The Empty Chair - Pastor Bill Stanley

The empty chair forces us to ask, “What do we believe?” “What do we hold on to?” It begs the question, does the church exist for itself or does it exist for the city? If it exists for itself, it means pastors train disciples to exist as resources for the church organization. If it exists for the city, then pastors exist to train disciples, and disciples exist to announce the reign of Christ in the public square. The Gospel reminds us the grace of God is to not only save us from hell, but also from ourselves. It reminds us our purpose isn’t to build our kingdoms, but to proclaim there is a seat at the table to live out His purpose. We were designed with purpose and intent, and our old way of life stinks. Christ is alive wants to change every fiber of your being. It brings people who are far from God to journey with us so they might see themselves differently and understand there is a better way.

Rick McKinley, Pastor of Imago Dei in Portland says, “God’s genius, is that he throws us into a gospel that we must trust in his provision. Our lives must be a God-shaped revelation that we hold to and live out rather than pithy statements with little depth. One of the great theological truths lost in church today is : the Father sends the Son, the Son sends the Spirit, and the Spirit sends the church into the world. We come and worship, but we are being sent into the city to not “build the church”, but to “be the church.”


Defining Moments

These are defining moments in the life of Nomad Community Church. If we are to help redefine what it means to be a Christ follower in our world today, it means recognizing God’s working and discerning the Spirit’s call to go into all the world. The church does in fact exist for the city. This means we pastors must continue to train and equip the disciples. Then from conversion to conversation, the gospel is unleashed in every sector of our city by humble followers of Jesus Christ that display His kingdom and announce the reign of God.


Further Study

Ephesians 2:6-10, Ephesians 3:6-13, Ephesians 4:11-13
Jim & Casper Go To Church by Jim Henderson and Matt Casper