Kingdom Culture - The Great Commission
Kingdom Culture has the potential to provide a firm foundation and shape our church for the next 10 years. Discipleship is so unbelievably important. The changing of lives in the context of not only Sunday Gatherings but in our day-to-day is what we are after and believe we can establish in our community!
We are about to undergo a bit of a culture shift. We know that if you are not intentional about creating a culture, one will develop anyways. And that’s what has happened over the last few years. A culture has developed. It’s a great culture in some ways, but if I’m really honest, as your pastor, there are some glaring holes.
So for three years, we’ve been pushing forward the mission of Legacy City as a church; that is, to be here for the least, the last, and the lost. A church that seeks to meet felt needs in our community, not just perceived ones. A church that provides a place of hope and refuge for those who have felt maybe burned by church or Christians. We have always sought, from before our very first gathering even, to be a church that takes the gospel into the community and seeks to make the name of Jesus famous above all else. And listen, we are not changing that mission, but we are making a vital addition to it. We are being intentional about creating more space for biblical discipleship.
First and foremost, we need to really define what we mean by conscious and active discipleship. We see in the Great Commission passage, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matt. 28:19-20)
There are four main things we can get from this verse surrounding Discipleship:
Helping People - We have to initiate and be intentional because we are to ‘go’ and ‘make’ disciples (v19).
An Assumption of Trust - By way of v19, the public declaration of baptism assumes trust in what Jesus has done and continues to do in our lives; We want people to trust in Jesus to such an extent that they not only give their lives to him, but are moving to actively mature spiritually.
What it Means to ‘Follow’ - Disciple-making is about obedience and sanctification i.e. by doing what Jesus has called us to, we are guided towards being more like Him. We share love, grace, and mercy - we trust the Holy Spirit to guide people into this posture! (v20)
Who Jesus Is - He is the focus of Discipleship; we are called to point others to becoming devoted followers of him as well. His work has brought us into a right relationship with God, He is the main concern in our minds and in our practice.
We are to be and make disciples through the power of and in the name of Jesus. This is our legacy, church. This is the foundation that we must build. Ask yourself if you have been or are being discipled, and if not, we need to take steps to fix that. Are you pouring into anyone else, sharing the love and hope of Christ as revealed to you in your life with them? If not, hopefully over the course of this series, we can begin to fix that!
SOME KEY TAKE-AWAYS
Kingdom Culture - The Great Commission: An important mandate given to Disciples of Jesus is to go out and make more Disciples!
The Nature of Discipleship: A disciple is following Jesus, being changed by Jesus, and committed to the mission of Jesus.
The Source of Discipleship: Being a disciple of Christ does not begin with something we do. It begins with something Christ did.
The Mission of Discipleship: Being a Christian involves denying yourself, taking up your cross, and following him. This process necessarily includes bringing others into this fold.
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Join us next Sunday as we continue to meet at the Premiere Cinema 10 at 10 am! You can also join us on our Live-stream here or on our Facebook page - at the same time!
We hope that you and your family are well—know that You Are Loved!