Membership Class

Welcome (2)

Introduction:

Ben on staff here at Westside

This class if the path way to Membership

Goals for this Class (slide 3)

Have a greater understanding of our mission, vision, and values.

Understand the reasons for and importance of church membership.

Be encouraged toward becoming a member of this local church.

Clearly know the next step in your apprenticeship to Jesus and your involvement in the Westside community.

Outline for the Class (reference the Table of Contents)

This class is broken up into two sections:

1) Jesus and His Church

Session one establishes what the church is and its mission, before covering Westside’s mission, values, and vision. We then talk through church governance and the place and reason for membership

2) Life Together

Here is where we get specific to membership and what it looks like to be a part of this community. We talk through the membership covenant and how we embody our commitment to the community vision through a series of practices known as a Rule of Life..

Attendance at both classes in essential for membership

Workbook

As we Go through there are blanks to fill in

bring you book to both,

appendices have plenty of resources

Session One (Slide 4)

What is the Church (Slide 5)

The church is…

The unified community of believers, saved by Jesus and devoted to His way and his mission in the world.

And

1. The People of God

1 Peter 2:9–10 ESV

9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

The church is Gods holy people.

this was once exclusively for the people of Israel but has now through Jesus has been extended to us.

2. The Body of Christ

Ephesians 1:22–23 ESV

22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

Jesus is the head of the church however all of us serve roles within this body

3. The Bride of Christ

Ephesians 5:25–27 ESV

25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.

Have you ever been at a wedding, seen the grooms nervous anticipation. the excitement the joy and desire as they wait for their bride

and the just absolute love and adoration they have for their bride. That is the love that christ has

The bride of christ points to the future reality where we his church will be joined with Jesus for all of eternity.

4. The Temple of the Holy Spirit

Individually: indwelling of the spirit

Corporately: the spirit dwells

Mission of The Church (Slide 6)

Church doesn't simply exist to get together sing songs and grab food.

We the church have a bigger mission.

Our mission (Slide 7)

“We exist to know Jesus and to make Jesus known.”

Know Jesus

Know Jesus Experientially rather then just facts

Know him where we can taste and see his goodness and our encounter with Him has changed us

Glowbal Story

clarity: we emphasize Knowing Jesus but this is not at the exclusion of father and spirit

Since we Know Jesus we want to make him known. First we know him personally and experientially then we help make him known to others

Context: Vancouver (Slide 8)

We live in one of the least Christian cities in Canada

there are 660000 resident and over 50% have no religion

additionally there is a great level of diversity on all fronts; religious, cultural, ethic and socioeconomic

We are at the corner of poverty and wealth

We feel very called to Vancouver (not the whole country), and believe God has positioned us uniquely in the downtown core to be a light and witness here

We do have global missions however our main goal is to serve the city of Vancouver

Values (Slide 9)

These three values you see on the slide help us embody the mission of the church

Quote (Slide 10)

“The one irrepressible need of our life is the presence of God.”

As a church we really believe that we need God's presence and actively want to seek this presence

Throughout scripture we see God's presence going before people

Moses: had a call to set the people free and in his doubt God encourages him that he will go with them

Joshua: same thing, his call is to lead the people and God reminds that his presence will go with him

Jesus: commissions all his disciples in the same fashion in the great commission, stating that he will be with them always

We have been seeing this consistently with the book of acts. The continuation of Gods presence through his holy spirit in his people doing his work here on earth.

This is why for us as a church we believe that everything comes back to Jesus presence, we can do nothing apart form what God is doing moving in power in his people

Jesus Presence (Slide 11)

Definition on slide

This is a long section let's pull some parts out and fill in some blanks in your books

We believe (12)

…the central theme in the Bible can be summarized in three lines that God repeats again and again: 1) I will be your God, 2) You will be my people, 3) I will dwell among you.

…that without the presence of God, God’s people can do nothing.

…that Jesus is the manifest presence of God.

Therefore, we prioritize…(14)

1. The practice of confession

Not popular because it not easy

It's a gift we confess and are forgiven

Healing comes through confession James 5

2. Submission to biblical authority

Everything comes down to scripture

This is the primary way the God leads us

3. Living in a posture of prayer and worship

Why we do prayer and worship nights

Prayer and worship is how we engage in our relationship with God

Quote (15)

We need the presence of Christ to heal the sick, mend the wounded soul, release forgiveness to a sinner caught in shame, unite fractured relationships, and heal broken hearts. We need the presence of Christ to overcome injustice and cast out demons. When Jesus is present, lives are changed and hell breaks apart at our feet. We need to seek His face, just as Moses learned to do. We need to abide in Christ and Christ in us.”

Jesus image (16)

As we participate in relationship with jesus we become more like jesus

This is the process of sanctification which is the process of being made holy.

We are actively becoming more like Christ through his spirit.

We Believe…(17)

that it’s God’s desire to form us into the image of His Son (Rom. 8:29).

Romans 8:29 ESV

29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

that we’re called to participate in that process of formation

Galatians 5:16 ESV

16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

This formation and transformation takes place in the context of Gospel-centred community

Ephesians 4:25 ESV

25 Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.

Therefore, we prioritize(19)

1. Gathering with other believers in Gospel Community

Intentionally gathering with other believers

Join a GC, We

2. Utilizing the range of spiritual practices that Jesus and His church have passed on

Finding spiritual practices and rhythms that work for us

Prayer, solitude, worship

3. Stewarding the spiritual gifts that Jesus has given His church through individuals

Fall 2021 the church did a series on spiritual gifts if you would like to learn more

4. Cultivating emotional and spiritual health

We are being redeemed as a whole person he desires to set us free in all ways, that includes our emotional health

EHS, Freedom Sesh, Care

Jesus Kingdom (20)

Definition on screen

We believe (21)

… that the Kingdom of God is

1) God’s rule and reign (not tied to a specific place) (Matt. 6:9-15)

This means anywhere and everywhere belongs to Jesus

2) A present realm into which Christians enter now

Matthew 21:31 ESV

31 Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you.

Jesus kingdom already exists it is not something were just going for

The call is to live today like we will in all eternity

3) future realm that we will inherit and inhabit for eternity

Mark 9:47 ESV

47 And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell,

A future place where we will dwell with God for

Slide 22

… that Jesus is the one true King.

… that to talk about Jesus’ Kingdom coming in our city is to talk about Jesus becoming Lord and King over our lives, families, workplaces, church, and communities.

… that Jesus’ kingdom comes to us so that it would then come through us, for the good of our city.

Therefore, we prioritize (23)

Learning submission and obedience to Jesus as our only Lord and King.

This means we realize we are not the king of our own life. We belong to jesus and foll

Commitment to the local church body for the sake of formation and mission.

We cant do this on our own. Christians are called to be in community

The church is a community.

Pursuing, praying for, and engaging in opportunities for lost people to come to know Jesus and for Christians to be discipled to maturity.

We are always looking to share Jesus with people who don't know him yet

Our Vision (24)

Everything comes together in our vision statement:

“We desire to be a community humbly pursuing Jesus’ Presence, being continuously formed into Jesus’ Image, for the good of our city as Jesus’ Kingdom comes.

To be a member is to participate in the vision and mission.

Church Governance (25)

As we pursue that vision, we are centered on Jesus both as the substance and the head of our mission, which brings us to church governance and how we’re organized as a church body.

How does the church run

Where membership fits in this.

The head of the church is… Jesus and…

Jesus entrusts the leadership of His church to qualified ministers and pastors who operate as servants of the church, under the leading and guiding of the one true Shepherd.

Practically, this means that (26)

Westside Church is governed by a plurality of elders, followed by a structure of deacons and members.

Elders (27)

Here at Westside we use Elders and pastors synonymously, we believe the New Testament does not make a distinction between the two.

Elders are qualified male leaders of the church

This process takes years of discernment and we do not take this position lightly

Elders exercise oversight, preach/teach (guarding the doctrine of the church), and pray.

Plurality means a group who governs together

Pastor Matt and Cliff are elders, and there are three other governing elders who are not staff members

Deacons (28)

Deacons are qualified ministers who serve the practical roles and ministry needs of the church

we currently only have deacons serving within a staff capacity but will likely be expanding to a lay level postion in the future