Navigating the Waters of Discipleship

Introduction:

On April 10, 1912 the RMS Titanic set out on her maiden voyage. Many of you know the horrific story of the Titanic, how on April 14th at 11:40pm she struck an iceberg that sank the ship.

History tell's us they were traveling to fast in treacherous waters to navigate around the Icebergs in the area. You see the bigger a ship is the longer it takes to turn that ship. And so it is with any organization. Sometimes there are open waters and smooth sailing ahead. Sometimes the waters are treacherous and great care must be taken not to sink the ship.

The way navigate the waters for a church is by enlightenment. So I am going to take the time over the next month to set the course of our church in your minds. I want you to see where we are going and how we are going to get there.

There will be times that we will need to navigate and recalculate but the destination will not change. When the Titanic sank on April 15th only 705 out of the 2240 souls were saved that day, but the destination didn't change. They still pressed on to New York.

So how will we navigate the waters of 2017? What is our destination? How do we get there?

Our Purpose Statement is this:

"Producing Jesus followers of faith that will expand the kingdom of God by their witness and His Word."

Five Levels of Leadership in an organization

Leading Yourself

Leading Others

Leading Leaders

Leading Departments

Leading the Organization

Discipleship: Learning to Lead Yourself

There have been countless people lost because they didn't know how to navigate the sea of life. They have become shipwrecked and in need of rescue.

There are two things every person must understand if they are going to properly lead yourself:

Humility

James 4:6 ESV

But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

Humility is the key to all relationships

Jesus is our greatest example of humility

Philippians 2:5–8 ESV

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Humility draws the Lord near to you

James 4:7–8 ESV

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

Pride is the root of all sin

Pride is the work of the devil.

Pride will therefore separate you from God

Luke 18:9–14 ESV

He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Missional living

Become focused on the things that matter.

Colossians 3:1–2 ESV

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.

Romans 12:2 ESV

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Making disciples that will make disciples.