1. How do
we rate?

2. how would Fairlane rate?
If churches were rated,
how would Fairlane rate?

3. 2-14-98 article: “Do you attend a 4-star church?”
Pittsburg’s ‘Church Man’s’ reviews:
“This church was the funeral parlor of American spirituality”
Another:
“The preacher was a squawking magpie”
article:
“Do you attend a
4-star church?”

4. Romans 12:3-8 “. . . I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.”

5. Consider what Paul says There is no room for ego trips!
Verse 3 NKJV “I say to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.”
Literally: ‘distributed’

6. Philippians 2:3 NKJV
“Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.”

7. Everyone is important! Verses 4, 5
“For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.”

8. whatever your function!
Give it your best,
whatever your function!
Verses 6-8 “Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them ”
Colossians 3:23
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as for the Lord and not for men”

9. 2. What are some of our gifts?
The gift of declaration:
“if prophecy, in proportion to our faith”

10. 1 Peter 2:9
“You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may declare the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”

11. “if service, let him serve . . .”
The gift of service
“if service, let him serve . . .”
Matthew 20:27
“Whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your servant.”

12. “if it is teaching, let him . . .”
The gift of educating
“if it is teaching, let him . . .”
Someone has said, “The SS teacher’s job is to take a room full of live wires and see that they are all well grounded!”
2 Tim 2:2 “The things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will teach others.”

13. The gift of exhortation “if it is exhortation, let him exhort . . .”
Hebrews 3:13
“Exhort one another daily . . .”

14. The gift of contributing “if it is giving, let him give . . .”
2 Corintians 9:6
“He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.”

15. “if it is leadership, let him Elders, deacons, ministers . . .
The gift of leadership
“if it is leadership, let him
lead with diligence . . .”
Elders, deacons, ministers . . .

16. “if it is showing mercy, let him
The gift of restoring
“if it is showing mercy, let him
do it cheerfully”
Matthew 6:14, 15
“If you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”