Session 1 - The Vision of Biblical Community
Group Leader Retreat • Sermon • Submitted
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Handout
The Vision of Biblical Community
The Vision of Biblical Community
God created the Heavens and the Earth
God created the Heavens and the Earth
1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
In all of his wonderful, marvelous, breathtaking creation there was one thing he said was not good.
18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.”
Wisdom also bears this out.
1 Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire; he breaks out against all sound judgment.
Why?
Why?
We bear God’s image.
27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
As image bearers of God we can only image him in community because he is a God who has existed in eternal, complementary, harmonious community within the Trinity.
(Triangle)
When we are out of community, we cannot fully image God and thus cannot fully experience his joy.
Biblical Community is the human expression of the very nature of the God as the Trinity
BROKEN COMMUNITY
BROKEN COMMUNITY
God exists in a perfect community.
Because of sin, we do not.
When sin entered the world all of the primary relationships a person experiences were fractured.
Broken Relationships:
Their relationship with God
Their relationship with each other
Their relationship with the rest of creation
Their relationships with themselves.
BC the Restoration of what was Lost
BC the Restoration of what was Lost
Biblical Community aims at the restoration of what was lost in the fall.
Biblical Community is the undoing of the fall,
it is the restoration of reconciled relationships through Christ.
all sad things coming untrue
This is the Biblical Vision / description of Biblical Community
This is the Biblical Vision / description of Biblical Community
42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
Community Groups are the expression of Biblical Community at One Hope Church.
Community Groups: are Jesus-centered, Spirit-filled, intentional relationships to form us to be more like Christ.
42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
[Diagram]
This is the Biblical Vision / description of Biblical Community
Q: HOW DO WE GROW?
Three things we need to Grow: [Triangle]
God’s Word
God’s Spirit
God’s People
Biblical Community is the intersection of these three.
Sunday to Sunday
Sunday to Sunday
To fully understand the importance of gathering in groups during the week we have to understand how groups relate to a Sunday Service.
TABLE DISCUSSION: What’s the Relationship between Sunday service and the rest of the week? (5 min)
2ndry: Are you drawn more to the institutional church (Church building, staff, etc.) or an organic church (ex. House churches)? Why is that?
Why is that?
Is Sunday Service the Church or are Groups the Church?
YES
The Word Church comes from the greek word “ekklesia” which simply means an assembly or gathering.
EKKLESIA - Corporate Worship
EKKLESIA - Corporate Worship
At One Hope we believe it is good to Gather Weekly for Corporate Worship through Song, Sermon, Service and Sacrament.
This is an aspect of ‘being the church’
We also believe in the importance of gathering in little ‘ekklesia’s’ throughout the week to live out Biblical Community.
If Sunday Service is the “E”kklesia - gathering
Groups are the “e”kklesia.
ORGANIC (HOUSE CHURCH) VS. INSTITUTION
ORGANIC (HOUSE CHURCH) VS. INSTITUTION
Is one better than the others?
Both are needed.
Church is talked about both as a building (structure) and as a garden (organic)
Building:
19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.
Garden
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.
Or as Paul says,
9 For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building.
At One Hope it’s not one or the other, but how can we do both to excellence.
7 Values of Biblical Community
7 Values of Biblical Community
How do we accomplish and experience this kind of community?
7 Values
Why Values?
Values drive our behaviors
Come from our Beliefs
Which come from our Worldview
Our VALUES are based on the Bible, God’s Word
Biblical Worldview — Beliefs — Values — Behaviors
7 VALUES of Biblical Community
Devote Daily
Live Authentically
Pursue Relationally
Counsel Biblically
Admonish & Encourage Faithfully
Engage Missionally
Multiply Regularly
Devote Daily
Devoting ourselves daily to a personal relationship with Jesus.
How are you and Jesus doing?
Devoting Daily
You are responsible for your own relationship with Jesus.
Just like your marriage or your friendship.
They get better when you invest time in them.
How are you and Jesus doing?
Intentional Relationships
Do you spend time with Jesus?
FUEL FOR LIFE
FUEL FOR LIFE
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.
Live Authentically
Does your car need gas?
Pursue Relationally
Does your house need electricity?
Does your body need food?
Jesus/Word-Centered
Devote Daily
We can do nothing on our own power. We need to be intimately connected with Jesus daily.
What does this mean?
Counsel Biblically
Prayer and God’s Word
God’s Word
A&E Faithfully
What gets in the way?
Spirit-Filled Mission
Do you know that the ENEMY will do everything to keep you out of God’s Word?
EM, MR
Like he’ll keep giving you salt water to quench your thirst.
Subtle Warfare:
Screwtape Letters Ch.2
Leadership is not a bad word
Leadership is not a bad word
Leadership
Leadership begins with leading yourself
Leadership begins with leading yourself.
Table Discussions
What does devoting daily look like for you?
What kinds of things hinder devoting daily?
What does leadership mean for you?
What does leadership mean for you?
Is leader a bad word for you?
How do you think Jesus defined leadership?
Do you view yourself as a leader?
Why or why not?
Large Group Discussion
Large Group Discussion
Leadership Matters
The World needs Christian Leadership
Leadership is not a bad word
Leadership is a high calling
Leadership is a gift
Leadership is a joy
1 Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.
42 And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 43 But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Leadership is serving others.
The Making of a Leader
The 4 C’s of Leadership
Calling: Spiritual Leadership call is a current and/or lifelong assignment from God…
Calling: Spiritual Leadership call is a current and/or lifelong assignment from God…
Character: Character is what qualifies us to lead spiritually. Gift and Calling without character is a no
Competency: Are you gifted and able to be a spiritual leader? Do you have the skills, knowledge and tools
Capacity: Can you pull it off right now?
The greatest need in the church today is qualified committed humble leaders.
CODY FLIEHMAN
Questions/Comments?
Questions/Comments?