Your Dream Church
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We are living in the time of the end. Pastor Ivor Myers says that we are “living in prophecy.” Unprecedented events are turning people’s lives upside down, such as the massive flooding that has swept away many lives and multi-million dollar homes in California. California suffered from extreme drought conditions for years, and in a few days, several months’ worth of rain fell and created catastrophic conditions. Never before in the history of this world has the entire globe been on lockdown because of a rapidly spreading virus. The church, not the building but the people, has never been needed more than today.
But only a Holy Spirit powered, authentic, healthy, warm, vibrant church can reach skeptical, fearful people today.
The NT church fit that bill, and thus the spirit of the church that the Apostle Paul, Barnabas, and Peter helped nuture needs to be recaptured today. I believe that the Halifax SDA Church is a good church, but we can become a great church, your dream church.
For the next three months, the elders of the church and I are going to guide you in discovering the four secrets of vibrant churches. From 2003 to 2007, Dr. Joseph Kidder and a small group of graduate research assistants learned these four secrets through an exciting project which led to the title of Kidder’s book, The Big Four.Kidder’s team found that vibrant churches had all four of these secrets, and unhealthy churches may have possessed one or two, but not all.
Read Acts 2.14-39
14 Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice, and proclaimed to them, “Fellow Jews and all you residents of Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and pay attention to my words. 15 For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it’s only nine in the morning. 16 On the contrary, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:
17 And it will be in the last days, says God,
that I will pour out my Spirit on all people;
then your sons and your daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
and your old men will dream dreams.
18 I will even pour out my Spirit
on my servants in those days, both men and women
and they will prophesy.
19 I will display wonders in the heaven above
and signs on the earth below:
blood and fire and a cloud of smoke.
20 The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the great and glorious day of the Lord comes.
21 Then everyone who calls
on the name of the Lord will be saved.
22 “Fellow Israelites, listen to these words: This Jesus of Nazareth was a man attested to you by God with miracles, wonders, and signs that God did among you through him, just as you yourselves know. 23 Though he was delivered up according to God’s determined plan and foreknowledge, you used lawless people to nail him to a cross and kill him. 24 God raised him up, ending the pains of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by death. 25 For David says of him:
I saw the Lord ever before me;
because he is at my right hand,
I will not be shaken.
26 Therefore my heart is glad
and my tongue rejoices.
Moreover, my flesh will rest in hope,
27 because you will not abandon me in Hades
or allow your holy one to see decay.
28 You have revealed the paths of life to me;
you will fill me with gladness
in your presence.
29 “Brothers and sisters, I can confidently speak to you about the patriarch David: He is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Since he was a prophet, he knew that God had sworn an oath to him to seat one of his descendants on his throne. 31 Seeing what was to come, he spoke concerning the resurrection of the Messiah: He was not abandoned in Hades, and his flesh did not experience decay.
32 “God has raised this Jesus; we are all witnesses of this. 33 Therefore, since he has been exalted to the right hand of God and has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit, he has poured out what you both see and hear. 34 For it was not David who ascended into the heavens, but he himself says:
The Lord declared to my Lord,
‘Sit at my right hand
35 until I make your enemies your footstool.’
36 “Therefore let all the house of Israel know with certainty that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.”
37 When they heard this, they were pierced to the heart and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?”
38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children, and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”
Who preached this sermon? Peter, the same Peter who not too long before cowered before a servant girl and denied Jesus three times with bitter cursing. How did Peter come to this point in his life? He came to this point through the first secret of healthy chuches
Empowering Servant Leadership
Empowering Servant Leadership
Jesus empowered Peter to become a mighty, fearless preacher and Apostle. But not only Peter but ten other originally dysfunctional men and also women such as Mary, the former prostitute. He empowered them to empower others to the point that they were accused of turning the world upside down.
Growing churches have [empowered] leaders—pastors, lay pastors, elders, or ministry directors—who genuinely want their congregation to grow and are willing to pay its cost. They are eager to work toward a changed culture, one evangelistic in nature, and are willing to shift from old methods to new and more effective ways of reaching people. As a result, they are not afraid to try new approaches and to invest the resources needed to ensure that the church is healthy. Such leaders tend to have a strong passion for the lost and an eagerness to do anything to connect them with the heavenly Father.
Kidder, S. Joseph. The Big Four . Review and Herald, 174; Publishing Association. Kindle Edition.
Acts 2:44–47 (CSB)
44 Now all the believers were together and held all things in common. 45 They sold their possessions and property and distributed the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple, and broke bread from house to house. They ate their food with joyful and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people....
Wouldn’t you love to be part of a church like this? And so would almost everybody else, which is why the church grew exponentially. Herein we find the second secret
Passionate and Authentic Spirituality
Passionate and Authentic Spirituality
It’s simple. People who are genuinely interested in each others lives draw other people.
Ironically, many people expressed the misconception that growing churches tend to de-emphasize spirituality, that they are more about showiness and superficial spirituality than about commitment and loving Jesus. The truth is that flourishing Adventist congregations tend instead to emphasize spirituality often, strongly, and passionately. Growing churches have a level of spirituality unmatched by the average congregation.
Kidder, S. Joseph. The Big Four . Review and Herald, 174; Publishing Association. Kindle Edition.
40 With many other words he testified and strongly urged them, saying, “Be saved from this corrupt generation!”
41 So those who accepted his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand people were added to them.
Three thousand people baptized in one day… all because of the mighty preaching of Peter, right? Wrong, people filled with the love of Jesus touched and reached others through time and sacrifice, which in turn led multitudes to Peter’s one-day evangelistic campaign and three thousand baptisms in one day. In other words, it takes a village.
As the people spent time together, living life together, and embracing challenges as a family, worshiping together, we are told
Acts 2:47 (CSB)
47 .... Every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.
All of this illustrates secret number three
Committed and Active Laity
Committed and Active Laity
Acts 2:46–47 (CSB)
46 Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple, and broke bread from house to house. They ate their food with joyful and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. Every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.
Do you feel free to worship? Do you feel self-conscious and hindered? Do you sometimes wish to raise your hands as a song touches you? Do you sometimes want to shout Hallelujah when the Word of God grips your heart meaningfully, but you hesitate because you wonder what others will say? The fourth secret will set you free to worship God in “Spirit and truth.”
God-Exalting Worship
God-Exalting Worship
Our research clearly demonstrates that the worship experience is a vital part of growing congregations. But contrary to the perception that such churches are contemporary in their method of worship, we discovered that the style is not essential. What is, however, is the quality of the worship experience, not its placement on the traditional-contemporary continuum. If the heart of the believer touches the heart of God, worship will take place. Though style is not mandatory for growth, excellence, and purpose, prayer, hope, and professionalism are vital.
Kidder, S. Joseph. The Big Four . Review and Herald, 174; Publishing Association. Kindle Edition.