The “Irreducible Core” of the Christian Faith What Christianity is ALL About

The Heart of the New Testament Everything Jesus said is important He summarized everything He said in three commands Love God: Matthew 23:34-38 Love others as you love yourself: Matthew 23:39-40 As you go, make disciples: Matthew 28:18-20

Matthew 22:34-38 But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment.

Matthew 22:39-40 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Loving God Christianity is about relationship with God, not religion We must cultivate our relationship with the Lord through the practice of spiritual disciplines Knowing and loving God is my first priority

Loving Others Christianity is about relationship with other Christians and living life together as a family and as a community A new commandment has been given: John 13:34-35 Its is by this love we prove that we are Christians Loving and serving others is my second priority

John 13:34-35 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

As you Go, Make Disciples Christianity is about helping more people have relationship with God We are to make more and better disciples everywhere we go – at home, in our neighborhood, on the job, etc. If I love God and I love His people, that love will spill over into the lives of others Making disciples of Christ is my third priority

Building the DNA of Your Church Values, Vision & Mission

Definitions VALUES are WHO you are VISION is WHAT you want to do MISSION is HOW you will do it

Values Values define who you are in relation to God and others. Communal values form the identity of your church. What about us reflects Jesus? What is there of Jesus in our community that the cultural location around us needs? Real values are supported by passionate behaviors already lived out by the core community. The T.E.R.M. test - time, energy, reflection, money.

Values Read Acts 2:42-47 Can you identify the values? What are the 5-8 statements that define your church?

Vision is God's authority in the church. It allows leadership to say "yes" and "no" on ministry choices, is God's preferred future - in both being and doing, not just task oriented, is who we are we becoming / seek to become, is what we want to see happen through the church community, is what maturing into the fullness of Christ would look like for your body, includes the transformational component you desire to bring to your city or town,

Mission Answer these three questions: How will we love God? How will we love others? How will we make disciples?