Inquirers. Inquirer s Seminar. Piece by Piece Making Perimeter Your Home

Transcription

1 Inquirers Inquirer s Seminar Piece by Piece Making Perimeter Your Home

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3 Perimeter Church Inquirer s Seminar CONTENTS Introduction... 2 Three Distinctives... 4 Doctrinal Beliefs What Would Perimeter Church Say? Why Church Membership? On Expressions of Worship Child Membership Inquirer s Profile Book List

4 The Inquirer s Seminar The Inquirer s Seminar, taught by Randy Pope, is a must for every person who considers Perimeter a potential church home. Though completion of the Inquirer s Seminar and the Membership Seminar is a requirement for joining Perimeter Church, it is designed with a no pressure atmosphere, giving you an opportunity to look without being asked to buy. The weekend includes three sessions covering the same number of very interesting and informative topics. The first session entitled, Three Distinctives of Perimeter, meets on Saturday morning and explains what makes this church so special. These distinctives, illustrated by stories from the distant and recent past, will offer a fresh breath of hope for all, especially those who have had disappointing experiences in former churches. This session will give insight into a diversity of practical topics such as family, leadership, management, organizational structure and goal setting. If the previous session explains what makes Perimeter so special, the second session, meeting on Sunday morning, explains what makes Perimeter so solid. In this session, entitled, What Perimeter Believes, you will, in survey fashion, be given an introduction to the doctrinal beliefs of Perimeter. It is typical for Inquirers to leave this session feeling very secure in the historical and biblical doctrines which are the foundation for Perimeter s ministry. They are pleased to see firm conviction in the essentials of our faith, stressing a commitment to major on the majors and minor on the minors. The third session on Sunday evening includes a brief look at the ministries at Perimeter. Over 75 distinctively different ministries are outlined with explanations highlighting the ministries of most broad interest. But without question, the most interesting part of the evening is an open forum for asking questions. Randy especially enjoys this session and is rarely known to dodge a question. The final step of the membership process is the Membership Seminar. The emphasis of this session is Membership Standards. After completing this session, we feel fairly confident that you will have made some new friends and will know Perimeter well enough to determine whether this is the church to call home. We hope it will be. Childcare is provided for all sessions. Completion of membership process to be done within 24 months. From the start of Inquirer s through the elder appointment. If the process is not completed within two years, we will ask that the process be started again. 2

5 INQUIRER S SEMINAR Saturday, Sunday SCHEDULE Saturday Continental breakfast at 8:30 AM, just bring your appetite. 9:00 AM - 12:15 PM Fellowship Hall Three Distinctives of Perimeter Bring sack lunch for child. Sunday AM Doctrinal Beliefs - 9:00 AM Sunday PM The Big Picture and Question & Answer 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM Bring sack dinner for child. MEMBERSHIP SEMINAR Sunday Afternoon Sunday Dinner provided - bring sack dinner for child. 4:00 PM - 7:30 PM Membership Standards Childcare is available by reservation. Please call the hotline , to make reservations for childcare and/or dinner. 3

6 THE THREE DISTINCTIVES OF PERIMETER CHURCH Often, what makes Bible oriented churches so different is not their doctrinal beliefs, but their philosophies of ministry. A philosophy of ministry is to a church what a personality is to a child. We want you to get a look at what makes Perimeter the distinct church it is. The three distinctives explored in this session comprise the philosophical foundation on which this church is built. 4

7 THE THREE DISTINCTIVES OF PERIMETER CHURCH DISTINCTIVE #1 Perimeter Is Committed To Being A Home Which Makes Mature And Equipped Followers Of Christ. 1. Perimeter Church Seeks To Be People Oriented. 1.1 We are committed to viewing the individual as the most important aspect of the church. 1.2 We are committed to meeting the many and varied needs of the individual.»»two categories of need: Felt needs Un-felt needs»»a friend s perspective: Vision Relationships Equipping Another perspective: Celebration a daily personal and weekly corporate worship encounter with God. Community supportive, accountable relationships with other believers. Class a structured plan for understanding and applying the Word of God. Commission an engagement with non-kingdom people with the intent of introducing them to Christ. 5

8 Yet another perspective: Member a believer who has covenanted to be a faithful participant in the family. Manager a believer who seeks to manage his life, relationships and resources according to the direction of his Master. Minister a believer who seeks to serve the family of God by using his God-given design and spiritual gifts to enhance the kingdom of God. Messenger a believer who seeks to develop relationships with those without Christ and to share with them the love of Christ. 1.3 We are more committed to building people than building church programs. 1.4 We are committed to building strength into the home life of our people. 2. Perimeter Church Seeks To Be plan oriented. 2.1 We are committed to a God-honoring purpose. (Answers the question, Why do we exist? ) To glorify God and to enjoy Him. 2.2 We are committed to non-negotiable values. (Answers the question, What is most important to us? ) Who We Are Values Love Integrity Faith Truth What We Do Values Worship Community Equipping Service & Mercy Outreach Generosity 6

9 2.3 We are committed to a God-inspired vision. (Answers the question, What are we seeking to accomplish? ) What Are We Trying To Accomplish? (Our Vision) To make and deploy mature and equipped followers of Christ 1 for the sake of family, community and global transformation We are committed to a well-defined mission. (Answers the question, How will we go about accomplishing our vision? ) We plan to make mature and equipped followers of Christ by: 1)Winsomely engaging the unchurched where we live, work and play. 2)Attractively exposing the unchurched to God s Word and God s people. 3)Sponsoring newcomers into church membership. 4)Discipling members in life-on-life missional discipleship 3. We plan to bring about family transformation by: 1) Equipping children & youth to understand the gospel and to embrace a biblical world and life view. 2) Equipping singles to leverage their missional mobility and to make wise marital decisions. 3) Equipping marrieds to delight in their God-given roles and to fulfill their God-given responsibilities. 4) Equipping parents to develop a family plan and to shepherd their children s hearts. We plan to deploy our people for community and global transformation by: 1)Serving people in need. 2)Partnering with other churches and organizations. 3)Planting new churches. 4)Exporting life-on-life missional discipleship to churches worldwide. 2.5 We are committed to faith-oriented goals. (Answers the question, How will we know if we are accomplishing our vision? ) 7

10 3. Perimeter Church Seeks To Be Community Oriented. 3.1 We are committed to helping each member and interested visitor find meaningful relationships through an appropriate community. 3.2 We are committed to providing a variety of community options. 4. Perimeter Church Seeks To Be Bible And Prayer Oriented. 4.1 We are committed to teaching the Bible as the authoritative Word of God. 4.2 We are committed to varying styles and methods of teaching God s Word. 4.3 We are committed to teaching people to feed themselves from God s Word. 4.4 We are committed to prayer as the means to God s power for living. 8

11 DISTINCTIVE #2 Perimeter Church Is Committed To Being A Mission Which Remains Contemporary To Its Culture. 1. Perimeter Church Seeks To Be Change Oriented. 1.1 We are committed to meeting needs as opposed to maintaining programs. 1.2 We are committed to doing evaluation on a regular basis to find out how well we are meeting needs. 1.3 We are committed to creating leadership structures which bring on new people on a regular basis. 1.4 We are committed to updating our worship and ministry menu on a regular basis. 2. Perimeter Church Seeks To Be Growth Oriented. 2.1 We are committed to continuously keep growing. One thing is certain... a church must never stop growing. When it ceases to grow, it will start to die. When it stops growing, it will cease to hold its dynamic leadership. If it s a multiple staff church, its staff will look for other churches which offer challenge, adventure and excitement. Dynamic, effective, energetic and successful laymen as well as professional churchmen gradually drop away from a non-growing situation. Finally, a church realizes that in losing its dynamic leadership, it has allowed the seeds of death and decay to be planted. 2.2 We are committed to taking significant risks for the cause of healthy growth. 9

12 3. Perimeter Church Seeks To Be Mission Oriented. 3.1 We are committed to being mission oriented as opposed to nurture oriented, viewing nurture as a means to mission, never as an end in itself. 3.2 We are committed to reaching the unchurched as our first priority. 3.3 We are committed to making our worship service seeker friendly without sacrificing true worship or sound teaching. 3.4 We are committed to helping our people identify and reach a specific target group. 10

13 DISTINCTIVE #3: Perimeter Church Is Committed To Being An Equipping Station Which Views Its Staff As Equippers And Its Members As Ministers. 1. Perimeter Church Seeks To Be Staff - Equipper Oriented. 1.1 We are committed to a biblical understanding of equipping. Three Views of Equipping:»»The traditional view»»the evangelical view»»the biblical view 1.2 We are committed to making the primary role of the pastor and his staff that of a leader - equipper. The Business Model and the Church: Owner = God Employer = Elders/Staff Employee = Members Customer = Unchurched/Members 11

14 1.3 We are committed to the pastor s leadership job description containing four primary responsibilities: First and foremost he is to spend time with the Lord discerning His leading regarding the future direction of the church: Leadership is the key to church growth. If the church is really to succeed in its mission of witnessing to the non-churched world in the 21st Century, it must develop aggressive, dynamic and inspiring leaders. Leadership is thinking ahead, planning for the future, exhausting all possibilities, envisioning problems, visualizing solutions to them, then communicating the possibilities and problem solving ideas to the decision makers. In any institution, the leader is the one who is thinking ahead of everyone else. He s not living in the past but the future, for leadership draws its inspiration from the future projections not from past accomplishments. The leader is alert to movements, trends and evolving developments. He is literally thinking longer thoughts than anyone else and expressing them effectively. Secondly, the leader-equipper sets goals for the church according to the will of God; Thirdly, the leader-equipper obtains goal ownership from the people; And lastly, the leader-equipper sees that each member of the church is properly equipped to do his or her part in accomplishing those goals. 1.4 We are committed to limiting the pastoral responsibilities of the pastor. The three options for a pastor of a church over 100 members: 12

15 1.5 We are committed to the pastor s pastoral job description containing four primary responsibilities: To shepherd the staff; To shepherd the elders; To shepherd personal friends in crisis; and To shepherd every person in need who makes their needs known when no one else is equipped to minister to them. 1.6 We are committed to giving decision making authority equal to the responsibility delegated. Therefore, the leader-equipper must be willing to pay the following cost:»»to assume responsibility for failure;»»to major on his primary responsibilities;»»to share the ministry with the staff and laity. 13

16 2. Perimeter Church Seeks To Be Member - Minister Oriented. 2.1 We are committed to making every member a minister. 2.2 We are committed to the layman s job description including four primary responsibilities: First, the layman must discover and develop his or her spiritual gifts. Secondly, the layman must view himself or herself as a primary minister in the church; Thirdly, the layman must spend the time needed to be equipped adequately to use his or her spiritual gifts; And lastly, the layman must commit the time necessary to use his or her gifts in ministry. 2.3 We are committed to communicating the expectation that our members be willing to pay the following cost: To allow the pastor and staff to be equippers; To readjust their fellowship habits; To follow God ordained leadership with an attitude of trust. 14

17 Perimeter Church s Attitude Perimeter Church is only in the early years of its ministry. We fully realize that these commitments are more easily written than accomplished. We see these as merely commitments toward which we strive. So please do not take this list of our hopes and dreams as being descriptive of where we are now. In fact, it may take us quite some time to grow into such an ambitious description. God s Word teaches, The mind of man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps. We seek to both have a plan and to be flexible for God to direct as He wishes. As we build we keep in mind that unless the Lord builds the house, those who labor, labor in vain. So we share these commitments with you in the hope that you might find something in them that touches your own idea of what you want your church to be. And having recognized in us a kindred spirit, we want to join with us in seeking to make these commitments a reality through the power and grace of the One who calls us to them. 15

18 THE DOCTRINAL BELIEFS OF PERIMETER CHURCH It s time now to put on our theological hats. For some of us, much in this chapter will be entirely new material, perhaps even a bit mind boggling. If so, just hang on. Though perhaps confusing at times, it will nevertheless be helpful. For many of you this session will answer important questions to help determine if Perimeter is in line with your beliefs. Bear in mind that this session is not designed to fully explain our beliefs or to persuade you of their correctness, but rather to let you know what they are. Any questions that arise will be welcomed in the Question and Answer session. 16

19 WHAT PERIMETER CHURCH BELIEVES 1. Perimeter s Doctrinal Beliefs 1.1 We believe in the inspiration and inerrancy of Scripture. The Bible is the written Word of God, without error and of infallible and divine authority in all matters of faith and life. (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21) 1.2 We believe in the majesty and sovereignty of God. The personal Triune God of the Bible owns and controls all things according to His will. (Ephesians 1:11; 3:11; Acts 4:24-27) 1.3 We believe God created the universe out of nothing. God alone has existed from eternity past and in His wisdom decided to create the universe using nothing which had pre-existed. (Genesis 1:1; Hebrews 11:3; Isaiah 44:24) 1.4 We believe that man was created by God. Man did not evolve but rather was created by the Triune God. He was created with dignity in that he was made in God s image and created in humility in that his aim is to glorify God. (Genesis 1:26; Colossians 3:17) (Believing that mankind bears the image of God leads us to believe in the sanctity of human life. Therefore, we oppose the practice of abortion and believe that there are no biblical grounds for abortion. Unborn children, as well as the newborn, the aged and the infirm, have a God-given right to life. We also believe that for those who have had an abortion in the past and are repentant, there is grace and forgiveness from God.) 1.5 We believe in the sinfulness of man. The voluntary sin of Adam resulted in man s total depravity. Total depravity does not mean that man is as sinful as he can be, but that he is fallen in his total person (his mind, emotions, will and body). Thus, all men are sinners and are not able to please God on their own merit or save themselves. (Romans 3:9; 8:7-8) 17

20 1.6 We believe in God s gracious plan of salvation. God in His goodness chose to provide a means of salvation for mankind through the covenant of grace. Covenant of grace is carried out by Jesus Christ in four primary roles: a mediator who represents both God and man; a prophet who is God s spokesman, revealing truth to man; a priest who is mankind s representative, taking his sins upon Himself and offering Himself as a sacrifice to satisfy divine justice and to reconcile him to God; a king who subdues man to Himself, ruling and defending him, and conquering all of his enemies. Five Stage Process: 1.7 We believe God applies the salvation earned by Christ to us through the Holy Spirit. This takes place through a five stage process God begins the process by effectively calling His own to Himself convincing him of his sin and misery and persuading and enabling him to receive Christ by faith This is followed by justification, whereby He declares man righteous in His sight, based only on the merit of Christ which is imputed to him and received by faith alone This is then followed by adoption, whereby the believer is received into God s family, making him a joint-heir with Christ Until his death, the believer continues to be sanctified. This is the daily process of being enabled more and more to die to sin and to live unto righteousness The final stage is that of glorification, whereby the believer is received at death and his body at the final resurrection. It is especially noted that justification is by grace alone and through faith alone. This grace and faith will inevitably lead to sanctification an evidence of justification. 2 Timothy 1:9; Romans 3:24-5:21; Romans 8:14-17;Ephesians 1:5; Romans 6:11; Ephesians 2:10; 2 Corinthians 5:8;1 Thessalonians 4:13-18) 18

21 1.8 We believe in a doctrine of salvation which emphasizes both the responsibility of man and the sovereignty of God The Bible does not present us with an either/or proposition regarding the sovereignty of God and the responsibility of man in salvation. It teaches both/and God is sovereign in our salvation. It is His work. He receives all glory. Christians are called His chosen or elect. He must draw us to Himself and He preserves us when we trust Him. Yet we are also responsible before God for our actions. We must turn to Christ, trust Him, follow Him, and persevere. A belief in God s sovereignty in salvation was the belief of the leaders of the Protestant Reformation and has been the majority report of evangelicals for most of the past 400 years. (Genesis 6:5; Romans 3:10-18, 21-25; Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:1; John 8:34; Ephesians 1:4-5; Acts 13: 48; Romans 8:28-30; Romans 9:11-24; John 6:37, 39, 44; John 10:1-5, 14-16; 1 Thessalonians 1:4) 1.9 We believe in covenant theology. Covenant theology views all of Scripture as an unfolding covenant relationship between God and His people in which God s dealing with man is based consistently throughout by grace. Thus, there is a unity and continuity between Israel of the Old Testament and the Church of the New Testament. There is one covenant of grace expressed in two administrations (Old and New). There is one people of God consisting of both Old Testament and New Testament believers. (Galatians 6:15 (NIV); Matthew 21:31-45; John 15:1-6; Acts 15:15-18; Romans 8:23-28; 11:17-20; 1 Peter 2:9) 1.10 We believe in the doctrine of infant baptism The practice of infant baptism is based upon covenant theology. Just as the Lord s Supper has replaced the Passover, so baptism has replaced circumcision. What circumcision was in the Old Testament, baptism is in the New Testament When God established His covenant with man He chose to call it an everlasting covenant. That covenant had two administrations known as the old covenant and the new covenant. In the old and new administrations those who come into that everlasting covenant with God were given a sign of ownership. That sign had both a temporal and an eternal significance to it. It was God s way of promising that both the earthly benefits of being in God s kingdom and the eternal benefits would be theirs. In the old covenant all agree that the sign, which was circumcision, was to be given to all men within God s kingdom and to their children. Their children received the sign, not to indicate that the eternal benefits were theirs, but that the temporal ones were theirs. Thus, though many who were circumcised did not go to heaven at death, each did receive the earthly benefits of God s kingdom such as the manna from heaven, the fire by night, the cloud 19

22 by day, the water from the flowing rock, etc. Immediately following Pentecost when Peter was preaching his first sermon (Acts 2), Peter answers the question as to whether the children were to be included in the promise of the new administration. Peter says, The promise is for you and for your children. (vs. 39) Since the new covenant is a better covenant than the old, and since no Scriptures of the new covenant introduce the teaching that children should not receive the sign of the covenant, and since baptism is clearly the sign that replaces circumcision, we conclude that children should not be denied this great privilege. It is our understanding that children have a right to the privileges and benefits of God s kingdom, the Church, once they are baptized. However, we understand that this same child must put his or her trust in Christ as Lord and Savior before the eternal benefits can be embraced. (Genesis 17:7, 10; Acts 2:39; Acts16:31; Galatians 3:26-29; Colossians 2:11-12) 1.11 We believe in sprinkling as a valid mode of baptism. Though sprinkling is not the only valid mode of baptism, it is certainly taught in the Scriptures. The Greek word baptizo (though can be translated immersed ) is often used in Scriptures to refer to sprinkling or pouring. Hebrews 9:10 uses the word baptizo to refer to various washings. Hebrews 9:13, 19, 21, describe three such Old Testament washings. Each of these washings was done by means of sprinkling or pouring. Jesus was baptized (baptizo) by John the Baptist. John asked Jesus why he should be baptizing Christ. The Lord s reply gave only one reason for fulfilling of the law ( to fulfill all righteousness ). Numbers 8:6-7 tells us of that law requiring priests to be baptized. The Greek translation of the Old Testament uses the word baptizo and the Hebrew word clearly refers to sprinkling. The word used in the New Testament for going into the water is misleading. For instance, in the chapter describing the eunuch s baptism in Acts 8, the word eis (into or in) is used eight times. Seven times it is translated in. Only the one used to describe the baptism is the word into used. It is possible to take the various accounts of baptism in the New Testament and argue strongly in many of them that the mode of sprinkling was used. It is also a strong argument, though based on silence, that children would have been included in many of the sixteen references to household baptisms. Certainly they would not have been immersed. (Acts 16:15, 31-33; 1 Corinthians 1:16) Baptism is a sign of the washing that comes by the reception of the Holy Spirit. Sprinkling or pouring is a picture of the reception/calling of the Spirit and the cleansing received thereby. (Titus 3:5-6) To be safe, we can say that the mode of baptism is not so clear in Scripture so as to make it a major doctrinal issue as so many churches do. Perimeter uses sprinkling as its expression of the covenant sign but believes that each of the mode of baptism have support in Scripture. 20

23 1.12 We believe in a final judgment by God. Because mankind counts (i.e., is in the image of God), he is therefore accountable i.e., will face judgment). God will bring all things to consummation at the Judgment, taking His own to be with Him forever and casting all others into hell forever. (1 Corinthians 15: 24-28; Revelation 20:11-15) 1.13 We believe in the priority of the church. The Church invisible is made up of all of God s people of all times. The Church visible is the visible manifestation of the invisible Church and is the ordinary means of the spreading of the Gospel and the building up of the saints. The Church uses the Word, the sacraments and prayer to accomplish this. (Ephesians 2:20-22, 5:23-33; 2 Timothy 4:2) 1.14 We believe the Presbyterian form of government is the most biblical expression of church polity The three types of church government Hierarchical Catholic and Methodist Congregational Baptist and Bible Churches Presbyterian Reformed and Presbyterian The biblical basis for a presbyterian form of government The office-bearers were chosen by the people (Acts 14:23) Appointed actually means to elect by a show of hands. The office of bishop and elder were identical. There was a plurality of elders in each church. (Acts 13:23, 20:17) There was the privilege of appeal to the assembly of elders and the power of government was exercised by them in their associate capacity. (Acts 15, 16:4) The only head of the church is the Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 5:20-23; Colossians 1:18) The presbyterian church courts Session The policy elders of a local church (meets monthly) Presbytery A representative number of elders from churches of a designated geographical area (meets quarterly) General Assembly A representative number of elders from the churches of the entire U.S. and Canada (meets annually) 21

24 Church Officers: Teaching Elders Member of presbytery Ruling Elders Member of church Deacons Physical needs 2. Perimeter Church s Denomination Affiliation 2.1 Its name: The Presbyterian Church in America 2.2 Its history: Its guidelines»» The Book of Church Order»» The Westminster Confession of Faith»» The Larger and Shorter Catechisms 2.4 Its five major committees»» Mission to the World»» Mission to North America»» Christian Education and Publications»» Committee on Administration»» Reformed University Ministries 2.5 Reasons why it is good to be a part of a denomination like the PCA: It subscribes to a biblical theology and church government It provides unified direction with unified potential It offers safeguards against ministerial or church heresy. 22

25 3. Perimeter Church s Attitude Regarding Its Beliefs 3.1 We believe in majoring on the majors and minoring on the minors. 3.2 We believe that in the essentials there must be unity and in the non-essentials there must be liberty. 3.3 In order to join Perimeter Church, one must only adhere to the essentials of the Christian faith. These essentials include the deity and resurrection of Christ, the sinfulness of man and salvation through faith in Christ alone. 23

26 PCA VISION 2000 Presented to the 1987 General Assembly As one communion in the worldwide church, the Presbyterian Church in America exists to glorify God by extending the kingdom of Jesus Christ over all individual lives through all areas of society and in all nations and cultures. To accomplish this end the PCA aims to fill the world with churches that are continually growing in vital worship, in theological depth, in true fellowship, in assertive evangelism and in deeds of compassion. The distinctiveness of the PCA lies in our stress on both reformation and revival. Without an emphasis on revival, reformation may become either a mimicking of political ideologies or sterile doctrinalism. Without an emphasis on reformation, revival may become a shallow pietism or mysticism. Only reformation and revival together can accomplish the Great Commission of Our Lord. We are committed to the Scriptures and the historic Westminster Standards based firmly on a biblical theology that answers the questions and issues of each culture and people to which we minister. We are committed to Worship that practices the presence and power of God within the church to the transformation of the surrounding culture through biblical application in population centers around the world. We are committed to the winning of new converts and their incorporation into the church through the ministry of the Word and to significant ministry to the needy through deeds of mercy and service. We are committed to dynamic, prophetic confrontation on non-christian thought forms and behavior and also to the demonstration of the truth through the practice of holiness and love in Christian fellowship. We are committed to guarding and strengthening the biblical family and also to a ministry to the broken family forms such as the divorced, the widowed and the unwed parent. We are committed to reaching and discipling men and women in the whole counsel of God and also to ministering to the needs of the whole person. True to the Scriptures, the Reformed faith, and obedient to the Great Commission of Jesus Christ. 24

27 What would Perimeter Church Say? 1. Why Do We Exist? (Our Purpose) To glorify God and to enjoy Him 2. What Are We Trying To Accomplish? (Our Vision) To make and deploy mature and equipped followers of Christ 1 for the sake of family, community and global transformation How Do We Plan To Accomplish Our Vision? (Our Mission) We plan to make mature and equipped followers of Christ by: 1) Winsomely engaging the unchurched where we live, work and play. 2) Attractively exposing the unchurched to God s Word and God s people. 3) Sponsoring newcomers into church membership. 4) Discipling members in life-on-life missional discipleship. 3 We plan to bring about family transformation by: 1) Equipping children & youth to understand the gospel and to embrace a biblical world and life view. 2) Equipping singles to leverage their missional mobility and to make wise marital decisions. 3) Equipping marrieds to delight in their God-given roles and to fulfill their God-given responsibilities. 4) Equipping parents to develop a family plan and to shepherd their children s hearts. We plan to bring about community and global transformation by: 1) Serving people in need. 2) Partnering with other churches and organizations. 3) Planting new churches. 4) Exporting life-on-life missional discipleship to churches worldwide. 25

28 4. What Is Most Important To Us? (Our Core Values) 4.1 Who We Are Values Practicing indiscriminate love 4 regardless of social, economic or racial status Demonstrating personal, family, organizational, financial & leadership integrity 5 Living by faith 6 in Christ and attempting faith oriented goals in an environment of innovation and change 7 Speaking and proclaiming the truth 8 regardless of the consequences 4.2 What We Do Values Worship 9»»Weekend Services»»Sunday Celebration 10»»Prayer Community 11»»Supper Clubs 12»»Seasons of Life Communities 13»»Area Communities»Home Fellowship Communities» 14 Equipping»Seminars, Classes, Groups 16»»Discipleship Teams 17 & 18»»Leadership Training» 15 Service & Mercy (Minister - Intentional Living & LINK) 19 20»»Weekend Serving 21»»Church Ministry Teams 22»»Community Ministry Teams 23»»Global Ministry Teams Outreach (Messenger X-PRESS Your Faith ) 24 25»»Outreach Events 26»»Guest Sponsorship 27»»Community and Global Journeys Generosity 28 29»»Tithing (Weekly Giving)»Ministry & Campus Development Project (3 year giving) 31»»Estate Planning (long term giving)» 30 26

29 Unite! Highlights ( ) Leadership - 8 churches in one region in 2004 to now approximately 40 churches in 5 regions (3 of these regions launching LT in 2009/10) Financial Contributions - $350,000 in contributions given away to support non-profit organizations and ministries such as: The Gwinnett Children s Shelter, Whirlwind Missions, World Relief, Innocence Atlanta, Samaritan House for Children, Good Samaritan Health Center of Gwinnett, Norcross Cooperative Ministries, Duluth Hands of Christ, and more. Food - 250,000 pounds of food collected through neighborhood, marketplace, and church-wide food drives, and given to people in need throughout Atlanta. CIA - 40,000 volunteers serving over 6 years during Compassion in Action Weekend Good Samaritan HC - Vision and birth of Good Samaritan Health Center of Gwinnett in 2005, which provides medical assistance to the poor in our community has served thousands of people Katrina - 1,000 evacuee families from Hurricane Katrina (in 2005) successfully served with temporary housing, furniture, food, transportation, and employment ; $300,000 raised to support Katrina evacuees; 25 houses framed and erected in devastated areas of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Apartment Ministry Over 50 apartment complexes block parties; after school programs; ESL; impacted thousands of kids and families Duluth Project - 6 churches partnered together in 2008 to study, research, and provide a comprehensive serving guidebook for the city of Duluth, churches and the community.»» Collaborative Projects - Public Schools, Proctor Square, Korean Task Force»» Significant Recognition in the community and among leaders Atlanta 2020 Metro Atlanta Goal Measure Impact Areas Family Education Poverty Justice Strong Marriages and Families Reduce divorce rate by 30%; decrease out of wedlock birth rate by 50% All students have opportunity to graduate 95% Graduation Rate & 3rd Grade CRCT Families living self sufficiently Reduce by 50% the number of students receiving free and reduced lunch All children are safe No children in sex slavery or exploitation Initiatives Adopt a School (Over 60 schools adopted) Half Hour Hero Initiative Launch of Salvation Army Homeless Village Launch of Mary Hall Freedom House in Gwinnett Launched Street Grace Initiative

30 Perimeter s Participation Pathway Worship Service Attendee Taste of Perimeter Fellowship Group Supper Club Seasons of Life Communities Area Communities Home Fellowship Groups Inquirer s Seminar Member Member Seminar Equipping Journey Groups, Seminars, Courses, and Ministries Leader Serving Weekend Serving, Ministry Teams, Global Journeys Primary Ministry Live-Work-Play Sponsoring Worship Service Taste of Perimeter Inquirer s Seminar Member Seminar Leading Theological Foundations for Leaders, Ministries 28

31 Footnotes 1 A mature and equipped follower of Christ is one who: lives consistently under the control of the Holy Spirit, the direction of the Word of God, and the motivation of the love of Christ has discovered, developed and is using his/her spiritual gifts, has learned to effectively share his/her faith while demonstrating radical love that amazes those it touches, gives strong evidence of being»»faithful member of God s church,»»effective manager of life, relationships and resources,»»willing minister to others especially the least of these, and»»available messenger to non-kingdom people, and demonstrates a life striving to be:»»gospel driven,»»worship focused,»»morally pure,»»evangelistically bold,»»discipleship grounded,»»family faithful, and»»socially responsible 2 A community (local or global) demonstrates transformation when: its people, in ever increasing numbers across ethnic and socioeconomic boundaries, are becoming members of Christ s body the Church, becoming passionately committed to Him engaging in Word and Deed ministry, its believers lifestyles are becoming increasingly marked by high moral standards, practicing indiscriminate love, demonstrating spiritual integrity in all their relationships, living by faith in Christ attempting faith oriented goals, and speaking the truth regardless of the consequences, its churches increasingly work together in the unity of the Spirit, as the Body of Christ, ministering to the needs of the community, working for justice for the powerless, and reconciliation, and its educational, judicial, political, business and social structures increasingly begin to reflect being in conformity with the Word of God. 29

32 3 Our plan to disciple members in life-on-life missional discipleship will be accomplished: a. By Strategically Providing Our People With The Five Essential Ingredients for Life Change Truth Equipping Accountability Mission Supplication b. By equipping leaders committed to leading discipleship teams, devoting themselves to life-on-life laboring in the lives of a few. 4 Regarding Love, we believe that loving and serving Christ is the highest priority and the most satisfying experience of life, and that giving and serving are much richer life experiences than receiving and being served. 5 Regarding Integrity, we believe that the believer s responsibility is to integrate truth into every aspect of life so as to live as a bond-servant of Christ whether in the marketplace, home, social arena or church. 6 Regarding Faith, we believe that salvation is only by faith and since faith is the certainty of things unseen, it pleases God to attempt things so great for Him that they are doomed to failure unless God is in them. 7 Regarding Innovation and Change, We Believe that ministry is most effective when done in the context of cultural relevance and in an environment of innovative change, while remaining faithful to the Word of God. 8 Regarding Truth, We Believe that God alone is absolute, that all truth comes from God and that the only special revelation of truth to man is God s Word, the Bible, being inspired, infallible, unchangeable and powerful. 9 Perimeter s Worship Services are designed for believers to worship God. We are not a seeker service in that we do not place our highest priority for gathering on winning seekers, but rather on equipping believers and enabling them to worship as a corporate community. However, the seeker is very important to us and thus every attempt is made to use our worship as an opportunity for the seeker to meet God. We believe biblical worship is an excellent way to expose the seeker to God s Word and God s people. 30

33 10 Our Prayer Ministry is designed to provide different experiences for people to come together and pray about specific issues or needs. There are opportunities for a weekly prayer time, as our prayer ministry invites people to join them in prayer for the church. The elders of the church come together once a month to pray for specific people who are dealing with certain challenges, including those who need physical healing. Occasionally, we ll have church wide prayer events, as large groups will gather to pray. At Perimeter, prayer is a high value and it s certainly not limited to these structured times, as prayer is happening throughout the week in multiple venues. 11 Supper Clubs are short-term, monthly gatherings of six to eight people. The clubs provide the opportunity for fellowship and a chance to get connected with each other. The groups are geographically based in order to encourage and allow for spontaneous encounters beyond the once-a-month dinners. 12 Seasons of Life Communities are groups which meet at least twice a month for the purpose of assimilating new people into the church family, establishing social relationships with other believers and experiencing biblical fellowship ( oneanothering ). The groups vary in composition and program and in a lite way, engage in service and growth. Seasons of Life Communities are grouped by age and stage of life. In addition to evening gatherings at homes, we have a Season of Life Community for all ages & stages of life offered on Sunday mornings at the church facilities. 13 Area Communities are groups which meet at least twice a month for the purpose of assimilating new people into the church family, establishing social relationships with other believers and experiencing biblical fellowship ( one-anothering ). The groups vary in composition and program and in a lite way, engage in service and growth. Area Communities are grouped by geographic identity. 14 Home Fellowship Communities are groups of usually 6 to 12 who meet for the purpose of Bible study, fellowship and care. These groups, like other fellowship groups, keep service, growth and outreach as high values. 15 Seminars, Classes, and Groups are various venues used to better equip believers in both their walk with Christ as well as their ministry to others. These multiple offerings generally fall into three categories: Family, Bible and Theology, and Christian Living and ministry. Three must take courses for all members are LINK, X-PRESS Your Faith and one of our financial courses. Breakout Weekend Seminars occur twice per year in the fall and winter. 31

34 16 Discipleship Teams are small groups, usually 5-10 men or women, meeting weekly with a well-qualified and trained leader for the purpose of becoming mature and equipped followers of Christ by the use of Truth, Equipping, Accountability, Mission, & Supplication. These groups provide excellent opportunities for fellowship and in a lite manner, provide opportunity for service. 17 Life on Life Leadership Training is an equipping community of men and women, from all areas of ministry throughout the church. Leaders come to be equipped and trained in knowing more of Jesus our Redeemer, and to live a life of repentance and faith as we trust in Christ s love and power to change our hearts, and therefore serve and influence others that will ultimately impact the Kingdom of God. 18 Theological Foundations is a course of study open to all members (male and female) who are believed to exemplify the qualifications of elder or deacon found in 2 Timothy and Titus. The course runs for approximately ten weeks and takes the participant deep in exposure to the weightier issues of theology and Christian service. Evaluation and testing is given to help determine one s preparation for future pastoral and discipleship leadership. 19 Intentional Living LINK is our minister course designed to inform it s participants how to discover their spiritual gifts, passions and personality style in such a way to help them link to a specific ministry which fits. 20 Weekend Serving is a term used to describe those ministries that must take place so that our Saturday night and Sunday morning services can occur (i.e. Welcome Team, Usher Team, Kids Town, etc). These are crucial ministries that support our worship services and are staffed by volunteers. 21 Church Ministry Teams are small groups of believers who devote themselves to working together to serve other participants within the church. Some ministry teams serve by means of giving leadership and direction to ministries while others are comprised of those who are involved in hands on ministry. All team members are cared for by a shepherd. 22 Community Ministry Teams unite outreach and mercy ministries with the single purpose of spreading the kingdom of God. These Teams are designed to extend the love of Christ through service to the community. Members of a group prayerfully commit to working together in an area of focused service for a year. Areas of service are selected according to the interests of group members. 32

35 23 Global Ministry Teams carry out Perimeter s vision for discipleship based church planting to the ends of the world by developing partnerships with indigenous church planting organizations to envision, train and equip indigenous pastors. The team further supports our partners by helping them to evangelize and disciple businessmen and next generation leaders on high school and college campuses. In addition, the teams mobilize Perimeter to help our indigenous church partners to minister to the needs of the least and lost in their communities and countries. 24 X-Press Your Faith is a course designed to inform it s participants in how to become effective at expressing his faith in such a way as to lead people to Christ. As a part of this instruction, the participant develops a plan for meeting and befriending those who have not met Christ and introducing the gospel to them in a relational and non-threatening manner. It is at this time that the participant will be introduced to the well-known 3-D Evangelism training. 25 Outreach Events describe any events sponsored by the church with the intent of inviting non-believers to be exposed to God s Word and God s people. 26 Guest Sponsorship is the commitment of believers to adopt unchurched guests inviting them to various helpful church activities including worship services and eventually hosting them at an Inquirer s Seminar. 27 Community and Global Journeys are short term mission trips, either local or overseas, designed to give the participant a cross cultural experience enabling them to see the world from the perspective of the least and the lost and to contribute in a small but significant way to the needs of such. Prior training is required for a journey and all journeys are comprised of approximately 5-10 participants, led by a trained leader. Most participants raise their support from interested friends. It is goaled that every Perimeter member participates in a Journey. 28 Generosity Ministry is dedicated to providing believers clear teaching in Biblical principles of God s immeasurable generosity. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich (2 Corinthians 8:9). The believer s response to God s immeasurable generosity should be no less than developing a heart ready to be spent for others. 29 Tithing means tenth and refers to the minimum standard (10% or first fruits ) require by God s people to give to His Kingdom work. Such giving is to be done from a joyous heart and designed to be a reminder that God owns everything. 33

36 30 Ministry & Campus Development Project is our plan to raise the financial support needed to achieve the campus and ministries goals. In order to maintain a kingdom growing church, it is essential that we have appropriate facilities and the funding to accommodate our ministry. The Ministry and Campus Development Project is the means by which every five years we can provide the needed resources. 31 Estate Planning is a means of giving for the Christian steward who recognizes the role of a faithful steward of God s possessions. By utilizing estate planning designs and legal vehicles a person can transfer worldly wealth to the kingdom of God during their lifetime that will result in eternal rewards. The church can assist persons who desire to make these types of gifts. 34

37 WHY CHURCH MEMBERSHIP? It is commonplace today to hear of evangelical, Bible-believing churches downplaying the importance of local church membership. Some even reject the practice of membership altogether. But in this de-emphasis on formally uniting with a local church, are God s directives being replaced with merely pragmatic practices which fall short of Scriptural standards? Careful study of the biblical teaching regarding church membership is a critical need in the church today. An instructive passage addressing this issue is found in Matthew 16: After asking the Twelve about the public s opinions concerning Him, Jesus asked His disciples whom they thought He was. Peter, speaking for the apostolic band, replied, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God. To this confession Jesus responded,...you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church... Our Lord then stated a declaration which has far-reaching implications: I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you shall bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you shall loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven. But what are these keys to the kingdom of heaven? What is this binding and loosing function of the keys? Keys have only two functions: to lock and to unlock. Possession of keys represents authority to open and to shut. Since the new Israel of God, the Church, is no longer a theocracy governed directly and immediately by God, He has determined that the Church will function under authoritative human leadership. Thus the keys to the kingdom represent the authority Christ has granted to govern His Church. The Church s leadership is granted specific authority to bind to derive from God s Word and to enforce that which is obligatory and to loose likewise to determine and allow that which the Word says is permissible. The teaching of the Bible, however, is often more principle than specific; thus judgments as to the application of scriptural principles to particular situations must be made. The keys of the kingdom are emblematic of the authority given to the Church to determine the proper standards of biblical faith and practice and to carry out biblical discipline when required. Of obvious import is the answer to the logical question: Specifically, to whom in the Church is this binding and loosing authority granted? Church history offers three predominant replies to this query. 35

38 The First View First, the Roman Catholic Church adopted during its foundational years the view that the keys were given uniquely to Peter. According to this understanding, Peter alone received the keys and thus became the first Pope, passing along the keys to generation after generation of Popes throughout history. But this interpretation appears to be based upon faulty exegesis. In the Greek language of the New Testament, the name Peter is Petros, meaning small stone or pebble. But a different word, petra, meaning a large boulder or underlying bedrock, is used in reference to the rock upon which Christ promised to build His Church. Jesus thus employs a play on words in His reply to Peter by saying in effect, Simon, you are Petros, a small pebble, solid but transitory. But it is upon the immovable bedrock of your confession that I am the Christ, the Son of the Living God, that I will build My Church. It is not Peter himself, but rather his confession of faith in Jesus which forms the foundation of the Church. Moreover, though the English you in I will give you the keys..., whatever you bind... and whatever you loose... is in its singular form in the Greek text, the same exact teaching of Jesus in Matthew 18:18 uses the plural. The same truth is also conveyed in John 20:23 using the plural. In light of these other passages, it seems apparent that in Matthew 16, Jesus was speaking to Peter as representing the other Apostles standing with him. Jesus is indicating in His teaching that the proper recipients of the keys are several in number rather than being a single, particular person. This observation leads to the second and third historic understandings of this passage, both of which rightly recognize the plurality of the key-holders. The distinction between these two views lies in their differing identifications of whom the key-holders are. The Second View The second of these views is represented by the practice of some modern churches which suggests that Jesus has given the keys of the kingdom to each individual Christian. As he exercises saving faith in Christ, each believer uses the key to let himself into the kingdom. Churches adhering to this belief generally devalue the importance of church membership and may reject it altogether. If people believe they are Christians, they are thereby members of Christ s earthly Church. Membership in a local church, those holding this view would purport, is superfluous. One difficulty with this position is that it makes each believer an authority unto himself and negates the need for church leadership and discipline. Advice, admonition and rebuke offered by other (more mature) believers have only the authority of another opinion. A related problem raised by this view is its impracticability. What Christian who has fallen into habitual sin will use his set of keys to remove himself from church fellowship? 36

39 The Third View The third and most plausible view of the key-holders identity is that one which historically has been adopted by the vast majority of Protestant churches in history past: in giving the keys of the kingdom, Jesus spoke not just to Peter but to all the assembled Apostles. He gave them collectively the authority to bind and to loose, that is, to speak and to act for God. This apostolic authority was subsequently transferred through the laying on of hands to biblically qualified and selected elders in local churches (Titus 1:5-9; 1Timothy 3:1-7;4:14). Such God-ordained elders continue to hold the keys of God s kingdom in the church today. It is their responsibility to protect the purity of the Church and the honor of God s Word through biblical discipline of Christ s flock: opening church membership to professing believers, withholding membership from non-christians, building up and encouraging the repentant sinner and dismissing from fellowship the unrepentant. The possession of the authority of the keys does not guarantee some sort of infallibility on the part of elders. Their decisions must be based on biblical grounds, but they do not determine whether a particular person is or is not a Christian. Only God knows that with certainty. Nevertheless, the decisions and declarations of the elders carry the authority of God in such a way as to determine whether or not a person is to be treated as a Christian. It is in this context of understanding that the full meaning of passages such as Matthew 18:15-18 and Hebrews 13:17 is revealed: Matthew 18: And if your brother sins, go and reprove him in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother.16 But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed.17 And if he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax-gatherer.18 Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven. Hebrews 13:17 17 Obey your leaders and submit to them; for they keep watch over your souls, as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you. In the passage from Matthew, Let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax-gatherer means, Let him be treated as a non-believer, which in practice means removing a person from church membership. Leaders in Hebrews 13 refers to those ordained as elders in the church, who plainly have the authority and the responsibility to faithfully direct God s Church. 37

40 In these Scriptures and others, the Lord has indicated the nature of the authority He wishes to be exercised in His Church. Other passages speak of the authority which God intends rightly to be exercised in the other two of the three foundational institutions He has ordained for the benefit of society: the family and the state (Ephesians 5:22-6:4; Roman 13:1-7). Each of these three has a specific leadership authority which is granted the right and the responsibility to bless the good and discipline the wicked: parents in the family, civil magistrates and governors in the state, and elders in the Church. For the most part, members of society obey the laws of the state, if for no other reason than to avoid the civil and criminal penalties of law-breaking. The authority of the parent appears to have been in decline over the years, as the practice of loving but firm corrective discipline has been widely abandoned. The authority of the church long ago has been disregarded, in part because of faulty interpretations of the passages cited above and in part because of the unwillingness of the church to enforce biblical discipline even when it is theologically understood. There exists an analogy between membership in the visible church and the invisible Church. In the invisible Church (made up of the truly believing), one is either in or out, with God Himself as the Judge of the authenticity of one s outwardly confessed faith. Similarly, in the visible church (made up of people professing to have faith in Christ) one is either in or out, with judgment as to the genuineness of an applicant s testimony granted to the elders. Practical Considerations On a practical level, local church membership is an expression of obedience to God, through submission to the elders. Apart from this authority structure, leaders cannot lead and members have no one to follow, being like sheep without a shepherd. Thus, local church membership is essential to the proper functioning of the Body of Christ. Through a member s fellowship with the local church, he or she has access to the privileges of corporate worship, the sacraments, oversight, care, loving discipline, and the fellowship and mutual ministry of other Christians. 38

41 On Expressions Of Worship Perhaps there is no greater controversy facing the church of the 21st century than regarding the forms, environments and expressions of corporate worship. Opinions are both many and varied. For many individuals and certainly for churches themselves, the stakes are high and the dangers are great. Such controversies may well become the vehicles the evil one will use to make ineffective the church of his great Enemy. With this in mind, it is important that the leadership of churches speak with clarity, authority and love. And since opinions will vary and since no one has a corner of the truth in such a way as to guarantee infallible insight into such debatable issues, the need of direction perhaps becomes more critical than the direction itself. In light of the above, I speak as the pastor of one church, simply sharing my own perspective in love. Opposition will be present, but were that not the case, there would be no need for such a statement. So, Perimeter Church, here is your pastor s best description of a few of his sincere and heartfelt beliefs on this controversial matter. The Role Of Emotions Emotions, like other gifts of God s creation, are good, in and of themselves, but must be stewarded with great caution. Worship, as an expression of one s satisfaction with God, most often produces emotions, which when utilized appropriately become not only enjoyable but also useful. However, many use worship as some would use drugs to experience a self-gratifying high. On the one hand to be fully satisfied with God in worship, and on the other hand to become self-absorbed with expressions of communicating with God in worship, are two totally different things. To lose control of one s faculties, whether physical or emotional, is not a sign of heightened spirituality, but rather of spiritual immaturity. (I am not referring to a worshipful raising of hands.) Though such signs of immaturity are not wrong (even as a little child s harmless expressions of immaturity are not to be viewed as disobedience), they certainly are not to become the goals toward which we strive. Emotions can be inappropriately stewarded either in one s neglect to utilize them or in one s abuse of them by making them the goal of one s worship experience. Were I to guess the thoughts of God regarding the issue of expressiveness in worship, I would assume He would look at His body at large (at least in America), with His greatest delight being in seeing His people more freed to express their satisfaction with Him with greater intensity, (yet not in violation or contradiction with the unique temperament and emotional make up of the individual). 39

42 An Others First Mentality But the issues facing God s church today go beyond the appropriate stewardship of emotions regarding one s personal expressions. As in most arenas of life, decisions we make for ourselves often impact others (sometimes even unknowingly). As we gather to worship, the needs of others are always to take precedence over our own needs, and especially those whose needs are greater than our own. As Christians who are called to live with the mission of winning a lost world, it is important to show deference to the needs of non-believers around us in worship (as well as other believers). Dramatic expressions of worship which bring self-attention or distract others during worship (mainly determined by the norm of the participants) must be self-monitored in the name of love. What may be distracting in the front row of a gathering may go unnoticed or not be distracting in the back of the same gathering. The important issue is that of considering the needs of others as more important than one s own. The rule of love becomes the guideline and the Spirit of Wisdom becomes the Guide. The mutual goals of effective outreach and healthy worship are not exclusive of one another, but do require a conscious awareness of both goals at all times. To fail to see one or the other, based on personal preferences or self-interest, is to fail to demonstrate the love of God. Worship Style The issue of forms of worship complicates the situation even further. For one person, one form or style of worship seems to evoke desirable emotions while for another person, a totally different form or style seems to be more pleasing. A large part of this has to do with preferred musical styles. Though many press hard to argue for one style being theologically superior to the other, the truth is that preference or taste is the real issue. It is not uncommon to hear that a particular choice of music or new rendition of a familiar song made someone mad, or at least unable to worship. I think this is no more true than the statement of a child that their sibling made them mad or forced them to hit the other. As in sibling rivalry, such responses to music style are decisions to allow one s emotions to rule his actions. It is ironic that it is often those who have been churched the longest and who are supposedly the most mature believers who respond with such immaturity. What an advantage to enter corporate worship with the knowledge that the very style or musical choices I dislike are the great delight of others, those whose interest I have chosen to make more important than my own. 40

43 The Motivation To Change One s Church s Worship There will always be those who take it upon themselves to change the worship of their church. The self-imposed goal to change the environment of worship by one s own behavior during a corporate gathering is an inappropriate one. In addition to this, the communication to others in the church family of one s own dissatisfaction with worship or choice of music, etc. serves only to open mental files of alertness, to give new eyes to friends so as to recruit others to one s own perspective. It works nearly every time. But such a response serves only to bring disgrace to the same God who taught that the world would know His own by their love for one another and their unity as a family. God calls His people to express their satisfaction with Him in spirit and in truth. The only true hindrance to such worship is found not in the environment, style or musical choices of a worship service, but rather in the heart alone. Though there is certainly nothing wrong with the pleasure or personal alignment and agreement with one s church s environment, style or musical choices, it is ultimately finding pleasure in God which brings honor to Him. The Remedy To Our Differences By the grace of God, many are blessed to live in communities where the environment of worship at different churches takes on different flavors. Rather than carry inappropriate goals into worship or remain critical, it is better either to find a different church where the norm of the participants expressions more closely resembles one s own, or to submit in love and to focus on the true heart of worship. Regardless of whether the issue is choice of emotional expression or musical style, the remedy to such controversy always comes back to love. When love is the highest goal, God is honored, because God is love and such love is our Savior s greatest commandment. And though we all will continue to make wrong decisions and unwise judgments, we take hope in the promise that love covers a multitude of sins. 41

44 Child Membership at Perimeter Church Children ages 7 to 12 who are believers in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior are eligible for and encouraged to pursue child membership. The child should have the desire to begin the process. Many children come to true faith in Jesus Christ, and it is important to help them understand the value of membership in a local body of believers. In order to take communion, a child (or adult) should be a believer and a member of an evangelical, Bible-believing church. What are the benefits of child membership? Help your child understand the importance and command of membership in a local church Help your child live out a relationship with the Lord in the context of involvement in church membership Ability to take communion and understand the beauty and worship behind the sacrament of the Lord s Supper Help your child put feet on his/her beliefs regarding Jesus and His call to live out our faith in the world Involvement in age-appropriate serving opportunities around the church What is the difference between adult membership and child membership? Child members do not have the right to vote in church elections. Other than that, all rights and privileges are the same. When should my child update his/her membership and become an adult member? After age 12 and before age 17, your child can update his/her membership to full, voting, adult membership by completing Perimeter s adult membership process (attend the Inquirer s and Membership Seminars). If your child does not complete the adult membership process by age 17, the privileges of child membership expire and your child would become a regular attendee of Perimeter. Do the parents need to be members? At least one parent or legal guardian must be a member of Perimeter Church before a child can complete the child membership process. How do I get the process started and learn more? Attend one of three orientation classes offered each year (in November, March, and July). Check the website at the Pulse, or the bulletin for more information. 42

45 What materials are used, how do I obtain them, and what is the cost? The curriculum is written by Bobby Scott, the principal of Perimeter Christian School. It is free and provided at the orientation meeting. The child and at least one parent must be present at the orientation meeting. How many lessons are provided in the curriculum and how long does each take to complete? There are 8 lessons in the study, and each one takes about minutes to review. You should establish a regular meeting schedule to complete the curriculum in about 12 weeks. Am I qualified to teach my child? The parents manual has all of the answers in it, and it is a great refresher course for the parents. Those who may not feel qualified will find that it is easy to lead themselves and their child through the process. What happens after we complete the lessons? Your child will complete a membership appointment with two church elders for recommendation into church membership. How long is the membership appointment? What do the elders discuss? Can I be present? Can we have an elder we know present? The interview is about 30 minutes long, and the elders ask basic questions such as when your child accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. We prefer the child be interviewed without the parent present in the room so that he/ she does not feel pressured or persuaded by the parent. We want the child to own his/her faith apart from the parents. The parents can coordinate with the membership department and arrange for the child to meet with an elder he/she knows. Can my child be baptized? Children under age 6 can be baptized if one or both parents are members of Perimeter Church. After age 6, a child must complete the child or adult membership process in order to be baptized. Will my child go before the congregation and answer membership questions as a proclamation of their testimony of faith? No, your child will not go before the congregation to answer questions. We periodically honor new child members and adults who have joined by profession of faith with a photo presentation during the worship service. For more information on child membership at Perimeter, contact Ty Bryant at tyb@perimeter.org or , or Jeremy Case at jeremyc@perimeter.org or

46 Inquirer s Profile (PLEASE print clearly) Member o Date Name Spouse Address City/St/Zip Subdivision/Apt. Complex Birthday: (Year, please ): / / Home Phone / Work phone / Check box to subscribe to the Pulse Ethnicity: White/Caucasian Black/African American Asian-Korean Asian-Chinese Asian-Indian Latino/Hispanic Native American/American Indian/Alaskan Native Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander Other Gender: Male Female Please check appropriate box: Single Single Again Separated Married Widowed Children (living with you): Name Gender Grade Birthdate / / / / / / / / ***************************************************************************************************** How did you hear about Perimeter? ***************************************************************************************************** FELLOWSHIP GROUPS: I wish to join a Fellowship Group: o Young Families Gathering (Young Adults) o Ballroom Dance Newlyweds o Cross Connection: Mid Life Singles Marriage Hour o Harvesters Encouragers o Victors I am already involved in a Fellowship Group (name) I wish to join a Supper Club (MBRISC) o I wish to start a Supper Club (MBRISCH) GROWTH GROUPS: ADMIMDT or WOMIDIS or SHMIDIS I wish to join a Discipleship Team o I wish to start a Discipleship Team I am already involved in a Discipleship Team (Leader) I want to take Theological Foundations for Leaders to prepare to lead a Discipleship Team. (ADMITFL) SERVICE & MERCY GROUPS: I wish to join a Church/Weekend Ministry Team (MBRIMINT) I wish to join a Community Ministry Team (CORIMIN) I am already involved in a Ministry Team (Ministry Group) 44

47 I. Previous Experience: Name: Please indicate if you have previously served in any of the following areas of church or parachurch leadership. We may want to contact you concerning similar service here. Please check all which apply: Deacon Adult Christian Education Teacher Elder Small Group Leader Discipleship Group Leader Campus Outreach Graduate (CAMOGRAD) **************************************************************************************************** II. Ministry Involvement: (Glossary on next page) My Skills And Talents (Choose all that apply) The Ministries And Activities I d Like To Be Involved With (Choose all that apply) My Availability (Choose any that apply) o Audio/Visual o Business Administration o Communication o Counseling o Discipleship o Evangelizing o Financial Counseling o Generosity o Hospitality o Information Technology o Leading a Team o Marketing/Sales o Office Work o Photography o Planning/Organizing o Praying o Project Management o Teaching o Second Language o Strategic Planning o Web Design o Working with my hands and/or building o Worship Performance (Instrumental/Vocal/Dramatic) o Other ADULTS o Financial Counseling o Front Door Ministries (Greeting/Ushering/ Parking/Coffee Bar) o Marriage Ministry o Men s Ministry o Newcomers o Support; Group; Counseling; Care o Women s Ministry o Worklife Ministry CHILDREN/ YOUTH o Academy of the Arts o Camp and Sports Outreach o Children/Youth Special Needs o Bricks (Jr/Sr High Recreation Center) o KIDS Town (Birth to 6 th Grade) o Student Ministry (Jr/Sr High) o Youth Mentoring OUTREACH o Church Planting o Metro Outreach o Community Outreach o Global Outreach o Kingdom Investments EVENTS/SERVICES o Audio/Visual Production o Communications (Writing, Video, Graphics) o Weekend Workshop Services (Choir) CHURCH OPERATIONS o Accounting o Bookstore o Volunteer o Weekdays o Weeknights o Weekends o At Church o At Home o In The Community o Can Travel Other: Other: **************************************************************************************************** OR: I wish to serve in the following way: Classes I may wish to take: o Essentials of Faith o Intentional Living/LINK ADMIEOF ADMILNK WAIVER: From time to time, Perimeter Church may use photos taken during a Perimeter event. Please check the box if you do not want your photo used. o NO (MBRODNUP) 45

48 My Skills And Talents The Ministries And Activities I d Like To Be Involved With Audio/Visual: Provide technical services in sound, lighting, video production, and graphics design. Business Administration: Provide education, counseling, and training in business, career, and personal financial management (see also Office Work). Communication: Plan, develop, and implement communications strategy, and coordinate print and media operations. Counseling: Serve in counseling role for staff and/or members, providing guidance spiritually, financially, vocationally, or other areas. Discipleship: 9-month commitment to lead one or more small groups in the TEAMS approach: Truth, Equipping, Accountability, Mission, and Supplication, as offered in Perimeter s Discipleship Curriculum. Evangelism: Effectively communicate the message of the gospel of Christ to nonbelievers. Generosity: deploys leaders to equip the body of Christ in the biblical principles of generosity best defined by Dr. John Piper as a heart moving to a readiness to be spent for others. Hospitality: At church or in your home, welcome people, care for their comfort, come along side them, providing information. May include greeting, ushering, hosting/hostessing, serving food, Information Technology: Plan, direct, and implement the purchase, installation, and maintenance of computing systems and equipment and the purchase or creation of software applications. Leading a Team: Engage and motivate people to accomplish their work. May involve teams of members or nonmembers doing any type of activity, from church beautification, to community outreach, to teaching etc. Marketing/Sales: Establish marketing/sales plan or initiative to produce ministry growth. Office Work: Coordinate and/or complete different projects such as mailings, copying, phoning and other jobs. Planning/Organizing: Help transform goals and objectives into strategies, tasks, and activities. May recruit people or procure resources. Photography Praying: Minister to the prayer needs of others. Project Management: Planning, initiating, monitoring, and reporting on a venture. May involve interacting with many people and organizations. Teaching: Help pastor God s people primarily through the instruction of God s Word. Strategic Planning: Plan, direct and supervise the acquisition of financial resources to support the church ministry goals. Web Design: Create the graphic layout, storyboard, and/or content of web sites, or maintain existing websites. Working with my hands and/or building: Use mechanical or construction skills to repair or create. Worship Performance (Instrumental/Vocal/Dramatic): Communicate God s truth through a variety of art forms during Worship services. Ad u lt s Marriage Ministry: Serves married couples and singles contemplating marriage through teaching, mentoring, and counseling. Front Door Ministries (Greeting/Ushering / Parking/Coffee Bar): Provides hospitality including front-door greeting, parking, ushering and refreshments. Men s Ministry: Provides ministry activities designed for men only. Newcomers: Guide nonmembers through the membership process and integrate new members into church communities. Support/Group/Counseling/Care: Come along side and love, support and encourage people who are hurting. Women s Ministry: Provides ministry activities designed for women only. Worklife Ministry: Provides resources to business leaders to facilitate the sharing of the gospel in the workplace. Ch i l d r e n/yo u t h Academy of the Arts: Instructs, educates, and trains children from early childhood through high school in a variety of the performing and fine arts. Bricks (Jr/Sr High Recreation Center): Provides recreational facility to serve Jr. High and Sr. High students both during weekend worship time and on weeknights to offer community outreach. Camp & Sports Outreach: Operates Perimeter s summer camp programs and sports leagues. Children/Youth Special Needs: Our G.R.A.C.E. Kids Ministry is available for children, ages 3-11, which require a little extra attention. KIDS Town (Birth to 6 th Grade): Serves children from birth through sixth grade by providing biblical educational programming, discipleship, and activities. Student Ministry (Jr/Sr High): Serves students from seventh thru twelfth grades by providing biblical educational programming, discipleship, and activities. Youth Mentoring: Are you concerned about fatherless and motherless children? You can make your impact by serving as a mentor for a 9-14 year old child. Ou t r e a c h Church Planting: Develops new churches across the greater Atlanta area. Metro Outreach: Unites existing churches in the metropolitan Atlanta area to facilitate community transformation. Community Outreach: Builds relational bridges from Perimeter to the community, city, and world. Global Outreach: Mobilizes Perimeter Church to achieve global community transformation by reaching the lost world (missions). Kingdom Investments: Makes matching grants to help start, fuel and sustain Perimeter outreach ministries and partners. Ev e n t s/se rv i c e s Audio/Visual/Production: Provide technical sound/lighting/visual support to all church activities that require these services, including weekend worship. Communications (Writing, Video, Graphics): Manage the church website, produce bulletins, videos, graphic designs and printed media. Weekend Worship Services (Music/ Production): Plan and/or participate in the delivery of the services, including musical/ drama performance. Church Operations Accounting: Performs accounts receivable, accounts payable, contributions management and budget management for the church. Bookstore: Operates Perimeter s bookstore and fills book orders from the web store. Volunteer: Have time and talent but not sure where to serve. Someone will contact you to help get you connected into a ministry. 46

49 Recommended Books The Answer Randy Pope, Life-On-Life Resources A casual observer of life can quickly see that one of the most often asked questions today is, How can I find lasting satisfaction? We search for the answer to this question in our relationships, our acquisition of possessions or constantly trying into improve our circumstances. THE ANSWER will speak to this question and set your feet on a pathway of finding true life satisfaction. Attempting Something so Great for God Kathy Stewart and Margaret McCommon Dempsey This two-volume set chronicles the twenty-five year history of Perimeter Church, Duluth GA. The First Ten Years , focuses on our church s humble beginnings in its faith journey with God. In many unexpected and amazing ways, God blessed our small steps of faith. Attempting Something So Great for God picks up where volume one left off and highlights our past fifteen years of living out our faith motto: Attempt something so great for God it s doomed to failure lest God be in it The memories recorded in these pages represent more than a history of a church being launched and growing. They represent, in the truest sense of the word, His story of being at work in our world through a people known as Perimeter. Biblical Foundations for Manhood and Womanhood Wayne Grudem, Crossway Books The debate has raged over how to define true masculinity and true femininity. While there is agreement that men and women share equally in the privilege of being made in God s image, some views of manhood and womanhood blur God-given gender distinctions. A team assembled by Wayne Gruden contribute to this book to show how some views of manhood and womanhood tamper with our understanding of God s character and why the extremes of male domination and feminism destroy the beauty of our sexual differences differences that celebrate the excellence of men and women as God created us. 47

50 Children of the Promise Robert R. Booth, P & R Publishing In his ten-year ministry, he had put off studying the topic of baptism. Then the Baptist pastor felt his heart sink as he began to see how Scripture challenged his long-held beliefs. What would prompt him to change his views- and find great encouragement in the doctrine of infant baptism? Are there good biblical reasons to baptize the children of believers? What does the Bible say about your children? Robert R. Booth answers these questions by carefully unveiling the covenant promises of God to Christian parents and their households. Robert R. Booth received a Bachelor of Science in history from East Texas State University and is currently a graduate student at the Southern California Center for Christian Studies, where he also serves as program coordinator. Formerly a Baptist pastor for ten years, he now is pastor of Grace Covenant Church, an evangelical and Presbyterian church. Chosen by God RC Sproul, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Predestination, says the author, isn t just for Calvinists. It is for all biblical Christians. Predestination doesn t create a whimsical or spiteful picture of God, but paints the portrait of a loving God who provides redemption for radically corrupt humans. There is mystery in God s ways, but not contradiction. Point by point, the author examines the scriptures on predestination and refutes the naysayers. Chosen by God is an excellent introduction to the Reformed or Calvinist view of God s sovereignty and God s election. Church of Irresistible Influence Robert Lewis With compelling metaphors, Jesus described the church and its impact on the world. And indeed, filled with the Holy Spirit, the early church demonstrated a spiritual energy and depth that transformed the surrounding culture. Jesus compared the church to a city set on a hill ---inescapably visible. Why should our congregations settle for less? Using bridges as a metaphor for irresistible influence Robert Lewis shows how your church can become a strong, well-traveled link between heaven and earth in your community. In this book there are stories, experiences shared, and lessons of Fellowship Bible Church to show what it will take to reconnect your church with your community - how the church can build incarnational bridges that connect churches with local communities. 48

51 Evangelical Feminism Wayne Grudem, Crossway Books By critically examining the writings of egalitarians, Grudem shows that, while egalitarian leaders claim to be subject to Scripture in their thinking, what is increasingly evident in their actual scholarship and practice is an effective rejection of the authority of Scripture. Egalitarianism is heading toward an Adam who is neither male nor female, a Jesus whose manhood is not important, and a God who is both Father and Mother, and then maybe only Mother. The common denominator in all of this is a persistent undermining of the authority of Scripture in our lives. Grudem s conclusion is that we must choose either evangelical feminism or biblical truth. We can t have it both ways! Evangelical Feminism and Biblical Truth Wayne Grudem, Multnomah Publishers Is male headship a product of sin? Does Deborah s authority prove God calls women to leadership? Is female submission a cultural carryover from first-century society? Advocating a complementarian vs. an egalitarian view, Grudem offers point-by-point biblically based responses to these and other feminist claims challenging the Godordained roles of men and women. Provocative! Finding Your Million Dollar Mate Randy Pope, Northfield Publishing This whole marriage thing is intriguing, isn t it? No matter the culture or time in history, marriage is a huge deal and ought to be treated as such. But finding the ideal mate is so difficult, especially these days. What if you could find the perfect mate, someone you could live with the rest of your life who d meet all your longings and expectations? That would be priceless! In this new book, Randy Pope presents six key principles for finding your million dollar mate. Readers will find their perceptions challenged, their standards heightened, and their hopes lifted. 49

52 The Intentional Church Randy Pope, Moody Publishers This book is the story and ministry philosophy of Perimeter Church. Starting with a few dollars and no core group, Randy and his wife, Carol, set out on a journey which has taken them from victory unto victory with all the in-between struggles, hurts, and growing pains associated with forward thinking ministries. Through twenty-five years of societal change, economic ups and downs, and spiritual formations, Perimeter Church has been and is prevailing. Practical tips on leadership abound. Keep In Step With the Spirit J.I. Packer, Fleming H. Revell Publishing J. I. Packer s Keep in Step with the Spirit focuses on the person and ministry of the Holy Spirit. Now in its second edition, this book is not merely a theological study, but a rousing call to encourage believers to implement the Spirit s directives in their lives. Packer explains how to get the Spirit in focus and how to map the Spirit s path in life. He restates the Christ-centeredness of the Spirit s ministry, reaffirms the biblical call to holiness, and even-handily assesses the charismatic movement. Readers wanting to understand this movement, believers interested in the ministry of the Spirit, and fans of J. I. Packer s writings will appreciate this radical call to personal and corporate revival. The Mystery of Grace in the Baptism of Our Children Bart Garrett, Resource Publications Why do many Christians baptize their young children while others do not? Why do some fully immerse in water while others simply sprinkle it upon the head? The New Testament never really talks about baptizing babies, so whey should we do it now? The Bible says, Repent, believe and then get baptized. How can little babies demonstrate repentance and faith? Bart Garrett writes this booklet as an exploration of some of the sincere, heart-felt questions that people today, whether Christian or otherwise, grapple with regarding the Christian doctrine of infant baptism. 50

53 Power Encounters David Powlison, Hourglass Books In our increasingly pagan culture Christians are being engulfed by a flood of the New Age, the occult, and the fascination with demons. Into this explosive climate the deliverance ministries have burst with mega best-sellers and sensational accounts that show how we can all cast out demons. David Powlison challenges this movement as being more occult that it realizes. The kingdom of God IS about power and we DO battle with very real enemies. But, Powlison provides a strategy for a more biblical and more effective way to fight. Recovering Biblical Manhood & Womanhood John Piper and Wayne Grudem, Crossway Books More than twenty contributors provide a thorough response to evangelical feminism, with relevance for family, society, and church life. Combining systematic argumentation with popular application, this volume deals with all of the main passages of Scripture brought forward in this controversy regarding gender-based role differences. Why Do We Baptize Infants? Bryan Chapell, P & R Publishing My goal in this little book is pastorally to explain the scriptural foundation for infant baptism. To do this I will first present the biblical support for infant baptism as I have presented it in new members and church officer training classes over the past twentyfive years. Then I will conclude by offering words of explanation that I have often used as a pastor during the administration of the ordinance. My goals are to help explain why we should baptize the infants of believing parents and also to help pastors better to know how to administer the sacrament in ways that are meaningful and helpful for their churches. Thus, I plan to present this material in terms that are accessible to laypersons and to leave technical discussions to able scholars in other books. 51