A Healthy, Growing Church

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A Healthy, Growing Church!

• Text Eph. 411-16 Selected
• Cross Creek Community Church
• Pastor Dave Martin March 30, 2003
• Gods Word is Powerful, Relevant, and Life
  Changing!

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• Ephes. 47 But to each one of us grace has been
  given as Christ apportioned it
• Vs 11-16 It was he who gave some to be apostles,
  some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and
  some to be pastors and teachers, 12to prepare
  God's people for works of service, so that the
  body of Christ may be built up 13until we all
  reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of
  the Son of God and become mature, attaining to
  the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
• 14Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back
  and forth by the waves, and blown here and there
  by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and
  craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.
  15Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in
  all things grow up into him who is the Head, that
  is, Christ. 16From 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.

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1. The Lord has GIVEN to the Church

• Spiritually gifted BELIEVERS with enablement.
  V7
• Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists,
  PASTORS/TEACHERS. V11

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2. Given for the purpose of

• HEALTHY environment!
• SPIRITUAL growth!
• PHYSICAL growth!
• Doctrinally sound, biblically balanced and
  spiritually focused !

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3. Gods process for this is

• V11 Pastors and teachers, to prepare God's
  people for works of service, so that the body of
  Christ may be built up
• Pastors PREPARE Gods people.
• Gods people do MINISTRY.
• Church body is Healthy and Growing.

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• The ministry of the people, not the impact of
  the Pastor, measures the health of the church

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4. Spiritual Results

• UNITY v13 all reach unity in the faith
• MATURITY v13 become mature
• STABILITY v14 not tossed back and forth
• GROWTH v15 in all things grow up into Him
• LOVE v16 builds itself up in love

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5. The Price

• Every Member a Minister COSTS.
• V16 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.
• God-Centered NOT self-centered

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A Healthy, Growing Church!

• with
• Every Member a Minister
• Who will YOU invite to Friend Day next week?