Why We Have An Annual Focus?

Every year each GoChurch has a week, or sometimes two, we call Vision Sunday where the Lead Pastors lay out the vision, the annual focus and the priorities and goals for the coming year.

Each year as we start afresh, we are reminded of our vision, a vision that doesn’t change each year and doesn’t vary. Our vision is:

We are a family of churches working together to reach the world!

That tells us there is a reason we exist and a reason to keep on existing and that is the call to reach the world. That vision also tells us that we are not called to do it on our own, that vision tells us that we need one another. That call tells us that we are family, not just a group of people trying to work together but that we are part of one another, a family. Spiritually bound together as our values drive us, adapt us and move us. We love, grow and go.

These values constantly working in us and through us to enable the vision to be fulfilled. The vision is big! 25 healthy growing churches by 2035. Simply put “25 by 35”.

With such a big vision it is easy to get lost in the scale of the task and end up failing to achieve the goals or move forward. So, each year the Lord breaks down the steps that help us achieve the calling and see the vision become a reality.

At the start of each year, we fine tune as we listen into what God has to say about the year so that we are always moving in step with Him. Usually there is a key scripture or phrase that the Lord highlights that will encourage unity, faith and love. Sometimes the focus is linked to tasks, projects that need to be done. Other times the focus links to attitudes or character qualities the Lord wants us to concentrate on. Whatever the focus, our obedience to the focus helps with our spiritual momentum and bring glory to the Lord.

Like stepping stones across a stream, these annual focuses provide clarity to the whole church, empowering everyone from the new believer to the most mature. The focus shows our Heavenly Father can use us to reach others, really working out our responsibilities that He talked to us about. They link the previous year to the future, helping us as we are reminded of what helps us mature, develop new skills and be responsible for other people’s lives as well as walk in freedom.

With the focus being linked to scriptures, we find faith grows as we see the relevant word in season.

This is the start of yet another year but the start of our best year yet. Make sure you find out when your church is giving their annual focus so that you can be on board for this next step.