Thursday, October 8, 2009

October 8, 2009

"Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:16-20


In yesterday's post I began laying out the vision for FredWes.



Today, I want to build on and show you where the vision originated.



My vision for FredWes is to become a healthy church by growing from the inside out.



How do you grow from the inside out? Isn't church growth about adding outsiders and making them into insiders?



Absolutely, but I am talking about the growth that needs to happen inside the hearts of the people in the church that will motivate them to reach outsiders. I am talking about making a spiritual commitment to live the Great Commission every day.



How does that happen?



First, Know God


"Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted." Vv. 16-17



Jesus called the remaining disciples, minus Judas, to meet Him at a familiar place. Do you have a familiar place where you meet Jesus? If not, do you really know Him?



Jesus wanted to be with His beloved followers one more time before He ascended to the Father so He called them to be with Him.



The word "church" comes from the Greek word "ekklesia" meaning "called out ones". Jesus was calling out His disciples to be with Him so they could know Him better and understand His will for them.



Jesus' vision for the Church was that believers would be called out of the world to know Him so that through them the world could come to know Him.



I share that vision.

Second, Grow In God

"Then Jesus came to them and said, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me." V. 18

Growth is about what you do after you get to know Jesus. Just having knowledge and information and facts doesn't automatically translate into growth. It takes strength and power.

When Jesus called them out, and when they answered the call, He empowered them to grow. The power to obey what He calls them to do. The power to throw off bad attitudes and habits. The power to resist temptation and take authority over evil.

In the three years that these men had known Jesus they had grown inwardly, but now it was time to demonstrate that growth to the world.

We are called out to grow in God.

Third, Go In God

"Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Vv. 19-20

You can't go where you haven't been and you can't teach what you haven't learned.

Jesus called out the disciples to know Him and grow in Him so that they could go for Him. That is what I mean by growing from the inside out!

If you don't truly know Jesus, you won't grow in Him and you certainly won't go in His name.

That is what makes a healthy church - disciples who know God, and are growing in God and therefore, are going for God into a lost world.

How well do you know Him?

What evidence is there that you know Him?

When was the last time you shared Him with someone else?