Being Doers Of The Word Series

Being Doers of the Word

First Baptist Church of Tawas City Michigan

Rev. Bruce A. Shields

www.TawasBaptist.org

WELCOME

SCRIPTURE READING

James 1:22

“22Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”

PRAYER

Only 1 obstacle stands between a complacent mediocre church, and a thriving spirit filled house of God.

“DOING”

We’ve discovered the gifts God has given us.

If you haven’t there are some discovery tests in the back, take them home and fill them out.

We may be excited about what we found out about our gifts, or even confused.

You may be surprised.

Now comes the time where we begin to use them, becoming doers.

Remember the illustration about my lawn mower?

I can have a lawn mower, but unless I use it, my grass will never get cut.

We must be doers if we expect this church to serve and please God.

You are not just here to keep the pews warm.

You are not just here to tithe.

You are not just here to visit and have fellowship.

God has a purpose for you personally in this church!

Today we are going to discuss 3 principles to help you develop your discoveries.

At first my plan was to give you a list of what gifts work well for which positions within the church.

But as I thought about that, what if God wants us to move in a direction yet unknown to us?

How could I define a position that does not exist yet?

So instead of showing you where your gift belongs, we will discuss how to develop and grow your gift, and God will lead you in the right direction.

Remember the scripture last week?

“Seek God in everything and he will guide your path.”

So we will continuously seek God for direction while we are growing.

1. Take Advantage of Opportunities

We could all be more effective teachers, singers, leaders, visitors, councilors, maintenance workers, and witnesses if we would take advantage of learning and training opportunities.

Just because God has given you a gift, doesn’t mean that you will immediately use it to its full potential.

Although the Spiritual Gift is God’s ability not ours, we need to use it so it will grow.

Remember the story of the talents?

When the master saw he could trust the servant with a little, he gave the servant a lot!

When we faithfully exercise our gift, God will grow that gift.

When we show God He can trust us to use what He gives us, He will give us more!

It’s about obedience, and it’s about DOING.

This is the one thing that stands between a mediocre church and a pleasing and thriving church of God.

You could have 3000 members, but if you are not spreading the gospel of Christ, what are you doing?

Or you could have 12 apostles, and change the world by spreading the good news of Jesus Christ!

Which church do we want to be?

This is a very real and important question.

Look around you and ask, “Is this the end of God’s will for the First Baptist Church? Is this all we are to be?”

Or, “Is this the beginning of God’s will for the First Baptist Church? Is this just the beginning of what God has planned for us and the city of Tawas?”

If there are training classes for your gift, take them!

You may have a gift of counseling. There are Christian counseling courses that can help you be more effective.

If there are books available to help you understand your gift, read them!

Especially the Bible!

If there are conferences to help you with your gift, go to them!

Promise Keepers.

If there are schools to educate you in your gift, then by all means go to them!

God has given me the spiritual gift of pastor, preacher/teacher of God’s word.

I have had this gift for many years now, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t have to go to seminary.

Just because God gives you a gift or ability, doesn’t mean you don’t have a responsibility.

I went to Day Spring Ministries for nearly 4 years before graduating, then taking correspondence courses to obtain a second ordination, a certificate in pastoral counseling and a church charter for the House of Faith Ministries that Terri and I started in January 2003.

I was DOING. In accordance to the gifts God has given me.

If we expect to experience God’s greatness in our lives we must be DOERS of His word.

For the first few years I listened to Christian seminars on audio tapes in my car everywhere I went.

I was constantly and consistently filling myself with God’s word and education of God’s word.

2. Exercise your Gift