Kaleo 2007
- David Fairchild
- Feb 11, 2007
- Series: Topical
A Brief History of Our Church
04-05 Message (Intellectual Renewal/God)
2006 Motivation (Gospel Renewal/Self)
2007 Mission (City Renewal/World)
The Purpose of Our Church
Worship & Prayer
The worship of the early church had corporate form. In Acts chapter 2, verse 42, Paul literally says that, "they devoted themselves to the breaking of the bread and the prayers." This is a reference to a gathered service--to the service of the Lord's Supper and to a discipline of praying called, "the prayers.” It was not random; there was an order to it. It had both an informal and a formal aspect. It happened both in homes and in the temple courts (v. 46). This surely means that there was both informal worship in the small group and more formal worship in the large group.
It is unlikely that Christians continued to offer sacrifices at the temple, but they evidently continued to go to the prayer services and they supplemented the worship there with their own meetings in the courts. Their worship was both joyful and reverent. Notice that in the small group worship, the emphasis is more on joy and gladness (v.46) but in the large group, there is an emphasis on awe (v.43). This means that both awe/reverence and joyous praise are to be the marks of our worship.
Learning & Edification
It was intense. They "devoted themselves" (v. 42). This means that there was a high commitment to learning. Being Spirit-filled is not set over and against the intellect! It was completely centered on the "apostolic teaching." It was not learning in general, but rather the study of God's revelation as it came through the apostles. Today, of course, the apostles' teaching is in the Scriptures. They were not just taught what to believe but given evidence for why to believe it.
This point is missed unless we realize that verse 43 is not an isolated statement--it follows verse 42. The apostles’ teaching (v.42) was validated and verified by their miracles and wonders (v. 43). These miracles were not naked displays of power, but were signs. Heb. 2:3-4 show us that the purpose of miracles in the early church was to show listeners the truth of the Gospel message the Apostles brought.
Fellowship & Community
Fellowship was also intense ("they devoted themselves ... to fellowship" v. 42). It was therefore not something that just happened. They worked at it. This implies accountability with one another, a sense of responsibility to care, support and guide each other. It was daily ("every day "v. 46). They did not just see each other on Sundays, but were involved in each other's daily lives. It was economic as well as spiritual ("had everything in common "v. 44). They recognized not only that other brothers and sisters had a claim on their time and heart but also on their resources.
They had regular meetings where this same set of ministries--learning, loving, and worshipping--was conducted at the mini-level, so as to supplement what was happening at the "maxi" large group level. Their fellowship and community was extremely sensitive. They knew immediately who had "need" (v.44).
Outreach & Evangelism
The outreach and evangelism was dynamic. They experienced conversions "daily” (v. 47). Their outreach was based on demonstration through community. One reason that people were saved is that the love and note of praising was highly attractive to "all the people" (v. 47). This cannot mean that every non-Christian loved the early church because there was certainly plenty of persecution. But it meant that overall the early church demonstrated the Gospel in its community in such a way that was irresistible to outside observers.
Mercy & Social Concern
The ministry of mercy integrated both word and deed. Verse 44 seems to indicate that the economic sharing was mainly practiced within and among Christians. But we know the early church did not confine its deed ministry only to Christians. Paul says in Galatians 6:10 that Christians, "do good to all, especially the household of faith." Their sharing was heavier inside the community, but their generosity went outside the church as well.
Different Christian communities have voluntarily practiced this in different creative ways, some much more structured than others. Their social concern was very church-centered. When a person was saved, he or she was "added to their number" (v. 47) and incorporated into the church. Today many people are converted through ministries that have little relationship to local churches and the converts also have little relationship to a congregation. That was not the case in the early church.
“These places of worship are not built that you may sit here comfortably, and hear something that shall make you pass away your Sundays with pleasure. A church in London which does not exist to do good in the slums, and dens, and kennels of the city, is a church that has no reason to justify its longer existing. A church that does not exist to reclaim heathenism, to fight with evil, to destroy error, to put down falsehood, a church that does not exist to take the side of the poor, to denounce injustice and to hold up righteousness, is a church that has no right to be. Not for thyself, O church, dost thou exist, any more than Christ existed for himself. His glory was that he laid aside his glory. . . . . To rescue souls from hell and lead to God, to hope, to heaven, this is [the church’s] heavenly occupation. O that the church would always feel this!”
Priesthood of Believers
1 Peter 2:9: “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”
As a priest-in-training, Martin Luther rediscovered the claims of Scripture with its gift of justification by grace through faith and its commission to serve in the "priesthood of all believers." He minced no words: "All Christians are priests, and all priests are Christians. Worthy of anathema is any assertion that a priest is anything else than a Christian."
John Calvin applied that message by forming a polity wherein laity and clergy alike would serve in ordained offices of leadership—as peers in proclamation of the Word, peers in intercessory prayer, and peers in mission service.
Gospel Renewal Dynamics
The Mission ‘07
Matthew 9:37, 38: “Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.’”
Goal
Developing, equipping the priesthood of believers for the work of the ministry, empowered by the Holy Spirit and transformed by the Gospel.
Question: How will Kaleo raise up leaders from the harvest for the harvest?
2007 Ministry Overview
Communicate
- Improved communication of Vision
- Preaching through Acts
- Missional Surveys & Ministry Development
- Sundays
- Home Groups
Connect
- Intro to Kaleo Gathering
- Hospitality Partners/Greeting
Develop
- Home Groups
- Counseling
- Discipleship (Gospel Christianity)
- Gospel & Our Church Class (Monday nights, 7:00-9:00 pm, from February 19 to April 23)
- Classes
Send
- Leadership Development Class (Begins May 7)
- Ongoing Discipleship
- Coaching
Leadership Development
- Prophet: Biblical Understanding
- Bible Wisdom
- Theological Convictions
- Philosophy of Ministry
- Priest: Gospel Centrality & Transformation
- Understanding
- Applying
- Experiencing
- King: Leadership Skills
- Coaching to Coach
- Leading a Ministry
- Ministerial Skills
Overview
Romans 12:4-7: “For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, 5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. 6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; 7 if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; 8 the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.”
Roles
- Elders, Deacons, Ministry Leaders, Home Group Leaders, Discipleship Mentors, Coaches, Counselors, Mercy Ministry leaders, teachers, children's ministry, serving, hospitality, administration
- Gospel Pacesetters (discipleship/renewal)
- Mission Pacesetters (internal/external)
- Community Pacesetters (fellowship/community)
Questions & Discussion
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