Five years ago, the Junction Church held it’s first service. We will always remember the raw sense of excitement mixed with a generous dose of apprehension in the build up to that day. Every step along the way was faith after faith after faith. We knew things were about to change…but we didn’t quite grasp just how much. How could we? Yet as we’ve poured our lives into God’s house, the honour of serving Jesus and his bride has not diminished in the slightest. Actually, it has grown. Sometimes we have to pinch ourselves that we get to walk this incredible adventure.
Five years later, we’re really encouraged to see just how much the Junction Church has developed. It is now a thriving community where hundreds of people have found faith in Jesus & are doing life together. We are one church in two locations – Loughborough & Leicester. We’re pleased to say that both campuses are in great health.
So what are our reflections after five years of pioneering? Well, there are too many to write about here. However, since we’re five years on, we thought we’d mention five:
1) IT’S ALL ABOUT GROWING BIGGER PEOPLE
Our goal has never been about building a big church. Our heart is to grow big people. We didn’t learn this from some leadership book. No. It was forged in God given conviction. That’s where leadership must really begin. God loves people. Our job is to create an environment where their potential is released and giants of the faith can emerge. Healthy culture is where this happens.
2) DON’T TALK TOO MUCH ABOUT VISION – JUST LIVE IT
Our ethos of leadership is ‘just get on with it‘. In other words, it’s better to accomplish something and then talk about it afterwards than talk about doing stuff and never accomplish it. Too much talk about vision is usually the sign of a lack of it. Vision should be seen….that’s why it’s called ‘VISION’. Leaders must live it first.
3) LEAN IN TO GOD’S GRACE
This is probably the greatest revelation we’ve experienced in five years. We’ve learned more than ever before that we completely depend on God’s grace for everything…EVERYTHING!! It’s like oxygen to our souls. Finding the rhythms of God’s grace helps make sense of life, no-matter what season we’re in.
4) RAISE UP LEADERS
This takes time and it must never be rushed. But wise leaders understand that true success is in our successors. Raising up leaders in every level of the Junction Church has meant taking calculated risks, believing in people, championing others and investing in the next generation. The Junction Church is full of sons and daughters of the house who ‘get‘ what this thing is all about. The future is looking great.
5) HONOUR THE KING
It’s amazing how much can be accomplished when ego is taken out of the equation. In the end, we live to honour the King. What matters to us is not the approval of people but the words of Jesus, ‘well done good and faithful servant‘. As long as the King is honoured, that’s what really matters.
Think about it. If this is what can happen in the first five years of the Junction Church, imagine what we can be accomplished in the next five? Right then. Lets do this. #LetTheFutureBegin #GetOnWithIt
