Promoting Healthy Ecclesias Workshop December 2011 The Ecclesia for Growth and Preparation Study 3 - The Ecclesia for Growth and Preparation

Promoting Healthy Ecclesias Workshop December 2011 The Ecclesia for Growth and Preparation Outline Spiritual Growth and Development – Essential for all The Ecclesia provides opportunities for spiritual development The Ecclesia provides opportunities for preparation for our calling Collective Spiritual Growth Study 3 - The Ecclesia for Growth and Preparation

God saved Israel out of Egypt and brought them through the Red Sea He brought them through the wilderness to make the worth saving. This required Israel’s cooperation and faithful submission to His will Only the faithful entered the Promised Land Calling and Baptism The Kingdom Probation

Spiritual Growth – essential for all 1Peter 1:3 God has begotten us again to a living hope 1Peter 1:23 Born again through the incorruptible seed of the Word of God 1Peter 1:14-15 To be obedient children to live up to God’s holy standards 1Peter 2:2 As newborn babes desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby

Spiritual Growth – essential for all love 2Peter 1:5-11 brotherly kindness godliness perseverance self control knowledge virtue For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Add to your faith

Development of spiritual maturity Hebrews 5:14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. “good” “evil” καλος & κακος kalos kakos

Opportunities for development The Ecclesia provides many opportunities for development and exercise of moral qualities: Individuals forgiveness, patience, longsuffering, integrity, discernment, compassion, love. Shepherds Care and responsibility of others, dealing with problems (in this imperfect state) Sometimes our biggest spiritual development takes place under the most trying circumstances

Whoever believed (the) Gospel, and yielded obedience in baptism, was, by that belief and obedience, called to the kingdom and glory of God. But all the called are not to be chosen. The choice is to be made at the Lord’s return. The reason of the choice will be faithfulness in the chosen, exhibited during life, subsequent to the taking of the name of Christ in baptism. … To help in the development, and give scope for the exercise of this faithfulness, obedient believers were required to form themselves into communities, which in Greek, were called ECCLESIAS.

Our Calling 1Thessalonians 2:12 … walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory. 1Peter 2:9 You are a … a royal priesthood Revelation 1:5-6; 5:9-10; 20:4-6 Christ has … made us unto our God, kings and priests – to live and reign with Christ 1000 years. Revelation 2:26-27 … he that overcomes, and keeps my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations Matt 25:21,23 Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things

Kings and Priests King Priest Must be just and fear God (2Sam 23:3); plead the cause of the poor and needy (Prov 31:9); execute judgement and righteousness (Jer 22:3) Priest Bring people to God; have compassion on the ignorant and on them that are out of the way (Heb 5:2)

Dealing with problems Rush in with haste a sought the matter out Or seek God’s guidance and carefully consider the principles involved first Decide ourselves what to do and try to solve it by our self Or consult with other brethren and carefully seek the best way to deal with it Do nothing because it’s too hard Rush to conclusions and make a swift judgment Or find out all of the relevant facts first and make a balanced judgment

Ephesians 4:11-16 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God,  unto a perfect man,  unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children … But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly framed together and compacted by that which every ligament contributes, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, makes growth of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

1Cor 14:26 (v3,4,5,12,17) Let all things to be done unto edifying “edify” ‘oikodomeo’  to be a house builder, to construct (Vines) ‘oikos’ a home + ‘demo’ build