Sermon Summary
“And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus.” Acts 5:42
“And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.” Acts 6:7
See also: Matthew 16:18, Exodus 18:17-18, 21-23, Acts 1:15, 2:47, 4:4, 5:14, 5:28, 21:20
Pastor Chris wraps up this Vision mini-series with a reminder how we are better together. Cultivating community is key to the victory of the individual believer and the fulfillment of God’s vision for his bride, the church. Chris started with a story about the late President John F. Kennedy. In a tour of NASA in 1962, President Kennedy noticed a janitor carrying a broom. When the President paused his tour, he approached the man and said, “Hi, I’m Jack Kennedy. What are you doing?” “Well, Mr. President,” the janitor responded, “I’m helping put a man on the moon.” This is the essence of shared vision – working together toward a common, grand goal.
God’s Word is filled with evidence (and exhortation) about the power of the collective church. In theological terms this is known as the Greek word ekklesia – meaning, a congregation, an assembly of people, a gathering of citizens called out from their homes into some public place for a town hall meeting. This is the two-fold way God has designed His church to grow: 1. Large Group Worship (temple) and 2. Small Group Fellowship (house).
As we move into the fall season with harvest and holidays, home is on many people’s minds. Our church grows by relationship in small community – from home-to-home. For City Central this means Life Groups. Chris takes us through some of the key reasons Life Groups are formed and fostered in our church body.
5 reasons why we believe in Life Groups
- Life Groups are Biblical
- Life Groups are Personal – a place to ask questions in safety
- Life Groups are Flexible –
- Life Groups are Expandable
- Life Groups are Economical
See: Acts 2:42–47
What does a Life Group do?
- They study the Bible together.
- They fellowshipped together.
- They took communion together
- They prayed for each other.
- They helped each other in practical ways.
- They ate together.
- They sang together.
- They brought unbelievers to Jesus.
8 Reasons to Join a Life Group
- You will understand the Bible better in a Life Group.
- You will begin to really feel like part of God’s family.
- Prayer will become more meaningful to you.
- You will be able to handle stress and pressure better.
- You will have a natural way to share Christ with friends, relatives, and work associates.
- You will develop leadership skills you never knew you had!
- You will deepen your understanding of worship.
- You will be a New Testament Christian!
Currently City Central has 8 Life Groups actively meeting. This year we aim to double our Life Groups – setting a goal to grow is essential to helping our people become healthy. More people growing means more joy, more serving, more blessing. Living life together authentically is the way to carry out God’s vision bringing life and light to our community!
Discussion Questions
- What sort of memberships do you have, places you belong? What are the perks of being a member?
- What kind of perks come with belonging to a local church?
- We learn from the book of Acts that the earliest churches met in homes and temples. Why do you suppose that method helped the church expand?
- How has belonging to a small group (elsewhere) and/or a Life Group (here) fulfilled you as a Christian?
Application Questions
- Ask God to reveal how much community you have. Do you have at least 7 friends at City Central, like Chris suggested to feel connected?
- If you need connect with a group, or need to re-commit, then reach out and find a Life Group to join! You can register through the City Central app (“Join” or “Start” buttons) or online (click “Life Groups slide” on the homepage.