“What Is a Healthy Church Member? An Active Team Player” - Cameron Jungles - Sun AM, Nov. 17, 2013

“What Is a Healthy Church Member? An Active Team Player”

(Eastside Baptist/Sun AM/Nov. 17, 2013)

 

A healthy church member?

Ø  Is a genuine believer in Christ

Ø  Is a growing disciple, seeking to make other disciples

Ø  Is a worshiper of God

Ø  Strives for unity in the body

Ø  Uses their spiritual gifts to build up the body

 

Main Idea: A healthy church member is not a spectator, but an active team player.

 

1. Regular Attendance

 

They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. (Acts 2:42, NIV)

 

Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2:46–47, NIV)

 

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (Heb. 10:24–25, NIV)

 

2.  Active Service

 

Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. (Eph. 4:15–16, NIV)

 

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen. (1 Pet. 4:10–11, NIV)

 

3.  Cheerful, Sacrificial Giving

 

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. (2 Co. 9:6–8, NIV)

 

4.  Joyful Submission to Leadership

 

Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you. (Heb. 13:17, NIV)

 

5.  Building Healthy Relationships in the Church

 

"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

(Jn. 13:34-35, NIV)

 

Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, (Acts 2:46, NIV)

 

6.  Praying for the Church

 

Brothers and sisters, pray for us. (1 Thess. 5:25, NIV)

 

And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should.

(Col. 4:3-4, NIV)

 

With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness and your every deed prompted by faith. (2 Thess. 1:11, NIV)

 

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. (Jas. 5:16, NIV)

Main Idea: A healthy church member is not a spectator, but an active team player.