Multiplication over Comfort

Today’s Question:

Why Leave a church when I am comfortable to join a church plant?

Theological, Lived Experience. I want to give you both of these things

What is the biblical conviction, and how do we walk that out.

1) Multiplication Over Comfort

Scriptural pattern — God moves His people outward

Creation: “Be fruitful and multiply.” (Gen 1:28)

Hoarding grows out of fear, not faith

Babel — safety, control, sameness (Gen 11)

Manna rotted when people tried to store what God meant to provide daily (Ex 16:19–20)

Jesus forms disciples by sending them out to become fishers of man.

Even persecution becomes a sending engine

Acts 8 — scattered church, spreading gospel

Pastoral tension

Comfort isn’t sinful in itself…

too much if good thing is a bad thing…

comfort without movement produces unhealthy things.. (bed sores, Physical fitness)

2) The Great Commission Over Comfort

Matthew 28:18–20 ESV

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Go….

He does not call us to.

maintain

preserve familiarity

build safe Christian environments

Going It is an act of movement

He calls us to:

Go

Make disciples

Baptize

Teach

We remind ourself of the the target of the great commission

The question is not:

“Is our church growing?”

The question is:

“Are disciples being made and are those disciples making disciples?”

Identity shift

The Great Commission is not a ministry program.

It is the identity of the church

Spiritual reality

Obedience rarely stays inside comfort zones.

Mission always pulls us outward

3) Contributors Over Consumers

Ephesians 4:11-13 God gives leaders to equip the saints for ministry

Ephesians 4:11–13 ESV

And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,

God’s design:

Pastors equip

The church ministers

Every believer is gifted

Gifts are given to build up the Body, not just fill seats

Culture shift

often people ask:

“What do I get from this church?”

The better Kingdom question:

“Where can my life make the greatest impact for the gospel?”

Reframing belonging

Not:

Where do I feel most comfortable?

Where do I like the programs?

But:

Where does my presence most clearly move mission forward?

Discipleship reality

Sometimes obedience means staying but staying differently

Sometimes obedience means being sent

Either way:

Don’t consume the church… contribute to the mission

Turn to Survey Responses

In what ways would it have been comfortable to stay in your old church?

For my family, it would’ve been much more comfortable to stay in our old church. It was well established. The programs were well run and put together and they were able to participate without having much stake or buy in in the mission. I was on staff.

Familiarity with what I was used to and seeing the same faces. To avoid the fear of possible church hopping to find a church that would hit my list of needs.

We were pretty well established in our old church. We had built some solid friendships and felt comfortable with our community and serving roles. And there was a level of security in not being in leadership.

It would have been more comfortable to stay at our previous church basically in every way possible. We had been attending for 7 years, we were in a solid small group, we had a care community serving our family. We were doing ministry in different arenas but not at the time serving on Sunday mornings for the church.

In what ways have you seen God grow you through leaving comfort to join a church plant?

Learning how to shepherd our kids through things that may not be comfortable has been fun and challenging. It reminds me that church doesn’t have to be a perfectly run program to still be encouraging. Even on Sundays where things aren’t “perfect” I still find myself encouraged by just being with the people of God.

God has grown me in the idea of taking a step of faith even if I’m not 100% sure. Not worrying about what happens down the line if I make this decision but to be obedient with my yes for the day before me. I would also add God has grown me in the idea of that there are more ways than just one way that Christ is glorified and his kingdom is advanced!

By leaving the comfort of the unknown, I have seen and experienced God in a new, never before seen way. Seeing people transformed by the gospel, watching our children come to understand the love that God has for them, but also being pushed to dig into my faith in a way that I have never had to before.

God has taught me humility and the importance of living sacrificially for Him.

How is God using you in ways in your current context he wasn't in your old context?

I’m getting a plethora of experience that I would not have gotten staying in a more established church…. ultimately God has grown my dependence on him as I am by no means an expert at any of these things.

I’m able to serve the body of Christ in more ways than one with plenty of time to still serve my family. Also able to have time to invest and disciple those outside of the walls of Ascend.

As I have come to understand my spiritual gifting, I have been able to serve in ways that give me not only personal satisfaction but also allow me to see how the body(working together) accomplishes greater work for the kingdom than one person alone.

I have been able to serve the church through a variety of ways. I have been able to utilize my gifts that were not being used.

Closing Application and Prayer

The Kingdom does not advance through comfort

It advances through faithful obedience

May we be churches that:

send more than we hoard.

equip more than we entertain.

multiply more than we maintain.