2. Having a vision for GROWING GOD’S CHURCH
Vision SUNDAY
Having a vision for GROWING GOD’S CHURCH
CHOOSE TO BELIEVE WHAT GOD SAYS ABOUT YOU AND LIVE ACCORDINGLY
Connecting people with God and one another

3. Jesus’ Crowd: ekklesia
Connecting people with God and one another
CHURCH
PEOPLE
Jesus’ Crowd: ekklesia
Having a vision for GROWING GOD’S CHURCH

4. Jesus’ Crowd: ekklesia
Connecting people with God and one another
Jesus wants his Church to grow
Jesus’ Crowd: ekklesia
Having a vision for GROWING GOD’S CHURCH

5. Having a vision for GROWING GOD’S CHURCH
Connecting people with God and one another
Jesus wants his
church to GROW
And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it [MATTHEW 16:18]
Having a vision for GROWING GOD’S CHURCH

6. Having a vision for GROWING GOD’S CHURCH
Connecting people with God and one another
Church word pictures
suggest growth
In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit [EPHESIANS 2:21-22]
Having a vision for GROWING GOD’S CHURCH

7. Having a vision for GROWING GOD’S CHURCH
Connecting people with God and one another
Church word pictures
suggest growth
From him [Jesus] the body grows and builds itself up in love as each part does its work [EPHESIANS 4:16]
Having a vision for GROWING GOD’S CHURCH

8. Having a vision for GROWING GOD’S CHURCH
Connecting people with God and one another
Church word pictures
suggest growth
As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood [1 PETER 2:4-5]
Having a vision for GROWING GOD’S CHURCH

9. Having a vision for GROWING GOD’S CHURCH
We, the Church
should be growing
When we live holy lives hypocrisy is eliminated. There’s nothing that turns people off more than to see someone who professes to be a Christian, but whose lifestyle denies it.
SPIRITUALLY : in our close connection with God : : in our love for God - : in being more and more like Jesus MATTHEW 22:37 & 2 PETER 3:18
Having a vision for GROWING GOD’S CHURCH
Connecting people with God and one another

10. Having a vision for GROWING GOD’S CHURCH
We, the Church
should be growing
GROW IN CHRISTLIKE CONDUCT AND CHARACTER AND FRUTFULNESS BY USING GPS:
GOD’S Word, PRAYER, the SPIRIT’S Guidance
SPIRITUALLY : in our close connection with God : : in our love for God - : in being more and more like Jesus MATTHEW 22:37 & 2 PETER 3:18
Having a vision for GROWING GOD’S CHURCH
Connecting people with God and one another

11. Having a vision for GROWING GOD’S CHURCH
We, the Church
should be growing
SOCIALLY : in our close connection with our fellow believers and practical love for them MATTHEW 22:38
In serving others with our God-given gifts we steward God’s grace to them
Having a vision for GROWING GOD’S CHURCH
Connecting people with God and one another

12. Having a vision for GROWING GOD’S CHURCH
We, the Church
should be growing
SIGNIFICANCE : in our extension of the Kingdom through loving deeds in the wider community MATTHEW 5:13-16 & ACTS 2:47
Having a vision for GROWING GOD’S CHURCH
Connecting people with God and one another

13. Having a vision for GROWING GOD’S CHURCH
We, the Church
should be growing
May God help us to see that he love’s everyone
and so should we.
May God help us to see the depth of people’s need –
that Jesus died for them.
May God help us to see people’s potential as God sees it
looking at them as someone for whom Jesus died and rose.
May God help us to see people’s true spiritual condition
no longer evaluating them merely on the basis of the outward.
May God help us to see the great provision
and the great part He has called us to play.
SIGNIFICANCE : in our extension of the Kingdom through loving deeds in the wider community MATTHEW 5:13-16 & ACTS 2:47
Having a vision for GROWING GOD’S CHURCH
Connecting people with God and one another

14. Having a vision for GROWING GOD’S CHURCH
We, the Church
should be growing
GOD invites us to see people as he does and join him in the joyous search rather than staying self-contentedly and self-righteously at home secure in our deserved position. Have a Jesus-sized vision for people.
SIZE : by telling people the good news of Jesus, them responding to him and becoming disciples the Church is added to & multiplies MATT. 28:18-20, ACTS 2:47; 5:14; 6:1
Having a vision for GROWING GOD’S CHURCH
Connecting people with God and one another

15. Having a vision for GROWING GOD’S CHURCH
We, the Church
should be growing
PLEASE DO YOUR PART EPHESIANS 4:16 : be active in relationships with non-believers – GO, TELL, DISCIPLE
Having a vision for GROWING GOD’S CHURCH
Connecting people with God and one another

16. Having a vision for GROWING GOD’S CHURCH
We, the Church
should be growing
PLEASE DO YOUR PART EPHESIANS 4:16 : be active in relationships with non-believers – GO, TELL, DISCIPLE : pray about our challenges as we live beyond our cash flow
- minister beyond our people resource capacity
- are ageing and are not yet substantially replacing us
Having a vision for GROWING GOD’S CHURCH
Connecting people with God and one another

17. Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her EPHESIANS 5:21
COMMUNION
Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her
EPHESIANS 5:21