Sermon Central
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12 Characteristics Of A Healthy Church
Contributed by Billy Ricks on Jan 15, 2013 (message contributor)
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1. Character Trait: Devotion To God's Word
Contributed on Jan 15, 2013
From the words of Jesus it is clear that His desire and design for the body of Christ is health. For the church to be healhty there must be rebirth and remodelling. Spiritual health does not happen accidentally. It takes devotion to the health plan God
Intro: If you remember from last time we are called and commanded to experience and share the truth of who Jesus is. There is something that is absolutely necessary if we are going to live the Great Commandment of Love God with everything and loving others with everything. We must be healthy as ...read more
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2. Character Trait: Fellowship: Cultivating Life In Common
Contributed on Jan 20, 2013
Fellowship with believers is not an option. It is in real relationships and connection with other believers that we are built up, encouraged, enriched to grow in relationship to fellows believers and representing Jesus Christ.
Intro: In Paul’s and Peter’s letters we are called living stones and a Holy Tabernacle where the Holy Spirit lives. If you remember from last week the proper and stable construction of that place for the Holy Spirit to live doesn’t happen by accident. Jesus desired then and ...read more
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3. Character Trait: Devotion To Prayer
Contributed on Jan 28, 2013
God has offered to us intense intimacy and amazing power through prayer. The key to our churches being kingdom minded and eternally effective is are we willing? Are you willing to invest in the most the chruch can do.
Intro: Remember that the church is not built strong and healthy by accident. It is also no accident that there are so many churches that are not strong or healthy in the 21 century. I believe there is one major reason that the church in the west is so weak and unstable. It is a lack of prayer. ...read more
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4. Character Trait: Humility
Contributed on Feb 3, 2013
Humility goes hand in had with a healthy church. A church that makes little of themselves can make much of God. What is humilty and how can we practically be humble?
Intro: On Christmas afternoon, the Pastor’s wife dropped into an easy chair saying, "Boy! Am I ever tried." Her husband looked over at her & said, "I had to conduct two special services last night, three today, & give a total of five sermons. Why are you so tired?" "Dearest," she replied, "I had ...read more
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5. Character Trait: Seeing And Living The Supernatural
Contributed on Feb 22, 2013
The supernatural is not always spectacular. Sometimes God works supernaturally in the natural. Some examples are marriages restored, addictions undone, attitudes remade. Character and conduct are conformed to Jesus.
Intro: The supernatural is not always spectacular. Sometimes God works supernaturally in the natural. Some examples are marriages restored, addictions undone, attitudes remade. There is something that is very dangerous today. The supernatural has become twisted to be vampires, zombies, and ...read more
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6. Character Trait: Unity
Contributed on Feb 26, 2013
One accord does not mean the early church was traveling in a Honda. They were moving together as one because they were moved by the same Spirit. Unity in the body of Christ is serious business. Because unity in the church springs from the heart of God
Intro: One accord does not mean the early church was traveling in a Honda. They were moving together as one because they were moved by the same Spirit. Acts 2:44 “Now all the believers were together and held all things in common.” Remember 1 Corinthians 1:10 “I have a ...read more
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7. Character Trait 9: Joy
Contributed on Mar 25, 2013
Joy is one of the essential marks of God’s Spirit ruling and reigning in us. Read this sermon to find out how joy will grow in us as we apply the principles taught in God's word about Joy!
Intro: Joy is not syrupy or sappy, sentimental or seasonal. Joy is not happiness, because happiness depends on what happens to you. Joy is also not the absence of sorrow. Joy is a vivid emotion of pleasure or state of being highly delighted. Where does this state or emotion come from? Joy is ...read more
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8. Character Trait 10: A Healthy Church Is A Worshipping Church
Contributed on Mar 30, 2013
Worship is announcing and affirming God’s worth. Why is Jesus worthy of bowing our lives before Jesus in worhsip? He is God and He alone died for our sins, defeated death, hell and the grave and invites us to worship Him alone!
Intro: Have you heard about the recent experience of a pastor who changed the order of worship so that the sermon was given before the offering was taken. This upset a four year old who asked her mother, "Why is he talking before he gets paid?" (The child had a misunderstanding of ...read more
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9. Character Trait 11: A Healthy Church Is Influential
Contributed on Apr 9, 2013
Jesus Christ commanded His church to be influential. We have a commission to impact people, principles and culture for Christ and His kingdom. How do we do this. We respond to His call to follow Him and be salt and light.
Intro: The philosophies or ways of thinking of the world lead to a devaluing. The worldly philosophies of the 19th century led to the idea of a golden era with no more war or rumors of war. There were many that believed that a utopia would result from the right thinking of man. They really ...read more