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“The Church on Purpose is Growing!”

“The Church on Purpose is Growing!”. Matthew 16:16-18. Ben Merold, retired preacher would have an immediate response: “There is no such thing as a friendly, little church.” He would go on to explain that if a local church were truly friendly, it would not be little very long.

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“The Church on Purpose is Growing!”

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  1. “The Church on Purpose is Growing!” Matthew 16:16-18

  2. Ben Merold, retired preacher would have an immediate response: “There is no such thing as a friendly, little church.” He would go on to explain that if a local church were truly friendly, it would not be little very long.

  3. Our Lord wants His church to grow! The real question is do YOU want the Lord’s church to grow? You and I need to let the Lord’s church grow. You need to do your part. I need to do my part…

  4. Purpose: to better understand the principle that a church on purpose is a growing church

  5. “The churches that are in trouble are oriented toward preserving human traditions or maintaining themselves as institutions, rather than toward accomplishing significant spiritual objectives… Joe Scott Ellis

  6. “… Much of the current dissatisfaction and disillusionment with churches grows out of the fact that people perceive much of the activity as pointless.” Joe Scott Ellis

  7. This got me to thinking, “What are we doing here at the Church of Christ that suggests pointlessness to the church family AND to the community and surrounding area?”

  8. I Hurdles to Constantly Overcome

  9. Another way of putting hurdles is to think of them as temptations…

  10. I Hurdles to Constantly Overcome A. Fixation with Money

  11. Often churches’ main concern never goes beyond budgets, bills and balances…

  12. “If an extra terrestrial visited a monthly board/leadership meeting what would they conclude the purpose of the local church to be?” Joe Scott Ellis

  13. TIME TALENTS TREASURES Good way to address fixation with money is to teach/preach Biblical stewardship… Show me a church who understands God’s grace… I’ll show you a church with money for ministry!

  14. I Hurdles to Constantly Overcome A. Fixation with Money B. Wrong Emphasis in Leadership

  15. Often church leadership is a joke… emphasis is on status and not service;control and not caring;authority and not being authentic; power and not responsibility;prestige and not humility…

  16. Preachers/evangelist are being pastorized = CEO concept is being embraced everywhere… What did Paul tell Timothy to do? “Do the work of an evangelist… Preach the Word… Be instant in season and out of season… reprove, rebuke and exhort.”

  17. I Hurdles to Constantly Overcome A. Fixation with Money B. Wrong Emphasis in Leadership C. Reversing the End for the Means

  18. Summed up the problem of tradition becoming more important than accomplishing the real purpose of the Lord’s Church: The Seven Last Words of the Church: We Never Tried It That Way Before. Ralph Neighbour

  19. Ephesians 5:25 “…Christ loved the Church and gave Himself up for her.”

  20. “When congregations slip into maintenance or survival as their goal (institutionalism), they sign their death notices. Even though they may continue to exist as institutions long after they have died a genuine churches.” Joe Scott Ellis

  21. I Hurdles to Constantly Overcome A. Fixation with Money B. Wrong Emphasis in Leadership C. Reversing the End for the Means D. Disobedience to God’s Will

  22. Church closed out East. A sign on the building said, “Closed for Business.” May we suggest they never knew their business!

  23. “Don’t make the wrong mistakes!” Yogi Berra

  24. II Aspects to Constantly Improve A. Biblical Elders

  25. Isaiah 55:11 “So shall My word be which goes froth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.”

  26. Romans 8:31 “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?”

  27. II Aspects to Constantly Improve A. Biblical Elders B. Supportive Church Family

  28. David Robinson retired not long ago from a storybook NBA career. Prior to this he played for Navy. One game with Kentucky he scored 40 points…

  29. II Aspects to Constantly Improve A. Biblical Elders B. Supportive Church Family C. God Empowered Body

  30. Is the Church of Christ in Eaton illustrated best by a millrace or a swamp? Local churches fall into one or the other of these categories…

  31. Conclusion and Summary: I conclude with three mottos for every faithful church/Christian: 1. Whatever It Takes! 2. Why Not?! 3. There’s a Way; Let’s Find It!

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