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Lorna Laister

Read 1 Corinthians 13:10-13

We have been looking at the way to get to be a healthy church by 2025.

Chris described the HOPE venue. The hope venue was largely about the church service

Gill described the FAITH venue. The faith venue is about meeting during the week

Today we will look at the LOVE venue

When all three venues are in place and operating well, every member of the congregation, each one experiencing deep relationships with Christ and each other, will be active missional participants in what Christ, by the Holy Spirit, is doing both within the congregation and out to the world.

Read John 13:34-35

At the last supper Jesus gave his disciples a new commandment. If we are to love others as he loves us – HOW EXACTLY DOES HE LOVE US? THE ANSWER? JESUS LOVES US BY COMING AND MEETING US RIGHT WHERE WE ARE.HE SHARES HIS LIFE WITH US

1. HE LIVED DIED AND IS RISEN –ASCENDED TO THE FATHER – ALL FOR US
2. JESUS ENABLES US TO JOIN HIM IN THE WORSHIP OF THE FATHER
3. HE NOW LIVES IN US THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT

The greatest gift we can give others is to lay down our life for them. We can do this in many ways

Read 2 Corinthians 5:14-16

So, as followers of Jesus we no longer live for ourselves. We are motivated – urged – driven to reach out to others. We are not called to be comfortable. We are called to witness what God has done in our life, from the church service in which we worship - to the meetings during the week to the outside world – THE COMMUNITYAROUND OUR CHURCH. WE DO THIS BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT GOD LOVES THESE PEOPLE. AND OFTEN THEY DO NOT KNOW IT. So, this venue is the WITNESS venue

WHAT IS A VENUE? IT IS THE ENVIRONMENT – OR SURROUNDINGS WHERE OUR CHURCH EXISTS.

WHAT IS A WITNESS? ONE WHO SEES, CERTIFIES, VERIFIES WHAT GOD HAS DONE IN THEIR LIFE

When we put it all together – the hope – the faith –the love we have the whole of what the church is born for. The whole of what we exist for. And we will be healthy as God intended. The love venue is about our witness. It includes outreach and missional work. It helps us identify our target community and build relationships through missional activities, and events. The venue for sharing this love starts outside the walls of the church and continues inside

What am I talking about – missional? Ok when the children bring their friends to church – that’s missional. It’s especially missional because the chances are that the children do not have a full picture of who and what God is – and so they are BRINGING OTHERS INTO A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.

We actually can cross BORDERS AND create spaces, events, and programmes which enable – smooth the way – make possible, relationship building and life in the community

Missional

• It is activating a missional mind
• It is discerning Jesus’ movements in our everyday spaces and engaging missionally
• It is creating spaces for shared life, where disciple making can take place

The continuum is very long. From personal witness to planting a church. From outreach – showing love – to planting a church

WE CANNOT DO EVERYTHING - BUT EVERYONE CAN DO SOMETHING

Read Mark 5:19-20 The power of your testimony - PERSONAL WITNESS

The Power of Your Testimony

Six different times Paul stood before hostile audiences, and each time he gave his personal testimony. No arguing, no debating—just his story.

(1) Be interesting.

(2) Be specific. Talk about: (a) how it used to be; (b) how you met Jesus; (c) how it is now.  MY STORY

(3) Be honest. Don’t say, ‘All your problems will disappear when you become a Christian.’ The Christian life is a battlefield, not a playing field.

(4) Be warm.

WHAT DOES MISSIONAL LOOK LIKE? HOW DO WE SHOW THE LOVE OF CHRIST?

SHOWING LOVE IS THE FIRST STEP. THE eventual INTENTION IS TO ENCOURAGE A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE TRIUNE GOD.

1. IT IS SERVING AND LOVING THE COMMUNITY WITH A PURPOSE

1. THE INTENTION IS TO CONNECT THE PERSON TO GOD IN A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD
2. IT IS BRINGING THE PERSON INTO A CHURCH ENVIRONMENT (please do not poach or fish in another pastor’s pool! your job may be in revival, or restoration only…) SO THAT THEY CAN BE DISCIPLED.

From serving and loving, we must be intentional about speaking what Jesus has done in our lives. We MUST think bigger than the school – We need to become a COMMUNITY CHURCH

In order to be SERVING & LOVING THE COMMUNITY - WITH A PURPOSE

We need to IDENTIFY A TARGET COMMUNITY

Make ourselves visible; fulfil the communities needs grow and then - PLANT A CHURCH

• Essential Part of the Church’s Mission: Matt 28: 16-20 (Great Commission)
• Natural process of multiplication: Something is amiss when a living organism cannot or will not reproduce.

GCI model: SEEK (CONNECT, RELATIONSHIPS), NURTURE (GROW), EQUIP (TEACH, PARTICIPATE), MULTIPLY, MENTOR, NEW MINISTRIES, NEW CHUCHES