INTRODUCTION - If the chief purpose of every man and woman is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever, what is the chief purpose of the church? We are correct to reply that the church also exists to bring glory to God. But such an answer only leads to a second question. How? How is the church meant to fulfill its God-glorifying role? Or, put another way, if we are about the business of the church, what kind of business are we in? What exactly is our assignment, and how do we measure success?
BROADLY - The business or assignment of the church can be summed up in these two statements of Jesus:
THE GREAT COMMANDMENT
“LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD with all your heart…soul…and mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR as yourself. All the Law and Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matt. 22:36-40
AND,
THE GREAT COMMISSION
“GO AND MAKE DISCIPLES of all nations, BAPTIZING THEM in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and TEACHING THEM TO OBEY everything I have commanded you.” Matt. 28:19-20
The fulfilling of the GREAT COMMANDMENT and the GREAT COMMISSION is the true measure of success for the church. Jesus did these! (John 17:1-26); The first church did these! (Acts 2:1-47); and Paul explained these as the heart and soul of the church! (Eph. 4:1-6).
So it can be boldly said that:
"A GREAT COMMITMENT
TO THE
GREAT COMMANDMENT
AND THE
GREAT COMMISSION
WILL GROW A GREAT CHURCH!”
SPECIFICALLY - God’s six-fold vision for SOLBC is:
1. OUR MISSION is to Win, Assimilate, Teach, Equip, and Release committed followers of Jesus Christ whose heart purpose and desire is to fulfill the Great Commandment and the Great Commission from Durham to the ends of the earth. Matt. 22:36-40; 28:18-20 (See chart # 1 below )
2. OUR PRODUCT (expected results), changed lives! Lives conformed to the image and likeness of Jesus Christ. John 14 & 15; Rom. 8:29
3. OUR PURPOSE to become, by God’s grace, a spiritually empowered church that glorifies God by fulfilling the Great Commandment and Great Commission.
4. OUR EMPOWERMENT comes by the infilling of the Holy Spirit through the Word of God and believing prayer. Acts 4:23-31
5. OUR STRATEGY Acts 2:46-47 is the Biblical pattern:
a) large group proclamation
b) small group nurture
c) team ministry
(See chart #2 below)
6. OUR METHOD for growth is spiritual reproduction. 2 Timothy 2:2
CHART #1 - 4 - BASES NECESSARY TO FULFILL GOD’S MISSION
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MISSION
|
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STAGE
|
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TASK
|
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EMPHASIS
|
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1st Base
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-
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Winning
|
-
-
-
-
Lost Person
-
|
-
-
Investigating
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Repenting
-
Believing
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Confessing
-
|
-
-
-
-
The gospel
|
-
2nd Base
-
-
-
Assimilate
|
-
-
-
-
New Believer
|
-
-
Worshipping
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Fellowshipping
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Identifying
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Belonging
-
Committing
-
|
-
-
-
-
Discipleship
|
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3rd Base
-
-
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Teaching &
-
Equipping
|
-
-
-
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Growing Disciple
|
-
-
Abiding in Christ
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Growing in Grace
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Gift Assessment
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Becoming
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Bearing Witness
-
|
-
-
-
-
Learning
|
-
Home Base
-
-
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Releasing
|
-
-
-
-
Disciple Maker
|
-
-
Using Gifts
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Teaching
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Leading
-
Bestowing
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Witnessing
-
|
-
-
-
-
Doing
|
You don’t get credit for people left on base!
CHART #2 - SOLBC’S 3-FOLD STRATEGY & STRUCTURE
1) Large Group Proclamation; 2) Small Group Nurture; 3) Ministry Teams
|
LARGE GROUP PROCLAMATION
|
SMALL GROUP
NURTURE
|
|
· Teaching
· Singing
· Ordinances
· Christian Education
· Giving
· Fellowship
· Addresses: Who? What? Why? And, in general, How?
|
· Study
· Mutual Care
· Bible application
· Nurturing
· Accountability
· Outreach
· Addresses: Exactly How? When? And What about this?
|
|
MINISTRY TEAMS
|
|
· Leadership Team
· Worship Team
· Outreach/Discipleship Team
· Missions Team
· Small Group Team
· Finance/Admin. Team
· Care/Crisis Team
· Grounds Team
· Bldg Maintenance Team
|
· Children’s Team
· Youth Team
· Singles Team
· Hospitality Team
· Prayer Team
· Membership Team
· Communications Team
· Women’s Team
· Men’s Team
|
