The Purpose of Imagine

I recently posted a question on Facebook that generated many responses, "What is the purpose of your life?"  This is a serious question which can produce long answers, or simply honest 'I don't know's'.  It's a challenging question which compels me to ask it again of myself, and of Imagine.  While my life's response may focus more on the journey, the question posed to the ministry leads me to focus on desired outcomes.

SO what is the purpose of the Imagine Network?  What do I hope to see accomplished?  In no particular order, I believe Imagine can:

• Build bridges of partnership between local churches and God's global mission movement. 
• Specific Goals:  10 churches newly engaged by the end of 2010; 20 churches by the end of 2011.

•  Be a rallying point for the unity of the world-wide Body of Christ. 
• Specific Goals:  12 global partnerships by the end of 2010; 24 by the end of 2011, including at least one in each strategic region of East Africa, Middle East, Central Asia, Europe, China, India, SE Asia, North America, Central America, South America, West Africa, and North Africa.  These partnerships will be based on common goals and vision - namely to be tools for the Spirit of God to bring holistic transformation to their communities and nations.

• Catalyze awareness and opportunity that results in a greater number of Christians being mobilized to serve in global missions - part-time and full-time - using their skills, talents, and every day experiences.  
• Specific goals:  To mobilize people from 8 different domains into short-term mission opportunities over the next 12 months, from the areas of Education, Health, Business, Agriculture, Social Services, Science & Technology, the Arts, & Sports, in addition to church-based ministries.  We desire to see 200 proffessionals serve short-term in 2010-2011, using their gifts and practical experiences on the global stage, and I believe we can see 3 churches begin to send their own long-term mission teams by the start of 2012.
• Specific related goal:  To facilitate the mobilization of 100 Latinos, Africans, Asians, and others from the emerging "majority world" church as front-line missionaries in the hardest places remaining.  I believe God has raised them up for such a time as this and it is our role to help them GO.  Imagine could be one of the first truly Global mobilization agencies by focusing mission movements with Internationals and not just North Americans.   

• Through these global partnerships, create change that will endure and see the "tide turned" against the global giant challenges of: 
• HIV/AIDS - infection rates reduced to a mimimum;
• Child-Orphans - rescued into homes and discipled into future leaders; 
• Endemic poverty - solutions created and sustained through creative use of local resources; 
• Islamization of the globe - training effective and genuine Christians to share the liberating message of the love of Christ for all people;
• Unengaged people groups - targeting efforts to plant churches in places where no church exists using a wide range of creative entry points such as clean water projects, health development, etc.  

We'd love to have a team of 50 prayer-partners and 50 regular financial contributors to launch Imagine to the place it can be.  For two and a half years we had no overhead costs so 100% of funds raised went to our projects.  Even though we now have personnel, we still aim for 90% and above to go towards projects and partnerships. 

Well, those are some of our aspirations.  So much can happen if we can build our organizational and spiritual structures on a solid foundation.  Imagine ... the global church united, changing the world.

Will you join us?