What We Are About
Many people are familiar with what the Church is against; we want to be known by what we are for. We are FOR the Lowcountry.
Acts 15:1-21 (NASB)
1Some men came down from Judea and began teaching the brethren, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”2And when Paul and Barnabas had great dissension and debate with them, the brethren determined that Paul and Barnabas and some others of them should go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders concerning this issue.3Therefore, being sent on their way by the church, they were passing through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and were bringing great joy to all the brethren.4When they arrived at Jerusalem, they were received by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they reported all that God had done with them.5But some of the sect of the Pharisees who had believed stood up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to direct them to observe the Law of Moses.”
6The apostles and the elders came together to look into this matter.7After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brethren, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles would hear the word of the gospel and believe.8“And God, who knows the heart, testified to them giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us;9and He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith.10“Now therefore why do you put God to the test by placing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?11“But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they also are.”
12All the people kept silent, and they were listening to Barnabas and Paul as they were relating what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles.
13After they had stopped speaking, James answered, saying, “Brethren, listen to me.14“Simeon has related how God first concerned Himself about taking from among the Gentiles a people for His name.15“With this the words of the Prophets agree, just as it is written,
16‘AFTER THESE THINGS I will return,
AND I WILL REBUILD THETABERNACLE OF DAVID WHICH HAS FALLEN,
AND I WILL REBUILD ITS RUINS,
AND I WILL RESTORE IT,
17SO THAT THE REST OFMANKIND MAY SEEK THE LORD,
AND ALL THE GENTILESWHO ARE CALLED BY MY NAME,’
18SAYS THE LORD, WHOMAKES THESE THINGS KNOWN FROM LONG AGO.
19“Therefore it is my judgment that we do not trouble those who are turning to God from among the Gentiles,20but that we write to them that they abstain from things contaminated by idols and from fornication and from what is strangled and from blood.21“For Moses from ancient generations has in every city those who preach him, since he is read in the synagogues every Sabbath.”
Discussion:
In Acts 15, what do you learn about God? About Jesus?
In Acts 15, what do you learn about Mankind? Yourself?
In Acts 15, is there a command or instruction to follow?
What do most unchurched people know about churches?
How is the church perceived from the general community?
If someone were to ask about our church, how would you describe our church?
Application:
How do we create a church the couple on the couch would love to attend?
How do we connect with these dear people on the couch who have no interest?
What is our church FOR?
How can we create common ground with people who are unchurched?
How can we create conversations with people who are unchurched?
How can we connect with people who are unchurched?
Prayer:
Prayer for people you know in your community who are unchurched. Pray for opportunities to reach out to those who are unchurched to find common ground and honest conversations about our church. Pray for the Holy Spirit to lead you in these conversations and to give you the words to speak to your unchurched neighbors, coworkers, family, and friends.