A Kingdom Focused ChurchA Kingdom Focused ChurchLuke 13:18-21Luke 13:18-21

Is Grace like a Mustard Tree?

Luke 13:18-19 18 He said therefore, “What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? 19 It is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his garden, and it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches.”

God does not have a mission for the church. God has a church for His mission.

Mustard Tree – from the outside in.

1. Purpose – What is it for?2. Structure – What is it made up of?3. Roots – What and where is its power?

Matthew 28:18-1918 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

Mustard Tree - Branching Out

Downtown Church Plant

•Why downtown? It’s strategic…•When will we launch?

– When there is critical mass?– When there is at least 10 House Churches

downtown.

Ephesians 4:11–13 11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 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…

Ephesians 4:14–16 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

Mustard Tree - Internal Structure

• Biblical Equipping – Ephesians 4:12• Biblical Community – Hebrews 10:24• Biblical Counseling – Galatians 6:1-2

Get Connected…Help others get connected – Jan 29th

What will this cost me?

Your life and all that is in it.

•We understand the mission.•We understand the costs associated.•Our flesh resists the road ahead.•So what do we do now?

What do we do now?

1. Settle for Consumerism…2. Manipulate you with guilt, shiny

programs, other…3. Teach, preach, and believe the Gospel!

John 12:23-2423 And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25 Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.