Connect. Grow. Engage.

Introduction

Last week we spent the entire day on Sunday dealing with the reasons why we must not faint and the truths that will effectively keep us from fainting.

Today we bring forward a new ministry process which is central to the accomplishing the purpose of High Plains Baptist Church.

God has placed HPBC here in Clovis, NM for the purpose of advancing the cause of Christ. The process which we shall discuss today, I believe provides the most effective means whereby we may accomplish this task.

We must not only bring men and women to Christ but we must help them to grow so that they too are ultimately capable of bringing others to Christ.

This step by step process is what we desire to encourage every individual who comes through our doors to move through so that they develop into devoted disciples of Jesus Christ.

It is the responsibility of High Plains Baptist Church to Connect people to Christ and His Church, to help them to Grow in grace and knowledge of Christ, and to provide them the opportunity to Engage in the work of ministry for the purpose of bringing others to Christ.

As we examine this process more closely, can I challenge you to examine yourself to see where you are in this process and also recognize your contribution to helping others move through this process.

The first step in this process is to:

Connect- to Christ and His Church

The most important step for every individual in our community is that they would be connected first to Christ.

It is the mission of High Plains Baptist Church to bring those individuals in our community who do not yet know Christ into relationship with Him.

If this morning you are here and you do not know Christ, our highest priority is to introduce you to Him for He alone can save you and He alone can forgive you of your sins and give you eternal life.

This passage of scripture is dealing primarily with the New Testament Church which is comprised only of those who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ as savior.

Beginning a relationship with Jesus Christ is one of the greatest decisions that any person can make but this is only the first step to becoming what God would have us to be.

It is of the utmost importance that once you are connected to Christ that you become connected with His church which is often referred to in scripture as His body.

It is an unfortunate reality that many who become connected to Christ are never solidly connected to His church. Every believer should have a consistent connection with a local New Testament Church.

Paul makes clear that the spiritual development of the believer occurs within to context of the local church. The church is not some invisible entity of all who have believed upon Christ, rather it is a local assembly of believers...

Acts 9:31 KJV 1900

Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.

Acts 11:22 KJV 1900

Then tidings of these things came unto the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch.

Acts 13:1 KJV 1900

Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.

Acts 14:23 KJV 1900

And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.

As we study the scriptures it becomes apparent that when the word church is used it speaks of a particular assembly of believers in a particular place.

This is important, for if this is true, every believer who is connected to Christ should also be connected to a local church.

We are instructed to assemble regularly and not less often as time progresses, but in fact more often because Christ’s return approaches.

Hebrews 10:24–25 KJV 1900

And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

The simple truth is that the more regularly we assemble with other believers as the church, the greater our opportunity for personal spiritual growth and the greater our opportunity to contribute to the spiritual growth of others.

Appearing on a Sunday morning a couple of times a month is not sufficient to form this vital connection. Those who are intent on spiritual growth will recognize the importance of the church to their growth and will attend as often as is possible.

Not every believer will be able to attend every service and yet a majority of believers could certainly attend more often than they do.

This connection is cemented through baptism and church membership. Why should anyone who is connected to Christ not have a desire to be connected to His body wherever they are?

I know particularly, for some military families, there is a hesitation to become members because of the temporary nature of your assignment here, but could I encourage you that you should find the local church that God is leading you to and become a member so that you can take full advantage of the time you have to grow spiritually and ultimately to serve faithfully.

Once the connection to Christ and the local church has been established, you are ready to pursue serious spiritual growth.

Thus the second step is to:

Grow- in Grace and Knowledge

2 Peter 3:18 KJV 1900

But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

If you are connected to Christ by faith and have become a part of a local New Testament Church, you are already connected to that which will produce real spiritual growth in your life and yet you must pursue this growth in order to see it come to fruition.

Again it is unfortunate, but true, that there are many who are connected to Christ and to the local church who are experiencing little or no spiritual growth. As a church we want to do all that we can to provide you the opportunity for spiritual growth.

However, you and I must commit to spiritual growth and place ourselves in positions to increase our understanding of the Word of God and to deepen our understanding of the principles it contains.

One of the best avenues through which to pursue spiritual growth is through studying the scriptures together with a group of likeminded believers in the context of what we call Sunday School.

Joining a Sunday School class is a great way for children, youth, and adults to become involved in a particular course of study through the scriptures with other believers.

It is our desire that every believer connected to HPBC would become a part of a Sunday School class to further their knowledge of the Word of God.

You should certainly study the scriptures on your own but there is a real benefit to studying the Bible in a community setting and gaining insights and encouragement from other believers.

Notice in verse 12 Paul speaks of the perfecting of the saints which is our progress towards spiritual maturity. He then goes on to describe what this looks like in verse 13, which is our conformity ultimately to the image of Christ. Our spiritual growth is not measured purely by our knowledge of the Bible but rather by our conformity to Christ.

He also in the following verse speaks of the importance of this process of growth with regard to our stability and protection from error. The more you grow in grace and knowledge, the more firmly established in the faith you shall be and the more resolutely you will be able to refute and reject error.

At HPBC, it is not our desire to be purely a nursery for babes in Christ, but rather a home where the child of God can grow and progress to spiritual adulthood.

Will you purpose right now to pursue spiritual growth here at HPBC? Don’t simply attend church to check a box of religious duty, but come with a desire to grow and to make progress towards your own personal spiritual maturity.

The process of spiritual growth is designed ultimately to bring the believer to the point at which they begin to:

Engage- in the Work of Ministry

Notice again verse 12 and the purpose of the perfecting of the saints, it is so that they may become engaged in the work of ministry, which ultimately brings about the edification (building up) of the body of Christ.

This is developed further in verse 16, where Paul speaks of the contributions which are made by every part of the body of Christ. Every member has a role to fill in the body, and when the body is “fitly joined together and compacted” it is because every member is in its place fulfilling its particular role.

Church growth (maketh increase) is the result of every member of the body doing its part. The reason so many churches are shrinking and dying is because the member have become consumers rather than contributors. This is a dangerous trend that is wholly unsustainable in any church.

The real reason that you and I should pursue spiritual growth is not so that we can boast of our knowledge or our spirituality, but rather so that we can become contributors who are involved in the work of the ministry of High Plains Baptist Church or whatever church God leads you to become a part of.

There is much work to be accomplished here in Clovis, NM and we shall never be able to make a significant impact if only a small minority of our membership are willing to engage themselves in the work of ministry.

I believe there is a work for all to do and that if you will sincerely strive for spiritual growth and determine to seek the Lord, He will give you a job to do.

It is our goal to equip those who make HPBC their church home so that they can confidently engage in the work of ministry so that we can enlarge our influence and increase our reach here into our community.

Ultimately there should be no consumer Christians at HPBC, we should all be contributing in some way to what God desires for us to accomplish as a church body.

Conclusion

It is our desire that HPBC will grow spiritually as well as numerically in the years to come and it is my belief that following this fundamental process will be the most effective means to both.

This process is Continual in that each of us should always continue to strive to strengthen our Connection to Christ and His church, we should each be continuously striving to Grow in grace and knowledge, and we should all be seeking to become more Engaged in the work of ministry.

This process is also cyclical, because as more people become engaged in the work of ministry, naturally we will have the opportunity to connect even more people to Christ and we will have the opportunity to help them to begin this same process for themselves.

Where are you in this process? Have you by faith begun a relationship with Jesus Christ? Are you firmly Connected to the church? Are you sincerely striving to Grow in grace and knowledge? Are you currently Engaged in the work of ministry at HPBC?