Stumbling Block or Stepping Stone?

Am I a stumbling block or a stepping stone? Do I make it easier for people to know to Jesus, or do I create obstacles that make it harder for people to come to Jesus?

1. Stepping stones are people of grace. They are not shocked by the sins of others. They understand that people do what they do because they are what they are; they know that sinners sin. Stepping stones are not shocked when people fail. Stumbling blocks act as if other people's sins are worse than their own, and condemn others for their sins and failures. Stepping stones offer grace and point the way to forgiveness in Christ. Stepping stones live in grace, knowing that it is only by grace that anyone can be saved.

2. Stepping stones introduce people to Jesus. Stumbling blocks offer rules to be followed, a list of "do's and don't's" for people to live by. Stepping stones introduce people to Jesus and let Him write His commands on their hearts.

3. Stepping stones love unconditionally. Stumbling blocks put conditions on their love and acceptance. They say things like, "I will love you as long as you love me." Or, "We can have a relationship as long as you live up to my expectations and standards." Stepping stones love without conditions, not condoning the sins of sinners, but loving them in spite of their sins.

4. Stepping stones love Jesus with all of their heart, soul, mind and strength, making it easier for others to fall in love with Jesus as well. They love others to Jesus through their life of loving Him.

Am I a stumbling block or a stepping stone? Are others coming to Christ because of you?

Messiah in the Passover

Love God, Love Others, Reach the World

Hey Family, 

I want to encourage everyone to come out Friday night for our Messiah in the Passover event. Boris Goldin of Chosen People Ministries based in New York will be with us to share the Gospel through a Jewish Passover Seder. Chosen People Ministries is one of the leading ministries reaching out to evangelize the Jewish people, with ministry centers in 13 nations including multiple ministries in Israel. You can learn more about Chosen People Ministries at their website, www.chosenpeople.com. 

Friday night we will begin at 6 pm with a covered-dish fellowship meal. Toward the end of the meal, Mr. Goldin will share the various elements of the Passover Seder and explain how each one points to Christ and is fulfilled by Him. If you've never before seen the connection between the Old Testament Passover and the life, death and resurrection of Jesus in the New Testament, you are in for a real blessing. In presenting Messiah in the Passover, Mr. Goldin will also be presenting the Gospel of Christ, so if you have friends who are lost, please bring them with you. 

The Messiah in the Passover event is free, but we will receive a love offering for Chosen People Ministries during the evening. Child-care will be provided. Be sure to bring a friend or family member and food for the covered-dish meal. If you have any questions, give me a call. I look forward to seeing you Friday night at 6:00 pm. 

MVBC Connection 04-05-12

Love God, Love Others, Reach the World

Dear Family, 

Cannot wait for this weekend! It actually started tonight with a great time of worship, prayer and fellowship. We prayed over all the pews in the sanctuary, prayed for friends and family who are far from God, and nailed them to the cross (actually just papers with their names on them, lol). 

Tomorrow night is Secret Church. I still have a few study guides if you are available to come. The simulcast starts at 7 pm. 

Sunday morning is going to be unbelievable! We'll kick-off the service by baptizing three followers of Christ. We will have some wonderful special music, and our choir and newly formed drama team have an amazing presentation that will blow you away. We'll be bringing our Annie Armstrong Easter Offering to the cross during Pastor's Pals, so come prepared to give. I will be giving a clear presentation of the Gospel in the message and then we're going to end the service in a way that we've never ended it before! I can't wait to see what the Lord is going to do. 

After the service we will have our annual Children's Easter Egg Hunt. We've got prize eggs for each age group and lots of candy for everyone. Invite your family and friends to bring their kids and their Easter baskets and come on out!

Here is our Volunteer Ministry Team* for Easter Sunday: 

• Ushers: *Bernard Bull, Jim Ellis, Scott Hickey, Brandon Wilmoth, Shawn Wilmoth, & Harold McCarter
• Greeters: Stacy Self, Winston Large, Carmen Hall, Ryan Rice
• Counters: Mike Heffner and Karen Rice
• Audio/Visual: Andrew Wilmoth & David Hegel

*If you aren't able to keep your commitment, please contact your Team Leader.

There will not be any small groups this Sunday night, so you can enjoy the rest of the "Holy-Day" with your family.

Our family will be on vacation April 9-23. If you have ministry needs while I am away, please call on one of the staff members or deacons.  

Thank you for your service to the Lord. I'm praying for you, that you would experience God in a powerful, life-changing way this Easter!

Remember: God is able to do EXCEEDINGLY, ABUNDANTLY above all that we ask, or even think!

LESSONS FROM UNLEASH2012

I had the privilege of attending Unleash2012 at Newspring Church (www.newspring.cc) in Anderson, S.C. and it was a great day of worship and encouragement. The whole day was a blessing but the morning worship service impacted me more than anything. I thought the best way to share it would be to share the notes I took. The message was preached by Perry Noble, senior pastor of Newspring, it is from Joshua 1;

Four Things God is Saying to Church Leaders

Joshua 1:1-11

1. Let Go (vs.1-2a)

• "Moses my servant is dead..." It's time to let of the past in order to move into the future. 
• Moses was a great leader, and his legacy should be celebrated, but now he is dead and it's time to move on. 
• We need to talk more about our dreams than our memories. 
• What, in your church, is dead that you need to let go of? 
• If Joshua and the people of Israel had never let go of Moses, they would never have seen the great miracles of God that He performed on their behalf. 

2. Get Ready (vs. 2b-4)

• Joshua didn't have all the details, but he told the people to get ready anyway. 
• People think you are crazy when they can't see what you can see. 
• Don't apologize for having a big vision. 
• The church today has more potential to reach the world than it has ever had. 
• We have to be passionate about the things God is passionate about. 

3. I'm Here (vs.5-9)

• How many times in the Bible does God say - "I am with you?"
• Even if people leave, God is still with you.
• Every Sunday, our biggest obligation is to help people meet Jesus and realize that He is with them always. 
• When you realize God is with you, you will have ...

                   ... Power to preach His word.
                   ... An increasing love for God's people - Moses cared more about
                       his people than he did his position.
                   ... An increasing love for God's vision.

4. Let's do this! (vs. 10-11)

• God has a strategic plan for your church - "Listen to Me, believe Me, do what I say."
• Illus. skydiving requires and incredible amount of faith; you strap yourself to someone you do not know, and then jump when he says jump. Following God requires faith to strap ourselves to Him and jump when He says jump. 
• God specializes in destroying "I don't think that can be done" mentality. 

I hope the notes encourage you. A video of the sermon should posted on the Unleash2012 website by the end of the month. It's well worth the wait!

MVBC Connection 03-08-12

Love God, Love Others, Reach the World

Hey Family, 

Looking forward to the weekend. Here are some things to keep in mind:

• Daylight savings time begins this weekend. Be sure to set your clock forward an hour on Saturday night!
• We'll continue our series, "Stories of Grace"; this week we'll consider what it means to be "Found!" Wes Adams will be sharing his story. 
• Sunday night is small groups. Be sure to check the bulletin for times and locations. 
• Our Operation Christmas Child Mission project for this month is: hygiene items, deodorant, combs, brushes, etc.

In the Future:

• On Wednesday, March 14th we will have a special called Business meeting. The Campus Maintenance Team will be presenting a proposal to upgrade the lighting in our sanctuary. The meeting will be at 7 pm.
•  The Youth are going to Winter Jam, Friday March 16th, if you would like to go, contact Adam Tilson.
• It's time to "Say Yes to VBS"! There will be a VBS introduction/information meeting on Sunday, Mar 18th after the morning worship service for all those who would like to know more about our upcoming Vacation Bible School. 
• Church-Wide Clean-up Day, Saturday March 24th. 
• There will be a Missions Fair in the Fellowship Hall on Sunday, March 25th. Come learn more about how Magna View is involved in the Lord's work throughout the world.
• Church-Wide Breakfast and Community Blitz, Saturday March, 31st at 8 am. 
• Secret Church, Friday April 6, 7 pm - 1 am. The cost is $10. 

OUR VOLUNTEER TEAM FOR SUNDAY, MARCH 11, 2012

Ushers : *Harold McCarter, Jim Ellis, Scott Hickey, Brandon Wilmoth, Shawn Wilmoth, Bernard Bull

Greeters Today: Ron Wilson, Cathy Burchell, Dana Honnold and Austin Hall

Counters Today: Christina O’Brien and Shawn Wilmoth

Audio/Visual: Andrew Wilmoth & Adam Tilson

(If you are not able to keep your commitment, please contact your team leader)

C U Sunday!

Love God, Love Others, Reach the World

Dear Family, 

Looking forward to another great weekend. Here are some things to keep in mind: 

• It's finally here: Saturday is our Wild Beast Feast! Activities will begin at 4:30 pm and the meal will be served at 5:30 pm. Aaron Bell will be the guest speaker. Keith Lawson will be here most of the day cooking and getting set up, and he would appreciate any help he can get. We can also use folks as "minglers" Saturday night, welcoming our guests and making sure things run smooth. So plan to join us!
• Sunday we will continue our series on "Love and Marriage" with "When Happily-Ever-After Isn't", what causes "trouble in paradise" and how can we overcome it? This Sunday is also "Pray for Marriage Day" across our nation!
• We'll be baptizing Rebecca Hinson this coming Sunday!
• Small groups meet Sunday night. 
• Don't forget the Operation Christmas Child project - we're collecting soap, wash cloths, and small stuffed animals this month. 
• Also don't forget that the deadline to sign-up for the Summer Mission Trip to Guatemala is next Sunday, March 4th. You'll need to turn in your missions application and a $100 deposit to hold your spot!

Our Volunteer Team for this Sunday is: 

Greeters: Jim & Gay Ellis and Sunny Hall

Ushers: *Jim Ellis, Scott Hickey, Brandon Wilmoth, Mike Heffner, Bernard Bull & Harold McCarter

Counters: Karen Rice and Jennifer Jackson

Audio/Visual: Andrew Wilmoth and Adam Tilson

(If you're not able to keep your commitment, please notify your Team Leader to find a replacement. Thanks.)

C U this weekend!

MVBC Connection 02-03-12

Love God, Love Others, Reach the World

Reminder: 

• Keep our Honduras Mission Team in your prayers - Bernard, Barbara and Dean
• We start our new series, "Love and Marriage" this week. We'll be talking about "A Marriage Worth Fighting For." We're also baptizing Cindi Heffner Sunday morning. 
• Not all of our small groups are meeting Sunday night so be sure to watch the bulletin. The college group and the youth group are joining together for a time of worship and then a Big Game Party. They will be meeting in the Children's Wing Sunday evening at 5:45 pm. Everyone is welcome to join them, just bring your own food!
• The Hegel small group has been ministering to the Elliot Family of Dandridge, trying to help provide some reliable transportation. They are needing about $400 to repair an engine. We'll receive a love offering at the end of the service Sunday for anyone that would like to give to help out. If you'd like to write a check, just make it out to Magna View and put "Elliot family" on the memo line.
• Saturday, Feb 11 is our next Hwy Clean-Up day. We'll start at 9:30 am and end with a lunch around 11:30 am. Be sure to let David Hegel know if you are coming so we have enough food for lunch. 
• The youth are sponsoring a Valentine's supper on Saturday, Feb 11 at 6:30 pm. Registration forms will be in the bulletin on Sunday. The meal is free, but a donation would be appreciated. Proceeds go to the summer mission trip to Guatemala, July 6-13. The mission trip is open to everyone and We have applications for the trip available. 
• We also have tickets to the Wild Beast Feast coming up on Saturday, February 25th. 
• Be sure to check out the online calendar at our website (www.magnaview.org) to keep up with upcoming events. You can also access our sermon page from the website as well to hear previous sermons. 

I think that is all for now. Look forward to seeing you Sunday!

MVBC Connection 01-19-12

Love God, Love Others, Reach the World

Hey Church, 

Just wanted to remind you about the special weekend coming up. We will be honoring Sanctity of Human Life Sunday this weekend. Cathy Gleason of Life Outreach Center will be with us to share about the ministry of Life Outreach. We'll also be receiving a love offering for them, so come prepared to give. If you are planning to write a check, you can make it out to Life Outreach Center. Brittany and the choir will be sharing a special song that reminds us that our Father loves us and knows everything about us. Adam and Anna will also be providing special music as well. It's going to be a great morning! Please be praying for the service, for all those who will be involved and for those who will be there whose lives will be touched by God!

Our small groups will be meeting Sunday night. We have five groups that are meeting each Sunday, and we anticipate expanding that number soon. Be sure to check out the times and locations for the groups that will be meeting and get plugged in!

Next Sunday (Jan 29) will be Baptist Men's Day. Wes Adams will be preaching that morning and Gordon Johnston will be leading the music. We need all of our guys in choir practice this Wednesday night at 6 pm to prep for Sunday. Andy Beltz will also be sharing his testimony. Be praying for this special service and be sure to invite someone to join you there. 

The date has finally been confirmed for our Mission Trip to Guatemala this summer; July 6-13. The cost for the trip is $325+airfare per person. We've already started raising money to help off-set the cost. If you're feeling called to go, don't let money be the determining factor; God will provide. We'll have applications available soon!

We'll have tickets available this weekend for our Wild Beast Feast coming up on Saturday, February 25. TWRA will be bringing out trailers for pre-meal activities. Keith has lined up a great selection of various wild game. We're still finalizing plans for a guest speaker, but rest assured we will be sharing Jesus so make sure you get tickets to your lost and un-churched friends and family. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for kids 12 and under. The proceeds will go toward our summer mission trip to Guatemala, but the money isn't the most important thing, so if you have lost friends and family who can't afford the ticket, give them one anyway - we want them to hear the Gospel. Since our space is limited, tickets will help us keep track of the number who will be attending.

I look forward to seeing you this weekend! 

GIVING GOD THE GLORY #tim_tebow

The world is all abuzz about Tim Tebow. The Broncos' one-play overtime win over the Steelers yesterday has caused quite a stir among fans and critics alike. I watched a good bit of the game (around small group last night) and was impressed with Tebow's play; it was probably his best game as a pro. In fact, it was probably the Broncos best game of the season, they seemed to be in a good rhythm all night.

I've never been a Broncos fan, even in the Elway glory days, but I am a Tim Tebow fan (have been even when  he was a Gator). Here's why:

1. He is a passionate player - I love people who go all in no matter what they are doing, and Tim Tebow goes all in. He plays with enthusiasm and energy and it inspires his teammates.
2. He's a winner - he is not the best football player to ever play the game. He is not, and probably never will be the best quarterback in the league. But Tim Tebow still finds a way to help his team win. Kyle Orton was the Broncos' starting QB when the season began, and by all accounts, Kyle Orton is a better quarterback than Tebow, but Orton couldn't consistently lead his team to victory. Tebow believes he can win even if he is not the best player on the field, and he's got his teammates believing they can win also; and now they are winning more than they are losing.
3. He's humble - say what you want about his performance on the field, but when he is behind the microphone, Tebow is consistently deflecting the attention away from himself and directing to his teammates and coaches. He is always heaping praise on his linemen, his receivers and his coaches for putting them in a position to win. He also gives a lot of credit to kicker Matt Prater whose field goals have led to many of the Bronco's victories. A lot of people are talking about Tim Tebow, but Tim Tebow is not one of them.
4. He is a follower of Christ - I'm sure you expected this one to be at the top of the list, but I decided to save the best for last (lol). Yes, I like Tim Tebow because of his public stand for Christ. I don't think it is cheesey when he bows on the field in a brief prayer (Tebowing), and I'm not bothered when he first "thanks his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" in an interview. I'm glad to hear the name Jesus Christ used as something besides a curse phrase in a movie. I don't think he does these things for show; it is who he is and he has been this way for a long time. I'm glad to see a follower of Christ who doesn't turn it off and on depending on the context he is in. Yes, it is going to rub some people the wrong way, and he is going to catch some flack for it from all sides, but so did Jesus. So, I for one hope he keeps winning and people keep talking about him and to him, because he will keep giving God the glory. The number one search on Google today was John 3:16 - if all the Tim Tebow hype can get 90+ million people searching out John 3:16 and perhaps reading it and at least being exposed to the idea that there is a God who loves them enough to send His Son so that they could have eternal life, then I pray he keeps winning and giving God the glory!

SPIRITUAL GROWTH PLAN FOR THE NEW YEAR

For Christmas, my wife and I bought us a new GPS. Our old one had gone brain-dead a few weeks earlier and, though we don't always need a GPS, it comes in handy when we are traveling in areas we don't normally travel in. A GPS (Global Positioning System) is a small computer that enables you to get from point A to point B the quickest and most efficient way possible. It operates by satellite signals sent from high above the earth. If you program it correctly and follow the directions it will generally get you to your destination in a timely manner.

For the last couple of years I have been working on/from a spiritual GPS that I call a Spiritual Growth Plan (SGP). It is basically a goal-map that I develop (with the help of signals from above) at the beginning of each year and seek to follow it through-out the year. The ultimate goal is to grow spiritually, i.e. become more like Christ (Ephesians 4:15), the SGP is the tool that helps me reach that destination. Of course, spiritual growth is a life-long process, and I will never reach the ultimate destination until this life is over, but as a follower of Christ, I am called and commanded to be consistently moving toward becoming like Christ in every way.

For most of my Christian life I thought spiritual growth would happen naturally, like physical growth. But, as I have learned the hard way with physical growth, unless there is discipline and direction healthy growth doesn't just happen. Because I wasn't disciplined or directed in my physical growth as a younger person, I'm now having to make some significant changes in my behavior in order to improve my physical health. I also have to have the aid of medicine to keep my physical body functioning the way it is supposed to. Growth in my body occurred automatically, but health did not. A healthy body requires discipline and direction. Likewise a healthy spiritual life requires discipline and direction, thus the Spiritual Growth Plan.

On another page on this blog I have placed my SGP for the world to see. I'm a bit apprehensive about it, but I also realize that if I keep it just to myself, I have little or no accountability and can slide "off the wagon" anytime I want to. I'm hoping that the realization that other people in my life may read my SGP and may just ask me how I'm doing with it, will help keep me on track. So feel free to read it and check up on me throughout the year.

I also hope it will encourage you to pray about and begin to develop your own SPG. Yours will be different from mine, as mine was different from the person's who challenged me to develop it. Start by thinking about areas in your Christian life where you may need some work and then begin by praying about what the Lord would have you to do to strengthen those areas. For me, I saw a need to grow in the areas of Scripture, prayer and disciple-making, so that is where I am primarily concentrating this year. It will probably be a little different next year. Your areas may be similar to mine, but they may be different as well. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you, and then follow His leadership.

One last thing about a Spiritual Growth Plan: it is important to remember that the SPG is a means to an end, not an end in itself. Sometimes when I am driving and using the GPS, I find that I become so focused on making sure I follow the directions to perfection, that I become overly stressed about the next turn and if I miss it, I nearly blow a gasket. I get so anxious about following the GPS that by the time I reach my destination, I'm too stressed to enjoy it. I have to remind myself from time to time that even if I miss a turn along the way, I will still eventually get where I need to go, because my GPS has this wonderful thing called "recalculating". So, even if I get off course for a little while, the GPS will get me back on track in a short time.

Spiritually speaking, we have a word for "recalculating"; we call it grace. Grace is that wonderful gift from God that allows us to get back on course even after we've missed a turn or two. So don't become so focused on fanatically following the SGP that you don't enjoy the journey. Even if you miss an element or two for a short-time, God allows for recalculating through His amazing grace.  

5 WOWS from the Past Week!

WOW is really how I feel! I praise the Lord for the great things He is doing and the great people He is doing them through! I have several reasons to say WOW!

WOW #1 - We had wonderful Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services this past weekend. We had several visitors during both services, but most importantly, the Lord was very present! I'm thankful for Mark Self coming forward for baptism, which we will be doing this coming Sunday on January 1, 2012.

WOW #2 - Thanks to the prayers of our family of faith, my daughter Lydia is back to her old self. We spent much of Christmas day in the ER at Children's Hospital with her. The initial thought was that she had a kidney stone, but the doctor diagnosed it has a nasty virus. Whatever it was, we give the glory to God and credit the prayers of God's people because by Monday evening she was feeling much better.

WOW #3 - My mom is continuing to recover from congestive heart failure. Though I'm writing this blog from the ICU of JMH, she has improved much over the last 24 hours. I'm "wowed" over the outpouring of love and support from our faith family - thank you for the numerous calls, texts, emails, visits and most importantly the prayers. We've been at great peace throughout this ordeal and I know it is because if the prayers of God's people. We are blessed to be a part of such a wonderful church family.

WOW #4 - Last night (Wednesday) our church approved a faith budget of $226,200.00. That is about a 7% increase over the previous year's budget. I'm thankful for the leadership of our Stewardship Team during the budgeting process, and the faith of our family to accept their hard work.

WOW #5 - (AND THIS IS THE BIGGIE!!!) After I left the hospital last night I stopped by the office to check messages, and on my desk was a note that read: "Lottie Moon Offering total - $10,264.33 (P.S. - total is after the "seed" money was put back in missions)". WOW! Our highest ever Lottie Moon Offering Goal has been reached, and in the first week of receiving it! Praise the Lord for answering our prayers and providing through His people! We'll continue to receive the L.M. Offering through January, so if you haven't had an opportunity to give, it is not too late. All of the monies received goes to directly support the 5,000 SBC missionaries serving the Lord outside of the United States.

We began the year saying that we wanted to be a church that gave away more than we kept. I don't know if we've reached that goal or not, but I know Magna View has given sacrificially this year, both to our budget and beyond. We have been a conduit of God's financial blessings this year, and it has all been to the glory of God. Thank you Magna View, for being open to God to do what He wants to do through you.

Final note: for the first time I can ever remember, I missed being at the last service of the year. I was in the hospital with my mom, and was unable to attend the Wednesday night service last night (Thanks to our deacons for taking care of the service). The last service of the year, whether it is on a Sunday or a Wednesday, is always one of my favorites. I usually share my goals and hopes for the coming year. I will do that at some point, but let me say for now that I'm praying that 2012 will be the greatest year of ministry that Magna View has ever experienced. I'm praying that we reach and disciple more people in more places than we ever have before. My theme verse for Magna view this year is Ephesians 3:20-21, "Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen." I believe that what God has done in the past year is barely scratching the surface of what God is going to do in the year to come. WOW! Glory to God!

THE PREVAILING CHURCH - OVERVIEW

Tonight we continued our discussion about the church, looking at what the Scriptures teach that the church is to be. I titled this section "The Prevailing Church", borrowed from Randy Pope's book by the same name which I'm using as a resource. Tonight was the overview, and borrowing an idea from Pope's book I contrasted the Prevailing Church with what Pope calls "the Precautious Church." But first, a definition of "prevailing"...

Prevailing: "Prove more powerful than opposing forces; be victorious; having superior power or influence."

In Matthew 16:18, Jesus said that He would build His church and the gates of hell would not PREVAIL against it. The church Jesus founded is to prevail against the enemy, but as we take a hard look at the church and its impact on the modern culture, it appears that we are being overpowered and losing ground. We seem to more resemble the Precautious church.

The Precautious Church

1. Has a "protect what we have" mentality - more concerned with keeping the people we have happy, rather than reach lost people for Christ. 
2. Provides a "comfort zone" environment - low expectations, and no challenges.
3. Focuses more on attendance than discipleship - is more concerned with building a crowd than building a church.
4. Resistant to change - a "don't rock the boat" attitude. While change is hard for all of us, the Precautious church is exceptionally resistant to change. The emphasis is on keeping the peace at all cost, and that usually means leaving things as they have always been. Change is seen as being too difficult and even dangerous. Jesus said, you can't pour new wine into old wineskins (Matt. 9:17). The precautious church would rather live with the rigidity of "old wineskins" than experience the power of the "new wine" of the Holy Spirit.

The Prevailing Church

1. Passionately committed to the Gospel - Peter's confession, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God" is the passionate cry of the Prevailing Church and the primary message proclaimed inside and outside of the church. Jesus is the focus in the Prevailing Church.
2. Governed by Christ and His word - Jesus said, "I will build MY church." Jesus is the Head of the church and His word, the Bible, dictate the structure and activity of the church, as opposed to a church governed by a worldly business model, or the traditions of men ("this is how we have always done it.")
3. Intentionally living out the Great Commission - According to Luke 19:10, Jesus came to "seek and to save that which was lost." That was His mission statement. In the Great Commission of Matthew 28, His last instructions to the church was to continue that mission by going and making disciples of all nations. The Prevailing Church intentionally and strategically lives out the Great Commission. 
4. Overcomes the opposition of the enemy - Prevailing over opposition, temptation, trials, and resistance (spiritual, cultural and physical). Victory becomes the norm for the Prevailing Church.

Over the next few weeks we'll look at each one of the characteristics of the Prevailing Church.

WEDNESDAY'S WORDS

And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. Matt 16:18 (NKJV)

On Wednesday's we're doing a little "getting back to the basics" study concerning the church. Our discussion started by considering the perception of the church by those outside of it. As Jesus asked His disciples, "Who do men say that I am?" I asked our church "What do people of our world say the church is?" The responses:
                    House of Hypocrites              Community Service Organization
                    Country Club                         Place to get help (financial, physical, etc...)
                    Social Club                            Place to receive comfort
                    Childcare service                   Place of Entertainment

There may have been a couple of others, but these eight summarize the thoughts from outside the church. I then asked, "What do you say the church is?"
                      Believers who are baptized       Organism
                      Bride of Christ                          Place/people of refuge
                      Family                                      Business (Father's)
                      Community (of faith)                 Organization
Again, there may have been a couple of others, but these are the thoughts of those from within the church.

It is important to have an understanding of the perception of the church from the community, and it is important to understand how the church sees itself, but most important is to understand what the church is from a Scriptural standpoint. Over the next several Wednesdays we'll be looking at the church through the lens of Scripture. Tonight we laid a foundation by looking at the first use of the word "church" in the Scriptures, Matthew 16:18. Here's a summary of the teaching:

1. The Church Belongs to Jesus - "I will build MY CHURCH"

• Jesus conceived the church (MY church)
• He chose the church (we are the chosen BRIDE of Christ)
• He bought the church (Eph. 5:25)

Though WE invest ourselves in the local church, we must avoid the thinking that it is MY church. We can have membership or partnership, but not ownership of the church.

2. The Church is being Built by Jesus - "I WILL BUILD My church"
Jesus is building the church, but He is doing it through us. We are the laborers, and He is the contractor which means to very important things:

• We have to stay in close contact with the Contractor - our job is to do His work His way, and the only way to know how to do that is to stay in constant communication with Him. Pray first, then plan and work.
• We have to follow His instructions - the Bible offers the blueprint for the church. The Bible instructs us how the Lord wants to build His church, not our traditions. 

3. The Church is Prevailing because of Jesus - "the gates of Hades (Hell) will not prevail against it"

• The church is to operate from an offensive position, not a defensive.
• "Building" implies expanding and the enemy cannot stop the church from growing (because Jesus is building His church). 
• Rather than trying to "hold our own" or protect the "territory" that we already have, we are to be actively taking territory from the enemy.

Next week we'll talk more about the "prevailing church."