How Paul Does Church

How Paul Does Church Acts 20

Diana The Fight • The Question of Truth “Paul has persuaded many people that handmade gods aren’t reallygods at all!” Acts 19:26 • Vs. “That Hideous Strength” See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. Colossians 2:8 No, but I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God; and I do not want you to become sharers in demons. 1 Corinthians 10:20 Before you Gentiles knew God, you were slaves to so-called gods that do not even exist. Galatians 4:8

The Fight the Church is Losing • A Study of Students from Christian homes: • 52% attended religious services frequently before College. • Only 29% 2 years later. Christians have to stop hiding!

The Fight the Church is Losing “Over the past 20 years…Christians have increasingly been adopting spiritual views that come from Islam, Wicca, secular humanism, the eastern religions and other sources.” 39% (of adherents of Protestant churches) contends that, “the Bible, the Koran and the Book of Mormon are all different expressions of the same spiritual truths.”

What About This Church Here? • Don't you wish you had Paul leading this church? • What would Paul say to us if he were passing through this here Macedonia? • Leaders and Workers: ever wondered, “What do we need to do here?” • New People: have you ever wondered, “What does a really cool Christian church look like?” We’re in luck! Observe: “They went on ahead and waited for us at Troas.” Acts 20:5 (NLT) Acts 20:13-16Dr.Luke Kills us with details… Then: 16 …we came to Miletus. 17 From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called to him the elders of the church. Dr. Luke!

How Paul Does “Church” 18-21 And when they had come to him, he said to them, "You yourselves know, from the first day that I set foot in Asia, how I was with you the whole time, serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials which came upon me through the plots of the Jews;

How Paul Does “Church” • By Deep, Personal Investment • The church does not grow by corporate standards or principles! (1 Thes. 2:7-8) • Today’s Clergy-Laity Professionalism: a failure! See 1 Thess. 2:7-8 “But we proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children. Having so fond an affection for you, we were well-pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become very dear to us.”

The Fight the Church is Losing Only 51% Protestant pastors have a biblical worldview. Pastors least likely to have a biblical worldview are those who are seminary graduates (45% vs. 59% non-seminarians). Just 9% of all “born again” adults and just 7% of Protestants possess a biblical worldview. “The low percentage of Christians who have a biblical worldview is a direct reflection of the fact that half of our primary religious teachers and leaders do not have one.”

How Paul Does “Church” • By Deep, Personal Investment • The church does not grow by corporate standards or principles! (1 Thes. 2:7-8) • Today’s Clergy-Laity Professionalism: a failure! • Paul’s Credentials: “Serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials…” Do we need, as some, letters of commendation to you or from you? You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men…written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. Such confidence we have through Christ toward God. 2 Cor 3:1-4

How Paul Does “Church” • By Deep, Personal Investment • With Courage • Declaring what is true. 20-21 I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you publicly and from house to house, solemnly testifying to both Jews and Greeks of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

How Paul Does “Church” • By Deep, Personal Investment • With Courage • Declaring what is true. • All of the Truth. 20 I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable… 27 For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God.

How Paul Does “Church” • By Deep, Personal Investment • With Courage • Declaring what is true. • All of the Truth. • Calling for Repentance. 20 …solemnly testifying to both Jews and Greeks of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. “If there is no hell, we don't need you; and if there is a hell, you are leading us astray. Either way, we're better off without you!”—Warren Weirsbe BEC - New Testament

I Want Muscles! “Often times you'll hear parents say:‘Well, we're just praying for our kids.’” Tony Arnold, Director, Campus Crusade for Christ,“Are Students Losing Their Religion on Campus?” How Paul Does “Church” • By Deep, Personal Investment • With Courage • Declaring what is true. • All of the Truth. • Calling for Repentance. “I would e-mail her and usually at the bottom of the e-mail, I would put like a reference to a verse in the Bible," Craig Parrish said. "And the reason I didn't write out the verse is I wanted her to look it up, then she might read on either side of that individual verse.”Tony Arnold, Campus Crusade for Christ

How Paul Does “Church” • By Deep, Personal Investment • With Courage • Declaring what is true. • All of the Truth. • Calling for Repentance. v20 Anangelon - declaring…profitable v20 Didasko - teaching you publicly…house to house v24 Testifying - testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God.

How Paul Does “Church” • By Deep, Personal Investment • With Courage • Declaring what is true. • All of the Truth. • Calling for Repentance. • Conveying the Grace of God: “testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God.” (v.24)

How Paul Does “Church” • By Deep, Personal Investment • With Courage • Declaring what is true. • All of the Truth. • Calling for Repentance. • Conveying the Grace of God: “testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God.” (v.24) • Not Dissuaded or Distracted. 22-23“And now, behold, bound by the Spirit, I am on my way to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit solemnly testifies to me in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions await me.” For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men Titus 2:11

“Often times you'll hear parents say:‘Well, we're just praying for our kids.’” Tony Arnold, Director, Campus Crusade for Christ,“Are Students Losing Their Religion on Campus?” How Paul Does “Church” • By Deep, Personal Investment • With Courage • Holding a Precious Stewardship • Not Passive, Not Resigned Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, 2 Cor. 5:18 24-26“But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus…Therefore, I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men.” For we are God's fellow workers – 1 Cor. 3:9

How Paul Does “Church” • By Deep, Personal Investment • With Courage • Holding a Precious Stewardship • Not Passive, Not Resigned • Taking Sanctification Seriously “Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.” Acts 20:28 (NASB95) "I have coveted no one's silver or gold or clothes. "You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my own needs and to the men who were with me. Acts 20:33-34 (NASB95)

How Paul Does “Church” • By Deep, Personal Investment • With Courage • Holding a Precious Stewardship • Not Passive, Not Resigned • Taking Sanctification Seriously. • Not a Messiah Complex. "And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. Acts 20:32 “…the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. Acts 20:28 (NASB95)

How Paul Does “Church” • By Deep, Personal Investment • With Courage • Holding a Precious Stewardship • Not Naïve “I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.”Acts 20:29-30

How Paul Does “Church” • By Deep, Personal Investment • With Courage • Holding a Precious Stewardship • Not Naïve • Discovering a Truly Fulfilling Life! When he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. And they began to weep aloud and embraced Paul, and repeatedl y kissed him, grieving especially over the word which he had spoken, that they would not see his face again. And they were accompanying him to the ship. Acts 20:36-38 “In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” Acts 20:32-35

Not Just for Elders • The Tragedy of Complacency Amy Mundhenk, co-founder and president of the Kent Neo Pagan Coalition chose to study Wicca, although her parents raised her as a Presbyterian. "Dad lives in a world where there is nothing but money. Life is a series of bills to be paid. My mom is convinced I'm going through a phase," Mundhenk says. “Nudity is central to some people's beliefs,” Mundhenk says. “It works for me. If you really want to raise the right kind of energy, you've got to take your clothes off.” "Innocent Fun..."

Not Just for Elders • The Tragedy of Complacency Amy Mundhenk, co-founder and president of the Kent Neo Pagan Coalition chose to study Wicca, although her parents raised her as a Presbyterian. "Dad lives in a world where there is nothing but money. Life is a series of bills to be paid. My mom is convinced I'm going through a phase," Mundhenk says. For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone forth, so that we have no need to say anything. 1 Thessalonians 1:8 "Innocent Fun..."

How Paul Does Church