Starting Point - Expectations

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Briefly Review Week 1 - Essentials

OVBC Core Values

Exalting God

Equipping the body

Engaging the community

Enhancing the fellowship

How to become a part of OVBC

Be a Christian

Baptized by immersion

Meet with an elder

Center of being a Christian - Gospel

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This week we will explore expecations - What’s expected of me as a member of OVBC?

INTRO

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We all live with expectations.

- To live in certain subdivisions you have to meet certain expectations from the HOA.

- If you want to join organizations, such as Lions Club, Boy Scouts, fraternities or sororities, and be a good standing member, you have to meet expectations

- If you play on an organized team, you have to meet specific expectations.

Why do these groups, organizations, teams have these expectations? (Why have expectations?)

- They clarify who they are and what they are about – what’s important to them and what they value

- There is a standard each group wants to uphold to meet goals or accomplish objectives.

If they didn’t have these expectations and require you to meet them, what would be the result? (Result of not having them)

- Breakdown in the integrity of the group

- Goals, objectives wouldn’t be accomplished

ASK: Should there be expectations placed on those who are members of a church? Why or why not?

- Why it’s important to have these expectations?

> People live up to the expectations that are set for them. If you don’t expect much...

> Not trying to create legalism / not a works-based organization

> These aren’t man-based, but what Christ calls us to, who we are to be and what we are to do according to the Scripture.

> Why? So that we ...

- glorify God–our ultimate goal

- become the people He’s called us to be - individually and as a community of faith

- accomplish the mission of “changing the world with the gospel, starting with the community around us.”

Here are six expectations for every member of OVBC:

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1. Gospel

Expectation: Followers of Christ at OVBC will know Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord and be baptized with believer’s baptism.

WILL DO A QUICK REVIEW OF WHAT WAS DISCUSSED IN SESSION 1.

[SLIDE 6]

Review Gospel Presentation

God is a holy God

Man was created by God and for God

Man disobeyed God’s rules and sin entered the world and spread to all people

The Good News: There is hope in Jesus

Only Jesus fixes the chasm between God and Man

Respond to God’s Call

Admit you are sinner

Believe that Jesus died on the cross to pay for your sins, buried in a tomb and that He rose again

Repent and turn away from our sins and towards a life of obedience

Accept God’s free gift of salvation.

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ACTION:

> Be sure of your salvation.

> Be baptized with believers’ baptism

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2. Grow

Expectation: Followers of Christ at OVBC will be growing spiritually through personal study and in community.

Q: Why should spiritual growth be an expectation for members of this church?

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TEACHING POINTS:

A. There is a call to grow spiritually.

- Col. 2:6-7 – “…just as you have received Christ…continue to walk in Him, being rooted and built up in Him…”

- Heb. 6:1 – “…let us leave the elementary teaching about Christ and go on to maturity…”

- Eph. 4:13 – “…until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God’s Son, growing into maturity…”

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B. Why do I need to grow spiritually?

- So I won’t be deceived – Eph. 4:14 / Col. 2:8

- So I will be discerning – Heb. 5:14

- So I can pass the faith along – 2 Tim. 2:2

- To be more like Jesus - Eph. 4:15

Q: Are you more spiritually mature now than you were a year ago? What is the evidence?

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C. How do I grow spiritually?

- PERSONAL DEVOTION

- Each of us are to have a personal walk with the Lord, an ongoing love relationship where we grow in knowledge of His character, purposes, and ways. But also where we deepen our love relationship with Him by spending time with Him.

- HOW? through spiritual disciplines:

* Essential disciplines:

> Time in the Word – 2 Tim. 3:16-17

- Read / Study / Meditate / Memorize / Apply

> Prayer – Matt. 6:5-13

* Important disciplines: (touch on these briefly)

> fasting / solitude / simplicity

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- IN COMMUNITY – Heb. 10:24-25 – “…not neglecting to gather together..”

Why is learning in community so important?

* Learning – “iron sharpens iron” (Prov. 27:27/ Col. 3:16 – “teaching and admonishing one another”

* Accountability

* Encouragement

- It is hand-shakes, hugs, and happy words ... but more than that

- It is testifying together of who God is, what He has done, what we have in Him

* Fellowship – not meant for isolation

- We need each other!

- African proverb: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.

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ACTION: Commit to personal spiritual growth.

Be involved in a small group Bible study / corporate worship.

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3. Go

Expectation: Followers of Christ at OVBC will be sharing their faith.

Q: Why is this an expectation for each of us?

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TEACHING POINTS

A. We’ve been given a mandate to share.

- Matt. 28:19-20 – “go and make disciples”

- Acts 1:8 – “you will be my witnesses”

- Rom. 10:14-15 – “how can they believe without hearing about him?

- 1 Peter 3:15 “be prepared to give a reason”

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B. How do I share my faith?

- Pray for the lost.

- No one comes to Christ unless the Father draws them.

- Pray they would have hearts tender to the gospel.

- Praying for them will tender your heart toward them.

- Lessons from John 4 / Acts 8

* Be intentional - Jesus had to go through Samaria

* Watch for opportunities / divine appointments – “Get up and go south to the road…”

* Build relationships / plant seeds – “Give me a drink…”

- hard to share Christ with those who don’t know Jesus if you don’t know anyone who doesn’t know Jesus

* Share your testimony – “Come and see this man who told me everything I ever did”

> Activity: Write out your testimony – 3 parts: Before I met Christ / How I met Christ / My present walk with Christ.

* Explain the Scriptures – “Philip proceeded to tell him the good news of Jesus, beginning with that Scripture

- Point out they’ll get more on this in Session 4.

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ACTION:

> Build relationships with lost people

> Pray for lost / opportunities

> Share your faith

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4. Guard

Expectation: Followers of Christ at OVBC must contend for the faith.

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Dear friends, although I was eager to write you about the salvation we share, I found it necessary to write, appealing to you to contend for the faith that was delivered to the saints once for all. Jude 3

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TEACHING POINTS

1. Meaning of “contend for the faith.”

“Contending” would not be easy; it called for hard work, diligent study, willingness to stand against society’s desire to water down the gospel, speaking up for the truth and bearing the burden of interpreting the timeless truth to a changing society. The believers could not (and would never be able to) sit back and idly enjoy the mercy, peace, and love of their faith (v. 2). Rather, their Christian faith must be defended against the onslaught of false teaching.”

[Bruce B. Barton, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, Jude, Life Application Bible Commentary (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Pub., 1995), 239.\

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2. Why contend for the faith?

- There is a watering down of the faith

> If we water down the truth...then it’s no longer the truth

- There is a misunderstanding of the faith

> There is a lot of confusion

- There is a hostility toward the faith

> We will be challenged about our faith.

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3. What is “the faith”?

- Doesn’t mean “trusting God” – not saving faith

- The traditional teaching of the church / Doctrine

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4. How do we contend for the faith?

KNOW THE FAITH - We can’t speak with authority and persuasion about that which we do not know.

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ENGAGE THE CULTURE / How would you describe the culture we live in?

> Post-Christian

> Entitled

> Angrily opinionated – “We live in an era of weekly formed, strongly held opinions.”

> Confused / Deceived – “live your truth” / “you be you”

> Seeking

> Others:

- Don’t be ignorant of the culture. Can’t put our head in the sand.

- 1 Chron. 12:32 – “Men from Issachar…who knew the times and what Israel should do.”

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SPEAK THE TRUTH IN LOVE (Eph. 4)

- If we just speak TRUTH - we will be too harsh

- If we just LOVE - we will be too accepting

- Study Paul’s approach at the Areopagus in Athens – Acts 17:16-34

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ACTION:

> Understand current culture and be willing to engage

> Study to have knowledge of “the faith.”

> Contend for the faith in Christ-like love.

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5. Give

Expectation: Followers of Christ at OVBC will give of themselves and their resources to support the ministry of the church.

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TEACHING POINTS

A. We are to give of ourselves

(Just touch on this - much more on this in Session 3)

- All believers are called and equipped to serve.

* Jesus is our example – Phil. 2 / John 13

* 1 Corinthians 12 – all are gifted

* SHAPE – God has uniquely shaped each of us to serve Him

- Give time, energy, effort, commitment

- Opportunities to serve in our church

* Provide current possibilities of places to serve: (Just mention these.)

> ministry teams

> service ministries – Room in the Inn / Maintenance teams

> music ministry – worship choir / children

> missions

> teach

> womens/mens ministry

> A/V

> working with children / students / seniors

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B. We are to give our resources

- Essential thoughts on giving:

- God owns everything - “The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it.” Psalm 24:1

- we’re just stewards of it

- Giving is an act of OBEDIENCE - giving is a spiritual discipline

- word about tithing

- established / modeled before the law

- it is a standard

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- Giving is an act of LOVE

- generous giving (2 Cor. 8–9)

- Jesus is our example - 2 Cor. 8:9 - “Though he was rich, for your sake he became poor.”

- Giving SUPPORTS the MINISTRY

- it takes funds to do the ministry of the church

- Giving other resources

* how can God use your home, your vehicle, your stuff to serve Him?

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ACTION:

> Recognize you are called to serve

> Find your place to serve in the church.

> Give generously to the work of the church.

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6. Gather

Expectation: Followers of Christ at OVBC will display the love and character of Christ as they invest their lives in the fellowship and work of the church.

Q: What do you think it means to be member of a church?

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TEACHING POINTS

A. Who we are

- body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:27)

- not a business / not a building

- made up of different parts / all have to work together

- Unity, not uniformity

- a family (Matt. 12:46-50; John 1:12; Rom. 9:8; 1 John 3:1-2)

- we are brothers and sisters in Christ

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- Colossians 3:12-15

> our character: compassion, kindness, gentleness, patience

> our actions: Bear with one another

Love one another (as Christ has loved us)

Forgive one another (as Christ has forgiven us)

Let peace rule

Be thankful

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B. Member vs. Attender

(Ask: What do you think are the differences in the two?)

- What’s the difference and why is it important to be more than just an attender?

> Members are invested ... heart and soul - give who they are and what they have

> Members are engaged ... they’re interested,

> Members endure ... through all things, stick with it, stick together, stick to the purpose

> Members are committed ... to Christ, to each other, to the mission

> Members are involved ... they’re here for worship, study, service, fellowship

> Attenders observe, depart, are apathetic, are takers

(And yes, sometimes we have members who act more like attenders, and attenders who are more invested than members.)

“Don’t just go to church, be the church.”

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C. Membership Covenant

Review:

- How to be a member

- Membership covenant

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ACTION:

> Love the family of God.

> Be an invested and involved member.

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