A few short days before the pandemic, I vividly recall my pastor, Aaron Batchelor, bearing his soul

concerning his “impossible ten list!” It was Sunday night and he passionately, persistently, peeled back
ten placards of what He knew God was dealing and delivering deep in his soul. Ironically, I was watching
this service Facebook Live from Guatemala. He spoke of growth to ten thousand people, ten campuses,
church full at Jennings, church full at Bridgeton, new building, new spiritual births every day, and that’s
just a few from the list. It was, if I recall correctly, the last full-blown service we had at New Life St Louis.

I was in an early morning prayer meeting a couple days after that message. The church was mostly
empty. Just mere weeks before I walked the aisles of our sanctuary recalling the dream my pastor’s wife
articulated and envisioned. Our church would be full, even in the balcony, parking lot full, and cars lined
all the way to the St. Charles Rock Road. I bought the vision—hook, line, and sinker. I could plainly see it
happening as we declared His message, pursuing His mission. But now I wondered why I was praying
over empty pews, standing before an empty platform, silent pulpit, vacant pews, in a hollow edifice.
How is revival possible—now—I thought? It’s impossible. That’s right! Not really a big surprise in a way!
Pastor specifically said it was the impossible ten!

Then, the impossible immediately became even more impossible. Or did it? What was God up to?

I know. I get it. You’re thinking; “But Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but
with God all things are possible’” (Matthew 19:26, ESV).

Here’s the deal. Our corporate vision at my church is, “experience life now.” Pandemic or prosperity or
plenty our vision doesn’t change. It’s not defined by the pandemic. It is refined in the pandemic. In a
pinch, we persist in finding new ways to accomplish our dream. And, oh my, pastor and his team have
risen to the challenge; praying, reaching, teaching, preaching in many new ways.

You see the last message preached prior to the pandemic, hasn’t even been out on pause, and will be
the first message the devil will encounter post-pandemic. He forgot, a couple thousand years ago, while
Vision hung on the cross, he was thinking he had won the victory. Vision was doomed, destroyed, dead,
and done—or so he mistakenly pondered. Despite that, Vision arose; victorious over death, hell, and the
grave! Unstoppable. Unquenchable. Undefeatable.

What vision or promise did God give you or your church, before the pandemic, that you are holding on to,
and continues to grow in your heart and spirit? Dare to share. Dare to believe.