Finding Our Focus
September 10, 2023

SHINE

We are called to…

God’s word
God with our lives
sacrificially
fellow believers
the lost

OUTREACH

“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
matthew 5:14-16

A shift in focus from

to

  1. What God does in our lives here in the church is supposed to make us more

    for the kingdom out there in the world.

  2. Outreach is not

    but it lays a solid foundation for effective .

  3. The light God has given us will not reach this city from inside our

    .


Additional references:
Luke 5:27-32, Philippians 2:14-15, 1 Peter 2:11-12


EVANGELISM

And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.”
Mark 16:15-16

A shift in focus from

to

  1. Evangelism is our Great

    , the central & defining purpose of the Church on Planet Earth.

  2. To evangelize is, literally, to speak the

    .

  3. The gospel is a call to

    to my old nature and walk in newness of through Christ.

  4. The ultimate purpose of evangelism is

    .

  5. A

    Christian evangelizes.


Additional references:
Matthew 6:25-33, Romans 8:14-17, Galatians 3:26, 1 Corinthians 1:18


CHURCH PLANTING

And when they had preached the gospel to that city and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, 22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, “We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.” 23 So when they had appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.
Acts 14:21-23

A shift in focus from

to

  1. One of the marks of a mature church congregation should be

    .

  2. To plant churches, we’re going to need to develop

    .

  3. We’re going to need a new

    on discipleship and fellowship and ministry.

Call To Prayer

  1. For sharper focus in our ministries
  2. For new ministries geared toward outreach & evangelism
  3. For new leaders to be raised up and accept their calling
  4. For the resources and vision to carry out God’s purpose for this church family