#1) We exist to see people transformed by Jesus!
Question: How?
How are we transformed? How do we grow?
- Being planted in the right soil
Ex. Can’t make you grow, but I can create the right environment to make growth possible!
Ex. Rice seed or cactus seed
Acts 2:42-46 (read). “They continued steadfastly.”
Apostles Doctrine/The Word of God
Fellowship
Breaking of bread
Prayer
None of these four are enough on their own!
The Book “The other half of church”
Jim Wilder and Michael Hendricks
My two biggest takeaways: The power of:
- Relational Attachments.
Group identity/How we behave
Who we love shapes who we are
Attachment is the strongest force in the human brain
- Joy
The Joy of the Lord is our strength
Quote from the book: “If we want to grow & transform our character into the character of Jesus, we must involve activities that stimulate and develop the right brain.”
Ex. Fellowship and Breaking of bread
Good soil for transformation include:
- Abundance of Joy
You and I continually look for faces that are happy to see you!
This beautiful and powerful message in Numbers 6:24 – 26
The Lord bless you and keep you
The Lord make his face to shine upon you
(paraphrased: “May you feel the joy of God’s face shining on you because He is happy to be with you!”
And be gracious unto you
The Lord lift up his countenance upon you
And give you peace
- Strong individual identity (who am I)
2nd Cor. 3:18 (You become what you behold)
*Behold the law = become legalistic
*Behold grace = become gracious
*Behold Christ = become Christlike/Christians
- Strong community/group identity (who are we)
We become who we behold!
1st Cor. 15:33 (NIV) “Do not be misled: Bad company corrupts good character.”
The opposite is also true: Good company purifies good character.