Exhaustive Study Notes: Community, Faith, and Missions Strategy

Opening and Community Fellowship

  • The gathering serves as a spiritual family that provides for all needs and allows members to know God more through one another.

  • Fellowship activities include a community meal with hot dogs (everyone should be able to get a couple) and sides/drinks provided by members.

  • Leo is scheduled to oversee activities following the meal, depending on the weather.

  • A contingency plan for rain includes karaoke.

Updates and Announcements

  • Staff Meeting: Rescheduled for tomorrow night at BBC in place of the Talk Leaders meeting.

  • Mother's Day: Encouragement to bring mothers to the upcoming Mother's Day service for a family-focused time.

  • Special Missions Offering: The conclusion of the offering is in the next 1414 days. Members are asked to be frank about this and seek donations from friends, family, and personal contributions.

  • Married’s Devotional: Scheduled for the evening of May 2323. The event is open to married couples within and outside the church, emphasizing that every couple wants help with their marriage.

  • Transitions: Recognition of college graduates, including George, who are moving permanently or for the summer. The church emphasizes that they always have a family in Miami.

Testimony on Raising Resources for Eternal Causes

  • Professional Background: A member, Eileen, shared her background in PR and marketing for non-profits focusing on homelessness, black and brown fatherhood, and domestic violence.

  • Eternal vs. External: Eileen noted that while those causes are important, the Gospel addresses the core of all external issues, making resource raising for spiritual causes an "eternal cause."

  • Philosophy of Giving: Her husband recently left his full-time job to start a mobile mechanics business, requiring a "walk by faith" without a steady paycheck.

  • The Random Check: Despite reaching their personal goal, they received a random check from an old client. Instead of keeping it, they felt called to use it for missions.

  • Faith-Based Community Event: Eileen and her husband launched an event for moms and children to study scriptures. They divided the random check money among volunteers to help them reach their personal mission goals. Yesterday, 2020 children and mothers participated.

Operation Save the Nations: Each One Reach One

  • The Human Chain Metaphor: In 20182018, a family was caught in a rip current. As individual rescuers were pulled in, a group of strangers on the shore formed a human chain of over 8080 people to pull all 99 people to safety. This illustrates that no one can save others alone.

  • The Mandate: Based on Matthew 1010, 2828, 1818-2020, Jesus instructed his disciples to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them and teaching them obedience.

  • The Simple Plan: "Each One Reach One" is the strategy where every disciple devotes themselves to saving one person as often as possible.

  • Statistical Impact:
        - Local (Miami): 77 people baptized this month.
        - Domestic (United States): Almost 300300 people baptized this year.
        - International: Over 500500 people baptized this year.
        - Total: Almost 800800 people baptized globally so far this year.

  • Projected Growth: If each member of the current group helps one person become a Christian, the church would grow to almost 500500 people.

The Identity of the Church: Family and Army

  • Definition of Family: Traditionally defined as two or more people related by blood, marriage, adoption, or legal affinity; modernly includes a "chosen life."

  • 1 Timothy 5:8: He who does not provide for his own household has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

  • Definition of Army: A large, organized, and armed force trained for war, structured with units like infantry and artillery to protect interests or engage in combat; also refers to a large group advancing for a specific purpose.

  • Spiritual Warfare (Ephesians 6:10-12): The struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against rulers, authorities, and spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realm. The church fights on its knees and through unity.

  • Offense and Defense: Defense is likened to the family (taking care of those within), while offense is the army (reaching out to rescue others).

Case Study in Faith: Rahab of Jericho

  • Context (Joshua 2): Joshua sent two spies into Jericho. They entered the house of Rahab, a prostitute. The King of Jericho ordered Rahab to turn them over.

  • The Act of Faith: Rahab hid the spies under stalks of flax on her roof and misled the king’s messengers.

  • Recognition of God’s Power: Rahab acknowledged that the Lord had given the land to the Israelites, citing the drying of the Red Sea and the destruction of the Amorite kings, Sihon and Og. She stated, "The Lord your God is the God in heaven above and on the earth below."

  • The Request for Salvation: Rahab requested a "sure sign" that her father, mother, brothers, sisters, and their belonging households would be spared from death.

  • The Result: Rahab was resourceful and was the only resident of Jericho spared (along with her household) because she chose to believe truth over perception.

Doctrine of Faith, Deeds, and Righteousness

  • Hebrews 11:1: Faith is defined as confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.

  • James 2:14-26: Faith without deeds is dead.
        - Abraham was considered righteous for his action in offering Isaac.
        - Rahab was considered righteous for her actions in welcoming the spies.

  • Miring Belief with Rebellion: Merely believing in God is insufficient; even demons believe and shudder. Faith must be accompanied by actions to be complete.

  • Relationship to Needs: If one sees a brother or sister without clothes or food and offers words without providing physical needs, the faith is useless.

Financial Stewardship and Global Mission Needs

  • 1 Timothy 6:17: Commands the rich to not be arrogant but to put hope in God; they are to be rich in good deeds, generous, and willing to share.

  • 2 Corinthians 8:1-9: Records the grace given to the Macedonian churches.
        - Despite a "severe trial" and "extreme poverty," they gave beyond their ability.
        - They pleaded for the privilege of sharing in service to God’s people.
        - Paul urges the church to "excel in the grace of giving" to test the sincerity of their love, referencing Jesus who became poor so that others might become rich.

  • Current Financial Deficit: The global missions offering is trending approximately 100,000100,000 dollars short of its goal.

  • Local Goal Expansion: While Miami has its own obligations, the leaders estimate an additional 50,00050,000 dollars is needed to support other churches that may lack the faith to hit their goals.

Lessons in Shrewdness and Resourcefulness

  • Luke 16:1-9 (The Shrewd Manager): A manager accused of wasting possessions used his remaining time to cut debts for his master’s debtors (900900 gallons of olive oil reduced to 450450; 1,0001,000 bushels of wheat reduced to 800800) to secure his own future.

  • Worldly vs. Spiritual Shrewdness: Jesus noted that people of the world are often more shrewd than those of the light. He commanded using "worldly wealth to gain friends" for eternal dwellings.

  • Creative Fundraising Examples:
        - Doing push-ups for money.
        - Bake sales (cupcakes).
        - Selling erasers.
        - Donating blood/plasma (twice a week).
        - Renting out a Prius to a brother for Uber at 2.502.50 per week while the owner rode a bike to school.
        - Working extra shifts (e.g., FedEx).

The Principle of Love as an Obligation

  • 1 John 3:10-18:
        - There is no middle ground between love and hate; those who do not love their brother remain in death.
        - Love is defined by Jesus laying down his life.
        - The Concept of "Ought": The Greek root for "ought" pertains to a debt or owing. Because Jesus died for us, we are indebted to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.

  • Practical Application: If someone has material possessions and sees a brother in need but has no pity, the love of God is not in them. Love must be shown through "actions and in truth."

  • Ukraine Refugee Fund Example: In February 20222022, during the Russian invasion, churches were asked to give an extra one-times contribution for refugees. The speaker initially resisted due to the inconvenience of moving funds but changed his heart by imagining the building next to him being hits by a missile.

  • International Realities: In New Delhi, India, 2525% of the church was illiterate. One intern lived in a home with only a sheet for a door but expressed profound happiness. Missions funding provides these congregations with meeting places and full-time spiritual instructors.

Closing Prayer and Baptismal Recognition

  • Communion: The bread represents the broken body of Jesus, and the juice represents the blood spilled for the forgiveness of sins.

  • Baptism of Shar: Recognized through James 1:2-4, emphasizing that the testing of faith produces perseverance and maturity. Shar’s baptism is a result of her faith and "birth management."

  • Contribution: Links for weekly and missions contributions are provided in the church chat pinned for April. Weekly contributions are the speaker's second-highest line item after rent.