Why the Name The Stream?

The name for this church, The Stream may strike you as a little different at first. We agree that the name is a little different, especially for a church in a desert area like the Las Vegas valley! But, why name this church The Stream?

The Stream Flows With Our Mission Statement:

The mission statement of this church is: "Transforming lives by the power of God's Spirit, love, grace, and truth." The imagery of streams in the Bible is often used to describe God's transforming power (see below). As streams can turn a dry land into a place that is flourishing with life and is fertile ground for growth, so God wants to give us an abundant meaningful life that overflows with his love, character, and good purposes.

The name for this church, The Stream, fits our desire to see people like you, your family, your neighborhood, your community, the Las Vegas valley, and even the entire world be impacted by the transforming power of God's Spirit, love, grace, and truth!

The Stream Flows With A Common Image in the Bible:

• Transformation, Life, and Blessing
  
  In the Bible, streams are sometimes used to describe God's transforming power over his creation and God's provision of life and blessing on his people. Here are just a few examples from the book of Isaiah:
  
  Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert. (Isaiah 35:6).
  
  "See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up, do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland. (Isaiah 43:18).
  
  "For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants. They will spring up like grass in a meadow, like poplar trees by flowing streams. (Isaiah 44:3-4).
  
  Streams bring about transformation, blessing, and life. We want God to use this church to bring these things to people here in the Las Vegas valley and beyond.
  
  
  
• Right Living, Right Character
  
  The Bible also describes the life and blessing that God gives to someone who delights in Him and in His Word and does not live as many other people in the world live. Right living and right character are implied. This person will be like a tree that produces much fruit because it is planted near streams of water, and is nourished and sustained by the streams:
  
  "How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night. He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers. (Psalm 1:1-3).
  
  God calls us to right living and right character, even if this means being counter-cultural; and God will produce these things in our lives over time if we delight in Him and His Word.
  
  
• Passion for God
  
  Psalm 42 describes a thirst for God, a passion for God, and an eagerness to meet with God by using an analogy of a deer yearning for streams of water:
  
  "As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? (Psalm 42:1-2).
  
  We are passionate about what we love and need. We love and need God. Ultimately, only God can satisfy us.
  
  
  
• Provision of God's Spirit
  
  The provision of the Holy Spirit (see also Isaiah 44:3-4 above) to those who believe in Jesus and the transforming life that results, are also described with a metaphor of streams:
  
  "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." (John 7:37-38).
  
  If we are true believers in Jesus Christ, God grants the Holy Spirit to dwell in us. God's Spirit transforms us, empowers us, and even impacts other people through us. We become people that in a spiritual sense have streams of living water flowing within.
  
  
  
• Justice and Righteousness
  
  The justice and righteousness of God, and his desire to see these qualities in his people, is also described in the book of Amos with an image of a stream:
  
  "But let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. (Amos 5:24).
  
  May the justice and righteousness of God be like an ever-flowing stream in this church, and in our lives.