[3-7-10]

John 4:24) [NIV] God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.

Twelve Convictions About Worship:

1. Only believers can truly worship God. The direction of worship is from believers to God. We magnify God’s name in worship by expressing our love and commitment to Him. Unbelievers cannot do this. Saddleback teaches, “Worship is expressing our love to God for who He is, what He’s said, and what He’s doing.” Appropriate ways to express our love to God/worship include praying, singing, thanking, listening, giving, testifying, trusting, obeying His Word, and many other ways. God, not man, is the focus and center of worship.

2. You don’t need a building to worship God. 

Acts 17:24) [NIV] The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands.

Saddleback existed 15 years and grew to over 10,000 in attendance without owning a building.

3. There is no correct “style” of worship. Jesus only gave 2 requirements for legitimate worship [see John 4:24 above]: 1) in spirit; 2) in truth.

No doubt God enjoys the variety of styles of worship from church to church, as long as it’s done “in spirit and in truth.”

Rick teaches that true worship employs both your right brain and your left brain. True worship involves the emotion and the intellect, your heart and your mind.

4. Unbelievers can watch believers worship. They can see the joy we feel, and how we value God’s Word, and respond to it. They can discover how the Bible answers the problems and questions of life. They can notice how worship encourages, strengthens, and changes us. They might even sense God moving.

5. Worship is a powerful witness to unbelievers if God’s presence is felt and if the message is understandable. On the day of Pentecost God’s presence was so evident in the disciples’ worship service that it attracted a huge group of unbelievers. 3000 people were saved. Why were 3000 people saved?

• They felt God’s presence.
• They understood the message.

More people are won to Christ by feeling God’s presence than by all of our sermons combines.

Rick teaches, “In genuine worship God’s presence is felt, God’s pardon is offered, God’s purposes are revealed, and God’s power is displayed.”

6. God expects us to be sensitive to the fears, hang-ups, and needs of unbelievers when they are present in our worship services. Paul commanded that tongues be limited in public worship. Why? It’s because if unbelievers attend the service tongues will appear foolish to them. Paul didn’t say tongues were foolish, but that they would appear foolish to unbelievers.

1 Corinthians 14:23) [NIV] So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and some who do not understand or some unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind?

The point Paul is making is that we must be willing to adjust our worship practices when unbelievers are present. God is telling us to be sensitive to the hang-ups of unbelievers in our services. Rick insists from this passage that being seeker sensitive in our worship is a Biblical command.

1 Corinthians 10:31-33) [NIV] So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

32) Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God-

33) even as I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.

Paul not only commanded the Corinthians to be careful not to cause anyone, including unbelievers, to stumble, but he also commanded the Colossians to use wisdom in their dealings with unbelievers.

Colossians 4:5) [NIV] Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.

7. A worship service does not have to be shallow to be seeker sensitive. The message doesn’t have to be compromised, just understandable. Making a service comfortable for the unchurched doesn’t mean we have to change our theology; it means changing the environment of the service.

Ways to change the environment of the service:

• How we greet visitors,
• The style of music we use,
• The Bible translation we preach from,
• The kinds of announcements we make in the service.

Being seeker sensitive doesn’t limit what we say; it does affect how we say it. The unbeliever expects to hear the Bible when they come to church. What they want, though, is to hear how the Bible relates to their lives.

Unbelievers struggle with the same issues believers struggle with:

• Who am I?
• Where do I come from?
• Where am I going?
• Does life make sense?
• Why is their suffering and evil in the world?
• What is my purpose in life?
• How can I learn to get along with people?

8. The needs of believers and unbelievers often overlap. They are very different in some areas but are very similar in many areas. Seeker sensitive services focus on needs common to both believers and unbelievers:

• Both need to know what God is really like.
• Both need to understand the purpose of life.
• Both need to know why and how to forgive others.
• Both need help in strengthening their marriage and family.
• Both need to know how to deal with suffering, grief, and pain.
• Both need to know why materialism is so destructive.

Christians don’t stop having needs once they’re saved.

9. It is best to specialize your services according to their purpose. Most churches try to evangelize the lost and edify believers in the same service. Trying to aim at 2 targets with

1 gun only results in frustration.

We need to design one service to edify believers and another service to evangelize the unchurched. At Saddleback, the believers’ service is Wednesday night and the seeker services are Saturday night and Sunday morning. Why? They discovered that the unbeliever is most likely to visit on a Sunday morning, and that a believer is most likely to invite a friend to a Sunday service.

10. A service geared toward seekers is meant to supplement personal evangelism, not replace it. People generally find it easier to decide for Christ when there are multiple relationships supporting that decision. Seeker services provide a group witness to enhance and confirm the personal witness of members.

11. There is no standard way to design a seeker service. This is because unbelievers are not all alike. Some want a service that makes them feel a part of it; others want to sit passively and watch. Some like quiet, meditative services; others like high-energy services.

There are only 3 nonnegotiable elements of a seeker service:

1. Treat unbelievers with love and respect.
2. Relate the service to their needs.
3. Share the message in a practical, understandable manner.

What really attracts large numbers of unchurched to a church is changed lives – lots of changed lives. People want to go where lives are being changed, where hurts are being healed, and where hope is being restored.

At every Saddleback service they invite people to fill out a registrtion card and sing worship songs. They take an offering, provide a message outline with Bible verses written out on it, and offer a time of commitment.

12. It takes unselfish, mature believers to offer a seeker sensitive service.

1 Corinthians 14:19-20) [NLT] But in a church meeting I would much rather speak five understandable words that will help others than ten thousand words in an unknown language.

20) Dear brothers and sisters, don’t be childish in your understanding of these things. Be innocent as babies when it comes to evil, but be mature and wise in understanding matters of this kind.

Paul teaches that when we think only of our own needs in worship we are being childish and immature. Church members demonstrate spiritual maturity when they are considerate of the needs, fears, and hang-ups of unbelievers and are willing to place those needs before their own in a service. Seeker sensitive services require members who are willing to create a safe environment for unbelievers at the expense of their own preferences, traditions, and comfort.

Matthew 20:28) [TLB] Your attitude must be like my own, for I, the Messiah, did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give my life as a ransom for many.

Until the attitude of unselfish servanthood permeates the minds and hearts of our members, our church isn’t ready to begin a seeker sensitive service.

[2-28-10]

I Corinthians 9:22) [TLB] Enormous crowds followed him wherever he went.

Mark 12:37) [TLB] The large crowd listened to him with delight.

Jesus drew enormous crowds. Thousands came to hear Him speak, even though they had now cars to cover the distance. When Jesus fed the 5000 there were probably 10-20,000 people there, including the women and children.

Rick challenges us that if we minister the way Christ did we will draw crowds today.

What did Jesus do to attract crowds:

1.      He loved them.

2.      He met their needs.

3.      He taught them in interesting and practical ways.

Jesus Attracted Crowds by Loving Unbelievers:

Jesus loved lost people and loved spending time with them. It was obvious that He enjoyed being with seekers than He did the religious crowd.

Luke 7:34) [GW] The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look at him! He’s a glutton and a drunk, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’

Loving unbelievers like Jesus did: Rick says that loving unbelievers the way Jesus did is the most overlooked way of growing a church. If we don’t love the lost the way Jesus did we will be unwilling to make the sacrifices necessary to reach them.

The command to love is the most repeated command in the New Testament; it appears at least 55 times.

1John 4:8) [MSG] The person who refuses to love doesn’t know the first thing about God, because God is love–so you can’t know him if you don’t love.

If we don’t love people nothing else matters. When Pastor Warren asks those he baptizes what attracted them to their church family they never responded, “It was because of your doctrine,” or, “It was because of your beautiful church buildings,” or, It was your full calendar of activities.” Rather, the most common response was, “I felt an incredible spirit of love toward me that drew me in.”

Rick points out that he knows of lots of churches where the members love each other and have great fellowship, but that the fellowship has become so tight that newcomers are unable to break into it. These churches don’t attract unbelievers because they don’t love them.

All churches think they are a loving church. That’s because the people who think it’s unloving aren’t there.

Matthew 5:46-48) [GNB] Why should God reward you if you love only the people who love you? Even the tax collectors do that!

47) And if you speak only to your friends, have you done anything out of the ordinary? Even the pagans do that!

48) You must be perfect—just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

Romans 5:6-8) [TEV] For when we were still helpless, Christ died for the wicked at the time that God chose.

7) It is a difficult thing for someone to die for a righteous person. It may even be that someone might dare to die for a good person.

But God has shown us how much he loves us — it was while we were still sinners that Christ died for us!

It’s easy to love our friends and family, but Jesus loved us before we were lovable. He calls us to walk the walk He walked.

1John 2:5-10) [GNB] But if we obey his word, we are the ones whose love for God has really been made perfect. This is how we can be sure that we are in union with God:

6) if we say that we remain in union with God, we should live just as Jesus Christ did.

7) My dear friends, this command I am writing you is not new; it is the old command, the one you have had from the very beginning. The old command is the message you have already heard.

However, the command I now write you is new, because its truth is seen in Christ and also in you. For the darkness is passing away, and the real light is already shining.

9) If we say that we are in the light, yet hate others, we are in the darkness to this very hour.

10) If we love others, we live in the light, and so there is nothing in us that will cause someone else to sin.

Creating an atmosphere of acceptance: Rick says that plants need the right climate to grow, and so do churches. Growing churches love; loving churches grow. It seems obvious, says Rick. If we want our church to grow then we have to be nice to them when they show up. Saddleback sends every first time visitor a “Thanks for being our guest” letter. They include a postage-paid postcard with 3 questions on it. They have them mail it back anonymously so the answers will be more truthful.

Here are the 3 questions:

1.      What did you notice first?

1. What did you like best?
2. What did you like least?

After receiving thousands of those postcards back, around 90% of the answers to that first question are some variation of this statement, “I noticed the warmth and friendliness of the people.” 

Even if a church genuinely loves the unchurched, and feels compassionate towards them, if that love isn’t expressed in a way that the visitor can understand it, then they might not feel loved. Saddleback has intentional ways they demonstrate that love towards each visitor. In the next chapter, which we’ll discuss next week, Rick will suggest a number of ways they have done that at Saddleback.

The pastor must be loving: The pastor must set the tone for the congregation. No matter how well you do at demonstrating, in practical ways, that you love the visitors, if they feel the pastor couldn’t care less, they won’t want to return.

Memorize names: I need to work on this one. I’m absolutely horrible at remembering names. Remembering names shows that you’re interested in people. Rick claims that nothing sounds sweeter to a 2^nd time visitor than hearing you and I use their name.

Personally greet people before and after services: I need to work on this one also. In a seeker service I need to make absolute certain that I get this done. I love to mingle with church folk, rather they are believers or unbelievers. However, some leave immediately after service, so I must intentionally make certain that I greet them. 

Touch people: Study the ministry of Christ and you will see the powerful effect of giving people a look, a word, and a touch. Rick mentions that the world is full of lonely people who are starving for the affirmation of a loving touch. Some who attend Saddleback have told Rick that the only loving physical touch they ever get is at church.

We need to do 2 things:

1. We need to lovingly touch people.
2. We need to be certain that our touch is appropriate.

Use a warm, personal style in writing to visitors: When Pastor Warren signs the letters they send to first time, second time, and third time visitors he simply signs those letters, “Rick.”

Rick received a visitor letter once that said, “Our church would like to acknowledge your presence with us last Sunday and extend to you a cordial invitation to return on the next Lord’s Day.” What the problem with that letter? No one talks that way. Rick would rather send a letter that said, “It was really great to have you. Hope you can come back.” The bottom line is, we don’t want to impress people; we want to influence them.

Accepting without approving: In order to love people unconditionally, we must understand the difference between acceptance and approval. Ad Christians we are all called to accept and love unbelievers without approving of sinful lifestyles. Jesus did this when He showed acceptance and love to the Samaritan woman at the well without approving of her licentious lifestyle. He also ate with Zacchaeus without approving of his dishonesty. He publicly defended the dignity of the woman caught in adultery without minimizing her sin. DON’T TRY TO CLEAN THE FISH BEFORE YOU CATCH THEM! We cannot expect unbelievers to act like believers until they are believers.

Rick says that they would rather have a southern California pagan attend our crowd service in shorts and a Budweiser T-shirt than stay home. Jesus did not say, “Clean up your act and then I’ll save you.” He loved you even before you changed. HE EXPECTS YOU TO DO THE SAME WITH OTHER PEOPLE! 

Jesus Attracted Crowds by Meeting People’s Needs:

People crowded around Jesus because He met their needs – physical, emotional, spiritual, relational, and financial. He didn’t judge some needs as being “more legitimate” than others, and He certainly didn’t make people feel guilty for their needs. He treated each person with respect and dignity.

Jesus often met a felt need in order to establish a beachhead for evangelism in a person’s life. He often asked them, “What do you want me to do for you?” God uses all kinds of human needs to get their attention. Who are we to judge whether a person’s interest in Christ is for the right or wrong reason?

Getting people’s attention: Before you can share the Good News of salvation with someone, you have to get his/her attention. There are so many things trying to get the attention of every person that the only way we can get their attention is to offer them something they can’t get anywhere else.

James 2:15-17) [GNB] Suppose there are brothers or sisters who need clothes and don’t have enough to eat.

16) What good is there in your saying to them, “God bless you! Keep warm and eat well!”—if you don’t give them the necessities of life?

17) So it is with faith: if it is alone and includes no actions, then it is dead.

Meeting human needs, regardless of what they are, is being a “doer of the Word.” Growing churches have figured out a way to meet the real needs of people. Rick tells us that a church will never grow beyond its capacity to meet needs.

One church surveyed its target area and discovered that the number one need mentioned was to know how to potty train their preschoolers. Instead of ignoring that need as unspiritual they decided to hold “Parenting Preschoolers” seminars at their church. They said that the Biblical basis for this approach was:

Proverbs 22:6) [KJV] Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

When it comes to using felt needs as an open door for evangelism the possibilities are limitless. Saddleback has over seventy targeted ministries to the crowd and community, each built around a specific need.

Jesus Attracted Crowds By Teaching In a Practical, Interesting Way:

Mark 10:1) [NIV] Jesus then left that place and went into the region of Judea and across the Jordan. Again crowds of people came to him, and as was his custom, he taught them.

Here’s how the crowds reacted to Jesus’ teaching:

• The crowds were amazed at his teachings [Matt. 7:28 GW].
• The crowds were profoundly impressed [Matt. 22:33LB].
• The people were so enthusiastic about Jesus’ teaching [Mark 11:18LB].
• They were spellbound by his teaching [Mark 11:18 NASB].
• The great crowd enjoyed listening to him [Mark 12:37 NASB].

There’s never been a greater communicator than Jesus. To capture the attention of unbelievers like He did we must communicate spiritual truth the way He did.

John 12:49) [MSG] I’m not making any of this up on my own. The Father who sent me gave me orders, told me what to say and how to say it.

Both the content and the delivery style came from His Father.

We will look at 3 attributes of Jesus’ teaching to the crowd:

Jesus began with people’s needs, hurts, and interests: Rick points out that Jesus usually taught in response to a question or a pressing problem from someone in the crowd. He scratched where it itched. His preaching had an immediacy about it. He was always relevant and on target for that moment.

When Jesus preached His first sermon at Nazareth He read from the prophet to announce what the preaching agenda of His ministry would be:

Luke 4:18-19) [GNB] “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has appointed me to preach Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the downtrodden will be freed from their oppressors, 

19) and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.”

Notice the complete emphasis on meeting needs and healing hurts. Jesus had good news to share so people wanted to hear it.

We don’t have to make the Bible relevant; it already is. However, we have to show the Bible’s relevance by applying its message personally to people’s lives, just as Jesus did.

“At the base of your brain stem is a filter called the ‘reticular activating system.’” Its function is to filter through everything your senses pick up, forwarding only a few of those stimuli on to your consciousness. That way you are not overloaded and overwhelmed.

What gets your attention? 3 things always make it past this system:

1. The things you value.
2. The things that are unique.
3. The things that threaten you.

Rick believes the trick to getting the attention of the seekers is to tie your message to one of those attention-getters.

Jesus related truth to life: A lot of preaching is what Rick calls “Ain’t it awful!” preaching. It complains about society and makes judgments about people in general. It is long on diagnosis and short on remedy. This kind of preaching may make Christians feel superior to “those out there,” but it rarely changes anything. Instead of lighting a candle, it just curses the darkness.

You don’t want your doctor to just tell you what’s wrong, but to tell you how to fix it. People need fewer “ought to” sermons and more “how to” sermons. D.L. Moody once said, “The Bible was not given to increase our knowledge but to change our lives.”

Rick want us to understand that the unchurched are not asking us to change our message, or even to dilute it, only that we show its relevance. He loves teaching theology to the unchurched without telling them it’s theology and without using theological terms. We don’t have to transform the message of the Bible, but we do have to translate it into terms the unchurched will understand.

Jesus spoke to the crowd with an interesting style: Crowds loved to listen to Jesus speak.

Mark 12:37b) [NIV] The large crowd listened to him with delight.

According to a Gallup poll several years before this book was written, to the unchurched church is the most boring place to be.

We don’t want to bore people with the most exciting book in the world. We need to present that book in a manner that the unchurched finds interesting. The Gospel message is too important to share it with a “take-it-or-leave-it” attitude.

Jesus used stories to make a point. Benefits of using stories are:

• Stories hold our attention.
• Stories stir our emotions.
• Stories help us remember.

Jesus used simple language, not technical or theological jargon. He spoke in terms normal people could understand. Jesus didn’t use the classical Greek language of the scholar. He spoke in Aramaic, the street language of that day. He spoke of birds, flowers, lost coins, and everyday objects that people could relate to.

2 Corinthians 11:3) [NASB] But I am afraid, lest as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds should be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.

Einstein once said, “You don’t really understand something unless you can communicate it in a simple way.”

[2-21-10]

I Corinthians 9:22) [LB] When I am with those whose consciences bother them easily, I don’t act as though I know it all and don’t say they are foolish; the result is that they are willing to let me help them. Yes, whatever a person is like, I try to find common ground with him so that he will let me tell him about Christ and let Christ save him.

Matthew 4:19) [LB] Jesus called out, “Come along with me and I will show you how to fish for the souls of men!”

Rick writes, “My dad is the best fisherman I’ve ever met. If there is only one fish in a lake or stream he will catch it. This always amazed me growing up. Ten of us could be fishing the same lake and my dad would catch all the fish. How did he do it? Was it magic? Did God just like him better?”

As he got older he discovered his dad’s secret: his dad understood fish. He could “read” a lake and figure out exactly where the fish were. He knew what time of day they liked to eat; he knew what bait or lure to use depending on the type of fish; he knew when to change bait as the temperature changed; he even seemed to know exactly how deep to drop the line into the water. He made it as easy and attractive as possible for fish to swallow his hook – and they did! HE CAUGHT FISH ON THEIR TERMS.

Rick mentioned he never had a strategy when he went fishing.

He mentions that many churches fish for men the way he fished for fish, and they have the same results.

Pastor Warren believes the secret of effective evangelism is to not only share Christ’s message, but to follow His methodology. He points us to Matthew 10 and Luke 10, where Jesus was instructing His disciples how to evangelize.

He mentions that Jesus gave them specific instructions about:

• Whom they were to spend their time with,
• Whom they were to ignore,
• What they were to say,
• And how they were to share it.

He tells us that Saddleback built its evangelism strategy around five principles found in Jesus’ instructions to His disciples.

Know What You Are Fishing For:

The kind of fish you want to catch will determine every part of your strategy. Fishing for various kinds of fish requires different equipment, bait, and timing. There is no “one-size-fits-all” approach to fishing.

Matthew 10:5-6) [NIV] These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans.

6) Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel.

Jesus was not being prejudiced; He was being strategic. Jesus defined His disciples’ target so they’d be effective, not in order to be exclusive. He targeted the kind of people the disciples were most likely to reach – people like themselves.

Go Where the Fish Are Biting:

It’s a waste of time to fish in a spot where the fish aren’t biting. Wise fisherman move on. They understand that fish feed in different spots at different times of the day. And, they aren’t hungry all the time. At certain times unbelievers are more responsive to spiritual truth than at other times. Take advantage of the responsive hearts the Holy Spirit prepares.

Matthew 10:14) [TEV] And if some home or town will not welcome you or listen to you, then leave that place and shake the dust off your feet.

Jesus told the disciples they weren’t supposed to stay around unresponsive people. We aren’t supposed to pick the green fruit, but to find the ripe fruit and harvest it.

NOTE: This doesn’t mean that the unresponsive won’t be more responsive at a later time. The Holy Spirit can prepare them for a later harvest.

Rick points out that the strategy of the Apostle Paul was to go through open doors and not waste time banging on closed ones.

Rick believes that there are far more people in the world who are ready to receive Christ than there are believers ready to witness to them.

Learn To Think Like A Fish:

It helps to understand their habits, preferences, and feeding patterns. Jesus often knew what unbelievers were thinking (see Matthew 9:4; 12:25; Mark 2:8; Luke 5:22; 9:47; 11:17). Jesus was effective in dealing with people because He understood and was able to defuse the mental barriers they held.

Colossians 4:5) [GNB] Be wise in the way you act toward those who are not believers, making good use of every opportunity you have.

We must learn to think like unbelievers in order to win them. Take a church ad that announces, “Preaching the inerrant Word of God.” The inerrancy of the Word of God is nonnegotiable, but the unchurched don’t even understand the term. The terminology that we’re familiar with as Christians is gibberish to the unchurched. If we want to advertise our church to the unchurched we must learn to speak like they do.

Rick has often heard pastors complain that unbelievers are more resistant to the Gospel today than in the past. He doesn’t believe that to be true. Rather, he believes that it’s usually a case of poor communication. They don’t understand the message we’re preaching because we’re speaking a different language than they are.

How do we learn to think like unbelievers? Talk to them. Listen to how they talk, how they think, etc.

Rick went door to door asking these questions:

1.      What do you think is the greatest need in this area?

2.      Are you actively attending any church?

3.      Why do you think most people don’t attend church?

4.      If you were to look for a church to attend, what kind of things would you look for?

5.      What could I do for you? What advice can you give to a minister who really wants to be helpful to people?

When he took the survey, he introduced it by saying, “Hi, my name is Rick Warren. I’m taking an opinion poll of our community. I’m not here to sell you anything or sign you up for anything. I’d just like to ask you five questions. There are no right or wrong answers, and it will only take about two minutes.”

Four basic complaints: They discovered four common complaints about churches from their survey.

1. “Church is boring, especially the sermons. The messages don’t relate to my life.”
2. “Church members are unfriendly to visitors. If I go to church I want to feel welcomed without being embarrassed.”
3. “The church is more interested in my money than in me.”
4. “We worry about the quality of the church’s child care.”

Matthew 10:16) [GW] I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.

Jesus told His disciples to be strategic in their evangelism. In football successful teams know how to read the defense. In evangelism, “reading the defense” mean understanding and anticipating the objectives unbelievers will have before they voice them. It means thinking like an unbeliever.

Using the information they gathered through the survey Saddleback sent this letter to the community. They hadn’t even had a service yet. Because of the letter 205 people attended the first service they had, and within the next 10 weeks 82 of them gave their lives to Christ. Many Christians have misunderstood their results. Rick says, “You have to decide who you want to impress.”

Here is that letter:                 

March 20, 1980

Hi Neighbor!

AT LAST!

     A new church designed for those who’ve given up on traditional church services! Let’s face it, many people aren’t active in church these days.

WHY?

     Too often…

• The sermons are boring and don’t relate to daily living
• Many churches seem more interested in your wallet than you
• Members are unfriendly to visitors
• You wonder about the quality of the nursery care for your children

     Do you think attending church should be enjoyable?

WE’VE GOT GOOD NEWS FOR YOU!

     SADDLEBACK VALLEY COMMUNITY CHURCH is a new church designed to meet your needs in the 1980s. We’re a group of friendly, happy people who have discovered the joy of the Christian lifestyle.

     At Saddleback Valley Community Church you

• Meet new friends and get to know your neighbors
• Enjoy upbeat music with a contemporary flavor
• Hear positive, practical messages which encourage you each week
• Trust your children to the care of dedicated nursery workers

WHY NOT GET A LIFT THIS SUNDAY?

     I invite you to be my special guest at our first public celebration service EASTER SUNDAY, April 6 at 11:00 A.M. We are currently meeting in the Laguna Hills High School Theater. If you don’t have a church home, give us a try!

DISCOVER THE DIFFERENCE!

Sincerely,

Rick Warren, Pastor

Catch Fish On Their Terms:

This is the heart of Saddleback’s evangelism strategy: We must be willing to catch fish on their own terms. The average fisherman never ventures farther than a half mile from a paved road. Serious fishermen, however, will go to any length to catch fish. How serious are we about the Great Commission? Are we willing to go to any length and be uncomfortable in order to win people to Christ?

Understanding and adapting to their culture:

Luke 10:8) [GW] Whenever you go into a city and the people welcome you, eat whatever they serve you.

Jesus was giving more than dietary advice. He was telling His disciples to be sensitive to local culture. He was telling them to fit in with those they wanted to reach. They were to adapt to local customs and culture when it didn’t violate a Biblical principle.

The Gospel is always communicated in the terms of some culture. The only question is, “Which one?” No church can be culturally neutral. It will express some culture because it is composed of human beings.

Letting your target determine your approach: You must use the bait and hook that best matches the fish you want to catch.

The Apostle Paul always allowed his target to determine his approach:

1Corinthians 9:19-23) [GNB] I am a free man, nobody’s slave; but I make myself everybody’s slave in order to win as many people as possible.

20) While working with the Jews, I live like a Jew in order to win them; and even though I myself am not subject to the Law of Moses, I live as though I were when working with those who are, in order to win them.

21) In the same way, when working with Gentiles, I live like a Gentile, outside the Jewish Law, in order to win Gentiles. This does not mean that I don’t obey God’s law; I am really under Christ’s law.

22) Among the weak in faith I become weak like one of them, in order to win them. So I become all things to all people, that I may save some of them by whatever means are possible.

23) All this I do for the gospel’s sake, in order to share in its blessings.  

1Corinthians 9:22-23) [TLB] Yes, whatever a person is like, I try to find common ground with him so that he will let me tell him about Christ and let Christ save him.

23) I do this to get the Gospel to them and also for the blessing I myself receive when I see them come to Christ.

Beginning with the felt needs of the unchurched: Whenever Jesus encountered a person He’d begin with their hurts, needs, and interests.

Matthew 10:8) Heal the sick, bring the dead back to life, heal those who suffer from dreaded skin diseases, and drive out demons. You have received without paying, so give without being paid.

When Jesus sent His disciples out He told them to do the same.

Notice the total emphasis on felt needs and hurts. When you are in pain, either physically or emotionally, you aren’t interested in the meaning of Greek and Hebrew words. You just want to get well. When a leper came to Jesus, He didn’t launch into a long discourse on the cleansing laws of Leviticus. He just healed the man!

Understanding and responding to the hang-ups of the unchurched: Rick says that Saddleback takes the hang-ups of the unchurched seriously, even when they are based on ignorance.

Unbelievers have hang-ups:

• About churches asking them for money,
• About churches that use guilt or fear to motivate,
• About churches that expect them to attend every meeting the church holds,
• About churches that make visitors stand up and introduce themselves.

Change methods whenever necessary: Fishermen sometimes have to change bait as the day wears on. The problem with many churches today is that they are still trying to use bait and hooks from the 1950s in the 1990s, or in this case, in the 2010s.

Use More Than One Hook:

When Rick grew up, using more than one hook was called “trotline fishing.” It consisted of attaching multiple hooks to a single fishing line. The concept was that the more hooks you have in the water the more fish you will catch.

Due to the advances of technology we’re offered more options than ever before. There are no longer only three television networks, but hundreds. These changes have produced a generation that expects to be offered options in every area. Unfortunately, when it comes to worship services most churches offer only two options: Take it or leave it. If you can’t attend at 11 A.M., you’re out of luck. It is strategic to offer multiple services, or even multiple styles of worship. We should do whatever it takes to reach more people for Christ. The goal isn’t to make it as difficult as possible for the unbeliever, but to make it as easy as possible for the unchurched to hear about Christ.

It Costs To Reach Your Community:

1. Money spent on evangelism is never an expense; it’s always an investment. The people you reach will more than repay the cost we invest to reach them.
2. People give to vision, not to need.
3. When you spend nickels and dimes on evangelism, you get nickel and dime results.
4. Finally remember the famous motto of the great missionary strategist Hudson Taylor, “God’s work done God’s way will not lack God’s support.”

Fishing Is Serious Business:

When Jesus used the analogy of fishing to teach on evangelism He was speaking to some who fished for a living. To some fishing is a hobby. To others it’s a business.

Fishing for men is serious business. It can’t be a hobby for Christians; it is to be our lifestyle!

[2-14-10]

John 1:41) [GW] Andrew at once found his brother Simon and told him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means “Christ”).

Matthew 9:10) [GW] Later Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house. Many tax collectors and sinners came to eat with Jesus and his disciples.

A casual reading of the New Testament will show that the Gospel spread primarily through relationships.

• As soon as Andrew heard about Christ he went and told his brother, Simon Peter.
• Philip immediately contacted a friend, Nathaniel.
• Matthew, a tax collector, held an evangelistic dinner party for other tax collectors.
• The woman at the well told everyone in her village about Christ.

The list goes on and on.

Pastor Warren writes, “I believe the most effective evangelistic strategy is to first try to reach those with whom you already have something in common. After you’ve discovered all the possible target groups in your community, which group should you focus on first? The answer is to go after those you are most likely to reach.”

Rick believes every church is best suited to reach certain types of people. Our church will have an easier time reaching some kinds of people, and more difficulty reaching other kinds of people. He adds that there are some kinds of people we’ll never reach because they require a completely different sort of ministry than you can provide.

Many factors cause people to be resistant to attending our church:

• Theological barriers.
• Relational barriers.
• Emotional barriers.
• Lifestyle barriers.
• Cultural barriers.

He teaches that the people our church is most likely to reach are those who match the existing culture of our church.

Who Already Attends Our Church?

Whatever type of people we already have is the same type we are most likely to attract more of. It’s unlikely that our church will attract, and keep, many people who are very different from those who already attend.

The first question visitors subconsciously ask isn’t a religious one, but a cultural one. They want to know if anyone attends who are like them:

• Retired couple.
• Middle-aged couple.
• College-aged individuals.
• Young parents.
• Military individuals.

What Kind of Leaders Do We Have?

The 2^nd question to ask is “What is the cultural background and personality of our church leadership?” The personal characteristics of our leadership can have enormous impact on our church’s ministry. Many studies have shown that the number one reason people choose a church is because they identify with the pastor. Rick tells us, “The pastor does not attract first-time visitors, but he is a major reason they come back.” When people identify with the pastor they are far more likely to return.

As a pastor I need to ask myself, “What kind of person am I? What is my cultural background? What kind of people do I naturally relate to?”

Pastor Warren deeply believes that God has uniquely called and shaped each of us in different ways to reach different types of people. He believes that if God has called me to ministry, then who and what I am must also be a part of that plan. I minister through the personality God gave me. God shaped me for a purpose.

Two principles, as a pastor, to remember when seeking to discern our target:

1. We’ll best reach those I relate to.
2. I’ll attract who I am, not who I want.

In order to attract others who don’t necessarily relate to me, we’ll have to keep others in our church visible. When Rick started his church he was 26 years old. He couldn’t attract anyone over 45 years old to Saddleback. He eventually had to hire older staff in order to attract older people. Now that he’s middle-aged he has to hire younger staff to attract younger adults. We’re going to have to get Jason, Derek, Lexi, and other younger adults to do more as we go along.

NOTE: Rick points out that some pastors have what he refers to as a “missionary” gift. This is a special gift from the Holy Spirit to minister cross-culturally. Paul was a “Hebrew of Hebrews” [Phil. 3:5], but he was called to plant Gentile churches. Rick has seen some pastors raised in rural areas have an effective ministry in the inner city. He’s also seen some southern-born pastors who have been very effective in northeastern cities. He insists that they pastors are the exception, not the rule.

Explosive growth occurs when the type of people in the community match the type of people that are already in the church, and they both match the type of person the pastor is.

NOTE: The “community” refers to our target group, not the entire community.

Rick Warren believes there are many parts of our country where he would completely fail as a pastor because he’d never match the culture. He believes God made him to minister exactly where he is, and the changed lives in his church demonstrate that.

What If Our Church Doesn’t Match Our Community?

Build on our strengths: We must not try to be something we’re not. If our church is made up of primarily senior citizens then that’s the group we should target. We shouldn’t try to target a young adult community.

NOTE: We have our share of older adults, including me. But, we also have middle-aged adults, and younger adults, and college-aged adults. We have a wide variety of ages in our small congregation. Our trick will be to involve the various ages of those in our church in ministries to their subsequent groups of new attenders.

Reinvent our congregation: This refers to intentionally changing the makeup of our church in order to match a new target. We would completely replace all the old programs, structures, and worship styles with new ones.

Rick doesn’t advise this. He mentions it’s a very painful process and may take many years. People will leave the church due to the enormous, inevitable conflicts.

NOTE: Good news! We don’t have to change much, because we’re not that structured. This one doesn’t really fit us. There are a lot of people in Council Bluffs that match the kind of people we are.

Start new congregations: This is the method Rick recommends.

Some ideas:

1. Start another service with a different style of worship.
2. Start a mission outreach in a different building with the intention of it becoming a new church down the road.

Recognizing Spiritual Receptivity In Our Community:

Matthew 13:18-23) “Listen, then, and learn what the parable of the sower means.

19) Those who hear the message about the Kingdom but do not understand it are like the seeds that fell along the path. The Evil One comes and snatches away what was sown in them.

20) The seeds that fell on rocky ground stand for those who receive the message gladly as soon as they hear it.

21) But it does not sink deep into them, and they don’t last long. So when trouble or persecution comes because of the message, they give up at once.

22) The seeds that fell among thorn bushes stand for those who hear the message; but the worries about this life and the love for riches choke the message, and they don’t bear fruit.

23) And the seeds sown in the good soil stand for those who hear the message and understand it: they bear fruit, some as much as one hundred, others sixty, and others thirty.”

The People Who Might Possibly Be Most Receptive:

1. Second time visitors to the church.
2. Close friends and relatives of new converts.
3. People going through a divorce.
4. Those who feel their need for a recovery program.
5. First-time parents.
6. The terminally ill and their families.
7. Couples with major marriage problems.
8. Parents with problem children.
9. Recently unemployed or those with major financial problems.
10. New residents in the community.

Rick says, “God uses both change and pain to make people receptive to the Gospel.”

Another quote from Pastor Warren, “Growing churches focus on reaching receptive people. Nongrowing churches focus on reenlisting enactive people.”

About Our Church

This is the page you’ll go to in order to get the general information about us.  Here you’ll find basic info about the church, a statement of beliefs, and a brief church history

Pastor’s Sermon Notes

Pastor Hannah makes his sermon notes available for reading on this website.  That’s useful to the people who heard the sermon on Sunday and want to spend more time studying the topic, but it’s also useful for those of you who maybe haven’t heard Pastor Hannah speak before and want to see what kinds of things he teaches.

Study Tools and Articles

I very much recommend this page.  From here you’ll find daily and weekly articles and devotions from around the web, as well as Bible study tools to help in your own reading.

Entertainment

Everybody likes to have fun, right?  Well this is the page for you.  The entertainment page has movie reviews, games, quizzes, and jokes to lighten up your day a little bit.  Why don’t you bookmark the entertainment page so that you can easily come back and play our games?

[2-7-10]

Rick Warren writes this is the most difficult part of becoming a purpose-driven church. Many churches have done what we’ve talked about thus far:

1. They’ve defined their purposes.
2. They’ve developed a purpose statement.
3. They regularly communicate their purposes to their membership.
4. Some have even reorganized their structure around their purposes.

However, a purpose-driven church must go one step further and rigorously apply its purposes to every part of the church:

1. Programming.
2. Scheduling.
3. Budgeting.
4. Staffing.
5. Preaching.
6. And so forth.

Pastor Warren writes, “Integrating your purposes into every area and aspect of your church’s life is the most difficult phase of becoming a purpose-driven church. This process will require leadership that is totally committed to the 5 purposes. It will require months, maybe even years, of praying, planning, preparing, and experimenting. Rick encourages us to focus on progress, not perfection. The end result will be that our church will look different than Saddleback and every other purpose-driven church.

Ten Ways To Be Purpose Driven:

1. Assimilate new members on purpose: We have to use the Circles of Commitment as our strategy for this assimilation.

1. Begin by moving the unchurched from the community to the crowd (for worship).
2. Then, move them from the crowd to the congregation (for fellowship).
3. Next, move them from the congregation to the committed (for discipleship).
4. Then, move them from the committed to the core (for ministry).
5. Finally, move the core back out into the community (for evangelism).

Rick began with the community, and for the first year focused on getting a crowd out of the community. Saddleback was running about 200 after that first year. They used the survey and lots of advertisement that first year because they didn’t have enough people to bring in unbelievers themselves. Now that Saddleback is large they don’t use advertisement, because they have multitudes of members inviting others to come.

2. Program around your purposes: We need to design a program to fulfill each of our purposes. If we use the 5 circles as a strategy for programming, we’ll identify both our targets (community, crowd, congregation, committed, and core) and our objective with each target (evangelism, worship, fellowship, discipleship, and ministry).

Bridge events: The primary program Saddleback uses to impact the community is an annual series of community-wide events. At their current size these events are very large. We would have to start with much smaller events. Some of their events are overtly evangelistic, while others are pre-evangelistic – they simply make the community aware of the church.

Seeker services: The main program for the crowd is their weekend seeker services. They are designed as services to which our members can bring any unsaved friends to whom they are witnessing. The seeker service is meant to assist personal evangelism, not replace it.

Small group network: The main program for the congregation is their small group network. Fellowship, personal care, and a sense of belonging are all benefits of being in a small group. Rick tells people, “You won’t really feel a part of this church family until you join a small group.”

Life Development Institute: The main program for the committed is their Life Development Institute. It offers a wide variety of opportunities for spiritual growth: Bible studies, seminars, workshops, mentoring opportunities, and independent programs. The people can earn credits and eventually receive a diploma. The midweek service is a vital part of the Life Development Institute.

SALT: The main program for the core is their monthly SALT meeting, which stands for Saddleback Advanced Leadership Training. They have that monthly meeting on the first Sunday evening of every month.

3. Educate your people on purpose: Their Christian education program is purpose-driven. Their goal is to help people develop a lifestyle of evangelism, worship, fellowship, discipleship, and ministry. They want to produce doers of the Word, not hearers only – to transform, not merely inform. One of their slogans is, “You only believe the part of the Bible that you do.”

Transformation won’t happen by chance. Rick challenges us that we must establish a disciple making, or educational, process that encourages people to act on what they learn and rewards them when they do.

At Saddleback they call this the “Life Development Process.”

- SEE BASEBALL DIAMOND ILLUSTRATION -

An Overview of The Life Development Institute

100 Level Classes

To lead people to Christ and church membership

200 Level Classes

To grow people to spiritual maturity

300 Level Classes

To equip people with the skills they need for ministry

400 Level Classes

To enlist people in the worldwide mission of sharing Christ

1. You get to first base by completing Class 101 and committing to church’s membership covenant.
2. You arrive at second base by completing Class 201 and committing to a spiritual growth covenant.
3. You make it to third base by completing Class 301 and committing to serve in a ministry of the church.
4. You make it to home plate by completing Class 401 and committing to sharing your faith both at home and on mission trips.

As in baseball, no credit is given for runners left on base. Rick tells new members that the goal is for them to become “Grand Slam Disciples.”

They want them to complete all 16 hours of basic training and to commit to the covenants explained at each base. There is a written covenant at each base that they expect people to sign and commit to before moving ahead. No member may proceed to the next base until he has committed to the requirements of each covenant.

4. Start small groups on purpose: They don’t expect each small group to do the same things; they allow them to specialize.

Seeker groups: These groups are formed exclusively for evangelism. They provide a non-threatening environment for nonbelievers to ask questions, express doubts, and investigate the claims of Christ.

Support groups: These are for the purpose of congregational care, fellowship, and worship. Many of Saddleback’s support groups provide support and fellowship during a specific stage of life; or a specific need in life.

Service groups: These groups are formed around a specific ministry. Groups like these find fellowship together through a common task, project, or ministry.

Growth groups: These groups are dedicated to nurturing, discipleship training, and in-depth Bible study. Saddleback offers about 50 different curriculum choices, and some of these groups do a more in-depth study of the previous week’s sermon.

5. Add staff on purpose: Each person Saddleback hires is given a purpose-based job description.

6. Structure on purpose: Rather than organizing by traditional departments, organize around purpose-based teams. Every staff member at Saddleback is assigned to one of our five purpose-based teams. They are:

• The missions team;
• The magnification/music team;
• The membership team;
• The maturity team;
• The ministry team.

7. Preach on purpose: To produce balanced, healthy believers, Rick suggests that we need to plan a preaching schedule that includes a series on each of the 5 purposes over the course of a year. A 4-week series on each of the purposes would only take 20 weeks, leaving 32 weeks to cover other themes.

This doesn’t mean that every time you teach on the purposes you have to talk about the church. You can personalize the purposes! You can talk about them in terms of every Christian. Series examples:

• You Are Shaped for Significance! [Ministry]
• The Six Stages of Faith! [Spiritual maturity/Discipleship]
• Learning to Hear God’s Voice! [Worship]
• Answering Life’s Toughest Questions! [Evangelism]
• Building Great Relationships! [Fellowship]

8. Educate your people on purpose: Categorize every line item in the church budget by the purpose of the church that it supports, or to which it relates.

9. Calendar on purpose: Designate 2 months of each year to give special emphasis to each purpose. Then give each purpose team (composed of staff or volunteers) the assignment of emphasizing that purpose church-wide during those months.

10. Evaluate on purpose: To remain effective in an ever changing world we would need to continually evaluate what we do. We would need to build review and revision into our process. Evaluate for excellence. We would evaluate our effectiveness through the standard of the 5 purposes.

[1-31-10]

The 2 most influential preachers of the 18^th century were George Whitefield and John Wesley. They were contemporaries, and God used both in a great way; however, they differed in theology, personality, and how they organized their ministries.

Whitefield preached over 18,000 sermons, averaging 10 per week. He once spoke to a crowd of near 100,000 near Glasgow, Scotland, and his preaching tours in America stimulated the revival known as the Great Awakening. However, he left his converts without any organization, so many of the results were temporary. Most of you might not have even recognized his name.

John Wesley’s name is still recognized by millions of Christians. Why? Wesley was an itinerant preacher like Whitefield, engaging in large outdoor evangelistic meetings. However, Wesley was an organizer. He created an organizational structure to fulfill his purpose that far outlasted his lifetime. It’s called the Methodist Church.

For any renewal to last, there must be a structure to nurture and support it. It’s not enough to merely define a purpose statement and communicate it; you must also organize around your church, and around your purposes.

Most evangelical churches already do the 5 purposes of the church – sort of. But they don’t do them all equally well.

Five Kinds of Churches:

The Soul Winning Church: If the pastor sees his primary role as an evangelist, then the church becomes a “soul winning” church. Since this church’s main goal is to see souls saved it’s always reaching out to the lost. The terms you’re likely to hear most often in this church are witnessing, evangelism, salvation, decisions for Christ, baptisms, visitation, altar calls, and crusades. In a soul winning church anything other than evangelism is relegated to a secondary role.

The Experiencing God Church: If the pastor’s passion and gifts lie in the area of worship, he will instinctively lead the church to become an “experiencing God” church. The focus of this church is on experiencing the presence and power of God in worship. Key terms for this church are praise, prayer, worship, music, spiritual gifts, spirit, power, and revival. In this type of church, the worship service receives more attention than anything else.

The Family Reunion Church: If the pastor is highly relational, loves people, and spends most of his time caring for members, then he’s likely to instinctively form this type of church. Key terms are love, belonging, fellowship, caring, relationships, potlucks, small groups, and fun. In the family reunion church the gathering is more important than the goals. This type of church usually doesn’t get very large because the pastor can only care for so many people.

The Classroom Church: If the pastor sees his primary role as being a teacher. If teaching is his primary gift, he will emphasize preaching and teaching and de-emphasize the other tasks of the church. The pastor serves as the expert instructor, and members come to church with notebooks, take notes, and go home. Key words for this church are expository preaching, Bible study, Greek and Hebrew, doctrine, knowledge, truth, and discipleship. It isn’t unusual for this type of church to have the word “Bible” in its name.

The Social Conscience Church: If the pastor of this church sees his role as prophet and reformer. This kind of church is out to change society. It is full of activists who are “doers of the Word,” and comes in both a liberal and a conservative version. The liberal version tends to focus on the injustice of society, while the conservative version tends to focus on the moral decline in our society. Both the liberal and the conservative versions feel the church should be a major player in the political process, and its members are always involved in some current crusade or cause. Important terms are needs, serve, share, minister, take a stand, and do something.

Five Major Parachurch Movements:

The Lay Renewal Movement: This movement refocused the church on the ministry of all Christians.

Organizations such as: Faith at Work, Laity Lodge

The Discipleship/Spiritual Foundations Movement: This movement reemphasized the need to develop believers to full maturity.

Organizations such as: Navigators, Worldwide Discipleship, and Campus Crusade for Christ

The Worship/Renewal Movement: This movement took on the task of refocusing the church on the importance of worship.

Organizations such as: Maranatha! Music and Hosanna/Integrity

The Church Growth Movement: This movement refocused the church on evangelism, missions, and corporate growth.

The Small Group/Pastoral Care Movement: This movement brought new focus to the church on fellowship and caring relationships within the body.

Organizations such as: the Korean cell-church model, Touch Ministries, Serendipity, Care Givers, and Stephen’s Ministry

Each movement was furthered through the books written by some of its advocates.

Keeping Your Church Balanced:

Movements, by nature, specialize in order to have an impact. There’s nothing wrong with specializing. When you need a surgery you want a doctor who specializes in that surgery. But in order for your body to be healthy throughout you need to be balanced in all aspects of health.

In the same way, a balanced church will be a healthy church.

One seminar claims that small groups are the way to church health and growth.

Another claims that seeker services are the way to go.

Another said Sunday school is the answer.

Still another claimed one-on-one discipleship was the answer.

Then another claimed expository preaching was the secret.

There is no one key to church health and growth; there are many keys. The church isn’t called to do one thing; it’s called to do many things. Pastor Warren tells his staff that the 9^th Beatitude is “Blessed are the balance; for they shall outlast everyone else.”

1 Corinthians 12:14-21) For the body is not one member, but many.

15) If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?

16) And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?

17) If the whole body [were] an eye, where [were] the hearing? If the whole [were] hearing, where [were] the smelling?

18) But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.

19) And if they were all one member, where [were] the body?

20) But now [are they] many members, yet but one body.

21) And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.

NOTE: The body needs many parts because it has many things to do.

The Circles of Commitment:

The Community: This community is your starting point. It’s the pool of lost people who live within driving distance of our church who have made no commitment to Christ, or to our church. They are the unchurched that we want to meet. Community is where the purpose of evangelism takes place. It’s the largest circle because it contains the most people.

The Crowd: The crowd includes everyone who shows up on Sundays for our service. These are our regular attenders. The crowd can be made up of both believers and unbelievers. The only common denominator is that they are committed to attending a worship service every week. When someone moves from the community to the crowd we’ve made progress in his/her life.

Though an unbeliever can’t truly worship he/she can watch others worship. Worship can be a powerful witness when it’s done in a way the unbelievers can understand it.

The Congregation: The congregation is the group of official members of our church. They have been baptized and have made a commitment to be a part of our church family. They are now more than just attenders; they are committed to the purpose of fellowship. This is a critical commitment. The Christian life is not just a matter of believing; it includes belonging. Once people have made a commitment to Christ they need to be encouraged to take the next step and commit themselves to Christ’s body, the church. At Sattleback, only those who have received Christ, been baptized, taken our membership class (Class 101: Discovering Sattleback Membership), and signed the membership covenant are considered a part of the congregation (membership).

The Committed: The committed are that group of people in our church who pray, give, and are dedicated to growing in discipleship. They are good people who have not yet gotten involved in ministry. At Sattleback, they consider those who have taken Class 201 (Discovering Spiritual Maturity), and have signed a maturity covenant card to be in this group. Their maturity covenant card includes 3 spiritual habits: (1) having a daily quiet time, (2) tithing, and (3) being active in a small group. They consider those 3 habits essential for spiritual growth.

The Core: The core is the smallest group because it represents the deepest level of commitment. These are the dedicated minority of workers and leaders, those who are committed to ministering to others. These are people who lead and serve in the various ministries of the church as Sunday school teachers, deacons, musicians, youth sponsors, and so forth. Without the core a church would come to a standstill. They form the heart of the church. At Sattleback, they have a very intentional process for helping people find their best ministry niche. It includes taking Class 301 (Discovering My Ministry), filling out a SHAPE profile, having a personal ministry interview, being commissioned as a lay minister in the church, and attending a core-only monthly training meeting.

What happens when people finally get to the core? They are moved back out into the community for ministry.

Jesus Recognized Different Levels of Commitment:

Mark 12:30-34) [GNB] Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’

31) The second most important commandment is this: ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself.’ There is no other commandment more important than these two.”

32) The teacher of the Law said to Jesus, “Well done, Teacher! It is true, as you say, that only the Lord is God and that there is no other god but he.

33) And you must love God with all your heart and with all your mind and with all your strength; and you must love your neighbor as you love yourself. It is more important to obey these two commandments than to offer on the altar animals and other sacrifices to God.”

34) Jesus noticed how wise his answer was, and so he told him, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.” After this nobody dared to ask Jesus any more questions.

This man wasn’t in the Kingdom of God, but he was close.

Jesus’ ministry included ministering to the Community, feeding the Crowd, gathering a Congregation, challenging the Committed, and discipling the Core. All 5 tasks are evident in the gospels. Jesus began at the level of commitment of each person He met. Often He would simply capture their interest and create a desire to know more. Then, as people followed Him, Jesus would slowly, gently define more clearly the kingdom of God and ask for a deeper commitment to it.

At the first encounter with John and Andrew He simply said, “Come and see!”

John 1:38-40) [GNB] Jesus turned, saw them following him, and asked, “What are you looking for?” They answered, “Where do you live, Rabbi?” (This word means “Teacher.”)

39) “Come and see,” he answered. (It was then about four o’clock in the afternoon.) So they went with him and saw where he lived, and spent the rest of that day with him.

40) One of them was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.

Jesus didn’t require much of the early follower; He just invited them to come and check Him out.

[1-24-10]

In Nehemiah’s story of rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem, we learn that halfway through the project the people got discouraged and wanted to give up. They lost their sense of purpose and, as a result, became overwhelmed with fatigue, frustration, and fear. Nehemiah rallied the people back to work by reorganizing the project and recasting the vision. He reminded them of the importance of their work and reassured them that God would help them fulfill His purpose (Nehemiah 4:6-15). The wall was completed in 52 days.

Think of it, it only took 52 days and yet the people became discouraged and wanted to quit after just 26 days. From this story Rick Warren developed the “Nehemiah Principle”: Vision and purpose must be restated every 26 days to keep the church moving in the right direction. In other words we should communicate our purpose at least monthly.

His challenge to you and me is that once we have defined the purposes of our church we must continually clarify and communicate them to everyone in our church. It’s not our task to simply mention them once and then hope everyone remembers them. Those purposes must be stated, restated, and clarified over and over.

Ways to Communicate Vision and Purpose (the 5 S’s):

Scripture: Teach the Biblical truth about the church. Show how every part of your church’s vision is Biblically based. We can do this by studying Bible verses that explain and illustrate our reasoning.

Symbols: We need to understand and harness the tremendous power of symbols. People often need visual representations of concepts in order to grasp them. Symbols can be powerful communication tools because they elicit strong passion and emotions. For instance, you would be outraged to find a swastika painted on your church wall, but an American flag brings out feelings of honor and pride.

Continents have been conquered under the sign of Christianity’s cross, communism’s hammer and sickle, and Islam’s crescent moon.

At Saddleback they’ve used two symbols – five concentric circles and a baseball diamond – to illustrate the 5 purposes of the church. We’ll discuss those symbols in the coming weeks.

Slogans: Slogans, maxims, mottoes, and pithy phrases are remembered after sermons are forgotten. Many key events in history have hinged on a slogan: “Remember the Alamo!” “Sink the Bismarck!” “Give me liberty or give me death!” History has proven that a simple slogan, repeatedly shared with conviction, can motivate people to do things they normally would never do, even to giving up their lives on a battlefield.

Saddleback has developed and used dozens of slogans to reinforce church vision: “Every member is a minister,” “All leaders are learners,” “We’re saved to serve,” “Evaluate for excellence,” “Win the lost at any cost,” and many others. Pastor Warren periodically sets aside time to think of new ways to communicate old ideas in fresh ways.

Stories: Jesus used simple stories to help people understand and relate to His vision.

Matthew 13:34) [GW] Jesus used illustrations to tell the crowds all these things. He did not tell them anything without illustrating it with a story.

Rick challenges us to use stories to dramatize the purposes of our church. Rick will speak about evangelism and tell stories of members who have shared their faith with friends and led them to Christ. He’ll talk about fellowship and read letters from people whose loneliness was relieved by getting involved in the church family. People like to do whatever gets rewarded, so tell the stories of those who do the work of the church and make heroes of them.

Specifics: We need to always give practical, clear, concrete action steps that explain how our church intends to fulfill its purposes. We need to plan programs, schedule events, dedicate buildings, and eventually hire staff for each purpose.

Remember, nothing becomes dynamic until it becomes specific. When a vision is vague it holds no attraction. The more specific our vision is, the more it will grab attention and attract commitment. The most specific way to communicate purposes is to apply them personally to each member’s life.

Personalize the Purposes:

Colossians 3:15) [TLB] Let the peace of heart that comes from Christ be always present in your hearts and lives, for this is your responsibility and privilege as members of his body. And always be thankful.

The way to personalize the purposes is to show that there is both a privilege and a responsibility connected to each of them. Each of the 5 purposes are our responsibility to fulfill and they are our privilege to enjoy.

The 5 purposes are personalized by reminding one another that these are God’s 5 goals for each believer.

My Responsibilities as a Believer:

God wants me to be a member of His family: This is the purpose of fellowship stated in a personal way. Following Christ isn’t just a matter of believing – it also includes belonging.

1 Peter 1:3a) [TLB] All honor to God, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; for it is his boundless mercy that has given us the privilege of being born again so that we are now members of God’s own family.

Ephesians 2:19) [GW] That is why you are no longer foreigners and outsiders but citizens together with God’s people and members of God’s family.

God wants me to be a model of His character: This is the personalized goal of discipleship. God wants every believer to grow up spiritually to develop a Christ-like character. That’s the Biblical definition of “spiritual maturity.” Jesus has established a pattern for us to follow.

1 Peter 2:21) [GNB] It was to this that God called you, for Christ himself suffered for you and left you an example, so that you would follow in his steps.

1 Timothy 4:12) [GNB] Do not let anyone look down on you because you are young, but be an example for the believers in your speech, your conduct, your love, faith, and purity.

Spiritual maturity isn’t measured by one’s knowledge, but by one’s lifestyle.

God wants me to be a minister of His grace: A 3^rd responsibility of each believer is the personalized purpose of service, or ministry. God expects us to use the gifts, talents, and opportunities He gives us to benefit others.

1 Peter 4:10) [GNB] Each one, as a good manager of God’s different gifts, must use for the good of others the special gift he has received from God.

Ephesians 2: 10) [TLB] It is God himself who has made us what we are and given us new lives from Christ Jesus; and long ages ago he planned that we should spend these lives in helping others.

Rick Warren tells unbelievers, “When you give your life to Christ, you are signing up to minister in His name for the rest of your life. It’s what God made you for.

God wants me to be a messenger of His love: This is the church’s personalized responsibility of evangelism stated in a personal way. Part of the job description for each believer is that once we have been born again, we become messengers of the Good News to others.

Acts 20:24) [TLB] But life is worth nothing unless I use it for doing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus-the work of telling others the Good News about God’s mighty kindness and love.

2 Corinthians 5:19-20) In other words, God was using Christ to restore his relationship with humanity. He didn’t hold people’s faults against them, and he has given us this message of restored relationships to tell others.

20) Therefore, we are Christ’s representatives, and through us God is calling you. We beg you on behalf of Christ to become reunited with God.

We are to plead with unbelievers to receive the love He offers – go be reconciled to God. Why doesn’t God take us immediately to Heaven once we’re saved? There’s only 2 things we can do on earth that we can’t do in Heaven: sin, and witness to unbelievers. Which of these reasons to you think God left us on earth for?

God wants me to be a magnifier of His name: This is the church’s personalized responsibility to worship God.

Psalm 34:3) [KJB] O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.

We each have a responsibility to worship God. There’s an inborn urge in everyone to worship. If we refuse to worship God we’ll find something else to worship.

Exodus 20:3) [KJB] Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

My Privileges as a Believer:

While fulfilling the 5 purposes of the church is a responsibility of every believer, they also provide spiritual, emotional, and relational benefits.

Church provides people with benefits they can’t find anywhere else in the world:

• Worship helps people focus on God.
• Fellowship helps them face life’s problems.
• Discipleship helps fortify their faith.
• Ministry helps them find their talents.
• Evangelism helps them fulfill their mission.

State It Over and Over:

One widely known law of advertising is that a message must be communicated 7 times before it really sinks in.

               My Church Family Gives Me

• God’s purpose to live for (mission)
• God’s people to live with (membership)
• God’s principles to live by (maturity)
• God’s profession to live out (ministry)
• God’s power to live by (magnify)

[1-17-10]

What Does the Bible Say About the Church?

Matthew 5:13-16; 9:35; 11:28-30; 16:15-19; 18:19-20; 22:36-40; 24:14; 25:34-40; 28:18-20; Mark 10:43-45; Luke 4:18-19; 4:43-45; John 4:23; 10:14-18; 13:34-35; 20:21; Acts 1:8; 2:41-47; 4:32-35; 5:42; 6:1-7; Romans 12:1-8; 15:1-7; I Corinthians 12:12-31; II Corinthians 5:17-6:1; Galatians 5:13-15; 6:1-2; Ephesians 1:22-23; 2:19-22; 3:6; 3:14-21; 4:11-16; 5:23-24; Colossians 1:24-28; 3:15-16; I Thessalonians 1:3; 5:11; Hebrews 10:24-25; 13:7,17; I Peter 2:9-10; I John 1:5-7; 4:7-21. 

NOTE: We will spend some time on these Scriptures in the coming weeks.

ANOTHER NOTE: Rick Warren recommends a book written by Gene Mims called “Kingdom Principles for Church Growth.”

What Should We Look For When We Study the Church?

1. Look at Christ’s ministry on earth.

What did He do? What would He do if He were here today?

2. Look at the images and names of the church.

The church is a body, a family, a bride, a flock, a community, and an army.

3. Look at the examples of the N.T. churches.

What did the first churches do? Study N.T. churches.

4. Look at the commands of Christ.

What did Jesus tell us to do?

Matthew 16:18b) [GW] You are Peter, and I can guarantee that on this rock I will build my church. And the gates of hell will not overpower it.

The church belongs to Christ. It’s not our job to create the purposes of the church, but to discover them. Jesus has already established the purposes for His church, and they’re not negotiable. Our duty is to understand His purposes and to implement them.

Look For Answers to Four Questions:

1. Why does the church exist?
2. What are we to be as a church? (Who and what are we?)
3. What are we to do as a church? (What does God want done in the world?)
4. How are we to do it?

Put Your Findings In Writing:

As we study the church we should put what we discover in writing. We should say everything we discover about the nature and purposes of the church.

Focus on getting all the purposes clearly identified.

Summarize Your Conclusions In a Sentence:

We need to then condense all that we’ve learned about the purposes of God for the church into a single paragraph; then, we need to condense it further into a single sentence. This sentence will be the Purpose Statement of Walk of Grace Chapel.

Why only a sentence? We want it to be something that we can all memorize.

What Makes an Effective Purpose Statement?

It is Biblical.

            It must state the N.T. doctrine of the church.

It is specific.

It needs to be simple and clear. This isn’t where we record our statement of beliefs. We keep it short and to the point. A narrow mission is a clear mission.

A specific purpose statement forces us to focus our energy. We can’t be detoured by peripheral issues.

Ask the question, “What are the few things that will make the most difference for Jesus’ sake in the world?”

It is transferable.

It needs to be short enough to be remembered and passed on by every member of the church.

People don’t remember sermons. They remember simple statements, slogans, and phrases. What do you remember from President Kennedy’s speeches? From Martin Luther King’s speeches?

It is measurable.

It should provide a specific standard by which we can review, revise, and improve everything our church does. If we can’t evaluate our church from our purpose statement then we need to go back to the drawing board.

Two Great Scriptures:

The Great Commandment:

Matthew 22:37-40) [GW] Jesus answered him, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’

38) This is the greatest and most important commandment.

39) The second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself.’

40) All of Moses’ Teachings and the Prophets depend on these two commandments.”

The Great Commission:

Matthew 28:19-20) [GW] So wherever you go, make disciples of all nations: Baptize them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

20) Teach them to do everything I have commanded you. “And remember that I am always with you until the end of time.”

A Great Commitment to the Great Commandment and the Great Commission will grow a Great Church.

The Five Purposes of the Church:

1. Love the Lord with all your heart.
2. Love your neighbor as yourself.
3. Go and make disciples.
4. Baptize those disciples.
5. Teach those disciples to obey the Word.

#1: Love the Lord With All Your Heart:

The word that describes this purpose is worship. The church exists to worship God.

#2: Love Your Neighbor As Yourself:

The word that describes this purpose is ministry. The church exists to minister to people. Ministry is demonstrating God’s love to others by meeting their needs and healing their hurts in the name of Jesus.

#3: Go and Make Disciples:

The word that describes this purpose is evangelism. The church exists to communicate God’s Word. The word “go” in the Great Commission is a present participle in the Greek text. It should read, “as you are going.” It’s every believer’s responsibility to share the Good News wherever we go.

#4: Baptize Those Disciples:

Romans 6:3) [GW] Don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?

The word that describes this purpose is belonging. The church exists to bring others into a place of belonging. When someone is baptized into Christ they are baptized into His body, the Church. It says to the world, “This person is now one of us.”

#5: Teach Those Disciples To Obey the Word:

The word that describes this purpose is discipleship. The church exists to edify, or educate God’s people. Discipleship is the process of helping people become more like Christ in their thoughts, feelings, and actions.

Ephesians 4:11-13) [GW] He also gave apostles, prophets, missionaries, as well as pastors and teachers as gifts to his church.

12) Their purpose is to prepare God’s people, to serve, and to build up the body of Christ.

13) This is to continue until all of us are united in our faith and in our knowledge about God’s Son, until we become mature, until we measure up to Christ, who is the standard.

Saddleback’s Purpose Statement:

To bring people to Jesus and membership in His family, develop them to Christlike maturity, and equip them for their ministry in the church and life mission in the world, in order to magnify God’s name.

NOTE: Notice the 5 “m’s.” They are membership, maturity, ministry, mission, and magnify.

BIBLE STUDY

Part I

(Verses 1-4)

[Wednesday, September 2, 2009]

James 1:1-4) James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.

Regarding “James,”

“He does not proclaim himself ‘the brother of Jesus’, but only a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus was not just James’ brother, more importantly, Jesus was his Lord” [Guzik].

As it concerns “a servent,”

“A slave, one who is in a permanent relation of servitude to another, his will being altogether consumed in the will of the other” [Word Study]. 

“‘A slave, a bondservant, one who is in a permanent relation of servitude to another . . . Among the Greeks, with their strong sense of personal freedom, the term carried a degrading connotation’ (Hiebert)” [Guzik].

2) My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;

In regards to “divers,”

“It is used to describe the skin of a leopard, the different-colored veinings of marble, or an embroidered robe; and thence passes into the meaning of changeful, diversified, applied to the changing months or the variations of a strain of music. Peter employs it again, 1Pe_4:10, of the grace of God, and James of temptations, as here (Jam_1:2). Compare manifold, in Eph_3:10, applied to the wisdom of God. The word gives a vivid picture of the diversity of the trials, emphasizing this idea rather than that of their number, which is left to be inferred” [Vincent]. 

Concerning “temptations,”

“‘Trials’ is clearly the meaning here. Trials rightly faced are harmless, but wrongly met become temptations to evil” [Robertson].

Regarding “when ye fall,”

“James regards trials as inevitable. He says when, not if you fall into various trials” [Guzik].

John 16:33) These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

Verse 2 In Other Translations:

(GNB)  My friends, consider yourselves fortunate when all kinds of trials come your way,

(GW)  My brothers and sisters, be very happy when you are tested in different ways.

(MSG)  Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides.

QUESTION: How do we consider ourselves fortunate, be very happy, and consider it a sheer gift when all kinds of trials come our way, when we are tested in different ways, and when tests and challenges come at us from all sides?

QUESTION: Why should we do it?

3) Knowing [this], that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

NOTE: The use of the word “trying” in this verse shows us that “trials” are meant in the previous verse, as opposed to “temptations.”

Regarding “patience,”

“hupoméno (G5278), to persevere, remain under. A bearing up under, patience, endurance as to things or circumstances. This is in contrast to makrothumía (G3115), long-suffering or endurance toward people” [Word Study].

(BBE)  Because you have the knowledge that the testing of your faith gives you the power of going on in hope;

(CEV)  You know that you learn to endure by having your faith tested.

(GNB)  for you know that when your faith succeeds in facing such trials, the result is the ability to endure.

(MSG)  You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors.

QUESTION: What happens when our faith is tried?

QUESTION: Do trials always produce patience?

 QUESTION: Do trials produce anything else in us?

“Trials don’t produce faith, but when trials are received with faith, it produces patience” [Guzik].

4a) But let patience have [her] perfect work,  

In regards to “let have,” the 2 words that surround “patience,”

“Present active imperative of echo, let it keep on having” [Robertson]. 

Concerning “patience,”

“cheerful (or hopeful) endurance, constancy” [Strong’s].

(BBE)  But let this power have its full effect,

(CEV)  But you must learn to endure everything,

(GNB)  Make sure that your endurance carries you all the way without failing,

(GW)  Endure until your testing is over.

(MSG)  So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely.

QUESTION: Why should we “let patience have her perfect work”?

4b) that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

Regarding “perfect,”

“téleios; fem. teleía, neut. téleion, adj. from télos (G5056), goal, purpose. Finished, that which has reached its end, term, limit; hence, complete, full, wanting in nothing” [Word Study].

Concerning “entire,”

“Whole, having all its parts, sound, perfect. That which retains all that was initially allotted to it and wanting nothing for its wholeness” [Word Study].

In regards to “wanting nothing,”

“Negative statement of the preceding positive as often in James” [Robertson].

QUESTION: Does this imply that when we face trials well that we then become perfect?

QUESTION: If so, in what way?

Romans 5:3-5) And not only [so], but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;

4) And patience, experience; and experience, hope:

5) And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

Concerning “glory,”

“To boast, glory, exult, both in a good and bad sense” [Word Study].

In regards to “tribulations,”

“to crush, press, compress, squeeze” [Word Study].

In regards to “temptations” in verse 2,

“Trial, temptation, a putting to the test, spoken of persons only” [Word Study].

In Closing:

2Corinthians 11:30) If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities.

“An early history of the church says that James was such a man of prayer that his knees had large, thick calluses, making them look like the knees of a camel. It also says that James was martyred in Jerusalem by being pushed from a high point of the temple; the fall did not kill him, and he was beaten to death on the ground as he prayed for his attackers” [Guzik].

James 1:1-15

BIBLE STUDY

Part II

(Verses 5-8)

[Wednesday, September 23, 2009]

James 1:5-11) If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all [men] liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

In regards to “If any of you lack wisdom,”

“Probably this refers particularly to the kind of wisdom which they would need in their trials, to enable them to bear them in a proper manner, for there is nothing in which Christians more feel the need of heavenly wisdom than in regard to the manner in which they should bear trials, and what they should do in the perplexities, and disappointments, and bereavements that come upon them; but the language employed is so general, that what is here said may be applied to the need of wisdom in all respects” [Barnes].

“Trials are a necessary time to seek wisdom from God. We often didn’t know we needed wisdom until our trial. Once in a time of trial, we need to know if a particular trial is something God wants us to eliminate by faith or persevere in by faith. This requires wisdom! —- In trials, we need wisdom a lot more than we need knowledge. Knowledge is raw information, but wisdom knows how to use it. Someone has said that knowledge is the ability to take things apart, but wisdom is the ability to put things together” [Guzik].

NOTE: The Greek word rendered “lack” in this verse is the same word rendered “wanting” in the previous verse.

QUESTION: If the end result of handling trials is our lacking nothing (vs. 4), and this verse starts with “If any of you lack wisdom,” what does that tell us?

Concerning “let him ask of God, that giveth to all [men] liberally,”

“Present active imperative of aiteō, ‘let him keep on asking.’” [Robertson].

“The Greek puts it so that giving is emphasized as an attribute of God. Lit., ‘Ask of the giving God,’ or of ‘God the giver’” [Vincent].

(BBE)  let him make his request to God, who gives freely to all 

(CEV)  you should ask God, and it will be given to you. God is generous

(WNT)  let him ask God for it, who gives with open hand to all men,

QUESTION: Why can we expect God to help us when we ask Him for wisdom?

Regarding “upbraideth not,”

“To defame, disparage, reproach. Generally it means to rail at, revile, assail with abusive words” [Word Study].

(BBE)  who gives freely to all without an unkind word,

(CEV)  God is generous and won’t correct you for asking.

(GW)  God is generous to everyone and doesn’t find fault with them.

QUESTION: What is this verse telling us that God will do when we ask for help that we don’t always do when others ask us for help?

QUESTION: Are we to believe that God is O.K. with our continually making the same dumb mistakes, and that He’ll always give us what we need without ever a disparaging word?

6) But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

In regards to “nothing wavering,”

“To be in strife with oneself, i.e., to doubt, hesitate, waver” [Word Study].

“Negative way of saying en pistei (in faith)” Not equivalent to unbelief, but expressing the hesitation which balances between faith and unbelief, and inclines toward the latter [Robertson].

“Not equivalent to unbelief, but expressing the hesitation which balances between faith and unbelief, and inclines toward the latter” [Vincent].

(Murdock)  But let him ask in faith, not hesitating:

(MSG)  Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought.

(GW)  When you ask for something, don’t have any doubts.

Considering “he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed,”

(CEV)  Anyone who doubts is like an ocean wave tossed around in a storm.

(MSG)  People who “worry their prayers” are like wind-whipped waves.

QUESTION: How can you and I possibly “ask in faith, nothing wavering”?

7) For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.

QUESTION: Wow! What do you think of this verse?

QUESTION: Considering our human condition, is God being fair?

A double minded man [is] unstable in all his ways.

In regards to “double minded,”

“Such a person suffers from divided loyalties. On the one hand, he wishes to maintain a religious confession and desires the presence of God in his life; on the other hand, he loves the ways of the world and prefers to live according to its mores and ethics” [Word Study].

“It means, properly, one who has two souls; then one who is wavering or inconstant. It is applicable to a man who has no settled principles; who is controlled by passion; who is influenced by popular feeling; who is now inclined to one opinion or course of conduct, and now to another” [Barnes].

NOTE: Only James uses this word; and he uses it only twice [also in James 4:8]. I’m in disagreement with the Word Study Dictionary and Barnes on this. The subject is faith and doubt. In this context the man who is double minded is not vacillating between the pleasures of the world verses walking in the principles of God; but rather, he’s vacillating between trusting God and doubting God.

IF YOU WANT TO SEE WHAT HE’S TALKING ABOUT THEN SEE WHAT HE’S TALKING ABOUT!!!

QUESTION: In vs. 5 it says, “let him ask of God, that giveth to all [men] liberally,” and in vs. 7 it says, “let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord.” Is this a contradiction?

James 1:1-15

BIBLE STUDY

Part III

(Verses 9-13)

  [Wednesday, October 7, 2009]

James 1:9-13) Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted:

10) But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.

11) For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.

(NIV) 9) The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position.

10) But the one who is rich should take pride in his low position, because he will pass away like a wild flower.

11) For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will fade away even while he goes about his business.

(NLT) 9) Christians who are poor should be glad, for God has honored them.

10) And those who are rich should be glad, for God has humbled them. They will fade away like a flower in the field.

11) The hot sun rises and dries up the grass; the flower withers, and its beauty fades away. So also, wealthy people will fade away with all of their achievements.

(MSG) 9) When down-and-outers get a break, cheer!

10) And when the arrogant rich are brought down to size, cheer! Prosperity is as short-lived as a wildflower, so don’t ever count on it.

11) You know that as soon as the sun rises, pouring down its scorching heat, the flower withers. Its petals wilt and, before you know it, that beautiful face is a barren stem. Well, that’s a picture of the “prosperous life.” At the very moment everyone is looking on in admiration, it fades away to nothing.

Concerning the “brother of low degree,”

“The lowly brother probably has no control over his humble circumstances. There is no reason to believe he is lazy or careless. But God has seen fit to place him in a low income bracket and that is where he has been ever since” [BBC].

QUESTION: Does God have a special place in His heart for the poor/downtrodden?

QUESTION: Does God have it out for the rich?

A note from a commentary:

“Too many Christians go through life rebelling against their sex, their age, their height, and even against life itself. Girls with a flair for baseball wish they were boys. Young people wish they were older, and old people want to be younger. Short people envy those who are tall, and tall ones wish they weren’t so conspicuous. Some people even say, “I wish I were dead!” All this is absurd! The Christian attitude is to accept from God things which we cannot change. They are God’s destiny for us, and we should make the most of them for His glory and for the blessing of others. We should say with the Apostle Paul: “By the grace of God I am what I am” (1Co_15:10)” [BBC].

QUESTION: What can the poor rejoice in?

QUESTION: What is He actually saying to the rich?

NOTE: The rich have truly been blessed with material things, but that can change in a moment. The rich who know Jesus should rejoice in the fact that regardless of what happens to their wealth in this world, like the poor believer, they have a blessed hope in Jesus.

12) Blessed [is] the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

QUESTION: What does it mean to “endure” temptation?

QUESTION: What is “the crown of life”?

QUESTION: So then, if you fail in the hour of your temptation, does this verse imply that you won’t go to Heaven?

13) Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:

(CEV)  Don’t blame God when you are tempted! God cannot be tempted by evil, and he doesn’t use evil to tempt others.

(GNB)  If we are tempted by such trials, we must not say, “This temptation comes from God.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one.

(MSG)  Don’t let anyone under pressure to give in to evil say, “God is trying to trip me up.” God is impervious to evil, and puts evil in no one’s way.

(NLT)  And remember, no one who wants to do wrong should ever say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else either.

QUESTION: Does God “try” us?

QUESTION: Does God “tempt” us?

QUESTION: What is the difference?

What Does the Greek Show Us?

Temptation [vs. 12] – “a putting to proof (by experiment [of good], experience [of evil], solicitation, discipline or provocation); by implication adversity:” [Strong’s].

Tempted [vs. 13] – “to test (objectively), that is, endeavor, scrutinize, entice, discipline:” [Strong’s].

Tried [vs. 12] – “properly acceptable (current after assayal), that is, approved:” [Strong’s].

“The meaning is not, as the A. V. suggests, when his trial is finished, but when he has been approved by trial” [Vincent].

NOTE: The Greek word rendered “patience” in vs. 3, and the Greek word rendered “endureth” in vs. 12 come from the same root word.

QUESTION: What are verses 12 & 13 actually telling us?

James 1:1-15

BIBLE STUDY

Part IV

(Verses 12-15)

[Wednesday, November 4, 2009]

12) Blessed [is] the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

QUESTION: What does it mean to “endure” temptation?

QUESTION: What is “the crown of life”?

QUESTION: So then, if you fail in the hour of your temptation, does this verse imply that you won’t go to Heaven?

13) Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:

(CEV)  Don’t blame God when you are tempted! God cannot be tempted by evil, and he doesn’t use evil to tempt others.

(GNB)  If we are tempted by such trials, we must not say, “This temptation comes from God.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one.

(MSG)  Don’t let anyone under pressure to give in to evil say, “God is trying to trip me up.” God is impervious to evil, and puts evil in no one’s way.

(NLT)  And remember, no one who wants to do wrong should ever say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else either.

QUESTION: Does God “try” us?

QUESTION: Does God “tempt” us?

QUESTION: What is the difference?

What Does the Greek Show Us?

Temptation [vs. 12] – “a putting to proof (by experiment [of good], experience [of evil], solicitation, discipline or provocation); by implication adversity:” [Strong’s].

Tempted [vs. 13] – “to test (objectively), that is, endeavor, scrutinize, entice, discipline:” [Strong’s].

Tried [vs. 12] – “properly acceptable (current after assayal), that is, approved:” [Strong’s].

“The meaning is not, as the A. V. suggests, when his trial is finished, but when he has been approved by trial” [Vincent].

NOTE: The Greek word rendered “patience” in vs. 3, and the Greek word rendered “endureth” in vs. 12 come from the same root word.

QUESTION: What are verses 12 & 13 actually telling us?

14) But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

(GNB) But we are tempted when we are drawn away and trapped by our own evil desires.

(MSG) The temptation to give in to evil comes from us and only us. We have no one to blame but the leering, seducing flare-up of our own lust.

(NLT) Temptation comes from the lure of our own evil desires.

(TLB) Temptation is the pull of man’s own evil thoughts and wishes.

QUESTION: What are your thoughts on this verse?

Concerning this verse,

“James tracks the lion to its den” [BBC].

 Matthew 15:19) For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:

“That is, the fountain or source of all temptation is in man himself. It is true that external inducements to sin may be placed before him, but they would have no force if there was not something in himself to which they corresponded, and over which they might have power” [Barnes].

NOTE: The Greek word rendered “lust,” epithumia means “craving (to have a desire for) either good (Phi_1:23) or evil” [Robertson].

Philippians 1:23) For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:

NOTE: This Greek word is overwhelmingly used more often in the evil sense, such as in our current verse. We are not tempted to sin by God, but rather, by something inside of us as a result of the human condition.

QUESTION: Is there any hope for us?

15) Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

(GW)  Then desire becomes pregnant and gives birth to sin. When sin grows up, it gives birth to death.

(MSG)  Lust gets pregnant, and has a baby: sin! Sin grows up to adulthood, and becomes a real killer.

(CEV)  Our desires make us sin, and when sin is finished with us, it leaves us dead.

(NLT) These evil desires lead to evil actions, and evil actions lead to death.

(AMP) Then the evil desire, when it has conceived, gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is fully matured, brings forth death.

QUESTION: What are your thoughts on this verse?

QUESTION: When a believer sins what does “when it is finished, bringeth forth death” mean?

“The statement that sin produces death may be understood in several ways. First of all, the sin of Adam brought physical death on himself and on all his posterity (Gen_2:17). But sin also leads to eternal, spiritual death—the final separation of the person from God and from blessing (Rom_6:23 a). There is a sense also in which sin results in death for a believer. For instance, in 1Ti_5:6 we read that a believing widow who lives in pleasure is dead while she lives. This means that she is wasting her life and utterly failing to fulfill the purpose for which God saved her. To be out of fellowship with God is for a Christian a form of living death” [BBC].

NOTE: Sin always produces death. It kills something!

QUESTION: What “death” did Adam’s original sin cause?

ANSWER: Adam’s original sin killed the human race, causing humanity to grow old and die physically, and to immediately die spiritually.

QUESTION: When a believer sins, what “death’ does that sin cause?

James 1:16-27

BIBLE STUDY

Part V

(Verses 16-21)

[Wednesday, December 2, 2009]

James 1:16-27) Do not err, my beloved brethren.

(BBE)  Do not be turned from the right way, dear brothers

(CEV)  Don’t be fooled, my dear friends.

(GNB)  Do not be deceived, my dear friends!

(MSG)  So, my very dear friends, don’t get thrown off course.

NOTE: I should have included this verse with the last Bible Study. James had told us that it’s our own lust that draws us away and entices us [verse 14], and the end result of giving in to our lust is sin and death [verse 15]. In this verse he’s telling us to be careful not to allow our lust to deceive us and throw us off course.

17) Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above”

(BBE) Every good and true thing is given to us from heaven,

(MSG) Every desirable and beneficial gift comes out of heaven

(NLT) Whatever is good and perfect comes to us from God above,

Regarding “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above,”

“The statement that these gifts are from God is in pursuance of the idea that God does not tempt men to evil. The gifts of God are contrasted with the evil springing from man’s lust” [Vincent].

“It is not unusual for people who fall into sin to blame God instead of themselves. They say, in effect, to their Creator, ‘Why have you made me this way?’ But this is a form of self-deception. Only good gifts come from God” [BBC].

“with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning”

(BBE) with whom there is no change or any shade made by turning.

(CEV) He is always the same and never makes dark shadows by changing.

(GW) The Father doesn’t change like the shifting shadows produced by the sun and the moon.

(MSG) There is nothing deceitful in God, nothing two-faced, nothing fickle.

In regards to “the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning,”

“The light of faith, purity, and all manner of consolation is from him. So that we have nothing good but what we receive from God, as there is no evil or sin in us, or done by us, but what is owing to ourselves” [Matthew Henry].

QUESTION: When we compare this verse with verses 13-15 what is God telling us?

I Corinthians 4:7) (GNB) Who made you superior to others? Didn’t God give you everything you have? Well, then, how can you boast, as if what you have were not a gift?

NOTE: Not only is God not responsible for our failures, but any desire to do better next time, to resist temptation harder, to be disappointed when we sin comes from God.

18) Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

(CEV)  He wanted us to be his own special people, and so he sent the true message to give us new birth.

(GW)  God decided to give us life through the word of truth to make us his most important creatures.

QUESTION: Why are we compared to “firstfruits”?

Concerning “firstfruits,”

“Time figure is taken from the requirement of the Jewish law that the first-born of men and cattle, and the first growth of fruits and grain should be consecrated to the Lord. The point of the illustration is that Christians, like first-fruits, should be consecrated to God” [Vincent].

19) Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:

(GNB)  Remember this, my dear friends! Everyone must be quick to listen, but slow to speak and slow to become angry.

(MSG)  Post this at all the intersections, dear friends: Lead with your ears, follow up with your tongue, and let anger straggle along in the rear.

QUESTION: What are your thoughts on this verse?

20) For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.

Regarding “wrath,”

“covet after, desire. Wrath, anger as a state of mind. Contrast thumós (G2372), indignation, wrath as the outburst of a vengeful mind” [Word Study].

QUESTION: What are your thoughts on this verse?

21) Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

(CEV)  You must stop doing anything immoral or evil. Instead be humble and accept the message that is planted in you to save you.

(GNB)  So get rid of every filthy habit and all wicked conduct. Submit to God and accept the word that he plants in your hearts, which is able to save you.

(MSG)  So throw all spoiled virtue and cancerous evil in the garbage. In simple humility, let our gardener, God, landscape you with the Word, making a salvation-garden of your life.

QUESTION: What is this verse telling us?

QUESTION: What does it take to overcome bad habits?

James 1:16-27

BIBLE STUDY

Part V

(Verses 21-27)

[Wednesday, January 13, 2009]

James 1:21-27) Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

(CEV)  You must stop doing anything immoral or evil. Instead be humble and accept the message that is planted in you to save you.

(GNB)  So get rid of every filthy habit and all wicked conduct. Submit to God and accept the word that he plants in your hearts, which is able to save you.

(MSG)  So throw all spoiled virtue and cancerous evil in the garbage. In simple humility, let our gardener, God, landscape you with the Word, making a salvation-garden of your life.

QUESTION: What is this verse telling us?

QUESTION: What does it take to overcome bad habits?

22) But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

(GW) Do what God’s word says. Don’t merely listen to it, or you will fool yourselves.

(MSG) Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other. Act on what you hear!

Concerning “but be ye,”

“Rather, ‘But keep on becoming’ (present middle imperative of ginomai)” [Robertson].

QUESTION: What is this verse telling us?

QUESTION: Why don’t we more consistently “do” God’s Word?

23) For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:

24) For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.

(BBE) 23) Because if any man is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man looking at his natural face in a glass;

24) For after looking at himself he goes away, and in a short time he has no memory of what he was like.

(GW) 23) If someone listens to God’s word but doesn’t do what it says, he is like a person who looks at his face in a mirror,

24) studies his features, goes away, and immediately forgets what he looks like.

(MSG) 23) Those who hear and don’t act are like those who glance in the mirror,

24) walk away, and two minutes later have no idea who they are, what they look like.

Regarding “he beholdeth himself,”

“to consider attentively, to take note of” [Robertson].

QUESTION: What is this verse telling us?

Compare This Passage With The Following Passages:

John 11:9-10) Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.

10) But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.

John 8:31-32) Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, [then] are ye my disciples indeed;

32) And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

QUESTION: Why do people stumble according to the John 11 passage?

QUESTION: Why do people fail to walk in freedom according to the John 8 passage?

John 5:39-40) Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.

40) And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.

QUESTION: What are we missing?

25) But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth [therein], he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

QUESTION: What is “the perfect law of liberty”?

Act 15:5-11) But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command [them] to keep the law of Moses.

6) And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.

7) And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men [and] brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.

And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as [he did] unto us;

9) And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.

10) Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?

11) But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.

26) If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion [is] vain.

27) Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, [and] to keep himself unspotted from the world.

QUESTION: What 3 things does James stress that true religion insists on?

1.      We should bridle our tongue.

2.      We should visit children and widows in their time of trouble.

3.      We should keep ourselves unspotted from the world.