1. Church 2017
Colossians 1:1-14

2. What is the local church?

3. The Local Church is the Hope of the World!
Bill Hybels

4. Hope of the World because ...
We Carry the Truth of Christ.
We Are Called to Be Extensions of God's Love.
We Stand at the Breach In Intercession.

5. Can you recognize it?

8. Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae ... (1:1-2)

9. Grace to you and peace from God our Father. (2)

10. Basic Information Sender: the Apostle Paul
Recipients: the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae
Greetings: grace and peace

11. 2 Surprises
In prison
Never met

12. Information Sender Recipients Greetings
And a whole lot more about the local church ...

13. Church
A church is a faith community

14. Church
A church is a faith community
A church is a living organism

15. Church A church is a faith community A church is a living organism
A church is a functioning system

16. What is a system?

17. Characteristics of a Church

20. “Cheer” Theme Song
Sometimes you wanna go where everybody knows your name. And they're always glad you came. You wanna be where you can see our troubles are all the same. You wanna be where everybody knows your name.

21. 5 Characteristics
To Know and To Be Known

22. We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you. (3)

23. 5 Characteristics
To Know and To Be Known
To Pray and To Be Pray for

24. We prayed for you since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel ... (3-5)

25. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing— as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth ... (5-6)

26. 5 Characteristics To Know and To Be Known To Pray and To Be Pray for
To Celebrate and To Be Celebrated

27. Anniversary 48

29. Epaphras our beloved fellow servant
... Epaphras our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf and has made known to us your love in the Spirit. (7-8)

30. 5 Characteristics To Know and To Be Known To Pray and To Be Pray for
To Celebrate and To Be Celebrated
To Love and To Be Loved

31. And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding ... (9)

32. ... so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. (10)

33. May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy ... (11)

34. ... giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. (12)

35. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (13-14)

36. 5 Characteristics To Know and To Be Known To Pray and To Be Pray for
To Celebrate and To Be Celebrated
To Love and To Be Loved
To Serve and To Be Served

37. Conclusion
If we are to be the hope of the world, we must find these characteristics in your life!