Simple Growth - 2010

Simple Growth - for 2010

Thesis for the New Year at CH:

1. We need to win one in 2010 and then determine to disciple them here at Christian Hills Church.

2. We also need to commit to reach out to 9 other people outside the church. These 9 are outside our church and the focus here is Kingdom Growth. It’s about growing the Kingdom of God! We need to commit to reach out and help someone out in their spiritual journey. This could be by giving someone our time, some financial support, some encouragement, some of our resources, some sacrificial service and even our friendship – remember outside Christian Hills.

Scripture Texts: Mark 16:15-20

Mark 16:15 (NIV)

15He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.

Mark 16:16 (NIV)

16Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

Mark 16:17 (NIV)

17And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues;

Mark 16:18 (NIV)

18they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”

Mark 16:19 (NIV)

19After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God.

Mark 16:20 (NIV)

20Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.

Matthew 28:18-20

Matthew 28:18 (NIV)

18Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

Matthew 28:19 (NIV)

19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

Matthew 28:20 (NIV)

20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Jesus said this anointing was on Him and in Matthew he gives us the charge to go out and do the same because all authority was given to Him and he now gives it to His disciples. Imagine if we really did this what could happen?

Here is the equation for simple growth:

Our church is approximately 250 people – so if each of us win’s one in 2010 then our church is 500 and that is 100% growth for one year. It’s a simple number win one in 2010 is simple growth.

Reach out to 9 other people for Kingdom Growth – This means we at Ch commit to growing the Kingdom of God. We do this by taking risks for others, by doing service projects, by giving to others who need a financial blessings, by serving others – even in other churches. How do we do this? We do this by becoming involved in our community.

Idea’s:

Share about my reaching out to Aaron my fitness instructor – it’s about reaching outside the church – to others in their spiritual journey.

Share about e-mails from sermoncentral.com.

Share about Tamra’s website for black dogs. Getting involved in a community event to impact people with the Gospel through reaching out to help Black Dogs – People Magazine discovered the website and gave Tamara National press.

We need to commit to reaching out beyond ourselves and lead people from here to eternity!

Why the urgency of evangelism in 2010:

Turn with me to Revelation 17 and 18!

In light of this Revelation do you have a sense of urgency to reach out and win the lost to Jesus? Or do you not even care?

Illustration: Evangelism Quotes and Illustrations from sermoncentral.com:

1. Paul Harvey said, "Too many Christians are no longer fishers of men but keepers of the aquarium."

2. Paul Little in his book "How to Give Away Your Faith" defines witnessing: "Witnessing is that deep-seated conviction that the greatest favor I can do for others is to introduce them to Jesus Christ."

3. Elton Trueblood, the Quaker scholar, once compared evangelism to fire. Evangelism occurs, he said, when Christians are so ignited by their contact with Christ that they in turn set other fires. It is easy to determine when something is aflame. It ignites other material. Any fire that does not spread will eventually go out. A church without evangelism is a contradiction in terms, just as fire that does not burn is a contradiction.

4. Evangelism is not what we tell people, unless what we tell is totally consistent with who we are. It is who we are that is going to make the difference. If we do not truly enjoy our faith, nobody is going to catch the fire of enjoyment from us. If our lives are not totally centered on Christ, we will not be Christ-bearers for others, no matter how pious our words. [Show and Tell, Citation: Madeleine L’Engle, quoted in Christian Reader (May/June 1998, p. 50)]