spiritual preparation for your journey to get the most out of this “journey” “u” must be...

SPIRITUAL PREPARATION FOR SPIRITUAL PREPARATION FOR YOUR JOURNEYYOUR JOURNEY

TO GET THE MOST OUT OF TO GET THE MOST OUT OF THIS “JOURNEY”THIS “JOURNEY”

““U” MUST BE SPIRITUALLY U” MUST BE SPIRITUALLY PREPAREDPREPARED


THE BASIC PREPARATION IS SIMPLE!!!THE BASIC PREPARATION IS SIMPLE!!!

““KNOW JESUS CHRIST AS LORD KNOW JESUS CHRIST AS LORD (BOSS) AND SAVIOR!!!!”(BOSS) AND SAVIOR!!!!”

WHY????????WHY????????

SO HE CAN BE YOUR SO HE CAN BE YOUR SPIRITUAL GUIDE ON SPIRITUAL GUIDE ON

THIS JOURNEYTHIS JOURNEY

!!TRIVIA QUESTION!!!!TRIVIA QUESTION!!

Jesus didn’t do many Jesus didn’t do many miracles in His home miracles in His home town because there town because there they lacked, what??they lacked, what??

!!TRIVIA ANSWER!!!!TRIVIA ANSWER!!

WHO LED THE FIRST (1WHO LED THE FIRST (1stst) ) RETURN TO JERUSALEM RETURN TO JERUSALEM IN “538 B.C.”???IN “538 B.C.”???

““JERUBBABELJERUBBABEL””EZRA 2:2EZRA 2:2


(!!Which (!!Which CHURCHCHURCH Should Should I JOINI JOIN?!!)?!!)

I)I) In the New Testament the word In the New Testament the word “Church” is never used to identify a “Church” is never used to identify a “building” or “denomination”“building” or “denomination”

Church or EKKLESIA…ek-clay-see-uh, Church or EKKLESIA…ek-clay-see-uh, meansmeans

““THE CALLED OUT OR ASSEMBLY”THE CALLED OUT OR ASSEMBLY”

GOD’S FAMILYGOD’S FAMILY


(!!Which (!!Which CHURCHCHURCH Should Should I JOINI JOIN?!!)?!!)GOD’S FAMILY DOES WHAT?GOD’S FAMILY DOES WHAT?

““We have come into this House”We have come into this House”““Gathered in His name”Gathered in His name”

““TO WORSHIP HIM”TO WORSHIP HIM”““So forget about yourself”So forget about yourself”

““Concentrate on Him”Concentrate on Him”““AND WORSHIP HIM”AND WORSHIP HIM”

““Let us lift up holy hands”Let us lift up holy hands”““Magnify His name”Magnify His name”““AND WORSHIP HIM”AND WORSHIP HIM”

““WORSHIP HIM, JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD”WORSHIP HIM, JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD”



1.1. I Tim. 3:15 “If I am delayed, you will I Tim. 3:15 “If I am delayed, you will know how people know how people

ought to ought to conduct conduct themselves in themselves in God’s household, which is God’s household, which is

the church” the church”(TGN) (TGN) ““But if I delay, this letter will let But if I delay, this letter will let

you you know how we should know how we should conduct conduct ourselves in God’s ourselves in God’s household, which household, which is the church is the church of the living God, the of the living God, the pillar and pillar and support of truthsupport of truth””

2.2. Heb. 10:25a “Let us not give up Heb. 10:25a “Let us not give up meetingmeeting together, as some together, as some are in the are in the habit of doing, habit of doing, but let us but let us encourageencourage one another”one another”

(TGN) (TGN) ““Let us not give up the habit of Let us not give up the habit of meeting meeting together, as some are together, as some are doing. Instead, doing. Instead, let us encourage let us encourage one another all the one another all the more, since more, since you see that the Day of you see that the Day of the Lord the Lord is coming neareris coming nearer””





II.II. ““A New Testament Church”A New Testament Church”4 Things About It4 Things About It

A) The Organization of the ChurchA) The Organization of the Church 1. 1. PastorsPastors (Shepherd, Overseer, Bishop)(Shepherd, Overseer, Bishop)

Acts 20:28 “Keep watch over yourselves Acts 20:28 “Keep watch over yourselves and all and all the the flockflock of which the of which the Holy Spirit has Holy Spirit has made you made you overseersoverseers. Be . Be shepherdsshepherds of of the the church of God, which he church of God, which he bought bought

with his own blood” with his own blood”(TGN) (TGN) ““So keep watch over yourselves and over all the So keep watch over yourselves and over all the

flock flock which the Holy Spirit has placed in your care. which the Holy Spirit has placed in your care. Be Be shepherds of the church of God, which shepherds of the church of God, which he made his he made his own through the sacrificial own through the sacrificial death of his Sondeath of his Son””

A) The Organization of the ChurchA) The Organization of the Church 1. 1. PastorsPastors (Shepherd, Overseer, Bishop) (cont.)(Shepherd, Overseer, Bishop) (cont.)

I Peter 5:2 “Be shepherds of God’s I Peter 5:2 “Be shepherds of God’s flockflock that that is is under your care, serving as under your care, serving as overseers overseers —not because you must, —not because you must, but because but because you are willing, as you are willing, as God wants you to God wants you to be, not greedy be, not greedy for money, but eager for money, but eager to serve” to serve”

(TGN) (TGN) ““I appeal to you to be shepherds of the flock I appeal to you to be shepherds of the flock that that God gave you and to take care of it God gave you and to take care of it willingly, Do willingly, Do your work, not for mere pay, your work, not for mere pay, but from a real but from a real desire to servedesire to serve””



A) The Organization of the ChurchA) The Organization of the Church

1. 1. PastorsPastors (Shepherd, Overseer, Bishop) (cont.)(Shepherd, Overseer, Bishop) (cont.)

II Tim. 4:2 “Preach the II Tim. 4:2 “Preach the wordword; be prepared ; be prepared in in season and out of season; season and out of season; correct, correct, rebuke and encourage— rebuke and encourage—with great with great patiencepatience and careful and careful instructioninstruction””

(TGN) (TGN) ““To preach the message, to insist upon To preach the message, to insist upon proclaiming it (whether the time is right proclaiming it (whether the time is right

or or not), to convince, reproach, and not), to convince, reproach, and encourage, encourage, as you teach with all patienceas you teach with all patience””



A) The Organization of the ChurchA) The Organization of the Church 2. 2. DeaconsDeacons (DIAKONOS..dee-ock-uk-nos)(DIAKONOS..dee-ock-uk-nos)

ServantServant Acts 6:3 “Brothers, choose seven men Acts 6:3 “Brothers, choose seven men

from from among you who are among you who are ““knownknown” to be ” to be full of the Spirit full of the Spirit and Wisdom. We will and Wisdom. We will turn this turn this responsibility over to them”responsibility over to them”

(TGN) (TGN) ““So then, brothers, choose seven men So then, brothers, choose seven men among among you who are known to be full of the you who are known to be full of the Holy Holy Spirit and wisdom, and we will put Spirit and wisdom, and we will put them in them in charge of this mattercharge of this matter””




B) The Proclamation of the ChurchB) The Proclamation of the Church

““THE ORDINANCES”THE ORDINANCES”

1. Baptism1. Baptism

2. The Lord’s Supper (Matt. 26:26-29)2. The Lord’s Supper (Matt. 26:26-29)

Bread—”Take and eat; this is my Bread—”Take and eat; this is my bodybody””

Fruit of the Vine—”This is my Fruit of the Vine—”This is my bloodblood of of the the convenant” convenant”




C) The Evaluation of the ChurchC) The Evaluation of the Church““Before joining U should ASKBefore joining U should ASK””

11stst Does the church teach that all the Bible is Does the church teach that all the Bible is the Word the Word of Godof God??

II Tim. 3:16a “II Tim. 3:16a “AllAll Scripture is God breathed Scripture is God breathed and is and is useful for teaching, useful for teaching, rebuking, rebuking, correcting and correcting and training in training in righteousness” righteousness”

(TGN) (TGN) ““All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching the truth, rebuking error, correcting teaching the truth, rebuking error, correcting

faults, faults, and giving instructions for right and giving instructions for right livingliving””



C) The Evaluation of the Church (cont.)C) The Evaluation of the Church (cont.)

““Before joining U should ASKBefore joining U should ASK””

22ndnd Does the church try to reach lost Does the church try to reach lost peoplepeople??

Acts 1:8b “And you will be my witnesses in Acts 1:8b “And you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea Jerusalem, and in all Judea

and and Samaria, and to the end of Samaria, and to the end of the the earth” earth”

(TGN) (TGN) ““And you will be witnesses for me in And you will be witnesses for me in Jerusalem, in all of Judea and Jerusalem, in all of Judea and

Samaria, and Samaria, and to the ends of the earthto the ends of the earth””





C) The Evaluation of the Church (cont.)C) The Evaluation of the Church (cont.)““Before joining U should ASKBefore joining U should ASK””

33rdrd Does the worship style draw me closer Does the worship style draw me closer to to God and inspire me to live for God and inspire me to live for HimHim??

!!LETS DISCUSS THIS!!!!LETS DISCUSS THIS!!D) The Capitalization of the ChurchD) The Capitalization of the Church

1. Your Responsibility!!1. Your Responsibility!! Time…Work of the ChurchTime…Work of the Church Talent…Church WorkTalent…Church Work Treasures…Your TITHES (10% Money)Treasures…Your TITHES (10% Money)




D) The Capitalization of the Church (cont.)D) The Capitalization of the Church (cont.) Pro. 3:9,10 “I must honor the Lord with my Pro. 3:9,10 “I must honor the Lord with my wealthwealth, with the firstfruits of all my , with the firstfruits of all my cropscrops (income); then my barns (income); then my barns (finances) will be (finances) will be filledfilled to over- to over- flowing” flowing”

(TGN) (TGN) ““Honor the Lord by making him an offering Honor the Lord by making him an offering from from the best of all that your land produces. If the best of all that your land produces. If you do, you do, your barns will be filled with grain, your barns will be filled with grain, and you will and you will have too much wine to store it have too much wine to store it allall””


(!!Which (!!Which CHURCHCHURCH Should Should I JOINI JOIN?!!)?!!)D) The Capitalization of the Church (cont.)D) The Capitalization of the Church (cont.) II Corin. 9:7 “Each man should give what he has II Corin. 9:7 “Each man should give what he has

decided in his heart to give, not decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, reluctantly or under compulsion, For For God Loves a Cheerful GiverGod Loves a Cheerful Giver””

(TGN) (TGN) ““For God loves the one who gives gladlyFor God loves the one who gives gladly”” Malachi 3:8 “Will a man Malachi 3:8 “Will a man robrob God? Yet you God? Yet you robrob

me. me. But you ask, ‘How do we But you ask, ‘How do we robrob you? In you? In tithestithes and offering’” and offering’”

(TGN) (TGN) ““I ask you, is it right for a person to cheat I ask you, is it right for a person to cheat God? God? Of course not, yet you are cheating Of course not, yet you are cheating me. How? me. How? you ask. In the matter of tithes and you ask. In the matter of tithes and offeringoffering””



D) The Capitalization of the Church (cont.)D) The Capitalization of the Church (cont.) 2. Why Tithe??2. Why Tithe??

Matt. 6:21 “For where your treasure is Matt. 6:21 “For where your treasure is there there your heart will be your heart will be also”also”

(TGN) (TGN) ““For your heart will always be where your For your heart will always be where your riches areriches are””

III. III. What To Consider??What To Consider??a) The Organization of the Churcha) The Organization of the Churchb) The Proclamation of the Churchb) The Proclamation of the Churchc) The Evaluation of the Churchc) The Evaluation of the Churchd) The Capitalization of the Churchd) The Capitalization of the Church



!!WHAT I WANT MOST!! !!WHAT I WANT MOST!!

??WHY????WHY??

THE EVALUATION OF THE CHURCHTHE EVALUATION OF THE CHURCH

ALL ARE EQUALLY IMPORTANT; BUT ALL ARE EQUALLY IMPORTANT; BUT WHEN I MUST CHOOSE, IT’S THE WHEN I MUST CHOOSE, IT’S THE

ABOVE. ABOVE. IT OFFERS THE SUBSTANCE IT OFFERS THE SUBSTANCE NEEDED TO HAVE THE CHURCH NEEDED TO HAVE THE CHURCH

GROWGROW WITHIN ME, AND BECAUSE OF WITHIN ME, AND BECAUSE OF MEME



BB.asic.asic

II.nformation.nformation

BB.efore.efore

LL.eaving.eaving

EE.arth.arth

NEXT WEEK!!!!NEXT WEEK!!!!

!!WHAT THE BIBLE !!WHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES!!TEACHES!!

!!ABOUT BAPTISM!!!!ABOUT BAPTISM!!

““JOURNEY THROUGH JOURNEY THROUGH SPIRITUAL” “BOOT CAMP”SPIRITUAL” “BOOT CAMP”

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