To the Westpoint family.

So grateful for the time worshipping and praying and singing and considering our next steps together yesterday. I apologize again for the lack of time to actually converse about the now and the suggested future. We will, I assure you, in the next few Sundays. If you missed the time this morning, the podcast will be posted probably today or tomorrow. Be looking for it on the home page of WestpointChurch.org or on the Facebook page.

Meanwhile, I wanted to send a note regarding three things. First, to share with you the basic, easy to remember acronym of our focus together as a local church family. Second, just a recap of "The Bottom Line" that was shared yesterday. And third, four stories about folks living sent / making disciples TOGETHER that are a part of our church family. As you have time, please read through all three. I hope it will encourage you as we keep learning and living the ways of Jesus together.

Grateful for how we have been living sent together. Grateful for the call and commitment to go deeper and deeper in living sent TOGETHER, loving each other as well as neighbors and nations, holding each other up as we live out the gracious, Gospel ways of the Kingdom of God.

-jason


WESTPOINT
be Worshippers _ in the daily and on Sundays
get Equipped _ to make disciples and to be family
live Sent _ serving AND sending both locally and globally
grow Together _ via SENT groups and as COWO
POINTing _ neighbors and nations to Jesus


THE BOTTOM LINE:
1. take the initiative to connect with 3 to 5 families in the Westpoint family to be family with, committing to passionately pray for one another and to deeply love each other through thick and thin.

2. study the Scriptures together as a family for more than just greater Biblical knowledge, but rather in order to simply ask the question, "If this is true, how must we individually and together surrender to the Holy Spirit that adjustments might be made in our lives?"

3. then, encourage each other and hold each other accountable to engage the lost in the pathways of our lives, praying for the lost together, being patient in the long-term of the friendship and journey, and proactively loving them first and caring for them in specific ways, welcoming them into relationship with us like they are family, too.


SERVING SASHA
In case you haven't heard, "Safe and Sober Housing Alternative" has found a new home!!! So excited for Cindy Underwood and the women who are a part of that awesome ministry! Well, in the process of cleaning up to prepare to move in, one of our SENT Groups who has adopted them as their one way of serving locally together stepped up to clean and paint and get the home ready for Cindy and another awesome group of volunteers to move stuff in. So grateful for that SENT Group being family together and including SASHA and Cindy in that family.

CARING FOR STUDENTS
Some of you during summer travel may have missed the announcement of Tommy Novak focusing in a new role with our team as the Pastor to Families with Students. He is loving and equipping parents of teens, walking with and making disciples alongside and among teens, and growing with an awesome adult volunteer team committed to loving and serving students and their families. Well, two of those adult volunteers got to step into action recently in a way that definitely moved them out of their comfort zone. Tommy was stuck in an important meeting when he got a text message from a student in a bit of an emotional crisis. Tommy knew he needed to stay where he was at least for another hour or two, and so he asked a couple of the adult volunteers if they could go and be with the student. They did. And they were stretched. But they were also blessed as they cared for, counseled with, and encouraged the teen. It was a beautiful expression of being a family living sent together.

GOLFING ALONE
The story was shared with me about one of our guys who two weeks ago was a bit inspired to go "live sent" on the golf course. He went out by himself, intentionally trying to connect with another player so they would have a twosome, intentionally hoping to begin a new friendship and enter on a journey together of learning love and hope and life together. Remember, this "making disciples" stuff is not a cold-call, overnight kind of thing. And it's not a one-round-of-golf kind of thing, either. In the end, the guy was so glad he did what he did. He made a new friend and hopes to golf together again.

LOVING THE LONELY
Less than two weeks ago, a woman in our community connected with one or two folks in our church family hit a crossroads in her life. Stay consumed with loneliness and addiction or get connected and get help. So far, and it's early in the game so please be praying, but so far she has chosen the latter. One of the ladies in our church family stepped right in and not only "loved first" becoming new friends, but also has loved well spending quality time encouraging the woman in crisis. On top of that, the Wednesday night women's group stepped up, as they have done so many times in the history of our church family, to love on and care for and connect with and walk beside the woman. What an awesome example of family!!!

To say I am grateful for the Westpoint Church family would be an understatement. Once again, we had a "family meeting" in which grace and unity was apparent. It is truly awesome to witness the love and wisdom God is growing in and among us as we walk this journey together. Thank you so much for your insight and input, your concern and commitment. IF YOU HAVE ANY FOLLOW UP THOUGHTS OR QUESTIONS, please email them in to us. And please be praying for wisdom and discernment as we walk through this decision together.

Regarding the ongoing vision and mission of this one-among-many local church expressions, may I take a moment to share a gentle reminder about what I pray will stay at the forefront of our hearts and minds regardless of what happens with this West Orange Baptist decision.

I pray that we would love Jesus and love one another as together we love neighbors and nations committing to make disciples in the rhythms of our daily lives. I also pray that we would continue to be united around mission with Jesus as He makes us to become the local church expression that He intended us to be.

The vision and hope of Westpoint has not changed from day one in February 2004.

Be the church together, do life together, give ourselves away together, make disciples, and hope to see followers and thus new expressions of His church multiplied. Live sent daily learning and living the ways of Jesus with our families, our neighbors, our co-workers, our local community, our world, and even online.

What has changed is our gratefulness for the Gospel and our understanding of His intention for His church. These have hopefully grown to be more as He intended, along with our awareness of and appreciation of His near love and redeemed purpose for our lives. That He is "God with us" continues to wreck and restore and send us daily.

God loved us first, loves us regardless, and has demonstrated it clearly. That "gospel" is inviting and transforming and compelling, drawing us to God and growing us in Christ and sending us with Him. That mission with Him includes but is not limited to attending a gathering on Sundays and for sure includes a command to make disciples of Jesus together as we are going among neighbors and nations. The making of disciples of Jesus, if done like He did it, occurs in the rhythms of the daily and creates among us a need for each other so that we will keep going on mission daily with Him. That "mission to" happens via "mission together," both as one local church expression as well as in unity with other local church expressions, hopefully resulting in "on earth as it is in heaven" in our community beyond just attracting a crowd to our respective Sunday gatherings. As we thus love one another doing life together and proactively caring for one another, as we also love neighbors and nations engaging our culture and giving ourselves away together, as we actually make disciples in the daily learning and living the ways of Jesus with others, and as we furthermore think and live beyond just a "MY church" mentality, we will see thru the maturity of our unity around mission people believe in the One who was sent (John 17:18-23) and thus new expressions of His church arise.

Will you pray with me this prayer?

"Lord, have Your way among us. May we live sent lives first and foremost and with utmost energy and intentionality to and alongside our families. May we actually know our neighbors' names and be growing in an active friendship with them. May we care about our coworkers' interests above our own. May we serve in an ongoing, relational manner just one way locally and one way globally, giving ourselves away alongside family and church family. May we also grow in friendship with those whom we serve. May we actually make disciples. Please help our pastoral team and vision team to actually equip for making disciples and to cultivate for genuine care and compassion for one another. And Lord, please help us to never again choose to just "go to church." May our gathering never be an event where we serve ourselves, but rather may it be a celebratory time together where we worship You and then are sent with You. Please, Lord, teach us Your ways that we might learn and live Your ways together."

Jen and I love you. We are grateful for you. We are praying and hopeful that we will cultivate for and get to see "on earth as it is in heaven" in each of our families, in our church family, along the pathways of our daily lives, in our community, and around the world.

-jason

Wow! So grateful for the Westpoint Church family and the way we are praying and processing through this possible West Orange Baptist relationship. You have sent in some great questions and thoughts. Great insight and concerns. So thankful.

Some of you have simply called or spoken face to face with a minor point of clarity here and there. We have not recorded all of those, but suffice it to say those face to face interactions have mainly revolved around three concerns:

:: will that facility be adequate for our children's ministry?
In short, we will have to make some immediate improvements to it, but it should be adequate for the short term. In the long term, West Orange Baptist had someone give a gift designated for a building to be built to serve families in their church family and in the community. The designation of that gift would be honored if the merger takes place, and the "new" Westpoint Church family would act on the intent of that gift.

:: will our current leadership structure remain rather than a "congregational" type of leadership structure?
Absolutely yes. This has been the stance of the Vision Team from the first meeting with the West Orange Baptist leaders. We will not adopt their governance and leadership structure. Now, we will solidify our processes of becoming an elder as well as of what it means to be a part of the Westpoint family. In so doing, it will hopefully offer clarity and beauty to all involved of how we can be a church family together and seek the Lord for His direction together, all the while with the Vision Team still making the overall decisions of the church family acting as a representative body of the congregation.

:: how will we be proactive to care about the West Orange Baptist people in this process?
This is vitally important. This is not some sort of "hostile takeover." We are a family, and we would need to see the people of West Orange Baptist as new members of the family. That implies two very important things - (1) that we respect them and desire to see their strengths utilized in the unity of our body serving and moving together in the everyday, AND (2) that we take proactive initiative to LOVE FIRST. The essence of the Gospel is the message of a God who did not wait on us, but loved us first. Took the initiative. The Westpoint family will be challenged to love first, to take the initiative to connect with and begin to walk with the beautiful people of the West Orange Baptist family.


To say I am so proud of the way we have continued to be concerned about the people of West Orange Baptist through this process would be an understatement. I am so grateful for how the Westpoint family desires to engage and involve them as family if this process goes through. And even if it doesn't, the sentiment has been that we should encourage and partner with them regardless.

So thankful to the Lord for how He is teaching us about His love.

SO, without further adieu, in the order which they were received, here are the questions and thoughts sent in with answers below each that will hopefully help answer the concern or question:

1. How comfortable will West Orange be in adapting to Westpoint's embrace of modern technology? How will they feel or react when our pastor or congregation reads the Bible from their media device?  Will they be capable of following our vision or events via the social media?  Will they be really be okay with a rap video for Mother's Day?  Will they feel disenfranchised?  Will our modern approach versus their "old school" approach create a divide?

Great question since we utilize technology so much. The day that we gathered with them, an iPad was used to read the Scripture and notes during the teaching time. We used visuals on the screen, which they had not typically done. The comments that got back to me were all positive.

The communication of vision and events would have to take on an additional facet. We would have to make some hard copies available at all times for vision emphasis and announcements. That would be a slight change if the move occurs.

On the rap video:

All I can say
Is we need to pray
Day after day
and work for uni-tay (unity)

Frustrations to deal
Disappointments to feel
Expectations must be real
For this relationship to seal

Sorry, couldn't help it. Seriously, though, the divide in methodology may be wide in some ways. But the Lord and Spirit and mission and purpose are not. If we are patient to love and steady to sow for the Christ-honoring things, we will reap what Jesus intended, IF we hold each other accountable to keep surrendering personal agendas for His.

Gonna take some relationship efforts on both sides.


2. Our teens are engaged--it is beautiful to witness.  Will this merger engage more youth in West Orange without risking our own students current level of commitment?

We believe it would be a beneficial move. Tommy and the leadershis' comments have all been regarding the fact that the location of the West Orange Baptist campus allows for connection with more middle schools along with West Orange High School AND East Ridge High School, both of which are represented in our current student body.
 

3. Is the West Orange Baptist Church building geographically located in an area that is strategically located to most effectively minister to the people the leadership feels called to minister to?

Good question. We believe so, and here's why. The campus is central to East Lake County and West Orange County, which is where the Westpoint family lives and is being the church. The campus would allow for some unique opportunities to minister to the people of our community into which we were asked to go and be the church originally back in 2002. AND, the facility would force us to send out to make disciples in our respective neighborhoods and start more community churches, fulfilling our focus to send rather than just gather.


4. What steps is the Vision Team taking to lessen the chances that the excitement for “having our own building” or “missing a great opportunity” or the “cravings of sinful man, lust of his eyes, and the boasting of what man has and does” cloud their leading of the Holy Spirit?

Great question!!! We have from the beginning made it clear that we have been being the church without a campus and we can continue to do so. We have also held each other accountable to be praying and seeking and processing, taking it slow and cautious, asking the hard questions, not naive to how difficult a merger like this could be. I believe we have been firm and honest with each other relationally, challenging each other to stay focused and not be enamored.


5. We trust God and Westpoint leadership to do what’s best for our Westpoint family.

Thanks!!! We really are listening together for direction and listening to the Westpoint family, too, as they are hearing what the Spirit is saying. Very important for all the input to be considered.


6. We read the letter that you sent out and were honestly in disbelief.  It's not every day that anyone (or any establishment) gives away real estate and especially for the glory of God....truly amazing! We are excited for Westpoint to have a facility to grow in and perhaps offer more opportunities to reach out to the community because of it.  I'm sure there will be obstacles to overcome but we are excited for the prospect of this happening for the church if it's something that will benefit everyone involved. We are praying for the situation and for the church leadership team.

Thanks so much! Means a ton!


7. What types of improvements are going to happen in the children's ministry if we move? Specifically using a good Sunday school program like we did two yrs ago? I know it was one Westpoint paid for, but I believe it's very important. Also having a "training" class for all the volunteers would be helpful. Let them know what's expected of them.(They are teaching our children), how to teach lessons, manage the classroom, encourage respectful behavior, etc.

Good question. Josh and Kelly are working so hard to develop Compass Kids to keep becoming the ministry and equipping agent that it needs to be. They are so surrendered to Christ and to teaching His ways to the kids and parents. With Josh being so consumed with the Cafe, it has been difficult to focus on the parents and volunteers like he and Kelly desire to do. We are working on some options to help make that more possible.

On the curriculum, please talk to Josh and Kelly about what you would like to see. They are so approachable and open to the suggestions of our invaluable volunteers.


8. What ever happened to our drama ministry? A skit every other month would be a great change to the Sunday routine.

You are so right!!! We are actually working on it. I believe we had some miscommunication in the last month that some of us thought was going through. Hopefully corrected this week. Can't wait to see the creativity and worship expressed in this way!


9. Should the Lord bring our two congregations together, what specific ways will we look to extend grace to the West Orange Baptist folks?  They are used to a very different form of governance and a more traditional form of worship.  It seems to me that we need to be willing to modify our style of worship to include some of what they are used to. The blend of worship at our joint service in Oakland seemed well received and offered a good mix. The change away from a congregational government may take some getting used to for the West Orange Baptist group.  We will need to be sensitive to them, listen well and seek their wisdom and experience that comes with age.

Great wisdom and love here. Thanks for this question and insight.

More "specific ways" will certainly come if the move takes place, but here are a few suggestions. We will need to proactively have meals and drink coffee and recreate with and serve alongside of them, taking initiative to specifically engage and invite them to do that with our families and our SENT groups. Some of us will need to join their Sunday morning small groups that currently exist (Sunday School), in order to "love first" and proactively connect. We will need to allow for who we ALL are as a family define the ways we express ourselves and respond to God in worship, since that is what "worship together" is – a response of our together expressions, not a mandate for our personal preferences. We will need to go serve neighbors and nations with them, because we see in the Scriptures the most profound relationships develop around mission together. We will need to validate and give value to their insight and wisdom, humbling ourselves to learn from and with them.


10. These are my thoughts. I'm being honest. I like that we don't have a building and we serve those whose building we use. But it's not about me. Sometimes I think about the sheer amount of "baggage" from a place that has been "battling conflict" for ten years. God is big enough to handle it... but you know the adage... "one bad apple." It will be a tough uphill climb. For me, driving distance is an issue I'm starting to think about. On the positive side, I love that as a church we are always looking for ways to get together rather than separate. Big plus :)

Thanks so much for being honest. We, too, like that we have not been weighed down with high costs of overhead and debt and stuff that often comes with a building. It is reassuring that West Orange Baptist would not bring with this possible move any debt, if the move happens.

The conflict is hard to stomach, too. It is encouraging how the people of West Orange Baptist over the course of the last six months have begun to unite around a renewed hope and possible future. Many of them, we are told, are more excited than they have been in a long time. The fact that the current platform through which conflict has come would be taken away through this possible move is worth noting, since the "congregational" structure of decision-making would change.

The driving distance I have heard is a concern for two or three folks that have mentioned it. It does add about five to seven minutes to the drive for those driving from the east and from the south of where we currently gather. For many, it is much closer, though. Hard to think of it as give and take on this one, but it really is. I hope this will be something worth working through, and maybe we can give a few gas cards to each other to show some love :-)

And thanks for the "big plus" comment. We definitely want to take Jesus' prayer for unity among His followers (John 17) seriously.


11. We're praying for the Westpoint Pastoral Team and West Orange Baptist leaders that you all will be granted God's wisdom and guidance during meetings/discussions concerning our possible merger. We are also very excited about the opportunity God has blessed both our church families with and graciously welcome the day that we may all walk in fellowship together!!

Thanks for the prayers and encouragements and walking in this together!!!


12. Does West Orange Baptist currently have a pastoral team, pastor, or deacons? If so, will our pastoral team be merging together with theirs, or would a leadership restructuring take place?

West Orange Baptist has an interim pastor and three active deacons. We would not add on a pastoral team member in this possible move. We are still discussing through whether those three deacons would even desire to be on the Vision Team. We will FOR SURE solidify the becoming-an-elder process so that it is easily understood by all, and then give the opportunity for adding one or two leaders to the Vision Team. This has been on the Vision Team's mind through this process.


13. Has consideration been made for the various teams we have created, i.e...together team, vision team etc...? Would these teams be restructured? or continue the same work in the new church family?

They would continue to lead out in the vision that Westpoint continues to hold, hopefully with some new, excited members!!!


14. If any, what group associations, i.e...Church of West Orange, National Baptist Convention etc...is West Orange Baptist currently a part of? Would the new church body continue these associations?

West Orange Baptist is currently associated with the Greater Orlando Baptist Association and the Florida Baptist Convention and the Southern Baptist Convention. We would continue these associations, but as you can clearly see on our website, and it has been there for over seven and a half years, Westpoint has existed in these associations via healthy relationships since inception. This would not be a change for us. The change would be rather for the West Orange Baptist family. Westpoint also associates with theChurchofWestOrange.com, with ReproducingChurches.com, with the Ekklesia Network, along with a few others. These relationships would continue.


15. At this point one would/could assume that our Sunday morning worship gathering would relocate to the campus of West Orange Baptist.  Specifically, Is there currently a mortgage payment? If so, would we be part of or take over that mortgage? In general, what would our financial responsibility be to the building itself?

There is not currently a mortgage payment. There are only operational costs for the campus and facility. Those costs average out to approximately $4500 a month currently. We now pay approximately $3000 a month for the use of space at Whispering Oak Elementary School five hours each Sunday. We would obviously be able to use the West Orange Baptist campus 24/7. This does mean that we would need to be willing to commit that extra $1500 per month in giving to make that work.


16. Thank you all for taking the opportunity to answer our questions in this format. It shows your commitment to us and our inclusion in this large and detailed process. Thank you again for all that you do. We look forward to seeing all the other questions and responses that were submitted!

Thank you for being willing to send in questions and be involved in the process. WE REALLY VALUE how the Holy Spirit speaks to and leads the entire church family.


17. What is West Orange Baptist's expectations of daily workings and duties of the pastoral team as it compares to what the Westpoint pastors are doing now? How might it change what they do in the future?

Great question! Their current expectations as far as I can tell are for their interim pastor to teach in Sunday mornings and Sunday nights and Wednesday nights, be in the office a certain amount each week to be available, and be willing to assist with folks when there are crises. They like any healthy church family also care for one another and don't just rely on the pastor to do all the caring for one another. We would need to emphasize this even more if we want to keep growing as the church together the way Jesus intended. We would need to allow the pastoral team to be available for counseling and crises, but to see the SENT groups and the togetherness of our church family be the avenue through which we daily care for and proactively meet the needs of one another.

The way things might change into the future for the pastoral team? The simple answer is we would have a central office at which we would keep certain office hours, both together as a team at times as well as individually. Other than that, it is unsure what changes might come. So far, their leaders have not expresses any specific expectations they have on the matter. Please share any you might have with us via email or face to face. Definitely want to have candid conversation about any expectations, since expectations are what lead to disappointment and disappointment to fractured unity. If we can stay communicative and open, we should be able to grow in love and unity on this matter very well.


>> WELL, thanks so much for all the questions and insights and encouragement!!! Please make an effort to be there for the Family Meeting face-to-face "Q and A" Sunday morning from 11:15 to 11:45 following the worship gathering. Hopefully these answers will either suffice the questions sent in or allow for better follow-up and more efficient use of our time all together.

We love you guys so much. So grateful for our church family! Let's keep praying and listening together for wisdom and direction. Look forward to the conversation Sunday morning.

~the Vision Team

As most of you know by now, the Westpoint Church family is seriously committed to cultivating for unity among followers of Jesus in West Orange County and beyond. We want to take Jesus' prayer in John 17 seriously, and we try to do so by praying for other local church expressions and ministries, supporting them financially, serving alongside them, and encouraging them especially when they are walking through difficult times. Well, the praying and encouraging parts are what led to our relationship with the West Orange Baptist church family.

As most of you also know by now, we have been walking with and slowly growing in a relationship with the West Orange Baptist church family. We have hunted for Easter Eggs. We have gathered together for Sunday morning worship. We have prayed for one another. We have met frequently with their interim pastor and deacons. Some of the people in their church family have visited with and worshipped with us on a Sunday morning at the school. And some of our leaders have had a Q and A session with their church family exploring what our growing relationship might mean.

The purpose of this email / blog post is simply to keep the Westpoint church family up to date with what has been going on. AND it is to inform you as to how we can further pray together and converse together about an opportunity for a greater relationship with the West Orange Baptist church family.

First, the leaders of the West Orange Baptist church family have themselves told us that they are unsure of what their long-term future will be if they don't make a significant change in their current structure and focus. They have been battling through various conflict for some 10 years now. They have, to their own admission, become so consumed in their conflicts that they have both missed their intended purpose as well as developed a poor reputation in their community. Life both on their campus and off of it out in the community has diminished, and they are praying and hoping for renewed life and purpose.

Second, West Orange Baptist leaders, during the process of Westpoint praying for and encouraging them and them encouraging us, made it known that they were not currently looking for another pastor (they have had 8 in the last 10 years), but rather were seeking the Lord for wisdom about their future and for possible drastic change. They wondered if it might be best to find a church family in the area with whom they could connect and possibly pass on to a new or younger church family that would continue the Great Commission focus into the future and continue the Gospel ministry that has been going on there on their campus for some 60 years.

Next, as we were relating together, Westpoint began to be considered as that possible new or younger church family. The question was asked as to whether this would even be an interest. We said it was interesting enough to consider for sure. And so their church family voted to officially enter into talks with Westpoint about a possible merger in which "West Orange Baptist Church," both their people and the campus on which they gather, would become part of the Westpoint Church family.

Since that vote to enter into talks with us, our leaders have met once again with their leaders as well as had a Q and A session with their congregation. It has gone well, at least well enough to bring to the forefront of our attention as a church family. The Westpoint Vision Team continues to pray for wisdom. We have asked many of you to be praying with us. And we have received some great insight and feedback. And now the time comes when we begin to make it a priority of prayer together while West Orange Baptist decides what they may or may not do.

One other important note. In 2005, our second year as a church family, the Vision Team of Westpoint Church decided to make a commitment to not go into debt over land or facilities. We committed to the Lord that if He wanted to give us a sending and gathering place that He would please do just that - GIVE IT TO US. We have trusted Him in that regard and have been grateful for our wonderful gathering place at Whispering Oak Elementary School. The potential of this opportunity with West Orange Baptist includes with it the giving of a sending and gathering place.

We understand that there are some stylistic and cultural differences between the West Orange Baptist church family and the Westpoint Church family. We do believe, however, that the spirit and purpose and mission of both local church expressions are one in the same. IF a move is made in which their church family becomes a part of our church family and we move our gathering to a new location on what would be a "Westpoint" or even a "theChurchofWestOrange.com" campus, let it be known that we realize it would not be without the need for highly intentional efforts to cultivate for unity and very specific emphasis in order to stay focused on being the church together and living sent daily.

Moreover, it would be an opportunity for Westpoint to be strengthened by followers of Jesus who have been longer on their journey with Christ who could give into the lives of younger believers and younger families the wisdom and love given unto them over the years (Titus 2:1-8), AND it would be an opportunity for West Orange to be strengthened with renewed vision and energetic leadership with regard to these God-given dreams for the future of their ministry (Acts 2:17). It would require selflessness and leadership and energy. It may result in a few changes, but it would not mean in any way a change of focus and desire to be becoming exactly what Jesus intended His church to be - a longing that has defined Westpoint for over seven years and will define her into the future.

Finally, Westpoint does not NEED to make a structure or focus shift. We continue to try to be the church together and to live sent daily. However, if we decided to make this potential move, we (Westpoint and West Orange) would need to be focused in some very specific areas:

:: we would need to recognize one and only one head of the church - Jesus Christ - and surrender all personal agendas desiring His intention for His church and His alone.

:: we would need to continue to commit to living daily to make disciples, continuing to beg Jesus to reorient us from the ritualism of consumeristic religion toward the life-giving mission for which He created His church.

:: we would need to continue to seek Christ for growth in the way we shepherd and care for one another, specifically in how we are doing life together on mission through SENT groups and other care-for-one-another, stay-focused-on-mission-together emphases.

:: we would need to begin praying for specific ways to give ourselves away into one another as well as into our community from a new location, dreaming and brainstorming and listening for God's direction on specific ways to grow in our "together generosity" with an added asset.

:: we would need to become more intentional than ever about cultivating for the multiplication of disciples, leaders, ministry groups, and local church expressions.

:: we would need to commit to not gossiping, understanding that if there is a concern or a conflict, we must voice it to the one with whom we have issue and never to anyone that can do nothing about it except to further the frustration.

:: we would need to celebrate the culture of a people different from us all the while intentionally cultivating for a unity that can only occur when Jesus unites self-absorbed people together around His Gospel and His mission.

:: we all would need to humble ourselves, not holding tightly to any preferences but rather living grateful that we are held by Him and thus respond TOGETHER in worship to Him in the ways that are unique and expressive to each of us.

There is more that could be listed. But you get the gist.

The BOTTOM LINE:
This is a great opportunity to continue to see UNITY and MISSION lived out together as His church in West Orange County and beyond. Please pray for wisdom for West Orange Baptist as they continue to discuss the possibility and will eventually vote as to whether to request that this "merger" or "marriage" officially take place (we will let you know when that vote is going to happen). Please pray for wisdom for us as a Westpoint family as we desire to listen for and obey how God is leading us in our next steps. It is not a necessity for Westpoint to make a move like this, but is it what Jesus is leading us to do together as His local church expression? That's what we need to discern together.

What are the questions you have?

PLEASE SEND ALL QUESTIONS TO info@westpointchurch.org. We will be posting all questions sent in along with all answers given in an newsletter and on a blog post on the Westpoint website next Thursday.

WE WILL THEN TAKE FROM 11:15 TO 11:45 on Sunday morning August 28th to pray and converse together about this opportunity.

Where we go from there will be determined both by our discernment together of God's leading along with West Orange Baptist discernment of their Christ-led direction.

These are exciting times. We are anxious to hear from you.
-the Vision Team