THIS IS THE CHURCH
III. How do we work together?
The same way as in a marriage: LOVE AND RESPECT…
The People of the Church: Members and Leaders
Pastor Jamie Mitchell
December 8, 2013
Nevertheless, each individual among you also is to love his own wife
even as himself, and the wife must see to it that she respects her
husband. (Ephesians 5:33)
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Members are to RESPECT the Leaders
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Leaders are to LOVE the Members
Introduction: WHO makes up the church?
“Oh the Saints above that will be g_______.... Oh to deal with the Saints below
that’s a whole other s_________!”
With the same goal as marriage: UNITY….
with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for
one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit
in the bond of peace. (Ephesians 4:2–3)
I. Maturing Members
A. Defined
“To join or belong to a c____________; To become a part of an
existing organization; To a___________ with a group that holds
or adheres to a code, values or m________.”
B. Described in the New Testament
Acts 2:41 (NASB95)
41
So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there
were added about three thousand souls.
Acts 2:47 (NASB95)
47
praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding
to their number day by day those who were being saved.
Acts 5:14 (NASB95)
14
And all the more believers in the Lord, multitudes of men and women, were
constantly added to their number,
Acts 6:3–4 (NASB95)
3
“Therefore, brethren, select from among you seven men of good reputation,
full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task.
4
“But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”
Acts 13:1 (NASB95)
1
Now there were at Antioch, in the church that was there, prophets and
teachers: Barnabas, and Simeon who was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene,
and Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
1 Timothy 5:9, 11 (NASB95)
9
A widow is to be put on the list only if she is not less than sixty years old,
having been the wife of one man,
11
But refuse to put younger widows on the list, for when they feel sensual
desires in disregard of Christ, they want to get married,
C. Debated
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Who is with us?
Who can serve? Who has been vetted?
Who do we need to care for? Everyone who attends?
Who can be a leader?
Who should give input? Who should we listen to?
Who do we discipline?
Who can we trust with sensitive matters?
D. Determined at Harvest
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A mutual c_______________ by the church and the
Christian to each other
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A point of a_________________
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A place of p_________________
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A way to identify the c________ of a church
B. Defined at Harvest
“Elder-led with membership* input”
*Participating Members given 30 days notice on “major decisions”
C. Decisions
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C______________ & By-laws
Annual B__________
E_________ Selection
Purchasing p_________, l_______ and indebtedness.
New S____________ P____________
D. Determining
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Step One: Invite input from the entire congregation (members
and non-members)
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Step Two: Review the names and remove those who do not
meet minimal qualifications
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Step Three: Evaluation (personal, spousal, co-worker, and
neighbor)
E. Delineated
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Universal vs. Local Church?
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Step Four: Interview (wife and teenagers)
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Meaningful vs. Mundane Membership
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Uniqueness of Harvest Membership… Associate & Participating
Step Five: Unanimous decision of the Elders to be presented
(some consider interns)
Membership
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Step Six: Public Announcement: “Speak now or
forever…” (looking for Participating Members’ input)
II. Loving Leaders
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Step Seven: Ordained as an Elder for three-year term
(re-affirmed for second term)
A. Different Names
And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as
evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers (Ephesians 4:11)
Paul and Timothy, bond-servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in
Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, including the overseers and deacons:
E. Duties
“It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the office of elder, it
is a fine work he desires to do.” (1 Timothy 3:1)
(Philippians 1:1)
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Protect and teach the WORD boldly (2 Timothy 4:1-4)
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WAIT on God through prayer fervently (James 5)
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WATCH over the flock passionately (Acts 20)
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Discern where in the WORLD we should intentionally be
ministering (Matthew 28:18-20)
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Manage our WEALTH integrally (Acts 2, 4)
Apostles (Acts 1-2)
Evangelists (Acts 8)
Prophets and Teachers (Acts 11, 13)
Elders (Overseers) (1 Timothy 3, Titus 1, Acts 15)
Deacons (Acts 6, 1 Timothy 3)
Pastors (“Ministers of the Gospel”)