God Chasers

1. God Chasers Capturing God and Being Captivated by Him The Church &Commitment January 18, 2011 © C. L. Hale Ministries, Inc.

2. The Church – Discovering God’s purpose for the Church in the life of every person in Christ! © C. L. Hale Ministries, Inc.

3. Commitment – Discovering how gifted we are and God’s purpose for giving us such rich resources in Christ. © C. L. Hale Ministries, Inc.

4. We are born into the universal family of God. God’s family is what constitutes the Church in the world. © C. L. Hale Ministries, Inc.

5. The first word denoted“church” in the scriptures is the Greek word ekklesia. © C. L. Hale Ministries, Inc.

6. Ekklesia comes from the root word, ekklea - ek – “out of” and Kaleo – “to call”. It refers to a “called out” assembly. © C. L. Hale Ministries, Inc.

7. The Church is the “assembly of the called out ones.” © C. L. Hale Ministries, Inc.

8. The second Greek word from which we get our English word “church” is kuriakos. © C. L. Hale Ministries, Inc.

9. Kuriakos means “belonging to the Lord.” © C. L. Hale Ministries, Inc.

10. The Church is the assembly of called out persons who belong to the Lord. © C. L. Hale Ministries, Inc.

11. But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into the marvelous light. - 1 Peter 2:9-10 © C. L. Hale Ministries, Inc.

12. The Church was: • A mystery hidden in the heart of God -Ephesians 3: 8-11 • Revealed to Peter by Christ • And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. • Matthew 16:18 © C. L. Ministries, Inc.

13. The Church was: • Established and is sustained by the sacrificial life of Christ, who is its Head “And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.” - Ephesians 1:22-23 • Manifested in physical form at Pentecost. © C. L. Ministries, Inc.

14. There are three Biblical types (symbols) of the Church in Scriptures. © C. L. Hale Ministries, Inc.

15. 1. The Bride of Christ – Ephesians 5:23-32 • Every bride has a specific day when she is joined to her husband, so it is with Christ and us. • There must be a specific time when we commit to Christ. • Once we commit to Christ, we must submit to Him. • A good husband takes care of His bride, just as Christ takes care of His church; He feeds, nurtures and cares for it. • A bride is to live a pure life, faithful to her husband • When Christ returns, He is coming back for a bride beautifully adorned for Him - Revelations 21:2 © C. L. Ministries, Inc.

16. 2. God’s building - His Temple, the habitation where He lives by His Spirit - Ephesians 2:19-22 • Christ is the Foundation • Christ is also the Cornerstone – Ephesians 2:19 – 22 • As believers, we are “living stones” that are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. • I Peter 2:4-5 • Every building has a purpose © C. L. Ministries, Inc.

17. The primary purpose of the church is to bring God glory. Ephesians 3:21 © C. L. Hale Ministries, Inc.

18. The Great Commission: Therefore, go into all the world 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 earth. - Matthew 28:16 © C. L. Ministries, Inc.

19. The Primary Purpose of the Church is to: • Win People to Christ • Mature People in Christ • Send People out to Represent Christ © C. L. Ministries, Inc.

20. “To become a City of Hope where persons will impact and transform this present world into the Kingdom of God.” © C. L. Ministries, Inc.

21. Exalt the Savior - Worship • Evangelize the Sinner - Evangelism • Equip the Saint – Christian Education • Empower through Stewardship – Giving/Serving • Elevate Society - Outreach © C. L. Ministries, Inc.

22. 3. The Body of Christ – Romans 12:3-8 I Corinthians 12:12-13, 27 © C. L. Ministries, Inc.

23. The Spirit baptizes us into the Body of Christ © C. L. Hale Ministries, Inc.

24. The word “baptized” comes from the Greek word that has two meanings, one literal and the other figurative. The word literally means “to submerge, immerse, or to dip.” The figuratively means is “to be identified with.” © C. L. Hale Ministries, Inc.

25. In His baptism, Jesus identified with us. In our baptism, we identify with Him! © C. L. Hale Ministries, Inc.

26. Baptism is a sacrament, “an outward sign of an inward reality.” • Baptism also identifies us with the Church, the body of Christ, both universal and local. © C. L. Ministries, Inc.

27. The Universal Church © C. L. Hale Ministries, Inc.

28. There is also the local assembly by which the Body of Christ manifests itself, physically, in many locations. © C. L. Hale Ministries, Inc.

29. Eight traits of a spiritually healthy church that were present in the first church in Jerusalem. • Biblical Preaching and Teaching • Prayer • Fellowship/Unity • Worship • Giving • Joy • Evangelism • Committed Membership © C. L. Ministries, Inc.

30. Every Member in Ministry © C. L. Hale Ministries, Inc.

31. There is perhaps a misconception about the nature of the church! © C. L. Hale Ministries, Inc.

32. The nature of the church, any church, and particularly this church, is that it must always be in process, always in the state of becoming. © C. L. Hale Ministries, Inc.

33. A dead church cannot represent a living Lord to a dying world. © C. L. Hale Ministries, Inc.

34. The nature of an alive church - a growing church that is on its way somewhere - is that it must be a church under construction. © C. L. Hale Ministries, Inc.

35. There is also a misunderstanding of what it means to be a member of the church. © C. L. Hale Ministries, Inc.

36. Joining the church is only the beginning. © C. L. Hale Ministries, Inc.

37. There is so much more to being born of the Spirit. © C. L. Hale Ministries, Inc.

38. Our goal is perfection, Our aim is maturity, Our mission is to become saints. © C. L. Hale Ministries, Inc.

39. A saint is one in whom Christ lives again. © C. L. Hale Ministries, Inc.

40. We are called to build from the inside out! © C. L. Hale Ministries, Inc.

41. The process of constructing or building up the body of Christ and its members is an inside job. © C. L. Hale Ministries, Inc.

42. But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. It was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, -Ephesians 4:7, 11-14, 16 © C. L. Hale Ministries, Inc.

43. some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach -Ephesians 4:7, 11-14, 16 © C. L. Hale Ministries, Inc.

44. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love as each part does its work. -Ephesians 4:7, 11-14, 16 © C. L. Hale Ministries, Inc.

45. The Greek word for gift is “charisma.” Its plural is charismata. © C. L. Hale Ministries, Inc.

46. A spiritual gift is a God given supernatural capacity, or power bestowed on us by the Holy Spirit, to enable us to function as a member of the body of Christ, in such a way that God is glorified and believers are edified. © C. L. Hale Ministries, Inc.

47. During our natural birth we were giving certain talents and abilities through which we can fulfill our purpose and achieve great things, make a living and be a blessing to the world. © C. L. Hale Ministries, Inc.

48. There is not always a distinction between our natural abilities and our spiritual gifts. © C. L. Hale Ministries, Inc.

49. The “gifted” people of the world have “natural” abilities, but the Holy Spirit gives “supernatural” abilities. © C. L. Hale Ministries, Inc.

50. Spiritual gifts are supernatural abilities that take our natural abilities to the next level; because they are meant to express and manifest the power and grace of God in our lives and in the church. © C. L. Hale Ministries, Inc.