Mission-Driven Church #1: Values that Guide Us
Mission-Driven Church #2: People who Support Us
Mission-Driven Church #3: A Faith that Nurtures Us
Mission-Driven Church #4: Service that Enriches Us
Mission-Driven Church #5: Leaders Who Shepherd Us
Mission Driven Church #6: A God Who Empowers Us
Mission Driven Church #7: A Message That Saves Us
Eph. 4:11-16. This is the NT description of the power of faith.
Faith fits us together
Faith equips us as a body
Faith enables us together
Faith matures us to Christ's likeness
Think of the tex in Ezekiel, a description of a valley of dry bones.
Dry bones are spiritually stagnant.
Dry bones and spiritually barren and nonproductive
Dry bones are without contact to the source of life.
Dry bones are comfortable--even though they are less than God intended. For too many Christians, our comfort zone lies in living a life that is less than the life God created us to live.
Churches today have too many inactive members who are like dry bones, who have never grown into the picture of Eph. 4.
What causes spiritual barrenness?
Our attitude toward those outside the church.
All of our activities are Christian activities.
Most of our friends are Christian friends.
We are afraid.
We must find a nurturing faith that will motivate us.
People need relationships, support, encouragement. We find that in our shared faith. Others are looking for the same.
75-95% visit a church because of a personal invitation.
75-95% of first-time attenders are looking for relationships.
First-time attenders need to make at least 4 close friends the first month.
Follow up is 85% more effective when it is not done by paid staff.
Ministry recruiting and training and mobilization occurs primarily through relationships. Announcements are not the effective way to recruit.
This is the shape of shared faith.
http://www.bobyoungresources.com/sermons/mission_driven_ch3.htm
Last updated March 20, 2005.