Place: What is the Church?
June 28- Sending place: go make disciples Matthew 28:16-20
Instead of being a respite for the weary, what if church was also a launching pad? In the infamous Great Commission Jesus lays the ground work for the church to be a gathering of people who are sent out, to share the Good News and love of Christ with others.
July 12- Empowering place: Luke 10:1-12
Often there is pressure of a feeling that before we can share God with others, we have to be ready to do it perfectly. Instead Jesus models to us empowering people imperfectly, and walking with them as they try, fail, and learn from their experiences.
July 19- Safe place: Romans 14
Church is at the same time both a safe place, where we can be the broken people God created us to be without shame, and an uncomfortable place, knowing that God loves me the way I am, but loves me too much to leave me there.
July 26- Bright Place: Matthew 5:13-16
Across the New Testament the local church is evaluated not be attendance, or programs, but by the impact on their community and those who are not part of the faith community. Bill Hybels once asked, “If your church closed tomorrow, would your community care?” Our prayer as we seek to Go Out and Go Deep is that we would be salt and light to those around us.