I intentionally saved the best for this week!
We had 4 baptisms last year, church. We give God all the glory for that!
We’ll talk about that a little more, in a bit.
I’d like to take us back to January of 2023.
We had our Kingdom Builders Vision Party- raise your hand if you attended that.
We discussed several areas that day, and I explained what God part on my heart for growth, as the top 3:
Worship music
Children’s ministry
Outreach
While we have had changes in our worship music, that is still a work in progress right Crystal?
As far as Outreach, we got involved in two ministries.
In September of 2023 CPC was part of two churches that launched CR in Madisonville, and we’ve made some forward strives in that, and recently seen a small spurt of growth. As many of you know, Roman is the leader of the ministry, along with Rhenae by his side, as well as a couple of other people.
Heart and Hands, as we briefly covered last week.
Our children’s ministry has seen God working miracles, as only God can do. That is all I am going to say about that, because I have the dream of not whimpering this entire church service today! So if I say any more, it will be broken dreams!
At the end of 2023, God put on my heart that we need to get intentional about discipleship @ CPC.
Yesterday, I went through all the sermons I gave last year. Of the 44 sermons I gave, 27 of those were pertaining to, or at least had mention of, discipleship.
Although I have not felt God put a specific word on my heart for 2025, I have a really positive feeling about growth, and we’re gonna talk about that today.
Body
As we delve into this, you might see it as a sermon built into a business meeting, or a business meeting built into a sermon.
Either way you look at it, God put this on my heart to share with you today. And it doesn’t happen very often, but this was “last minute” for me. Thursday morning to be exact. Trust me, that is “last minute” for me.
I don’t even have to look over there, but I have no doubts that Lisa is nodding her head in agreement!
Our two key passages of scripture are found in Ephesians 4, and Romans 12.
If you have been around CPC for @ least a month or more, you have probably heard me say that Ephesians chapter 4 is one of my favorite NT books, or epistles, if you will.
Paul wrote this epistle to the church in Ephesus around 60 AD, while in a Roman prison.
The intent of the epistle was to strengthen and encourage them in their Christian faith.
Prior to his imprisonment, Paul spent over 3 years with that church, and as a result, was in a tight relationship with the leaders.
Chapter 1- Paul lays out our incredible spiritual blessings.
Chapter 2- Explains our salvation in Christ
Chapter 3- How God’s wisdom is made known through the church
Chapter 4- How we, the church and individuals, are to walk in a worthy manner.
Let’s begin in Ephesians chapter 4 verse 11.
Stand with me as we honor God while reading His word.
Now, I’d like to go to Romans for a quick minute.
Paul probably wrote Romans a few years before he wrote Ephesians.
Contrasting Ephesians, which was softer in tone, to Romans which was heavy in doctrine about sin, salvation, and spiritual growth, we see some overlapping or parallel themes within the two books.
In chapters 1-11, Paul is just flat-out teaching what to believe.
In 12-16, he is teaching how to behave as a Christian.
Let’s see if we can mesh these two together.
The purpose of today’s message is to examine the health of CPC as Paul has laid out in scripture, as well as consider our growth as a church.
You’ve probably noticed that today’s handout is a little different than usual.
Let me begin by saying that next Sunday, we will have a meeting immediately after service. It is our annual meeting, and you don’t want to miss it!
I know, I know, hard to get jazzed up about a meeting, but I truly believe it will set the tone for any success God intends for us to have in 2025.
Obviously, anytime you mesh something together, there is some juggling involved. Please don’t get too caught up in finding each verse I cover today, but rather catch the big picture “quilting” of it, right Becky?
You will see a series of questions that are posed today.
They are not so much, in a scriptural sequence, so to speak, but instead; what scripture instructs us in terms of what to be as a church, and thereby, we can measure how we stand up to that “scrutiny”.
And giving us a guideline for improving the health and wellness of CPC.
In the business world, these metrics are known as KPI’s (key performance indicators). Stay with now, church! No glazing over of the eyes just yet,please!
Let’s get started:
Paul writes this in Romans 12:4 “For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function,”
Paul gives the analogy of the body of Christ being one body, but different functions. Some versions say “office” instead of function.
Different functions, unified for the same purpose, which is holy, reasonable and acceptable service, as living sacrifices to God.
Romans 12:5 “so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.”
Ephesians 4:3–6 “endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.”
Characteristic #1: A healthy church has unity.
Question #1: Do we @ CPC display unity inside as well as, outside the walls?
How can we improve?
Romans 12:3 “For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.”
Ephesians 4:2 NLT “Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance to each other’s faults because of your love”.
Let me ask you this: “Ever walk into a haughty church?”
This is what Paul is talking about right here. You can’t be a healthy church, if you are a haughty church!
Characteristic #2: A healthy church walks in humility
Question #2: Are we a haughty church?
If yes, explain why. If no, can you give an example of why you don’t think CPC as a “haughty” church?
Ephesians 4:11 “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,”
Romans 12:6 “Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith;”
Characteristic #3: A healthy church uses God given gifts for His glory.
Question #3: Are we using the gifts according to the grace that is given to us?
Church, that is a really deep question, that I believe requires much prayer, prior to answering.
Listen, in the CR world; that is called “taking inventory.”
I also believe that until this question is answered honestly, and dealt with accordingly, we may struggle with the enormous growth that I believe, God has in store for us. (repeat)
Ephesians 4:12 “for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,”
>>>ask someone what their bible says<<<
Allow me to read those two verses together:
Ephesians 4:11–12 “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,”
“He Himself” is Jesus, that gave these gifts
Do you think the “work of the ministry” is completed?
Jesus equipped God’s people for the work of the ministry.
What exactly is that “work of the ministry”
I’m so glad you asked! Jesus tells us in:
Matthew 28:19–20 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.”
The work of the ministry is:
Making disciples
Teaching them to observe all things that He commanded
Preach Christ and make disciples
Here’s Question #4: “are you tired of questions yet?”
Characteristic #4: A healthy church equips the saints!
Seriously here’s Question #4: Is CPC equipping God’s people as Jesus has
instructed?
If not, how do we improve?
Are you equipping yourself as you should? If not, what is holding you back?
This next verse is both powerful, and yet a mystery to me:
Ephesians 4:13 “till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;”
>>>Does anyone have the NLT of that verse?<<< Will you read it please?
Crystal what does your bible say?
Characteristic #5: A healthy church grows spiritually year after year.
Question #5: Is CPC growing spiritually as a church?
If not, what do we need to change?
Picture this with me for a minute church.
A healthy church body has these 3 things to build on:
A solid foundation is required:
Matthew 7:24–27 ““Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.””
Both heard the sayings of Jesus, but only the one who does them, and follows them, will withstand the storms!
A healthy church begins with Christ as the foundation, and his people living out Romans 12:1 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.”
Next, a healthy church requires:
Framework that allows, promotes, encourages, and empowers people for growth. That framework is the leaderships structure of CPC.
Romans 12:3–5 “For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.”
Romans 12:6–8 “Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.”
and finally, a healthy church has the proper finishing:
that is you and me. That is you and me. We are the handiwork, the masterpiece of the Creator, and here is what He has called us to do:
Read Romans 12:9-21 from my bible.
The proper Foundation, framing, and finishing are required for a healthy church.
As we close out, I’d like to consider just a few other key performance indicators of a healthy church:
I don’t consider this to be an all-inclusive list, but I do believe it is a great place to build on in 2025.
Discipleship- I shared with you about that, a little earlier
Leadership- most of you know my Tres Dias story
Biblical ordinances- These are put in place by Christ: Baptism and observance of The Lord’s Supper, which we are observing the Lord’s Supper today.
Devoted prayer- Almost every Wednesday night @ 6pm a handful of us, have a devoted prayer time and meditation.
Fellowship- in my opinion, this has been a cornerstone to building our church family, and I look forward to it every month! Can I get a Hallelujah?
Biblical giving- when Pastor Jeff Reynolds planted CPC, he claimed this:
We desire to promote unity, and be known as a giving church!
Although we have endured some financial challenges, we are on a healthier financial track, and I expect that God will do some amazing things with His giving, through us.
Last and certainly not least:
Evangelism- Here’s one definition I found for evangelism:
The proclamation of the good news of Jesus Christ with the intention of inviting others to believe in Him as their Savior and Lord.
Evangelism occurs inside as well as outside the church walls.
4 baptisms last year, were a result of the evangelism within our walls.
Bringing people to Christ is what we are called to do.
Preach Christ and make disciples.
Are we preaching Christ and making disciples?
I’d like to close out with one last verse:
Acts 1:8 “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.””
I picture the ripple affect of tossing a rock into the water, when I read this scripture.
Jerusalem is our living rooms- that which is nearest us.
Judea is within the church walls
Samaria- is our neighborhoods and surrounding towns
Ends of the earth, the rest of the world.
Announce Lord’s Supper
