1. DISCOVERY CLASS Exploring Church Membership Session 3
“Our Goals: How We Fulfill Our Purpose”

2. Every organization, group or church has a set of values that…
create common expectations
determine to some extent what you do or don’t do
govern how you behave

4. The 5 Circles of Commitment

5. The 5 Circles of Commitment
The Community: everybody within driving distance of the church
The Crowd: committed to attend worship
The Congregation: committed to the church
The Committed: committed to the church & growing in faith
The Core: committed to active involvement in the ministries of the church

6. Our Goal
Draw people in and help them move progressively toward the center
At each stage there is a “covenant”

7. What is a Covenant? A very biblical concept Define
Examples: Noah, Abraham, Moses & Israel, the “new Covenant”
Define
What is expected
Where to go next

8. The Covenant Commitments
Membership: to Jesus and FCC
Maturity: to habits that lead to spiritual growth
Ministry: discovering & using your gifts to serve others
Mission: share the Good News with others

9. You become what you are committed to!

10. Jesus’ Two Primary Directives
The Great Commandment
Mark , “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: `Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these."

11. Jesus’ Two Primary Directives
The Great Commission
Matthew , “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

12. The 5 Purposes of the Church
Celebrate God’s presence which is worship
Worship is both personal & corporate
A worship style is a kind of “language”
The most important thing is not your style but your heart
“God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth." (John 4.24)

13. All worship should aim to...
celebrate what God has done
inspire God’s people to great faith & action
prepare them for works of ministry

14. The 5 Purposes of the Church
2) Incorporate people into God’s family which is fellowship
The importance of small groups

15. The 5 Purposes of the Church
3) Educate God’s people which is discipleship
The Bible assumes we will grow spiritually
2 Peter 1.5-8, “For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

16. The 5 Purposes of the Church
4) Demonstrate God’s love which is ministry
John 13.35, “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

17. We believe… every member is a minister every task is important
every member is a “10” in some area
1 Cor , 27, “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good… Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.”

18. The 5 Purposes of the Church
5) Communicate God’s Word which is evangelism
Someone has to tell others
Romans , “ ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?”

19. Reaching out leads to growth
Unbiblical attitudes to church growth
“the church won’t feel the same any more because large churches are impersonal”
“I don’t know everyone any more”
“if we grow our facilities won’t hold everyone”
“we’re more interested in quality not quantity”
These attitudes are always about us and not about the Kingdom of God

20. We must grow because… God loves people God commands us to reach out
2 Peter 3.9, “The Lord...is patient, not wanting anyone to perish, but wants everyone to come to repentance.”
God commands us to reach out
Acts 1.8, “…you will be my witnesses”
Growth is God’s will
Matthew 15.18, “I will build my church…”

21. The difference between attenders and members is commitment

22. 4 Reasons for Membership
Biblical: Christ is committed to church
Ephesians 5.25, “...Christ loved the church, and he gave his life for it.”
Cultural: antidote to society
Practical: defines who can be counted on
Personal: produces spiritual growth

23. The Membership Covenant
Having received Jesus as my Lord and Savior, and having been baptized, I am in agreement with this congregation’s beliefs, goals, and structure, and now feel led by the Holy Spirit to unite with Faith Covenant Church. In doing so I commit myself to God and to the other members to do the following:

24. 1) I will protect the unity of my church by…
Acting in love
1 Peter 1.22, “Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart.”
Refusing to gossip
Ephesians 4.29, "Don't let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths but only what builds up other."
Following the leaders
Hebrews 13.17, "Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them that their work will be a joy and not a burden for that would be no advantage to you."

25. 2) I will share the responsibility of my church by…
praying for its growth
inviting the unchurched to attend
warmly welcoming those who visit

26. 3) I will serve the ministry of my church by…
discovering gifts & talents:
1 Peter 4.10, “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms.”
being equipped to serve:
Ephesians
developing a servant’s heart
Philippians 2.5 & 7, “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus…but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant…”

27. 4) I will support the testimony of my church by…
attending faithfully
Hebrews 10.25, “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
Living a godly life
Philippians 1.27, “Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.”
giving regularly
1 Corinthians 16.2, “On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income…”

28. A follower of Jesus gives…
Willingly -- Exodus 35:5; 36:5
Cheerfully -- 2 Corinthians 9:7
Regularly -- 1 Corinthians 16:2; 2 Corinthians 9:7
Responsibly -- Proverbs 3:9
Proportionately -- 2 Corinthians 8:12; Deuteronomy 16:17
Sacrificially -- 2 Corinthians 8:2, 3, 9
Generously -- 2 Corinthians 8:2; 9:6, 13

29. Next session Church structure How to become a member
Denominational affiliation
What’s next