Embracing the Purpose of Church: Steps of Faith Towards Membership
Join the journey of faith at Grace Bible Chapel, where members follow Christ step by step into church membership. Explore salvation, structure, statements, and strategy sessions leading to baptisms and testimonies. Discover the church's purpose, centered on worship, ministry, evangelism, identification, and discipleship.
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Presentation Transcript
Steps of Faith Multitude Member Following Christ together ... one step at a time ... into Church Membership Grace Bible Chapel Gardners, PA
Session ONE: Our SALVATION Session TWO: Our STRUCTURE Quiz - Words describing the Church (F,F,F,B) Session THREE: Our STATEMENTS (today) Session FOUR: Our STRATEGY (Feb 25th) Mar 4 (M), 6 (W) or 9 (Sa) - Meet w/ Pastor & Deacons Mar 10 (Su) - Baptisms at the end of the 10:30 Service Mar 17 (Su) - Salvation Testimonies & Membership Request to Congregation during the 10:30 Service.
Session Three - Our Statements Now I plead with you brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. I Corinthians 1:10 But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose... II Timothy 3:10
OUR PURPOSE Why we exist as a church It was Jesus Himself who said, ... I will build My church (Matt. 16:18). It s no surprise that we find Him giving timeless blueprints for the project. The church s God-given purposes are captured in His two great commands, and great commission.
The Great Commands: Jesus said to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the secondis like it: You shall love your neighboras yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets. Matt 22:37-40
The Great Commission: Go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you. Matt 28:19,20
To Love the Lord your God is WORSHIP. To Love your neighbor is MINISTRY. To go and make disciples is EVANGELISM. To baptize them is FORMAL IDENTIFICATION. To teach them to observe all things is DISCIPLESHIP.
I. WE EXIST TO WORSHIP GOD. Worship is simply expressing my LOVE to God You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve. Matt 4:10 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 worshipHim. John 4:23
True worship is linked to spirit & truth We express our love to God in our: Praying (Ps. 95:6) Singing (Ps. 66:4) Working (Eph. 6:5-8) Meeting in God s House (Ps. 132:7) Giving (Matt. 6:21) Obeying (Rom. 12:1,2) Meditation (Hab. 2:20) Our Sunday AM service highlights worship.
II. WE EXIST TO EVANGELIZE . Evangelism is simply telling others about JESUS (It is God s) intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church... Ephesians 3:10 The master said to the servant, Go out into the highways & hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled . Lk 14:23
We continue to reach those who are not yet saved because the 1. FatherLOVES people (John 3:16) 2. SonCOMMANDS evangelism (Acts 1:8) 3. SpiritEMPOWERS evangelism (Jn 16:8) Most evangelism goes on outside the church building.
III. WE EXIST TO BAPTIZE NEW BELIEVERS. Baptism is simply IDENTIFYING with Jesus & a local church Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about 3,000 souls were added to them. Acts 2:41
God created the church as a Family to embrace new believers, a Flock to feed new believers, a Body to serve and serve with new believers, and a Fellowship to encourage and model godliness for new believers.
IV. WE EXIST TO DISCIPLE . Discipleship is simply helping others GROW spiritually Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ , Let us go on tomaturity.... Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. II Peter 3:18 Hebrews 6:1
(God has given) ...some to be evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to ... a perfect (mature) man. ...that we should no longer be children. Ephesians 4:11-14 Our Sunday School highlights discipleship.
V. WE EXIST TO SERVE . Ministry is simply unselfishly meeting NEEDS By this we know love, because He laid down his life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has this world s goods, and sees his brother in need and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. I Jn 3:16-18
Ministry goes on all the time, but at our Sunday afternoon and Wednesday Prayer Times we bring spiritual, emotional, and physical needs before the Lord and other believers for prayer and care.
Our PURPOSE - Why we exist OUR DOCTRINE STATEMENT What we believe One of the important functions of the church is to guard God s truth. Hold fast the pattern of sound doctrine which you heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. That good thing which was committed to you, keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us. II Tim 1:13,14
That we should no longer be children, tossed back and forth and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head - Christ. Ephesians 4:14,15
What we believe includes clear statements on each of the following: 1. The Holy Scriptures - II Tim 3:16; II Pet 1:19-21 2. The Trinity - Matt 28:18,19; Luke 3:22; II Cor 13:14; Gal 4:6 3. God the Father - Jn 14:6; Eph 1:1-14; Heb 12:9 4. God the Son - Lk 1:35; Jn 1:1,14; Phil 2:5-11; Heb 10:5-14
5. God the Spirit - Gen. 1:2; Jn16:8-11; Rom. 8:14; I Cor 6:11 6. Creation - Gen. 1 & 2; Ps 139:13-16; Col. 1:16,17; John 1:1-3 7. Depravity - Genesis 3:1-6,24; Rom 3:10-23; 5:6-12; Eph 2:1-3 8. Salvation - Ephesians 2:8,9; I Jn 2:2; I Pet 1:18-21; John 3:16 9. Believer sNew Nature - Rom 6:13, Rom 8:11-13, Rom 12:1-3; II Cor 5:17
10. Separation - II Corinthians 6:14-7:1; II Tim 3:1-5 11. Eternal Salvation of Believers - John 10:27-30; Rom 8:38,39 12. Responsibility of Believers - Eph 4:1-3; Rom 12:1-3; Acts 1:8 13. Satan - Isa 14:12-19; Eph 6:10-12; Rev 20:1-3,10 14. Unfallen Angels - Luke 15:10; Hebrews 1:14; Rev 7:12
15. Church - Acts 2:42; I Tim 3:1-13; I Cor 12:12-14; Heb 10:25 16. Ordinances - Matthew 28:19; Luke 22:19,20; I Cor 11:23-32 17. Rapture & Christ s Second Advent - I Th 4:12-18 18. Israel s Place in God s Plan - Ps 72; Isa 60:3; Rom 11:25-29 19. Eternal State - Luke 16:19-26; II Thess 1:7-9; Rev 20:11-15
20. Marriage & Family - Gen 2:18-24; Genesis 9:6; Eph 5:22-33; 6:1-4 21. Sanctity of Human Life - Ex 21:22-25; Ps 127:3,4; Ps 139:14-16 You will find a more complete statement on each of these topics, as well as specific guidelines on internal church government in the Constitution of our Church, a copy of which is available at any time.
Our PURPOSE STATEMENT Why we exist OUR DOCTRINE STATEMENT What we believe CHURCH COVENANT What we practice
CLASS OUTLINE Session THREE: Our STATEMENTS Session FOUR: Our STRATEGY (next Sun) Mar 4 (M), 6 (W) or 9 (Sa) - Meet w/ Pastor & Deacons Mar 10 (Su) - Baptisms at the end of the 10:30 Service Mar 17 (Su) - Salvation Testimonies & Membership Request to Congregation during the 10:30 Service. What is your favorite hymn?
