Connected: Promoting Your Community Series

“Connected”

Part 4 – Promoting Your Community

NewSong Church – 10/05/08

To watch/listen to this message online go to www.newsongs.org or contact info@newsongs.org.

**NOTE: THIS IS A CONCEPT OUTLINE FOR THIS MESSAGE. GRAPHICS AND MULTIMEDIA ARE AVAILABLE TO SUPPORT THIS SERIES.

Small Group Connection

This morning we are finishing our small-group teaching series “Connected,” which focuses on the purpose of small groups in our church. We are highlighting our responsibility to be a promoter of both our community and of Christ.

• Introduce yourself to those around you

• Take a moment to fill out the Connect Card in the bulletin

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Discussion: What has God been doing in your life this week?

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A Church of Small Groups

Our purpose for community is to help people become real followers of Jesus.

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John 8:12 “Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”

• We have said over the past weeks that being a follower of Jesus demands a change in the way we live our lives

• That change is the result of God’s Holy Spirit coming beside us and continually shaping and transforming us until our lives reflect back to others the image of Christ – in word, action, passion, and character

• Living this faith is not easy, nor is it predictable – it is wild and passionate, full of energy and vibrant, a bit crazy and unsafe.

• I encourage you to live an unsafe life. I encourage you to live an unpredictable faith.

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Living in Comfort Zones

Comfort zone: A “comfort zone” refers to the set of environments and behaviors with which one is comfortable, without creating a sense of risk or becoming anxious.

Here is where many of us like to spend our lives and practice our faith – within the safe and assured environments of our comfort zones.

• Where everything is certain and predictable.

• Where we know the routines and the cycles of life.

• Where there is a sense of peace and strength – not because we are really experiencing those things, but because we aren’t doing anything to upset the delicate balance of everything around us.

Jesus had a difficult time with comfort zones.

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John 8:12 “Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”

• “I am the light of the world” - If Christ be the light, then it is our duty to follow him, to submit ourselves to his guidance, and in every thing take directions from him, in the way that leads to happiness.

• “Walk in darkness” - Many follow false lights that lead them to destruction; but Christ is the true light.

• “Light that leads to life” - It is not enough to look at this light, and to gaze upon it, but we must follow it, believe in it, and walk in it, for it is a light to our feet, not our eyes only.

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The Power of Calling

John 1:35-41 The following day John was again standing with two of his disciples. As Jesus walked by, John looked at him and declared, “Look! There is the Lamb of God!” When John’s two disciples heard this, they followed Jesus. But when Jesus turned around and saw then following, he said to them, “What are you looking for?”

Discussion: What are you looking for in your relationship with Jesus? What are you hoping to get out of it?

They said, “Teacher, where are you staying?” Jesus replied, “Come and see”

Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of these men who heard what John said and then followed Jesus. Andrew went to find his brother, Simon, and told him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means “Christ”).

• I want to focus on Andrew here for a moment – look at the process that he goes through: He hears about Jesus, he believes in Jesus, he chooses to follow Jesus, and then he goes and shares his experience and belief with someone close to him.

• Look at how Andrew’s response parallels our system for community here at NewSong:

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CONNECTING - Because life is not meant to be lived alone

I Corinthians 12:12-19 “The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ.”

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SHARING - Our lives are meant to be shared through relationship

Ecclesiastes 4:9 “Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed.”