At the Boise Vineyard, we are working our way through the Book of Luke. And yesterday we were in Luke 14:25-35. Pastor Tri said some great things worth repeating here (and worth listening to if you choose to follow the link):
"Don’t build a mega-church. Build mega-people." [I love this!]- "We’re not looking for hot flashes. We’re looking for a long, slow burn."
- Jesus didn’t say, "Go make converts." He said, "Go make disciples." He wants authentic believers who are engaged in the Kingdom work.
- There are four steps in the process of discipleship:
- Consecration – dedication to God
- Transformation – to change within (transformation puts us in touch with our sin so that we can’t bear to live the same way anymore)
- Sanctification – set aside by God for His purposes
- Reformation – to form again
- The world is in serious trouble. Drug and alcohol addictions. Human trafficking in the millions upon millions (primarily women and children, sold into slavery, often sexual slavery). And so much more.
- Many today are withdrawing into small groups as their only church because they think it will be more "relevant." But we shouldn’t be breaking into small pieces. We need to be uniting in discipleship.
- The world won’t change until the church is reformed and then moves out to reform the world around us. God wants His people to be salt, to change the church and the world.
- The world around us today is confusing and fast moving. It is a completely different place than it was just a couple of decades ago. Comparing what President Bush does to what President Reagan did is apples and oranges because Reagan’s world was so very different from what the world is today. God is calling His people to action, to engage in the world around us.
- Salt adds flavor, but it also causes extreme pain when it is put it an open wound. Are we willing to be salt in this world we find ourselves in? We were not born into this world by accident but for a purpose.
Body of Christ, we can make a difference. We really can.
-rlh-
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