Swimming Upstream
Jesus the Evangelist • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Happy Anniversary, Reliant!!!
Happy Anniversary, Reliant!!!
If you came to Reliant in my house stand up.
If you met with us at CK Danceworks stand up
If you met in the building pre-Covid stand up
If you came during Covid stand up
If you came after Covid stand up
Reliant History
Reliant History
Reliant was born in a condo in Panama City Beach in October of 2014.
November - January 2015 we held Monday Night Core-Group meetings.
February - April 2015 we held service in our home with a high attendance of around 50.
April - February 2016 we were fostered by LifeBridge Church in Kennesaw who became our sending Church.
March 6th, 2016 we opened our doors in CK Danceworks with an opening day of 200.
In September 2017 I began negotiations with Freedom Church here in Dallas
We took possession of this building in November 2017.
We went through some major leadership adjustments in October of 2019 as we reestablished our calling and holiness to the Lord.
March - May 2020 Covid shutdown
June 2020 - January 2022 Covid Growth
March 2022 The Church is defined as a community church grew from a single celled organism to a multi-celled organism with established ministries that took care of the body. It was no longer just me and Kim. Some families didn’t make it through this transition.
2022 - 2023 Reliant is recognized as a community partner by many organizations that we still serve today.
August 2023 God continues bringing new faces and gifts to the church for the work of the ministry.
March 3, 2024, Reliant is a God centered, Bible Preaching, Disciple making, Community engaging Church that is ready to do greater works than ever before.
Reliant State of the Church
Reliant State of the Church
Jesus the Evangelist
Jesus the Evangelist
Relational Evangelism - understanding how to share faith in a world that is hostile to the gospel.
I love to float down rivers. I have floated some lazy rivers in Missouri and some raging rivers in Tennessee and one thing I’ve learned; you better respect the river or you will get swept away. Our culture is much like a river with everything flowing in the same direction. If you go against the current you will have to fight your way because everything will be pulling you down stream. Culture is a very powerful thing.
“Culture refers to the shared patterns of behaviors, beliefs, values, customs, traditions, language, symbols, rituals, and artifacts that characterize a particular group of people or society. It encompasses the way of life of a group, including their social norms, practices, arts, literature, music, cuisine, and overall way of thinking and behaving.
Culture is not static but rather dynamic and evolving, influenced by historical, social, economic, political, and environmental factors. It shapes individuals' identities, influences their perspectives and worldviews, and provides a framework for understanding and interacting with the world around them.” OpenAI. (2024). ChatGPT (3.5) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com
How do we reach our culture with the good news of God’s love, forgiveness, and mercy when the culture seems to be so opposite from the ways of God.
Most church don’t try and embrace the culture but instead create their own subculture of Christianity inside the safety of the walls of the church. They expect the community that doesn’t know God to come and explore this subculture that doesn’t flow with the culture that is around them. This is why many churches are seen as cults. Not because of the message they preach but the isolation they cause in the lives of their members.
When we look at the ministry of Jesus we see the exact opposite. Jesus was meeting people in their culture and introducing them to a new way of thinking about their way of life in their culture and context.
9 As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him. 10 And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. 11 And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12 But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13 Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”
1 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. 2 And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” 3 So he told them this parable: 4 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ 7 Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.
How do we embrace our culture and impact it for the cause of Christ.
Live a devoted life to Jesus in your culture. Where you work, live, and play.
Abide in Christ
Let his words abide in you.
4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
Learn to apply to good news of Jesus to the hurting in your community.
Broken Relationships (God, self, others, and creation)
Destructive habits
Mental Wellness
Let God direct your step as he draws the community back to Him.
Share the good news of Jesus.
Invite others into a relationship with Jesus.
1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— 2 the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— 3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.