Salt And Light Series

PRAY

Father, thank you for giving us Your Word that is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our pathway. It is through Your holy word that we find the truth. Teach us to live by Your truth every day. Help us not to detour from Your precepts.

Lord God and Father,

open our eyes so we can see Your truth.

Open our ears so w can hear Your voice.

Open our mind so we can understand Your Word.

And open our heart so we may receive all that You want me to receive. AMEN

Pray.

Last week I began a series entitled “Impact Minded.”

The question that is in my heart is this, “Is my church impact minded?”

Remember what we said last week, to impact something means to have an affect or to make an impression that would cause a change upon something.

So that means is Prairie Family Church having an effect upon Bismarck and the surrounding area?

Are we changing the landscape of this area? The simple fact is, we need to be. God has called us to make a positive impact where we are.

What is this impact that we are supposed to be making as the people of God? It is for us to follow Jesus Christ into the inheritance that God promises us in the heavenly realm and to move others there as well.

This is what the first century church did and this is what we are supposed to do. Why? Because Jesus asked us to do it.

It is more than just getting people saved, it is discipling them as well.

We have to get the tools and information that people need to stay strong in the Lord.

If we are going to impact Bismarck and the surrounding area then we need to do a better job at reaching out to people and discipling them through building relationships with them and equipping them.

Last week we looked at the first century church in Acts 2.

They were able to make an impact on their world.

But they did not stop there.

They did not leave the people were they found them. This little church of 120 people who had received the Holy Spirit made an impact on their world by reaching out to those who were saved and discipled them and they provided for the needs of the people.

It is a great church model.

The first century church understood the principle of multiplication. They understood that there needed to be a natural process of multiplication. The x factor within the church.

They birthed new Christians and new churches through evangelism and discipleship.

The church has to reproduce itself or it will die.

The very first church started out with a congregation of 120 people.

The average church size in America according to Barna Research group is 89 attendees. We are an average church in a small community.

But that doesn’t change the fact that it is God’s will for us here at PFC to multiply

We are supposed to multiply.

We are supposed to birth others into life and give them the tools they need to grow.

We are supposed to impact our communities in this part of the world and make a difference by changing the landscape.

How are we going to do this? We have to have a plan.

The first thing we have to do is get past the small church pattern of thought.

This is a pattern of thought that says we can’t do certain things because we are a small church or an average size church. It is a pattern of thought that measures success by how big your church is.

Some say the bigger the church, the more successful the church is. I don’t believe that is true.

God is not just pleased when a church has large numbers in attendance; God is pleased when a church, regardless of its size is being the salt and the light in the community.

Jesus told us that we are supposed to be salt and light in Matthew 5:13-16. I spoke on this not too long ago and feel it is important to revisit today.

"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:13-16