Vision Sunday, 7 September 2025
Vision Sunday
Kirk Schneemann
College First Church of God
September 7, 2025
Matthew 28:18-20
Big Idea: We’re on a mission from God to go and make disciples of all nations.
Scripture Reading: Matthew 28:18-20
At the beginning of training camp each year, legendary football coach Vince Lombardi said, “Gentlemen, this is a football.”
I mention this for two reasons. First, this is our fall kickoff. Michigan and Ohio State have begun their seasons. The Browns and Lions and Bengals have their first football game today. The Labor Day holiday has passed, and kids are back in school. The university is alive and kicking, and we are days away from the official start of autumn.
The second reason I mention the “gentlemen, this is a football” quote is the back-to-basics approach Lombardi took with his players. It’s easy to get sophisticated, fancy, and drift from our purpose, our mission. About a year ago my first words as your lead pastor were…”Why are you here?” Why are we here?
A year is hardly enough time to become an expert on a congregation whose roots began 172 years ago in 1853, but I’ve at least gotten my feet wet in these first 14 months!
So why are we here? Where are we going?
Imagine you are about to say goodbye to someone knowing you will never see them again. In fact, you will not be able to reach them via phone, letter, or even text. You have one opportunity to share your heart, your passion, your burden. What would you say?
In today’s scripture reading, we hear what may be Jesus’ final words to his friends before ascending into heaven. This is a passage known as the Great Commission. We looked at it briefly last Sunday.
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
This text is loaded!
First, Jesus has all authority, on heaven and on earth. He is why we are here. He is our source, our power, our purpose, our Savior, our LORD, our King. It’s all about Jesus. If College First ever becomes about me, please fire me! If it ever becomes about our building, let’s sell it! If it ever becomes about consumerism or religion or politics or fundraising or religion or anything but Jesus, it’s time to hit the brakes!
It's because Jesus is fully God and fully human and has all authority that he can say second—and this is the heart of the commission—therefore go and make disciples. What’s a disciple? It’s an apprentice, a student, a protégé. A disciple of Jesus is someone who acts like Jesus. It’s different than calling yourself a Christian. Throughout history many have claimed to be a Christian without any resemblance to Christ.
Are you a disciple of Jesus? Are you a “little Christ?” Do your words, actions, finances, and calendar declare your allegiance to Jesus? You can’t be a disciple for an hour or two a week. Discipleship is a lifestyle. This afternoon, dozens of NFL players will play a game, but they won’t forget football tomorrow morning. Being a professional athlete is a 24/7/365 lifestyle. They don’t just show up at the stadium, play for a few hours and go home. It impacts every meal they eat…or don’t eat. It consumes their time with training and exercise. They do everything possible to ensure good sleep habits. Countless hours are spent with coaches and specialists who develop not only their body but also their mind. Football is a lifestyle. Discipleship is a lifestyle, too.
What would happen if I wandered onto the University of Findlay football team practice field outside my office and said, “Put me in, coach! I’m here to play football?” I would be laughed off the field. I’m no NCAA football player. I haven’t devoted my life to conditioning and athletics. A t-shirt that says Oilers doesn’t make me a member of the team.
In the same way wearing a Jesus t-shirt and stepping into this room and calling yourself a Christian doesn’t make you a disciple of Jesus. It might be a good start—and any of our staff, Elders, and leaders would love to talk with you about next steps—but an hour or two on Sunday doesn’t make you a disciple. Jesus said,
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ (Mark 12:30)
…and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Luke 10:27b)
That’s a disciple. A disciple is someone fully devoted to loving God and loving others. Are you a disciple? Do you want to become a disciple?
A disciple is not perfect. I’m certainly not perfect. But I’m in the process of becoming like Jesus, and it is my life mission to help others become like Jesus. That’s discipleship.
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (Matthew 28:19)
We are to make disciples of all nations. This is why I’m so passionate about international students and immigrants in our community. We can reach the world without a passport! The Internet is a tool for global discipleship, too. We live in a day in which we can get a passport and a plane ticket and make disciples in other nations. I’ve been privileged to train pastors in Burundi in central Africa twice and I’ve been invited by the Great Lakes Conference to train pastors in Kenya in January. All nations. The movement of Jesus is not just a USAmerican thing. In fact, it began in the Middle East! We are to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them and giving them an opportunity to publicly declare their faith and allegiance to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, one God who exists in three Persons, the blessed Trinity.
There’s more.
and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20)
The journey does not end with baptism. It’s really the beginning. Then we must obey! We must follow Jesus. We must surrender our will, our wallet, and our ways. We must die to ourselves—symbolized by the water grave of baptism—in order to truly live the abundant life Jesus promised. It’s not the American Dream. In many ways it’s the opposite of the American Dream, but it’s the path to true freedom, peace, purpose, and joy.
There are three words which describe our mission here at College First: love, equip, send.
Love is the defining characteristic of a disciple of Jesus. It is a verb. Do you love well? Do we love well?
Equip is the essence of discipleship, providing examples and tools for living like Jesus. It may look like a Sunday sermon, but it can be done through RightNow Media videos, a retreat, studying the Bible through the Bible Recap tools (the NT starts next month!), serving the needy, spending time in prayer, engaging in a small group, or simply spending time with a disciple of Jesus, doing life with them and hanging out.
Send is the true fruit of our labor, the fulfillment of our mission. Who have we sent? We’ve sent people like Katie Crabtree to become a missionary in Thailand. We’ve sent people like Giorgio Ferrario to become the campus minister at the University of Findlay. We’ve sent some of you into our parking lot to serve food through Chopin Hall, others to serve future moms at the Women’s Resource Center, and still others to help children read through Literacy Lions.
There’s a lot of emphasis in church world about how many people show up on Sunday morning, but what matters most is our sending capacity, not our seating capacity.
Our mission is not to distribute religious goods and services. We’re not here to entertain you with great music and lectures. Our purpose is not to babysit kids for an hour on Sunday. We are here to make disciples, fully devoted followers of Jesus and we do that by loving, equipping, and sending in the name of Jesus Christ.
So What?
The future is bright!
Monthly Senior Fun Dinners return this Tuesday at 5:30 PM. Our special guest speaker, Beth Yoder, will share about Night to Shine, an unforgettable worldwide celebration event, centered on God's love, honoring and valuing people with special needs. We are one of three Findlay congregations involved in this February 13 experience.
We have begun to livestream Winebrenner Worship on Sundays at 10 AM.
Our relationship with the University is stronger than it has been in many years, especially with Campus Ministry.
Next Sunday we’re having a fundraiser lunch for the Berachah Prayer Hall in India. This church was started by the father of Simeon, our ministry resident. Speaking of Simeon, he’s starting The Dwelling, a church plant in the Toledo area for people from India. And speaking of church planting, we are exploring the support of two other church plants, one in Ann Arbor and another in Kenton, with the desire to launch daughter congregations in the coming years. We are planning on doing a lot of sending!
Psalm 102:18 says
Let this be written for a future generation,
that a people not yet created may praise the LORD:
19 “The LORD looked down from his sanctuary on high,
from heaven he viewed the earth,
20 to hear the groans of the prisoners
and release those condemned to death.”
In 2022, Pastor Brandon Kelly noted the following about this text:
1. We live for others, not ourselves
2. We aim for the future, not the past
3. We all take responsibility, not just a few
Our vision is to become a future-oriented church by 2028 that will see 33% of our congregation made up of kids, students, and young adults. Two weeks ago on Youth Sunday, you saw examples of how this vision is becoming a reality. We are creating an endowment to fund interns and ministry leaders. Stay tuned for details. We’re also purchasing a van for our students…and the rest of the College First family.
I want to talk about our plans for Alpha, the Refocus on Purpose Workshop, next Easter, mission trips, the Habitat for Humanity Apostle Build, and other things slated for 2026, but I’m running out of time so let me close by saying I thank God for you, College First family. Thank you for your generosity and stewardship of your time, talents, and treasures. You have made a tremendous impact already in the lives of Heather and me and for 172 years you’ve been making and sending disciples. I love you and I’m humbled and honored to be a part of this family that God is using for His glory. College First has a great history, but I truly believe the best is yet to come. Let’s love, equip, and send! Let’s go!
Kirk Schneemann
College First Church of God
September 7, 2025
Matthew 28:18-20
Big Idea: We’re on a mission from God to go and make disciples of all nations.
Scripture Reading: Matthew 28:18-20
At the beginning of training camp each year, legendary football coach Vince Lombardi said, “Gentlemen, this is a football.”
I mention this for two reasons. First, this is our fall kickoff. Michigan and Ohio State have begun their seasons. The Browns and Lions and Bengals have their first football game today. The Labor Day holiday has passed, and kids are back in school. The university is alive and kicking, and we are days away from the official start of autumn.
The second reason I mention the “gentlemen, this is a football” quote is the back-to-basics approach Lombardi took with his players. It’s easy to get sophisticated, fancy, and drift from our purpose, our mission. About a year ago my first words as your lead pastor were…”Why are you here?” Why are we here?
A year is hardly enough time to become an expert on a congregation whose roots began 172 years ago in 1853, but I’ve at least gotten my feet wet in these first 14 months!
So why are we here? Where are we going?
Imagine you are about to say goodbye to someone knowing you will never see them again. In fact, you will not be able to reach them via phone, letter, or even text. You have one opportunity to share your heart, your passion, your burden. What would you say?
In today’s scripture reading, we hear what may be Jesus’ final words to his friends before ascending into heaven. This is a passage known as the Great Commission. We looked at it briefly last Sunday.
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
This text is loaded!
First, Jesus has all authority, on heaven and on earth. He is why we are here. He is our source, our power, our purpose, our Savior, our LORD, our King. It’s all about Jesus. If College First ever becomes about me, please fire me! If it ever becomes about our building, let’s sell it! If it ever becomes about consumerism or religion or politics or fundraising or religion or anything but Jesus, it’s time to hit the brakes!
It's because Jesus is fully God and fully human and has all authority that he can say second—and this is the heart of the commission—therefore go and make disciples. What’s a disciple? It’s an apprentice, a student, a protégé. A disciple of Jesus is someone who acts like Jesus. It’s different than calling yourself a Christian. Throughout history many have claimed to be a Christian without any resemblance to Christ.
Are you a disciple of Jesus? Are you a “little Christ?” Do your words, actions, finances, and calendar declare your allegiance to Jesus? You can’t be a disciple for an hour or two a week. Discipleship is a lifestyle. This afternoon, dozens of NFL players will play a game, but they won’t forget football tomorrow morning. Being a professional athlete is a 24/7/365 lifestyle. They don’t just show up at the stadium, play for a few hours and go home. It impacts every meal they eat…or don’t eat. It consumes their time with training and exercise. They do everything possible to ensure good sleep habits. Countless hours are spent with coaches and specialists who develop not only their body but also their mind. Football is a lifestyle. Discipleship is a lifestyle, too.
What would happen if I wandered onto the University of Findlay football team practice field outside my office and said, “Put me in, coach! I’m here to play football?” I would be laughed off the field. I’m no NCAA football player. I haven’t devoted my life to conditioning and athletics. A t-shirt that says Oilers doesn’t make me a member of the team.
In the same way wearing a Jesus t-shirt and stepping into this room and calling yourself a Christian doesn’t make you a disciple of Jesus. It might be a good start—and any of our staff, Elders, and leaders would love to talk with you about next steps—but an hour or two on Sunday doesn’t make you a disciple. Jesus said,
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ (Mark 12:30)
…and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Luke 10:27b)
That’s a disciple. A disciple is someone fully devoted to loving God and loving others. Are you a disciple? Do you want to become a disciple?
A disciple is not perfect. I’m certainly not perfect. But I’m in the process of becoming like Jesus, and it is my life mission to help others become like Jesus. That’s discipleship.
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (Matthew 28:19)
We are to make disciples of all nations. This is why I’m so passionate about international students and immigrants in our community. We can reach the world without a passport! The Internet is a tool for global discipleship, too. We live in a day in which we can get a passport and a plane ticket and make disciples in other nations. I’ve been privileged to train pastors in Burundi in central Africa twice and I’ve been invited by the Great Lakes Conference to train pastors in Kenya in January. All nations. The movement of Jesus is not just a USAmerican thing. In fact, it began in the Middle East! We are to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them and giving them an opportunity to publicly declare their faith and allegiance to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, one God who exists in three Persons, the blessed Trinity.
There’s more.
and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20)
The journey does not end with baptism. It’s really the beginning. Then we must obey! We must follow Jesus. We must surrender our will, our wallet, and our ways. We must die to ourselves—symbolized by the water grave of baptism—in order to truly live the abundant life Jesus promised. It’s not the American Dream. In many ways it’s the opposite of the American Dream, but it’s the path to true freedom, peace, purpose, and joy.
There are three words which describe our mission here at College First: love, equip, send.
Love is the defining characteristic of a disciple of Jesus. It is a verb. Do you love well? Do we love well?
Equip is the essence of discipleship, providing examples and tools for living like Jesus. It may look like a Sunday sermon, but it can be done through RightNow Media videos, a retreat, studying the Bible through the Bible Recap tools (the NT starts next month!), serving the needy, spending time in prayer, engaging in a small group, or simply spending time with a disciple of Jesus, doing life with them and hanging out.
Send is the true fruit of our labor, the fulfillment of our mission. Who have we sent? We’ve sent people like Katie Crabtree to become a missionary in Thailand. We’ve sent people like Giorgio Ferrario to become the campus minister at the University of Findlay. We’ve sent some of you into our parking lot to serve food through Chopin Hall, others to serve future moms at the Women’s Resource Center, and still others to help children read through Literacy Lions.
There’s a lot of emphasis in church world about how many people show up on Sunday morning, but what matters most is our sending capacity, not our seating capacity.
Our mission is not to distribute religious goods and services. We’re not here to entertain you with great music and lectures. Our purpose is not to babysit kids for an hour on Sunday. We are here to make disciples, fully devoted followers of Jesus and we do that by loving, equipping, and sending in the name of Jesus Christ.
So What?
The future is bright!
Monthly Senior Fun Dinners return this Tuesday at 5:30 PM. Our special guest speaker, Beth Yoder, will share about Night to Shine, an unforgettable worldwide celebration event, centered on God's love, honoring and valuing people with special needs. We are one of three Findlay congregations involved in this February 13 experience.
We have begun to livestream Winebrenner Worship on Sundays at 10 AM.
Our relationship with the University is stronger than it has been in many years, especially with Campus Ministry.
Next Sunday we’re having a fundraiser lunch for the Berachah Prayer Hall in India. This church was started by the father of Simeon, our ministry resident. Speaking of Simeon, he’s starting The Dwelling, a church plant in the Toledo area for people from India. And speaking of church planting, we are exploring the support of two other church plants, one in Ann Arbor and another in Kenton, with the desire to launch daughter congregations in the coming years. We are planning on doing a lot of sending!
Psalm 102:18 says
Let this be written for a future generation,
that a people not yet created may praise the LORD:
19 “The LORD looked down from his sanctuary on high,
from heaven he viewed the earth,
20 to hear the groans of the prisoners
and release those condemned to death.”
In 2022, Pastor Brandon Kelly noted the following about this text:
1. We live for others, not ourselves
2. We aim for the future, not the past
3. We all take responsibility, not just a few
Our vision is to become a future-oriented church by 2028 that will see 33% of our congregation made up of kids, students, and young adults. Two weeks ago on Youth Sunday, you saw examples of how this vision is becoming a reality. We are creating an endowment to fund interns and ministry leaders. Stay tuned for details. We’re also purchasing a van for our students…and the rest of the College First family.
I want to talk about our plans for Alpha, the Refocus on Purpose Workshop, next Easter, mission trips, the Habitat for Humanity Apostle Build, and other things slated for 2026, but I’m running out of time so let me close by saying I thank God for you, College First family. Thank you for your generosity and stewardship of your time, talents, and treasures. You have made a tremendous impact already in the lives of Heather and me and for 172 years you’ve been making and sending disciples. I love you and I’m humbled and honored to be a part of this family that God is using for His glory. College First has a great history, but I truly believe the best is yet to come. Let’s love, equip, and send! Let’s go!