Open the Eyes of My Heart

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The Church on Purpose is Growing!
Matthew 1616-18
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Ben Merold, retired preacher would have an
immediate response There is no such thing as a
friendly, little church. He would go on to
explain that if a local church were truly
friendly, it would not be little very long.
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Our Lord wants His church to grow! The real
question is do YOU want the Lords church to
grow? You and I need to let the Lords church
grow. You need to do your part. I need to do my
part
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Purpose
to better understand the principle that a church
on purpose is a growing church
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The churches that are in trouble are oriented
toward preserving human traditions or maintaining
themselves as institutions, rather than toward
accomplishing significant spiritual objectives
Joe Scott Ellis
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Much of the current dissatisfaction and
disillusionment with churches grows out of the
fact that people perceive much of the activity as
pointless.
Joe Scott Ellis
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This got me to thinking, What are we doing here
at the Church of Christ that suggests
pointlessness to the church family AND to the
community and surrounding area?
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I Hurdles to Constantly Overcome
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Another way of putting hurdles is to think of
them as temptations
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I Hurdles to Constantly Overcome
A. Fixation with Money
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Often churches main concern never goes beyond
budgets, bills and balances
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If an extra terrestrial visited a monthly
board/leadership meeting what would they conclude
the purpose of the local church to be?
Joe Scott Ellis
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TIME TALENTS TREASURES
Good way to address fixation with money is to
teach/preach Biblical stewardship Show me a
church who understands Gods grace Ill show you
a church with money for ministry!
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I Hurdles to Constantly Overcome
A. Fixation with Money
B. Wrong Emphasis in Leadership
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Often church leadership is a joke emphasis is on
status and not service control and not caring
authority and not being authentic power and not
responsibility prestige and not humility
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Preachers/evangelist are being pastorized CEO
concept is being embraced everywhere What did
Paul tell Timothy to do? Do the work of an
evangelist Preach the Word Be instant in season
and out of season reprove, rebuke and exhort.
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I Hurdles to Constantly Overcome
A. Fixation with Money
B. Wrong Emphasis in Leadership
C. Reversing the End for the Means
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Summed up the problem of tradition becoming more
important than accomplishing the real purpose of
the Lords Church The Seven Last Words of the
Church We Never Tried It That Way Before.
Ralph Neighbour
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Ephesians 525
Christ loved the Church and gave Himself up for
her.
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When congregations slip into maintenance or
survival as their goal (institutionalism), they
sign their death notices. Even though they may
continue to exist as institutions long after they
have died a genuine churches.
Joe Scott Ellis
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I Hurdles to Constantly Overcome
A. Fixation with Money
B. Wrong Emphasis in Leadership
C. Reversing the End for the Means
D. Disobedience to Gods Will
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Church closed out East. A sign on the building
said, Closed for Business. May we suggest they
never knew their business!
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Dont make the wrong mistakes!
Yogi Berra
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II Aspects to Constantly Improve
A. Biblical Elders
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Isaiah 5511
So shall My word be which goes froth from My
mouth it shall not return to Me empty, without
accomplishing what I desire, and without
succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.
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Romans 831
What then shall we say to these things? If God
is for us, who is against us?
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II Aspects to Constantly Improve
A. Biblical Elders
B. Supportive Church Family
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David Robinson retired not long ago from a
storybook NBA career. Prior to this he played
for Navy. One game with Kentucky he scored 40
points
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II Aspects to Constantly Improve
A. Biblical Elders
B. Supportive Church Family
C. God Empowered Body
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Is the Church of Christ in Eaton illustrated best
by a millrace or a swamp? Local churches fall
into one or the other of these categories
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Conclusion and Summary
I conclude with three mottos for every faithful
church/Christian
1. Whatever It Takes!
2. Why Not?!
3. Theres a Way Lets Find It!