Connect, Grow, Serve, Share

Looking forward to continuing our series “Who is LBC?”

This series was birthed from a conversation with the church in October where I facilitated a discussion surrounding our core values, vision, mission, and process.

Our first week we went over our core values:

Loving, Inspiring, Bold, Enthusiastic, Relational, Timeless, Yearning to Impact

Say those with me.

These speak to who we are and how we make decisions in order to accomplish what God has called us to as a body of believers.

Our vision statement reads

VISION-Liberty Baptist Exists to Become a Diverse Family that Inspires People to Follow Jesus by Multiplying Followers of Jesus who love, serve, and invest in our community and beyond.

Liberty Baptist Exists to Become a Diverse Family that Inspires People to Follow Jesus by Multiplying Followers of Jesus who love, serve, and invest in our community and beyond.

We’ve seen from scripture that being a diverse family lets us experience a little Heaven on earth. We also saw that to inspire people to follow Jesus we have to be an inspired people following Jesus.

When we do this we have disciples being multiplied who love, serve, and invest, in our community and beyond.

That’s who we are striving to be. That’s the philosophical vision God has for Liberty based on the church family that contributed to this conversation.

Craig preached our mission last week. That is what we do. Love God, Serve Others, and Make an Impact.

The great commandment, The great commission, and the result of individual believers living them out. An eternal impact that can only come from God.

The last piece of the puzzle in discovering who LBC is, is our process.

We know who we are at our Core, we know who we are becoming, we know what we are doing, the next question is…how do we do it.

that’s what I want to talk to you about today.

Not just the process our church uses for helping you take your next step of faith, but the process you can follow as an individual believer to be well rounded and growing in your faith.

It’s not a secret formula, it’s not a get spiritually strong quick scheme.

It’s a process. Discipleship is a process and it’s in the process you grow and develop to reach the goal.

Now, for those who follow Jesus, the goal is Jesus. We reach that goal in heaven when we have our glorified bodies. Until then we seek to be like Christ.

However it’s in this process I believe we grow in our faith and walk with the Lord.

What is this process? Great question. Let’s look to the Bible and find our answers.

Look with me at John 15:1-8

John 15:1–8 KJV 1900

1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. 3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. 6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. 8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

John 15:1-8

This verse is part of the upper room discourse. This is before Jesus betryyl nd some of the final converstions that He as with his disciples before his death.

Before this passge, John 15:1-8 Jesus talks to them about the peace he is leaving with them and fter this passage he speaks of Christlike love.

Sandwiched between those two importnt topics, is the means by which we gain access to them.

You see, being connected to the vine is the only way we produce fruit, it’s the only way we grow.

If I were to bring you a grapevine branch, it would do nothing for you. It would wither and it would die.

It wouldn’t produce little fruit. It would produce no fruit.

Abiding or being connected to the vine is the only way the branch produces fruit.

When the branch is connected to the vine it will produce MUCH fruit.

As followers of Jesus, we must be connected to the vine of Christ to produce fruit in our lives.

Now that’s the parable, what does it men though?

Being Connected to God in our church context looks like Sundays. We corporately come together to connect to God through worship and hearing from His word.

If you are apart of LBC this is the most basic means of being connected. Truly it’s the most basic means of being connected to God personally.

Connecting to God via worship, prayer, and time with His Word is essential to abiding in Him. It’s how we connect to Him on a personal level.

It’s a practice that should be a daily routine of ours and then played out when we come together.

Ever been to a church service and thought it was flat? Music was bleh, preaching was ok, and the overall experience was just mediocre at best?

What causes that?

Let me ask it this way?

Have you ever played on a sports team? If you’ve played on a sports team you know you have to have team practice. At team practice you work on plays, you work on teamwork, and you may practice some individual maneuvers but for the most part, team practice is for the team.

Personal practice time is when you hone your 3 pointer, you practice your free throws, you work on your agility and weightlifting.

Team practice is when you bring your skills to the court or field to the team so you can enhance whats happening around you becuase of what you have been doing when no one is watching.

When a team mate hasn’t been practicing, it shows. They are not as fast as others or strong. They haven’t memorized the playbook and aren’t able to contribue the same way the person that has spent personal time investing into what’s going on.

The quality of the team practice isn’t entirely dependent upon the coach. It’s dependent upon what the players bring personally.

Your experience and time at a church service isn’t going to entirely depent on what songs are sang or how I preach. O sure, if I get it up and yell for 10 minutes and sit down saying nothing of value or bringing anything from scripture, then that’s on me. However, that’s on me for not preparing my heart and connecting to God before I come up here.

If your not connecting to God personally throughout the week and expecting Sunday morning to magically create a strong connection with the Lord, your trying to come to team practice without ever having taking a shot on your own asking us to make all your shots for you. It’s just not gonna work.

What happens on Sunday should be an overflow of what is happening in your life.

Your connection to God, hear me, your connection to God is not dependent upon the church, the pastor, or anyone else…You are as close to God as you want to be. So, how close are you?

Pause

The first step in the process is Connecting to God

I. Connect to God

Putting your faith in Jesus is the first step and then a daily walk is second. As a church, we seek to help you connect to God by providing our Sunday services.

Staying Connected to God leads to the next step in the process. We find the biblical basis for this in

Jeremiah 29:13 KJV 1900

13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

Jer 29:13

Heb 10:24-25

Hebrews 10:24–25 KJV 1900

24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: 25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

Seeking the Lord with all our heart and gathering with other believers leads to spiritual growth.

Growing closer to the Lord happens when we commit ourselves fully over to Him and whn we allow ourselves to be accountable to others.

What does your life look like practically when you are fully committed over to the Lord?

Well, I believe you make time for Him. How do we at LBC make time for Him? We open up our Wednesday nights for Life Groups, LBC Kids, and LBC Youth.

I promise you, if you want an excuse to not be apart of a life group or bring your kid out on Wednesday night you can find one. Your child or teenager can find one. Excuses are easy to make when something isn’t important to you.

I’m telling you this morning that being apart of LBC is making Wednesday night important to you. That’s who we are. We are believeers that desire to grow closr to the Lord and each other.

When you aare apart of life group, you open yourself up to the accountability, the relationships, and the growth that comes from being connected with other followers of Jesus.

You also give yourself another opportunity to invite someone to a gathering of Christians that isn’t a large church service. There are at least one if not two people currently attending this ministry now because of first attending a life group. They made friends, were encourraged, and are now not just atteending on a Sunday but joininng the church and looking to join a ministry team.

We have sign ups for our groups but they arre always open for enrollment. You can go anytime. you can invite anyone anytime.

Are there other life group models out there, yes. Are we open to adjusting ours, kind of.

I’m gonna let you in on a little secret. We operate in a Simple Church model. It’s hard for me to make decisions that don’t fit within that. You ask what is a simple church model?

Well, have you ever been apart of a ministry where there is something happening what seems like every night of the week?

That is a strain on staff and volunteers. That can lead to a number of problems in the hearts of people. So we seek to keep our connecting to God time on Sunday, our Grow closer to Him and Each other time on Wednesday with our kids programs, and the rest of the process I’ll telly ou about in a minute, Thursday through Saturday.

Remembering, giving God your money and your time is easy when you’ve given Him your heart.

We grow closer to Him and each other becuase in Hebrews you can see the reason we gather. Not just on Sundays, this should be anytime we gather as Christians.

Hebrews 10:24–25 KJV 1900

24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: 25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

We are gather to provoke one another. To provoke means to call forth, to stir up purposely or the archaic definition as meant by the KJV use of it “to arouse to a feeling or action.”

When you gather with other believers it’s not ust to complain about how the world is, its not just to talk sports, its not just to share burdens, we are to be encouraging, provoking one another to love and Good works.

Can I ask a challenging question?

When and how do you provoke other believers to do more, be more, and live more for the Lord?

If the answer is never then according to this passage you are not obeying the instructions of the Holy Spirit, God, who inspired Paul to write this.

How can you? It’s simple. Ask some questions “What’s God doing in your life? Can I share what god is doing in my life? How can I pray for you?” or maybe “I’m going to a life group, would you like to come with me. I’m apart of a ministry team, have you thought of serving on that team?”

Because being a follower of Jesus is about taking our next step of faith to grow closer to Him, and part of that process is having someone to help you do it.

You are not in this alone. You will know that when you choose to grow closer to God and each other.

II. Grow Closer to God and Each Other

The third step of our process is beccuase of how connected you are and how much you have grown.

1 Peter 4:7–11 KJV 1900

7 But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. 8 And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. 9 Use hospitality one to another without grudging. 10 As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

1 Peter 4:7-11

First thing I want you to notice about this is in verse 7, The Apostle Peter writing under inspiration of the Holy Spirit said “The end of all things is at hand.”

He saw himself living in the last days. This is why I don’t preach alot on end times type things. We have been in the end times since Jesus went to Heaven. Are we in the end times now, yes. Were they then? yes. If you say no to that then your arguing with the reasoning of not only the Apostle Peter but the Holy Spirit.

He says in verse 7 that the end of all thing is at hand…then he describes how to conduct yourself in light of this truth.

Be sober…be clear minded. Don’t be foolish and say foolish things, pray often.

Have fervent charity, the word for charity in the KJV means love. Be fervent in your love for each other. Love covers a multitude of sins.

Be hospitable, without being angry about it. You’ve been given gifts. I believe those gifts are time, talent, treasure, and spiritual gifts.

Use all of your gifts from god to serve others…being a good steward of the grace God has poured out on you.

Can I tell you someting? It’s by God’s grace that I can stand and speak the way I do. it’s by God’s graccee I have the family I do. It’s by God’s gracee I get to serve as a pastor.

If I don’t utilize those gifts or any others for the glory of God and to minister to others, I’m not thinking Soberly, I”m not living in light of Jesus return. it’s why I’m so thankful for that lifegroup putting a focus on what it means to be living like Jesus is coming back and not just sitting around pointing at different events going on saying “that’s it, it’s the end”

In verse 11 Peter really sums it up for us

“If you speeak, speak as the oracles of God” Speak life, Speeak Jesus, speak truth, speak love, speak grace, speak mercy,

If you serve, do it according to how you are gifted. I’m so thankful for a man that’s a carpenteer telling me the other day that he uses his gifts for God’s glory. I don’t have that ability. I don’t know how to do that stuff. I’m thankful for a lady who is volunteeriing to help us administratively becuase while I may be able to do it, I don’t do it as well as shee does.

This is how we live when we are connected to God and growing closer to Him and each other, we live a life of seervice.

NNot just service on Sunday, yes that’s great however anytime you can individually serve the community, do it. Anytime the church has a service event, sign up, can’t be there? Contributee financially. Cant contribute financially or with time, pray. Whether you can be there or not or contribute financially or not, make sure to pray.

Serving the church and the community are vital for not only our growth as a believer but for the advancement of the kingdom of God.

We have a kingdom mindset around here. We aren’t here for one church to succeeed, we are here for the gospel to succeed. That’ why we serve the community with Bridge community, and are willing to serve with other churches of like faith. If they preach the gospel, I’ll serve with them.

Why? Becuase my life and the life of this church is about the name of Jesus not the name of a pastor or a ministry.

How are you serving Jesus with your life through your local church? Not just at but through?

Can’t find somewhere to serve, lets chat.

This third steep of our process is officially

III. Serve the Community

The church community and the local community.

The last step is really the reason wee do it all.

Mark 16:15 KJV 1900

15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

Mark 16:15

The Gospel. I told you, I have an agenda for you. It’s for you to know Jesus as your Savior, take a step closer to Jesus by faith, and for you to help someonne else do the same.

When we serve the homeless I’m not just there to givee them money, food, or clothes, I want to introdduce them to the one that will give them more than I ever could.

We print outreach cards, run social mmedia campaiogns, host events, and regular programming for one reason, the advancement of the Gopel of Jesus Christ. For you to know Him and know Him more. For others to be introduced to Him.

We love, we serve, we invest so the gospel may be known and understood by others.

not just locally but worldwide.

We’ve got people right now looking into what it would take to get a mission trip together to a foreign nation.

We also have the opporutnity for you to financially support missions right now and every week by giving towards our missions fund. we currently support oveer 20 missionaries and missions organizations. We’d love to have you financially and prayerfully partnered with us to keep them on the field and reaching people across the globe.

Becuase God called us to go and people have chosen to be missionaries and church planters in places and with people we won’t see this side of Heaven.

However, this isn’t a command we get to outsource. This isn’t a suggested operating procedure for churches.

This is a magnificaent obligation we each have to Jesus to tell others about Him.

You shouldn’t be paying for someone else to go share thee gospel if you won’t share it with someone. You shouldn’t expect me to preach about the life giving and life cchanging message of the gospel of Jesus Christ if you won’t.

Being a follower of Jesus shouldn’t be a lonely walk. It should be a journey where your recruiting like your dorothy on the way to Oz.

You need a heart, I know the God of Love.

You need a brain, I know the God of wisdom

you need courage, I know a fearless GOd

You need family, I know a community of people that love God, serve others, and make an impact.

bring everybody with you.

Heaven won’t be a lonely place but will you have anything to do with filling it?

The last step in our process that I’ve been talking about heere is

IV. Share the Gospel locally and worldwide

Now before I close, notice this.

This is not just a methedology we use as a church to structure our calendar.

This is not just aprocess wee put in place to help you grow.

These are things you should be doing in yourr individual life that are workedd out in teh church because the church is a reflection of the community of believers that make it up.

Think the church is unkind? are you beiing unkind?

Hard to get connected? Are you doing anything to connect with others?

Pastor’s message doesn’t challenge you? Are you challenging yourself with God’s Word?

Don’t be a victim Christian. Don’t expect everyone else to help you do these things. Should we? Absolutely. Is your growth as a beleiver dependent upon us? Absolutely, not.

I’ll reiterate what I said earlier…yyour as close to God as you want to be.

How close to God are you?

Time of Response