We asked our bloggers to share their biggest dreams for the church. Here’s what they imagine.
If I could dream anything for the church knowing that the dream would emerge as reality, I would dream of pure hearts and expansive imaginations. From childhood playgrounds to adult boardrooms, not much seems to change. Children hurting children. Adults wounding adults.
But, we are made for union — union with one another and with God. When we see ourselves connected with everyone and everything else, we begin to see reality. But we cover our eyes with opaque filters.
When one part of the body hurts, the whole body feels the pain. When one part of the body rejoices, the whole body swells with joy.
If I could dream anything for the church, it would be a renewed, inclusive vision of herself and the world.
During a class last year at San Francisco Theological Seminary, I attempted to awaken such a vision within myself. I wrote:
Borrow my vision and you will see an expansive family, too many people to count, with different shades of skin, old and young, unrelated from birth.
With my ears, you will hear children laughing and parents crying for joy, reunited with little ones long lost.
With my mouth, you will laugh the gospel proclamation because, to your own surprise, it has become true.
With my arms, you will embrace new siblings for the first time and wave your hands over your head, grabbing the attention of those far and wide.
With my mind, you will accept as true that there are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy because the primitive gospel fables are real, all around you: reconciliation between rival gangs, quality education and health care for those long neglected and the healing of opioid-twisted bodies.
With my feet, you will shuffle, you will even dance, even with two left feet, even with suppressed Scotch-Irish emotions, even if everyone watches because everyone else is dancing too.
With my heart, you will feel ineffable passion, deeper than any language has ever needed to name.
Because God is reconciling the world – all of it! (2 Corinthians 5:19)
SAM CODINGTON is pastor of Faith Presbyterian Church in San Diego. He and his wife Esther have a 3-year-old son, Ezra, and can often be found running at Lake Murray and Mission Beach.
