Sermon Tone Analysis
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*The Pillars of Community:*
*Building Community in 2009*
*/December 28, 2008/*
*Prep: *
· Sermons: Mission (9~/28), Trinity (8~/3), Reaching In
*Opening*
· *Thanks* to everyone involved in the *Candlelight service*.
*2008* was a *great year* – I am so excited about where we are and where we are going.
I want to know take this Sunday to look forward at *2009* and where God is taking us.
· This sermon also launches a new series, called “The Pillars of Community.”
· There will be time for Q & A.
*Prayer*
*Mission Recap *
Three months ago, we launched the church’s new *mission* *statement*.
Now as we go into 2009, the Elders have agreed on our *vision* for *2009*, i.e., which part of that mission statement we will *focus* on: *building* *community*.
· First I want to recap our mission.
It is vital that “Community” be built in the *context* of our entire *mission* *statement*, because too much of a good thing is dangerous, because it happens at the *expense* of other things.
As a *reminder*: A mission statement is simply a *tool* that reminds us *why* we are here, what we are *doing*.
It is a tool that we can use *describe* ourselves to others.
We are a Christian community striving to glorify God and engage our culture.
*/Christian/*: We are devoted to *Christ* and his *Word*.
*/Community/*: More on this in a moment.
*/Striving/*: We are works in progress – we *need* grace and we *give* *grace*.
The church should be more known for *grace* and *love* then *rules* and *judgment*.
· Grace is a *vital* to community – how can we *open* ourselves *up* to others if we live in *fear *of being *judged* for imperfection?
*/Glorify God/*: The bedrock *motivation* for all we do is to “glorify God and enjoy him forever.”
We are on a *journey* of *discovering* just how *cool* God is and *reflecting* that love to the world.
*/Engage our culture/*: We share the Gospel of God’s love not by shouting at the world, but by working to *understand* and *participate* in our culture in order to *translate* it.
· Keeping an eye on reaching out is vital to prevent us from becoming *self-focused* and *exclusive*.
· “Community” and “engage culture” will always be in *tension*.
Ä In coming years, we will change our focus to other parts of the mission statement.
*Vision for 2009: Building community*
We believe that it is vital to *focus* on building community *first* for several reasons:
1.
Community is one of the *foundations *of Christian living.
At *Pentecost*, thousands of people became Christians, and with that came the challenge of how to bring them into the church.
*Acts 2:41-42 ESV* So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.
And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
These four things describe the foundation: Biblical *teaching*, *community*, *communion* (in the form of a *shared* *meal* – more community!),
and *prayers* (may be a reference to the larger *worship* *service*).
2. Community is one of our *unique attractions*.
People come to this church, and stay here, because they want community.
· This is especially important because I think that there is a significant *backlash* to our *culture’s isolation*.
· I think that some form of community and connection will be the *next major trend*.
3.
*Accordingly*, I believe that we need to build a solid *foundation *for *healthy community* and a solid *structure* to *accommodate* healthy growth.
· This series is a *work in progress*, a mutual discovery.
*Outline of series*
This series is called “Pillars of Community” because it focuses on *habits* and *virtues* vital to healthy, God-honoring community.
1.
This week (in addition to introducing the series) will look at the *definition* and *basis* for community.
2. Next week will talk about our *deep* *need* for community and the many *spheres* it can exist.
3. The next several sermons will look at the *habits* and *virtues* of community: *Humility*, *forgiveness*, *hospitality*, et al.
4. We will close by looking at some *practical* *plans* to increase community.
*The goal and the “not goal”*
The *goal* of this series will be to *increase* *health* *community* within this church and among the congregation.
· This is not a *home* *group* *drive,* the goal is *not* to start more *home* *groups*.
Community happens in *multiple* *levels* and in multiple *ways*.
It is not a *monolithic* thing and attempts to *force* us into a single *mold* will leave us *frustrated* and still *without* *community*.
· As we speak about community, we will look at the many *different places* and *ways* that it can happen.
*This should be fun*
I am of the opinion that community is one of God’s *greatest* *gifts* and we should *enjoy* it.
If you *cringe* every time I say community, chances are pretty good that you are actually *reacting* to a *specific* *type* of community.
· Similarly, I used to think that I *hated evangelism*, but it turns out it was just a *specific type* of evangelism.
Ä This brings us to an important question: What is community?
*Defining Community*
Obviously there are many ways to define it, but speaking from a *Christian* *perspective*, it is far more than “getting together.”
· When any of our *Cougs* go to a *WSU game*, they feel a certain community, but it is only a part of community.
As I define community, I pull from *Biblical* *study* (especially the *cultural* background), countless *books* and *conferences*, being a *small* *group* *pastor*, but also my *personal* *experience*.
· My life has been changed because of community.
So here is my definition: Community is a place where you belong, grow, and give.
Each of those pieces is *vital*.
Without any one, what you have will not be Biblical community.
At *best* it will simply be *hanging* *out*, but at *worse* it can be very *dysfunctional*.
*Belonging*
We all have a deep *need* to *belong*, a place where we are *accepted* and *loved* as *we* *are*.
We want to be a part, to be an *insider*, not on the outside.
Q How many *foolish things* have you done to *belong* to a group?
*All* of us who are Christians and call Jesus Lord belong to the *body* of *Christ*, and we are connected one to another.
The body of Christ should be our *first* *level* of belonging.
But even still, within the church, there are *smaller* *communities* that we may or may not belong to.
· Jesus himself had 12 disciples out of 70, and 3 out of the 12.
· This gives us *s**ome clues* about next week’s “*forums* of community.”
This sense of *belonging* is what Brian, Brady, and Peter feel at the *Cougars* *game*, they are part of the bigger group.
But this *alone* is not community.
Such belonging does *not* by itself *change* *you* or make you any better.
*Growing*
The thing that separates community from a get-together is the *desire* to *grow*.
I believe that in order for it to be community, there has to be an *intentional* *focus* on *growing*.
You have to want for God to change you.
This growth happens in *three* *directions*: *Upwards* towards *God*, *outwards* to *other*, including family, friends, and even strangers, and *inward*, as a *person*.
It is not by chance *sin* is that which *destroys* our relationship with God, with others, and destroys us as people.
· Community is God’s “plan A” for Christian living.
*Giving*
The final element of community is giving, to *pour* *out* of ourselves as well as *receive*.
Without giving, community becomes *stagnant* and *polluted*.
A person who only *receives* without giving becomes a *drain* on community, and will eventually *destroy* *it*.
· Ideally, in community *giving* and *receiving* is *ever shifting*.
· Giving is what keeps a community healthy and prevents it from becoming *dysfunctional*.
This giving will take *many* *forms*, from *helping* each other out, to *confronting* someone’s sin.
The cool part is that if we are giving from who God made us, it will usually be a *joy*.
· *Serving*, within your gifting, is a key part of *community*.
Ä Community is as a place where we belong, grow, and give.
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