Sermon Tone Analysis
Overall tone of the sermon
This automated analysis scores the text on the likely presence of emotional, language, and social tones. There are no right or wrong scores; this is just an indication of tones readers or listeners may pick up from the text.
A score of 0.5 or higher indicates the tone is likely present.
Emotion Tone
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Conscientiousness
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Extraversion
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Reasons
What are some reasons people GO to church?
Pew Research Center (Aug 2018) “10 reasons Americans go to church - and 9 reasons the don’t.”
The percentage refers to people who said this was a “very important” reason for their decision:
To become closer to God. (81%)
So their children will have a moral foundation.
(69%)
To become a better person.
(68%)
For comfort in times of trouble or sorrow.
(66%)
They find the sermons valuable.
(59%)
To be part of a faith community.
(57%)
To continue their family’s religious traditions.
(37%)
They feel obligated to go.
(31%)
To meet new people or socialize.
(19%)
To please their family, spouse or partner.
(16%)
What are some reasons people DO NOT GO to church?
Top reasons people SKIP church:
They practice their faith in “other ways.”
(37%)
They are not believers.
(28%)
No reason is “very important.”
(26%)
They haven’t found a house of worship they like.
(23%)
They don’t like the sermons.
(18%)
They don’t feel welcome.
(14%)
They don’t have the time.
(12%)
Poor health or mobility.
(9%)
No house of worship in their area.
(7%)
In looking over the reasons why people choose to go (or not to go) to church, what stands out to you?
The concern that I have is with those who were faithful attenders who have now STOPPED attending and are using the pandemic as their reason.
The book states “some estimate upwards of 1/3 of churchgoers have stopped attending church”!
It’s not just my desire to see people in church, there are biblical reasons we attend church.
It’s a command:
Fellowship/Community:
The corporate body IS the church:
It gives us clarity:
Christ went to church:
It teaches us how to solve life's problems:
It gives an opportunity to use our gifts:
Our children are taught:
For forgiveness of sins:
Receive spiritual guidance:
This list is by no means an exhaustive list, and surely we can find many other reasons why attending church is important.
But one of the most important things that I can find, in scripture, is that we need encouragement from one another.
As this pandemic continues, we have grown weary.
We have become fearful.
We have separated ourselves from others.
To be quite honest, we need each other!
In Chapter 1, there is an “aha” moment from the writer on attending church on page 20.
What draws us to the church?
The Holy Spirit DREW HIM through preaching, and the people.
Preaching had challenged him spiritually and intellectually.
He had a realization, a conviction, God is God.
I am not.
But the people invested in him; inviting him to bible studies and meals, they loved on him, they showed him what it meant to be a christ-like servant.
They didn’t just talk about it, they didn’t just tell him about it, they showed him how following God was different that following the world.
How has the Holy Spirit used preaching in your life?
How has he used his people?
Why are both preaching and people essential to what the church is?
How many of you have heard these words “Talk is cheap”?
What we actually mean is you do not believe someone will do what they say.
Can I challenge you with this today?
Church talk is cheap.
Why would I say that?
Because for years we have sang “Oh how I love Jesus” only to live like the devil.
We say “let us know if you need anything” only to come up with excuses when another is in need.
We have said we are a loving and caring church, only to see them slip out the back doors of our church and not even notice.
People deserve more from us.
They don’t just need “Christian Talk”, they need a community of believers that live the Word of God.
Do you think most churches main goal today is evangelism?
Why or why not?
More importantly, what does our church offer that would attract non-Christians?
Let us read Isaiah 62:1-2
What does Isaiah say will be noticeable about the gathered people of God?
Who is going to see and seek out the city?
How are these verses being fulfilled in the church today?
Specifically, how do people in our community see righteousness and salvation being exemplified in our church?
The church should be the FIRST place where anyone (believer or unbeliever) can find heaven here on earth.
On page 25 we find the following:
Matthew 4 shows us the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Matthew 6 tells us God’s will is done on earth as it is in heaven.
Matthew 6 also tells us we store up the treasures of heaven while on earth.
Matthew 16 and 18 reminds us we bind and loose on earth what is bound and loosed in heaven.
And finally in 1 Corinthians 3 and 1 Peter 2 we are told WE are the heavenly temple.
In Hebrews 12:22-24 we see a picture describing the gathered worship of the church.
What is your impression of worship after reading this text?
How would our church experience change if we remembered that we are worshiping in “the heavenly Jerusalem”?
How would it change our worship if we remember that we are worshiping alongside the whole host of heaven?
How would it change our experience if we remembered we are worshiping in the presence of Jesus himself?
What do we expect when we come to church?
Many of us have attended church for the majority of our lives.
We may have been saved, baptised, and even joined the church.
Growing up in church, we learn the right answers to biblical questions.
But knowing the answers is totally different that having a personal relationship with our Savior.
It isn’t until we have that personal relationship, that we can truly recognize the purpose of church.
The author of this chapter makes this statement on page 28 “A church is a group of people who know they’ve been loved by Christ and have begun to love one another like that”.
How did God demonstrate his love toward us?
What word does John use to stress the importance of loving one another in the church?
Is this love optional?
What we will learn in the coming chapters is this:
A church is a group of Christians (Chapter 2)
who assemble as an earthly embassy of christ’s heavenly kingdom (Chapter 3)
to proclaim the good news and commands of Christ the King (Chapter 4)
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