Building Community: Getting Practical

OOS

I. Welcome

A. P. Dustin

II. Opening Prayer

A.

III. Worship —

A. Songs:

a.

IV. Announcements

A. Church Decoration

B. Green Mountain Christmas

V. Sermon

VI. Offering

A. Song:

SERMON

INTRO

I. Where We’ve Been

II. Where We’re Going

III. Main Text

Acts 2:42–45 ESV

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.

I. Prayer

BODY

I. Building community practically

Acts 2:42 ESV

42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

A. The Jesus community devotes themselves

a. devotion implies regular & continual persistence

1. A local Jesus community must persist in the building of community

B. The Jesus community devotes ourself to the leadership’s teaching

a. To be devoted to teaching is to attend Jesus-centered teaching

1. You aren’t apart of the community unless u show up

i. 3 ways 2 show up as part of GMCC:

-physically attend Sunday Service & Tuesday night bible study

-virtually attend Sunday Service & Tuesday night bible study via facebook/youtube live

-physically attend Sunday Service & Tuesday night bible study through sml groups

b. To be devoted to teaching is to apply the Jesus-centered teaching to your daily life

1. It’s not enough to memorize what Jesus taught

i. We gotta live out that teaching

C. The Jesus community devotes ourself to regular common fellowship & sharing meals

a. Biblical fellowship is association with & close relationship to one another

1. Showing up on sunday isn’t enough 2b a community

i. We gotta share life 2gether.

ii. We gotta start taring down our 10’ high emotional walls & let 1 another in?

2. What if u took it upon urself 2 invite folks over for dinner during the week

i. Letting people get to know ur

-wins & losses

-talents & short-falls

-growth & sins

ii. & what if we suspended judgement & activated exhortation (helping folks grow)

iii. How might this kind o sharing life build community in GMCC?

b. this experience should be filled with gladness, generosity and worship

Acts 2:46–47 ESV

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.

D. The Jesus community devotes themselves to praying together

Acts 2:42 ESV

42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

a. Nothing is more effective in bonding a community together than prayer

1. ways to get involved w/praying 2gether at GMCC

E. The Jesus community devotes themselves to sharing resources

Acts 2:44–45 ESV

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.

a.

II. In this kind of community God showed up

Acts 2:43 ESV

43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.

A. In context these signs and wonders are God’s way of saying hello to the un-churched

a.

OFFERNING

I. Invite the Worship Team Up

II. Thank u 4 ur generous gifts

A. It’s by your giving that:

a. keep the lights on

b. continue to stream live

c. help those in need

d. continue renovations even through the pandemic

1. God has called us to move forward not hunker down / stall out

III. 3 ways to give

A. online: greenmtn.org

B. text the word “give” to [phone]

a. already gave via text: just text the amount to that same #

C. mail a check to 440 Main St. in Bennington

IV. A continued need above ur tithe & Offering:

A. Building Fund!

a. lots o maintenance & renovation to b done

1. Can select when u fill out the web based form

2. Or put Building fund in the memo line of ur check

V. Close in Prayer

A. Song: “”