Love. Give. Serve. Touch the Community in 2019

This morning I want to share a VISION INITIATIVE for Destiny Church for 2019. A direction for our church this year.

Last year, we kicked off a focus on identifying with who God called us to be as a church - Helping people find the road! We spent the year focusing on building up children and youth ministries, strengthening spiritual walks at the beginning with the Women and Men’s devotional groups, and put a strong emphasis on seeing our Discipleship groups and Life Groups define who we are as a community of faith. I look out and see a stronger and more well connected body of Christ - that Hope Giving Community of Faith focused on Jesus.

This year it is about taking that from the church to the community!

I read a quote the other day that said...

“A church that is waiting for sinners to visit their building is like the police waiting for criminals to visit their station.”

WOW!!!

Yet, we think this way!!!

How much interaction do we INTENTIONALLY HAVE WITH THOSE OUTSIDE OUR CHURCH AND FAMILIES??? (and work does not always count as so many isolate their testimony to be in compliance with employers - even though we shouldn’t)

Matthew 20:26–28 NLT

26 But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. 28 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Luke 19:10 NLT

10 For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.”

Jesus came to serve - serve those who were lost!!!

He spent time discipling those 12 and others who would follow, but He was always about! In fact, Jesus was on the streets and out in the community way more than He was in the Temple!!!

What if we individually and corporately as a church made it our MISSION to be a part of our COMMUNITY this year!

What if we each made an intentional effort to be out demonstrating LOVE, GIVE and SERVE so much that this community would be blown away by the presence of Destiny Church!!!

What if we stopped waiting for the sinner to come to church and went to the sinner???

I am not talking door to door evangelism, or even big day outreaches, or marketing campaigns… but about making a real difference in our COMMUNITY - where THEY ARE AT!!!!!

What if our motivation was not about making our church bigger...

What if our motivation was not about making a name ...

But just genuinely caring for and serving the community in which our church exists and those surrounding it where we all live!!!

My vision for 2019 - annual vision for this church - is to TOUCH OUR COMMUNITY through our service, love and giving of ourselves - selflessly in the name of Jesus, so our lights will shine brightly for the Gospel!

The CRITICAL COMPONENT IS YOU!!! HOLD IT, let’s do it this way...

Say “ The Critical Component” “IS” “ME”!

We cannot pass this off on church staff, church leaders, the person sitting beside us… This has to be something we EACH take to heart from youngest to oldest!!!

We each must participate in the daily grind of life, and in intentional moments and meetings!

AND - we need to tell people why - I am a part of Destiny Church, and Christ wants me to serve you! I want to serve you!

1. LOVE

God has called us to love people!

How can we truly share Christ until we have learned to love like Christ??

John 3:16 NLT

16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

Matthew 9:36 NLT

36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

John 13:35 NLT

35 Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

Our world can be frustrating! We see contradictory viewpoints from ours and the natural thing is to seek to destroy — political differences have deeply divided our nation and broken friendships and family relationships, but is that winning anyone to Jesus?

Our world can be frustrating! We see contradictory viewpoints from ours and the natural thing is to seek to destroy — political differences have deeply divided our nation and broken friendships and family relationships, but is that winning anyone to Jesus?

In this world we live in people are turned off to someone who wants to preach hell and destruction and then run the other direction!

John 13:35 NLT

35 Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

John 13:29–35 NLT

29 Since Judas was their treasurer, some thought Jesus was telling him to go and pay for the food or to give some money to the poor. 30 So Judas left at once, going out into the night. 31 As soon as Judas left the room, Jesus said, “The time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory, and God will be glorified because of him. 32 And since God receives glory because of the Son, he will give his own glory to the Son, and he will do so at once. 33 Dear children, I will be with you only a little longer. And as I told the Jewish leaders, you will search for me, but you can’t come where I am going. 34 So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. 35 Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

John 13:34–35 NLT

34 So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. 35 Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

Relational connection is the best opportunity to let our lights shine, and acts of kindness and love help in that relationship building.

5 Love Languages:

Words of affirmation

Quality Time

Receiving Gifts

Acts of Service

Physical Touch

OK, telling someone whose love language is words of affirmation that they are hell bound may not win them over. It is the truth, but perhaps affirming the good in their life yet helping them recognize it still leaves them short may work better!

Spending time with people who are lonely, blessing others with the little things - bring some donuts to the firehouse or teachers lounge?

Give an elderly person a platonic hug at the Senior Center??

Rake someone’s leaves or shovel their snow!

HOW ABOUT taking a morning to sit outside with an urn of coffee and offer free coffee and prayer??? Just to love others!

These are all ways of loving those around us!

These are all ways of loving those around us!

Our community needs to see a church that loves others, that loves them - and that is willing to demonstrate that love!

After all, Jesus demonstrated His love toward us when He died for us! Will we demonstrate our love for the lost around us?

It is so much easier than we think --- we just need to get intentional about making it happen.

2. GIVE

Who is glad Jesus gave His life for us??

John 3:16 NLT

16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

Interesting, as much as God likes to receive our love and thanksgiving, the Bible talks a whole lot about what the Lord gives to His people!!! We are often great at asking the Lord for things!!!

When we give, it is becoming evident that we are becoming more like Christ and our Heavenly Father — as they are the givers of all good things!

James 1:17 NLT

17 Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.

As our creator - God shows responsibility of meeting the needs of His children — as His children when we take responsibility for helping others and giving of ourselves (time, talent, resources, etc.) we are acting like HIM!

WHY do we give???

People love to receive!!!

People love to receive!!!

Agencies that help others with their needs - love to receive resources and PHYSICAL help in their service.

What if we gave ourselves to the senior community, the business community, the local agencies. Rather than reinvent the wheel doing it as our church alone, tie into what our community has and be AMBASSADORS for the LORD through those agencies!

Then when we go out in the name of Jesus (and DESTINY CHURCH) we partner by giving with what is around us.

I think of Phyllis Burge serving the local FOOD BANK all these years, and how about Roland Saffy going into the local prison?

This year instead of doing our own TRUNK OR TREAT - let’s partner with the Chamber of Commerce to be a part of the Community Event and TRAPPER DAYS (the Sat after labor day weekend - mark your calendars) as giving ourself to the community helps us be a part of others receiving.

What if we found local agencies and gave our time to help them with resources at the local shelter and food bank.

What if we take time to recognize servant leaders in our community (police, firefighters and teachers) and just bless them?

No expectation in return --- we do not give to receive!

I am confident that we reap where we do not sow and sow where we do not reap...

Galatians 6:9 NLT

9 So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.

Last year we blessed teachers with meals during conferences - let’s do it again!

How about buying a dozen donuts and dropping it off at a service agency in the community some morning...

What would happen when a community begins seeing 200 people in a community becoming a part of giving themselves - they would be overwhelmed and wonder why???

3. SERVE

Serving the lost!!

It is soooo easy to serve each other in the body of Christ --- but what about serving those outside???

I know our Women’s Ministry is already planning on doing a backpack give away this year before school starts, what if our men began doing repair work for those in need?

How about if our youth helped pick up trash on the road or helped stock shelves at the Food Bank?

We are talking about doing a soccer camp for the community this year to serve kids and teens during the summer...

Coffee and prayer while parents are dropping off kids at school??? SERVING

All the things we have talked about is serving!

What if we wore TEAM DESTINY shirts when we went out to serve??? Let people know we are part of the body of Christ here in Fort Lupton - or in Tri towns or Hudson??

Matthew 20:28 NLT

28 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

1 Peter 4:10 NLT

10 God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.

When we serve others - we serve Jesus!

All of these acts of service is to bring honor to God.

You do not have to wait for a “church appointed activity” to serve!!!

You should participate in a church appointed activity, but not restrict yourself to that? lol

Jesus wants each of us to be a light that shines!

Matthew 5:16 NLT

16 In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.

Our good deeds are seen by the lost and they give light to CHRIST IN US - the hope of glory (eternal life) —

Those good deeds bring people to recognize the Heavenly Father!

Today we need to SHOW JESUS to a lost world --- words are not enough...

You have probably heard the quote by Francis of Assisi:

“Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words.”

CONCLUSION

LOVE. GIVE. SERVE.

What a better plan for 2019 for our church! My VISION is to see the ENTIRE BODY engaged in LOVING, GIVING, and SERVING our COMMUNITY outside the church!!!

We are ordering Destiny Shirts...

Starting a fund (online giving - it is listed as Love, Give, Serve)

Each of our ministries will be planning ways for their groups to be of service and we are encouraging Life groups to each find a way to go and love, give, serve in their immediate areas!

I have specific plans for myself to personally commit to being a part...

It requires intentionality - but if I guarantee if we partner with our community - people will become very aware of Destiny Church -

That is not near as important as them becoming aware of Jesus!

There WILL be discussions that will naturally come about and people WILL be SAVED!

Marriages WILL be restored.

People WILL be set free!!!

Lives WILL be changed!

Our motivation is to be like Christ - remember to serve is to love, give and do without ANY expectation in return!

We have all had that person in our lives that befriended us or got to know us because they wanted to sell something, or convert us to something, etc. We became their project… EVER BEEN THERE???

This is not that!!! It is a process of unconditional love going forward to make Jesus known - what they do with that will be up to them! I believe when Jesus is made known - He is irresistible and those seeking truth will find it!!!