Making the Connection: Making the Connection to Ministry

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Making the Connection

Making the Connection to Ministry

 

Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.

Acts 2:44-45 NIV

 

 

1. Serving God requires an attitude adjustment

When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers.  Jesus called them together and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them.  Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,  and whoever wants to be first must be your slave--just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." 

Matt 20:24-28 NIV

 

 

2. Serving God requires an action plan

Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms.  If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

1 Peter 4:10-11 NIV

 

 

 

3. Serving God requires an honest assessment

Your attitude must be like my own, for I, the Messiah, did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give my life as a ransom for many."

Matt 20:28 TLB

 

Making the Connection:

You were created to serve God! Have you made the connection to ministry?


Intro:

Welcome…

I came across a very insightful and profound email this week…and I’ve just got to share it with you!!

CHANGING A LIGHT BULB THE CHRISTIAN WAY


How many Christians does it take to change a light bulb? 


Charismatic: Only 1
Hands are already in the air.

Pentecostal: 10
One to change the bulb, and nine to pray against the spirit of darkness.


Presbyterians: None
Lights will go on and off at predestined times.

Roman Catholic: None
Candles only.


Baptists: At least 15.
One to change the light bulb, and three committees to approve the change and decide who brings the potato salad and fried chicken.

Episcopalians:
3
One to call the electrician, one to mix the drinks and one to talk about how much better the old one was.



Methodists: Undetermined
Whether your light is bright, dull, or completely out, you are loved. You can be a light bulb, turnip bulb, or tulip bulb. Bring a bulb of your choice to the Sunday lighting service and a covered dish to pass.

Nazarene: 6
One woman to replace the bulb while five men review church lighting policy.


Lutherans: None
Lutherans don't believe in change.

Amish:
What's a light bulb?

It is God’s desire for us to serve…even when it comes to changing light bulbs!!!

There is more to a church than a few people changing a light bulb…it takes the entire church to carry out God’s Vision for His church!!!!

Continuing the series I started last week…Making the Connection

It is a series designed to help us clearly see the vision God has given Violet Baptist Church and what it will look like for us to live out this vision in the next 3-5 years.

The Vision:

To build bridges to people in our community in order that, together, we may become fully devoted, passionate followers of Jesus Christ.

 

Bridges are made to connect…not to collapse

God has called us to build bridges to this community…to build bridges that connect…not collapse!!!

God’s vision for our church is to build:

1. Bridges to Christ

2. Bridges to others

3. Bridges to ministry

4. Bridges to the world

Today I want to talk about:

Building Bridges to Ministry

Making the connection to Ministry

There is a disconnect when it comes to serving:

-not qualified

-not needed

-not gifted


Napoleon once pointed to a map of China and said, "There lies a sleeping giant.  If it ever wakes up, it will be unstoppable."

On any given Sunday morning during the hour of worship you can find the church sleeping. 

From the pulpit to the pews we sleep in contentment of who we are and what we are doing ... actually content in what we are not doing. 

As the church of the Lord Jesus Christ are we a sleeping giant?

We probably have all heard of the 20/80 plan in the church…The 20/80 plan says that 20% of the people do 80% of the work. 

However in a Gallup survey it was discovered that only 10% of American church members are active in any kind of personal ministry, and that 50% have no interest in serving in any ministry. 

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that 10% + 50% only equals 60%. 

Where is the other 40%? 

Interesting and encouraging is that in the Gallup survey it was discovered that the 40% have expressed an interest to become involved in a ministry, but they have never been asked or they do not know how. 

As pastors and leaders of the church it ought to stimulate and excite us to know that we have the potential to have 50% of our members involved in the ministry of the church. 

The 50/50 plan sounds a whole lot better than the 20/80 plan…And 100/100 is even better!

To do that we must make the connection between

membership and ministry. 

Let us look to the days of the early New Testament church for practical input on how they did ministry.

Acts 2:44-45

 Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, 45 and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.

The picture is clear when you look at this passage and others…

·    A call to salvation is a call to service!

·    Every member is a minister

God plan hasn’t changed…

·    A call to salvation is a call to service!

·    Every member is a minister

How can we as a church mobilize members for ministry?

How can we as members become ministers?

How do we make the connection to ministry?

1. Serving God requires an attitude adjustment

Here in the book of Acts and throughout the scriptures it is easy to see that God's purpose of ministry is very clear. 

It begins with the right attitude.

Why would believers in the early church sell their possessions and goods and give to others in need?

Because they personalized the words of Jesus in Matt 20:24-28:

24 When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers. 25 Jesus called them together and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 26 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave- 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." 

Matt 20:24-28 (NIV)

The ten other disciples were indignant that James and John had tried to use their relationship with Jesus to grab the top positions.

Why such anger?

Probably because all the disciples desired honor in the Kingdom.

Perhaps Peter, his temper getting the best of him, led the indignant ten disciples, for he had been the third with James and John in the group closest to Jesus.

This probably seemed like a real slight to him.

The disciples’ attitudes degenerated into pure jealousy and rivalry.

Jesus immediately corrected their attitudes…by showing them what true greatness is…it is not lording it over people.

In a sentence, Jesus taught the essence of true greatness:

Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant.

 

Greatness is determined by servanthood.

It means having an attitude of life that freely attends to others’ needs without expecting or demanding anything in return.

Jesus described leadership from a new perspective.

It is the “not so with you” principle:

Instead of using people, we are to serve them.

 

If we are not careful we will embrace the world’s idea of greatness.

When I mention the name Donald Trump what comes to mind?

[interactive: Apprentice, Rosie, hair, money, etc.]

How many of you watched the TV show The Apprentice?

It’s an interesting show…I’ve watched it a few times.

One of my impressions of it...was the brashness and bossiness of Donald Trump…also known as The Donald.

 

For some that is the epitome of true greatness…to be like the Donald…to be brash and bossy and build huge buildings.

 

But Jesus says to his early disciples and to us…true greatness is to be like the Savior…Jesus Christ.

Jesus set the bossy and brash disciples straight by saying…whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant.

D. L. Moody said:

"The measure of a man is not how many servants he has, but how many men he serves."

 

That is the kind of attitude that we need to have…a Christlike attitude.

I like the paraphrase of v. 28 in the Living Bible:

28 Your attitude must be like my own, for I, the Messiah, did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give my life as a ransom for many."

Matt 20:28 TLB

The world lost a true servant when Mother Teresa died in 1997.

Her acts of service are beyond number, but one particular incident reflects the heart from which she served.

She was working among the slums of Calcutta dressing the wounds of a leper.

An American tourist observed her work and asked if he could take a picture.

She granted permission and the tourist framed his shot.

Through the camera’s lens he could see this world-renowned nun tenderly replacing a bloody bandage that covered a gaping hole where the leper’s nose used to exist.

The photographer could also smell the stench of this wound as he moved in for a closer shot.

After capturing several pictures, the American tourist said, “Sister, I wouldn’t do what you’re doing for $10 million!”

Mother Teresa replied, “Neither would I, my friend. Neither would I!”

True service can’t be bought, and wouldn’t want to be even if it could.

We need to ask God to help us have that kind of attitude…a Christlike attitude…coming not to be served but to serve!

In order for that to happen we need to ask God to help us adjust our attitude daily.

Instead of wanting to be like the Donald…everyday we need to ask God to help us be like the Savior.

Elisabeth Elliot said,

“The best way to find out whether or not you really have a servant’s heart is to see what your reaction is when somebody treats you like one.”

How can we as a church mobilize members for ministry?

How can we as members become ministers?

1. Serving God requires an attitude adjustment

 

There is a second part to the plan for members being ministers:

2. Serving God requires an action plan

Notice again the example of the early church in Acts 2:44-45:

 Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common,  and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.


Isn’t it interesting what has happened as you compare this picture to the picture found in Matt 20?

What is the difference?

They are no longer trying be a boss….they are serving one another!!!

As they saw a need…they met it.

What was the difference…they were now empowered by the Holy Spirit…they started serving instead of bossing one another!!!

God has gifted every believer.

God has given each of us at least one spiritual gift…when we trusted Christ.

A spiritual gift is a divine enablement given to us at the moment of salvation to help build up the body of Christ.

1 Peter 4:10-11 says:

Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms.  If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

1 Peter 4:10-11 (NIV)

God has gifted you…to serve others!

God did not call us to sit on the bench, but He called us to find a position on the field and play the game.

What happens on a team when part of the team decides not to do its job?

The rest of the team suffers.

So it is with the church!


It is my prayer that each and every member of this Church is an active part of the body…not 20%...not 50%...but 100%.

That each one of us is serving the body of Christ in some way.

That every member would be a minister!

Too many times people sit back and want to be served and then we complain about the service.

Too many times we feel sorry for ourselves.

The best way to get out of that is to serve others.

Remember that we are to be like Jesus, Jesus came to serve, He came to seek and save those who are lost.

You might be thinking…are you kidding?…me serve?…what can I do?

I’m glad you asked!

I am going to invite a young man who has been a servant in our church for many years to come and give a testimony.

In fact he and his wife came to this church around 1999?...

I can remember meeting with them and them asking about how they could serve!!!

That really made an impression on me…they came with a servant’s heart!

And since that time this couple, like a lot of other couples in this church, has been serving according to their passion and where there has been a need.

I’d like for Mike Martin to come and share about the joy of serving and the opportunities to get involved in serving at VBC…

[Testimony….Mike]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So often we give God excuses for not serving.

If you’re not involved in service or ministry, what excuse have you been giving?

A survey of the Bible shows that

Abraham was old,

Jacob was insecure,

Leah was unattractive,

Joseph was abused,

Moses stuttered,

Gideon was poor.

 Rahab was immoral,

David had an affair and all kinds of family problems,

Elijah was suicidal,

Jeremiah was depressed,

Jonah was reluctant,

Naomi was a widow.

Peter was impulsive and hot-tempered,

Martha worried a lot,

Zacchaeus was unpopular,

Thomas had doubts,

Paul had poor health,

and Timothy was timid.

And yet God used each of them in his service. 

And He will use you if you stop making excuses.

General William Booth founded the Salvation Army.

At the age of eighty-three, he was told he would not regain his sight.

Booth spoke to his son, Bramwell, and said, “You mean that I am blind?”

Bramwell replied, “Well, General, I fear that we must contemplate that.”

After a pause the elder Booth asked, “I shall never see your face again?”

“No, probably not in this world,” said Bramwell.

The senior’s hand then extended to take hold of his son’s hand and he then said, “God must know best!”

After another pause he stated, “Bramwell, I have done what I could for God and for the people with my eyes. Now I shall do what I can for God and for the people without my eyes.”

What will you do for God?

 

Here is a simple action plan for serving God.

·    Consider the opportunities God has placed before you.

·    Start serving Him.

·    Attend Class 301 to discover your SHAPE and serving opportunities


How can we as a church mobilize members for ministry?

How can we as members become ministers?

How do we make the connection to ministry?

1. Serving God requires an attitude adjustment

2. Serving God requires an action plan

And,

3. Serving God requires an Honest assessment

Jesus said,

 

Your attitude must be like my own, for I, the Messiah, did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give my life as a ransom for many."

Matt 20:28 TLB

You’ve got to ask yourself some tough Questions:

·    Did I come to serve or be served?

·    Is it about “serve us”? Or service?

·    Will I simply consume or will I contribute??

·    Will you serve God or serve yourself??

Tough questions!!

A survey of the Bible reveals this about service:

1. You were created to serve God

2. You were saved to serve God

3. You were called to serve God

4. You were commanded to serve God

Ray Glenn??? Still serving God….lead his nephew to the Lord…witnessing to nurses…

No excuses…not even being in the hospital has stopped him!!

He is not saying I’ve done my time…let somebody else do it!!

I went up to his room this week to share with him it is okay to let go…2 Tim 4:6-8…and Ray wept and cried as I shared this passage…I don’t think he is ready for the race to be over!!

Like Christ, Ray came not to be served, but to serve…and I have no doubt that he will serve Christ till his final breath!!

What about you??

Making the Connection:

You were created to serve God! Have you made the connection to ministry?

Will you prayerfully consider where God wants you to serve Him….not if…

Special prayer time…church at a crossroads///self or service

RTV team realized as the need for churchwide prayer and participation as started putting the plan together

(hold hands…altar)

God’s vision….requires God’s servants to step up and say…I came not to be served, but to serve…here I am Lord use me!!!

“We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give.” —Winston Churchill


(Ministry fair…Look at insert in bulletin)

Prayerfully consider where God wants you to serve Him.

The Bottom Line:

·    We were shaped for serving God.

 

·    Will you serve God?

For some of you, prayerfully consider getting to first base first…a commitment to Christ…a commitment to this membership

What do these pictures have in common?

(pictures of Mother Teresa, other servants of Christ including VBC members…VBS, Upward etc…)

Pictures of servants!!!

People who have made the connection to Christ  and others and to ministry!!!! Scripture helps us to connect the dots!

One of the goals of the RTV plan

is:

 

Goal: Violet Baptist Church will establish an effective plan to assimilate 75% of guests from the community into active participation in church within three months of their first visit by September 1, 2010.

 

Goal: Violet Baptist Church will have 50% of active members involved in a significant      leadership role by September 1, 2010.

Why the goal?

Why the goal?

It is not enough to believe and belong…we need to be involved!!

Worship helps us focus on God.

And secondly we determined:

2. We were created for community.

Fellowship helps us face life’s problems.

We’ve also looked at the third purpose of the church:

3. We were created to become like Christ. That is the purpose of discipleship.

Discipleship helps us fortify our faith.

Today we are going to look at the fourth purpose of the church:

4. We are here to serve God by serving others. Ministry helps us find fulfillment.

You see there is more to the Christian life than believing, belonging and becoming…there is also being involved in ministry.

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