Gatherings

Gatherings

“For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." -Matthew 18:20

A Christian Vision – The Fight against Mediocrity

Song of Praise Give thanks to the Lord Our God and King His love endures forever For He is good, He is above all things His love endures forever Sing praise, sing praise With a mighty hand and outstretched arm His love endures forever For the life that's been reborn His love endures forever Sing praise, sing praise Sing praise, sing praise Yeah Forever God is faithful Forever God is strong Forever God is with us Forever

From the rising to the setting sun His love endures forever By the grace of God

Gatherings We will carry on His love endures forever Sing praise, sing praise Sing praise, sing praise Chorus His love endures forever His love endures forever His love endures forever Forever Sing praise, sing praise Sing praise, sing praise Chorus Forever you are faithful Forever you are strong Forever you are with us Forever…Forever You are God..... Forever… And ever and ever…

Song of Worship We fall down We lay our crowns At the feet of Jesus The greatness of Your Mercy and love At the feet of Jesus And we cry holy, holy, holy And we cry holy, holy, holy And we cry holy, holy, holy Is the lamb We fall down We lay our crowns At the feet of Jesus The greatness of Mercy and love At the feet of Jesus

Gatherings And we cry holy, holy, holy And we cry holy, holy, holy And we cry holy, holy, holy Is the lamb And we cry holy, holy, holy And we cry holy, holy, holy And we cry holy, holy, holy Is the lamb

Gatherings Do we as individual Christians have a vision? Matthew 28:19-20 “19Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

Do we follow this?

Gatherings Jesus makes it very plain, that with out no vision we are useless. Luke 14:35-35 ”26If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. 27And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. 28For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? 29Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, 30Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. 31Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? 32Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace. 33So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple. 34Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned? 35It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; but men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.“

Gatherings Do we as a Church have a vision? What is our Vision? I have taken a few quotes from our Church Covenant. “…to contribute cheerfully and regularly to the support of the ministry, the expenses of the church, the relief of the poor, and the spread of the gospel through all the nations.” “We also engage to maintain family and secret devotions; to religiously educate our children; to seek the salvation of our kindred and acquaintances, to walk circumspectly in the world.” “… to avoid all gossiping, backbiting, and excessive anger; to be zealous in our efforts to advance the kingdom of our Savior.”

Gatherings How do we achieve this vision? 1 Cor. 1:10 “10Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.” Philippians 1:27 “27Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;”

Gatherings Jesus also makes it very plain that once again a vision is important to the church. Revelation 3:14-19 “14And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; 15I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. 17Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 18I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. 19As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.”