connect - centennial baptist membership class (student … · session 1 ! big group: worshipping...
TRANSCRIPT
!
CONNECT !!!
! !
Membership Class Centennial Baptist Church
!Developing fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ. !!!!
NAME:_________________________________
!!!!!!Welcome to Connect! We’re glad you are interested in knowing more about Centennial Bap:st Church and our mission. !▪ The purpose of Connect is to connect you to the __________ of Centennial
Bap:st Church and to the ________________ of CBC. !▪ It is amazing what God’s people can do when they are connected in a
common ________________ and in authen:c ______________________. !▪ No believer should be ________________________ from their church, her
mission or her people. !▪ The ___________________ of CBC is to develop fully devoted followers of
Jesus Christ. !▪ The _______________ of CBC is to lead individuals and families in a growth
process of _________________ God, ______________________ with others and ______________________ the world. This will happen as persons connect in:
o_____________ group o_____________ group o__________________ of service
▪ The doctrinal statement of belief for Centennial Bap:st Church is the ______________________________________________. !! !!!!!
� 2
SESSION 1 !Big Group: Worshipping God !
This session is to further develop and enhance our understanding of and obedience to worship God. The goal of session one is that you will worship God by joining other believers in the church’s weekly worship services. !
Facts About Worship: !❖ God _______________________ our worship. !“You shall have no other gods before Me.” (Exodus 20:3) !“We’re here to be worshipers first and workers second. We take a convert and immediately make a worker out of him. God never meant it to be so. God meant that a convert should learn to be a worshiper, and aVer that he can learn to be a worker….. The work done by a worshiper will have eternity in it.” (A. W. Tozer) !!❖ God ________________________ our worship. !“Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-‐four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying: !You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created.” (Revela:on 4:9-‐11) !▪ God is holy and is to be greatly ______________________________. !
“To whom then will you like Me, or to whom shall I be equal?” says the Holy One … Before Me there was no God formed, nor shall there be aVer Me. I, even I, am the LORD and besides Me there is no savior.” (Isaiah 40:25; 43:10-‐11) !“Then He [God] said, Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground. Moreover He said, I am the God of your Father – the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God.” (Exodus 3:5-‐6) !❖ God ________________________ our worship. !
� 3
“Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salva:on is of the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God Is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:21-‐24; emphasis added) !▪ People by nature are ______________________________________. !
“It is not a thing which man can decide, whether he will be a worshiper or not, a worshiper he must be, the only ques:on is what will he worship? Every man worships.” (F. W. Robertson) !▪ We tend to ___________________________ the object of our worship. !
What Worship is Not: !❖ Worship is not being “____________________________________.” !▪ True worship is God being honored by us. God is the ____________________ and we are the __________________________. !
❖ Worship is not just a _______________________________. !❖ Worship is not _________________________ around us. !▪ Worship occurs when we ____________________ on the Almighty rather than ourselves
and our own personal preferences. !Amending Weekly Worship Services: !
Why should I amend weekly worship services? !❖ Worship is the Chris:an’s natural _________________________ to our redeeming God. !“Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD, and spake, saying, “I will sing unto the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea. The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salva:on: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habita:on; my father’s God, and I will exalt him.” (Exodus 15:1-‐2) !❖ The Bible ________________________________ it. !“And let us consider one another in order to s:r up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhor:ng one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:24-‐25)
� 4
!“Most Americans worship their work, work at their play, and play at their worship.” (Author Unknown) !❖ So I can enhance my _____________________________ with God. !“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” (James 4:8) !❖ So I can join other saints in ______________________________________ to God. !❖ So I can express my __________________________ to God. !“Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.” (Psalm 100:4) !❖ So I can ___________________ more about God. !“Come unto me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and you shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Mamhew 11:28-‐30; emphasis added) !“Show me Your ways, O LORD; teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me.” (Psalm 25:4-‐5) !“The history of mankind will probably show that no people has ever risen above its religion, and man’s spiritual history will posi:vely demonstrate that no religion has ever been greater than its idea of God. Worship is pure or base, as the worshiper entertains high or low thoughts of God. For this reason the gravest ques:on before the church is always God Himself, and the most portentous fact about any man is not what he at a given :me may say or do, but what he in his deep heart conceives God to be like.” (A. W. Tozer) !❖ So I will not grow spiritually _________________ and ___________________. !“But if you turn away, and forsake my statues and my commandments, which I have set before you, and shall go and serve other gods, and worship them; then will I pluck them up by the roots out of my land which I have given them; and this house, which I have sanc:fied for my name, will I cast out of my sight, and will make it to be a proverb and a byword among all na:ons. And this house, which is high, shall be an astonishment to every one that passes by it; so that he shall say, Why has the LORD done this unto the land, and unto this house? And it shall be answered, ‘Because they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, and laid hold on other gods, and worshipped them, and served them: therefore he has brought all this evil upon them.” (2 Chronicles 7:19-‐22) ! !!!
� 5
How to Prepare for Worship: !❖ __________________________ !❖ __________________________ !❖ __________________________ !“Empty hearts, prayerless spirits, :red bodies, undisciplined minds, unopened Bibles, and careless artudes have ruined far more worship services than all the demonic ac:vity of hell.” (Judson Cornwall) !The closer we get to God, the more we will want to worship Him! !!!!
The Ordinances: !A Chris:an ordinance can be defined as a _______________________ act commanded by Jesus ! to ________________ His death, burial and resurrec:on which provided salva:on from sin. !❖ Bap:sm !Bap:sm is the first step of obedience that every believer should take. Bap:sm is a picture that symbolizes three things with which you iden:fy, associate and embrace. !▪ Bap:sm pictures/symbolizes the_________________, __________________ and ___________________________ of Jesus Christ. !
“Buried with Him [Christ] in bap:sm, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.” (Colossians 2:12) !▪ Bap:sm pictures/symbolizes that we were spiritually dead and away from God, but now we are made His children and are spiritually ___________________. !
“Buried with Him in bap:sm, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses.” (Colossians 2:12-‐13) !▪ Bap:sm pictures/symbolizes my _______________________________ in Christ.
� 6
!“Or do you not know that as many of us as were bap:zed into Christ Jesus were bap:zed into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through bap:sm into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” (Romans 6:3-‐4; emphasis added) !When you are bap:zed you are making the statement that you iden:fy with Jesus. !“Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.” (Mamhew 10:32-‐33) !Bap:sm should be by immersion aVer salva:on as an act of obedience. !❖ Lord’s Supper !Jesus instructed His followers to remember His death. !▪ The Lord’s Supper is a ____________________________. !
“The Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He [Jesus] had given thanks, He broke it and said, ‘Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me. In the same manner He also took the cup aVer supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as oVen as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” (1 Corinthians 11:23-‐25; emphasis added) !!▪ The Lord’s Supper is a ____________________________. !
“The Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He [Jesus] had given thanks, He broke it and said, ‘Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me. In the same manner He also took the cup aVer supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as oVen as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” (1 Corinthians 11:23-‐25; emphasis added) !
• The bread represents Jesus’ _____________________ which was given for us. !• The juice represents Jesus’ _____________________ which was shed for us. !
▪ The Lord’s Supper is a ____________________________ of faith. !“For as oVen as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death :ll He comes.” (1 Corinthians 11:26; emphasis added) ! !!
� 7
Who Should Take the Lord’s Supper? !❖ Only those who are already born again. !“He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in me, and I in him.” (John 6:56) !❖ Only those believers who have _______________________ themselves, confessed and
repented of their sin, and restored fractured rela:onships. !“Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged.” (1 Corinthians 11:27-‐31; emphasis added) !❖ It is a ______________________________ thing to partake of the Lord’s Supper with known
sin in your life. !!
!� 8
SESSION TWO: !Kingdom Generosity !
“But since you excel in everything – in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you – see that you also excel in this grace of giving.” (2 Corinthians 8:7) !The goal of this session is that you will worship God by being ______________________ to give a :the of your income to the Lord’s work. Tithing is the training wheels for generosity. The way to become generous is to be generous. “I have never missed anything I have given away” (Johnny Hunt). !
What is a Tithe? !❖ The word @the comes from a Hebrew word meaning “__________________________.” !▪ Biblical :thing is giving 10% of your _______________________________. !
❖ What is the difference between a “:the” and an “offering”? !▪ Tithing is giving 10% of my gross earnings as an __________________________ offering
to the church. !“Bring all the :thes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house.” (Malachi 3:10) !▪ An offering is anything I give _______________________________________ my :the. !
Tithing: A Mamer of Discipleship !❖ We’re not trying to raise _________________________; we’re trying to raise ________________________. !
“For whom He foreknew, He also predes:ned to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.” (Romans 8:29; emphasis added) !“And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man.” (1 Corinthians 15:49; emphasis added) !❖ As disciples of Christ, we should strive to grow in every area of our lives. This includes our
finances. !
� 9
Speaking of giving, Paul said: “But as you abound in everything – in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all diligence, and in your love for us – see that you abound in this grace also.” (2 Corinthians 8:7; emphasis added) !❖ The issue is not our contribu:ons to God’s work, but our _________________________ to
God’s Word. !Jesus said: “If you love Me, keep My commandments ... He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me … if anyone loves Me, he will keep My word ….” (John 14:15, 21, 23) !
• God has not _______________________________ Himself to bless anything except our obedience. !
❖ A :thing disciple is a ___________________________ disciple. !“And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35) !❖ We believe :thing is __________________________________ of funding His mission and
ministry through the local church. !The :the is the lifeline for the church’s budget – which is our mission and ministry plan to impact our community, state, na:on and world with the gospel of Jesus. God’s Word teaches us to :the because that is the way God wants to underwrite the financial needs of His work on earth. !❖ A giving disciple strengthens his ______________________________. !“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths …. Honor the Lord with your possessions, and with the firsCruits of all your increase.” (Proverbs 3:5-‐6, 9; emphasis added) !❖ A giving disciple makes investments for ________________________________. !“Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good founda:on for the :me to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.” (1 Timothy 6:18-‐19; emphasis added) !❖ A giving disciple is a _____________________________ disciple. !“And remember the words of our Lord Jesus, that He said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35) !!
� 10
“Then the people rejoiced, for they had offered willingly, because with a loyal heart they had offered willingly to the Lord; and King David also rejoiced greatly.” (1 Chronicles 29:9) !
• Have you ever no:ced that the more miserable people in the world are usually ___________________________ people? ! !!
Why Should I Tithe? !❖ God ___________________________________ :thing. !This is the only reason we need. If God said it, then we ought to obey it. !“And all the :the of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD’s. It is holy to the LORD.” (Levi:cus 27:30) !❖ Jesus __________________________________ even the hypocri:cal Pharisees for :thing. !“But woe to you Pharisees! For you :the mint and rue and all manner of herbs and pass by jus:ce and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.” (Luke 11:42; emphasis added) !❖ Tithing teaches me to __________________________ God. !“And you shall eat before the LORD your God, in the place where He chooses to make His name abide, the :the of your grain and your new wine and your oil, of the firstborn of your herds and your flocks, that you may learn to fear the LORD your God always.” (Deuteronomy 14:23) !❖ Tithing affords me the opportunity to acknowledge that God blessed me with the ability to __________________________________ in the first place. !
“And you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth.” (Deuteronomy 8:18) !❖ Tithing keeps me from ______________________________ from God. !“Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, in what way have we robbed You? In :thes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse, for you have robbed Me, even this whole na:on.” (Malachi 3:8-‐9) !To not :the is to __________________ against God. !❖ Tithing allows me to _______________________________ and His desire to bless me.
� 11
!“Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, in what way have we robbed You? In :thes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse, for you have robbed Me, even this whole na:on. Bring all the :thes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it.” (Malachi 3:8-‐10; emphasis added) !!!❖ Giving makes me __________________________________. !“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.” (2 Corinthians 8:9) !❖ Tithing ____________________________ me. !“Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.” (Luke 6:38) !!
! !� 12
SESSION THREE: !Small Groups: Connecting with Others !
This session is to develop and enhance our understanding of connec:ng with others and par:cipa:ng with God’s people. !The goal of this session is that you will connect with others by gerng involved in a small group class where you can interact with God’s people. !
Small Groups Provide Plaworm for Church’s Mission and Vision: !❖ Have you no:ced? Everyone wants to amend a growing, people-‐reaching, world-‐impac:ng, on-‐fire, vibrant __________________________ church. !
❖ How can a church reach the world with the gospel yet remain small? Through small groups. !❖ The church congrega:on _________________________________ all the :me as we fulfill
the Great Commission. !❖ The church congrega:on _________________________________ all the :me through small
group Bible study classes. !“Small groups are essen:al to our individual spiritual growth as well as our corporate spiritual growth.” – Pastor Michael Stovall !❖ The _____________________________________ church at Jerusalem grew large and small
all at the same :me and con:nued to meet in large and small group serngs. !“And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.” (Acts 5:42, emphasis added) !❖ God created us for rela:onships … !▪ Our _________________________ rela:onship with Him. !▪ Our __________________________ rela:onship with each other. !▪ Our worship services bring us into the ___________________________ of God so that
we can relate to Him. ▪ Our small groups bring us into __________________________ with others so we can
relate to them.
� 13
Why Should I Par:cipate in a Small Group? !
❖ To develop meaningful __________________________________. !▪ Can we say that we are truly united and assimilated into the body of Christ if we have no
meaningful rela:onships? !❖ To _________________________________________ through the study of God’s Word. !“So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17) !❖ To _____________________________________ in :mes of need. !“Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.” (Philippians 2:4) !▪ If you elect not to get involved in a small group we will have no way to _________________________ your need and ________________________ to your need. !
❖ To join others in _________________________________ endeavors. !❖ To be held _____________________________. !▪ No one ________________ accountability, but everyone ___________________ it. ! !
What Role Do Small Groups Play in the Life of Centennial? !Mission is best accomplished in the context of a small group. !Small groups are how we ________________________ and ___________________ flesh out our mission. !❖ _____________________________ best takes place within the context of small groups.!❖ _____________________________ best takes place within the context of small groups.!❖ _____________________________ best takes place within the context of small groups.!❖ _____________________________ best take place within the context of small groups.!❖ _____________________________ best takes place within the context of small groups.
� 14
❖ Our __________________________ strategy best takes place within the context of small groups.
❖ Small groups are the __________________________________ to accomplish our mission. !▪ Our mission is accomplished __________________________________ at a :me. !
Defini:on of a Small Group: !A small group is a living organism of the Body of Christ where all members mutually par@cipate in fellowship, Bible study, ministry, accountability, and mission by a shared contribu@on of giGs, resources and sacrifice. !!!! !
!!� 15
SESSION FOUR !Area of Ministry Service: Serving the World !
This session is to further develop and enhance our understanding of and obedience to serving God by serving others. The goal of this session is that you will serve God by _____________________ the body of Christ through _________________________________ in a ministry. !
Born with a God-‐Given Purpose: !❖ Each person is ____________________________ made and giVed by God. !“So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” (Genesis 1:27) !“What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him? For You have made him a limle lower than the angels, and You have crowned him with glory and honor.” (Psalm 8:4-‐5) !❖ Every person is created by God with a _________________________________ to fulfill
God’s purpose for their lives. !“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11) !❖ Every born-‐again believer is _______________________ by God for the purpose of service. !“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10) !Why People Don’t Fulfill Their Purpose: !❖ Excuse #1: Lack of ______________________________. !▪ This excuse is used most oVen, but it simply is not true. Everyone can do _______________________________! !
❖ Excuse #2: Lack of ______________________________. !▪ The way you spend your money and your :me reflect your _______________________. ▪ Understand this: Time management is not really :me management; :me management is
priority management. !� 16
❖ Excuse #3: Lack of ______________________________. !▪ This is the most bothersome of all excuses because it is a _____________________ problem. It reveals our _________________________.
▪ Can we say we are commimed to Christ when we are devoid of the ______________________________ of Christ? ! !
Serving Through Your GiVedness: !“Now concerning your spiritual giVs, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant.” (1 Corinthians 12:1) !A spiritual giV is a special ability, given by the Holy Spirit to every believer at their conversion, to be used to minister to others and therefore build up the Body of Christ. (Ephesians 4; Romans 12; 1 Corinthians 12-‐14) !❖ Only ________________________________ have spiritual giVs. !“But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” (1 Corinthians 2:14) !❖ Every Chris:an has at least ____________________________________. !“For I wish that all men were even as I myself. But each one has his own giV from God, one in this manner and another in that.” (1 Corinthians 7:7) !❖ No one receives ____________ the giVs. !“Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, aVer that miracles, then giVs of healing, helps administra:ons, varie:es of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Do all have giVs of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?” (1 Corinthians 12:27-‐30) !❖ No single giV is given to _______________________________. (1 Corinthians 12:29-‐30) !“But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s giV.” (Ephesians 4:7) !❖ The Holy Spirit ________________________________ what giVs I get. !“But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distribu:ng to each one individually as He wills.” (1 Corinthians 12:11) !
� 17
❖ The giVs I’m given are _________________________________. !“For the giVs and the calling of God are irrevocable.” (Romans 11:29) !❖ I am to _______________________________ the giVs God gives me. !“Do not neglect the giV that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership.” (1 Timothy 4:14) !❖ It’s a sin to ___________________________ the giVs God gave me. !“Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.” (1Corinthians 4:1-‐2; See also Mamhew 25:14-‐30) !❖ Using my giV ________________________________ God. !“By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.” (John 15:8) !
The Purpose of Spiritual GiVs: !❖ Spiritual giVs are not for my benefit, but for others. !“As each one has received a giV, minister it to one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” (1 Peter 4:10) !❖ Spiritual giVs help produce ______________________________ in our church family. !“but now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased … but that the members should have the same care for one another.” (1 Corinthians 12:18, 25) !
The Chris:an and Spiritual Work: !❖ God’s kingdom needs __________________________ workers and we are to pray for them. !“Therefore he said to them, ‘The harvest is truly great, but the laborers are few: pray to the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth laborers into his harvest.” (Luke 10:2) !❖ We are to work ____________________________________________. !“For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who leV his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. Watch; therefore, for you know not when the master of the house will come, at evening, or at midnight, or at the cock-‐crowing, or in the morning: So that when He comes He will not find you sleeping.” (Mark 13:34-‐36)
� 18
!FACT: God expects us to ___________________________________ spiritual fruit. !“Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit … I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing … By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.” (John 15:2, 5, 8; emphasis added) !!!!!!!!
THE INTERSECTION GIFTS + PASSIONS = PRIORITIES
!!
GIFTS !!!!!!!!!! ! !!
PASSIONS !!!!� 19
PRIORITIES
SESSION FIVE !I AM A CHURCH MEMBER: Discovering the Attitude that
Makes the Difference (Thom Rainer) !
I will be a func-oning church member. !❖ Membership means we are all _________________________________ parts of the whole. !In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul explains the metaphor of the church being a body with many members. In 1 Corinthians 13, he established love as the central artude an ac:on all members should have. And in 1 Corinthians 14, he returns to the messed up church at Corinth that has the concept of membership all wrong. !❖ Membership means we are _____________________________ but we s:ll work together. !Each part, therefore, has to do with its work, or the whole body suffers. The Bible makes it clear that if one part does not do its job well, the whole body rejoices and is stronger, “So if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.” (1 Corinthians 12:26) !❖ Membership means everything we say and do is based on a ________________________
founda:on of love. !❖ Church membership is __________________________________ membership. !Do you know how to remain a biblical member of a church? Give abundantly and serve without hesita:on. !❖ The First Pledge – I like the metaphor of membership. It’s not membership as in a civic
organiza@on or a country club. It’s the kind of membership given to us in 1 Corinthians 12: “Now you are the body of Christ, and individual members of it” (1 Cor 12:27). Because I am a member of the body of Christ, I must be a func@oning member, whether I am an “eye,” and “ear,” or a “hand.” As a func@oning member, I will give. I will serve. I will minister. I will evangelize. I will study. I will seek to be a blessing to others. I will remember that “if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it” (1 Corinthians 12:26). !!!!! !
� 20
I will be a unifying church member. !❖ That thing called _______________________________. !Unity is vital to the health of a church. And that means every church member, you and I included, must contribute to the unity of the church. Unity and uniformity are not the same thing. Uniformity = about me. Unity = about Christ. !You are to be a source of unity. You are never to be a divisive force. You are to love your fellow church members uncondi:onally. And while that doesn’t mean you agree with everyone all the :me, it does mean you are willing to sacrifice your own preferences to keep unity in your church. !❖ _______________________ and ______________________________ talk !So how should we respond to this issue of gossip in our church? First, don’t be a source of gossip. Second, if someone in the church begins to share gossip with you, gently rebuke him or her. !❖ ________________________________ and ___________________________ !Unity in the church will not happen if members have unforgiving hearts. !❖ The Second Pledge – I will seek to be a source of unity in my church. I know there are no
perfect pastors, staff, or other church members. But neither am I. I will not be a source of gossip or dissension. One of the greatest contribu@ons I can make is to do all I can in God’s power to help keep the church in unity for the sake of the gospel. !
I will not let my church be about my preferences and desires !The strange thing about church membership is that you actually give up your preferences when you join. There may be much about your church that you like a lot. But you are there to meet the needs of others. You are there to serve others. You are there to give. You are there to sacrifice. !Servant occurs fiVy-‐seven :mes in the New Testament. Serve occurs fiVy-‐eight :mes in the New Testament. Serving is important in the Bible. !We will never find ______________________ in church membership when we are constantly seeking things __________________________________. !Philippians 2:5-‐11 !!
� 21
!❖ The Third Pledge – I will not let my church be about my preferences and desires. That is self-‐
serving. I am a member in this church to serve others and to serve Christ. My Savior went to a cross for me. I can deal with any inconveniences and ma\ers that just aren’t my preferences or style. !!
I will pray for my church leaders !❖ Pray for the ______________________ and other ________________________________. !❖ Pray for the _____________________________ and ______________________________. !❖ The Fourth Pledge – I will pray for my pastor every day. I understand that the pastor’s work
is never ending. His days are filled with numerous demands that bring emo@onal highs and lows. He must deal with cri@cs. He must be a good husband and father. Because my pastor cannot do all things in his own power, I will pray for his strength and wisdom daily. !
I will lead my family to be healthy church members !❖ Praying ____________________________ as a family for the church !❖ Worshipping together as a ______________________________________ !As a church member, I am responsible for encouraging and leading my en:re family to worship together in the church. !❖ Falling deeply in love with the ______________________ of Christ !❖ The FiVh Pledge – I will lead my family to be good members of this church as well. We will
pray together for our church. We will worship together in our church. We will serve together in our church. And we will ask Christ to help us fall deeper in love with this church because He gave His life for her. !
I will treasure church membership as a gi9 !❖ Biblical perspec:ve of the ________________________ of church membership !▪ “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) ▪ “No one deserves salva:on. Everyone deserves death.” (Romans 6:23) ▪ “He made the One who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that we might become the
righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21) ▪ “Therefore repent and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped out, that seasons of
refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.” (Acts 3:19)
� 22
▪ “For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s giV – not from works, so that no one can boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-‐9)
▪ Throughout the Bible, we see verse aVer verse that speaks of the giV of salva:on, the giV of Christ’s work for us, ad the giV that means we cannot earn salva:on through our own works.
▪ When we receive the giV of salva:on, we become part of the body of Christ. “Now you are the body of Christ, and individual members of it. And God has placed these in the church” (1 Corinthians 12:27-‐28).
▪ Do you see what’s taking place? You received a giV, the free giV of eternal salva:on. That giV includes eternal salva:on. It includes forgiveness of sins by Christ’s death on the cross. It includes adop:on by God the Father. It includes the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
▪ That’s right: membership in the body of Christ, the church, is a giV from God! !❖ Understand the giV !When we receive a giV with true apprecia:on, we naturally want to respond to the Giver. We, therefore, see service to God as a ________________________________________________ of the joy of our salva:on and the consequent joy of our church membership. We consider it a privilege to serve the King, so we look for those opportuni:es at the church where we serve. !❖ The Sixth Pledge – This membership is a giG. When I received the free giG of salva@on
through Jesus Christ, I became a part of the body of Christ. I soon thereaGer iden@fied with a local body and was bap@zed. And now I am humbled and honored to serve and to love others in our church. I pray that I will never take my membership for granted, but see it as a giG and an opportunity to serve others and to be a part of something so much greater than any one person or member.
� 23