Effective Teamwork Series

Sermon 6/25/06-Effective Teamwork

Intro. Last message in the effective church series.

Last Week-Pastor Clark– Effective Vision

-image determines our impact

2 weeks ago-effective worship

Started w/ Pastor Clark talking about the 3 non-negotiables

-Great Commandment (Love God & Love Others)

-Great Commision (Make Disciples)

-Great Commitment (equip the saints)

Focus on that today as we talk about effective teamwork.

the only way for our church to truly be effective is for us to function as X intended.

-each part of the body, every member of the team uses the gifts that God has given them to serve.

-start talking about using our gifts and serving a lot of different things start going through peoples minds, for some of you maybe you feel like the girl in this clip.

Mr. Hollands Opus Clip-19:45-21:27 (when Ms. Lang leaves the room)

-Maybe that’s how you feel-no gifts-how could God ever use me- I’m no good

That is not true.

Turn to I Cor. 12:1-7

Pray

Every follower of X is GIFTED for SERVICE. Read I Cor. 12:1-7

We all have been given gifts, but not all of us have begun to use them.

Ill. Emma’s 2nd b-day-many presents, not interested, didn’t open more than a couple on her birthday, they were all hers but she didn’t use them, didn’t take them out of the box.

The Holy Spirit gives gifts to ALL BELIEVERS (vs. 1 & 7)

Every one of us who is a follower of X, everyone who has the Holy Spirit, every believer has a spiritual gift. But have you opened it, have you used it, have you taken it out of the box.

There are DIFFERENT gifts, but the SAME spirit. (vs. 4)

Charismata-modern Greek -“birthday present” emphasizes these are gifts from God-love gifts, Charismata- root word for GRACE-undeserved favor.

-gifts we receive are a concrete expression of God’s grace.

-It is out of His love that He freely give these gifts to everyone that comes to Him. And there are a number of different gifts-lists some of them in vs. 8-11

C. There are different MINISTRIES, but the same LORD (vs.5)

Different kinds of service, different ways the gifts can be expressed, a reminder that the gifts we are given are for service (more on that later)

There are different RESULTS but the same GOD (vs. 6)

Different ways God works-Greek word energenata-God’s energy working within us that produces results. As we use our gifts it is not our effort that produces the results it is the awesome power of God working through us.

Notice, while the gifts, the ministries and the results are different we are to be united as we use them-same Spirit, same Lord, same God. As we exercise our gifts we are to be united, an example of the kind of community X called us to be-look at the metaphor for the church Paul uses in the last part of this chapter-one body w/ different parts-we are one in X-and our service should demonstrate that.

All gifts are given to help the ENTIRE church (vs. 7)

That is why God has given you a spiritual gift, not for your own edification & benefit, you were given a gift to minister in the church, minister in & to & through the body of Christ on earth, the local church.

Turn to Eph. 4:11-16 and there we will see that:

II. Using our gifts to serve GOD & OTHERS is an essential part of SPIRITUAL GROWTH. (Eph. 4:11-16)

As we use our gifts to serve others we are made more like X as we develop the heart of a servant.

As we SERVE we BUILD UP the body (vs. 11-12)

Our calling as your leaders is to equip you to serve, and then as you serve one another, the body will be built up. This includes helping you discover your gifts and how to use them. Or helping you find a ministry where you can use them.

. As we serve we will see UNITY in faith and will grow in our KNOWLEDGE of X (vs. 13)

-not just a unity of ideas-where we simply share common beliefs

-but a unity that comes from sharing a common life in Christ-a life of becoming like X– a life of service together-serving one another-building one another up & as we grow together in that unity we grow in our knowledge of X-a relational knowledge that comes from living each day, walking w/ Him– Not knowing about Him, but knowing Him as we live and walk w/ Him and His followers.

C. As we ALL use the gifts that God has given, the body will be HEALTHY & GROW (vs. 15-16)

Everyone of us is uniquely gifted & has been placed here in this body, for a specific purpose-each of you are here at Lifegate because God has placed you here. & when each of us does what we have been uniquely gifted by God to do, we will grow together and then the body will be healthy and growing.