Sunday Praise & Worship 10:00
Christian Education - 10:00 - Casual Dress - Loving Childcare
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EvangelismThe word can strike fear in our hearts. It means Good News in Greek, but the Christians try to manipulate others into professing their faith in Jesus Christ is anything but good - like fishing with dynamite. Jesus wants us to attract others by the way we love each other - and strangers. Our actions speak volumes, which doesn't negate the value of articulating our faith to others. We won't get a hearing if all people see is hypocrisy, self-righteousness, and judgment. We situated this spiritual practice or discipline together with prayer and community because sharing our faith is one of those sine quo non aspects of the faith (Latin for: without which, nothing - it means if you don't have this element, you don't have anything). We live as a community of prayer before a watching world. People are hungry to know the reason for the hope that we have - Peter encourages us to always be prepared to give people this reason. But they will want to see the way the Hope of Jesus has transformed our lives before they ask us about it. Faith sharing is first of all about our relationship with God and each other in the Body of Christ. We share not a set of principles or statements from a creed with persons who are searching for God - we share a relationship with them (remember the adage: people don't care what you know until they know that you care?). We're focusing this series on a way of relating to persons outside the faith called Outflow. The idea is to allow God's love to flow out of your life toward others - and so to share the love of Jesus with them in a practical, no-strings-attached way. Like all Christian giving, evangelism flows out of the abundance with which God fills our lives. What better time of the year to celebrate this abundance and our excitement about sharing it than the season of Advent - when we celebrate God's coming into the world in Jesus Christ. We will stand with Mary in her willingness to birth the Son of God into the world. Get ready for a wonderful Christmas, where the best gift is the life and love you share with others. |
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