The following vision originally focused on the leadership and members of my church. I received it on 10/02/2001. God made it clear, however, that the vision could be applied to any church or group of people who are truly willing to stand in Jesus Christ and support the leadership that does the same. So as you read this, insert the faces and names of your own church leadership where needed.

The people of the church were walking along a dirt road that ran through an area of trees interspersed with open fields/farmland. Their pastor/elder was in the lead, but there was not set "marching order" and people simply walked with whomever they felt like talking with at any moment. While the leader stuck to the middle of the road, and the members followed suit, there were many others on either side who walked on the shoulders of the dirt road. The road quickly began to narrow as it headed down a hill, and the shoulders soon gave way to drainage ditches, which grew gradually deeper and surrounded by weeds as the road narrowed even more, the slope growing steeper.

Soon the road had narrowed to not much more than a pathway, though the ditches on either side had grown wider and deeper. It was actually easier for the crowds to walk in the ditches than for those who stayed on the road, because it had become so narrow that only 2 or 3 could walk abreast, and then only by holding on to each other for balance.

Then the road leveled out as it came to a muddy bog, which stretched quite a distance, disappearing into a misty bank of trees. The road ended at a narrow wooden bridge which was not much more than a couple of boards laid on top of pilings. People eyed the narrow bridge warily because it looked like it might collapse if any weight were put on it. The ditches on either side spilled into the mud, and most of those who had been walking in the ditches didn't pause as they continued into the bog, quickly sinking up to their knees. Some then hesitated, but many just kept slogging on, not even noticing how dirty they were getting.

The leader paused for a moment and prayed. Then he turned to tell everyone that the only way across was the narrow bridge, but that it was more than adequate to hold everyone. The people who had started wading out into the mud from the ditches shook their heads: some even laughed at his words. He then stepped confidently out onto the bridge. Those who followed held on to each other even more firmly, but as they stepped onto what looked to be a creaky, weather-beaten walkway they found it was actually as sturdy as if it were solid ground. They had to hold on to each other to keep from losing balance, but their fears that the bridge might collapse soon subsided.

As both the group on the bridge and the groups in the mud continued across, it became obvious to those on the bridge that the people in the mud were sinking deeper and deeper into the mire. But, they continued on, telling each other that it would soon grow shallower and they would be across in no time. Then, many in the mud on both sides of the bridge began to look up and berate those on the bridge. The most common criticism was to say "You all are sitting on a fence! Don't you know Jesus doesn't want you to fence-sit. He wants you to make a choice!" The group on the right kept telling people to get into the mud with them, where they could learn to accept everyone else and show them the "love of God". The group on the left kept saying that if we'd get in the mud with them, then we'd be part of God's glorious army, setting out to bring righteousness to the world. Both groups insisted that if we stayed on the bridge, we'd miss what God was really doing.

The leader stopped for a moment, and reminded everyone that the Lord had promised that the narrow bridge was the only way across. The mud would simply grow too deep to continue across, and time was short. Too short for those who were in the mud to backtrack and get on the bridge before it was "too late". (Though it was apparent that those most determined to slog through the mud had no willingness to backtrack anyway.) Everyone needed to get across "while the season is right". (I did not receive anything clarifying that term.) Again, many of those in the mud scoffed, and some even hurled handfuls of mud at the leader, but never seemed able to hit him, or anyone with him, no matter how hard they tried. Some would throw very large handfuls of mud right at the leader's face, but even though he didn't move, it would simply sail over his head. This was the case with everyone on the bridge: they didn't need to evade the mud: those throwing it simply missed.

We all continued across the narrow walkway, and some began to wonder just how long it would take to get to the other side, since the bridge disappeared into the mist. The leader kept saying not to worry about how long it would take, but to focus on helping each other keep in balance. About this time, some of the people in the mud came close to the walkway. Some of them asked to be helped up onto the bridge, and those closest to them grabbed their hands and pulled them onto the bridge. But, others in the mud started trying to grab those on the bridge, or tried to shake the planks to make them lose balance. A few even said they wanted help out of the mud, but when someone reached down to give them a hand, they tried to pull the person into the mud with them. While a few on the bridge responded to this by refusing to help those in the mud at all, the majority continued to reach out to anyone coming close and asking for help out of the mire. This continued until I saw everyone disappear into the mist, and the vision ended.

I believe God is saying that we are approaching a time when staying on the middle of the true path of Christlikeness will be viewed as "sitting on the fence" by other believers who choose to follow extremes of two viewpoints. One is that mercy and "love" should be shown to Muslims, and many other religions, to the point where the incompatibilities between Islam, Humanism and other religions, and faith in Jesus Christ are overlooked, or even dismissed. They will feel that any attempt to point out the error and deception of others is not being loving or merciful. The other extreme is to feel that God is at the point of pouring out His wrath on the world, and that we must join in that battle and speak judgement and punishment on anyone who is not a "true Christian". To both groups, walking the path of mercy that doesn't overlook someone's need for repentance and salvation will seem like sitting on a fence. The fact is, it's the only way to make it through what lies ahead. Make it through on God's terms that is. We must remain steadfast in what we know are the true principles of Christlikeness, and not let the reproach of others sway us from that. We will need to hold tightly together to keep each other from slipping into the mud: this is personal accountability within the body, wherein we all realize that we are, indeed, our brother's keepers.