July 23, 2023 ANG

Welcome

Singing

2 songs

Psalm Share

Communion: Jack

Passover: celebration of deliverance from death and slavery.

Jesus with his disciples: I want to eat this meal with you before I suffer.

Understand my sacrifice (I am the lamb) in the depth of meaning of this meal - there is coming a deliverance from a deeper slavery of all humanity to the power of sin and death.

I will soon confront and defeat the powers that hurt, destroy, kill (resurrection)

Paul - this meal is communion, fellowship, participation in the risen Christ.

Acts 2:42–46 NIV

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,

For most of church history, the table was the center, the focal point of worship. It is where they experienced an encounter with Jesus.

TODAY Jesus is hosting us. He is communing with us with his presence.

Through this meal, Christ makes us participants in his nature and character.

His presence feeds us.

• It is food for this life; kingdom life.

• It is a taste of what is to come.

Because the Lord himself communes with us in this bread and wine, we too are to commune with one another.

In that communion, we allow Jesus to speak to our need for restoration to the Father, to one another because of sin - attitudes and actions that have damaged ourselves and one another and respond - acknowledge it, seek forgiveness, offer forgiveness. Begin the process of repenting.

SPEND THE NEXT FEW MOMENTS LISTENING AND RESPONDING.

Prayer

We thank You, Father, for Your Son who knows us. You made it possible for us to know Him.

You created all things for Your purposes, giving us all we need for life together as Your people; and we thank You.

When we went our own way, You did not reject us. You came to meet us in Your Son.

You embraced us as your children and welcomed us to sit and eat with You.

In Christ, You shared our life that we might live in Him and He in us.

You opened His arms of love on the cross, sacrificing Himself to erase sin that keeps us distant from the Father.

Bread

Jack: Last Supper Bread

On the night he was betrayed, at supper with his friends he took bread, and gave thanks; he broke it and gave it to them, saying: Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of me.

Cup

At the end of supper, taking the cup of wine, he gave thanks, and said: Drink this, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins; do this in remembrance of me.

Father, make us one in Christ, our risen Lord. Amen.

Song

Teaching/Equipping

APEST

Ephesians 4:7-16 “But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. This is why it says: “When he ascended on high, he took many captives and gave gifts to his people.” (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of hi…”

Grace (v. 7)

“Christ himself gave:” Jesus possesses these gifts/roles and gives them to the church (all of us) as they are essential for a healthy church.

Purpose of the Gifts:

Equip the Saints (13-15) OR Teaching Them to Obey

Equip saints. katartismos is not found anywhere else in the NT.

Building the Team - Healing and Restoration

Setting broken bones

joining, fastening, bringing things/people together

Restoration of people who have fallen

Reconciling those who are in conflict

Bringing Order

Athletic Training - getting into condition

Getting team members (believers) fit/into shape to fulfill their roles/positions on the team (in the body)

The Outcome of The Work of These Gifts: Maturity (14)

Immaturity is characterize by instability in the face of pressure.

Maturity is living the truth in love and the way of life that mirrors Jesus’ character. NOT JUST IDEAS not just speaking it. Doing it.

The joining together/unity, maturity, and growth of the church - what God designed it to be - depends on the exercise of these gifts.

When the church isn’t doing this, it will not increase.

The Gifts are Catalytic People (11)

Gifted people to it to equip the rest of the body for serving Christ’s mission.

Apostles

The 12 and beyond.

Messenger who plant the gospel and new faith communities are birthed.

Pioneer, entrepreneur, visionary, likes to establish new things: ministries, businesses, and churches (organizational pioneers).

Develops new leaders and systems

Future Oriented; Outward Focused

Prophets

One who hears and listens to God”

Question the status quo and calls out injustice (Examples: Jeremiah and Ezekiel)

Provide guidance and exhortation, correction

Has a sense of what God is saying to a specific people at a specific time. Calls the community to faithfulness to the movement of God’s mission in their church.

Future/Present Oriented; Inward/Outward focused

Evangelists

Only referenced 2x in NT.

NT: Traveling preaching under the apostles. TODAY: Rank and file missionaries of the church.

“Good news bringer” - announces God’s presence in all contexts naturally.

Communicate the gospel in the world, to the world, for the world.

Making clear the offer of salvation so that people might hear and respond in faith.

Love spending time with unbelievers/people not like them, not timid about their faith, have a burden for those far from God, great networkers, tend to have a contagious enthusiasm.

Present oriented; Outward focused (Relational Pioneers)

Shepherd

“Pastor” or “the one who cares”

Leads, nurtures, encourages, and protects the flock from immaturity

Cultivates healthy and loving community, striving for unity and cohesion.

Takes time to hear stories and details of every person in community.

Present Oriented; Inward Focused (Relational Developers)

Teachers

Enjoys studying and helping others understand the Scriptures and elements of Christianity. Inspires curiosity, learning, and growing in knowledge.

Develops systems and structures to aid in people’s growth and for organizational efficiency.

Provides guidance and discernment on living the truth.

Present oriented; Inward focused (Organizational Developer).

On Shepherds and Teachers

One definite article.

If you teach, you are shepherding, In shepherding, you must teach.

Lead the body to nourishment, protect them from immaturity.

Wrap up

Equipping moves the community from immaturity toward unity and maturity of the faith (allegiance) so that we reflect Christ’s presence and character, to live what we have learned in our discipleship and join Jesus in his mission.

Each Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Shepherd, and Teacher is called to help the Church and all areas of where s/he is called to live into its five-fold function! Without pioneers, you’ll never gain new ground. Without developers, you’ll never keep (and make better) what you have!

Table Talk

Why I’m Here: You Didn’t have the Apostolic Oriented Person/Gift

My APEST

My Right Hand: Apostolic Teacher Characteristics (Left Hand - supplemented with the rest)

Apostolic - the way I see the world

In the power of the Holy spirit...

Big picture purpose of the church; visionary thinking

Sees the entire picture (system)

Work for the continual renewal of the church.

Responsible for the extension of Christian faith into new ground through mission and new expressions of church (impact)

Less risk-averse

Catalyst, adaptive, pioneering to spark, mobilize and sustain the gospel movement.

Enjoy crossing boundaries

Start, build, rebuild

Strategic decision maker

Innovative solutions

Challenges the status quo/works to create a healthy disciple making and mission culture

Ensures that we are agile, adaptable, scalable

Mobilize leaders, resources and people

Prime the organization for ongoing innovation

Permission giving and strength for appropriate risk-taking

Teacher - How I speak to others

Characteristics

Communicator of Truth

Others led to a deeper understanding and ownership

Guide with ideas and principles

Systematizer for solutions, process and integration

Encourages exploration in thinking toward solutions

Has a curiosity to know more and to explain this knowledge

Strong desire for people to understand teachings and wisdom of God

Works as long as needed so audience can comprehend

Fostering a learning culture—the church is its own seminary

Developing resources for learning

Cultivating a culture of curiosity and the love of insight

Explaining and interpreting the Scriptures

Articulating the theology-philosophy of the group

Fostering wisdom and intelligence

Training leaders

Positioning Us to Make Disciples

Change our culture thinking, attitudes: We are all sent in our everyday lives (live, work, play, learn) to make disciples, show people that God reigns, work for the good of our community, care for the poor.

Accept this is a long process

Goal: activate people to make disciples but first have to address roadblocks of attitudes, unhealth, habits, systems, consumer church, etc. Need to free people up from church work to do Kingdom work.

Apostolic and Prophetic always creates tension because of human nature to seek status quo, comfort, etc.

Restructure

Addressing Rumors and Stuck Thinking

Rumor: Pushing things today - no. Simply updates

AND an invitation (always open by the way) to participate.

Want to have a say, come and play.

If it is God’s Will, He’ll Provide (If he guides, he’ll provide)

Isaiah 58:11 “The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.”

The Provision is not financial but his spirit.

Context: Life’s difficulty and perplexity. NOT how to conduct his mission or venture into something new.

We may experience darkness (struggle, difficulty, hardship, sun-scorched, exposed, unprotected, vulnerable), faltering as we navigate it the best we can but the reality is divine guidance.

What he provides/supplies: When everything seems bleak, he will strengthen our bodies, give durability in the face of harsh demands.

Metaphor: Watering can and a spring (John 4:13).

Restoration, continuance, recovery, provision for the future.

How God Provides

Personal Experience - Good. Not all.

Sold their possessions

Belief: Fund the church through it’s members. Yes, AND...

Scripture: important to understand what is prescriptive and what is descriptive. It does not prescribe the way to support the church’s mission but describes the many ways it was done — and can continue to be done.

Israel supported and funded by other nations

Jesus’ mission: Rich women - one of which funded it through her business. Note: none of them were yet believers as the resurrection had not yet taken place.

When sent out, disciples told to take nothing including money but rely on hospitable unbelievers for support (people of peace).

Loaves and fishes provided by a not yet believing boy.

Not yet believer wanting to know how to inherit the kingdom of God: sell and give to the poor (mission).

Sympathetic romans (including members of the army) supported Jesus’ mission and later, the church’s mission.

Historical context is convincing that when the church cared for the community (widows and orphans, unbelievers contributed.

Business was used then, throughout history and today to fund the church’s mission.

God’s Strength/Man’s Strength False Dichotomy

Philippians 4:13.

Not a statement against human effort or accomplishment.

Context: Stoic philosophy is the backdrop. My achievements are due to my own resolutions and self-discipline (how I order my life to accomplish what I resolve to do. Ex: a declaration. Teenagers will often say: I will not be like my parents and I will do xyz. Any success is because of my determination.

What Paul had to say about “his” achievement, maintaining his apostolic work and for the fulfillment of his desire to accelerate the progress of the gospel in every challenge and situation. Didn’t shy away from owning it.

Not due to declarations or resolutions and ordering of his life.

Empowerment from his union with Jesus Christ. I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.

His empowerment + our effort (obedience). This is God’s design.

We have choices on HOW.

The Patterns of This World

Romans 12.

This is about looking, smelling like Jesus in his ethical standards and values rather than those that are not.

Where are we to live them? Everywhere including the market place.

We are to be continually transformed in our character and conduct away from any standard that does not conform to the image of Christ.

This does not refer to using organizational practices or tools (like strategizing or planning) to support mission. There is no prohibition against any tool like that. They are amoral.

They can be used for both good and bad purposes.

Hammer: would you stop using it to build something because it also gets used to destroy and even kill? No.

The bible’s focus on this topic is HOW to conduct ourselves (ethics) not what tools to use or not use.

Jesus, Paul, ect, all used the tools available to them WITH INTEGRITY, kingdom ethics.

Planning is not opposite of trusting God. In fact, it is a critical to demonstrate our obedience and trust in what he calls us to do.

Confirmed throughout scripture

Waiting on God

Galatians 5.

About spiritual development but gives us a broader understanding of the biblical concept of waiting.

“Through the spirit, by faith (trust, allegiance), waiting for righteousness (character).”

Here: partners with the spirit’s work. We participate.

Waiting is an action word. understood as: Actively cooperating, positioning ourselves, patiently abiding

By faith - Allegiance: exercising, doing what we’re taught to do

Works are the tools for and indicators of spiritual growth.

Fruit

Spiritual practices

The spirit brings transformation

Already and not yet

Declared righteous and now growing into the realization of the promise of who disciples ought to be.

Waiting in the biblical sense: do what we are taught to do while we anticipate what God will do.

Is not standing still until we feel sure.

Updates

Affirm Joanne for Treasurer

Quarterly Financial Update

Trends

Expense reductions

Database and financial management tool

Website

Policy - checkbook not to go below 5k

Jack is working on raising support

Green Space Study

We have a realtor report. Much to work through.

Looking for a team of at least 3 people to work through the information to provide a clear picture of what we need to consider to make any decisions.

QC 501c Study

Patti and Miranda

Prayer

The studies/considerations

Our community

Gail