X. World Missions Vision.
A. The biblical basis for a vision for missions.
And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." Matthew 18:18-20 ESV
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." Acts 1:8 (ESV)
B. Questions about the world missions vision of your church:
1. Do the members of the church take the great commission seriously?
2. What proof is there that this is true?
3. Does the church preach and teach missions regularly?
4. Has the church sent our missionaries?
5. Does the church regularly support missions?
6. What percentage of the budget is given for foreign and home missions?
7. Is a missionary vision a part of the DNA of the local church so that this is reflected in everything?
NOW EVALUATE ON A SCALE OF 1 TO 10 TO WHAT DEGREE WORLD MISSIONS VISIONS IS A PART OF YOUR CHURCH
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 0
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Ninth Quality of a Healthy Reproducing Church
IX. Reproduction by Church Planting.
A. Biblical basis for reproduction by church planting.
“Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a member of the court of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off. Acts 13:1-3 ESV
When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, [22] strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God. [23] And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed. Acts 14:21-23 (ESV)
B. We need to multiply churches to reach more people.
C. Basic questions to consider about church multiplication:
1. What is the fruit of an apple tree? Not just an apple for if apple trees just produced apples there would be no more apples on the earth. But the fruit of an apple tree is another apple tree as the apple tree produces apples full of enough seeds to create a great orchard.
2. So each church needs to plant and reproduce itself in new churches.
3. In each church is the DNA to reproduce itself and produce another church as we see in the New Testament.
4. As a general rule, new churches win more people to Christ than older churches and smaller churches win more people to Christ than larger churches. Thus church reproduction becomes a key to greater outreach.
5. Is the idea of plant another church that in turn reproduces itself a part of your church’s vision and mission?
6. Are you training church planters in your church to plant new churches?
NOW EVALUATE ON A SCALE OF 1 TO 10 TO WHAT DEGREE REPRODUCTION BY CHURCH PLANTING IS TAKING PLACE IN YOUR CHURCH
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 0
A. Biblical basis for reproduction by church planting.
“Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a member of the court of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off. Acts 13:1-3 ESV
When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, [22] strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God. [23] And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed. Acts 14:21-23 (ESV)
B. We need to multiply churches to reach more people.
C. Basic questions to consider about church multiplication:
1. What is the fruit of an apple tree? Not just an apple for if apple trees just produced apples there would be no more apples on the earth. But the fruit of an apple tree is another apple tree as the apple tree produces apples full of enough seeds to create a great orchard.
2. So each church needs to plant and reproduce itself in new churches.
3. In each church is the DNA to reproduce itself and produce another church as we see in the New Testament.
4. As a general rule, new churches win more people to Christ than older churches and smaller churches win more people to Christ than larger churches. Thus church reproduction becomes a key to greater outreach.
5. Is the idea of plant another church that in turn reproduces itself a part of your church’s vision and mission?
6. Are you training church planters in your church to plant new churches?
NOW EVALUATE ON A SCALE OF 1 TO 10 TO WHAT DEGREE REPRODUCTION BY CHURCH PLANTING IS TAKING PLACE IN YOUR CHURCH
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 0
Monday, January 3, 2011
Eighth Quality of a Healthy Reproducing Church
VIII. Loving Care for One Another.
A. The biblical basis is seen in John 13:34, 35:
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."
B. Then there are all the biblical injunctions to love and care for one another throughout Scripture.
C. This means that:
1. People sensed that they are loved by others in the church in word and deed.
2. True koinonia (sharing and caring) is taking place as it did in the early church.
3. The church is not characterized by “clannishness” but openness to new people.
4. Love does not avoid conflicts but works through them by love.
5. New people coming into the church can sense that there is something here that is not fabricated by humans but by God’s working.
6. Believers are still accountable to one another in love.
NOW EVALUATE ON A SCALE OF 1 TO 10 TO WHAT DEGREE LOVING CARE FOR ONE ANOTHER IS TAKING PLACE IN YOUR CHURCH
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 0
A. The biblical basis is seen in John 13:34, 35:
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."
B. Then there are all the biblical injunctions to love and care for one another throughout Scripture.
C. This means that:
1. People sensed that they are loved by others in the church in word and deed.
2. True koinonia (sharing and caring) is taking place as it did in the early church.
3. The church is not characterized by “clannishness” but openness to new people.
4. Love does not avoid conflicts but works through them by love.
5. New people coming into the church can sense that there is something here that is not fabricated by humans but by God’s working.
6. Believers are still accountable to one another in love.
NOW EVALUATE ON A SCALE OF 1 TO 10 TO WHAT DEGREE LOVING CARE FOR ONE ANOTHER IS TAKING PLACE IN YOUR CHURCH
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 0
Friday, December 24, 2010
Seventh Quality of a New Church
VII. Effective Evangelism.
A. The biblical basis for effective evangelism is seen in Acts 2:47 (ESV) “praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.”
B. All the numbers showing quantitative growth that we see in Acts and in the beginning of this study.
C. Effective evangelism is:
1. Spontaneous
2. Structured in the church to help the believers win people to the Lord.
3. Worship is “doxological evangelism.” (see Tim Keller’s understanding of Edmond Clowney’s view of evangelistic worship in Keller 2002, p. 218.
4. Relevant to the context of the local church taking into account both the culture around and the particular context where the church lives and ministers.
5. Is a part of almost everything the church does.
6. Not something that happens at set occasions but keeps on happening.
7. Followed by baptism and assimilation into the church life where believers continue to evangelize their friends.
NOW EVALUATE ON A SCALE OF 1 TO 10 TO WHAT DEGREE EFFECTIVE EVANGELISM IS TAKING PLACE IN YOUR CHURCH
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 0
Keller, Timothy J. 2002. “Reformed Worship in the Global City” chapter 4 in Worship by the Book, D. A. Carson, editor. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
A. The biblical basis for effective evangelism is seen in Acts 2:47 (ESV) “praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.”
B. All the numbers showing quantitative growth that we see in Acts and in the beginning of this study.
C. Effective evangelism is:
1. Spontaneous
2. Structured in the church to help the believers win people to the Lord.
3. Worship is “doxological evangelism.” (see Tim Keller’s understanding of Edmond Clowney’s view of evangelistic worship in Keller 2002, p. 218.
4. Relevant to the context of the local church taking into account both the culture around and the particular context where the church lives and ministers.
5. Is a part of almost everything the church does.
6. Not something that happens at set occasions but keeps on happening.
7. Followed by baptism and assimilation into the church life where believers continue to evangelize their friends.
NOW EVALUATE ON A SCALE OF 1 TO 10 TO WHAT DEGREE EFFECTIVE EVANGELISM IS TAKING PLACE IN YOUR CHURCH
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 0
Keller, Timothy J. 2002. “Reformed Worship in the Global City” chapter 4 in Worship by the Book, D. A. Carson, editor. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
Friday, November 26, 2010
Sixth Quality of a Healthy Reproducing Church
Sixth Quality -- Effective Small Groups.
A. The biblical basis for small groups.
1. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, Acts 2:46 (ESV)
2. And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ. Acts 5:42 (ESV)
B. Effective biblical small groups are:
1. Groups where people can truly relate to one another.
2. Groups where people can share their heart.
3. Groups where the Word of God is learned and applied.
4. Groups that have enjoy being together.
5. Groups that pray together.
6. Groups that multiply by giving birth to new groups.
7. Groups that seek to win others to Christ.
C. Are these types of groups growing and developing in your church?
NOW TO EVALUATE:
ON A SCALE OF 1 TO 10 EVALUATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SMALL GROUPS IN YOUR CHURCH
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 0
A. The biblical basis for small groups.
1. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, Acts 2:46 (ESV)
2. And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ. Acts 5:42 (ESV)
B. Effective biblical small groups are:
1. Groups where people can truly relate to one another.
2. Groups where people can share their heart.
3. Groups where the Word of God is learned and applied.
4. Groups that have enjoy being together.
5. Groups that pray together.
6. Groups that multiply by giving birth to new groups.
7. Groups that seek to win others to Christ.
C. Are these types of groups growing and developing in your church?
NOW TO EVALUATE:
ON A SCALE OF 1 TO 10 EVALUATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SMALL GROUPS IN YOUR CHURCH
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 0
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Fifth Quality of a Healthy Reproducing Church
V. Biblically Balanced Personal and Corporate Worship.
A. John 4:23-24 (ESV) “But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. [24] God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth."
B. Personal-regular worship and praise alone with God.
C. Corporate –regular worship and praise with other believers in the church.
D. Bob Logan explains that true biblical worship is both celebrative (touching the heart) and reflective (touching the mind)
E. Key questions:
1. Are the believers in the church taking time to worship God personally?
2. Is the church helping them in this?
3. Is corporate worship celebrative engaging the heart?
4. Is corporate worship reflective engaging the mind?
5. Are people learning more about God through worship?
6. Does the worship bring the believers into a greater experience with God?
7. Is the corporate worship balanced between receiving from God and responding to him?
NOW EVALUATE ON A SCALE OF 1 TO 10 TO WHAT DEGREE BALANCED WORSHIP IS TAKING PLACE IN YOUR CHURCH
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 0
A. John 4:23-24 (ESV) “But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. [24] God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth."
B. Personal-regular worship and praise alone with God.
C. Corporate –regular worship and praise with other believers in the church.
D. Bob Logan explains that true biblical worship is both celebrative (touching the heart) and reflective (touching the mind)
E. Key questions:
1. Are the believers in the church taking time to worship God personally?
2. Is the church helping them in this?
3. Is corporate worship celebrative engaging the heart?
4. Is corporate worship reflective engaging the mind?
5. Are people learning more about God through worship?
6. Does the worship bring the believers into a greater experience with God?
7. Is the corporate worship balanced between receiving from God and responding to him?
NOW EVALUATE ON A SCALE OF 1 TO 10 TO WHAT DEGREE BALANCED WORSHIP IS TAKING PLACE IN YOUR CHURCH
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 0
Friday, October 22, 2010
Fourth Quality of a Healthy Reproducing Church
Spiritual Gifting Valued.
A. Biblical basis for this characteristic.
1. “For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.” Romans 12:4-8 (ESV)
2. “For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.” 1 Cor. 12:14-20 (ESV)
B. Questions in relation to spiritual gifts:
1. Do the members of the church know about spiritual gifts?
2. Do the members of the church know what their spiritual gifts are?
3. Have they done a survey to begin to get an idea of their gifts?
4. Has there been input from others so as to determine what their gifting might be?
5. Does ministry in the church fit spiritual gifting or is it a “fill in the gaps” approach?
6. Do people find joy in their ministry in the church or outside in relation to the church?
NOW EVALUATE ON A SCALE OF 1 TO 10 EVALUATE TO WHAT DEGREE SPIRITUAL GIFTING DETERMINES MINISTRY IN YOUR CHURCH
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 0
A. Biblical basis for this characteristic.
1. “For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.” Romans 12:4-8 (ESV)
2. “For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.” 1 Cor. 12:14-20 (ESV)
B. Questions in relation to spiritual gifts:
1. Do the members of the church know about spiritual gifts?
2. Do the members of the church know what their spiritual gifts are?
3. Have they done a survey to begin to get an idea of their gifts?
4. Has there been input from others so as to determine what their gifting might be?
5. Does ministry in the church fit spiritual gifting or is it a “fill in the gaps” approach?
6. Do people find joy in their ministry in the church or outside in relation to the church?
NOW EVALUATE ON A SCALE OF 1 TO 10 EVALUATE TO WHAT DEGREE SPIRITUAL GIFTING DETERMINES MINISTRY IN YOUR CHURCH
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 0
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)