Starting Point Lesson #5 SERVE

Overview of Lesson

I want to start out today by walking through Chapter 7- 8 in our book “What is a Healthy Church Member” and then

After that we are going to look at our church’s mission and how we serve as members in the church. and what that looks like throughout the year.

Book Review Mark#7

A Healthy Church Member seeks Discipline.

One of the toughest things we do as a church is church discipline.

The author opens up this chapter with a simple statement “ LIFE NEEDS TO BE ORDERD. Where there is no order there will likely be little in the environment that sustains and nourishes. Without the proper establishment of routines, boundaries, and patterns, thriving spiritually most likely will not occur or will be haphazard at best. Another word for the order needed to grow spiritually is discipline.

Question: What do you think of when you hear the word Discipline?

The word discipline has a much broader and more positive meaning than “unpleasant punishment.”

Discipline has the same latin word that disciple comes from.

A disciple is a student, some one who participates in a certain discipline, who learns a profession, or who masters a body of thought.

Such a person lives his life under the order of a specific set of rules.

Think about it.

Professional athletes abide by the rules of their sports. Doctors adhere to the principles of the American Medical Association or the Hippocratic Oath.

Athletes and doctors are both disciples of and disciplined by the principles of their field.

The same is true with the church. The church is a place where everything in the gathered services should “be done decently and in order” (1 Cor. 14:40). That order is necessary for edification, for building up the body of Christ

Discipline is about education and learning, order and growth. It is discipline in the life of the congregation and the healthy church member that provides an atmosphere for growth and development. It leads to the rare polished jewel of Christlikeness.

So the Question the author answers in this chapter is how do we JOYFULLY Seek Discipline?

He gives us 5 ways to accomplish this in the church

1.Receive the Word of God with meekness

James 1:21 ESV

21 Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

Christians should remain lowly and gentle before the Scripture,.

As we come to the Scripture, we are to do so as people knowing our sinful nature, our spiritual poverty before God, and our need for the molding influence of God, which comes normally by his Word.

Receiving the Word with Meekness means that we accept the Bible as truth by faith.

How can we know if we are receiving God’s Word with meekness? ( 5 questions to ask ourselves when we are intaking God’s Word.

As we read the Bible, are we reading for information only or with faith that God actually speaks through his Word?

When we hear the Word preached, are we generally looking to have a need met (for example, to be entertained or to gather some practical advice) or are we primarily desiring to understand the original meaning of the text and apply it to our lives?

Do we allow our feelings or desires to determine what’s true, or do we allow the Scriptures to determine our feelings?

Is our first reaction to the Scripture “how does this make me feel?” or “do I accept this as true?”

Is our listening posture during sermons or Scripture readings defensive or combative, as though we demand someone to “prove it to us”?

Do we tend to judge other philosophies and viewpoints by the Scripture, or do we try to either reconcile or judge the Scripture by other philosophies and views?

2. LEARN TO RECOGNIZE CHASTISEMENT AS EVIDENCE OF GOD’S LOVE

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3. HUMBLY ACCEPT CORRECTION FROM OTHERS

4. TAKE SERIOUSLY OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO DISCIPLINE OTHERS

5. DON’T FORGET TO REJOICE

MARK 8 A HEALTHY CHURCH MEMBER IS A GROWING DISCIPLE

NEEDS WORK

Our Mission:

Make and Equip Followers of Jesus in Our Community

MAKE DISCIPLES

18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Gotherefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizingthem in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teachingthem to observe all that I have commanded you. 20 And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:18-20, ESV).

What is the main verb in verse 19?

M_(MAKE)_D__(DISCIPLES)

How?

Where? A (ALL) N (NATIONS)_

When? E_(END)_ of the A__(AGES)_

Who? E_(EVERY)_ D__(DISCIPLE)

Why? A_(ALL)__. A__(AUTHORITY)__

EQUIP DISCIPLES

“And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:11-12, NKJV)

Who does the ministry in this diagram? (The Leaders- the Pastors)

God gave leaders…

For equipping the saints

For work the of the ministry

For edifying of the body

Who does the ministry in this diagram? (The Saints)

God gave leaders…

For equipping the saints

For work of the ministry

For edifying the body

What is the correct method for ministry?

The pastors role is to equip disciples (the church) for the ministry of the gospel & building up the body of Christ.

So who has God given to the church to build up the body of Christ? ME AND YOU!

Our Ministry Teams

·

The Best way to serve the church is to get involved in the ministries of the church. How are you gifted/ What are your interest? How do you love to express your faith?

Nursery

· Elementary (Reel Kids Club & Sunday School)

· Youth

· Safety

· Care

· Connect / Greeters

· Music

· Photography / Video

· Usher

· Teaching

· Tech

· Graphic Design

· Outreach

· Maintenance

· Landscaping

· Hospitality

· Decor

Ministry Calendar

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Learn

Sunday Worship Service

Fall Classes

Winter Classes

Spring Classes

Summer classes

Grow

Growth Groups

Rest

Winter / Spring Growth Groups

Rest

Serve

Many ministries ask for regular commitments with a period of rest

Wednesday ministries are from September to May

Rest

Homework

Read What is a Healthy Church Member marks 9 & 10.