MINISTRY MATTERSPrinciple Driven: No Foolin’

April 1, 2012

Introduction• Principle Driven Ministry

• A place where hearts are turned to God and lives are changed• Making and maturing disciples to the glory of God• As many as possible• Everyone perfect in Christ• From the ground up• From the inside out• We don’t do normal

Four Principles

1. Mission Drives Organization

2. Organize Just Enough to Get the Job Done

3. Whatever it Takes

4. Dreaming

1. Mission Drives Organization• Mark 1 – “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby

villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.” 39 So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.

• John 14:31 – I do exactly what my Father commands• Heb. 10:7 – Jesus: Then I said, “Here I am—it is written

about me in the scroll—I have come to do your will, O God.”

• Isaiah 6:8-9 – 8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” 9 He said, “Go and tell this people…”

• Matt. 4:18-20 – 18 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 At once they left their nets and followed him.

Our Mission• Matt. 28:18-20 – 18 Then Jesus came to them and said,

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 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, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Making and Maturing Disciples

1. It’s our mission.

2. It’s the basis of our fellowship (koinonia); our partnership.

3. It’s what we organize around.

4. It’s what we dream about.

5. It’s how we plan.

6. It’s how we evaluate everything we do and every dime we spend.

7. It’s how we pick leaders.

2. Organize Just Enough to Get the Job Done

• Acts 2:42-47 – organization of community • Acts 4:32-37 – sharing within community• Acts 6:1-7 – meeting needs; appointing deacons• Acts 8:1-8 – mission work• Acts 14:23 – appointment of elders• Acts 15 – addressing growth issues

• Jesus didn’t plan to lead an organization; he planned to lead a mission.

• The church (ekklesia*) is called out of the world in order to preach his gospel (Euaggelizo).

• *An examination of the Greek word "ekklesia" reveals that the word is properly translated into English as the "assembly" or "congregation." It is used to refer to a group of persons that are organized together for a common purpose and who meet together.

1. We are not first a worshiping society.

2. We are not first about exacting every doctrine of God.

3. We are not a meeting group.

4. We are not a social group.

5. We are not organized around traditional organizational designs and practices.

6. We are to be organized for our mission: making and maturing disciples to God’s glory.

7. In all we do we are mission driven!

3. Whatever It Takes• Luke 9:23 – deny self, take up cross daily, follow Jesus• Luke 14:33 – give up everything you have• Acts 2:42 – devote yourself• Acts 4:32 – share everything• Acts 4:34-35 – sell things if necessary

• David: I will not sacrifice to God that which costs me nothing

The Disciple’s Attitude• God wants us to be a crazy-in-love-with-him disciples who

will go anywhere, do anything, and give anything because of their sold out faith in him.

• Peter: “We have left all to follow you…” (Luke 18:28).

How about you?

1. Have you left everything to follow him?

2. Have you denied yourself much of anything to follow him?

3. Do you carry a cross daily to follow him?

4. Does your life reflect daily that you are following him?

5. Would others describe you as “devoted”?

6. Do you share everything you have? Anything?

7. Have you ever sold anything for Christ?

8. What does your time and money giving say?

4. Dream for God/Be Open for God’s Dream for YouSolomon discussing his father David: “My father David had

it in his heart to build a temple for the Name of the LORD, the God of Israel. 18 But the LORD said to my father David, ‘Because it was in your heart to build a temple for my Name, you did well to have this in your heart. 19 Nevertheless, you are not the one to build the temple, but your son, who is your own flesh and blood—he is the one who will build the temple for my Name.’” (1 Kings 8:17-19)

God to Moses (Ex. 3:7-14): 7 The LORD said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. 8 So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites.

9 And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. 10 So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.” 11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” 12 And God said, “I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.”

13 Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?” 14 God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”

• Sometimes dreams are born out of us, such as with David.

• Sometimes dreams are assigned to us: such as with Moses.

• Either way, it belongs to God• Prov. 19:21 – Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it

is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.• Phil. 2:12-13 – 12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have

always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.

What is Your Dream for God?1. Dream little dreams?2. Dream big dreams?3. Capture them; write them down4. Pray about them; let God know5. Learn about them; think, study, listen; seek advice and

input6. Grow yourself in the fundamentals; be faithful7. Position yourself strategically8. Wait on God; accept his calling either way

Short Internet Article

Perry Noble, Pastor in South Carolina:

Walt Disney dreamed big…and never apologized for it. The story of his life is pretty inspiring…how he lost just about everything he had and yet bounced back because the power of a dream propelled him to do things that still sort of hold the world in awe.

We live in a world that encourages people to dream big…Apple dreams big, fortune 500 companies dream big, humanitarian organizations dream big…and they are applauded for it…

And yet, for some reason, the church is discouraged and denounced so often for having big dreams.

Walt Disney had a mouse…A MOUSE…

We (the church) have AN EMPTY TOMB, THE WORD OF GOD, THE HOLY SPIRIT & THE PROMISES OF JESUS TO BUILD HIS CHURCH!!!

If Jesus REALLY is the ONLY way to heaven (John 14:6, Acts 4:12, I Timothy 2:5)…

And if HIS CHURCH has been given the commission to take this message to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8, II Corinthians 5:18-21)…

THEN we MUST REFUSE to settle for the way things are!!!We MUST reach the nations…We MUST desire to see people saved…We MUST desire greater things…We MUST ask God to absolutely set our hearts on fire!

God, PLEASE forgive us where we have let organizations that display a mouse and a piece of fruit out-dream, out-perform and outdo YOUR church!

Isaiah 49:6 ROCKED me as I read it this past Monday!!! God has GREATER PLANS for HIS CHURCH than what we are currently experiencing!

So…let’s BEG GOD for the nations (Psalm 2:8) and, in doing so understand that God’s plans are greater than ours (Isaiah 55:8-9!)

The world should NEVER out-dream God’s church! EVER!

What is YOUR dream for God?• Young people?• College students?• Graduates?• Families?• Men?• Women?• Retiring/retired?

Does God see you as having done well?

Conclusion

1. Mission Drives Organization

2. Organize Just Enough to Get the Job Done

3. Do Whatever it Takes

4. Blessed is the man who dares to dream dreams and is ready to pay the price to make them come true!