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Showing posts with label equipping. Show all posts
Showing posts with label equipping. Show all posts

May 18, 2012

God Has Called Us to Relevance

By Tony V. Hammack
Abundant Life Today Media
Abundant Life Today Podcast




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Relevance
Having significant and demonstrable bearing on the matter at hand.

The reason most people who consider themselves Christians don’t attend a place of worship on Sunday probably has to do with their inability to see the relevance in attending.  They can prioritize trips to Wal-Mart over attending Church.

Let’s consider, this morning, how we can be relevant to the rest of the body of Christ as well as the lost world.

Relevancy to the Body of Christ
  • Equip the Saints for works of service
  • Provide a place for community to take place
    • The formation of meaningful relationships
  • Foster an environment where body ministry is encouraged
Equipping the Saints

Ephesians 4:11-13
11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

The works of service are motivated to and accomplish the goal of building the body of Christ up.

We’re growing in unity in faith and knowledge of the Son of God

Maturity defined - attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

What edifies the Church?

1 Corinthians 14:5
I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be edified.
  • Prophecy
What edifies the individual?

Jude 1:20
But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit,
  • Praying in Tongues
The formation of Meaningful Relationships

John 13:34-35
34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

1 Peter 1:22
Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart.

1 John 4:11-12
11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

Provide a place where body ministry is encouraged

Our life groups are the place where this really happens.  Be encouraged to attend a life group where you can be used and receive the life of Christ from his body.

Many people in our Church are very gifted, knowledgeable and anointed in various areas.

How We Learn
  • 10% of what we READ
  • 20% of what we HEAR
  • 30% of what we SEE
  • 50% of what we SEE and HEAR
  • 70% of what is DISCUSSED with OTHERS
  • 80% of what is EXPERIENCED PERSONALLY
  • 95% of what we TEACH TO SOMEONE ELSE
          ~William Glasser

1 Corinthians 12:14-21
14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.  15 Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!”

Relevancy to the Lost World

Offer a solution to the sin problem that plagues mankind.

Be used in healing and deliverance.

A Natural Approach

1 Corinthians 2:14
The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.

Meet physical needs

James 2:15-17
Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

Conclusion
We want to be authentic and relevant in order to accomplish the goal that Jesus has given us.
  • To Win Souls and Make Disciples

Visit with us at Jubilee Family Church this Sunday at 10:15 AM (Central Standard Time U.S.A.) and Wednesday evening at 6:30 PM (Central Standard Time U.S.A.) If you can't be with us in person please visit via internet video on Jubilee T.V.

If you live in Batesville please tune into KBAP 88.1 FM to listen to contemporary worship music.

Jubilee Family Church
45 Thunderbird Dr.
Batesville, AR 72501
(870) 793-9124





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