CHURCH IS…
Vision Sunday – A line in the sand moment
Passionate About Church
The local church saved my life.
At every major moment in history, the church has always had an opportunity to stand and be counted or lie low and go unnoticed.
Now is not the time for us to run out of oil- (Texas)
(Matthew 23) Virgins waiting for Jesus
CHURCH IS NOT
The church is not a social club
The church is not a place
The church is not a group meeting you have to attend.
The church is not a drive-through spiritual pick me up
The church is not an organization
The church is not religious tradition/roles and hoops to jump through
The church is not a self-help program
The church is not a quick hand out to pay rent when you are short
The church is not a place of entertainment
The church is not a money collection agency
The church is not the building
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CHURCH IS…
The church is a movement of people following a loving God and helping each other at very least attempt to walk out their God given purpose.
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WORD
Prophetic Word that I have held onto especially for Vision Sunday…
12 The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; 13 planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God. 14 They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, 15 proclaiming, “The Lord is upright; he is my Rock…” Ps 92:12-15
We are called to be the righteousness of Brown County and then beyond.
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RIGHTEOUS FLOURISH
This scripture creates incredible imagery – growing spiritually, strong, faith, the old bear fruit, fresh and green (multi-generational) – Succeed, Grow, Thrive, Prosper Increase
WE ARE NOT THERE…YET
Brown County and the hub radius we have been called to does nt seem to be in that space (our job is only starting)…
Flourishing—Spiritually dry.
Thriving—Emotionally withering.
Connected—Relationally barren.
Prospering—Financially stressed.
Fulfilled—Searching for something that matters.
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PALM/CEDAR
CEDAR: Durable—(Solomon) Beams, columns, roof—Centuries) Attractive, Pleasant aroma.
PALM branch—Symbol Triumph and Victory.
Romans awarded Olympic champions: Palm Branches.
Jesus entered Jerusalem—Triumphal entry—Palm Branches.
Both Evergreens: Thriving—Producing life year-round—Flourishing
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OUR CALL
Called to be Cedars – Reliable, Effective, Strong in Christ’s Character
Called to be Palms – Refreshing, rest, victorious, triumphant.
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WHAT DO WE NEED TO BE TO ACCOMPLISH THIS?
STAY THE COURSE (ROOTS)
If you are planted here – we need to press through difficulty to make sure our roots are deep.
Jeremiah 17:8a
8 They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought…
Heat: Offense, change, new things, different, distraction
Not bothered: we can stay focussed on seeing others transformed by Jesus
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HELP OTHERS (FRUIT)
Jeremiah 17:8b
8 …With roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit. Jer 17:8
Fruit is not just for you
Love overflows
Joy spreads
Peace attracts
Kindness blesses.
Faithfulness strengthens
Discover the thrill of being used by God!
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INVITED TO INVITE
You are invited (INVITE CULTURE)
You don’t have to be unknown
You are ready to invite others it is how we move people to a place where they can discover Jesus.
It does not matter Who you are, what you believe or what you have done “Church is a place where you can belong.
Church is a movement of people following a loving God and helping each other, at very least, to attempt to walk out their God given purpose.
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SPACE FOR ALL
(church is for everyone)
Genesis 26:19-22.
19 Isaac’s servants also dug in the Gerar Valley and discovered a well of freshwater. 20 But then the shepherds from Gerar came and claimed the spring. “This is our water,” they said, and they argued over it with Isaac’s herdsmen. So Isaac named the well Esek (which means “argument”). 21 Isaac’s men then dug another well, but again there was a dispute over it. So Isaac named it Sitnah (which means “hostility”). 22 Abandoning that one, Isaac moved on and dug another well. This time there was no dispute over it, so Isaac named the place Rehoboth (which means “open space”), for he said, “At last the Lord has created enough space for us to prosper in this land.”
Church is for everyone to encounter Jesus and be changed by Him. and Him alone! We don’t decide who gets exposed we don’t decide how Jesus will change them. We just keep pointing people to Jesus.
b. We can not welcome people in if our front door
is narrow and our back door is wide.
Judgment narrows our porch and offense broadens our yard
We have to make it easy to arrive, easy to engage, easy to stick around easy to belong, easy to find purpose, and easy to get involved.
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PURPOSE
You are invaluable – biggest lie – if I am not there It won’t matter if I am not there
12 The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ… 1 Cor 12:12
Group of elephants called a what? A herd.
Group of lions? A pride.
Group of cheetahs? Coalition
Group of donkeys? A Pace.
Group of crows? A murder.
Group of vultures? A committee.
Individually—Each animal has one name—Together—New identity!
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What do you call person surrendered to Christ? Christian
Group of people surrendered? Church (Body of Christ!)
Together—WE are His BODY—Body of Christ!
You are Hands (Serve)—Feet (Go)—Mouth (Share)—Heart (Love)
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You are an invaluable part of the Body of Christ! You have a PURPOSE
WHEN YOU DISCOVER YOUR GOD-GIVEN PURPOSE YOU WILL DISCOVER THAT PURPOSE WILL ALWAYS INVOLVE HELPING OTHERS FIND THEIRS!
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PURPOSE AS A COLLECTIVE
What we build will have a purpose.
What we store in our storerooms will have a purpose.
What we spend money on will be on purpose.
What we do in the car park will have a purpose.
OUTREACH AND COMMUNITY MINISTRIES
We will ensure we are expressing the purpose in what we do to TRANSFORM in JESUS
School
Specific Organizations
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LEVERAGE OUR INFLUENCE
Individually and Collectively
You have no idea how one conversation, one word of encouragement, one expression of love might change someone’s life.
An influencer is “an individual who has the power to affect purchase decisions of others because of their authority, knowledge or relationship with their audience.” SOCIAL MEDIA DEFINITION
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Reclaim the word—Influencer.
Matthew 5:13-16
13 “You are the salt of the earth… 14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
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Shift how we think about influence!
The problem with the current view of influence—Starts with the platform.
True and lasting influence always starts with people before the platform.
Our LifeGroups will reflect that.
We will serve our church
Serve our community
Study the Word
Counseled by the Holy Spirit
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Always be thinking about opportunities to grow the church.
Grow the church? Invite others to find their purpose – just like you!
The previous war cry of Church:
1. Please come back
2. Please give
Transformed by Jesus
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INVESTED
Invited family—Invaluable work—Influential glory—Invested Church!
Generously Invested in God’s Church!
Time, treasure, and talent
19 “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Matt 6:19 NLT
Our God has created us to pour not store!
Sometimes we won’t need your money, we need your brains.
Staff are invested (salaries)
Directional Team are invested (volunteer)
Two ways we give: Tithes and offerings
Tithes – keep us
Offerings propel us
Three ways to give (Simplify)
Tithes – between you and God
Offerings – Community and Buildings (repair)
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DILIGENCE AND FOCUS
Romans 12:6-8
6 In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. 7 If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. 8 If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.
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