1. Learning and Growing in Community

2. Healthy Church (RECAP)
God’s empowering presence:
The healthy church actively seeks the Holy Spirit’s direction and empowerment for its daily life and ministry
God-Exalting Worship
The healthy church gathers regularly as the local expression of the Body of Christ to worship God in ways that engage the heart, mind, soul and strength of the people.
Spiritual Disciplines
The healthy church provides training, models, and resources for members of all ages to develop their daily spiritual disciplines.

3. Healthy Church Learning and Growing in Community
The healthy church encourages believers to grow in their walk with God and with one another in the context of a safe, affirming environment.

4. Acts 2:42-47 (ESV)
42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

5. TODAY Verse 42 Verse 43 Verse 42 Verse 43 Apostles’ Teaching
Fellowship
Breaking of bread
Prayers
Verse 43
Awe
Wonders & Signs
Verse 42
Apostles’ Teaching
Community
Communion
Prayers
Verse 43
‘OMG’
Miracles & Signs
So we’re gonna break it down by looking at some keywords of each verse and what that looks like in our present-day today. What does it look like?
Verse 42
Apostles’ Teaching – hasn’t changed, it’s the bible. God’s word.
Community – accountability, Christ-centered
Communion – remember God’s sacrifice
Prayers – content of prayers may have changed, but they still communicate with God.
Verse 43
‘OMG’ – oh my gosh moments where we are inspired by what God is doing in our lives.
Miracles & Signs – sensitive topic, and also ‘sensitive’ topic.

6. TODAY Verse 44-45 Verse 44-45 Verse 46 - 47 Verse 46-47 Together
Common
Possessions & Belongings
Distributing to those in need
Verse
Glad & Generous Hearts
Praising God
Favor with All
Adding Numbers
Verse 44-45
Sharing
All for one, and one for all.
Verse 46-47
Happy
pRaising God
‘Popular’
Introductions!

7. COMMUNITY Why isn’t this a safe, affirming environment ? Definition:
a feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests, and goals
Why isn’t this a safe, affirming environment ?

8. COMMUNITY UNDER CHRIST
Definition:
a feeling of koinonia with others, as a result of pursuing Christ-like attitudes, interests, and goals
One Body, One Church
1 Corinthians 12-26
John 13:34-35
1 John 4 :11-12

9. Healthy Church Learning and Growing in Community
The healthy church encourages believers to grow in their walk with God and with one another in the context of a safe, affirming environment.

10. LEARNING Learning through community
We are able to learn from people’s experiences.
The view to which we see the Bible is no longer just our own.
We can discover together what is good.
Job 34:1-4 (NIV)

11. GROWING Growing through community Growth (Spiritual)
Knowing each other
Serving each other
Romans 12:4-8
1 Peter 4:10

12. GROWING Growing our community Serving others Growth (Numerical)
1 Corinthians 3:1-8
NO WALLS
Ephesians 2:11-16
Galatians 3:28-29

13. COMMUNITY UNDER CHRIST
Scenario:
If someone were to look at our church now, would they see us devoting ourselves to the Word? Would they see our koinonia with each other? Would they see our prayers? Would they see us together, working as one, sharing and aiding one another? Would they see us praising God and being recognized by others as ‘good’?

14. Challenge: Be devoted in your pursuit of God, and LOVE IT.
Be amazed by what He’s doing in your life, and PRAISE IT.
Be amazed by what He’s doing in your neighbor’s life, and SHARE IT.
Be selfless instead of selfish, and DO IT.
Be vulnerable, and CONFESS IT.

15. Together (1) crucified together with Christ (Gal. 2:20);
(2) dead together with Christ (Col. 2:20);
(3) buried together with Christ (Rom. 6:4);
(4) made alive together with Christ (Eph. 2:5);
(5) raised together with Christ (Col. 3:1);
(6) sufferers together with Christ (Rom. 8:17);
(7) glorified together with Christ (Rom. 8:17).