The REALITY Of The Church: A United Community

a.) REALITY: Created For A Loving Community

b.) REALITY: Reconciled Back Into Community

[19] So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, —Eph 2:14-19

“The church, then, is not something additional or optional. It is at the very heart of God’s purposes. Jesus came to create a people who would model what it means to live under his rule. It would be a glorious outpost of the kingdom of God, an embassy of heaven. This is where the world can see what it means to be truly human. … Our Identity as human beings is found in community. Our identity as Christians is found in Christ’s new community. And our mission takes place through communities of light. Christianity is “total church.”” —Steve Timmis and Tim Chester, Total Church

The CALL of the Church: Built Up in Love

a.) The CALL: Loving Unity…

[22] But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, [23] gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. —Galatians 5:22–23

b.) The CALL: Diversity…

c.) The CALL: Transformation…

What is God INVITING you into?

• Gospel Intentionality

• United Diversity

“Marginalization happens when that which is valid is regarded as invalid merely because it differs from the prevailing standards…”
—Dr Carl Ellis

• An Invitation To Community Groups

“Community Groups are small groups of people committed to living life together in authentic, loving RELATIONSHIPS as we seek to follow and know Christ through his Word and in prayer, continually being TRANSFORMED into his image by his grace, leading us to live out the MISSION of the gospel by displaying and declaring God’s love and truth in our neighborhoods and to the ends of the world.” —-