Vision 2026 Joining God's Activity
Published by Olwin Gosal in 2026 · 30 August 2026
Vision 2026
Joining God's Activity
My brothers and sisters, sometimes it is important for the church to pause, step back, and ask an important question. Why are we here? Why does Riverside Indonesia Church exist? What is Riverside Indonesia Church here for? What is the purpose of this church? What are we doing? Maybe we think about this often, but perhaps we haven't truly thought about how we do it together as a church family. We talk a lot about how to live like Jesus. We need to ask: is that already real in my daily life? In life, we must ask: what is my purpose in doing everything? Who am I doing it for? Often, we are so busy doing many things that we forget the priorities in life.
Similarly, the church is sometimes busy with programs, events, and other things, so that we can ultimately forget why Jesus established His church from the very beginning. Every time, we must continue to remember what God’s vision is, and the church’s vision must be aligned with God’s vision. Brothers and sisters, if we think about God's work, He is a God who works continuously all the time. He was already doing His work before we existed in the world. Whether we are involved or not, He keeps working. I once said that God does not need us, but when He wants to use us or make us His co-workers to expand His kingdom, that is a grace.
How do we truly make use of God’s grace to use us? We are not starting a new activity that we created ourselves. Instead, we are simply entering and getting involved in the activity that God has been doing from age to age. How do we enter and get involved in the work that God is already doing?
1. Living under the guidance of the Holy Spirit
Acts 16:6-12, They went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, since they had been prevented by the Holy Spirit from speaking the word in Asia. ⁷ When they came to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. ⁸ So, bypassing Mysia, they went down to Troas. ⁹ During the night Paul had a vision in which a Macedonian man was standing there urging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” ¹⁰ After he had seen the vision, we immediately made efforts to set out for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. ¹¹ From Troas we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, the next day to Neapolis, ¹² and from there to Philippi, a Roman colony and a leading city of that district of Macedonia. We stayed in that city for several days. We see in this part how the Holy Spirit works in leading people for the work of preaching the gospel. Paul and Silas completely walked under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, not based on their own desires. It is said that the Holy Spirit prevented them from going to Asia, and the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them to go to Bithynia. Why did the Holy Spirit prevent them? It is clear because God wanted to bring them to the place He chose, and there God wanted to use them to be His instruments.
2. When God Opens the Heart
Verse 13, On the Sabbath day we went outside the city gate by the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and spoke to the women gathered there. Brothers and sisters, this verse reveals to us that Lydia was someone who deeply longed to seek the Lord, utilizing her time and opportunity to listen to His word. In God’s plan, Lydia's meeting with Paul and Silas was not a coincidence, as they were under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Verse 14, “A woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God, was listening. The Lord opened her heart to respond to what Paul said.” Paul and Silas preached the Gospel, but it was the Lord who opened her heart. When the Lord opens our hearts, the Word becomes alive and transforms us. Therefore, every time we want to listen to God's Word, we must always pray, 'Lord, open my heart to Your Word.
Verse 15, After she and her household were baptized, she urged us, 'If you consider me a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my house.' And she persuaded us. Lydia's faith led to tangible actions, as she opened her home to God's servants rather than just stopping at baptism. Genuine faith transforms both our hearts and how we use our homes, time, resources, and everything we possess.
A single heart opened by the Lord can become a gateway for many others to hear, believe, and surrender their lives to Christ. Lydia's house became a vital hub for the proclamation of the Gospel in Philippi. From there, God built His church in Philippi. Lydia's home became the first house church in Europe. Acts 16:40 states, “After leaving the jail, they came to Lydia’s house where they saw the brothers and sisters and encouraged them...” Why does it say that Paul and Silas went to Lydia's house and met the brothers and sisters there? It means that Lydia's house had become their place to gather, pray, and listen to God's Word. My brothers and sisters, how blessed we ought to feel when our homes are visited by those who serve the Lord, and when our homes become instruments for God where people can believe, know, and personally encounter Christ."
When the Lord opens someone's heart, He can also open their home, their hands, their time, and their life to become a blessing to many. This means that a heart with genuine faith bears fruit in the willingness to offer or sacrifice everything they own to be used for the expansion of God's kingdom. My brothers and sisters, Riverside Family Church has a big vision. As your pastor, the Lord has placed a grand vision in my heart. We will begin praying to plant house churches, starting right here in Colorado, expanding to the western region, and moving on to other places.
If any brothers and sisters who own homes in other states are willing to temporarily open them to start a discipleship or Bible study group, we would be incredibly grateful. I believe you will experience abundant joy and peace from Christ, knowing that the wealth and possessions God has entrusted to you are truly being used for His work, rather than just enriching ourselves. No matter how immense our wealth or how large our homes, we will leave it all behind. It only carries true meaning and eternal value when we use it for the expansion of God's kingdom. Lydia used and offered what she had for the right purpose. What about us today? Are we willing to become modern-day Lydias?
a. Why are we here? To lead people to live the life of Jesus. This is our mission and the foundation of everything we do in our church.
b. How do I become part of this vision? Abide in Him. Align our lives according to His Gospel, and be rooted in Him. John 15:5, Jude 1:20–23.
c. What does it practically look like? Gather. Grow. Give. Go.
d. Where are we heading? To become an instrument for multiplication in Denver, the Western region, national and the world. Acts 1:8.
e. Who is all of this for? For Christ, the King, and for the souls who need His Gospel.