The New Shape of Church: Embodying a Holistic Gospel in Word and Deed
Acts 6:1-7
Nathan Nelson, Pastor of Missions and Outreach, nathann@churchbcc.org
All are essential and play unique, equally important roles in the kingdom of God! The invitation for the church is to be a place of hospitality where people of all backgrounds, needs, and gifts can be known and work together for the flourishing of its community within and outside the church walls.
A Holistic Gospel: For all people and all areas of life
Empowering ownership & leadership among the body
Paying the price together: towards an authentic Gospel witness
Response: Father, I believe that your kingdom will be characterized by __________. To participate in your mission in the world, it will cost me _________. Lord, give me the courage and humility to name the cost of my discipleship, and to embody your kingdom evermore. Amen.
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Discussion Questions
Before questions, attempt to give the group a bit of a summary of the main points of the sermon and then choose a few questions that fit your group’s needs and style. We don’t intend for you to use all of these. Three to five questions may be a good number.
Did you have a sport or activity like Nathan’s basketball, that formed a strong part of your identity growing up?
The thesis question for this next sermon series can be summarized as asking the following two questions. Here at the start, how would you answer each of these questions?
What shape is the church called to take now?
What role are you and I to play in it?
Are there spaces outside of the church that you’ve experienced radical hospitality or a sense of community? What aspects of those spaces do you think draw others to them?
Pastor Nathan reminds us that we what we see modeled in this text from Acts is that the call is not to remain homogeneous, maintaining a surface level, facade of “unity,”.
How might we as the church body engage and intentionally welcome diversity?
What does responding to conflicts compassionately in a way that leads to further growth look like?
As God is calling us to do WITH and not FOR people; how can we be humble enough to set aside and acknowledged that those we are serving may know what they need better than we think they do? How does this change our actions and interactions with others?
We were affirmed this week and last that our ultimate goal, above all else is to be an expression of a church that follows Jesus. How might you live out an integrated missional approach in addressing the full needs (physical, spiritual, and social) of those in our communities?
Share how you answered the prayer response questions at the end of Sunday’s sermon:
What is one way you would characterize the kingdom of God that the church is called to embody? (e.g. equity, justice, peace, shalom, compassion)
What will kingdom discipleship cost you? (e.g. pride, privilege, prejudice, comfort, popularity, etc.)