When God Leads You Into the Unknown
At ten years old, the Apostle Paul—well, not Paul exactly, but our pastor—found himself dragged to a swim meet against his will. One Saturday morning, his mother woke him with the dreaded words: "Get up and put your swim suit on." He protested. She persisted. He was convinced it would be the most boring morning of his life.
But when he got there, something unexpected happened. The pool was full of kids having fun. He didn't want to just watch, so he joined in. By the end of that morning, he had five blue ribbons and discovered he was actually pretty good at swimming. His mother had taken him to a place he didn't want to go, but it turned out to be exactly where he needed to be.
This story perfectly captures what many of us feel when God begins to cast vision for something new. We're comfortable where we are. We like our routines, our familiar surroundings, our predictable patterns. The unknown feels uncomfortable, even threatening. But what if God is leading us somewhere we don't yet know we want to go?
When the Path Forward Isn't Clear
The Apostle Paul experienced this firsthand during his missionary journeys. In Acts 16, we find him traveling through what is modern-day Turkey, planning to plant churches throughout Asia. It made perfect sense—he was Asian, he understood the culture, he knew the people. But something strange kept happening: the Holy Spirit wouldn't let him proceed.
Imagine the frustration. Every town Paul approached, every region he tried to enter, God closed the door. North toward Bithynia? No. West toward Asia? Not there either. Paul kept traveling until he literally ran out of land. Standing in Troas at the northwestern tip of Turkey, there was nothing ahead but ocean.
He didn't know what to do. He was confused, probably discouraged, possibly wondering if he'd missed God's voice somewhere along the way. But then came the vision: a man from Macedonia pleading, "Cross over to Macedonia and help us!"
God was calling Paul to Europe—a continent he'd never visited, a culture he didn't fully understand, a mission field he hadn't planned for. But Paul obeyed. And that obedience changed the course of Christian history.
The First Steps Into New Territory
When Paul and his team landed in Philippi, they didn't find what they expected. There wasn't even a synagogue in the city—it took twelve Jewish men to form one, and apparently Philippi didn't have that many. Instead, they found a small prayer meeting by the riverside, mostly women seeking God.
The first convert wasn't who Paul might have anticipated either. Lydia was a Gentile businesswoman, a dealer in purple cloth who sold to the wealthy. She and her entire household believed and were baptized that day. It was a beautiful start, but it was just the beginning of God's vision for Philippi.
What followed was uncomfortable. Paul cast a demon out of a slave girl, which was the right thing to do but created the wrong kind of attention. Her owners, furious about losing their profit from her fortune-telling, dragged Paul and Silas before the authorities. They were beaten, bloodied, and thrown into the innermost part of the prison with their feet locked in stocks.
This wasn't how Paul had envisioned church planting going. If you were in that situation, what would you do? Most of us would be crying out "Why, God?" We'd be questioning whether we'd heard His voice correctly. We'd be thinking about how much easier things would have been if we'd just stayed in our comfort zone.
Praising in Prison
But here's what Paul and Silas did instead: they sang.
Around midnight, with raw backs, aching ribs, and feet elevated painfully in wooden stocks, Paul and Silas began praying and singing hymns to God. The other prisoners listened, probably thinking these two were absolutely crazy. What did they possibly have to be thankful for?
Maybe they were thankful they'd led Lydia to Christ. Maybe they were grateful for the power to free that slave girl from demonic oppression. Or maybe—and this seems most likely—they were discovering in that very moment a principle Paul would later write about in Romans 8:28: God causes all things to work together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.
Their praise triggered an earthquake. Prison doors flew open. Chains came loose. The jailer, thinking his prisoners had escaped and facing execution for dereliction of duty, prepared to take his own life. But Paul called out, "Don't harm yourself! We're all here!"
That night, the jailer and his entire family came to Christ. The church in Philippi gained new members not through a carefully crafted outreach strategy, but through faithful obedience in the darkest moment.
What Vision Requires of Us
This story of Philippi's founding reveals essential truths about embracing God's vision for our lives and our church:
Vision often takes us where we don't plan to go. Paul wanted to reach Asia. God sent him to Europe. Sometimes God's vision for us looks nothing like what we'd choose for ourselves. The question isn't whether we like where He's leading, but whether we trust Him enough to follow.
God has a purpose everywhere He sends us. Paul was in Philippi because God had prepared Lydia's heart, the slave girl's deliverance, and the jailer's salvation. Wherever you are right now—even if it's uncomfortable, even if it's not where you wanted to be—God has kingdom purposes waiting to unfold.
Annoyances and injustices can become ministry opportunities. That demon-possessed girl following Paul around shouting was annoying. The unjust beating and imprisonment were infuriating. But both became doorways to transformation. What's bothering you right now? What seems unfair? God might be positioning you to bring His power into that very situation.
Pain doesn't mean you're outside God's will. God didn't protect Paul from the beating or the prison. But He was with Paul through it all, and He used it for eternal purposes. Difficulty isn't a sign you've missed God's vision—sometimes it's confirmation you're right in the center of it.
Praise changes everything. When Paul and Silas chose worship over complaint, prison over despair, heaven responded. There's something powerful about praising God when circumstances scream that you shouldn't. It's not denial—it's defiance against darkness. It's declaring that God is good even when life isn't.
Vision Night 2026: Where Is God Leading Us?
As we approach Vision Night at New Song Church, these principles matter more than ever. We're standing at our own crossroads, looking ahead at 2026 with questions about what God is calling us to do and become. Some of what He's calling us toward will feel natural and exciting. Some of it will stretch us beyond our comfort zones.
The real question isn't whether God's vision will be comfortable. It's whether we'll trust Him enough to follow even when the path isn't clear, even when it means going where we didn't plan to go.
Paul never planned to go to Philippi. But the church he planted there became his favorite. Years later, he wrote to them, "I have you in my heart"—words he said to no other church. The people he met in that unplanned place, through unexpected circumstances, became the ones he loved most deeply. The letter he wrote to them, Philippians, became one of the most joy-filled books in the entire Bible.
What if the places God is calling New Song Church in 2026 become our "Philippi moments"? What if the things that seem difficult now become the testimonies we share years from now about God's faithfulness? What if the vision that feels uncomfortable today becomes the joy we can't imagine living without tomorrow?
Your Part in God's Vision
Here's what we know: God uses people who are willing to be used and looking for ways to be used. The question for each of us as we enter 2026 isn't just "What is God's vision for our church?" but "What is my part in that vision?"
Paul served God before prison, during prison, and after prison. His circumstances changed constantly, but his commitment to advancing the gospel never wavered. He stayed ready, stayed faithful, stayed available for whatever God wanted to do through him.
What are you good at that God could use? Are you an encourager? There are people who need your words. Are you gifted at prayer? There are situations that need your intercession. Are you creative, administrative, hospitable, generous? God has prepared specific purposes for your specific gifts.
As we gather for Vision Night 2026, come with open hands and an open heart. Come ready to hear not just where God is leading our church, but where He's leading you personally. Come willing to go where you didn't plan to go, knowing that God's vision is always better than our own.
The best moments of your life might be waiting in places you've never planned to visit. The deepest joy might come through challenges you'd never choose. The people who will mean the most to you might be those you haven't met yet in circumstances you can't imagine yet.
Paul's mother took him to that swim meet against his will. God took Paul to Philippi against his plans. Both times, it led to something better than he could have imagined.
What swim meet is God calling you to in 2026? What Philippi is on your horizon? Whatever it is, don't miss it. The vision God has for you—and for us—is worth following, even into the unknown.
Join us for Vision Night 2026 at New Song Church, where we'll discover together what God is calling us to become and where He's calling us to go. The best is yet to come.
But when he got there, something unexpected happened. The pool was full of kids having fun. He didn't want to just watch, so he joined in. By the end of that morning, he had five blue ribbons and discovered he was actually pretty good at swimming. His mother had taken him to a place he didn't want to go, but it turned out to be exactly where he needed to be.
This story perfectly captures what many of us feel when God begins to cast vision for something new. We're comfortable where we are. We like our routines, our familiar surroundings, our predictable patterns. The unknown feels uncomfortable, even threatening. But what if God is leading us somewhere we don't yet know we want to go?
When the Path Forward Isn't Clear
The Apostle Paul experienced this firsthand during his missionary journeys. In Acts 16, we find him traveling through what is modern-day Turkey, planning to plant churches throughout Asia. It made perfect sense—he was Asian, he understood the culture, he knew the people. But something strange kept happening: the Holy Spirit wouldn't let him proceed.
Imagine the frustration. Every town Paul approached, every region he tried to enter, God closed the door. North toward Bithynia? No. West toward Asia? Not there either. Paul kept traveling until he literally ran out of land. Standing in Troas at the northwestern tip of Turkey, there was nothing ahead but ocean.
He didn't know what to do. He was confused, probably discouraged, possibly wondering if he'd missed God's voice somewhere along the way. But then came the vision: a man from Macedonia pleading, "Cross over to Macedonia and help us!"
God was calling Paul to Europe—a continent he'd never visited, a culture he didn't fully understand, a mission field he hadn't planned for. But Paul obeyed. And that obedience changed the course of Christian history.
The First Steps Into New Territory
When Paul and his team landed in Philippi, they didn't find what they expected. There wasn't even a synagogue in the city—it took twelve Jewish men to form one, and apparently Philippi didn't have that many. Instead, they found a small prayer meeting by the riverside, mostly women seeking God.
The first convert wasn't who Paul might have anticipated either. Lydia was a Gentile businesswoman, a dealer in purple cloth who sold to the wealthy. She and her entire household believed and were baptized that day. It was a beautiful start, but it was just the beginning of God's vision for Philippi.
What followed was uncomfortable. Paul cast a demon out of a slave girl, which was the right thing to do but created the wrong kind of attention. Her owners, furious about losing their profit from her fortune-telling, dragged Paul and Silas before the authorities. They were beaten, bloodied, and thrown into the innermost part of the prison with their feet locked in stocks.
This wasn't how Paul had envisioned church planting going. If you were in that situation, what would you do? Most of us would be crying out "Why, God?" We'd be questioning whether we'd heard His voice correctly. We'd be thinking about how much easier things would have been if we'd just stayed in our comfort zone.
Praising in Prison
But here's what Paul and Silas did instead: they sang.
Around midnight, with raw backs, aching ribs, and feet elevated painfully in wooden stocks, Paul and Silas began praying and singing hymns to God. The other prisoners listened, probably thinking these two were absolutely crazy. What did they possibly have to be thankful for?
Maybe they were thankful they'd led Lydia to Christ. Maybe they were grateful for the power to free that slave girl from demonic oppression. Or maybe—and this seems most likely—they were discovering in that very moment a principle Paul would later write about in Romans 8:28: God causes all things to work together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.
Their praise triggered an earthquake. Prison doors flew open. Chains came loose. The jailer, thinking his prisoners had escaped and facing execution for dereliction of duty, prepared to take his own life. But Paul called out, "Don't harm yourself! We're all here!"
That night, the jailer and his entire family came to Christ. The church in Philippi gained new members not through a carefully crafted outreach strategy, but through faithful obedience in the darkest moment.
What Vision Requires of Us
This story of Philippi's founding reveals essential truths about embracing God's vision for our lives and our church:
Vision often takes us where we don't plan to go. Paul wanted to reach Asia. God sent him to Europe. Sometimes God's vision for us looks nothing like what we'd choose for ourselves. The question isn't whether we like where He's leading, but whether we trust Him enough to follow.
God has a purpose everywhere He sends us. Paul was in Philippi because God had prepared Lydia's heart, the slave girl's deliverance, and the jailer's salvation. Wherever you are right now—even if it's uncomfortable, even if it's not where you wanted to be—God has kingdom purposes waiting to unfold.
Annoyances and injustices can become ministry opportunities. That demon-possessed girl following Paul around shouting was annoying. The unjust beating and imprisonment were infuriating. But both became doorways to transformation. What's bothering you right now? What seems unfair? God might be positioning you to bring His power into that very situation.
Pain doesn't mean you're outside God's will. God didn't protect Paul from the beating or the prison. But He was with Paul through it all, and He used it for eternal purposes. Difficulty isn't a sign you've missed God's vision—sometimes it's confirmation you're right in the center of it.
Praise changes everything. When Paul and Silas chose worship over complaint, prison over despair, heaven responded. There's something powerful about praising God when circumstances scream that you shouldn't. It's not denial—it's defiance against darkness. It's declaring that God is good even when life isn't.
Vision Night 2026: Where Is God Leading Us?
As we approach Vision Night at New Song Church, these principles matter more than ever. We're standing at our own crossroads, looking ahead at 2026 with questions about what God is calling us to do and become. Some of what He's calling us toward will feel natural and exciting. Some of it will stretch us beyond our comfort zones.
The real question isn't whether God's vision will be comfortable. It's whether we'll trust Him enough to follow even when the path isn't clear, even when it means going where we didn't plan to go.
Paul never planned to go to Philippi. But the church he planted there became his favorite. Years later, he wrote to them, "I have you in my heart"—words he said to no other church. The people he met in that unplanned place, through unexpected circumstances, became the ones he loved most deeply. The letter he wrote to them, Philippians, became one of the most joy-filled books in the entire Bible.
What if the places God is calling New Song Church in 2026 become our "Philippi moments"? What if the things that seem difficult now become the testimonies we share years from now about God's faithfulness? What if the vision that feels uncomfortable today becomes the joy we can't imagine living without tomorrow?
Your Part in God's Vision
Here's what we know: God uses people who are willing to be used and looking for ways to be used. The question for each of us as we enter 2026 isn't just "What is God's vision for our church?" but "What is my part in that vision?"
Paul served God before prison, during prison, and after prison. His circumstances changed constantly, but his commitment to advancing the gospel never wavered. He stayed ready, stayed faithful, stayed available for whatever God wanted to do through him.
What are you good at that God could use? Are you an encourager? There are people who need your words. Are you gifted at prayer? There are situations that need your intercession. Are you creative, administrative, hospitable, generous? God has prepared specific purposes for your specific gifts.
As we gather for Vision Night 2026, come with open hands and an open heart. Come ready to hear not just where God is leading our church, but where He's leading you personally. Come willing to go where you didn't plan to go, knowing that God's vision is always better than our own.
The best moments of your life might be waiting in places you've never planned to visit. The deepest joy might come through challenges you'd never choose. The people who will mean the most to you might be those you haven't met yet in circumstances you can't imagine yet.
Paul's mother took him to that swim meet against his will. God took Paul to Philippi against his plans. Both times, it led to something better than he could have imagined.
What swim meet is God calling you to in 2026? What Philippi is on your horizon? Whatever it is, don't miss it. The vision God has for you—and for us—is worth following, even into the unknown.
Join us for Vision Night 2026 at New Song Church, where we'll discover together what God is calling us to become and where He's calling us to go. The best is yet to come.
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