The key truths about HRCC
MEMBER of a family.
family is an Orphan.
Why do we have commitments?
1. The Bible says the church is a _Fellowship____.
Acts 2:42 "They continued steadily learning the teaching of the apostles and joined in the fellowship."
2. The church is a __family____
1 Peter 3:8 "You should be like one big happy family full of sympathy toward each other, loving one another with tender hearts and humble
minds."
1 Timothy 5:1-2 (Phillips) "Don't reprimand a senior member of the church. Appeal to him as a father. Treat the young men as brothers and the
older women as mothers. Treat the younger women as sisters." "A pastor must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him
with proper respect. If anyone does not know how to manage his family how can he take care of God's church?"
3. The church is a _body____
"Just as each of us have one body with many members and these members do not all have the same functions, so in Christ we who are many form one body and each member belongs to all the others."
Ephesians 4:11-12. "God gave some to be pastors and teachers to prepare God's people for works of ministry so that the body of Christ may be built up."
4. The church is a _Flock__
John 21. "Jesus asked Simon Peter, `Do you really love me?' `Yes, Lord,' said Peter. `Then take care of My sheep.'" .
Fifty-eight times in the Bible it uses the phrase "one another". It says, "Love one another, Care for one another ... Greet one another ... Encourage one another ... Pray for one another ... Counsel one another ... Share with one another ... Help one another ..." It is the mutual ministry of the body to itself.
1. "Poimen" in Greek means pastor or shepherd. That means the feeders are the leaders -- the feeding aspect of ministry. Where Jesus says to Peter, "Take care of My sheep" that's the word poimen, it's the word pastor. Pastor means to take care of a flock.
2. "Presbuteros" means "elder" in Greek. "Presbyterian" comes from this. Presbyterians call their leaders elders. It's a good, legitimate term. It's a Biblical term. It refers to spiritual maturity. An elder doesn't mean physically old. It means spiritual maturity.
3. "Episcopos" is the word for "overseer" or "bishop". "Episcopalian" comes from this. They call their leaders bishops. There's nothing wrong with that; that's a good Biblical word. "Epi" in Greek means "over". "Scopos" means "to see" (telescope, microscope, stethoscope). Episcopos means "to oversee". Today, we call them a manager. Bishop means manager, supervisor, overseer, a manager. It's just an old English word for manager. It refers to the managing aspects of church leadership.
1 Peter 5:1-2 "To the elders [presbuteros] I say, be shepherds [poimen] of God's flock," So he says an elder is a shepherd is a Then he says, "...serving as overseers [episcopos]". A bishop is an elder is a pastor.
Acts 20 "Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders [presbuteros] of the church. When they arrived he said to them, `Guard yourselves and all the flock of God which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers [bishop]. Be pastors [shepherds] of the church of God." They are used interchangeably.
"Let there be real harmony among you so there won't be any split in the church. I plead with you to be of one mind, united in thought and purpose."
HRCC purpose statement
Hickory Ridge Community Church exists for the purpose of encouraging everyone to be engaged in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, by practicing the five principles of Fellowship, Evangelism, Discipleship, Ministry and Worship.
Matthew 22:36-40, The great Commandment: "Jesus said, `Love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and Prophets hang on these two commandments." Then from the Great Commission we get these things: "Jesus said, `Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you."
1. To celebrate God's presence: _worship/prayer_
1 Corinthians 12:4-5,27 "Now God gives us many kinds of special abilities. There are different kinds of service to God or ministry. All of you together form the one body of Christ and each of you is a separate and necessary part of it."
3. To communicate God's word: evangelism_
The definition of evangelism is "sharing the good news". Ephesians 3:10 "His (God's) intent was that through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known."
Romans 10:13-14 (Living Bible) "Anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved, but who can ask Him to save them unless they believe in Him and how can they believe in Him if they have never heard about Him and how can they hear about Him unless someone tells them."
We must always be growing through evangelism…
1. God isn't interested in numbers.
2. Our church wants quality not quantity.
There is no contradiction between quality and quantity.
3. Another reason we've heard is large churches are impersonal.
4. We exist to incorporate God's people into His family: _____Fellowship_________________________.
John 13:35 "By this shall all men know that you are My disciples that you have love for one another."
5. We exist to educate God's people: ______Discipleship_________________________Hebrews 6:1 "Let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity."
2 Peter 3:18 "Grow in grace and the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."
Ephesians 4:11-13 "God has given some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of ministry, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all become mature like Christ."
6. We accomplish all through intercession: _Prayer__________And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. Acts 2:42And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; Matt. 21:13Romans 14 "Accept him whose faith is weak without passing judgment on disputable matters. Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. So then each of us will give an account to himself to God. So whatever you believe about these things, keep between yourself and God."
- Hickory Ridge Community Church is a FAMILY
MEMBER of a family.
- Globally
- Locally
family is an Orphan.
Why do we have commitments?
1. The Bible says the church is a _Fellowship____.
Acts 2:42 "They continued steadily learning the teaching of the apostles and joined in the fellowship."
2. The church is a __family____
1 Peter 3:8 "You should be like one big happy family full of sympathy toward each other, loving one another with tender hearts and humble
minds."
1 Timothy 5:1-2 (Phillips) "Don't reprimand a senior member of the church. Appeal to him as a father. Treat the young men as brothers and the
older women as mothers. Treat the younger women as sisters." "A pastor must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him
with proper respect. If anyone does not know how to manage his family how can he take care of God's church?"
3. The church is a _body____
"Just as each of us have one body with many members and these members do not all have the same functions, so in Christ we who are many form one body and each member belongs to all the others."
Ephesians 4:11-12. "God gave some to be pastors and teachers to prepare God's people for works of ministry so that the body of Christ may be built up."
4. The church is a _Flock__
John 21. "Jesus asked Simon Peter, `Do you really love me?' `Yes, Lord,' said Peter. `Then take care of My sheep.'" .
Fifty-eight times in the Bible it uses the phrase "one another". It says, "Love one another, Care for one another ... Greet one another ... Encourage one another ... Pray for one another ... Counsel one another ... Share with one another ... Help one another ..." It is the mutual ministry of the body to itself.
1. "Poimen" in Greek means pastor or shepherd. That means the feeders are the leaders -- the feeding aspect of ministry. Where Jesus says to Peter, "Take care of My sheep" that's the word poimen, it's the word pastor. Pastor means to take care of a flock.
2. "Presbuteros" means "elder" in Greek. "Presbyterian" comes from this. Presbyterians call their leaders elders. It's a good, legitimate term. It's a Biblical term. It refers to spiritual maturity. An elder doesn't mean physically old. It means spiritual maturity.
3. "Episcopos" is the word for "overseer" or "bishop". "Episcopalian" comes from this. They call their leaders bishops. There's nothing wrong with that; that's a good Biblical word. "Epi" in Greek means "over". "Scopos" means "to see" (telescope, microscope, stethoscope). Episcopos means "to oversee". Today, we call them a manager. Bishop means manager, supervisor, overseer, a manager. It's just an old English word for manager. It refers to the managing aspects of church leadership.
1 Peter 5:1-2 "To the elders [presbuteros] I say, be shepherds [poimen] of God's flock," So he says an elder is a shepherd is a Then he says, "...serving as overseers [episcopos]". A bishop is an elder is a pastor.
Acts 20 "Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders [presbuteros] of the church. When they arrived he said to them, `Guard yourselves and all the flock of God which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers [bishop]. Be pastors [shepherds] of the church of God." They are used interchangeably.
"Let there be real harmony among you so there won't be any split in the church. I plead with you to be of one mind, united in thought and purpose."
HRCC purpose statement
Hickory Ridge Community Church exists for the purpose of encouraging everyone to be engaged in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, by practicing the five principles of Fellowship, Evangelism, Discipleship, Ministry and Worship.
Matthew 22:36-40, The great Commandment: "Jesus said, `Love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and Prophets hang on these two commandments." Then from the Great Commission we get these things: "Jesus said, `Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you."
1. To celebrate God's presence: _worship/prayer_
- Celebration. Psalm 122:1 "I was glad when they said unto me, let us go unto the house of the Lord."
- Inspiration. Isaiah 40:1 "They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, mount up with wings as eagles, run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint."
- Preparation. Ephesians 4:11
1 Corinthians 12:4-5,27 "Now God gives us many kinds of special abilities. There are different kinds of service to God or ministry. All of you together form the one body of Christ and each of you is a separate and necessary part of it."
3. To communicate God's word: evangelism_
The definition of evangelism is "sharing the good news". Ephesians 3:10 "His (God's) intent was that through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known."
Romans 10:13-14 (Living Bible) "Anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved, but who can ask Him to save them unless they believe in Him and how can they believe in Him if they have never heard about Him and how can they hear about Him unless someone tells them."
We must always be growing through evangelism…
- Because God loves_ people. 2 Peter 3:9 "The Lord is patient not wanting anyone to perish but wants everyone to come to repentance."
- Because God __commands_______________ us to reach out. Luke 14:23 "Go out into the country and urge anyone you find to come in so that My house will be full." Acts 1:8 "You will be My witnesses."
- Because growth is __God’s Will________. Colossians 2:19 "Under Christ's control the whole body is nourished and it grows as God wants it to grow." Matthew 16:18 Jesus says, "I will build My church."
1. God isn't interested in numbers.
2. Our church wants quality not quantity.
There is no contradiction between quality and quantity.
3. Another reason we've heard is large churches are impersonal.
4. We exist to incorporate God's people into His family: _____Fellowship_________________________.
John 13:35 "By this shall all men know that you are My disciples that you have love for one another."
5. We exist to educate God's people: ______Discipleship_________________________Hebrews 6:1 "Let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity."
2 Peter 3:18 "Grow in grace and the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."
Ephesians 4:11-13 "God has given some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of ministry, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all become mature like Christ."
6. We accomplish all through intercession: _Prayer__________And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. Acts 2:42And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; Matt. 21:13Romans 14 "Accept him whose faith is weak without passing judgment on disputable matters. Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. So then each of us will give an account to himself to God. So whatever you believe about these things, keep between yourself and God."