CHURCH: RESETTING OUR DEFINITION! (Matt. 16:18)
Preface: In Matthew chapter 16, Jesus makes two powerful assertions about His church, the first is that He alone is responsible for the building of the church, and the second being a direct result of the first; “…the gates of hell shall not prevail against it,” (16:18). With these assertions, I want to use this series to address this moment. Though challenging, this moment must be viewed as an opportunity given to us by the Lord. The world-wide pandemic coupled with the global shutdown are serving as the catalysts for a reset of the church. In this series, I want us to look at the reset of the body of Jesus Christ. A reset that will allow us to move forward with greater relevance and in greater power. Part I examines the idea of church, not as a place or as a program, but simply as people called by God into one unified body. The time has come for The Great Reset!
1. CHURCH: NEVER A PLACE:
- Church Is Never A Place To Gather In A Moment Of Time.
- Church Is Always People Moving At All Times, (John 3:8).
- Never Localize What Is To Be Mobilized, (Luke 13:33).
- Tabernacles In Wilderness = Outside Of Promise, Keep Moving Forward!
- Temples In Promise = Inside Promise, Keep Building Upward!
- Lesson: The Church Is Within People! (Col. 1:27)
2. CHURCH: NEVER A PROGRAM:
- Worship Is Not Church; Worship Is Our Offering To God, (Ps. 34:1-3).
- Preaching Is Not Church; Preaching Is Our Voice In The World, (Rom. 10:18).
- Ministry Is Not Church; Ministry Is Our Enlightening The World, (Matt. 5:16).
- Lesson: Service Is The Church In Action – Vertically & Horizontally!
3. CHURCH: ALWAYS A PEOPLE:
- God Works Thru People Not Things, (Ps. 100:3).
- God Works Thru A Body Not A Building, (1 Cor. 12:13).
- The Great Demonic Strategy: Divide The Church Into Denominations!
- A Body Divided Is Sick, (1 Cor. 12:25-26). To Whither The Body, Divide It!!
- A House Divided Cannot Stand, (Matt. 12:25). To Wobble The House, Divide It!
- A Christ Divided Cannot Serve, (1 Cor. 1:13). To Weaken The Anointing, Divide It!
- Lesson: Stop Going To Church, Start Being The Church!
PRAYER: FATHER, EMPOWER US TO BE YOUR CHURCH!
