Sermon Tone Analysis

Today, we are celebrating 2 years as River Church.

One thing we want to do is to make a difference in the lives of people in our congregation and around the WB.

Fire in town shopping center – Firefighters couldn’t get it under control – Situation hopeless - Truck carrying farm workers came over hill & drove right into the fire – Farm workers able to beat out flames / save shopping center - $1000 reward – Mayor to truck driver, “What are you going to do with $1000?”

Truck driver, “1st thing going to do is fix brakes”–

We don’t usually make a difference by accident, but by intention.

So we want to look at how we can make a difference in our families and around the WB.

God has been good to River Church the last 2 years.

We launched the church with one service per week on Saturday nights.

We were able to purchase this building.

We launched 2 services per week that first Easter.

We launched Wednesday nights which have grown to be one of the larger services we have now.

We now provide full Children’s and youth ministries on Wednesday nights.

We provided 100 kids so far with School Supplies in a book bag.

We tarped a house for an elderly couple.

We have begun Fuel the Future .

We feed anyone who will come to church on Wednesdays.

We have done outreach with City of Gretna at their Halloween thing.

We have done a couple of Easter Outreaches with this past years being an awesome progression through the last week of Jesus life.

We had or first Baptisms this year.

We supplied 25 families with thanksgiving baskets.

God has been moving in many of your lives as well.

Write down on your connection cards some of the things God has done in, for and through your life these last 12 months.

I believe that in our third year, God will do even more.

Goals

200 plus in attendance between the two services because people are coming to faith in Jesus.

Begin a couple of new connect groups.

Begin Celebrate Recovery Ministry

I believe that the Lord has put us here at River Church to make a real difference in people’s lives.

The Lord has placed us here to make a difference.

So, how can we do that?

We can get our answers from the Bible and from the 1st Century church.

The 1st Century Church made a difference in the communities and culture of that day.

I believe the Lord wants you and I to make a difference in our culture and communities today.

What will it take for us to make a difference with our FRAN, our culture and our community?

What will it take for us to make a difference?

1.

To make a difference, we must have a vision from the Lord.

The early Christians caught their vision from the Lord.

The vision was to take the message & ministry of Jesus everywhere… home… to work… to school… to the playground… the mall… to restaurants… They were ordinary people like you and me who turned their world upside down.

(Acts 17:6 LB)

The early Christians caught Jesus vision to reach the world with the Gospel.

We too must catch this vision to reach our world from the Lord.

When Pastor Kathy and I first felt lead to begin a church, we wanted a church

Where people could grow together in their faith.

Where people who we ministered to in the jails and community could come to know Jesus and grow in their faith.

Where law enforcement could come and learn and grow in their faith.

2. To make a difference, we will have to live fruitful lives

The people who heard the Gospel prayed to receive Jesus as Savior and Lord, followed it with Baptism.

They got baptized because they wanted to make a public declaration that they were following Jesus.

How many have been baptized since making a profession of faith in Jesus?

How many of you who could not raise your hands would be willing to be Baptized this month?

Mark that on your Connection Card.

Next, they began to make a difference in their world.

To be fruitful, we must be plugged into a local church.

It’s football season and the Saints and other teams have been practicing the basics so that they can beat Atlanta and go to the Super Bowl again.

Just like a football team has to practice, we have to practice as well.

We have to spend time...

Hearing the Word.

Reading the Word.

Studying the Word.

Meditating on the Word

Discussing the Word.

Living out God’s Word

We have to study the WOG Daily and together.

To fruitful lives, we have to Share our lives with other Believers.

Spend time with each other.

You can’t build friendships with people without spending time with them… in church… in groups… doing ministry together.

Teams: Greeters, Ushers, Youth Team, Kids Team, Outreach Team,

Show love to each other.

The early Christians demonstrated their love through their actions.

Love is not primarily a feeling.

It’s a verb.

Kathy’s mom would always say… words, words, words… let me see some deeds.

Work through difficulties with each other.

To live fruitful lives, we will have to spend time praying together.

When people get together and pray, it multiplies the power of prayer.

Pray all the time.

Little girl visiting grand-mother – “Say prayers last night?”

“Nope – got to thinking that the Lord must be tired of hearing same prayers every night, so I crawled up in bed and read Him the story of Little Red Riding Hood.” –

The Lord never gets tired of hearing your prayers.

“The power of prayer can never be overrated.

They who cannot serve God by preaching need not regret.

If a man can but pray, he can do anything.

He who knows how to overcome with God in prayer has Heaven and earth at his disposal.”

(Charles Spurgeon)

To live fruitful lives, we will have share our resources.

god doesn’t want us focused on what we can buy for ourselves, but on what we can do for his kingdom.

I want to hear… well done

Our church is so faithful.

We have a large percentage of attenders who give something.

It might be a little or a lot, but most of you are givers.

My prayer is that you continue to grow in your faith as you see God moving in your finances.

To live fruitful lives, we will need to continue to worship together.

As we begin our 3rd year, let me encourage you commit to being in church regularly.

Be faithful in your worship service attendance.

My 97 year old mother is in her church weekly… she won’t miss.

Reminds me of

a 90 plus year old man who went to church faithfully.

When asked why, he said, i want people to know whose side I am on.

Your faithful attendance is a witness to those you know and you multiply that by checking in on FB.

To live fruitful lives, we will need go witnessing together.