Growth + Change

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The shape of the church has dramatically changed. It feels like everything we thought about life, spirituality, and church has been altered or brought into question. And in the west, the Gospel of Jesus has often been replaced for an “American Gospel” fashioned in the form of one’s political allegiance rendering the church irrelevant. What is the future of the church? How do we return to God’s design for His Church? If we are going to answer these questions we must go back to the first followers of Jesus and rediscover what the church was intended to be?  And how this mostly Jewish Jerusalem-based community became a multi-ethnic international movement that changed the world as we know it.  Join us for our series out of the Book of Acts as we look back at how the church began to discover what it really means for us to be the church today.

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Scripture

  • Acts 6:1-7

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Teaching Notes

How do we become a high impact church  in the heart of Silicon Valley?

 

A Case Study in Leadership:

In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.  So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables.  Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.” This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism.  They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.

So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith. Acts 6:1-7

 

A HIGH IMPACT CHURCH:

 

  • Growth is NORMAL, EXPECTED & IMPERATIVE.
    • A Healthy Church:
      • Lost people are coming to CHRIST.
      • Found people are growing to MATURITY.
      • Mature people are REPRODUCING their lives.
      • Meeting significant needs in the COMMUNITY.

 

 

  • The MISSION never changes but the METHODS will continually change.

 

  • Requires healthy LEADERS who embrace the law of FOCUS.

 

  • Unleashes God’s people to do SIGNIFICANT MINISTRY. 

 

The American Church Structure:

  • Pastors are the star PLAYERS; God’s people are the supportive FANS.

 

God’s Structure for Reaching the World:

  • Pastors are the COACHES; God’s people are the star PLAYERS.

 

THE DISCIPLESHIP PATHWAY:

 

Step 1: EXPLORE – Join the Movement  

  • Sunday Service: the large gathering of the church to have a life-changing encounter with God.
  • Intro: Introduces you to who we are and what we are about at Awakening.  

 

Step 2: ENGAGE – Experience Community

  • Start Up: an environment designed to jump start community and discipleship.
  • Small Groups: mid-week groups growing together to become more like Jesus.

 

Step 3: LEAD – Live on Mission

  • Essentials:  The basics for being a leader at Awakening
  • Leadership:  to empower & equip the church to awaken this generation