This series is a vision declaration to the church of where we are headed; by the grace and goodness of God. We exist so every Man, Woman and Child, might have the opportunity toKnow Christ, Grow in Christ, and Go as the body of Christ.What does that mean? How is God calling us to fulfill that calling? This series is the result of a yearlong effort with the leadership team to understand our vision. We will unpack the key components of the vision God has given us.
Most everyone who is a Christ follower wants to be able to share their faith, but they feel ill-equipped to do so. God’s word is like planting. When you share the seed, you will see a harvest. Get into the harvest. The fields are ripe.
Work is a good gift of God. It is not an evil necessity to be endured. It is in fact; part of God’s good plans for our lives. But the very idea of “work” needs to be redeemed. It is not our master; it is to fall under the Lordship of Christ. How do we make the most of our work?
The world is desperate to see God’s vision of the church. But instead of the beautiful bride of Christ, the world often sees a judgmental, hypocritical people. But the church is to be Grace Made Visible. Jesus declared that the very thing that makes grace visible in the world is in our love for one another. When we are “one”, others will know we are his disciples. In other words, God’s grace in us becomes visible when we love one another well.
As believers, we have a helper. A powerful advocate that doesn’t just come from God, He is God. Jesus even went so far as to tell his disciples that it’s better that he goes away so that they would have the help of the Holy Spirit. Do you have this kind of help? This kind of power? How can you tell? Join us throughout the month of May as we walk through what the Bible teaches about the Holy Spirit’s power in our lives.
The biblical reality of Heaven is fascinating and often fantasized.Yet the desire for Heaven reflects one of the deepest longings of the human heart.We long for a home beyond this life.Heaven is the home God created for His children.Heaven is a real place and so much more than a warm, fuzzy, concept of life after death.But Heaven is not the place everyone will spend eternity.The biblically reality of Heaven cannot be grasped without a clear understanding of the biblical reality of Hell.God calls us home in Christ.We can step into faith and the reality of Heaven now and for the future, or we can step away from God and into the reality of Hell.
“Kingdom” is a foreign concept in contemporary society.Much is lost in translation between the teachings of Christ concerning the Kingdom of God and the reality of living a Kingdom-centered life. Many believers do not realize that at the moment they are saved, not only are they forgiven of all their sins, but also they become part of something larger than themselves.They are now citizens of the Kingdom of God.This Kingdom is full of purpose, community, and Christ-centered living.The Kingdom of God is one of the main themes in the teachings of Jesus.When the Kingdom of God is taught clearly, the believer will have a greater sense of Godly purpose, connection with the Church, and eternal hope.The Kingdom of God is happening now and gives us hope for the future.
The natural tendency in every area of life is to live by drift. We just wander. Have you ever considered the powerful testimony of Deuteronomy 1:2 that tells us that trip from Mount Sinai to the promise land only took on average 11 days? How do you end up wandering for 40 years? You drift.
The wiser plan is to plan and prepare in advance. Live by design. Not by drift.