Before We Begin

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Before We Begin

• Before we begin would you please
• Complete 101 Discovering Membership Attendance
  Sheet
• Make a Name Tag

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Welcome To COSBTS

101 Discovering
Membership
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Connecting To Our Church Family

• 101Discovering Membership
• COSBT

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Knowing Jesus!!!
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Strengthening His Family!
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The Basics For This Class

• 1. The church is a _________.
• 2. God expects you to be __________of a church
  family.
• 3. A Christian without a church family is an
  ___________.

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The Basics For This Class

• 1. The church is a FAMILY.
• 2. God expects you to be __________ of a church
  family.
• 3. A Christian without a church family is
• an _________.

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The Basics For This Class

• 1. The church is a FAMILY.
• 2. God expects you to be A MEMBER of a church
  family.
• 3. A Christian without a church family is
• an _________.

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The Basics For This Class

• 1. The church is a FAMILY.
• 2. God expects you to be A MEMBER of a church
  family.
• 3. A Christian without a church family is
• an ORPHAN.

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The Goal Of This Class

• That I will consider committing myself to JESUS
  and to His CHURCH FAMILY!

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What Defines The COSBT Family?

• The Person (Jesus!)
• His People (Us!)
• His Purposes (In Balance!)

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What Defines Discovering Membership 101?

• WHY Do We Exist As A Church?
• What IS Biblical Community?
• What Has God DONE For US?
• How Do We BUILD Biblical Community?

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101 Discovering Membership Section 1 Why Do We
Exist As A Church?

• In this session we will explore together what
  COSBT is all about. Following this session, you
  will understand quite a bit about
• Your 101 classmates
• COSBTS Core Values
• COSBTS Statement of Faith
• COSBTS Mission Statement
• COSBTS Purpose Statement
• COSBTS Purposes Symbol

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Our Statements

• Our Core Values
• Our Statement of Faith
• Our Mission Statement
• Our Purpose Statement
• Our Purposes Symbol

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COSBT Core Values

• We acknowledge and commit to the supremacy of
  Jesus
• in everything
• This ministry exists only by Gods Grace
• All we do is driven by Jesus Four Purposes for
  His
• Church with the goal to follow and honor Jesus
• Our motives are to be faithful to Gods purposes,
  and
• fruitful and joyful in our ministry giving
  God all the
• glory
• We accomplish all our fruitfulness in the power
  of the
• Holy Spirit
• We believe that prayer is the means to Gods
  wisdom,
• protection, and correctly applying His
  principles
• We Pursue Health, Balance, and Relevance in our
• church family
• We aspire to bring out the best in each other
  through
• our gifts

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COSBT Statement of Faith Summary

• Bible
• Trinity
• Jesus
• Holy Spirit
• Resurrection
• Unity of believers
• Lords Supper
• Jesus Return
• Worship
• Prayer

Please see Full Statement at the end of this
section
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Our Mission Statement Why We Exist
As A Church

• To become a vibrant community
• A doring and Glorifying God. (worshiping)
• C aring for people. (connecting and serving)
• T raining for the ministry. (growing)
• S ending into all the world. (reaching)

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Our Purpose Statement

• From Jesus Great Commandment
• Jesus said, Love the Lord your God with all
  your heart...soul...and mind. This is the first
  and greatest commandment. And the second is like
  it Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law
  and Prophets hang on these two commandments.
  Matt. 2236-40

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Our Purpose Statement

• From Jesus Great Commission
• Jesus said, Go and make disciples of all
  nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father
  and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and
  teaching them to obey everything I have commanded
  you. Matt. 2819-20

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Our Purpose Statement

• To Love God with all your heart is to
  WORSHIP.
• To Love your neighbor as yourself is to
  SERVE.
• To Go...make disciples is to REACH.
• To Baptize... is to CONNECT.
• To Teach them... is to help them GROW

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COSBT Exists

• To Assimilate Gods Family is CONNECTING
• To Educate Gods People is GROWING
• To Demonstrate Gods Love is SERVING
• To Communicate Gods Word is REACHING
• 5. To Celebrate Gods Presence is WORSHIPING

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We Exist To AssimilateGods Family

• Connecting WE ARE CALLED TO CONNECT PEOPLE TO
  GODS LOCAL CHURCH FAMILY!
• You are a member of Gods very own family and
  you belong in Gods household with every other
  Christian! Eph. 219

The heartbeat of COSBT is our Cell Groups. Every
member needs to be a part of one.
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2. We Exist To Educate Gods People

• Growing WE ARE CALLED TO HELP BELIEVERS GROW
  SPIRITUALLY!
• Let us leave the elementary teachings about
  Christ and go on to maturity... Heb. 61
• 
  Continued

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2. We Exist To Educate Gods People Continued

• Growing
• Grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus
  Christ. 2 Peter 318
• (God has given)some to be pastors and teachers,
  to prepare Gods people for works of ministry, so
  that the Body of Christ may be built up until we
  allbecome maturelike Christ. Eph. 411-13
• Go on to 201 Discovering Maturity

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3. We Exist To Demonstrate Gods Love

• Serving WE ARE CALLED TO SERVE OTHERS NEEDS
  WITH LOVE!
• By this shall all men know that you are My
  disciples that you have love for one another.
  John 1335

Continued
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3. We Exist To Demonstrate Gods Love
(continued)

• Now God gives us many kinds of abilitiesand
  there are different kinds of service to God
  (ministry)All of you together form the one Body
  of Christ and each of you is a separate and
  necessary part of it.
• I Cor. 124-5,
  27 (LB)

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4. We Exist To Communicate Gods Word

• Reaching WE ARE CALLED TO REACH OUT TO OTHERS
  WITH THE GOOD NEWS!
• His intent was that through the church, the
  manifold wisdom of God should be made known...
  Eph. 310
• 
  Continued

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At COSBT we believe

• Every member is a MINISTER!
• Every task is IMPORTANT!
• Every member is a 10 in SOME AREA!

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COSBT Purpose Symbol

• COSBT Heart and Cross
• We meet at the foot of the cross
  Connecting
• We must enlarge our hearts
  Growing
• We must esteem others more Serving
• We must bear fruit like the cross Reaching
• We must show forth our love
  Worshiping

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101 Discovering MembershipSection 2 What IS
Biblical Community?

• In this section we will discuss the following
  questions
• Where Did We Come From, And Where Are We Going?
• Who Does What?
• What We Do And How We Do It.
• SoWhat IS Biblical Community?

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COSBT History

• From weekly purposeful home group of 10 to 20
  from the Marine Parade Church of Singapore in
  1975
• TO.
• Our own 20,000 sq ft property and new building
  with 1000 people today!

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COSBT History continued...

• In 1981 the elders of the Church of Singapore
  Marine Parade requested the brothers and sisters
  of two home fellowships in the western part of
  Singapore to support setting up a branch
  congregation.

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COSBT History continued...

• The first service was held at the Jurong Town
  Hall Theater with about 60 people on Jan 4th
  1981.
• In 1984 we moved to St. Andrews Jr. College but
  we had to change to afternoon services and
  dropped 20 in attendance.
• January 16, 1988 we were announced as an
  independent Church.
• We moved back to the Jurong Town Center and
  attendance grew to 270 and by 1990 was 400.
• In 1990 we shifted to the Anglo Chinese School on
  Dover Road and grew to 700

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COSBT History continued...

• We shifted our offices to our own property at 485
  Pasir Panjang in 1991 and sold that property with
  enough to purchase this property,set up offices
  at Beauty World Shopping Centre and build our
  first building in which to worship!
• Many testimonies and miracles were involved in
  this and we are debt free!
• (more details at the
• end of section 2)

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Who Are We?

• Our Leadership and Staff
• How we connect
• Who you can contact
• What departments we have

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Target Ministry Kevin Graves
Church Board
Noahs Ark Childcare And Arise Kindergarten/Mtg
Committee
Tan Kheng Hoon Administrator
Song Meng Liang Senior Pastor
English Service Pastor Mark Geppert Saturday
Celebration Usher Ministry Youth Impact Ong
Tiong Chuan/Mark Geppert Angeline Wong Daniel
Cheo Saturday Night Life Daniel Cheo /Mark
Geppert Power Kids Church Yvonne
Heng Mandarin Service Pastor Brigade
Ministry Hong Chi Her Mission Department
Jonathan Tan Ong Tiong Chuan Bilingual
Service Pastor Healing Deliverance Song
Meng Liang Christian Growth Emily Yong Poh
Lien Chang Lie Na Hokkien Service
Pastor Family Ministry Care Share
Groups Khang Chye Hee Hong Chi Her
Chinese Tan Kheng Hoon Cantonese
Service Pastor Worship Ministry Care Share
Groups Deacon Fong Foo Thim Hong Chi
Her English Mark Geppert Mandarin Night
Service Deacon Teo Koon Miang
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What We Do and How We Do It

• COSBT follows the Constitution and By-Laws and
  holds an Annual General Meeting in January.
• We have three Trustees and ten Board Members.
• This group serves all the congregations and
  ministry outreaches of the church.
• (see constitution and by-laws at end of section
  2)

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What Could Drive Us?

• Programs?
• Finances?
• Events?
• Personalities?
• Traditions?
• Buildings?

But what does God want his church to do?
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The Biblical Church

• Driven By Jesus Purposes
• Love the Lord your God with all your heart and
  all your soul and all your mindLove your
  neighbor as yourself. Matt. 2237-40
• Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing
  themand teaching them to obey everything I have
  commanded you. Matt.2819-20

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5 Circles of Commitment

• Uncommitted
• Committed to Attending
• Committed to Connecting
• Committed to Growing
• Core Committed to Serving

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Commitment The Four COSBT Covenants

• 1. The Membership Covenant...
• is a commitment to JESUS and
• HIS CHURCH FAMILY.
• You are members of Gods very own family...and
  you belong in Gods household with every other
  Christian. Eph. 219 (LB)
• We are all parts of Christs Body, and it takes
  every one of us to make it complete, for we each
  have different work to do. So we belong to each
  other, and need all others. Rom. 124-5 (LB)

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Commitment The Four COSBT Covenants

• 2. The Growth Covenant
• is a commitment to enter into the PROCESS and
  the PRACTICES that lead to maturity in Jesus.
• Continue to grow in grace and knowledge of our
  Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 318
• Take the time and trouble to keep yourself
  spiritually fit. 1 Tim. 47 (Ph)

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Commitment The Four COSBT Covenants

• 3. The Service Covenant...
• is a commitment to discovering and using my
  God-given gifts and abilities in SERVING Gods
  kingdom and others.
• God has given each of you some special
  abilities be sure to use them to help each
  other... 1 Pet. 410 (LB)
• There are different kinds of service to God
  together you form the Body of Christ and each one
  of you is a necessary part of it. 1 Cor. 125,
  27 (LB)

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Commitment The Four COSBT Covenants

• 4. The Outreach Covenant...
• is a commitment to SHARE the Good News with
  others.
• ...you will be My witnesses for me...to the ends
  of the earth. Acts 18 (GN)
• Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone
  who asks you to give the reason for the hope that
  you have. But do it with gentleness and
  respect.
• 1 Pet. 315

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Why do we have these 4 Covenants?

• Because we become what we are truly committed
  to.

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Celebrating the POWER of small
WHY CELLS?
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101 Discovering MembershipSection 3 What Has
God Done For Us?

• In this session we will talk about our
• relationship with God. As a result of this
• experience together, we hope you will
• Grow in your assurance that you are indeed a son
  or daughter of God through Jesus Christ
• More fully understand the significance of being
  Water Baptized, filled with the Holy Spirit, and
  partaking in the Lords Supper

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Foundations

• What it means to be a Christian
• The symbols of salvation Baptism and The Lords
  Supper
• The Holy Spirit

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Salvation

• Becoming A Christian
• (Refer to Congratulations Booklet)

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How Do I Become A Christian?

• Based on the material in the index and the
  following scriptures, identify some of the key
  steps involved in salvation
• I preach that they must repent of their sins
  and turn to God and do the things that would show
  they have repented. Acts 2620
• The righteousness of God comes through faith in
  Jesus Christ to all who believe Rom. 322
• If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus
  and believe in your heart that God raised Him
  from the dead, you will be saved. Rom. 109

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How Do I Become A Christian?

• According to the scriptures below (and many
  others), what is the basis for Gods Salvation?
• It is by grace that you have been saved through
  faith. It is not the result of your own
  efforts, but Gods gift so that no one can boast
  about it. Eph. 28-9
• Jesus answered. The work of God is this to
  believe in the one He has sent. John 629

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I. How Do I Become A Christian?

• Why did God do this for us?
• Jesus Said, For God so loved the world that he
  gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes
  in him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
  John 316
• But God demonstrates his own love for us in
  this While we were still sinners, Christ died
  for us. Rom. 58

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101Discovering Membership

• The Importance Of Water Baptism

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II. What is Significant About Water Baptism?

• What do these scriptures say to us about being
  Baptized?
• Go then and make disciples everywhere and
  baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son,
  and the Holy Spirit. Matt. 2819
• Afterward Jesus came from Nazareth and was
  baptized by John. Mark 19

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II. What is Significant About Water Baptism?

• Which of these issues, or others, might hinder
  you from being Water Baptized?
• Infant Baptism
• Pride (Embarrassment)
• Uncertainty about the Biblical guidelines
• Complete submersion in water

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II. What is Significant About Water Baptism?

• Which of the following benefits, which are
  available through adult Water Baptism, interests
  you the most?
• A greater understanding or assurance of my
  salvation
• A renewed commitment to obey God
• An opportunity to publicly give my witness to
  friends and relatives
• A simple step of obedience

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101 Discovering Membership

• The Baptism in the
• Holy Spirit

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101 Discovering MembershipBaptism of the Holy
Spirit

• Who is it for?
• Who is the Baptizer?
• What is the evidence?
• When can I be baptized?
• Is once enough?
• Baptized and Filled Is there a difference?

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Baptism in the Holy Spirit

• Matt. 311.But after me will come one who is
  more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit
  to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy
  Spirit and with fire.
• Matt. 313 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the
  Jordan to be baptized by John.

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Baptism in the Holy Spirit

• Acts 18 But you will receive power when the
  Holy Spirit comes on you and you will be my
  witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and
  Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
• Acts 24 All of them were filled with the Holy
  Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the
  Spirit enabled them.

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Baptism in the Holy Spirit

• Acts 19 4-6
• Paul said, Johns baptism was a baptism of
  repentance. He told the people to believe in the
  one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.
• On hearing this, they were baptized into the
  name of the Lord Jesus.
• When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy
  Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues
  and prophesied.

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101 Discovering Membership The Lords Supper

• The Meaning
• of the Lords Supper

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1. What Is The Lords Supper? (1 Cor.
1123-26)

• 1. It is a SIMPLE ACT.
• The Lord Jesus, on the night He was betrayed,
  took bread... (vs. 23)

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2. The Lords Supper (1 Cor. 1123-26)

• 2. It is a REMINDER.
• ...and when He had given thanks, He broke it and
  said, This is My body, which is for you eat it
  in remembrance of Me. (vs. 24)

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2. The Lords Supper (1 Cor.
1123-26)

• 3. It is a SYMBOL.
• In the same way, He took the cup, saying, This
  cup is the new covenant in My blood drink it to
  remember Me. (vs. 25)

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2. The Lords Supper (1 Cor. 1123-26)

• 4. It is a STATEMENT OF FAITH.
• For whenever you eat the bread and drink the
  cup, you proclaim the Lords death until He comes
  back. (vs. 26)

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2. Who Should Take The Lords Supper?

• Only those who are already BELIEVERS. (Mark
  1422-26)
• For anyone who eats and drinks without
  recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks
  judgment upon himself.
• 2 Cor. 1129

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3. How Do I Prepare Myself For The Lords Supper?

• Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the
  cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be
  guilty of sinning against the body and blood of
  the Lord. A person ought to examine himself
  before he eats of the bread and drinks of the
  cup. 1 Cor. 1127-28

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2. Who Should Take The Lords Supper?

• Only those who are already BELIEVERS. (Mark
  1422-26)
• For anyone who eats and drinks without
  recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks
  judgment upon himself.
• 2 Cor. 1129

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3. Preparing For The Lords Supper (continued)

• By
• Self-Examination I Cor. 1127
• Confessing my sins I John 19
• Recommitment Rom. 121
• Restoring relationships Matt 523-24

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4. When and How Often Should We Observe The
Lords Supper?

• Jesus never said when or how often believers
  should observe The Lords Supper. At COSBT, we
  typically observe The Lords Supper once a month
  during the main Worship services.

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Next Steps to Following Jesus

• Salvation Do I know Jesus?
• Baptism Further Questions?
• Holy Spirit What gifts are mine?
• Lords Supper Do I Understand its
  importance?

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• Take A Break!

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101 Discovering Membership Section 4 How Do
We Build BiblicalCommunity?

• In this final section of COSBTS Discovering
  Membership we will explore
• How do WE together have a role in building
• Biblical Community for Gods Kingdom
  purposes?
• Any exciting value and benefits of being a
  member?
• What does it mean to be a member?
• What are the 5 Circles of Commitment?
• Now What? Any process to help us grow?

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Building Biblical Community

• Organization or Organism?
• What is the first thing you think about when we
  say Stewardship?
• Stewardship/Giving does not mean only our
  money-but our very life.
• Romans 121

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Stewardship

• Stewardship (or giving) in Biblical Community
  involves
• Our Time
• Our Talent
• Our Treasure
• An Attitude of Stewardship
• 2 Corinthians 97

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Stewardship continued

• Stewarding your time Acts 242
• How does the culture pull you away
  from being able to do this?
• Stewarding your talents Ephesians
  415-16
• What talents or abilities do you
  have?
• How might these be used to help
  others?
• How does the culture prevent you
  from utilizing your talents?
• 301 Discovering Ministry will give you
  good opportunity to gain a deeper
  understanding of this stewardship.

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Stewardship continued

• Stewarding your Treasure
• Proportionally 1 Cor. 162
• Consistently 1Cor. 162
• Sacrificially Mark 1243-44
• Cheerfully 2 Cor. 97
• Malachi 310 What is the challenge and promise
  of God that is presented in these verses?

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The Value of MembershipThree essentials of
following Jesus

• Believing
• Believe on the Lord Jesus and you will be saved
  Acts 1631 (LB)
• Belonging
• You are a member of Gods very own family and
  you belong in Gods household with every other
  Christian! Eph. 219 (LB)
• Becoming
• From the very beginning God decided that those
  who came to Himshould become like His Son...
  Rom. 829

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The Benefits to Membership

• Identifies me as a genuine believer (Eph 219
  Rom. 125)
• Provides me a spiritual family to support and
  encourage me (Gal. 61-2 Heb. 1024-25)
• Allows me a place to discover and use my gifts in
  ministry (1 Cor. 124-27)
• Places me under the spiritual protection of Godly
  leaders (Heb. 1317 Acts 2028-29)
• Gives me the accountability I need to grow (Eph.
  521)

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Would we all agree that connecting in Membership
is clearly a step of spiritual growth, not an
organizational ritual?
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5 Circles of Commitment

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What it Means to be a Member

• The difference between attenders and members
  is COMMITMENT.
• COSBT recognizes the need for formal membership
  for many reasons
• Reasons to commit
• Biblical Jesus is committed to His church
• Cultural It is an antidote to our society
• Practical It defines who can be counted on
• Personal It produces spiritual Growth

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What is expected of me as a member?

• We never ask our members to do more than what the
  Bible clearly teaches.
• Our responsibilities as COSBT members are clearly
  defined in our membership covenant.

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The COSBT Membership Covenant

• I believe that God created us to be unified in
  His family and purposes. Therefore I will
  protect the unity of this church
• I believe that Gods purpose for me is to be a
  follower of Jesus and to go help others to follow
  Him too. Therefore, I will share the
  responsibility of my church
• I believe that helping others to follow Jesus is
  a relational process. Therefore I will serve the
  ministry of my church
• I believe that Gods design for His Church
  includes connecting, growing, serving, reaching,
  and worshiping. Therefore I will support the
  purposes of my church (refer to covenant
  page at the end of section 4)

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Whats next?

• A process to help you grow!
• 201 Spiritual GROWTH
• 301 Equipped to SERVE
• 401 Ready to REACH

Lets all go on to 201!
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DISCOVERING MEMBERSHIP 101

• Congratulations!
• You Have Completed
• DISCOVERING MEMBERSHIP 101

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Before Your Go Today

• Before you leave would you please
• Have you signed the attendance sheet?
• Turn in the My Next Steps Page
• Turn in your Membership Application