Things that matter to newcomersYoung people, young families,

other newcomers

Attenders making changes in their lives, Attenders ready

to discuss faith

Support for those with roles

Contemporary style of music and worship

23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 25 Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

This is a church!

Will this Church persevere me in Christ till Jesus Christ comes

16 Watch your life and doctrine

closely. Persevere in them,

because if you do, you will save

both yourself and your hearers.

1 Tim 4

Rev 2:14-16Rev 2:18-25Rev 3:1-3

Faithful teaching/doctrine

Faithful living/life

All Scripture is All Scripture is God-breathedGod-breathed and is useful and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness so that the man of training in righteousness so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every God may be thoroughly equipped for every good workgood work

2 Timothy 3:16-172 Timothy 3:16-17

Bible Experience

ReasonTradition

431 AD Council of Ephesus - Mary was declared to be the mother of God as well as mother of Jesus Christ

1477 AD Popes Sixtus IV – Mary was Immaculately Conceived (Free from all sin at birth)

1883 AD Pope Leo XIII – Mary was the mediatrix of graces

1950 AD Pope Pius XII - Mary bodily assumed into heaven

In line with this, Pope Pius showed the relation of the Assumption to the Immaculate Conception:

For she, by a completely singular privilege, conquered sin in her Immaculate Conception, and thus was not liable to that law of remaining in the corruption of the grave, nor did she have to wait for the end of time for the redemption of her body"

Global Catholic Network

And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. Luke 1:47-48

5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time.

1 Tim 2:5

3 Jesus replied, “And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? 4 For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’ 5 But you say that if a man says to his father or mother, ‘Whatever help you might otherwise have received from me is a gift devoted to God,’ 6 he is not to ‘honor his father’ with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition.

7 You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: 8 ”‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. 9 They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.’”

Matt 15:3-9

Bible Experience

ReasonTradition

I see the Bible as a human response to God…it contains their stories of God, their perceptions of God’s character and will, their prayers to and praise of God, their perceptions of the human condition and the paths of deliverance, their religious and ethical practices, and their understanding of what faithfulness to God involves. As the product of these two communities, the Bible thus tells us how they saw things, not about how God sees things.

Pg 22-23

““This is the one I esteem: This is the one I esteem:

he who is humble he who is humble

and contrite in spirit, and contrite in spirit,

and trembles at my word. and trembles at my word.

Isaiah 66:2Isaiah 66:2

In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2

Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 3 For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 2 Tim 4:1

Bible Experience

ReasonTradition

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

Matt 7:21-23

9 The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, 10 and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 2 Thess 2:9-10

Bible Experience

ReasonTradition

Faithful teaching/doctrine

Faithful living/life

But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” Mt 7:26

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

Matt 7:21-23

Will this Church persevere me in Christ till Jesus Christ comes

Faithful teaching/doctrine

Faithful living/life

“What right do you ever have to leave a church?”

 Good Reasons for Moving On—The Four P’s1.Providential moving  2. Planting another church  3. Purity has been lost — no more faithful teaching or living  4. Peace of the church is in jeopardy due to my presence

“What right do you ever have to leave a church?”

Possible Reasons for Moving On—The three S’s1.Spouse 2. Special Needs  3. Special Gifts 

“What right do you ever have to leave a church?”

Bad Reasons for Moving On1.Children’s Ministry2. Buzz3. Youth Group4. Church has changed5. New Pastor6. I’m Not Being Ministered to7. Music8. Other reasons