Church: A Connecting Community

Following Easter week, Dan Houze began a sermon series on God's purpose for community and ways for members of the body of Christ to connect with one another.

Community...In the Beginning

by Dan Houze, April 15, 2007 audio recording

The Purpose and Impact of Community in God's Creation

from Genesis 1:26-28 and 2:24-25

Purpose

1. To create man and woman was a community project. (26a)
2. For the creation of man and woman to be personal and intimate. (2:7, 22 contrasted with 1:24)
3. For man and woman to bear His image (v.26)
4. For man and woman to have authority in creation to move with purpose. (vv.26,28)

The purpose of God's creating mankind is to enjoy community with Him in that we were created by Him, we bear a resemblance to Him and men and women both share equally in the glory of His image.

 

Impact

Vulnerability + Acceptance = Community

 

How Sin Disrupts Community

from Genesis 3:7-13

1. Now vulnerability produces fear.
2. Fear produces a desire to hide.
3. Hiding produces distance and mistrust.
   

 

Vulnerability + Acceptance = Community

by Dan Houze, April 22, 2007

from the life of Abraham in Genesis 12:1-3, 11:31-32, 12:4, 12:10-20, 13, 14, 15:1-3, 4-7

Vulnerability

Two key characteristics that must be present for healthy vulnerability:

1. We have to see reality.
2. We have to be honest.
   

Listen to the audio recording.

Download the full outline.

Vulnerability + Acceptance = Community (continued)

by Dan Houze, April 29, 2007

Listen to the audio recording.

Acceptance

Acts 9:18-28

1. The connecting church is effective not just because they accept people for who they are, but rather, for whom they are becoming.
   - Romans 7:21 - 8:2
   - Colossians 2:6
   
   Acts 8:1-3
   Acts 9:1-2
   Acts 9:29-31
   Galatians 1:13-14
   Galatians 1:10
   
   
   
2. Healthy acceptance of ourselves will be determined by whom we are allowing to define us.
   Allowing ourselves to be defined inaccurately leads to two basic responses:
   - Living in fear and withdrawing
   - Living with a narcissistic image of ourselves
   Both of these types of people are self-absorbed, using performance to meet their own needs.
   
   Galatians 2:20
   Philippians 3:10-14
   
3. Humanity has been created in such a way as to experience genuine acceptance only in and through Jesus Christ.

Purposes and Dynamics of A Connecting Community

by Dan Houze, May 20, 2007.

See the introductory video of Danny Low-Rider Houze.

Hear the audio recording.

REVIEW: Vulnerability + Acceptance = A Connecting Community

Vulnerability is seeing and being. Seeing reality for what it is (remember, reality is our friend—Confront the Brutal Facts), and being honest (about ourselves, our relationship with God and others).

Acceptance is affirming that we are all in the process of becoming and encouraging that process. The question is, “who are we allowing to define whom we are becoming?” Too many people are trying to prove themselves to someone (parent, boss, mate, peers) rather than being an expression of who they are becoming in Christ.

Three Purposes of A Connecting Community from John 17:1-26

1. Sanctified
2. Missional
3. Unified

Four Dynamics of a Connecting Community from Acts 2:42-47.

1. Teaching
2. Fellowship
3. Breaking of bread
4. Prayer