Sermon Central
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A Vision For Reaching Out
Contributed by Bruce Allen on Nov 24, 2004 (message contributor)
Summary: This is a series of five (5) sermons concerning why Christians should reach out to a lost and dying world. This study can be divided into five (5) separate parts or kept together as a complete study unit.
A VISION FOR REACHING OUT
[Y]ou will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.
INTRODUCTION
1. What do you think of Pleasant Ridge [Your Church]?
Is it just a place for gathering on Sundays, to have some fellowship, sing songs of praise, have prayer, a message, and then just go home?
Are we satisfied with the number of people who attend our services or do we want to see more people from our area come here and worship God with us?
Are we an "inward only" church or are we a "reaching out" NT church?
A local NT church of the Lord Jesus Christ is a called out assembly (Greek - ekklesia) - [This is translated "church" in our English Translations] - of baptized believers who have covenanted together in faith and fellowship of the gospel to worship our Savior. These disciples go forth proclaiming His gospel to make new disciples, baptizing them, and teaching them all things as commanded by Him.
Pleasant Ridge B C’s Covenant:
Having been led, as we believe by the Spirit of God, to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior, and on the profession of our faith, having been baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, we do now in the presence of God, angels, and this assembly, most solemnly and joyfully enter into covenant with one another, as one body in Christ.
We engage, therefore, by the aid of the Holy Spirit, to walk together in Christian love: to strive for the advancement of this church in knowledge, holiness, and comfort; to promote its posterity and spirituality; to sustain its worship, ordinances, discipline, and doctrines; to contribute cheerfully and regularly to the support of the ministry, the expenses of the church, the relief of the poor, and the spread of the gospel through all nations.
We also engage to maintain family and private devotions; to religiously educate our children; to seek the salvation of our kindred and acquaintances; to conduct ourselves carefully in the world; to uphold the sanctity of human life from conception to the grave; to affirm the faithful union of one man to one woman in marriage and celibacy in singleness; to be just in our dealings, faithful in our commitments, and exemplary in our deportment; to avoid all tattling, backbiting, and excessive anger; to avoid physical, mental and spiritual enslavements, and to be zealous in our efforts to advance the Kingdom of our Savior.
We further engage to watch over one another in brotherly love, to remember each other in prayer, to aid each other in sickness and distress; to cultivate Christian sympathy in feeling and courtesy in speech; to be slow to take offense, but always ready for reconciliation, and mindful of the rules of our Savior to secure it without delay.
We moreover engage that, when we remove ourselves from this place, we will as soon as possible unite with some other church where we can carry out the spirit of this covenant and the principles of God’s word. (Taken from: Constitution and By-Laws of Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church, dtd. October 27, 1996)
2. What is your vision for Pleasant Ridge?
Ten years
Five years
One year
One month
3. How much of the status quo do you wish to maintain?
☼ If you would like for the current situation to stay as it is - do nothing.
☼ If you would like for the current situation to change - do something.
Do What? ---- Imitate the A T & T commercial [Bell-South would have been better since my son, Jason, works for them, but ...]: Reach out and touch someone!
I will extol You, my God, O King, and I will bless Your name forever and ever.
Every day I will bless You, and I will praise your name forever and ever.
Great is the Lord, and highly to be praised, and His greatness is unsearchable.
One generation shall praise Your works to another, and shall declare Your mighty acts.
On the glorious splendor of Your majesty and on Your wonderful works, I will meditate.
Men shall speak of the power of Your awesome acts, and I will tell of Your greatness.
They shall eagerly utter the memory of Your abundant goodness and will shout joyfully of Your righteousness.
The Lord is gracious and merciful; slow to anger and great in lovingkindness.
The Lord is good to all, and His mercies are over all His works.
All Your works shall give thanks to You, O Lord, and your godly ones shall bless You.
They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom and talk of Your power; to make known to the sons of men Your mighty acts and the glory of the majesty of Your kingdom.
