- What are we doing
- Do you know what loses football games? Fundamentals. Not the trick plays- bad tackling
- Do you know what destroys churches? Getting away from the fundamentals- focusing on things that have no spiritual value or no biblical requirement- trying to please man and not God.
- Gal 6:16 calls the church the Israel of God- We are not specifically Israel- but the season that we are in is a time of inheritance from Promises that God promised Israel.
- God had promised Abraham in Genesis 12:7 Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your descendants I will give this land.” 400 years later- Joshua takes the land!
- We serve a God that speaks and a God that fulfills his promises- If he says he will- he will.
- Joshua 21:43-45 So the Lord gave to Israel all the land of which He had sworn to give to their fathers, and they took possession of it and dwelt in it. 44 The Lord gave them rest all around, according to all that He had sworn to their fathers. And not a man of all their enemies stood against them; the Lord delivered all their enemies into their hand. 45 Not a word failed of any good thing which the Lord had spoken to the house of Israel. All came to pass.
- God told us to come together as a church and establish a church that (if the Lord tarries) will outlive us- we were obedient. There were many many sacrifices that we made- God did it tho!
- V43”they took possession of it and dwelt in it” “Gave them rest” “not a man of all their enemies stood against them”
- And now- the Lord has fulfilled the promise. “Not a word failed of any good thing which the Lord had spoken to the house of Israel. All came to pass.”
- Those are some promises! Possession, rest, protection, words coming to pass!
Can somebody praise God with me for that? - I really want to reestablish what we’re doing and where we’re going as a church right now
- Maybe its just for my benefit- but I think It important for you to know as well
- Because if you don’t know what we’re doing, you might get pulled in the wrong direction, or you might think we’re not doing what we’re supposed to be doing- Fundamentals.
- God has moved! He has rooted and grounded us- We’re going into revival week- but I want you to know the focus- They are not in order, some are- but some build on each other- Lets go
- Lets focus on the fundamentals- and see God continue to move!
- We are Being together-
- As far as a church and its people are concerned, there is nothing more important than getting together, because so much of what we are required to do from the bible is predicated on gathering. You cannot live out the commands of the Bible by yourself- Sorry intro- we got pray
- Christianity is not an individual sport- we must gather to ‘be the church’ cant go alone
- Hebrews 10:25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
- This is important- because when you’re asking yourself, ‘what should I be doing’ start with- am I gathering with the people of God as he designed? If not- you’re not doing it right.
- Early church- –Acts 2:42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.
- When we gather together God does big powerful things in our midst when we’re TOGETHER
- Rearrange your schedule- make it priority- schedule- Teams have practice- we have church.
- We are Worshipping God- Psalm 95:1-6 READ
- Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
- We worship. That’s what we do here. The people of God are worshippers of God from the beginning, so that’s what we do here. Worship is for HIM and not us. Somehow, I seem to get a lot out of worship, maybe God planned it that way- but worship was always for HIM
- Hebrews 12:28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.
- When we gather weekly- we do so to become the church that lifts up praises to our God
- When the people of God worship- People come to Jesus “if I be lifted up I will draw all men”
- You can worship on your own- and you should- but we gather and worship- mouth and string
This is a fundamental- weekly worshipping God is living out the Bible doing spiritual things
- We are Preaching the whole counsel of God–
- Every sermon left to itself is heresy because you can’t preach everything that the bible teaches in one hour- so you have to READ and study your bible and listen every week.
- Acts 20:26-28 READ
- If you come once in while, you will feel like every sermon is about what you don’t want to hear
- Come for a year, and you see that the Holy Spirit speaks what the church needs at that time
- But you can’t say “they never speak on that” yes we do- stick around for 5 years. We cover it.
- We are Preaching the Gospel to Get people saved Mark 16:15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
- Sundays, Wednesdays, CM, Youth, Bible studies, etc. We want to empty Hell and fill heaven
- So we focus a lot on making sure that people get saved- Lots of people saved here
- Lots of people who thought they were saved got saved here. What you KNOW is not as important as who you ARE- so if you hear a lot of pleas for salvation its because its important.
- This Includes Supporting missionaries- Pakistan, Croatia, China, Mexico etc. We give out money
- Because we want as many people as possible to make it to heaven- so it’s a focus
- We Deny the flesh- Jesus said- Luke 9:23 Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.
- Taking up your cross daily means denying the flesh daily and so we talk about it
- Bible says “without holiness no one will see the Lord” and “those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God”. When you are constantly around Christians, preaching and worship, your lifestyle gets cleaned up fast. Taking out sin honors God- sanctification.
- Not as legalism, but as exposure to the light reveals all manner of darkness in our hearts
- Why so much here? Bc the Bible is corrective- Most of the NT is teaching and correction if that’s what Paul did in his churches, that’s what we’re going to do. “It is reported among you”
- Churches I’ve been around that don’t preach on sin seemed to be filled with it. Not here. Go find all the scriptures about denying the flesh, ridding of sin, living righteously, all over the NT
- We will serve one another- 1 Peter 4:10 As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
- It doesn’t happen except when you least expect it, when you are in the family of God, attending regularly, doing the hard work of building relationships, we serve one another.
- You can’t show up week one and expect someone to help you move, but when you’re embedded here- life happens here. You can’t live out these scriptures on your own
- Don’t wait for someone to help you- help someone else. Invite people to your home, bring people meals, give them money etc. Help them find jobs etc. SERVE- Inside and OUTSIDE
- Like CM- When a haggard parent gets 1.5 hours to focus, and their kid gets appropriate teach
- We are generous- Proverbs 22:9 He who has a generous eye will be blessed, For he gives of his bread to the poor.
- We build each other up to go out into the world and be a light. Most of your generosity should not be seen by other people- only God- trust that you’re doing your part
- Starts with tithing- 10% to God, offering, missions etc. But STILL be generous with your money, time, resources, intellectual knowledge etc.
- You were not created to be successful for yourself- Learn to live with an open hand and heart
- There are people here that own businesses and run businesses that have helped and employed the people of God- That was GOD moving through the heart of your employer- don’t take it for granted- ALSO- Don’t take Gods people for granted- sacred trust-
- But be GENEROUS- that’s the heart of God- We all rejoiced- because obedience- touches all.
- Don’t sell what you have- give it away- watch what God does with your generosity.
- Maintaining marriages for the Church-
- Marriages are important for the church- now please, single people here me out- you have a role to play and you’re not less important- but marriage is a central image an focus in the Bible
- Children must be reared correctly and trained (this is why we have the school)
- Marriages should be held in high regard and defended and supported-
- Ephesians 5:32 This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
- Marriage is a picture of Christ and his church- and if that’s the picture, lets defend it.
- That’s why we have retreats, youth, mens, womens events etc.
- Its not just to have a good time, its so the relationships and marriages can be established and maintained to the Glory of God- dirty marriages tarnish the kingdom of God.
- We want to fight against divorce and keep kids from falling away and not serving Jesus
- And it takes all of us- Single people can support and married people can benefit
- And- there’s been many who have met and married in this church as well.
- Being directed by God- Psalm 32:8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.
- I believe that God still speaks to his people and we will listen- we’re not going to do what we want to do- we’re going to do what God wants us to do- We listened in 2019- school etc.
- He will send laborers for the work that he wants to get done and we’re going follow him
- There are things that we used to do that we don’t do and there are things that haven’t done that we might do in the future.
- There are things that are set in stone here- but there are things that are malleable that might be adjusted or changed over the years-
- Times change- the word of God doesn’t. We will never acquiesce to the culture, but if we sense God’s permission- we’ll go for it
- Lifting weight ministry not in the bible. Probably only church in town that has its own gym
- But If God is glorified and we feel as tho we have permission- we’re going to do it.
- Psalm 127:1 Unless the Lord builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the Lord guards the city, The watchman stays awake in vain.
- We are building a house for God’s glory and him alone- not for us!
- Maintaining doctrine
- What we believe about the Bible is important- there are have been errant doctrines and rifts within Christianity for 2000 years. Some might say we’ve got poor doctrine bc believe gifts
- There’s always going to be periphery things that divide, but the central things should unite
- titus 2:1 But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine:
- We need to speak, teach and know sound doctrine. What we believe and why we believe
- The great falling away will be a doctrinal falling away “will not endure sound doctrine”
- Gnosticism- only spiritual no physical, stoicism enduring pain, ascetism- severe self discipline, antinomianism- disregarding all law etc etc.
- Get too far out you’re too far out. The goodness and severity of God. Reverence and fear
- Don’t set up camp on one verse, read the whole story in context- historically accurate, don’t put all your hope in one commentator, pastor, author or doctrine. SOUND doctrine.
- Equipping saints for ministry-
- Eph 4:12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,
- This isn’t a church of professional Christians creating a ‘worship experience’ for you to enjoy
- This is a church. We have minimal staff to equip the saints for the work of the ministry
- Church was never intended to be place where you sit and watch- everyone serves (like army)
- And all the ministries, teachings, discipleships programs etc. Help maintain great doctrine, but also equip us all for ministry
- I believe in the priesthood of all believers. Everyone has a ministry to be a part of. Get equipped. Pastors, elders, deacons, members, everyone has a ministry
12 Building a Church Acts 9:31 walking in fear and multiplied
- Cancer grows- but a healthy community grows as well. We will grow. Either numerically, or spiritually, but we will grow
- And we’re going to (lord willing) hand off this church to the next generation
- The goal of this church is to build a bride for the bridegroom- that when Christ returns he will find his bride waiting for him- like a bride on her wedding day
- Lets do it together. Let’s build something that if the Lord tarries will outlive us for HIS glory!
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