One: One Church, 10/11/15

Sermon 10-11-15  Week 2: October 11 ONE Church  Romans 15: 5-6

⁵ May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, ⁶ so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Meaning of church.  – a joy to be able to discuss

Intro ---- Many people at WCC say that their journey led them here because of the message of grace

This is our stewardship month, where we ask you to make a pledge to the church.  So I ask:  why have you chosen Woods Chapel Church?  Why do you call this your church home? 

I have witnessed so many amazing things here

Food packing A few weeks ago we held a food packing event here as our all church mission project.

·        as I stood in the gym and I watched 450 of our church members standing shoulder to shoulder as one community, I felt the energy, I felt the excitement of working together for God's kingdom.

·        Families and young and older all working together from all campuses. It was a Beautiful sight and a beautiful reminder that we are united as one body of Christ.

·        And I saw the smiles on the faces as we formed the community, we put aside our differences in our preferences of worship and our political opinions, and we focused on being the hands and feet of Christ.

·        There is joy in working for God and using our lives for his glory and purpose.

·        Everyone knew what we were doing was important.

·        Shouldn’t we feel that way about everything at the church?

And so I ask you a question…..Is what we are doing here important?

The early church looked much different than today's church.

Why, how so?

Persecuted.  Thin.  Raw.  Committed.

Turned toward each other – they sacrificed for their purpose

One mind, one voice, one heart……. Sounds like a u-2 song

The church I grew up in

Liturgical cat tying up story………..

liturgical cat tying up

When the abbot sat down to worship each evening, the official monastery cat would get in the way and distract the worshipers. So he ordered that the cat be tied during evening worship.

After the abbot died the cat continued to be tied during evening worship. And when the cat died, another cat was brought to the monastery so that it could be duly tied during evening worship. --- Centuries later doctoral thesis were written by the abbots disciples on the religious and liturgical significance of tying up a cat while worship is performed.

So different in the fact that many younger people today do not see a reason for the church. They see many Christians talking about what they are against but not what they are for, and it drives young people away.

Why young people aren’t interested in church

·        Christians are judgmental.  They try to force their morality on others

·        They are hypocritical

·        They are paranoid

·        They see science as an enemy

·        They are negative and political

·        They oppress women and others

·        They shaft other religions as if they have the market cornered on God

·        They often come across as arrogant

·        They have no respect for my world view

The church at its worst….  Picture a wooden wagon with benches on it.  Lots of people sitting.                                                                       

Others are trying to push the wagon.  Its muddy and nasty.

The folks in the wagon are complaining.  Faster.  Hurry.  To the left

Are you in the wagon or pushing the wagon?

Everyone should be pushing the wagon

What should be the freight in the wagn

Unity of purpose is A Big Deal to Jesus

He wants us to focus on our purpose

time & time again the thing that bothers Jesus the most about the disciples?               The are arguing!

TERRITORIALITY AT WCC

·        Every ministry is important

·        When Christians get off mission they fight

·        Churches are notorious for this

·        Every ministry is important, and important to be done well

Missionaries came back from the field to have a service and raise some support.

They were dressed terribly.  A blue plaid jacket, a green shirt, brown pants.  The woman had a 1970’s prairie skirt on.

After service the elders took them aside and reprimanded them for dressing in this manner.

The missionaries replied………Im sorry it is all we had, see this is what you shipped to us in the container.

When Christians act like that, No wonder people don’t want to join us

When we are on mission we are engaged

We give our very best

And we don’t have time to fight

The church is a place where we come we gather together each week, we worship, and then filled with the Holy Spirit

sent back out into the world to be agents for his kingdom.

Remember the aircraft carrier???

We come to church to renew to strengthen and to connect with one another.

Because God made us to be in community and connected to one another.

[varied views on the need for community.  Introverts are not sure about it.]

Dinner for 8, softball, disciple, making friends, serving in mission

Darren Copeland story

We never know what is happening in the life of person when they come in the doors on a Sunday morning.  

You may have just experienced a loss of a loved one, you may have just lost your job. Or maybe things are going well in your life. You come to church on the lookout for someone who needs a smile or a hug or needs to make a connection.

I love the grace that you will find among the people at woods chapel. And I pray that we are embodying grace in all we do every day. Everyone is welcome at our church.  Methodist slogan is open hearts and open minds open doors. It must be more than a slogan it must be embraced

Trip to Houston Chapel woods sign, embodying grace       PICTURE

Marks of a grace filled church.

Focus not on retribution but on redemption

Everyone here today is on a different stage of their journey.

·        some of you aren't convinced about Christ's love in your life,

·        some of you have been on this journey for a while.

·        And that is ok.  you have a right to your spiritual journey

I want our church to be a place for everyone is welcome no matter where they are in their journey.

And as we expand and open a new campus this vision will continue to expand

While we may have multiple campuses, while we may live in multiple cities, we are united together as one church. Let's be the church together.

Do you remember Harold camping…

The guy who predicted the world would end in march and then switched to

Harold camping born july 19

May 21, 2011               Friday…..Oct 21, 2011

If this were the last day in the world. – wouldn’t we focus on what was impt?

Conclusion

God has called us to join his journey –

one that is more amazing, wonderful, scary, awesome, engaging, dangerous, passionate, and rewarding than anything we could ever dream of.

I believe that what we are doing here is very very important

Thank you for being on this journey with Jesus

Note: Upon benediction, play U2’s “One”