His Purpose is Very Clear
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· 8 viewsGod wanted to make the unchanging nature of His purpose very clear. The five purposes of the church is to worship, evangelize, fellowship, make disciples and do ministry.
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If you can’t communicate, how can you facilitate?
“If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.” - Albert Einstein
Call some volunteers in front to shout at the same time, one word that they can describe Agape Church
This July we started the series iTeach and we’ve been talking about:
Thrust - Vision from God - Write the Vision ().
The need to be EQUIPPED - Skills will Bring Success ().
Unless the Almighty builds the house - The Lord wants to partner with us ()
Perhaps you are wondering.... Why would I partner with the Lord? How can I partner with the Lord?
Why would I partner with the Lord? How can I partner with the Lord? What shall I do to be a partner of the Lord?
To answer these questions...
we need to understand & communicate the purposes of the church:
We need to understand & Communicate the purposes of the church
We need to understand & Communicate the purposes of the church
Because A Clear Purpose:
1. Builds Morale 2. Reduces Frustrations 3. Allows Concentration 4. Attracts Cooperation 5. Assists Evaluation
Reduces Frustrations
Allows Concentration
Attracts Cooperation
Assists Evaluation
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Text
Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath.
Hebrews
If you backtrack a little bit, the narrative in this section of Hebrews is about God’s promise to Abraham that he eventually received after passing the test, and and after he waited patiently. God fulfilled His promise to Abraham that he will have many descendants through Isaac, and God wants to make His purpose very clear to them.
Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”
What are the Purposes of God for His People (The Church)?
The phrase “Love the Lord your God” was used 16 times in the NIV translation of the Bible
Love the Lord your God means Worship
Love the Lord your God means Worship
When an expert of the law (a Pharisee) tested the Lord with a question as to which is the greatest commandment…
Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’
Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.
The word that describes this purpose is WORSHIP
The word that describes this purpose is WORSHIP
Worship is not limited to singing, we must worship the Lord in spirit and in truth (). To offer our bodies as our living sacrifice to God ()
Love your neighbor is Ministry demonstrating God’s love to others
Love your neighbor is Ministry demonstrating God’s love to others
Jesus goes on and said…
And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
Love your neighbor is Ministry demonstrating God’s love to others
Love your neighbor is Ministry demonstrating God’s love to others
The word that describes this purpose is MINISTRY. The church exist to minister to people. Ministry is demonstrating God’s love to others by meeting their needs.
Go and Make Disciples
Go and Make Disciples
Before Jesus was taken up to heaven, He says these…
Matthew 22:
This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Go and Make Disciples is Evangelism
Go and Make Disciples is Evangelism
The word that describes this purpose is EVANGELISM. The church exist to communicate God’s Word. We are ambassadors of Christ and our mission is to evangelize the world.
We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.
Baptizing Them into the Fellowship of Believers
Baptizing Them into the Fellowship of Believers
Matthew 22:
Why is Baptism so important to warrant inclusion in Christ’s Great Commission?
I believe it is because it symbolizes one of the purposes of the church which is FELLOWSHIP - identification with the Body of Christ. As Christians we’re called to belong, not just to believe.
Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household,
says this...
says this...
Teaching them to Obey is Discipleship
Teaching them to Obey is Discipleship
The word commonly used to describe this purpose is DISCIPLESHIP. To help people become more Christ like in their thoughts, feelings and actions. It is the church’s responsibility to develop people to spiritual maturity.
to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
To summarize these 5 Purposes...
The 5 Unchanging Purposes of the Church (Worship, Ministry, Evangelism, Fellowship, Discipleship)
The 5 Unchanging Purposes of the Church (Worship, Ministry, Evangelism, Fellowship, Discipleship)
Communicating our Purpose
Communicating our Purpose
Vision & Purpose must be restated every 26 days to keep the church moving in the same direction.
In Nehemiah’s story of rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem, we learn that halfway through the project the people got discouraged and wanted to give up. Like many churches, they lost their sense of purpose and, as a result, became overwhelmed with FATIGUE, FRUSTRATION and FEAR. Nehemiah rallied the people back to work by REORGANIZING the project and RECASTING the VISION (, ).
How can we communicate our Purposes?
Through the scriptures
Symbols & Logos
Slogans
Stories
But before we can do any of these, we must first know our Purposes...
Around this 5 Unchanging Purposes of the Church, write on your own words the “purposes” of Agape. You may write as many as you can think of. (Pass around a piece of paper)
And also, write down what you think is the Lord’s assigned Purposes for your life
Prayer
Prayer
God we know that you have unchanging promises and unchanging purposes for your church. It is our hope to be part of your purposes to claim your promises. Let today be the beginning of our understanding to start communicating the purposes of Agape. Help us to discover our personal purposes and build them around your unchanging purposes. We believe that if we put your Purposes above all things, it will help us determine our personal purpose and that of our family’s purpose. We believe that if we live out the purposes you apportioned to each of us, it will bring you honor and glory, forever and ever. We believe that if we live out our life’s purpose, you will take care of all our needs. So Lord we come to you for grace, help us to live our purpose. These, and all our purposeful petitions in our hearts, we lift up to the Father, through the Holy Spirit, in the name of our savior Jesus Christ. Amen!