On Mission Week 2: On Mission on Sunday

Recap Last Week

We discussed the fact that the church has a purpose and we must walk in that purpose.

The church exists to be…

A place for the gathering

A place for the gospel

A place for the globe

A place for His Glory

Over the course of the next few weeks we will be talking about how we plan to be on mission as a church.

On mission on Sunday

On mission at the house

On mission in our city

On mission around the world.

Today I want to look at how we can be a church that is about our mission on Sundays.

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I loved to play basketball, now I enjoy coaching my sons basketball teams.

I got into a verbal altercation with another coach yesterday during Upward Basketball

I don’t know how to differentiate between the significance of a win.

I want to win at all times!

________ One of the things that creates a winning formula is a team who understands their role.

When you have a point guard who distributes

Big man who protects the rim

Shooter who can spread the floor.

WHEN EVERYONE PLAYS THEIR ROLE IT’S A BEAUTIFUL REALITY

The only way the church fulfills it’s mission is if everyone properly plays their role

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We have to be intentional

It’s important to understand at the outset that fulfilling our mission requires our intentionality.

We are intentional with our Sundays.

The old mentality was lets show up and see what happens.

Does anybody have a number

We’re leaving room for the Holy Spirit.

Sometimes leaving room for the Holy Spirit is code for procrastination.

Because we are commited to being on mission we are commited to making sure that our Sundays are effective.

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First Time Sundays overwhelmingly happen on Sundays

In our context the vast majority of first time salvations take place on Sundays.

It is a time that has become a concentrated moment of gospel proclamation across cities in our nation.

In our two years of existence we have had over 150 people make a decision for Christ.

If you don’t know Jesus or if things are not right between you and Him…understand that our intentionality centers around you hearing that God loves you, has a plan for you, and is inviting you into a relationship with Him!

The concept that has continually wrecked me in regards to the planting of this church is the fact that there are people who will accept Jesus because we took a risk.

What a beautiful reality!

This is why we protect Sunday so extensively.

We guard the happenings of this service because we don’t want there to be any distractions for the person who is in need of the gospel!

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There is a two fold responsibility in regards to being on mission on Sundays.

The church holds some responsibilities (corporately).

Those who attend hold responsibilities (individually).

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1. The Church must create an atmosphere that is welcoming

I make it a point to preach the Word of God in its most unadulterated form.

I am determined to not be swayed by cultural opinions and mindsets.

When you preach this Word at face value there are many things that it prohibits.

Lifestyles that are condemned

Practices that are called out

This fact has created a narrative around the concept that scripture is archaic and intolerant.

This narrative carries with it a logic that churches like ours who are commited to scripture are exclusive in nature.

The Bible is the most inclusively exclusive book in history.

It is clear in what it condemns but welcomes all who practice those actions into the fold.

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The church should be the most welcoming

As the church it is our calling to welcome any and everyone who walks into our doors.

Hebrews 13:2 NKJV

Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels.

Whether you are practicing a lifestyle that goes against God’s Word or not…you are welcome.

Well are you going to try to change me? Absolutely not, but we are going to get you in the presence of a GOD that absolutely will

My job is not to change you, it is to show you the areas that you are not reflecting holiness and allow the Holy Spirit to do the work of conviciton!

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We aim to be an intentionally welcoming church

With this in mind we are intentional about the fact that you will be welcomed here on Sunday no matter what.

You’re going to get a smile

You’re going to get some coffee

I’m going to try and make you laugh

And you are going to know that God loves you and has a plan for you at this church no matter what.

_________ Why does that matter, because belonging is one of the greatest human needs that is missing in 2024.

52% of Americans say they feel lonely

47% say they have no meaningful relationships

57% of Americans report eating their meals alone

58% of Americans say they feel like no one knows them well.

Creating an atmosphere where people feel welcome is the first step in rectifying this societal cancer.

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2. The Church must create an atmosphere of worship

When you we come in on Sundays we have a corporate mission to welcome those who show up…but we also have a mission to welcome the presence of the Lord…

Scripture gives us a clear cut way to ensure that God is going to be in our midst.

Psalm 22:3 NKJV

But You are holy, Enthroned in the praises of Israel.

This is the verse that often gets quoted that God inhabits the praises of His people.

We don’t simply value worship because we like music.

We don’t value worship because we want to copy what other chrurches are doing.

We value worship because it is an avenue through which we can release praise

THE WORD TELLS US THAT OUR PRAISE CREATES A SPACE WHERE IN THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD CAN TAKE UP RESIDENCE.

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HERE IS HOW WE PRAISE HIM

We praise Him with song because it’s in the Word.

Ephesians 5:19 NKJV

speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord,

We praise Him with our hands lifted because it’s in the Word.

1 Timothy 2:8 NKJV

I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting;

We clap our hands and lift their voice loudly because it’s in the Word.

Psalm 47:1 NKJV

Oh, clap your hands, all you peoples! Shout to God with the voice of triumph!

You will find people who dance in worship…because it’s in the Word.

Psalm 149:3 NKJV

Let them praise His name with the dance; Let them sing praises to Him with the timbrel and harp.

Every aspect of our worship service is intentionally tied to scripture.

We are commited to being a house that welcomes everyone, but we are all the more commited to being a house that practices worship!

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3. The Church must create an atmosphere for the Word

The most important part of our corporate gatherings is the fact that we are commited to being a people who dive into the Word.

It is my commitment to preach the Word of God to the best of my ability.

I don’t get up here and wing it.

Every once and a while I get a “download” but more times than not, I get a “mined nugget.”

I don’t simply want to teach you the Word of God, I want to teach you how to study the Word of God.

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The Word is not the Bible…the Bible is about the Word…

John 1:1–4 NKJV

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.

This verse is not teaching us that the Bible was in existence from the beginning.

This is referring to the Son, Jesus Christ, the part of the trinity that gave himself for our sins.

When we gather, it is my job to open up the Bible and teach you about God’s Word.

Cover to cover this book is pointing us towards Jesus

The fall of man points toward Jesus

The questions of Job point toward Jesus

The story of Moses points toward Jesus

THE ENTIRE NARRATIVE OF SCRIPTURE POINTS TOWARDS JESUS

We are commited to spending our Sunday mornings learning the story of Jesus found in the scripture and discovering the role that God intends for it to play in our lives.

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The Word is what calls us to repentance

The Word is what will better our lives

The Word is what carries authority in our lives

Knowledge of the Word creates atmospheres of His presence.

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Transitionary Statement

It is the role of the church to create these atmospheres so that anyone and everyone can experience positive motion in their walk with Jesus!

While we are responsible for creating the atmosphere…you are responsible for creating the action…

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4. The individual must engage in prayer

No matter how welcome you feel, no matter how good the worship, and no matter how powerful the Word…if you don’t make a spiritual response, you will not see any change in your life…

You must engage in a relational connection with God through the means of communication that is prayer.

Many of us are disillusioned by the concept of prayer because we have bought into the concept that our prayer has to be a theological monologue.

The key to truly engaging with God in service and out of service is learning the art of authentic communication.

God cannot bless who you pretend to be.

I’ve had to relearn the art of coming to Him as Tyler.

I have to learn how to pray without considering this place or y’all people.

When you sing the songs, sing them as prayer.

When you hear the Word, respond with prayer “How would you have me apply this to my life.”

I believe this is one of the ways that the House of God can maintain is calling to be a “house of prayer”

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5. The individual must engage in purpose

God did not save you for sitting.

Each of you has a unique gift set that God intends to make a part of His plan for the world.

But this gift set cannot be discovered from the fringes.

In order to discover your purpose you need to plug into the local church.

Understand that loneliness will not be rectified by simply walking in the doors on Sunday morning.

Being present doesn’t create relationships being plugged in does.

The first step that enables you to get the most out of your local church experience is to participate in prayer but the second step is to get plugged into the life of the church!

Join a serve team

Get into a connect group

Be here on Sundays and linger after service to have a conversation or two

This church gets better when you start serving. This church gets better when you get in a group…this church gets better if you simply invest in relationships.

It was never God’s intentions for us to be people of faith if we don’t put that faith into action.

James 2:17–18 NKJV

Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

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6. The individual must engage in propagation

As you engage in the church, you carry with you the opportunity to be an ambassador for the church!

Social media can play a role in growing the church

Mailers can play a role in growing the church

Invite cards can play a role in growing the church

But it is the invitation of a friend that plays the highest role in someone trying a new church.

82% of people said they would come to church if a friend invited them

That means there is a roughly 8/10 chance that you could bring somebody with you next week.

That’s how movements happened.

That’s how the early church grew

THEY ADDED TO THE CHURCH DAILY

Daily kingdom addition is the result of capitalizing on relational connection.

We are all called to be gospel propogators…

I’m not the only preacher in the room

You may ever stand on a stage and hold a microphone, but you are called to preach!

Mark 16:15 NKJV

And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.

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Ending

As we step into our third year of being a church, I am commited to being on mission.

I am commited to making a difference in our community

I am commited to making a difference in the families who call Awaken home.

I am commited to every person who comes here being closer to Jesus at the end of the year than they are at the beginning of the year.

That starts with how we approach Sundays.

We will be on mission on Sundays by cohesively partnering the corporate responsiblity of the church with the individual responsibility of the congregant.

The church will create an atmosphere that’s welcoming

The church will create an atmosphere of worship

The church will create an atmosphere of The Word

The individual will engage in prayer

The individual will engage in participation

The individual will engage in propagation

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The main mission of our Sundays is letting the lost know that Jesus died for their sins.

You can be made new

You can have a clean start in Christ.

The gospel is for you no matter your background.