The Gospel, the Good News of Jesus, is the reason behind all Christian practice in the World. The essence of a follower of Christ is learning TO KNOW CHRIST AND TO MAKE HIM KNOWN.
John 17:15-18 (NLT)
I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. They do not belong to this world any more than I do. Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world.
CHURCH IS LIKE 2 SIDES OF A COIN
Separated And Sent, Recovering \& Discovering, Salvation And Lordship, Food And Medicine, Proclaiming And Practising, Believing And Living, Receiving And Giving, Accepted And Accepting, Loved And Loving, Forgiven And Forgiving, Lifted And Lifting, Encouraged \& Encouraging
THE PRIORITY OF THE LOCAL CHURCH CAN BE BROKEN DOWN INTO 3 ASPECTS
- SUNDAYS - confronting spiritual poverty
- COMMUNITY - confronting loneliness
- SOCIETY - confronting physical poverty
Proclaiming the Gospel happens on Sundays, where we learn to receive food \& medicine, wisdom \& perspective from the Lord’s table. Our main focus is proclaiming the Gospel and Salvation through Jesus. Sundays will always involve worship, word and connection. Sundays help us to learn spiritual disciplines like: communion, prayer, caring, honouring, serving, Holy Spirit gifts, Water Baptism, tithing and giving, learning to adopt each other, caring for each other and strengthening the generations.
Practicing the Gospel happens in community, where we learn to be good friends, eat, drink and share. Practising the Gospel helps us connect into a community of purpose, meaning, celebration, recognition \& affirmation. Community helps us learn to serve each other, how to live counterculturally, and how to live Christlike lives in a hostile world. In community, we confront the giant of loneliness.
We represent the Gospel in society, where we learn to be a good neighbour, learn to love \& serve others, and contribute to the well-being of society by creating value, solving problems \& innovating and bringing the wisdom of God into the brokenness of our world by acts of service and kindness.
3 WAYS WE CAN MAKE CHRIST KNOWN IN OUR WORLD
- By learning to love our neighbour, because we are loved by Christ
- By learning to integrate our faith into our work, because we view our work as a way of serving God’s purposes
- By learning to find ways to contribute to the well-being of our society, because we understand that love in action is effective.
THE KINDNESS PROJECT
Our aim is to contribute to society’s well-being by spreading kindness to others and our world. The Kindness Project exists to help and inspire people locally and globally through a variety of social and ecological initiatives.
OUR INITIATIVES \& STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS
- Next Generation - Helping children to break free from the cycle of poverty
- Vulnerable People - Helping people who are facing hardship
- Ecological - Helping to plant trees and support water well projects
Moving forward as a God-focussed Community, let’s go into the future with a desire to know Christ and to make Him known. Not just in words, but in action. Not just in church, but in our workplaces, schools, neighbourhoods, and our city.
PERSONAL REFLECTION
- Write down the “One Thing” that stood out to you from today’s message. How can you see this in your day-to-day life and apply it this week? Who can you share it with?
- In what practical ways can you represent Christ through kindness and serving in your workplace, friendships, neighbourhood, or society?
- Take a moment to reflect on this: How can I contribute to confronting the giants of spiritual poverty, loneliness and physical poverty?
Heavenly Father, thank You for the new mindset that you are shaping in me through the Gospel. Help me to bring your love \& kindness into my family, my work, my university, my city. Thank you that you have saved me and are sending me into this world to serve. Amen.