Kingdom Stewardship: Church Application

Various Passages

Kingdom Stewardship Recap:

Today, I’d like to bring our series to a close, reviewing what we’ve covered throughout this summer and then what we’ll do is look at how we plan to apply these things corporately as a church…to be a church that’s faithfully living to build the Kingdom of God.

-Some of you are hearing it for the first time/others Friday—help you flesh it out more

-Visitors/Guests: lot of in house stuff but hopefully you’ll get a picture of what a church should be.

At the beginning of the summer, we started with our Greater Kingdom series:

r Greater Kingdom (Big Kingdom Living): Matthew 6:19-34

o We’re not living for the ‘Little Kingdom’ of self—earthly pursuits and desires. For a Christian, having met Jesus…we have found the ultimate treasure and the ONLY one who truly satisfies. Therefore, we no longer have to live life to get…famous, rich, successful, loved…we have found everything the human heart longs for in Christ. OUT OF THAT JOY…we now live, no to get…but TO GIVE.

r Talents: Matt. 25:13-40

o P.Paul shared about being a good steward of the Talents we’ve been given…according to the measure given to you. And he pointed that it’s not that we’re good stewards to get into the Kingdom. NO, we’re part of the Kingdom by GRACE through FAITH. But IF YOU’RE TRULY in the KINGDOM, you love YOUR MASTER…and so you don’t serve in fear but you want to please him b/c you love him, you want to see him honored AND DEVOTE YOURSELF TO HIS WORK.

Then the rest of the summer…we focused on specific aspects of life…considering what it means to be a good steward of each out of the joy of Gospel for the sake of the Kingdom.

r Stewardship of Money/Possessions

r Stewardship of Work and Vocation

r Stewardship of the Gospel:

r Stewardship of Time

r Stewardship of Spiritual Gifts

r Stewardship of Relationships

r Stewardship of the Local Church

Kingdom Stewardship Application as a Church

Now, realistically….how AS A CHURCH will we get here?

How will we practically live as Kingdom Minded People, using everything we have to advance and serve His Kingdom. This is something the staff has really wrestled with…and the desire to be a more faithful Kingdom-church is what led to the multi-site….

BUT beyond just becoming MULTI-SITE, we see one key vehicle to get us there.

SMALL GROUP: That becoming a faithful Kingdom Building church will happen through each Small Group, be actualized through each Small Group.

Later, I’ll be explaining some major shifts in the way that we’ve done small group, in order to be a church truly building God’s Kingdom.

BUT first, let me flesh out what we’re picturing with our small groups moving forward.

We’re going to make up an imaginary small group….the kind of small group we’re praying and striving for all of our groups to become. Let’s call this small group, SMALL GROUP X:

I see three major things that will define SMALL GROUP X:

RADICAL GOSPEL COMMUNITY, COMMUNITY EVANGELISM, COMMUNITY SERVICE.

Radical Gospel Community:

r In Small Group X, I see a group of people who do not see themselves as isolated individuals. Rather they see that Christ died not to save isolated individuals but a church. Therefore they see the necessity of being relationally committed to one another. Take it seriously..stewardship.

r I see Small Group X not checking off one small group meeting as their relational duty done…but through the week I imagine SG X would be in conversation about work, about struggles. I imagine SGX making time sacrifices for one another, coming alongside those struggling and suffering…laughing and crying together….sacrificially giving of their own time…sharing life’s joys and hurts.

r Since the Gospel shapes SMALL GROUP X’S community…I see a group where people are secure in their identity in Christ…they don't fear and are not driven by what people think of them. They recognize they’re far worse than they realize and so are real and honest about struggles/weaknesses. At the same time, SGX is able to challenge each other b/c the Gospel tells us we’re accepted as we are but not left as we are…Christ died for our holiness…so SGX humbly, gently builds each other up.

r Lastly, in SGX I see a group of people who know their gifts and use their gifts…not leaving all the work of ministry to their small group leader.

r Illus. Soutwest Suburbs Small Group: spend much time together…using their gifts.

Community Evangelism:

r In SG X I see a group of people, so in love with Jesus, they’re excited to share the joy they’ve found: to commend that which they cherish. They see the Gospel: GOOD NEWS…as a stewardship.

r In SGX I see pockets of people from SG, intentionally spending time with each other’s circle of non-Christians, sharing with them the love of Christ and giving them a glimpse into Gospel Community. As Steve mentioned, I see SGX going to concerts, shows, happy-hour together with unbelieving friends…

r They do this in community b/c they realize…it’s not meant to be done in isolation. In SGX I see some good at hospitality and welcoming, some good at apologetics, some good at compassionate care and together…they just love on people for Jesus in the hopes they would know Jesus.

r Illus. Perspectives Group

Community Service:

r In SGX, I see a group of people so shaped by the Gospel that they’re primary mode of operation is not living to get, as they have received all and more then they could every imagine in Christ…they now live to give. Giving is just part of who they are b/c Christ was the Ultimate Giver.

r Secondly, as people of the Kingdom….they live by Kingdom values and therefore are bothered, disturbed when they see an absence of those Kingdom values…as people of justice, mercy…they are bothered by injustice and lack of mercy.

r They give themselves to the service of their neighborhoods. As Kingdom citizens, they make the best earthly citizens as they promote and live for compassion, mercy, justice and generosity.

r So, SGX will be involved in service activities for their community…in partnership with other Small Groups…

This is our hope and prayer for every small group…To become like SGX…b/c this is a picture of a group of people who have discovered the JOY of the Kingdom and are living to ADVANCE that Kingdom (if you notice they look like the ACTS 2 church)

Now we recognize, this isn’t going to just happen by wishful thinking so..we’re employing some practical changes to get us looking more and more like SGX:

1. Small Groups will now be called Community Groups

r Some may think it’s just a name…but as with old Biblical Hebrew names…names can mean a lot. We will call them Community Groups b/c:

o We want to be a true Gospel Community

o We want to serve and be the presence of Christ in our Local Community

2. Create Midweek Groups (we will still have Friday):

r This is to facilitate corporate mission—to open up your weekends to spend time with neighbors, co-workers and friends...in the hopes of sharing the love and joy of Jesus…that you’re not the unavailable, absent friend who only hangs out with Christians. But as mentioned, with pockets of people in your CG, you can intentionally spend time with unbelieving friends.

3. Community Group Organization:

r We’ve divided the Greater Philadelphia area into what we’re calling Parishes: …area of ministry care.

§ In each Parish, there will be a cluster of Community Groups.

§ Illus. MAP—WP 3, CC 4, CA 3, Suburbs (for now wide area)

· No NJ or Delaware at this time (Manpower/Resources)—you’ll have to attach yourself to one of these that fits best.

r As CG’s are organized Parish, they will not only meet in those regions, but the CG’s in any given parish will cooperate to reach and serve their area. They will own their locale, so to speak…again, from a Kingdom Perspective of not just using the locale to meet, play, and hangout but to serve that local and be the presence and witness of Christ to those who do not Christ, in that locale.

r (TREE SLIDE) Now each PARISH, belongs to or will be attached to what we’re calling not churches or sites, but CAMPUSES: RWP CAMPUS, RPM CAMPUS.

§ WP, CC, CA Parishes all belong to RWP CAMPUS

§ 2 CG’s in Suburban Parish belongs to RPM CAMPUS

§ We want to discourage you from belonging to a CG attached to one PARISH and then attending on Sunday a different Campus.

· Your community group should be the same as your Sunday worshipping community. Again, we want you to think with community as a priority—not, I like this service, or style of music and that community group over there…that’s a more consumeristic way of thinking: a buffet of choices. But devoting yourself to relationships in CG, worshipping w/ CG on Sunday.

· Secondly, if we’re really going to be about mission and reaching lost people…It wouldn’t make sense if you brought a non-Xan friend to your CG and then attended some other campus on Sunday…and weren’t there…or made them drive across the region with you to a campus that’s disconnected from the rest of their lives.

Closing Application:

In conclusion, our prayer is that every CG, will become a Gospel Community, Evangelizing in Community and Serving their Community. If every CG, grows in this way…then I think we will become a church…that doesn’t just have the form of godliness, lacking power…or a church filled with people, living for their own private kingdoms…BUT if this shift can happen, I believe we will become a church that truly builds and advances the KINGDOM OF GOD as good stewards.

But, as much as this happens corporately…every individual must be willing to commit. I’m going to say right now…some of you would rather be in a church that doesn’t challenge or stretch you…where it’s easy come, easy go…you can be that anonymous attender. Well, I hope the Lord would change your heart…I hope you would come to see things differently…. but I say this honestly…if that’s really what you want….this is not the church for you. I know some people may get upset about that but as a leader of this church…I don’t see this as a choice. This is what a Biblical Church should be doing. If some were to leave b/c of that, that wouldn’t make us change course.

So in conclusion…I must leave you with one question:

Will you live for the GREATER KINGDOM…as a good steward of all you have for the sake of the KINGDOM?

If so…then we’re asking you to DEVOTE YOURSELF…to one of these PARISH AREAS…and to a CG in that PARISH. (SHOW MAP AGAIN)

WHICH PARISH, SHOULD YOU DEVOTE YOURSELF TO…IN ORDER TO LIVE A LIFESTYLE OF GOSPEL COMMUNITY AND MISSION?

r College Kids: It’s your campus/RCF

r Rest of us…in which PARISH…can I best devote myself to GOSPEL COMMUNITY (where CG is not a once a week meeting but I can devoted to truly sharing life with others)…may not necessarily where my friends are now.

r In which PARISH…can I be most effective on GOSPEL MISSION…essentially living as a missionary.

o To help you: WHERE IS YOUR RELATIONAL WORLD? (hopefully you have one)

o Illus. Pharmaceutical Co. you work in the burbs, your co-workers live in the burbs, you occasionally come to the city but most of your social world is in the burbs. Then you should be in burbs Parish, therefore the RPM Campus…vice versa.

o Or maybe, you work in the CITY…but your just there for work and most of your relational world is in the burbs…you should go the burbs Parish.

r This will take some thought, the pastors and CG leaders can help you think through this.

r In the coming weeks, we will handout a Signup sheet and we will ask you to check off the Parish that you will commit to…and the leaders/pastors will form the groups.

Now before we run off…let’s be reminded…the impetus behind all this, is because we have a Savior, who by HIS death, invited US into the Community of the Godhead and all believers…and he now he is utterly devoted to you. We have a Savior…who was the ultimate missionary, incarnating himself…walking amongst us/with us/identifying with us….and ultimately, laying down His life for us…b/c he came not to be served but to serve…HE SERVED HIS COMMUNITY AND HIS COMMUNITY WAS THE WORLD.

It’s JESUS who invites us, as SAVIOR AND MASTER to serve in partnership with Him…using everything HE GAVE US in the first place, as good stewards…so that through you, he can call advance His Kingdom and Glory.