So..., I am sitting in the Forefront Church Service (http://www.forefront.org/) yesterday morning and for the 3rd time in 4 weeks, I hear a sermon about the call of Abram/Abraham. Each was unique in the manner it was preached and yesterday's sermon was the culmination of the three sermons in that I was afforded the opportunity to see my friend and my pastor talk about living these passages of scripture out again, just like he had done 10 years prior.
The thought of going somewhere and not knowing where, but yet having some sort of plan (A dream) for what to do and what you hope to accomplish once you get there is a scary, scary venture. Yesterday, Vince Antonnucci the lead church planter of Forefront Church in Virginia Beach since 1998 voiced the fear and the hope of that call with a stunning announcement. http://www.vinceantonucci.com/2008/07/big-announcement.html .
I have a ton of gratitude in my heart for this man! Not only for what he has done through Forefront Church, but also for what he has done for my family and I personally. I believe God put him in my family's lives for a variety of reasons and we are blessed beyond words because of it. His passion for evangelism has been as contagious as his Love for God is! He has helped me get to this point in my life where both he and I are now venturing out on this church planting adventure at the same time (although for him it is the 2nd time around! Yes he is nutz'd!) .
Vince and I are leaving Forefront at the same time and he is going to a place he has never lived (Las Vegas) and I back to my childhood area, but we both go to a culture and a people we do not know. The places may be different, but the goal is the same; and one thing we do know however, is that just like Abram/Abraham we are called to go there! As he puts it, we are no biblical heroes - but one thing we do have in common, we Love God and we Love the People who are far from Him! We both go for the same reason - to find those far from God and to share His Love with them! Then it is our hope to get them grafted into the Story and the Dream of the Greatest Author of the Greatest Love Story ever, and the Greatest Dreamer of the Greatest Dream of all time (The Great Commission) - Jesus!
Thanks Vince for leading Forefront; for being an Awesome friend and mentor; and most importantly for being an awesome example in both the listening to and the obeying of God!
The thought of going somewhere and not knowing where, but yet having some sort of plan (A dream) for what to do and what you hope to accomplish once you get there is a scary, scary venture. Yesterday, Vince Antonnucci the lead church planter of Forefront Church in Virginia Beach since 1998 voiced the fear and the hope of that call with a stunning announcement. http://www.vinceantonucci.com/2008/07/big-announcement.html .
I have a ton of gratitude in my heart for this man! Not only for what he has done through Forefront Church, but also for what he has done for my family and I personally. I believe God put him in my family's lives for a variety of reasons and we are blessed beyond words because of it. His passion for evangelism has been as contagious as his Love for God is! He has helped me get to this point in my life where both he and I are now venturing out on this church planting adventure at the same time (although for him it is the 2nd time around! Yes he is nutz'd!) .
Vince and I are leaving Forefront at the same time and he is going to a place he has never lived (Las Vegas) and I back to my childhood area, but we both go to a culture and a people we do not know. The places may be different, but the goal is the same; and one thing we do know however, is that just like Abram/Abraham we are called to go there! As he puts it, we are no biblical heroes - but one thing we do have in common, we Love God and we Love the People who are far from Him! We both go for the same reason - to find those far from God and to share His Love with them! Then it is our hope to get them grafted into the Story and the Dream of the Greatest Author of the Greatest Love Story ever, and the Greatest Dreamer of the Greatest Dream of all time (The Great Commission) - Jesus!
Thanks Vince for leading Forefront; for being an Awesome friend and mentor; and most importantly for being an awesome example in both the listening to and the obeying of God!
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2 comments:
I hear you Richie and I hear God too. Abram's story has spoken powerfully to my too over the last 6 months. I'll post my own blog on the topic later today.
I'm proud of you for stepping out boldly even with so many unanswered questions. Everything else might say stay, but when God says Go! we have to follow.
I've got a great story about Abraham and Issac...
When my son, Xander, was born God gave me a vision of Abraham amd Issac. God straight up told me that my son was not mine...he belonged to God. And, as such, I would be tested like never before in raising him to be a Godly man. Like what Vince has been called to do, that is follow God, we all must stay atuned to...
We must be willing to lay it all on the alter and follow God for HIS glory. What we are given, it is all a gift. We must be willing to sacrifice what we love to follow God's calling.
While I pray that it never comes to that for my son and I, we must be obedient. What Vince is doing is demonstrating obedience for all the world to see...and follow.
Amazing, simply amazing.
mikeyd
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