Engage – The Church in the Community

24_07_20 -Ep.321 - Run With Horses Podcast - Engage – The Church in the Community

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Last week I introduced the word ENGAGE as representing the first step a discipleship pathway for the church. Today I want to anchor it more fully in our working definition of the church. Why must we ENGAGE with our community if we truly are the church?

Welcome to Run With Horses! My name is Norman and my goal is to help you thrive as a follower of Jesus. The spiritual life is both incredibly simple and potentially the most difficult part of your life. God invites you to live intentionally and on His mission. It’s very cool that we can do that together!

I don't say it enough but I am really thankful you are with me on this journey of pursuing Jesus and His mission. I have been told, repeatedly, that I need to do a better job of getting the word out about this show. I do believe what we are talking about is valuable, at least to some people, but I need your help to find them. If you have enjoyed the show, leave a review wherever you find the podcast and more importantly, tell someone else to have a listen.

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HABITS – Prayer

Part of the life of a disciple is developing the habits that help you follow Jesus well. Prayer is a key part of that life and an essential habit to develop.

1 Thess. 5:16-18 – 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

• Make a commitment: Commit to praying and understand its importance
• Schedule time: Schedule prayer into your daily routine as well as be prepared to pray wherever and whenever
• Find a place: Choose a regular place to pray and minimize distractions, but practice praying in the chaos too!
• Ask for help: Ask God to help you pray and transform your heart
• Pray with others: Pray together, pray with and for each other
• Pray while exercising: Divide your workout into prayer periods
• Read the Bible: Use Bible passages and verses as a foundation for your prayers, Paul’s prayers are awesome!
• Other tips: Keep a prayer diary, find a regular prayer partner, and give thanks for the privilege of prayer
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Time for a quick review:
What is as DISCIPLESHIP PATHWAY? Simply put, an intentional plan to help followers of Jesus grow toward Christ-likeness. That word intentional is key.

MY WORKING DEFINITION OF CHURCH
A CHURCH is a group of followers of Jesus who worship Him in spirit and truth, humbly offering their lives as living sacrifices, together living out the MISSION of Jesus as His witnesses TO THE WORLD, by sharing the gospel and making disciples through teaching obedience to His commands as they edify and EQUIP OTHERS to join them on HIS MISSION.

The discipleship pathway is an intentional plan to equip others to be on the mission of Jesus.

Don’t forget the goals of the pathway. Clear goals are important. What are the goals of a discipleship pathway?
a. self-feeding Christians
b. everyday missionaries – everyone on the mission of Jesus
c. disciple-makers
d. pastors
e. new churches
f. all members of the church, shepherded well

We are focusing on the first step in the Pathway;
ENGAGE, then CONNECT, EQUIP, RELEASE

ENGAGE - Actions by the Church, outside the four walls primarily.
* Community Engagement
Be part of what is happening in the neighborhood, community.
Pastor here on the town council.
Local clubs – art, sports, civic. There are a lot of people who want to make your community a better place, help them do that.

* Relationship Building
Look for opportunities to go beyond the community event or club. Invite people into your life. Supper, hobbies, coffee, etc.

* Evangelism
Live your faith in front of your friends. Let them know you pray for them. Ask them what you can pray for!
Share answers to prayer in your own life.
Share a meaningful verse you have been memorizing or meditating on recently.
Let them know your faith is genuine by your conversation and life choices.

After a short break we will be back to consider why it is so important that we get out and interact with our community.
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Why is this so critical?
The world no longer looks to the church for answers about anything.
We need mature believers to take a Christian worldview into the marketplace and engage in the crucial conversations that people are having.

Who do people look to when they have questions? Their network of relationships, their friends. How do you get to be one of them?

#
Reference: https://www.str.org/w/what-do-non-christians-think-of-christians-and-christianity-
QUOTE,” The aim of the interview is not for students to actually do apologetics. I just want them to become more comfortable talking with non-Christians and to establish a habit of asking questions and listening attentively. I also want them to see firsthand how and where the ideas that we discuss in the classroom are at work in the lives of people they know.

Here are the required questions:

How would you describe your personal spiritual beliefs?
Do you believe God exists? If so, why, and what do you believe God is like? If not, why?
What has your exposure to Christianity been?
As best as you can, describe what you think Christianity teaches.
Who do you believe Jesus was and why?
What do you think about the Bible?
What is your honest perception of Christians?
What are your top reasons for not believing the Christian faith is true?
Do you have any objections to Christianity? If so, what?
Is there anything that could persuade you that Christianity is true? If so, what? If not, why?”
#

These questions can start conversations with your friends and neighbors that they need to have with a mature follower of Jesus. The question is, are we consistently producing mature followers of Jesus?

Where and how does the church train, encourage, motivate, support, and equip the individual to go out and be actively engaged in the community.
Equipping by the Church- support and training for engagement

1. Gospel Foundations
2. First Steps in Gospel Ministry

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DOCTRINE
July – God – Omnipresent, Holy, Righteous and Just
August – Jesus
September – Holy Spirit

Today we want to pause and consider that God is Holy.
Merriam-Webster - : exalted or worthy of complete devotion as one perfect in goodness and righteousness.
A biblical definition: The Hebrew word for “holy” literally means “separate” or “set apart.” Holiness is talking about His absolute purity. God is unstained by sin and evil. He is perfect in every way, and perfectly good all the time.
Completely separate from sin.

1 Samuel 2:2 - “No one is holy like the Lord,
For there is none besides You,
Nor is there any rock like our God.

1 John 1:5 - This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.

Isaiah 59:2 - But your iniquities have separated you from your God;
And your sins have hidden His face from you,
So that He will not hear.

1 Peter 2:13-16 – 13 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; 15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”

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Thanks for joining me again today! Stop and say a prayer for your church family today! I’d love to hear from you, write me at norman@runwithhorses.net or leave a comment on the Run With Horses Podcast facebook page. Take time today to pause and thank God for His work in your life and keep running.
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