Weekly Reorientation

3. Discipleship Group

Weekly Reorientation

Where from here?

THE ROAD AHEAD:

• Growing as disciples
• Expanding our influence
• For the glory of God and the good of our neighbors

"The greatest issue facing the world today, with all its heartbreaking needs, is whether those who, by profession or culture, are identified as ‘Christians’ will become disciples – students, apprentices, practitioners – of Jesus Christ, steadily learning from him how to live the life of the Kingdom of God into every corner of human existence."
- Dallas Willard

Vision & Quest:

SPIRITUAL PRACTICES:

• Daily time with God
• Weekly Worship (REORIENTING)
• Discipleship Group
• Wise Stewardship
• Missional Living
• Honest and Authentic Relationships

ACTS 2:42-27
42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. ...

46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

HEBREWS 10:23-25
23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

LEADER: This is the Word of the Lord

PEOPLE: THANKS BE TO GOD

Weekly Reorientation

Untitled Slide

LIVING IN OUR WORLD TODAY IS SPIRITUALLY AND EMOTIONALLY DISORIENTING

Throughout history: human beings have oriented themselves around the awareness -- and worship -- of something transcendent and sacred: a Higher Power. The modern world -- and in America, THIS GENERATION -- pushes us to abandon this ... and the results are disastrous.

CHURCH WORSHIP: A MEANS OF HELPING PEOPLE REORIENT THEMSELVES TO GOD

CHURCH WORSHIP:

• Accumulated practice going on for 1000's of years of church history
• Early church borrowed from worship in temple -- 1000's of years of that history

WHAT WE DO IN WORSHIP:

• Offer prayers and songs of worship
• Confess our sins
• Hear God's Word read, explained, and applied to us
• Engage in sacraments
• (WITH FELLOW CHRISTIANS)

Church is IMPORTANT
Church is IMPERFECT

ACTS 2:42-47

1. Devoted themselves to the APOSTLE'S TEACHING
(v 42)

2. Devoted themselves to FELLOWSHIP
(v 42,46)

3. Devoted themselves to "BREAKING OF BREAD"
(v 42,46)

4. Devoted themselves to PRAYER
(v 42)

5. Devoted themselves to CARING FOR ONE ANOTHER'S NEEDS
(v 44-45)

ACTS 2:42-47

WHERE THEY DID IT:

• In the TEMPLE COURTS (v 46)

WHERE THEY DID IT:

• In the TEMPLE COURTS (v 46)
• In THEIR HOMES (v 46)

ACTS 2:42-47

WHAT HAPPENED:

• everyone was FILLED WITH AWE (v 43)

WHAT HAPPENED:

• everyone was filled with awe
• the apostles PERFORMED WONDERS AND SIGNS (v 43)

WHAT HAPPENED:

• everyone was filled with awe
• the apostles performed wonders and signs
• they enjoyed THE FAVOR OF ALL (v 47)

WHAT HAPPENED:

• everyone was filled with awe
• the apostles performed wonders and signs
• they enjoyed the favor of all
• they GREW IN NUMBER (v 47)

WHAT HAPPENED:

• everyone was filled with awe
• the apostles performed wonders and signs
• they enjoyed the favor of all
• they grew in number

Hebrews 10:23-25

THE CONTEXT:
OPPOSITION and PERSECUTION
(v 32-36)

THE REQUEST:

• Let us hold on TO THE FAITH WE PROFESS (v 23)

THE REQUEST:

• Let us hold on to the faith we profess
• Let us think of ways to SPUR EACH OTHER ON (v 24)

THE REQUEST:

• Let us hold on to the faith we profess
• Let us think of ways to spur each other on
• Let us NOT STOP MEETING TOGETHER (v 25)

WHAT THIS MEANS FOR US:

1. Corporate worship has always been a NON-NEGOTIABLE KEYSTONE PRACTICE for followers of Christ

2. Corporate worship has not been THE ONLY METHOD of gathering

3. In today's world, corporate worship EVERY SINGLE WEEK IS ESSENTIAL

COMMIT: I will attend every week, deliberately reorienting my life around God's path every seven days

Communion