Becoming A Church Of Excellence: Introduction Series

"Being a Church of Excellence" 2 Chronicles 7:14

Every church has a chance to be a church of excellence

Every person can be a person of excellence

This is a subject that has been discussed quite a bit in the last few years….the question is do we want to be a church of excellence?

I’ve heard people from all over the area, even those who don’t go to church tell me what a nice church we have here.

WE DO! But don’t we want more? Actually I don’t know how much of a compliment that is! I want to be part of more than just a nice church…I want to be part of the church I read about in the book of Acts where God was on the move.

The early church had a lot said about it, but never the accolade that it was nice church.

TODAY AS WE ARE AT THE START OF A NEW MILLENIUM, A NEW CENTURY AND A NEW YEAR I WANT US TO EXAMINE OURSELVES AND DECIDE IF WE WANT A CHURCH THAT IS REALLY MAKING A MAJOR IMPACT ON OUR COMMUNITYAND THE WORLD FOR CHRIST

What do we want Gladeville UMC to look like and be?

Can we just coast along as we are….probably not….

Is change coming….you bet

Is it all good…probably not

Can it be good….absolutely!

I DO KNOW ONE THING….AS LONG AS GOD IS GOD CHANGE IS INEVITABLE…HE IS A GOD OF CHANGE…HE IS A CREATIVE GOD ALWAYS PUSHING US AND STRETCHING US AND CALLING US TO NEW AND WONDERFUL THINGS!

In the book of Revelation in the section Christ is speaking to seven churches in Asia Minor…he commands them, and then says if they don’t respond he would take the candle stick from their midst…interesting none of these churches exist today. WHY? THEY WERE DISOBEDIENT TO THE LORD AND WOULD NOT FOLLOW HIS LEAD

I SEE GOD CALLING US TO FOLLOW FIVE THINGS IN THE NEW YEAR….IF WE DO HE WILL BLESS US AND USE US TO THE FULL!

1. God is calling us in 2001 to be a Church of Prayer

We read this morning this passage from 2 Chronicles….2Chr. 7:14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

Do we qualify for this promise?

We are his people called by his name…but are we doing the rest?

Starting tonight…I am planning to have a concert of prayer every first Sunday night….the prayer chain will continue and I am hoping that we will expand our prayer ministries far beyond where we are today. PRAYER IS THE FOUNDATION FOR ALL MINISTRY AND THE CHRISTIAN LIFE.

HOW IS YOUR PRAYER LIFE? Do you still just give God a shopping list and call it prayer? Do you really know all about prayer….I’ve been studying the subject for years and have just scratched the surface….Prayer is conversation with God…but it is so much more

2. GOD IS CALLING US TO A CHURCH OF MISSION

Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

IT IS THE BUSINESS OF THE CHURCH TO BE IN MISSION

To be sure we support missions through our apportionments and have given to specific projects…but are we a church involved in mission?

We help with the Help Center in Lebanon

The Mary Chaffin Church in Lebanon

We supported ministries in Romania

We’ve had people go to Sagar Brown in Louisiana

We have some folks involved with Habitat for Humanity

But is this enough? I really don’t think we can do enough in this area…Be in prayer on how God can use us to reach the world around us.

BUT ALSO HOW WE CAN REACH OTHERS AROUND US…MISSIONS IS MORE THAN JUST DOING FOR OTHERS…IT IS SHARING JESUS SO THAT OTHERS MIGHT KNOW THE JOY WE HAVE FOUND IN HIM

MISSIONS ARE ALSO CONCERNED WITH EVANGELISM…TAKING CHRIST TO THE WORLD

How many have we lead to Christ?…Jesus told us He was sending the Holy Spirit to empower us to be witnesses of his

If we are not we need to examine ourselves and ask..

1) Am I truly saved…have I given my life to Christ?

2.)Do I really have the power of the Holy Spirit in my life so I will effect the lives of others

3.) Am I just refusing to answer the call on my life that Christ has placed on us?

LET’S BE IN PRAYER AS TO HOW GOD WISHES TO LEAD US IN MISSIONS TO THE WORLD AROUND US.