Part 3: Rooted in Truth

called we and we're looking at the nature and mission of God's church and of our local church now. Normally if your gas with us, normally we would we would plow through in a section of scripture or book of the Bible together and the series of the little different lamora psychological and we're kind of looking at different aspects of the mission and nature of the church. And so we're looking at kind of cumulatively what the Bible has to say about who we are and in different places. So that's where we're at this morning. We're on our third week together with that. Let me pray and then we're going to dive in sound good let spray father. Thanks for Jesus for your grace and Lord. Thanks for your word as we're going to see this morning that everything we need to know how to successfully deliver the Christian Life to have joy and peace and purpose and salvation. You've written it all down. You've written it all down because you wrote a book and so at remind us of that today that that we're to be centered on that book and on what you've written and that it has the power to change and transform us and our community and our world. So I pray against the enemy this morning is service their Works in effect. He loves nothing more than to tear down your kingdom in to go after your people your family, but holy spirit would you protect us and teach us and changed us today by the by your power and the power of your word All Because of Jesus name we pray amen.

So what we've been talking about family and in our first week through this we had some gas from our extended family from Detroit Mike and cleat from a restore Church in inner city Detroit and I might very Faithfully preach the word and reminding us that at the very beginning of our purpose are for our existence as a church is to glorify God. It's about God's glory and him being made much of Jesus being lifted high. And then last Sunday we looked at how you become part of the church. That is God's family has called us out of the world and back into the world for Jesus. So we're in the world but not of the world because we've been called to Jesus that were sent back into the world to reach more people. It's a live like Jesus that we talked about all that we've been talked a little bit about as a family some of the metaphors for the church family being a key one to where we have an extended family and for me this week because we're part of the Evangelical Free Church of America the efca did you know that that's kind of our extended family or our tribe. So to speak and the free church is divided into different and our conference was this week on Monday and Tuesday in Chicago at Trinity International University, which is the Seminary kind of for our denomination and I saw a rock there Rock was was up at Trinity and nearby extended family different people from different.

Model of leadership development that we've been working on this as well and and we were worked on this over the last few years that were going to be implementing November 3rd two weeks from today after the service. We're going to have a lunch in and if you lead in any way in our church, we love for you to be there. Even if you don't leave and you're just curious you want to hear about this one should come over in about an hour and a half training on a kind of the same stuff. I did with other people in our family earlier this week and we want to let you know about this because as we hire another pasture, they're going to be kind of cast with implementing a lot of what's been designed and kind of laid out on paper. So we want you to be able to support them and help them going forward sound good. So Shameless plug extra announcement to know how much lunch to get some good. Cuz I'd like to eat.

Cuz I don't usually till the end when it's all done. So if there's anything left when I get to eat, but we talked about the sca and that mission is this that we exist to glorify God we are to talk about that. Right, but the way that we do that collectively as a group of churches is by multiplying transformational churches among all people that if I love that about kind of our family that at the root of who we are we want to multiply churches churches for new people new services for new people and and continually multiplying the impact and effect of the Gospel. What's Curious I move on from this moment, but this week in our extended family. I met somebody that some of you may have known growing up if you've been part of Wawasee for a long time. If you grew up in this area, I met a guy who's a pastor at let me backup. I actually serve on the board for a district leader board meeting Monday morning before the conference started in one of the guys. There was sharing that their Church in Freeport, Illinois planted another campus and another small town called Winnebago and they've been meeting in this community center for a long time and it just a kind of rock growing. It was just one big room and with kids and everybody else know about 6-7 miles away. They they just did what you got too loud. They couldn't handle anymore. So they've been praying for a building while at the same time. There was a little church in town that had built a building in the late eighties and they were part of another group and they had dwindled down as the overtime the church just became older and they were about 10 or 11 people and other pastor this church ended up approaching them and they long story short. I'm kind of shortening the whole thing. They ended up giving to this church in Freeport that to their campus in Winnebago their building to meet in and they merged with them and they became one church with these two campuses. And so now this church in Winnebago. I had this brand new campus. Well now fast-forward a little later this week. That's a really cool story. Isn't it? That that people have the vision to be like, okay, we built this place. We want to see the gospel continue to move forward. How do we do that was find some partners and they found a free Church to do this. Well,

I said, okay and you found him what's up? And he tells me that he's the pastor of this church that they gave their building for the Free Church Cincinnati's part of the research, but this guy grew up here and was in the graduating class of Wawasee High School the very first one. Some of you probably know I'm Gary Brown. I got a picture of him here and isn't it? Connection and I'm sure that story for some of you who've been here a long time and you've invested and you seen our church grow and and we stand on on really your faithfulness from 30 years ago the planting this church and the run into somebody with some of the same Roots who's done the same thing and another community and now has become part of our extended family. It's just a good reminder of how God works and hopefully and encouragement to you that we're part of something much bigger than the little church in the cornfields is not exciting. But it's cool how God works and the Free Church is about multiplying transformational church is among all people and I just wonder you know in that case this church multiply, what does that look like for us to multiply two actually more people meet Jesus to start more services. Maybe maybe God would have something like that for us one day of there so many small towns without faithful Bible T thing that we would have a campus and other small towns around. I'm just dreaming No Agenda just going what could God do And bring that up just as a reminder of who we are of our family, but at the core of who we are working X transformational churches. So by way of a long introduction, that's where we're going. Today. We're going to talk what what is the score idea of being a transformational church because when you're transformational that's when multiplication tends to happen. What is transformational even mean? Well, it's the spirit that does the work of transformation in our hearts individually and corporately and and threw us within a community but the spirit doesn't work in a vacuum. He works by the word of God. And so we're going to come to that as well. But first let's just talk about this whole idea of transformation of how can a church be transformational. Well, let's just start a sentence together to be transformational Church Must what what to be transformation with impact that to transform means to move and to something else to be a of one nature and now to be of a new nature. And transformation a transformational church when it's transformational. She's transformation in individuals for one. Right? How many of you use you put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ and you will say you know what? I'm not the same person by God's grace that I was before I trusted him. And he's changed me like it was a slow process. But as I look back, I just see man. I'm not the same woman. I'm not the same man. I'm someone new. Well, that's right in line with scripture 2nd Corinthians. 5:17 says that for all who are in Christ have trusted him. They are a new creation. Jesus described it to Nicodemus is being born again, like a brand new life. It's so profound. It's like you're born again and Paul talks about being made new all over the New Testament for some of us. That's a dramatic change of transformation like one day. We're just we're going down a terrible Road and life is a mess and then like something happens we trust Jesus and have you seen that in people and they like this change overnight by the power of God. Four others of us. It's a long process isn't it? And it's like okay for me even I can look to a time frame when I really trusted Jesus and then I can look at some of the transformation in my life over that time, but it's still transformation that have you changed from trusting Jesus. If not, I mean it's like have you really trusted him right if you haven't changed in some I have you have you really trusted him. Are you going through the motions? But Paul talks about all over all over in the New Testament. First predicted. It would happen in the Old Testament. You said that I will give you a new heart and a new spirit within you because he realized that the tap to be holy after we send isn't impossible and the only way that we can be made right with God has to be totally made new. The old is gone the new common that happens to trust in Jesus. We should be transformational in individuals and then also as a as a as a congregation, like all of us together, I've been here for almost Seventeen years now at Wallace cw17. Here's this text is crazy and people ask me like what's a what's a part of years like this to see the way people have changed in the way. The spirit has moved over that time. It's just it's phenomenal. That's listen in saying that that's a good thing. That's not a knock on anything in the past that's saying we're growing and changing and becoming more like Jesus a man. That's a great great thing. If nothing had changed that be a bad sign healthy things grow and change and we're also supposed to be transformational in terms of our surrounding community and the people in them when you think of information, maybe you were thinking along those lines, like I said a personal transformation Our church being transformed in changing but I maybe you think more missionally in terms of you know, what when I think transformation the first thing I think of is community like Milford Syracuse New Paris Leesburg August Community. That's what I think of when I think transformation and you have to have a Right View towards that as well because that's exactly what a local church should be about as transforming and engaging and caring for their community. And in fact, Jesus said that were to be as Witnesses, right? He said here and then farther out and then to the ends of the Earth. He said in Acts 1:8 in in Judea Samaria to the end of the world and as his Witnesses were to be Salt and Light Matthew 5 you are the salt of the earth. Jesus says What is the salt loses its saltiness be restored? It's no longer good for anything. But to be thrown out and Trampled Under people's feet as as the salt of the earth. You bring a seasoning and in change and good things to culture. Interact like salt that stays in the Shaker is no good is it? Give me like salt on your food. I like way too much salt on my food, but If I don't put it on my food, I can I might have a bottle of salt sitting there. I got all man. I love salt but I never put it on my food. It's like that even know what salt is like how to use it like it needs to get out of the body and and come into contact with what it's trying to make salty. As a church were sent to love were sent to love people called out of the world sent into the world and to invite him to follow Jesus with us. And now we are the light of the world. Jesus says in verse 14 a city on a hill cannot be hidden. I mean to be transformational to be transformational. Here's The Church Must Be rooted in the Bible. It must be rooted in God's word that transformation comes through God's word. Affirming the unerring trustworthy inspirational scripture in a Biblical Authority and all matters of faith and living and the gospel is to be Central to who we are as a family. Amen a good spot for him at the gospel supposed to be Central. Amen.

In all that we do 1st Corinthians 15 Paul started writing to the church. He said I would remind you Brothers of the Gospel I preached he was writing to a church she helped plan which you received and in which you stand.

To the word I preach to you unless you believed in vain. Here's what was the first important I delivered to you as a first important what I also received that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures that he was buried that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures. The gospel is Central to who we are if we're going to be at church this transformational in terms of people changing of our church changing of our culture changing God's word is at the center. I would like to say God wrote it all down and then you wrote it all down God's word central to these things. I'm not ashamed of the gospel because it's the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes God's word is power to us. It changes us and a transformational church has to be rooted in the Bible. Even when the outside world looks at us and says you guys are weird. The Bible says they will 1st Corinthians 1 for the word of the Cross is folly to those who are perishing, but that's where being saved its what? power of God By God's word here. In our church it when it's our middle name, right Wawasee Community Bible Church. It's right in the center of who we are and the preaching and teaching of God's word is at the center because it's like the wood burning stove in the middle of the factory and when the stove goes out the whole Factory goes cold and production shuts down. The most attractive thing in the world that may not be the funnest things sometimes to hear but at the very center of who we are is God's word and when that flame is burning bright, it keeps the whole Factory and it is it empowers and motivates our mission, right? The preaching and teaching God's word in the Bible even noticed that like at the very bottom of our tree is supposed to be like an Open Bible. The Our Roots go into God's word. That's who we are. That's our foundation. Now, there are many churches praise the Lord in our community that Faithfully teach and preach God's word is not good news. That's great news remind me the only only game in town cuz it's 100% not true. In fact, it was a great thing by many different people with different personalities in different ways some more just unpacking the Bible some more in story which by the way is how Jesus taught the word and we can praise the Lord for that that we have many churches preaching and teaching God's word, but it's the stores. It has to be the source of a church this transformational. So so what do we need to be rooted in in the Bible for a church to be transformational? Well written in the Bible are I'm going to give you three things this morning briefly. first recognizing its Authority recognizing the authority of God's word whether you got of a printed copy you bring with you each week or you've got it on a device that you open up and read as we speak and teach God's word on a Sunday morning. We recognize its Authority. Like we said God wrote it all down in a transformational church is one that Valley to studies and applies the Bible, you know, here's what I thought maybe to speak to this a little bit dumb pack a little bit of what we believe what we Proclaim to believe in our statement of faith on the issue of God's word sound good. That's so check this out. Here's what we believe we are friends. We believe that God has spoken in the scriptures both Old and New Testaments through the words of human authors. Did the copy of God's word that you have is is the very word of God like he's spoken to us in his word. He speaks to us primarily in his word. How does sometimes God speak to us? Another way is through spirit and through but guess what?

So I feel like I I feel like a spirit speaking to me on this issue. And here's your check. What is God's word say if he's speaking to you in a way that's totally contrary to God's word. Guess what God does not contradict himself. That's that might be a spirit but it ain't the Holy Spirit right? Like I like God's God's word is at the center when the spirit speaks to he speaks primarily through his where he spoken in the scriptures. We believe about God's word verbally inspired word of God. Verbally inspired verbally meaning every word. Fired meaning God's spirit is the is is who wrote his word through human authors 1st Peter talks about those who wrote the scripture being born Along by the holy spirit that God miraculously. He used a different personalities different people to write it, but it was his Spirit writing the word that we believe the Bible is without error in the original writing. Play God didn't make a mistake and what he wrote down and that he also didn't make a mistake by leaving something out because we believe it's the complete revelation of his will for salvation. Like the copy of God's word we have is complete like there's there's nothing to be added to it God if there's things in the Bible, does it speak about God didn't make a mistake and go out, but that one. Should have wrote that down everything we need. now there may be things we need to take in terms of principal and he was freedom for us but it's the complete revelation of his will for salvation and leave it's the ultimate Authority by which every realm of human knowledge and Endeavour should be judged when it comes down to a conflict between God's word in my opinion at what winds And when I'm up here preaching when I stare at something, that's my opinion. I'll tell you this is this is my opinion of what God's word teaches. But ultimately here's what his word says. That's our source of authority MN. Therefore we understand this by saying this therefore because of all these things about God's word. It's to be believed in all that it teaches. What to believe in all that its teeth is we're not we're not going to put out the things that we go out.

They are for us we believe. totally understand this side of Heaven still be awake and all it requires not just believe it but do it and trust it and all that promises All rights to it a young guy preaching and planting a new church in Timothy in Ephesus any rights this to him and his second letter to me says Timothy all scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us. What's true to make us realize what's wrong in our lives that corrects us when we're wrong teaches us to do what's right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people for every good work. I rented from a different translations than is on the screen to hear it and maybe a different way and pay attention. That's useful. It's profitable for us to be rooted in God's word recognizing its Authority and then teaching it Faithfully by the way one piece before we go on. If you want to know more about these things a week from Wednesday on Wednesday the 30th down in the far end of the building. We have our next session of equip and we're going to be teaching through. Imma be teaching through kind of what we believe about the Bible show you evidence that the the copy of God's word we have today is trustworthy that it hasn't been altered or changed where we find a thority from God's word. We talking about all those things why certain books are in the Bible? Like how did it get put together? We're going to talk about all those things. So if you want to know more I join us for equip on the 30th, but we recognized Authority and then we want to teach it Faithfully. what's it mean to teach God's word Faithfully will it if you want to use a

a big fee logical sort of churchy word. It means to have a sound hermeneutic and this doesn't mean if I just to studying the Bible but really any literary texts and hermeneutics just means the method by which we understand it for interpret it.

We study it we study it rightly and that the key to studying God's word Riley is to try to get to the original intent. Like what did what is God really trying to say here at the route. What's my opinion and let me find some bible verses to back that up. But know what does God's word say and how should that influence and inform my opinion and the way I live so sound, it's to rightly interpret the Bible to know its original intent and part of that understanding its original intent is important for us and is applicable than us because did you know that were part of this story that God's word from beginning to end ultimately is one big story it starts and Creation in the garden and it ends in Revelation in a city that in the end of Revelation and none of that has happened yet, but clearly has cuz we're here. We're in the middle of this story. I'm so it's applicable to you and me we're a part of God's story as told in his word and I want to share with you. If you want to know more about studying God's word. How do I study? How do I read cuz that's what's going to change you as you understand the story. You're a part of that's really where transformation in your life is going to happen is the spirit working in you as you begin to understand that I want to I want to show you this. I just as brief video of a resource that you might find helpful maybe to to do by yourself or to find somebody to come along with you. It's actually against being in the freezer. It's it's from a guy who's the pastor of it a free Church in Chicago has Colin Smith and this is brand new, but it's all free online. Check this out.

to open

Open won't answer all of your questions, but it will help you to navigate the Bible in three special ways. First open will help you to see that the Bible is much more than a historical book. Yes, it was written a long time ago. But the Bible is the word of God. That means it's the way that God speaks to us today. So when you open the Bible, expecting to hear from and 2nd open will help you to see that the Bible is much more than information reading. The Bible is about transformation. So when you open the Bible simply trying to gather knowledge your income should be to meet with God there really is powered in opening the word of God censored. To see that the Bible is one story it begins in a garden that ends in the city and all the way through it points to Jesus Christ in a Jesus Christ is the Bible's treasure and when you find him you're at the beginning of discovering all that God has in store for you. In each of the 50 sessions of open you will read one chapter of the Bible listen to or read a brief teaching and then review or discuss the question. You don't have to go on this journey alone. So grab a friend to you think might be interested in going through together. We provide a question. Are you ready to open the Bible then let's get started.

So if you're wanting to see like we're talking about transformation and being rooted in God's word. You're wanting to see that happen in your own life. It's only going to happen. Is you to the degree to which you listen for the Lord through his word. But you read it and understand it and study it and apply it to your life. And this is just a really helpful tool just it's a it's a website open the Bible. Org. It's totally free. You'll read a passage of scripture you listen or read about a 10-minute teaching on that and it's really good at work throughout the first ten of them now and then and then after that there's some discussion questions if you want to discuss it with someone else and talk about it or just Journal about it or think about it on your own and it's really cool. It's all free and it's from a church called The Orchard in Chicago that has a sister Church of ours and it's it's really exciting. So I would encourage you highly to check that out to recognize God's authority to teach it Faithfully. Not just that we teach it Faithfully here, but we're teaching ourselves from God's word and feeding ourselves Faithfully a man.

She like what's the application today? I'll just talk about the church. It's read your Bible is read your Bible That's the application Authority teaching it faithfully and applying it regularly applying it regularly. That a faithful church that's faithful to God's word is going to do this. They're going to recognize the authority of God's word. They're going to teach it Faithfully. What does it really say it? How does it point to Jesus? And then how does it apply to our lives? Like how does it change us? It starts with reading and hearing the word and interpreting it faithfully and then applying it one of the things that's helpful to think about. I was going to show you some more but I just I was afraid of taking up way too much time today kind of how I go about normally when we would when we will be preaching through a passage of scripture. How do I take a passage of scripture and study it and then arrived at some kind of application or message for us, right? And one of the things that starts with you might think of this in three ways, we got a little time here. So I'm just going to lay this out briefly without totally showing you but first thing kobza rayshun, I'm going to read the text. I'm going to look at it. I actually like print it out like with tons of white space and I just Mark the snot out of it. Like all kinds of different colors mean different things and I get done and I've got this piece of paper that is would make no sense to anyone, but me because I just written all over the place and and observing things about God's word When You observe God's word that stuff of observation and studying it. There's all kinds of observations. You can make like who's the person talking when did this take place? And why are they writing it? How many people were there? What exactly did Jesus look at it? And then after doing that for a long time I try to narrow it down again back to that hermeneutic. What was the original intent? What did why did God write this? What was he trying to say? And while there's many observations, there's really only one. Correct interpretation with what does it mean? Right cuz if there's if there's more than once there's all kinds of different meanings. Then it's like okay. Well, how do I know? What's really true? I got it. I got to aim and try to get down to what's really true and then it kind of funnels back out like an hourglass. So then from now I know what it means now, that's when I can take it and I can apply it in so many different areas of my life. That's might apply to my interactions with people at work this week. This might apply to how I Might apply to how I handle my money and there's all kinds of different applications that can come out of what it actually means make sense. It's a lots of observations one interpretation many applications and that's kind of The Hourglass fun all that. I try to take things through and then come down to some kind of application or applications of how does it apply to our life. And as you do that one of the things you might be that's great Josh but like you got like a degree in the Bible like I'm just you know, I'm just a regular guy. How am I supposed to do this? What are something to keep in mind God's word has power right? It's a power to change us but think about think with me about the original intent of God's word. Especially when you get into the New Testament when the New Testament was written it's consist of accounts of Jesus life. It consists of the letters to brand new churches of how to live this out. and so when I think about those things who were those written to originally Were they written to really super mature believers? No, they were written literally two brand new Christians because literally there were only brand new Christians at that time. Cuz Jesus it was shortly. It was it within a couple decades of Jesus life on the earth. Like people were new to this.

So it's written with this missional idea. That's that missional in 10-piece like that. There's this idea of mission and it's it's brand new and it's for everyone and was at 5:10 20th time later. It is so rich and so deep yet. So understandable for anyone.

Season for kids so he thinks that you are kids. So you want to apply it regularly in that begins with with being in it recognizes Authority teaching it to yourself and to your family and then applying an understanding that whole missional peace and nature when it was two brand new Believers, but it came with instruction not just to hear it and some know it as we are calling say but in for my life, but don't be like somebody who just likes he's there pick their face in the mirror when I wake up and see how messed up their hair is but I never grabbed the comb and then just walk away and forget. Like you like look into God's word be doers of the word put it into action.

Contextualize it to your situation. What does God have to say to you today for this situation? It's transformative friends and then As you root your life in it as you recognize its Authority as you study it Faithfully teaching it to yourself and then applying it daily. Sometimes hourly even minute by minute to your life transformation happens. It happens and you as an individual it happens in us as a church and it happens for God's glory and four others Goodall in our community. amen Hey, if is be closer if you've never trusted Jesus and what are you waiting for? Like it? It's so simple as it's nothing to do with you and everything to do with how good he is in Jesus Christ live the life that you and I never could you lived a perfect life. You never send you a paid the penalty for sin on the cross in my place and in your place and to become a Christian is to come to church and go through the motions to become a Christian is to put my faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross and that's That's transformative. It makes you knew and then as you study God's word you start to understand and live out who you've been made to be now and then let me pump real thing and call the morning father. Thank you for that. Thank you for keeping us in for your grace and that it is all by your grace that were saved and made new and transformed.

And thank you that you wrote a book that you wrote these things down for us and we don't have to guess what your will is we don't have to guess how we should live our lives or what we should believe that we don't need to search and find out that you've revealed it to us. It was the truth of the matter is for all of us that we get busy in our lives. We get caught up in the day-to-day things and it's so easy sometimes to take your word for granted or tonight. I apply it to our lives and in recognizing as being for today for us. So I prayed to Jesus that. Is a church more and more we would as individuals read instead of your word more and more as individuals. We teach it to ourselves and to our families and more weed apply it to our lives and it more and more. You would transform us from glory to glory. Thank you for Jesus. without him we have absolutely no hope Can we pray all of this through him and then?