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Personal Testimony

Personal Testimony. Juli Anna Vonderharr. LIVING in the Light of the Gospel. Big Idea  If we are going to live for Christ, the Gospel must function as the central core that informs and fuels every area of our lives. The Centrality of the Gospel. Cultivating a Gospel Identity.

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Personal Testimony

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  1. Personal Testimony Juli AnnaVonderharr

  2. LIVING in the Light of the Gospel Big Idea If we are going to live for Christ, the Gospel must function as the central core that informs and fuels every area of our lives.

  3. The Centrality of the Gospel

  4. Cultivating a Gospel Identity Last Week’s Big Idea A believer’s identity is in Christ, not in Adam…and our core identity & the apex of Christian experience is our adoption as God’s children.

  5. Cultivating a Gospel Identity Today’s Big Idea Because of the Gospel, we are one body in Christ and each member belongs to all the others.

  6. Cultivating a Gospel Identity Romans 12:1-51Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer yourbodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.  3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment…

  7. Cultivating a Gospel Identity …in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. 4 For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function,5so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.

  8. “Therefore…in view of God’s mercy” Romans 5:8 God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

  9. 3 Commands Flowing from the Gospel • “Offer your bodies as a living sacrifice” 1 John 4:19 We love because he first loved us. John 13:34-3534 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

  10. 3 Commands Flowing from the Gospel • “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” The pattern of this world is counter to interdependent living. The pattern of this world leads to fragmented living.

  11. The Cycle of Fragmented Living

  12. 3 Commands Flowing from the Gospel • “Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment.” Romans 12:4-54 For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function,5 so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.

  13. Thoughts from Watchman Nee… “The Body is not an illustration but a fact. The Bible does not just say that the Church is like a body, but that it is the Body of Christ. . . . As I go on with the Lord I soon discover, not only that the problem of sin and of my natural strength has to be dealt with, but that there is also a further problem created by my ‘individual’ life, the life that is sufficient in itself and does not recognize its need for, and union in, the Body. I may have got over the problems of sin and the flesh, and yet still be a confirmed individualist. . . .

  14. Thoughts from Watchman Nee… He must deal with me therefore in this matter also, or I shall remain in conflict with his ends. God does not blame me for being an individual, but for my individualism. His greatest problem is not the outward divisions and denominations that divide his Church but our own individualistic hearts. Yes, the cross must do its work here, reminding me that in Christ I have died to that old life of independence which I inherited from Adam, and that in resurrection I have become not just an individual believer in Christ but a member of his Body. There is a vast difference between the two.

  15. Thoughts from Watchman Nee… When I see this, I shall at once have done with independence and shall seek fellowship. The life of Christ in me will gravitate to the life of Christ in others. I can no longer take an individual line. Jealousy will go. Competition will go. Private work will go. My interests, my ambitions, my preferences, all will go. It will no longer matter which of us does the work. All that will matter will be that the Body grows.” -Watchman Nee in The Normal Christian Life

  16. What does this look like? Acts 2:41-4741 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. 42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

  17. Thoughts from Dennis McCallum… “We read that the members of this group were ‘continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching’. So this group of Christians was clearly ‘contentful.’ In other words, this was no ignorant group based purely on subjective feelings. These people valued, studied, and learned truth. The expression ‘continually devoting themselves’ is strong. This was not just something they did once in awhile. This group didn’t trust their leaders to do the learning: the whole group felt they needed to know truth at a deep level.” Learning biblical truth

  18. Thoughts from Dennis McCallum… “Verse 47 adds that they were ‘praising God,’ which naturally flows from God-centeredness in their prayers. Christians in this group believed that the key to effectiveness, growth, and even survival was the power of God. So prayer was not peripheral, but central in the ministry of the church.” Intercession (prayer)

  19. Thoughts from Dennis McCallum… “It sounds like these people found time for being with each other in one way or another most days. In the contemporary church, people often have a ‘Sunday-go-to-meeting’ mentality, where they try to find an hour or two per week for attending church. But this ancient group apparently invested extensive time each week into relationship building.” Fellowship

  20. Thoughts from Dennis McCallum… “Finally, we read that they were adding to their number every day those who were being saved. Without this description they might have been like a circle of people scratching one another’s backs. That’s not good enough. A healthy organism grows, and God wills growth for his church – not always the same amount for every local group, but always reconciling people to God. Notice, not a single person came in through transfer growth. They had to convert each and every new person.” Extending LIFE to Others

  21. The real question is … What does a healthy church (corporate body) look like?

  22. Two very different models of the church

  23. The TraditionalParadigm God Staff-centeredParadigm Clergy Laity

  24. The TraditionalParadigm God Staff-centeredParadigm Clergy “Lay” people may volunteer to be ushers, to place flowers or to mow the lawn. . . Laity

  25. The TraditionalParadigm God Staff-centeredParadigm Clergy But they are not competent to teach Scripture, counsel, or lead their own groups Laity

  26. The BiblicalParadigm Christ(the head) The OrganicParadigm Leaders (elders) Servants (deacons) The Rest(ministers)

  27. The BiblicalParadigm Christ(the head) The OrganicParadigm Leaders (elders) Leaders & servants mission is to equip others to minister (make disciples) Servants (deacons) The Rest(ministers)

  28. The BiblicalParadigm Christ(the head) The OrganicParadigm Leaders (elders) EVERYONE is a minister of the Gospel & EVERYONE is being called to make disciples Servants (deacons) The Rest(ministers)

  29. The BiblicalParadigm The OrganicParadigm

  30. The BiblicalParadigm The OrganicParadigm

  31. The BiblicalParadigm The OrganicParadigm

  32. The BiblicalParadigm The OrganicParadigm

  33. The BiblicalParadigm The OrganicParadigm

  34. The BiblicalParadigm The OrganicParadigm

  35. One Body in Christ Signs of a deficient view Body life

  36. One Body in Christ Signs of a deficient view “We’re going to X church because our needs aren’t being met here” Body life

  37. One Body in Christ Signs of a deficient view “We’re going to X church because our needs aren’t being met here” Body life “We’ve found plenty of needs here we can meet.”

  38. One Body in Christ Signs of a deficient view “Did you go to church this week?” Body life

  39. One Body in Christ Signs of a deficient view “Did you go to church this week?” Body life We don’t “go to church,” we are the church

  40. One Body in Christ Signs of a deficient view “Church shopping” and “church hopping” Body life

  41. One Body in Christ Signs of a deficient view “Church shopping” and “church hopping” Body life Acts 2:42 All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer.

  42. One Body in Christ Signs of a deficient view “I just attend here when I have time... I’m working on a degree right now...” Body life

  43. One Body in Christ Signs of a deficient view “I just attend here when I have time... I’m working on a degree right now...” Body life 1 Pet. 1:22Since you have purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart

  44. One Body in Christ Signs of a deficient view “I just attend here when I have time... I’m working on a degree right now...” Body life Rom. 12:10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love

  45. One Body in Christ Signs of a deficient view “I just attend here when I have time... I’m working on a degree right now...” Body life Acts 2:46 Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house

  46. One Body in Christ Signs of a deficient view “I just attend here when I have time... I’m working on a degree right now...” Body life We don’t find time for fellowship, we make time!

  47. One Body in Christ Signs of a deficient view “Members of a church,” vs. “members of one another” Body life

  48. One Body in Christ Signs of a deficient view “Members of a church,” vs. “members of one another” Body life 1 Cor. 12:26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

  49. One Body in Christ Signs of a deficient view “Our church is great because we have an awesome preacher” Body life

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