Pastor Mark Schwarzbauer PhD Family Worship Center The Church is a Family Part 2 Pastor Mark Schwarzbauer PhD Family Worship Center

Ephesians 1:5 “God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure”

Part One: The Importance Review Part One: The Importance of Family

The Importance of Family God has actually created two types of families… earthly and spiritual.

Review Part Two: Your Spiritual Family

Think about this… God who had everything wanted a family and He wants you in it.

“What is God’s family? “That family is the church of the living God, the support and foundation of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15b NCV). The Church, the Body of Christ, is not an institution. The Church is not a bureaucracy. The Church is not an organization or a social club. The Church is God’s family. It’s not about rules and regulations and rituals and religion. It’s about relationships. It’s about love.” (You Need the Support of Your Spiritual Family - Daily Hope with Rick Warren - September 9, 2016

Your Spiritual Family Your physical family is a blessing from God but it grows up moves away and even dies. Your spiritual family will outlast your physical family as your spiritual family is eternal. When physical family is also spiritual family you have a double blessing. God wants you in His spiritual family so you can be blessed.

Part Three: Your Church Family Review and Continue Part Three: Your Church Family

Your Church Family The Church is there to bless you relationally. Even in the perfect Garden of Eden God strongly stated “It is not good for man to be alone.” You were never meant to go through life alone. Proverbs 18:1 tells us “One who isolates himself pursues selfish desires; he rebels against all sound judgment.” (HCSV)

God protects us from the dangers of isolation and self-seeking by calling us to regularly fellowship at church –

Hebrews 10:24-25 “24Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. 25And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.”

The church is a place for positive and powerful motivation. Hebrews 10:24-25 “24Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. 25And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.” The church is a place for positive and powerful motivation.

Motivate one another to acts of love and good works. Hebrews 10:24-25 “24Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. 25And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.” Motivate one another to acts of love and good works.

Not neglecting church because we really need it and Hebrews 10:24-25 “24Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. 25And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.” Not neglecting church because we really need it and others really need us there!

“Encourage one another.” Hebrews 10:24-25 “24Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. 25And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.” “Encourage one another.”

Hebrews 10:24-25 “24Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. 25And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.” We recently had a series on the return of Christ. Some people asked what “should we do since we believe Christ is returning soon?”. Hebrews 10:25 says encourage people to come and be faithful to church!

Fellowship at church is God’s design and answer for loneliness and isolation.

Your Church Family The Church is there for you spiritually The place where you hear the Word of God preached under the anointing of the Holy Spirit. A place for resources, Bible studies and small groups, http://followchrist.ag.org/ www.i-fwc.com A place for encouragement and accountability.

Your Church Family The Church is there for you emotionally/psychologically. We all go through difficult and painful experiences in life. We pray for each other and allow the power of God to flow. We carry each other’s burdens – Galatians 6:2.

Your Church Family We edify or build up one another I Thessalonians 5:11… “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” Romans 14:19 “ And now, let us run after peace and after building one another up.” ABPE

Pastor Mark’s core family values he brings into our family culture Faith is always positive (so be positive instead of negative) (Hebrews 11:1). Build people up, instead of putting them down (Ephesians 4:29). Foster healthy relationships and people skills (Ephesians 4 et al). The greatest is love and everything must be done with love (I Corinthians 13:13). Unity is a gift from God that we are to preserve since the number one thing God hates is discord. (Prov. 6:16-19).

Closing… “You have six days to do your work, but the seventh day of each week is holy because it belongs to Me. No matter where you live, you must rest and come together for worship.” Lev. 23:3 (CEV) “They worshipped together regularly at the Temple courts…” Acts 2:46a (LB) “We celebrate as we worship You.” Ps. 68:4b (CEV)