The Vibrant Church

The Vibrant Church

Pastor Glenn Newton 5-4-03

Acts 2: 36-47

Stan Toler, Pastor/Authur and Speaker from Trinity Church of the Nazarene in OK City,

OK. was telling us about his visit to Dr. Chow’s church in S.E. Asia a couple of years ago.

Dr. Toler was investigating why this church was the biggest, and fastest growing church in

the world. You want to know how big the church is? Around 300,00 at the time, it’s

hard to keep track it’s growing so fast. Listen to this, the church members are only

allowed to attend the church once a month, they are on a rotation so that new people will

be able to get into the services. Dr. Chow has multiple services, all week long. It’s

beyond my imagination.

Stan Toler had made an appointment to speak with Dr. Chow, and as he waited he was in

the Sanctuary and noticed that people were lined up and being baptized, the whole time he

was there the line never got smaller. When Dr. Chow came in, Stan Toler asked him if

this was normal, Dr. Chow told him, listen to this, 2,000 people a day are baptized,

EVERYDAY.

New Hope Family...... 2,000 people are being saved, and baptized everyday. Can you say

WOW? Say it backwards.... WOW!

Last Sunday Nola and I celebrated six years of marriage bliss with you, so I asked myself,

what if we had led one person to the Lord every week for the last six years....... we would

have 312 new Christians! Wouldn’t that be awesome? It seems impossible to think that

way doesn’t it? Why? Because we have never seen anything like that in our experience....

so we think, NO Way. I know one thing.... God wants people saved.... and God has given

us the ministry of reconciling his world with Him.... So I believe that God wants to

perform miracles in the lives of people and save them, don’t you?

Today we are celebrating with our New Members as they have joined our fellowship....

and each one has made a profession of Faith before you today that they have trusted Jesus

as Savior and Lord, and I believe all of Heaven celebrates with us today.... Don’t you?

Will we ever see 2,000 people being baptized a day in Clarksville, AR. ? We could, but it

could only last a week because we would run out of people after that, right? The truth is

God wants us to be a Vibrant Church, a church that is alive and is winning the lost and

discipling it’s believers to be great people of Faith...... and this is what we are going to

accomplish right here at New Hope, we are going to strive to be a Vibrant Church...

Amen?

What does that word Vibrant mean? Vibrant means “resounding Life.”

A vibrant church is one that has resounding Life, and that life comes from the source,

Jesus Christ, our Risen Savior.

I was trying to think of a way to describe to you this word Vibrant.. this resounding life..

I decided if you want to see what Vibrant means.... then you need to make a little trip here

to the church about 9am anyday of the week, and just watch our 51 children that come to

Next Generation..... Just watch them go.... just watch them play..... just watch them

socialize.... just watch them run....... these little people have an abundance of resounding

life in them. Then look at the teachers who are trying to keep up, and you will see that

look of deer in the spotlight look. No, really our teachers do a great job with all this

energy moving around them.

Vibrant life.... it’s not just about having lots of energy though.... it’s more than that. This

resounding life that God gives us is also found in that inner strength, that quiet

detemination that God gives his people to carry out His plans........ One of the people that

I know demonstrates this on a consistent basis is my wife, Nola. She is one detemined

person, when God speaks to her about something...... it will get done make no mistake

about it. This resounding life is in her and you can sense it, and feel it when your around

her.

Let’s look at our Scripture... and as we read think about you hear that are marks of this

early church that made this church Vibrant, full of life.

AC 2:38 Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name

of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the

Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far

off--for all whom the Lord our God will call."

AC 2:40 With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, "Save