Building with Redwood: a metaphor for Vision 2067

The Davies House was built in 1900 in downtown Fullerton, name after it's original owner, Mr. Davies, who was a well-known Welsh greengrocer in the burgeoning little city. In 1981 it was moved lock, stock and barrel on a flat-bed truck up onto a hill a few miles north of Fullerton in a leafy suburb overlooking Hillcrest Park by its new owners. We discovered her there for sale in 2011 and promptly fell in love with her wrap-around-porch. She was a fixer, for sure, but her bones were beautiful. The city recognized her dilapidated beauty by calling it a historic landmark property.

Part of our purchase of the house required a termite report. Little did we know, that the guy who did the termite report was none other than Matt Holmes. Matt and Adri would join our church four years later.  They would become dear friends of ours who would travel around the world with us doing ministry and Matt would become one of Southlands' elders. God must have been chuckling back then when I just saw Matt as the Termite Guy! Anyway, Termite Guy had a strange report for me back then. The 111 year old house had no termites, whereas the double garage, built in 1981, had plenty. "What's up with that?" I asked, mystified.  

Matt's response was poignant. "The old house was built with Redwood, so she's fine. The newer garage was built with Douglas fir. It's cheaper but far less resistant to termites. Thats why it's half the price."  Materials matter, you know. We're still thankful that Mr. Davies didn't cut corners, choosing instead to build with sturdy materials that would outlast him. 

This has become a metaphor for us in the way we are trying to lead Southlands. I believe one of the  wisest ways we can live and lead is to have a vision that will outlive us,  To build with materials that will outlast us. We want to build with God's enduring Word, Christ's eternal gospel and His indwelling Spirit. We want to hear Jesus and obey Him like the man in Jesus' parable who built his house on the rock that stood firm when the storms came. 

Materials matter. We don't want to cut corners and have future generations lament that we left them a termite-infested house. We must build with Redwood instead of Douglas fir. It seems to me that many church leaders in California are in survival mode. I understand that to some degree. There is such uncertainty around the future, such volatility in our culture. Many people are scanning the horizon for easier building conditions in other States. It results in building under the tyranny of the urgent  in a way that will cause the next generation to lament our decisions. We simply must come back to God's covenant to bless his people and make them a blessing from generation to generation.

This is where our Vision 2067 comes in. Southlands is 55 years old. By God's grace, she will be 100 in 2067, unless Jesus returns before that. She may have a different name by then and she will certainly have different leaders. But I believe  she will exist as a family of churches in many nations by then.  What would it take for us to build now, for Southlands to be faithful and fruitful in 45 years time? 

Vision 2067 aims to invest financially in church planting, in raising up the the next generation of leaders and in the Global persecuted Church. (both strengthening and being strengthened by them) Here is a short video shot on the Davies House porch with myself and Matt Holmes talking about  Vision 2067. 

We are so thankful for so many who have invested themselves and their finances into God's call on Southlands. We want to ask that you would prayerfully consider investing into our future together by clicking on the Southlands giving link with the Vision 2067 giving tab. 

Yours in grateful hope, 

Alan