The Compass Generation
I'm not one that’s fond of vision or mission statements because I’ve always felt them stifling. Jesus never demanded them of his disciples, and in fact, he summarized his entire discipleship strategy in two words, “follow me.” Jesus found it more important to spend time with them than he did about laying out a set of written rules for them to follow. After all, his father had already tried that and it didn’t work out too well. I really think that he feels the same way about his disciples today.

In the desert experience with Moses, arguably the most influential and dynamic leader ever to have walked the face of the earth with the exception of Jesus, God’s master plan for his people involved their following a cloud and fire, not knowing from one day to the next exactly where God would be leading them. I believe that he did this so that we could understand the difference between head knowledge and heart knowledge, between words and warmth. If we are to be followers of Christ, we have to learn to be just that, followers of Christ.

I was recently asked to speak to a group of ministers on the uniqueness of our ministry here at the Hope Center . I referred to the movie, “The Day After”, specifically the scene where they are on top of a snowy hill wondering just where the New York Public Library was only to discover through their satellite compass that they were standing right on top of it.

Just like in this movie, America has been experiencing a spiritual cataclysm of enormous proportions. While we’ve been asleep, our public educational system has collapsed, the traditional family structure has become a rarity, and countless pieces of legislation have been drafted in inner cities throughout this country, particularly in the area of zoning laws, essentially killing any traditional church planting initiative. Our ability to reproduce ourselves morally in our children, or spiritually in our community has been thwarted. As a result, God is raising a new generation of Servant Leaders in America and abroad; a breed of Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, and Pastors who do not have the luxury of a map to show them where they’re going. This will be a generation of trailblazers. They will be the ones writing the map for others to follow. The navigation of their respective ministries will be based solely on the Spirit compass that God has placed in their hands; an internal spiritual instrument that will continually point north (toward God), not as a result of gravitational forces or information received from some satellite, but as a result of the invisible power of the Holy Spirit. They will go where, and do what God wants them to do without hesitation. They will be the ones who will “rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations.”

And that’s what we’re all about.

Our plan? Follow God wherever He wishes to take us. Are you ready for the adventure of your life? If so, stop in and hang on! The trip might seem scary at times, but you’re gonna love it at the end.

Your Servants,

— Pastors Mario & Leigh