Rethink Church - Play the Long Game

One hundred religious persons knit into a unity by careful organization do not constitute a church any more than eleven dead men make a football team. AW Tozer

It has got to be more

It has to be a long game

Four Corners - in 20 years 12,000 - 60,000

With that has come broken homes, crime, human trafficking, massive job lay offs

We have to decide if we will be here to make an impact

3 things that we need to do and to experience to be a church that last

Acts 19

A lasting church will need to:

Teach the basics of the faith

Acts 19:1–2 CSB

While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul traveled through the interior regions and came to Ephesus. He found some disciples and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” “No,” they told him, “we haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”

A lasting church will need to:

Teach the basics of the faith

We must teach the whole of scripture

2 Timothy 3:16 CSB

All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness,

Cannot pick and choose what we like and don’t like

Sola - scripture alone, faith alone, grace alone, Christ alone, God’s glory alone

A lasting church will need to:

2. Display the supernatural power of God

Acts 19:5–7 CSB

When they heard this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began to speak in tongues and to prophesy. Now there were about twelve men in all.

A lasting church will need to:

2. Display the supernatural power of God

There should be external evidence of internal changes

We should see fruit

Power should be evident

John 14:12 CSB

“Truly I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do. And he will do even greater works than these, because I am going to the Father.

A lasting church will need to:

3. Persevere through the attacks against Christ

Acts 19:8–10 CSB

Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly over a period of three months, arguing and persuading them about the kingdom of God. But when some became hardened and would not believe, slandering the Way in front of the crowd, he withdrew from them, taking the disciples, and conducted discussions every day in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. This went on for two years, so that all the residents of Asia, both Jews and Greeks, heard the word of the Lord.

A lasting church will need to:

3. Persevere through the attacks against Christ

Paul did not quit when it got hard - stayed for 2 years

We have not even begun to scratch the surface of ministry here.

I know it is hard and we have suffered loss but

John 16:33 CSB

I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.”

Playing the Long Game

There is so much to do

So much need for hope and light

It will take time, faith, boldness

We must see our community as God sees it and it must break our hearts and move us to action

The Church is the Church only when it exists for others- not dominating, but helping and serving. It must tell men of every calling what it means to live for Christ, to exist for others. Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Big job

Jeremiah 32:17 CSB

Oh, Lord God! You yourself made the heavens and earth by your great power and with your outstretched arm. Nothing is too difficult for you!

Not your life or this community

Let’s Pray

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