Church planters are dreamers. We have to be. Nobody plants a church because they’re satisfied with the status quo. Somewhere along the way, God gave us a burden for a neighborhood, a city, or a group of people, and we started imagining what could be.
But I’ve noticed something about our dreams. They’re often too small.
We dream about finding a building. Raising enough money. Gathering enough volunteers. Launching a Sunday service. Seeing attendance grow. None of those things are wrong. I’ve prayed for every one of them.
But those are ministry dreams.
God’s dream is much bigger. Near the end of the Bible, John is given a glimpse of history’s final chapter. What he sees isn’t merely the success of one church or one movement. It isn’t one denomination, one nation, or one generation. He writes,
“After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb.”
Revelation 7:9
That’s where history is going. God is gathering worshipers from every corner of the earth around His Son. Every church planted, every missionary sent, every disciple made, every gospel conversation faithfully shared is moving toward that moment.
I find that deeply encouraging. It reminds me that my little corner of the world isn’t isolated from God’s global mission. The neighborhood I’m praying for today is connected to a story that stretches from Genesis to Revelation. The people living down my street are part of the very people God intends to gather around His throne.
Don’t confuse your ministry goals with God’s mission. One can become far too small. I’ve met leaders who can tell you exactly how many people they hope to have attending in five years but struggle to describe what kind of disciples they hope those people become. We naturally measure what we can count. God is forming a people who worship His Son. That’s the dream. Everything else serves that.
We don’t plant churches hoping God might win. We plant churches because He already has.
When I think about the communities where I’ve sensed God leading me, I certainly hope to see churches planted, leaders developed, families restored, and neighborhoods transformed. But beneath all of those prayers is one greater longing. I want people who don’t know Christ today to stand before His throne one day singing, “Salvation belongs to our God.”
That’s a dream worth giving your life to.
One of the exercises in Built on Purpose asks church planting teams to write down their dreams for the city. At first glance, it feels like a vision exercise. In reality, it’s a theology exercise. Before we ask, “What do we want to accomplish?” we should ask, “What does God ultimately desire for this place?”
Those are different questions. One begins with our imagination. The other begins with God’s revelation. The beautiful thing is that God’s vision is not wishful thinking. Revelation 7 is not describing a possibility. It’s describing a certainty. Christ will gather His people. The nations will worship. The gospel will accomplish exactly what God intends.
That confidence frees us to dream boldly. Not because we’re convinced of our strategy. Not because we’re impressed with our leadership. Not because our city is especially receptive. But because the One who called us has already revealed the end of the story.
We don’t plant churches hoping God might win. We plant churches because He already has.
Do you know how God has shaped you and your team for His mission?
Download this workbook to guide your team through twelve exercises that will bring unity, clarity, and vision to your mission work.
