Grow: Living For Multiplication

A SOLID FOUNDATION

Vision, Mission, and Values

Vision – Where We Are Headed

We are moving toward revival — a people marked by God’s presence and transformed lives.

Fellowship of Believers is a house of revival.

Jesus is the One we worship, the Word we follow, and our reason for living. Rooted in God’s Word and led by the Holy Spirit, we are commissioned to see communities transformed by the Gospel —where people are saved from despair, freed from bondage, discipled in the way of Jesus, and sent to expand His Kingdom.

Wherever we gather—homes, parks, or church buildings—we carry His presence. We move together in unity, steward His gifts with faithfulness, encourage one another as we run our race, and fulfill the Kingdom purpose entrusted to us by Christ.

Jesus is our revival.

Short:

Fellowship of Believers is a revival house and Jesus is our revival.

Mission – How We Live It Out

Our mission at Fellowship of Believers is to gather people into God’s presence, grow disciples in the way of Jesus, and go in the power of the Holy Spirit to impact Sarasota and the nations.

Short

Gather. Grow. Go.

Values – How We Do It Matters

Our values protect the culture of the house.

Righteous Living **

Honor

Servant Leadership **

Jesus Focus **

Hospitality Communion

Rest **

Kingdom Impact **

Today, we are laying the foundation for the second word of our mission: Grow.

If you missed last week, we began with a look at Kingdom Gathering. I encourage to revisit that message and come along with our church family.

WHAT IS GROWTH?

Growth is directed change toward your planned purpose.

Jeremiah 1:5 ESV

5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”

What Is Your Planned Purpose?

Colossians 2:6–7 ESV

6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

That we would look like Christ!

Understanding that you are not an accident – that you were born into this world for such a time as this.

I’ve said this before…there is no one before, no one now, and no one in the future that will ever be exactly like you.

You have your own, unique, story that God is the author of.

Philippians 1:6 “6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”

Between the beginning and the end, God has given us FREE WILL.

How we exercise that free will is this process of Growth.

Growth Is NOT A Neutral Thing

Maintenance mode is not an option.

You are either growing or slowly dying, spiritually speaking.

Growth Comes From God

1 Corinthians 3:6 ESV

6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.

Leading up to this Paul makes some statements to the Corinthians that he had to scale the message back for them.

1 Corinthians 3:2 ESV

2 I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready,

In reading through 1 Cor 3, one thing becomes clear – time in church doesn’t create growth.

HOW DO I GROW?

I want to focus on four aspects of growth, not in any particular order.

1. Abiding & Pruning

John 15:1–11 ESV

1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. 9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

Jesus is our source.

Apart from him, we can do nothing.

The Father prunes us as needed.

When we abide, our joy (delight) is made full (complete) - planned purpose walked in.

Abiding

This means that we are choosing to remain in Christ.

This requires faith – we aren’t going to understand ever step of the way, won’t have an answer for every challege – but we are choosing to remain in the One who will get us through.

In abiding, we are choosing to be dependant.

It’s about recognizing that an all powerful, all knowing, all present God isn’t looking for the skills that I bring to the table – He wants my heart, my relationship.

Pruning

Pruning ≠ Punishment

Pruning is the removal of necessary things to prepare for exponential growth!

Sometimes I prune a plant for

- growth direction

- fruit production

- deeper roots

- shape

Luke 9:23–26 ESV

23 And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. 25 For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? 26 For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.

The choice is ours:

proceed with a living death; or

proceed with e dying life

Unity

One of the reasons Paul says he needs to teach the Corinthians with milk is the amount of divisions that are in their churches.

They were not unified around Christ - they were unified around men, doctrines, ideas, and experiences.

Love me, hate me, please don’t unify around me. Unify around Jesus!

Unity ≠ Uniformity

Unity = share direction and foundation

2. Consistent Time in the Word

The Center for Bible Engagement compuled extensive research from a study in which 40,000 people ages 8-80 were polled.

As they compiled the research they made a stunning discovery that was not the original plan of the research.

The study showed that when people engaged with scripture one time a week (which could include a reading of scripture in a church gathering) that there was negligible effect in key areas of their life.

The same was evident with twice a week.

There was a small bump around three times per week.

The eye open happens when engagement reaches four times per week.

The stunning findings included the following:

Feeling lonely drops 30%

Anger issues drop 32%

Bitterness in relationships drops 40%

Alcoholism drops 57%

Sex outside of marriage drops 68%

Feeling spiritually stagnant drops 60%

Viewing pornography drops 61%

Sharing your faith jumps 200%

Discipling others jumps 230%

Let these results sink in….especially those last two – off. the. charts.

3. Mutual Relational Edification

This plays off our Gather week, last week.

We need each other as we grow.

One of the aspects of growth is healthy, consistent, discipleship.

Ephesians 4:11–16 ESV

11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 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, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

4. Intentional Commitment

Intentional commitment leads to maturity!

Philippians 3:12–16 ESV

12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. 16 Only let us hold true to what we have attained.

The path of growth is going to have some winding roads, some unexpected detours, some bumps that catch you off guard.

Don’t be swayed from “pressing on toward the goal”

1 Corinthians 13:11 ESV

11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways.

Children quit when things get tough.

Children pout when they don’t get their way.

Men press on.

Men fight for the prize.

Men are not afraid to confront resistence and overcome.

SUPPLEMENTS FOR GROWTH

Virtue to Love

2 Peter 1:5–11 ESV

5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. 10 Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. 11 For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Prayer for Spiritual Strength

Eph 3.14-21 - gives a strong prayer for a believer that wants to grow.

Ignition

Some of you need to be ignited.

You are saturated with the goodness of God, but have yet to light the fire.

Fuel ≠ Fire

Are you filled with the spirit? Demonstrate it.

THE FRUIT OF MATURITY