One Body

One Source

Therefore

Before: Therefore I bow & pray

Now: Therefore I urge you to walk worthy

One Calling

Calling to Holiness - v1

1 Pet 1:15-16 “but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.””

Calling to the Local Church - v2

Belonging, Submitting, Participating

One (triune) God

Father - v6

Son - v7

Spirit - v3

There is absolute unity between the Persons of the Trinity. While we are called, saved, and led individually, there is only one source; God.

One Goal

Unity in the Spirit

John 10:27 “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.”

Eph 4:3 “eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

Unity in Faith

Eph 4:13 “until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,”

What do we believe? Why do we believe it?

Unity in Christ

Christian Faith, not the Baptist Faith

The perfect unity of the Trinity flows forth, leading the people of God toward one goal; a Holy Unity.

One Way

Gifts

Psalm 68:18 “You ascended on high, leading a host of captives in your train and receiving gifts among men, even among the rebellious, that the Lord God may dwell there.”

Life, Salvation, Spiritual Gifts

In the Church - v11

1 cor 12:28 “And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues.”

Apostles

Capital A Apostles - foundation

Eph 2:20 “built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone,”

Mark 3:13-19 “And he went up on the mountain and called to him those whom he desired, and they came to him. 14 And he appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach 15 and have authority to cast out demons. 16 He appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter); 17 James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James (to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder); 18 Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Zealot, 19 and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.”

lower case a apostles - God is still sending

Prophets

Biblical Prophets

Prophetic ministry

Acts 13:1 “Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a lifelong friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.”

Acts 15:32 “And Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets, encouraged and strengthened the brothers with many words.”

Evangelists

Acts 21:8 “On the next day we departed and came to Caesarea, and we entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him.”

2 tim 4:5 “As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”

Pastor Teachers

Jer 3:15 “ ‘And I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding.”

Acts 20:28 “Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.”

For the Church

To Equip the Saints

The church is to support, not replace the family

All the members are to do ministry

To unify, stabilize, & mature the body

Unity - the analogy of the body

Stabilize - that we won’t be tossed

Mature - Individual growth & communal growth

Do we need the leadership, wisdom, and power of God to navigate this fractious and divisive age? God’s plan and answer to our need is found in the life and ministry of the local church. That is why we must press into congregational life, and bring as many as possible with us, to the praise of His Glory!