The Community Church

1
The Community Church
Their Origin, Beliefs How to Reach Them
2
Gods Plan for His Church

• The church of the Bible was planned by God (Eph.
  310-11).
• The church of the Bible was prophesied in the
  O.T. (Isa. 22-4 Dan. 244).
• The church of the Bible was promised by Jesus
  (Matt. 1618-19).
• The church of the Bible was purchased by Jesus
  (Acts 2028).
• The church of the Bible was established in Acts 2
  by the power of the Holy Spirit (Mark 91 Acts
  18 21-4).
• In the New Testament, there was only one church
  (Eph. 44 122-23), of which one must be a
  member to go to heaven (Eph. 523 Heb. 1223).
• The one true church is patterned after and
  governed by the authoritative Word of God (1 Tim.
  315 Col. 317).
• Denominationalism DOES NOT EQUAL N.T.
  Christianity.

3
The Community ChurchIts Origin

• According to the 1995 edition of Handbook of
  Denominations in the U.S. by Frank S. Mead,
• Community Churches in the U.S. date from the
  mid-1800s, but were first organized nationally in
  1923these churches are a result of the desire to
  eliminate overchurching in some communities and
  solve attendant, economic and staffing problems
  to replace the restrictivenessof
  denominationalism with self-determination and
  Christian unitySince each church is adjusted to
  the needs of a different community, there is much
  variety among Community Churches in worship, work
  and witness styles, and methods (p. 122, emp.
  added).

4
The Community ChurchIts Origin

• Two modern-day models for Community Church
• Willow Creek Community Church near Chicago
• Saddleback Church near Los Angeles
• The textbook being used
• The Purpose Driven Church by Rick Warren, the
  pastor of the Saddleback Church

5
Willow Creek Community Church

• The genesis of Willow Creek goes back to the
  early 1970s, when a dynamic youth ministry was
  created at South Park Church in Park Ridge.
  Using contemporary music, drama, and Bible
  teaching that was highly relevant to the lives of
  high school students, the services grew from a
  handful of teenagers to 1,000 students a night.
  Nobody was more surprised or inspired by the
  response than the young leaders of the ministry,
  including a recent college graduate named Bill
  Hybels. Later, they felt compelled to offer this
  innovative and creative style of service to an
  adult audience.
• Renting a Palatine movie theater (from which the
  name Willow Creek was taken), they launched the
  churchon October 12, 1975 with an initial
  turnout of 125 people.
• In three years, attendance grew to 2,000
  peopleOne Saturday service was added, then
  another. Now, 20,000 attend six weekend
  services.
• (http//www.willowcreek.org/history.asp)

6
Saddleback Church

• In 1979, with many good Bible-teaching churches
  already in Southern California, Pastor Rick
  Warren turned his attention to those who didnt
  attend church regularly. Two weeks after Pastor
  Rick and Kay arrived in the Saddleback Valley,
  they began with a small Bible study, meeting with
  one other family in the Warrens' small condo.
• On Easter of 1980, Saddleback Valley Community
  Church held its very first public service and 205
  people, most of whom had never been to church,
  showed up.
• The average attendance today is 20,000 each
  weekend.
• (http//www.saddleback.com/flash/story.asp)
• (http//www.saddleback.com/flash/press.html)

7
Willow Creek How It Got Started

• A door-to-door survey of the local community
  taught them why people stayed away from church.
• When Hybels decided to plant a churchhe took
  survey teams through the community, asking those
  people who admitted to being unsaved, why they
  didnt regularly attend a church. According to
  Hybels, the survey revealed that people (1)
  didnt like being bugged for money (2) found
  church boring, predictable, and routine (3)
  didnt think that the church was relevant to
  their lives and (4) always left church feeling
  guilty (the Christian message was too negative
  with sin, etc.).
• (http//www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/
  2382.html)
• (http//www.wayoflife.org/fbns/hybels.htm)
• (http//www.willowcreek.org/services.asp)

8
Willow Creek How It Got Started

• Willow Creek Opens New Downtown Church, 2000 in
  Attendance
• Willow Creek Community Church of South Barrington
  opened its first Chicago satellite campus
  yesterday with a service at the historic
  Auditorium Theatre. More than two thousand people
  filled the theaters main floor and much of its
  balcony for the service -- which was done up in
  Willow Creeks signature style with singing,
  dancing, a giant video screen and a seven-piece
  band.
• The service was conducted by Willow Creeks
  founder and lead pastor, the Reverend Bill
  Hybels.
• Willow Creek, which was founded 30 years ago,
  held its first services in a rented suburban
  movie theater. It now counts an average weekend
  attendance of more than 20 thousand in South
  Barrington and its three satellite campuses in
  DuPage, Lake and McHenry counties.
• October 02, 2006 by Todd Rhoades
• (http//mondaymorninginsight.com/index.php/site/co
  mments/willow_creek_opens_new_downtown_church_2000
  _in_attendance/)

9
Saddleback How It Got Started

• In November 1973Idrove 350 miles to hear Dr.
  W.A. Criswell speakrenowned pastor of the
  largest Baptist church in the worldI had not
  doubt that God had called me to ministry, but I
  was unsure if God wanted to become a pastor (p.
  25)
• As I listened to this great man of God preach,
  God spoke personally to me and made it very clear
  that he was calling me to be a pastor. Then and
  there, I promised God Id give my entire life to
  pastoring a single church if that was his will
  for me. (p. 26)
• During the summer of 1979, I practically lived in
  university libraries doing researchI was
  twenty-five years oldAs I sat there in the
  dusty, dimly lit basement of that university
  library, I heard God speak clearly to me That's
  where I want you to plant a church! My whole
  body began to tingle with excitement, and tears
  welled up in my eyes. I had heard from God (p.
  33-34)
• (From The Purpose Drive Church by Rick Warren,
  Zondervan 1995)

10
Saddleback How It Got Started

• I decided that we would make no effort at all to
  attract Christians from other churches to
  Saddleback. We would not even borrow workers from
  other area churches to start Saddleback. Since I
  felt called to reach unbelievers, I determined to
  begin with unbelievers, rather than with a core
  of committed Christians. This was not the way all
  the books on church starting said to do it, but I
  felt certain that it was what God was calling us
  to do. Our focus would be limited to reaching the
  unchurched for Christ, people who for one reason
  or another did not attend any existing church
  (p. 39)
• .I spent the first twelve weeksgoing
  door-to-door talking to people...I wanted to
  listen first to what they thought their most
  pressing needs wereFelt needs, whether real or
  imaginary, are a starting point for expressing
  love to people (p. 39-40)
• (From The Purpose Drive Church by Rick Warren,
  Zondervan 1995)

11
Saddleback How It Got Started

• I began Saddleback Church by going door-to-door
  for twelve weeks and surveying the unchurched in
  my area. Six years earlier I had read Robert
  Schullers book Your Church Has Real
  Possibilities, which told how he had gone
  door-to-door in 1955 and asked hundreds of
  people, Why dont you go to church? and What
  do you want in a church? I thought it was a
  great idea but felt the questions needed to be
  rephrased for the more skeptical 1980s. I wrote
  down in my notebook five questions I would use to
  start Saddleback
• What do you think is the greatest need in this
  area?
• Are you actively attending any church? If they
  said yes, I thanked them and moved on to the next
  home. I didnt bother asking the other three
  questions
• Why do you think most people dont attend church?
  when I asked why they thought other people
  didnt attend they usually gave me their personal
  reasons anyway.
• If you were to look for a church to attend, what
  kind of things would you look for?
• What could I do for you? What advice can you give
  to a minister that really wants to be helpful to
  people?
• (From The Purpose Drive Church by Rick Warren, p.
  190-191)

12
The Community ChurchIts Origin

• Where did The Community Church get its name?
• From the communitywhose desires and wants
  determined what that church would be.
• Where should the church really gets its name and
  pattern for what it should be?

13
How the Bible Says to Start a Church

• Recognize the origin of the Lords church goes
  back to the day of Pentecost in Acts 2.
• Go back to the Bible for Gods plan for His
  church.
• Plant the seed, which is the Word of God (Luke
  811).
• When the pure Word of God is planted, it will
  grow the same church in any land (1 Cor. 417
  717).
• Follow the pattern of the Word of God for every
  aspect and work of the church (2 Tim. 113 Heb.
  85).
• Giving man what he wants in a church (his felt
  needs) creates mans church, NOT GODs!
• Need to give God what He wants in His church!

14
The Community ChurchIts Purpose

• Attracting those you want ch. 9
• Meet felt needs ch. 11
• Attract large crowds (beliefs practices are
  often determined by who you want to reach) ch.
  12
• Entertain with your worship style ch. 13-15
• From chapters in The Purpose-Driven Church by
  Rick Warren.

15
The Purpose of the Lords Church

• Mt 2819 "Go therefore and make disciples of all
  the nations, baptizing them in the name of the
  Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
• 20 "teaching them to observe all things that I
  have commanded you and lo, I am with you always,
  even to the end of the age." Amen.
• Eph 310 to the intent that now the manifold
  wisdom of God might be made known by the church
  to the principalities and powers in the heavenly
  places,
• 11 according to the eternal purpose which He
  accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord,
• (No word about entertaining, attracting or
  meeting felt needs.)

16
The Community ChurchIts BeliefsAbout Salvation

• Saddleback
• Salvation is a gift from God to man. Man can
  never make up for his sin by self-improvement or
  good works. Only by trusting in Jesus Christ as
  Gods offer of forgiveness can man be saved from
  sins penalty. Eternal life begins the moment one
  receives Jesus Christ into his life by faith.
  (http//www.saddleback.com/flash/believe2.html)

17
The Community ChurchIts BeliefsAbout Salvation

• Saddleback
• Baptism doesnt make you a believer - it shows
  that you already believe. Baptism does not save
  you, only your faith in Christ does that. Baptism
  is like a wedding ring its the outward symbol of
  the commitment you make in your heart.
  (http//www.saddlebackfamily.com/membership/defaul
  t.asp?scbaptism)
• Thank you for your interest in the Baptism
  Ministry here at Saddleback Church. If you would
  like to be baptized at Saddleback, please check
  the calendar below for baptism dates and times.
  (http//www.saddlebackfamily.com/membership/fullst
  ory.asp?id6384)

18
The Community ChurchIts BeliefsAbout Salvation

• Saddleback
• (http//www.saddlebackfamily.com/membership/defaul
  t.asp?scbaptism)

19
The Community ChurchIts BeliefsAbout Salvation

• Saddleback
• Membership in this Church shall consist of all
  persons who have met the qualifications for
  membership and are listed on the membership role.
• Qualifications for Membership
• A personal commitment of faith in Jesus Christ
  for salvation.
• Baptism by immersion as a testimony of salvation.
• Completion of the Churchs membership class.
• A commitment to abide by the membership covenant.
• (http//www.midwestbap.org/docs/saddleback_bylaws.
  pdf)

20
The Community ChurchIts BeliefsAbout Salvation

• Willow Creek
• Scriptural teaching on baptism may be summarized
  as follows
• Baptism symbolizes the spiritual cleansing
  through divine forgiveness and newness of life
  experienced by believers by virtue of their
  identification with Christ in his death and
  resurrection.
• Baptism provides an opportunity for believers to
  make a formal profession of their faith before
  the church.
• As a biblical rite of initiation for believers to
  make a formal profession of their faith before
  the church.
• Willow Creek Community Church offers the option
  of believers baptism in the modes of sprinkling
  and immersion on the basis of a sacramentarian
  view of the ordinances whereby their value lies
  in the symbolism they convey and in the faith of
  the participants rather than the nature or amount
  of the elements used, as bread and wine for
  communion, and water for baptism.
  (http//www.willowcreek.org/statementonbaptism.asp
  )

21
The Community ChurchIts BeliefsAbout Salvation

• Willow Creek
• Baptism was never intended to provide salvation
  for an individual, but rather to publicly
  identify a person with Christ.
• Baptism is an act of obedience to the command of
  Christ, fulfilled by individuals who have
  subjected themselves to His sovereignty.
• It symbolizes the spiritual cleansing through
  divine forgiveness and newness of life
  experienced by believers by virtue of their
  identification with Christ in His death and
  resurrection.
• (http//www.willowcreek.org/SpiritualFormation/Mem
  bership/Faqs.asp)

22
The Community ChurchIts BeliefsAbout Salvation

• Willow Creek
• (http//www.willowcreek.org/baptism/)

23
The Community ChurchIts BeliefsAbout Salvation

• Willow Creek
• Baptism celebrations occur monthly, either at
  Willow Creeks New Community or Weekend services.
  This allows for life change to be celebrated
  frequently.
• The Elders strongly encourage those choosing to
  be baptized to participate by immersion. We do
  recognize, however, that some individuals may
  request baptism by sprinkling on the stage
  because of a strong personal preference,
  particularly those based on a compelling physical
  reason or disability. In these cases, the elders
  ask that a brief explanation be given in the
  registration form.
• In order to make the Baptism celebration more
  personal, we will accept the first 40 people to
  register per month.
• (http//www.willowcreek.org/baptism/service_i
  nfo.asp)

24
The Community ChurchIts BeliefsAbout Salvation
(http//www.willowcreek.org/baptism/Process.asp)
25
The Community ChurchIts BeliefsAbout Salvation

• Christ Fellowship
• Salvation is by grace, a gift of God apart from
  works. Salvation requires repentance, a turning
  away from ones own way to Gods way. Salvation
  is through personal faith in the Lord Jesus
  Christ and all who receive Him are born again,
  regenerated by the Holy Spirit, and become the
  children of God. We will manifest true salvation
  by a changed life. (http//www.gochristfellowship.
  com/about/faithstatements.aspx)

26
The Community ChurchIts BeliefsAbout Salvation

• Christ Fellowship
• (http//www.gochristfellowship.com/stories/calenda
  r.aspx)

27
The Community ChurchIts BeliefsAbout Salvation

• Christ Fellowship
• It is important to note that the Bible does not
  teach that baptism is necessary for salvation. A
  person is not saved because he or she is
  baptized. The thief on the cross next to Jesus
  was told he would be in paradise that day, yet he
  was not baptized. It was his faith in Christ
  alone that brought him salvation, not baptism.
  Baptism, according to Paul in Romans 6, is a
  public testimonial of ones belief in Christ. It
  is a public identification with the death, burial
  and resurrection of Christ, and as such it is a
  meaningful confession before men that one belongs
  to God. In this sense, baptism is not only
  necessary to be obedient to Christ, but it is an
  important step of faith in ones spiritual
  growth.
• (http//www.gochristfellowship.com/questions/churc
  h5.aspx)

28
What the Bible Says About Salvation

• Eternal salvation is for all who obey Him
  (Heb. 59).
• We must have faith that Jesus is the Son of God
  in order to be saved (Acts 1631 Heb. 116).
• But faith alone will not save. Faith by
  itselfis dead (James 217)
• We must repent of our sins in order to be saved
  (Acts 1730 319).
• We must confess our faith in Jesus in order to be
  saved (Rom. 109-10).
• We must be immersed into Christ in order to be
  saved (see next slide).

29
What the Bible Says About Salvation

• Baptism is essential to salvation for it always
  precedes salvation when the two words are used
  together in the New Testament (Mark 1616 1 Pet.
  321).
• Baptism is essential to salvation as it is a
  command from heaven (Matt. 2818-20 John 35
  Acts 238 Acts 96 2216).
• Baptism is essential to salvation for it is the
  only way to get into Christ, wherein is
  salvation (2 Tim. 210 Rom. 63 Gal. 327).
• Baptism is essential to salvation as it brings
  one, not only into Christ, but into His death
  (Rom. 63-4), wherein He shed His blood for our
  sins (Rev. 15 Matt. 2628 Acts 238).
• Baptism is essential to salvation as every
  account of conversion in the book of Acts
  demonstrates (21-47 85-13 824-40 91-18
  1024-28 1611-15 1625-34 184-11 191-7).
• Baptism is essential to salvation for it places
  one into His kingdom, which Jesus will deliver
  the kingdom to God the Father (1 Cor. 1524).
  To spend eternity with God, one must be in that
  kingdom, and baptism is the only way into that
  kingdom (John 35).
• Baptism is essential to salvation for it places
  me into His body, the church (1 Cor. 1213 Col.
  118 Acts 247).

30
The Community ChurchIts BeliefsAbout Church
Organization

• Saddleback
• The officers of the Church shall be a Senior
  Pastor, an Executive Pastor and a Chief Financial
  Officer. The Senior Pastor shall serve as the
  President of the Church and shall act as the
  moderator of the Church. The Executive Pastor
  shall serve as the Vice President of the Church
  and shall act as the moderator of the Church in
  the absence of the Senior Pastor. The Chief
  Financial Officer shall serve as both the
  Secretary and the Treasurer of the Church and
  shall act as moderator in the absence of both the
  Senior Pastor and the Executive Pastor. The
  Senior Pastor may not serve concurrently as the
  Chief Financial Officer of the Church.
• (http//www.midwestbap.org/docs/saddleback_bylaws.
  pdf)

31
The Community ChurchIts BeliefsAbout Church
Organization

• Saddleback
• We arrived at Saddleback Valley. Istopped at
  the first real estate office I could find. I
  walked in and introduced myself to the first
  realtor I met. His name was Don DaleWhile
  driving to the condo, I asked Don if he attended
  church anywhere. He said he didnt. I replied,
  Great! Youre my first member!I began
  Saddleback Church with that realtors family (p.
  36-37)
• Even though our staff isI require each of them
  to (p. 57)
• I want prospective members to make sure they know
  exactly where Saddleback Church is headedbefore
  they join. (p. 91)
• I institutedI repeatedly challengedI taught
  themI preachedI taughtI began to give greater
  emphasisI stressedI added staff to assist
  me(p. 140)
• Im having to add younger staff (p. 177)
• I told the whole congregation, I release all of
  you to visitand you dont even have to tell me.
  (p. 386)
• (From The Purpose Drive Church by Rick Warren,
  Zondervan 1995)

32
The Community ChurchIts BeliefsAbout Church
Organization

• Saddleback
• My greatest source of learning, however, has been
  watching what God has done in the church I
  pastor. (p. 18)
• The pastor of the church sets the tone and
  atmosphere of the congregation. (p. 212)
• For a number of reasons, I believe the senior
  pastor should teach this class, or at least a
  portion of it. The opportunity to see the
  pastors vision for the church, feel his love for
  the members, and hear his personal commitment to
  care, feed, and lead them in very important to
  new members. (p. 316)
• Members of Saddleback must sign The Saddleback
  Membership Covenant, which reads in part, I will
  serve the ministry of my churchby being equipped
  to serve by my pastors. (p. 322)
• (From The Purpose Drive Church by Rick Warren,
  Zondervan 1995)

33
The Community ChurchIts BeliefsAbout Church
Organization

• Willow Creek
• Board of Elders

(http//www.willowcreek.org/general_info.asp)
34
The Community ChurchIts BeliefsAbout Church
Organization

• Willow Creek
• Each and every weekend, nearly 20,000 people
  participate in Willow Creeks services. Each and
  every day, the nine members of Willow Creeks
  Elders Board are committed to shepherding and
  leading all of the people who call Willow their
  church home.
• Ive spent a fair amount of time researching
  what the Bible says about how the church should
  be led, says Steve Bartz, who has been an Elder
  for 15 years and also helps other churches better
  understand the biblical role of Elders.
• On a daily basis and in their monthly meetings,
  the Elders team tackles key issues facing the
  church. These include
• Creating policy in terms of church belief or
  biblical interpretation
• (http//www.willowcreek.org/general_info.asp)

35
The Community ChurchIts BeliefsAbout Church
Organization

• Willow Creek
• Anyone who is a member adheres to the statement
  of beliefs and practices of the church
• Dick Carr had attended Willow Creek since
  1992That's why Mr. Carr's dissent over the
  women-in-leadership position is painful for him
  to talk aboutWhen Mr. Carr decided to join the
  church, he ran into difficulties. An appendix of
  the membership book "threw up red flags for me."
• Mr. Carr asked his division leader, who told him
  to read Dr. B's Beyond Sex Roles. That raised
  even more questionsMr. Carr went back to his
  division leader, who referred him to a female
  elder who is the author of a paper called
  Elders Response to the Most Frequently Asked
  Questions About Membership at Willow Creek. In
  that document, volunteer membership coaches are
  told, We ask that Participating Members of
  Willow Creek minimally be able to affirm and
  joyfully sit under the teaching of women
  teachersthat they can joyfully submit to the
  leadership of women in various leadership
  positions at Willow Creek.
• (http//www.wayoflife.org/fbns/fbns/fbns464.html)

36
The Community ChurchIts BeliefsAbout Church
Organization

• Willow Creek
• Board of Directors

(http//www.willowcreek.org/general_info.asp)
37
The Community ChurchIts BeliefsAbout Church
Organization

• Christ Fellowship
• Dr. Tom Mullins is the founder and senior pastor
  of Christ Fellowship.
• Pastor Toms desire to make a difference in Palm
  Beach County inspired him to start Christ
  Fellowship in 1984.
• Pastor Tom leads a full-time staff of 85 to
  accomplish Gods purposes
• (http//www.gochristfellowship.com/about/pastortom
  mullins.aspx)

38
What the Bible Says About Church Organization

• The New Testament church was made up of local
  congregations that were self-governing and
  completely autonomous. There was only one head of
  the churchand that was Christ (Col. 118).
• The New Testament church was made up local
  congregations that were overseen by a group of
  qualified men (always a plurality) from within
  that congregation called elders (1 Tim. 31-7
  Acts 1423).
• The name pastor never referred to a preacher in
  the New Testament but always to an elder and
  always to more than one man in a congregation.
• The New Testament church was made up of local
  congregations that were served by a group of
  qualified men called deacons (1 Tim. 38-13
  Phil. 11).
• The New Testament church was made up of local
  congregations that had the gospel proclaimed to
  them by evangelists (2 Tim. 45 Eph. 411).
• In the New Testament church, women were not
  permitted to be evangelists (1 Tim. 211) or
  elders (1 Tim. 32) but were encouraged to teach
  other women and children (Titus 23-4).

39
The Community ChurchIts BeliefsAbout Worship

• Saddleback
• The style of music you choose in your service
  will be one of the most critical and
  controversial decisions you make in the life of
  your church. It may be the most influential
  decision in determining who your church reaches
  for Christ and whether or not your church grows.
  You must match your music to the kind of people
  God wants your church to reach. When selecting
  the style of music that is going to be used
  during your service, it must be remembered that
  the Bible does not dictate a correct kind of
  music. This is because God wants his church to
  grow in every culture, and he made people with
  the capacity to express themselves in many
  different musical ways. As long as your worship
  in spirit and in truth (John 424), each local
  body is free to adopt whichever style of music
  best reaches the surrounding community.
• (http//www.purposedriven.com/pdc/faqs/music-faq.h
  tml) accessed August 3, 2000 unavailable on
  internet October 29, 2006

40
The Community ChurchIts BeliefsAbout Worship

• Saddleback
• Try One of Our Worship Venues!We have something
  for everyone! One of our few "traditions" at
  Saddleback is to keep trying new ways to tell the
  good news of God's love. What is a worship venue?
  It's a live feed of the message on a large bright
  LED screen. It's live bands with different styles
  than in the Worship Center. It's a smaller, more
  intimate atmosphere for worship. AND you can even
  bring your coffee with you into the service!
• Music has the power to speak to the heart! Since
  we all have hearts that thrive on encouragement
  and that need to be energizedthe music at
  Saddleback is encouraging and energizing. We want
  you to get a lift and not a letdown when you come
  to church!
• We all like different styles of music, so there
  are several music styles to choose from at
  Saddleback. Currently we have three distinctly
  different worship styles represented in our
  venues. To hear samples from each of the venues,
  click the link below.
• (http//www.saddlebackfamily.com/home/todaystory.a
  sp?id5700)
• (http//www.saddleback.com/flash/music.html)

41
The Community ChurchIts BeliefsAbout Worship

• Saddleback
• Try One of Our Worship Venues!

(http//www.saddlebackfamily.com/home/todaystory.a
sp?id5700)
42
The Community ChurchIts BeliefsAbout Worship

• Saddleback
• Try One of Our Worship Venues!

(http//www.saddlebackfamily.com/home/todaystory.a
sp?id5700)
43
The Community ChurchIts BeliefsAbout Worship

• Saddleback
• Try One of Our Worship Venues!

(http//www.saddlebackfamily.com/home/todaystory.a
sp?id5700)
44
The Community ChurchIts BeliefsAbout Worship

• Saddleback
• What does Saddleback believe about communion? We
  do celebrate Communion and believe it is one of
  the two ordinances Christ gave the church. Water
  baptism would be the other. Since Jesus
  instituted Communion on a Thursday night and then
  it was practiced in homes in the New Testament,
  we don't land on a certain day or time to take
  communion. We practice communion in our small
  groups and 3 to 4 times a year in our weekend
  services.
• (http//www.saddlebackfamily.com/membership/group_
  finder/faqs_smallgroup.asp?id7509q_02)

45
The Community ChurchIts BeliefsAbout Worship

• Willow Creek
• Hybels told how he used dance and drama in his
  "Son City" youth ministry. A 3/6/89 Time article
  said he also uses Christian rock music and
  multi-media slide shows, and pictured a Christian
  combo jazzing up a Sunday service.
• The 12-16-89 Huntsville Times said Hybels church
  does not have conventional worship. It has no
  altar, no choir, organ, hymnals, or song books.
  Its music ranges from rock to jazz to country to
  classical.
• (http//www.tbaptist.com/aab/pbc9601.htm)

46
The Community ChurchIts BeliefsAbout Worship

• Willow Creek
• At Willow Creek, we feel that God has given us
  a plan, but it doesnt necessarily have to apply
  to every church. In fact, we believe that this
  may be one of the few churches that God,
  manifesting a sense of humor if you will, has
  decided to say, Look, Im saying to give them a
  little different kind of plan over here.
• (http//www.wayoflife.org/fbns/hybels.htm)
• There are three weekend services in the main
  auditorium. Using drama, multi-media,
  contemporary music, and a message that connects
  with people's lives, the ageless wisdom of
  Scripture is presented in a creative, yet
  straight-forward way. (http//www.willowcreek.org/
  services.asp)

47
The Community ChurchIts BeliefsAbout Worship

• Willow Creek
• Its also important to keep in mind that art
  istnt used to teach at Willow Creek. Its
  purpose is to pique curiosity, to evoke ideas,
  and to till the soil of the soul so that the seed
  of Gods Word can be planted there. Music,
  drama, video, multimedia, and dance are only used
  as a prelude to a thirty- to forty-minute message
  that then brings strong biblical clarity to the
  topic of the day. Its this preaching of Gods
  Word that ultimately has the power to change
  lives. Art plays a secondthough
  importantsupport role.
• (Excerpted from Rediscovering Church by Bill
  Hybels, 1995. The Atlantic online,
  http//www.theatlantic.com/issues/96aug/nxtchrch/w
  illow.htm )

48
The Community ChurchIts BeliefsAbout Worship

• Willow Creek
• When Hybels decided to plant a churchhe took
  survey teams through the community, asking those
  people who admitted to being unsaved, why they
  didnt regularly attend a church. According to
  Hybels, the survey revealed that people (1)
  didnt like being bugged for money (2) found
  church boring, predictable, and routine (3)
  didnt think that the church was relevant to
  their lives and (4) always left church feeling
  guilty (the Christian message was too negative
  with sin, etc.).
• Hybels' solution was to "program our Sunday
  morning service to non-believers, and program our
  service to believers on another day or evening."
  By this means, Hybels hoped the newcomers would
  "feel welcome, unthreatened, and entertained."
• (http//www.wayoflife.org/fbns/hybels.htm)
• (http//www.tbaptist.com/aab/pbc9602.htm)

49
The Community ChurchIts BeliefsAbout Worship

• Willow Creek
• And, you'll participate in our monthly observance
  of Communion.

(http//www.willowcreek.org/services.asp)
50
The Community ChurchIts BeliefsAbout Worship

• Willow Creek
• And, you'll participate in our monthly observance
  of Communion.

(http//www.willowcreek.org/services.asp)
51
The Community ChurchIts BeliefsAbout Worship

• Christ Fellowship
• Christ Fellowship is widely recognized for our
  original and contemporary praise worship music.
• CF Worship Chorus This animated family adds
  instant energy to the stage the moment they walk
  on during weekend services and special events.

http//www.gochristfellowship.com/worship/gardens/
52
The Community ChurchIts BeliefsAbout Worship

• Christ Fellowship
• Praise Band

http//www.gochristfellowship.com/worship/gardens/
praiseband.aspx
53
The Community ChurchIts BeliefsAbout Worship

• Christ Fellowship
• Media Team

http//www.gochristfellowship.com/worship/gardens/
mediateam.aspx
54
The Community ChurchIts BeliefsAbout Worship

• Christ Fellowship
• Vocal Team
• Members of the Vocal Team assist in leading
  worship during our weekend and mid-week services
  and during special events.

http//www.gochristfellowship.com/worship/gardens/
vocalteam.aspx
55
The Community ChurchIts BeliefsAbout Worship

• Christ Fellowship

http//www.gochristfellowship.com/about/Default.as
px
56
What the Bible Says About Worship

• True worshipers seek to worship God and please
  Him and Him alone (John 423-24 829).
• True worship is done according to the will of God
  revealed in His word (John 424 1717).
• All that we do in our worship must have Gods
  authority (Col. 316-17).
• In the N.T., the Lords church gathered together
  for worship on the first day of the week (Acts
  207 1 Cor. 161-2).

57
What the Bible Says About Worship

• God authorizes five avenues of worship for EACH
  first day of the week
• We must sing as a congregation (Eph. 519 Col.
  316). Congregational singing is the only music
  that God authorizes in His worship. Instrumental
  music, choirs, praise bands, praise teams, etc.
  are not authorized in the N.T.
• We must pray together to God (Acts 125 242
  John 1623 Matt. 69).
• We must give back to the Lord as we have been
  prospered (1 Cor. 161-2 2 Cor. 97).
• We must have the Word of God proclaimed (Acts
  520 207 2 Tim. 42).
• We must observe the Lords Supper every first day
  of the week, the very purpose of the churchs
  gathering (1 Cor. 1120-26 161-2 Acts 207).

58
The Community ChurchHow to Reach Them

• Go back to the Bible!
• Demand Bible authority!
• Where is that in the Bible?
• What verse teaches that?
• Reveal the Simplicity of N.T. Christianity
• One God, One Book, One Religion, One Church
• Invite to Participate in the Beauty of N.T.
  Worship
• Focus on Salvation As the Key Issue
• What must one do to be saved?
• What does the Bible say?
• Show them Gods perfect plan of salvation.