Vision Sunday 2023
What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.
1 Corinthians 3:5-9 (NIV)
As long as the earth remains, there will be seed, time, and harvest - this is a Biblical principle that has been active since God created the earth. We are called to sow and water, and God brings the harvest.
Time is the gap between seed and harvest, and it often represents the waiting time between sowing seeds and experiencing what God has for us. As children of God, we are commanded to not grow weary in doing good, for we will reap a harvest if we do not give up (Galatians 6:9).
Three steps we can take to navigate the gaps of life:
Remind ourselves that something is happening, even when it doesn’t seem like it
Keep the sowing and growing going
Take on the attitude that our time is coming
In times of discouragement and exhaustion, don’t lose heart. Remember, some harvests take longer than others. For example, the Chinese bamboo tree takes five years to show any signs of growth; once it breaks through the ground, it can grow 80 feet within six weeks. Continue being faithful to plant seeds, knowing that God is with you and will bring the harvest in due time.
City Church is entering into a six-week season as a church: Beyond Finish, with a specific vision to finish what the Lord started. In 2019, our church stepped out on faith and began a campaign to raise funds for a new building, as we had reached capacity at our current facility. The campaign was paused when the COVID-19 pandemic began. Even though the campaign was inactive, many City Church community members continued giving, and God supernaturally provided the amount needed to purchase land at 128 S. Paulina for our new location in 2021.
Click here to watch the full message and learn more about the vision for the future home of City Church Chicago, including visual renderings of the new building.
For more information on Beyond Finish and to find out how you can get involved, visit https://citychurchchicago.com/beyond.