Wherever I am globally, I meet loads and loads of Christians who know what they are saved from. They know they’ve been saved from the power of sin, from the power of sickness and from hell, but have not a clue what they are saved for. I believe God wants to deposit fresh vision, hope and clarity in your heart as to why you are here, not only you as an individual but Taunton itself. It exists for a reason.
This town needs to take its place in this nation for this nation to turn again to the Lord. It will not happen without you, do you realise that? This nation needs to turn to God again, it has got to!
In Burton we feel we may be only one stumbling, blind humble step ahead of other places but I can tell you where it’s going; it’s going into Europe. The reason God needs you to stand up is that Europe needs Taunton! The reason you need to know who you are and what you’re here for, is because you are part of the package. God has planted you in this place to bring transformation.
One of my favourite phrases is, “If you always do what you always did, you’ll always get what you always got.” Change is happening but for many of us we’ve got to change our perspective. If you change position your perspective changes. I believe there’s a call for some of us to change position; you’ve been sat for too long doing the same stuff and wondering why it wasn’t fruitful. Somehow some of us have got to change position… it might mean for some of you that you have to move house, or a career change; it might mean the change of some relationships. There’s a call tonight that we might begin to see with the eyes of God. One of the most incredible phrases that runs throughout scripture is when God of heaven, all seeing and all knowing God, says to his prophets, “What do you see?” I want to ask you that tonight, what do you see for Taunton? Vision is vital, if you haven’t got a vision, you haven’t got a future.
This is the first time I’ve been in Taunton today and I’ve never felt this way about a place before. But as I drove through the streets I felt like this place was an orphan. It was like a pain as I drove past kids in the streets. There was a pain in my heart as though there’s a bunch of people here who’ve had abuse. There’s agony, there’s pain in these streets. Something has shifted tonight as we’ve been praying, but you’ve got to pick it up, pick up the vision and run with it. As I felt that shift in the spirit I felt God saying, “ Taunton will become a parent.” There’s fruitfulness coming out of this womb, there’s something about youth that’s going to break out here.
There’s something about the connection between the generation that’s now in places of authority and influence that is literally, meaningfully and lovingly connecting with the next generation and it’s going to draw them through and they are going to go further. I believe that this place needs that kind of spirit. I don’t fully understand it but I believe that Taunton will become a parent. There’s something about two generations running together, about a generation of leaders quickly passing on and empowering a younger generation, not hanging on until they are too old and decrepit, the planned strategic passing on of leadership and empowerment to the next generation.
For those over 50 who feel like they are past it, this is your time! There’s nothing to go past.
In Burton we only use the word church when we’re referring to the church as a whole. God wants to sow a vision in you that’s bigger than your congregation. I believe you need to catch that here in Taunton, one Church…many congregations, you need to help the body and the leaders.