16 Pillars of Faith PT. 11

The Ministry

Teaching this through our core values

last week we began our conversations on the church. The journey with God to bring to completion.

The church is so cool when looked at from a bigger picture.

We see The church and her mission is Gospel Centered. In and through this we are called preserve, Proclaim, and display the Gospel throughout our lifes.

Which sends us into our topic today. Which is how.

Before we get there,to you, in your idea and thoughts,

What is ministry?

wiki: a work or vocation of a religious minister

servitude is implied through scriptures

a sense of duty bound to God’s authority as Lord.

lets see What

According to the doctrine.

There are four things in which make up the ministry as a whole.

These things make up ministry.

Evangelism

Worshipping God

Building the body

Doing Missionary Work.

We are going to break these down today in how we are called ot

1. Culture of Love

Evangelism

What scripture says about it

We know some of what scripture says about love, In 1 john 4 7

1 John 4:7 NIV

7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.

Love comes from God.

We know Jesus commandments of love.

Matthew 22:37–40 NIV

37 Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Love God with all your heart, soul, and Mind. Love your neighbor as yourself.

You know what ive noticed about this verse, is our enemy the advesary’s first line of attack, is not coming against your love for God. If the enemy can make you not love yourself, then it causes doubt, and chaos within your heart, which transitions to our relationship with God. There fore making it easier for us to be distant from God.

We know as christians were called to love, and that love comes from God. But what’s its true intentions.

What is Love to you?

Is this love romantic?

Is this love affectionate?

Is this love enduring?

Is this love universal?

Is this love like that of a self love?

How can we duplicate God’s Love As instructed to us in Eph 5 1

Ephesians 5:1 (NIV)

1 Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children

Is can be all of these, and should be!

It should be all of these things, and heres how.

We are to Walk in Love

Ephesians 5:1–2 (NIV)

1 Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children

2 and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

The “Walk” mentioned here is that of which we behave and act. The word Love here is famously “agape” which is a sacraficial, unselfish, unconditional type of love. One which is proven by our actions, which makes sense for paul is instructing for us to Walk in this same way.

What does this mean, both locally and globally. Us being the church, Well it means we are called to be the representation of the Mercy Seat for this world. Allowing Christ to be alive in us as he wants to be.

But just like the devil, our insticts and poor teachings can lead one who is called to represent, to no longer be used in this manner but rather be involved as the one upon the mercy seat.

(this is another teaching for another day, but what i’m saying is…..) we often see the church taking up the mantle of misplaced authority, and pulling the spiritually upperhand card, Both of which we do not have and are ill representations of God’s love, and Character.

Lets look at these two issues, and then correct them under The mission of the church and the Culture Ignite has.

We should realize. As Christians we are called to serve.

First problem we can face under the wrong version of “cultural love” we can fall into is broken down two different ways, at least for time sake mostly into these two.

Radically Incorrect Authority. We are Servants.

Romans 13:1–5 NIV

1 Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. 4 For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.

Second problem, is we play with the Spiritual upperhand card.

We act as if being a prophet, evangelist, pastors, teachers, and apostles, means we have more authority then sinner. Yet the occupations do bring authority, They do not bring you authority, but rather the work through christ we do.

The work again is not dictated by our wants/needs….very easy to fall into that, but rather based off the will of the father. The places, people, and resources given, are by his hands and needs ,not our own.

We are to Operate in Love.

Colossians 3:12–14 NIV

12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

What we will do with that

In reality what it looks like. Truth tied with empathy

So what does it look like to love here at Ignite?

Well to do it with compassion, generosity, inside of sacrafice, and with the ability to also stand in the strength of the Word of God. Upholding one another to the high calling, which is too ours. Of Serving God in all the most amazing ways.

2. Culture of authenticity

Worshipping God

What is Authenticity?

Rather it means living in a spirit of honesty, sharing when appropriate, and not trying to be someone you are not, not trying to act like you are strong when you are weak.

Matthew 23:23–28 NIV

23 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. 24 You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel. 25 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean. 27 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. 28 In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.

I mean this sums some stuff up. When Christ over and over worries about the outward apperance rather than the inner apperance.

We do this too, I do this too, when i worry about what people may think my life looks like vs what it is really. Speaking from testimony, The best advice I ever heard was not to be afraid to invite people into your house. Even when its not in its prestine the mother in law is visiting cleaning stance. But allow people too see your life. For following Jesus does mean you have a clean home, but it means something far greater you have a clean spirit.

And when we hide our spirit from people in hopes of tricking them with our clean home. it will greatly dimension the value we ourselves put into the spirit vs the home.

Gnat and Camel reference was all to interesting to me,

to worry or think too much about something that is not important, often forgetting about something that is much more important:

The whole thing has been a classic case of straining at the gnat and cheerfully swallowing the camel. He dismissed the moral arguments about this as "straining at a gnat."

Application: is our worship.

Worship is not music, its response. When we seek the presence of the Lord out how do we respond?

Do we respond based on who is in the room naturally, (clean house mentality would lead us to worship more fervently when the house is empty. When we are hidden into our own confines.) Clean Spirit mentality, means we are being authentic.

How you may ask does that transpire. In order for us to be authentic, we must first be confident.

Hebrews 10:35–36 NIV

35 So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. 36 You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.

We need to be able to be authentic spiritually.

1 Corinthians 15:45 NIV

45 So it is written: “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit.

When we come to God searching, and caring for his presence within the Ministry of the Church. We must come ready to live by the Spirit. And according to the Spirirtual needs we have.

Spiritual needs can be

the need for meaning and purpose in our lives

the need to love and feel loved

the need to feel a sense of belonging

the need to feel hope, peace and gratitude.

and the list could go one.

Its important we stand in authenticity of our Spirit not our flesh, nor our wills.

Proverbs 19:21 (NIV)

21 Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.

- being confidence of this…

shown in worship In works In efforts In our down season and up season

3. Elevating the Next Gen

Building the Body of Saints

Psalm 145:4 (NIV)

4 One generation commends your works to another; they tell of your mighty acts.

Psalm 102:18 NIV

18 Let this be written for a future generation, that a people not yet created may praise the Lord:

Joel 2:28–32 NIV

28 “And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. 29 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days. 30 I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and billows of smoke. 31 The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. 32 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance, as the Lord has said, even among the survivors whom the Lord calls.

one of my favorite verse, because it shows the total picture of all generations come together to not only see the vision of the lord, but have the workers to do so.

If churches can learn the next bit, churches including ours, we will be off onto something far greater than what Pastors can think up or imagine, The Re-Defining of the Modern church would be critically evolved unto the next ages of the church.

See in the modern day church, the Acts 2 movement says we have a Disicpleship Deficit, people making the complete journey, but in order to make a disicple you must first realize where you are, and where this world is.

Let me ask you something, in the past year, can you think of an event that when it first arrived in your mind, or even first felt like it attacked you that the end was coming. Not of the world literally, but it felt like your last straw.

In the last year can you think of something that drove you there.

Well maybe, and hopefully it has been brought to completion, or at least, resolved in some of the areas. Looking back at that instance, it may have been a huge deal, and I’m sure it was, but wasnt the outcome worth it?

Any inventor, archetect, entrepenuer would say, they were just about to give up when all of a sudden it came through, the thing was made, the building was complete, the buisness began to boom. And looking back it was all worth it.

We live in 2024. No denying it, no doubting it, but also no disolving the issues while we are still in it. Whatever issues this year, culture, country, or community may have, we cant solve an issue, without proper visuals on what its true issue is.

This is where knowing who we are, and whos we are comes into hand, we Are God’s and his vision is far surpassed ours. We know because He- God; has told us of events to come to pass in revelations. He has spoken to our hurts and pains through the prophetic scriptures and not only spoken, has resolved past confrintations, confusions, and chaos’.

To be the church, and radical church at that we must come to a place of Humility, through authenticity. And submit to the Saints in the church, and the saints are called not to uphold the old news, but to bear down in wisdom and lead the next generation freely to submit to God with the same tenacity as the saints of the church today.

Thats what Joel is teaching us.

What scripture says about building up the church

How we should respect our elders and respect the learners

4. Culture of Moving Forward

Missionary work: Local and World Wide

As we started with the call of Loving God and Loving our Neighbors. jesus gives another call into all the church, to go into all the nations and proclaim the gospel.

Mark 16:15 NIV

He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.

We often think that missionary work is made for the missionaries. Those specifically called in the Bible to do so, but not even jesus stayed home to do ministry.

Ministry is not the work of one, or a couple, or family. But rather a calling to all. If you are waiting on a calling to do ministerial work, then you are waiting on the wrong thing, The scripture calls all those who believe to follow in the footsteps of Jesus, the commands, direction, and commitment of jesus. To go into the nation and preach the Gospel.

Unless you have a calling a specific set of instructions to stay at home, then you too are called into the missions position.

What is a missionary?

Is someone who travels to spread the gospel. other definitions say anyone who shares their faith with others is to be a missionary.

In hearing from some friends that are missionaries, it goes beyond sharing, and in the truest sense a missionary is one devoted to sharing, caring, and providing for the needs of others.

I love when paul says,

1 Corinthians 9:22 (NIV)

To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.

A missionary is one devoted to become to win.

When we speak of Culture of Another Step, its not just another step we have in sanctification, but another step, another person, another field, another country, another community, leaving no stone left unturned to gratify the Mercy of God to the ends of the earth.

Jesus sends out his apostles in John 20 21

John 20:21 NIV

Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”

and calls them to be his witnesses all over the world in acts 1 8, Peter makes this same profession over the church in his letter, when he calls Gods people a holy nation, and

1 Peter 2:9 NIV

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

The NIV Says declares, other versions continue with Proclaim the excellencies of him who called you….

What does scripture say about our spiritual responsibility

How can we take it into our own hands

How we receive from another

Application

Through scriptures if we obtain these things then we will be the church we have been called to be.

Parents often find themselves having the same conversations saying one more time many times in different occasions.

Obedience isn’t about fully getting it right every time. It’s about moving ahead and reaching for the fullness of obedience.