AWAKEN GROWTH TRACK THE GOSPEL WHAT SHAPES THE CHURCH?

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1 1 WHAT SHAPES THE CHURCH? SUCCESS creating powerful religious experiences and drawing large numbers of people based on appeal Individuals are now spiritual consumers who will go to a church only if (and as long as) its worship and public speaking are immediately riveting and attractive. FRUITFULNESS (John 15:8; Rom. 1:13; Gal. 5:22; Rom. 15:28, 1 Cor. 3:9) When fruitfulness is our criterion for evaluation, we are held accountable but not crushed by the expectation that a certain number of lives will be changed dramatically under our ministry. FAITHFULNESS All that matters is a minister to be sound in doctrine, godly in character, and faithful in preaching and in pasturing people. It is an oversimplisication to say that faithfulness is all that matters. No- something more than faithfulness is needed to assess whether we are being the ministers we should be

2 2 HOW SHOULD WE DEFINE THE CHURCH? JESUS IS THE MASTER BUILDER - Many people define the Church primarily by what she does, not who she is. Unfortunately, this leads to an understanding of the Church that defines her not by God s work but by man s work, leading to a view that man builds the church instead of Jesus. (Matthew 16:18) We are who we are because of what Jesus Has done and is doing Our being comes out of His doing and Our doing proceeds from our being in Christ. CONFESSIONAL PEOPLE ALONE - Some people mainly define the Church by what God has done, not also who He saved her to be and what He saved her to do. In this case, the Church is a confessional people primarily, but not an obedient people who do what God commands and displays what God is like by ACTIVITY Do we desine a family based upon what they do? (We are a family because we sleep in the same house, eat together, do dishes, share a budget, etc ) by ORIGIN We are the church because the Father has made us His Children through the life and work of Jesus giving us new birth by His Spirit. by BEING Do we desine a family based upon who they are? (we are a family because we have the same parents, the same last name, belong to one another, etc.) by BEING We have a new identity as Children of God. by ORIGIN Do we desine a family by how they came into being? (we are a family because our parents gave birth to us or adopted us by ACTIVITY We live out lives of love and good deeds because we are His children who are deeply loved. We are God's PEOPLE Saved by God's POWER For God's PURPOSE

3 3 DEVELOPING A THEOLOGICAL VISION 1. What is the gospel and how do we bring it to bear on the hearts of people today? 2. What is the culture like, and how can we both connect to it and challenge it in our communication? 3. How does our location affect our ministry? 4. To what degree and how should Christians be involved in civic life and cultural production? 5. How do the various ministries in a church word and deed, community and instruction relate to one another? 6. How innovative will our church be and how traditional? 7. How will our church relate to other churches in our city and region? 8. How will we make our case to the culture about the truth of Christianity? STEPS TO BUILDING A THEOLOGICAL VISION: What to Believe Doctrinal Foundation Timeless truths from the Bible about God, our relationship to Him, and His purposes in the world.(theological Tradition, Denominational AfSiliation, Systematic & Biblical Theology) How to See Theological Vision A faithful restatement of the gospel with rich implications for life, ministry, and mission in a type of culture at a specisic moment in history.(vision and values, Ministry DNA, Emphases, stances, Philosophy of Ministry) What to Do Ministry Expression How the Gospel is expressed in a particular church in one community at a point in time. (Local cultural adaptation, Worship style & programming, Discipleship & Outreach processes, Church governance & management

4 4 BALANCE OF THREE AXES THE GOSPEL AXIS At one end of the axis is LEGALISM, the teaching that asserts or the spirit that implies we can save ourselves by how we live. At the other end RELATIVISM, the view that it doesn t matter how we live; that God, if he exists loves everyone the same. Legalism Relativism CULTURE AXIS At one end of the axis is OVERADAPTED accepting culture by accepting their behaviors and idols not challenging people to change. At the other end of the axis is UNDERADAPTED we will be confusing, offensive and simply unpersuasive because no one will be listening to us. Underadapted Over- Adapted MOVEMENT AXIS At one end of the axis is STRUCTURED ORGANIZATION being so identified with their institution, tradition and structure clinging to forms of ministry from the past. At the other end of the axis is ANTI- INSTITUTIONAL no identification with a particular heritage or denomination being completely fluid and information Anit- Institutional Structured Organization

5 5 TWO GOSPEL PERSPECTIVES For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, "The righteous shall live by faith." ROMANS 1:16-17 THEMATICALLY MEANS of Salvation The Gospel Power STORYLINE REASON for Salvation The Gospel Purpose In this case, the Good News is that God, in and through the work of Jesus Christ and the power of His Spirit, accepts us, empowers us and is changing us We have been saved from the penalty of sin, are being saved from the power of sin and will be saved from the presence of sin because of God s power and work, not our own (Ephesians 2:8-9; Colossians 1:27-29; 2:6-7; Philippians 2:12-13; 1 Peter 1:3-5) Luther said that the Sirst commandment is the gospel You shall have no other gods before me is the same as, You shall have no other justisication for your life, your righteousness, your signisicance, your security etc other than me. In this case, the Good News is that God sent his Son to redeem the world and create a new humanity. Eventually the whole world will be renewed. Death, decay, injustice, and suffering will all be removed. God is saving a people and sending them out for His Mission so that Christ will be glorisied in all things. The Church has been saved BY God s work FOR God s work (Ephesians 1, 2:10,14-22; 2 Corinthians 5:15-21; Revelation 21).The Gospel is not just about my individual happiness or God s plan for my life. It is about God s Glory and His plan for the world. There is a movement afoot. God is doing something and we have been called to His purposes. The people of God are participating within God s redemptive plan by being a display people offering a foretaste of what the future will be like under God s rule. (Jeremiah 29; Matthew 5:3-16; Luke 6:20-36; 1 Peter 2:9-12). WE NEED BOTH GOSPEL PERSPECTIVES We must know the Gospel Means (God/Sin/Christ/Faith and the Gospel Story (Creation/Fall/Redemption/Restoration) If we only focus on the Gospel Power, but do not know the Gospel Purpose (The Storyline of the Gospel where it is going and what Jesus is doing through the Church), we will tend toward a Gospel that is only about saving individuals and miss the mission of the Gospel. In this case, the Gospel is ALL ABOUT us. If we only focus on the Gospel Purpose, but miss the Gospel Power (The work of God in Jesus Christ to save), we will tend toward doing good works and acts of service without the power of God. We believe it is up to us to change the world AND we become more acceptable and significant to God by doing more. In this case, the mission of the Gospel is now DEPENDENT UPON us.

6 6 WHO S STORY IS IT? Everyone is part of the story and is walking out this story in their lives. The real question is whose story is it? We either see the story primarily as God s Story or primarily as Our Story. Our point of view is directly connected to our belief in the gospel. FALL We rebelled against Him and His word stands we really die REDEMPTION He saves us by His work and we put our faith in Him to save by grace CREATION He is the Creator and Originator of all things I exist because of Him GOD'S STORY RESTORATION He has work for us to do which He prepared and enables us for FALL I am good and others are evil OR I am not good, but it is not my fault: it is because of some outside insluence not my rebellion and sin in this case I am deceived/dishonest REDEMPTION It is through my work that I am saved, healed, made acceptable I must perform in this case I or someone else I determine is savior CREATION I become what I actualize or determine to be I believe I am god OUR STORY RESTORATION I can Six me and this place if I will just work harder and more effectively in this case I am all wise and almighty THE GOSPEL IS GOD S WORK FOR GOD S WORK

7 AWAKEN GROWTH TRACK THE GOSPEL THE STORY IS ALL ABOUT HIM IT S NOT ABOUT US! THE IMPLICATION OF THE GOSPEL THE INCARNATION UPSIDE- DOWN ASPECT OF THE GOSPEL A reversal of values (Luke 6:20-26) Though Jesus was rich, he became poor. Though he was a king, he served. Though he was the greatest, he made himself the servant of all. He triumphed over sin not by taking up power but by serving sacrisicially. He won through losing everything. Creates a new community that does NOT place emphasis on racial and class superiority, money and power at the expense of others, yearning for popularity and recognition. EMPHASIS deep community, cell groups, house churches, radical giving and sharing of resources, spiritual disciplines, racial reconciliation and living with the poor. ( Evangelical/Charismatic Church ) THE ATONEMENT INSIDE- OUT ASPECT OF THE GOSPEL THE RESURRECTION FORWARD- BACK APECT OF THE GOSPEL God s Kingdom is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17) Jesus took our place on the cross and accomplished salvation for us, which we receive as a gift. Creates a reversal of traditional religion which explains that we do outward religious activity and therefore we are changed on the inside, the Gospel shows that because of what Jesus has done, we re changed on the inside which then revolutionizes how we relate to God, to ourselves and to others on the outside. EMPHASIS personal conversion, experiential grace renewal, evangelism, outreach and church planting (Baptist/Evangelistic Church) The coming of Jesus occurs in two stages, his Sirst coming was salvation from the penalty of sin and his second coming is to bring a new creation, a material world cleansed of all brokenness The already but not yet of the kingdom keeps us from a triumphalistic vision of cultural takeover on the one hand and from pessimism or withdrawal from society on the other. EMPHASIS seeking the welfare of the city, neighborhood, and civic involvement, cultural engagement, and training people to work in secular vocations out of a Christian Worldview. (Reformed/ Mainline Church) 7

8 GOSPEL RENEWAL DEFINITIONS OF REVIVAL FIRST VIEW Adding of extraordinary operations of the Holy Spirit Miracles, Healings, and Revelations SECOND VIEW An especially vigorous season of preaching, gatherings & evangelistic activity BALANCED VIEW An intensisication of the normal operations of the conviction of sin, regeneration, and sanctisication, assurance of grace) through ordinary means of grace (preaching the Word, prayer and the sacraments) Revival is not a historical curiosity; it is a consistent pattern of how the Holy Spirit works in a community to counteract the default mode of the human heart. CRITIQUING REVIVALS EMOTIONALISM SPLIT FAMILIES UNDERMINE THE CHURCH REVIVAL A BRIEF HISTORY OF REVIVALS Before the 18 th Century Conversion o Corporate, gradual, formal and completely church- centric o Infant Baptism by the whole family o Catechetical instruction in Church s historic creeds and traditions o Admitted to the Lord s Supper as a full communicant o Weddings, Funerals served as milestones o One s Faith was inherited and then personally confirmed by the individual through a highly communal process that entailed the support and approval of his family, church and religious authorities Historical Change o Industrial Revolution displaced people to larger cities moving them away from small town living o Market Capitalism gave individuals more goods and services to choose from Revivalist Approach o Emphasized the decision of individuals at large meetings rather than the incorporation of families into a community o Participation became optional o Emotional experience is placed above doctrinal soundness and holiness of life. o Christianity becomes more about meeting felt- needs o Each person becomes his/her own spiritual authority based upon their personal experience and no true accountability. 8

9 9 BIBLICAL THEOLOGY OF REVIVAL Revival and Spiritual Forgetting (Deut. 4:9; 8:11; 14, 19; Josh 4:20-24; 2 Peter 1:9) Israel constantly forgets the great salvation they had received from God. Peter warns that it is possible for Christians to lose their awareness of the spiritual reality that they have been cleansed from their past sins (2 Pet 1:9) We need to continually renew the spiritual remembrance of our salvation. Revival and Cycles of Decline (Judges 2:11-20; 10:6-16; Rev. 2:1-7) The book of Judges, Kings, and Chronicles depict constant cycles of decline and revival. The cycle starts when the Israelites assimilate to the pagan culture around them. The result is suffering that leads them to return to God in repentance. God responds by sending leaders who spark a revival. New Testament Churches can go through the cycle too; Christ calls the Ephesian church to return to your Sirst love Revival and the Spirit (Acts 2:4; 14-41; Acts 4:7-31; 13:9; 49-52) At Pentecost, the disciples were Silled with the Holy Spirit and preached the word of God so boldly that there were many conversions. Though this event is unique, the Christians were empowered. David Peterson states that in this context the phrase suggests a fresh Silling of the Spirit so that with great power they were able to continue their work of testifying to the resurrection. As in the Old Testament, God s response to prayer and persecution is the sending of the Spirit to revive individuals and churches. Revival and Conversion (Jer. 4:4; Deut 10:16; 30:6; Joel 2:13; Acts 8:9-23) Revival consists not only of the renewal of true believers but also of the conversion of those within the covenant community who are only nominal believers. The prophets preach to the circumcised full members of the covenant outwardly yet call them to inner conversion: Circumcise yourselves to the Lord, circumcise your hearts (Jer. 4:4; cf. Deut 10:16; 30:6; Joel 2:13) In the New Testament too, it is possible to be a baptized member of the Christian community and still have a heart not right before God and in need of conversion (Acts 8:9-23). Through revival stagnant Christians come alive and nominal Christians become converted.

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