporary memory loss and severe pain, his FIRST question was "Pastor Justin, how many people were baptized tonight?" You can't see what I've seen and not believe in the power of God-given vision.

In the last two weeks, I've seen broken families made whole, gang members turn from their lifestyles, porn stars give it all up to follow God, satanists repenting and proclaiming Jesus as Lord, and so much more. This is the vision, and it is happening.

So now what?

What are you going to do about it?

People have flown cross-country to be a part of this, what are you willing to do?

We have one more weekend, 4 more performances, and that's it. If you consider City of Life Church your home at all, allow me to speak frankly to you. The least you can do is come see the production and bring your family and friends. This is the vision of our church, it would be a travesty for you to miss it for any reason. If you aren't connected to COL, there's still an incredible opportunity here because it is so much bigger than just our church. Something unprecedented is happening here. Please. Don't miss it. I have tried to make the vision plain here so that you can be energized to do something about it. I've told you what the vision is, now go to your friends, neighbors, co-workers, even your enemies and run tell dat.

Purchase your tickets and their tickets at blinkthedoor.com