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Being a Healthy Church in a Sick World - Part 1: "The Mission of the Church"

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Listen to Pastor Dan Houze's message from Sunday, August 2nd, 2009.  

BEING A HEALTHY CHURCH IN A SICK WORLD
The Mission of the Church

"His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord." - Ephesians 3:10

The Next Prophetic Event on the Church's Calendar...the Rapture.

1.  Why I believe in the rapture of the church.

  • I Thess. 4:13-18; 5:9
  • Revelation 6:16-17

2.  Why I believe the rapture of the church is imminent.

  • I Thess. 4:15

3.  Why this information is important

  • Because we are stewards/trustees of God's manifold (many colored) wisdom. 

 

Two Essentials for Effective Stewardship:

1.  Focus on growing the kingdom not the church.

  • Matthew 6:33
  • Matthew 16:18

2.  Focus on being a healthy church.

  • Unity
  • Healthy Relationships
  • Service and Giving

 

TAKE AWAY:  The church is the hope of the world!

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER:

1.  What is the unstated goal of my life?

2. What am I about?

3. What is the goal of our church?

 

Being a Healthy Church in a Sick World - Part 2: "The Church United"

 Listen to Pastor Dan Houze's message from Sunday, August 9th, 2009.

BEING A HEALTHY CHURCH IN A SICK WORLD
Part 2: The Church United

Unity in the Early Church:
"And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity."-Colossians 3:14

"Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace."-Ephesians 4:3

"May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ."-Romans 15:5

Three things that unite us as a church:

 

1.  We are united in our identity through faith.
  • Romans 6:3-7
  • Galatians 2:20

 

2.  We are united in the "why" of our existence as a result of faith.

  • Love God
  • Love People
  • Lead them to follow
  • Live His mission


3.  We are united in the "what" of our plan by faith.

  • I Samuel 14:1, 6-14
  • Faith pleases God but it doesn't equal success
  • I believe God loves plans so big that they are doomed to failure apart from His intervening power.
  • We can't live on yesterday's faith.

 

TAKE AWAY: The church is most united when relating and moving in faith.


RESPONSE

On the purple slip of paper provided in the bulletin write down a faith endeavor you believe God would have our church undertake that reflects His heart in our community or world.

 


Being A Healthy Church In A Sick World - Part 3: "Healthy Relationships"

 Listen to Pastor Dan Houze's message from Sunday, August 23rd, 2009.

BEING A HEALTHY CHURCH IN A SICK WORLD
Healthy Relationships
I Thessalonians 5:12-15

I.  Three exhortations to the church regarding relationship with leaders (12-13):
  • Respect them ("to know")
  • Hold them in highest regard ("a continuing attitude")
  • Peace with one another
II.  Four responsibilities to one another:
  • Warn the idle
  • Encourage the timid ("short of soul")
  • Help the weak
  • Be patient with everyone

TAKE AWAY: Achieving our purpose of proclaiming the manifold wisdom of God requires a church that makes every effort to be united, and unity is maintained by healthy relationships within the church.

QUESTIONS FOR PRAYER AND REFLECTION:

  1. To what degree have you gotten to "know" the work of the elders at TLCC? What tangible thing could you do to show love and appreciation to them?

  2. Of the 4 responsibilities under section II which do you have the most difficult time fulfilling? How will you deal with that?

 


Being a Healthy Church in a Sick World - Part 3: Healthy Relationships (Cont.)

 Listen to Pastor Dan Houze's message from Sunday, August 30th, 2009.

BEING A HEALTHY CHURCH IN A SICK WORLD
Healthy Relationships
Ephesians 4:17-32
Is There Such a Thing as Healthy Conflict?

Two Human Strategies that are Unhealthy:

1.  Stuffing it.
     "Put off falsehood" (v.25).

2.  Venting it.
     "Do not let unwholesome talk come out of your mouth" (v.29)

 

The Path to Healthy Conflict

3.  Purposeful Expression.
     Express, "only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs,
     that it may benefit those who listen." (v. 29b)

     How do we deal with our motivations? Hebrews 4:12-13
     God's word. (v.12)
     God's Spirit (v. 13)

4.  Unconditional Forgiveness.
     "forgiving each other, just as Christ has forgiven you." (v.32)

 

TAKE AWAY: Conflict is healthy when we allow ourselves to feel the full weight of our emotions, but then yield their expression to God's purposes.


Being a Healthy Church in a Sick World - Part 3: Healthy Relationships (Cont.)

Listen to Pastor Dan Houze's message from Sunday, September 6th, 2009.


BEING A HEALTHY CHURCH IN A SICK WORLD
Healthy Relationships
Daring to Discipline

1.  Why should we be concerned about unrepentant sin?
Joshua 6:18-19; 7:1-26

  • One person's sin impacts the entire body (Josh.7:11, I Cor. 12:14)
  • Sin not only offends God but it also destroys the reputation and distinction of God's people (Josh. 7:9)
  • Sin weakens the church and makes it more vulnerable to enemy attack (Josh. 7:4-5; Eph. 4:27)
  • Sin brings the faded presence of God (Josh. 7:12-13; I Thess. 5:19)

2.  Doesn't the Bible tell us not to pass judgment?
James 4:11-12, Symptoms of a judgmental spirit:

  • When we have a high opinion of ourselves in light of another person's failure.
  • When we desire to see another punished.
  • When we eagerly spread bad news of someone else's failure.
    Matthew 7:1-5
  • God will judge us when we judge others with the same measuring stick.
  • Jesus is saying a Christ-follower must take care of his own faults before addressing the sins of another.
  • Jesus did not say, never judge, both the speck and the plank need to be removed.

3.  What sins require discipline?

  • Private and personal offenses that violate Christian love.
    • "If your brother sins against you" (Matt. 18:15; 5:23-24)
    • Reject "discord, jealousy, fits of rage" (Gal. 5:20)
  • Divisions and factions which destroy unity.
    • "Watch out for those who cause divisions" (Rom. 16:17)
    • "Warn a divisive person" (Titus 3:10)
    • "You must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is...a slanderer." (I Cor. 5:11)
  • Moral and ethical sins.
    • "You must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy...a drunkard or a swindler" (I Cor. 5:11)
    • "We command you to keep away from every brother who is idle" (2 Thess. 3:6)
    • Reject "impurity and debauchery" (Gal. 5:19)
  • Teaching of doctrines that reject essential Christian truth.
    • "Encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it" (Titus 1:9)
    • "Contend for the faith...for certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you" (Jude 5:11)
    • "You must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is...an idolater" (I Cor. 5:11)

4.  What is the church's attitude toward the offender?
Galatians 6:1-2

brother...

restore...

gently...

carry...

5.  Is there a Biblical process to discipline?
Matthew 18:15-20

Step one (Matt. 18:15). Meet one-on-one with the bother/sister to seek repentance and restoration.
Step two (Matt. 18:16). Widen the appeal for repentance through involvement of other brothers/sisters as witnesses.
Step three (Matt. 18:17a). Communicate the problem and lack of repentance to the church leaders.
Step four (Matt. 18:17b). Remove all membership responsibilities and privileges from the offender, who is to be treated as a non-Christian. This step is a formal exercise done first by the leaders of the church through a private meeting of the church membership.

 

TAKE AWAY: We never sin in a vacuum because others are always hurt, but discipline is protection of the church and the path back for the prodigal.

 

 

Being a Healty Church in a Sick World - Part 4: Making a Difference with Time, Talent, and Treasure!

Listen to Pastor Dan Houze's message from Sunday, September 13th, 2009.

 

BEING A HEALTHY CHURCH IN A SICK WORLD
Making a Difference with Time, Talent and Treasure
Mark 6:30-44

 

  • 15,000 Africans die every day from preventable, treatable diseases like AIDs, malaria and TB.
  • 26,575 children die each day of largely preventable diseases related to poverty conditions.
  • 37.3 million live in poverty in U.S. ($18,000 annual income)
  • There are 13.4 million living in abject poverty which is defined by half the available cash of those in poverty conditions.
  • 744,000 homeless in the U.S. (2005)


The Feeding of the Five Thousand

 

  • Making a difference begins with compassion

"When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd."-Mark 6:34

 

  • Making a difference requires "hands on."

"You give them something to eat."-Mark 6:37

 

  • Making a difference is not about the size of the problem but what we are willing to offer.

"How many loaves do you have?"-Mark 6:38


  • Making a difference is about what Jesus can do with even the smallest offering.

"They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand."-Mark 6:43-44

 

  • There are approximately 340,000 Christian churches with 155 million regular church goers.
  • Average church member gives 2.5% of their income 75% less than the base Biblical standard.
  • If church members gave just the 10% that would give the church an additional 168 billion in funding for the work of Christ worldwide!

168 billion the extra money available if all churchgoers tithed.
705 billion amount Americans spend on entertainment
179 billion amount spent by teenagers ages 12-17 (2006)
65 billion amount spent on jewelry (2008)
58 billion amount spent on state lottery tickets (2007)
39.5 billion total U.S. government foreign world assistance
31 billion amount spent on pets (2003)
13 billion amount American spend on cosmetic surgery (2007)
5 billion total overseas ministries income from 700 protestant mission agencies (2005)

 

65 billion-less than 40% of the 168 billion-could eliminate most of the extreme poverty conditions for more than a billion people.
  • Primary education for children 6 billion
  • Clean water for most of world's poor 9 billion
  • Basic health and nutrition 13 billion

TAKE AWAY: "God never asks us to give what we do not have...but he cannot use what we will not give".   -   Richard Stearns, World Vision

 

 

 




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