Elements City Church
Irresistible Faith - Becoming wk4
What if Christians became the best advertisement for Jesus? We want to become the kind of Christ followers the world can't resist. Jesus said his followers would be a light to the world and a city on the hill - a warmly inviting, neighbor-loving, grace-and-truth-filled destination for all. Rooted in biblical convictions, they would extend love, empathy, and care for one another as well as those who don't share their beliefs. Over time their movement would become irresistible to every nation, tribe and tongue. We must pursue an irresistible faith!
Locations & Times
Elements City Church
1825 N Alvernon Way, Tucson, AZ 85712, USA
Sunday 5:00 PM
Thanks for joining us...
We pray that tonight would be encouraging for you. If you're a guest here with us, we want to INVITE you to our 10 Minute Party immediately following service. We'd love to meet you and we have a free gift just for you. Click the link below to see THE WEEKLY - our digital announcements/info for all things happening in and around Elements...or find everything ya need in our app.
http://elem.cc/weeklyReview:
We are to live as SENT ONES - to be salt and light in our world and our hear and now for Christ! We have an irresistible faith that is worth sharing. We're to grow an irresistible faith.
It begins with ABIDING in Christ and remaining deeply rooted in relationship with him. (see John 15:1-5)
It's about BELONGING to an irresistible community of believers and allowing God to use one another to help shape and transform one another to reflect Jesus more and more. (see John 13:34-35 & Romans 12:4-8)
Quote:
“Our relationship with each other is the criterion the world uses to judge whether our message is truthful—Christian community is the final apologetic.” - Francis Shaeffer
We are to live as SENT ONES - to be salt and light in our world and our hear and now for Christ! We have an irresistible faith that is worth sharing. We're to grow an irresistible faith.
It begins with ABIDING in Christ and remaining deeply rooted in relationship with him. (see John 15:1-5)
It's about BELONGING to an irresistible community of believers and allowing God to use one another to help shape and transform one another to reflect Jesus more and more. (see John 13:34-35 & Romans 12:4-8)
Quote:
“Our relationship with each other is the criterion the world uses to judge whether our message is truthful—Christian community is the final apologetic.” - Francis Shaeffer
As we participate in these practices, we’re on our way to BECOMING an irresistible kind of Christian. And the world needs more of us to be this!
We (as followers of Jesus) have been rescued and sent out as Ambassadors for Him! Our lives carry a NEW 'job description':
Quote:
“All Christians are called as Christ’s ambassadors into places they live, work, play and worship, with the glorious purpose of leaving people, places and things better than they found them. This is the universal Christian job description.” -Scott Sauls (book: irresistible faith)
Quote:
“All Christians are called as Christ’s ambassadors into places they live, work, play and worship, with the glorious purpose of leaving people, places and things better than they found them. This is the universal Christian job description.” -Scott Sauls (book: irresistible faith)
We’re Full time / All-the-time ambassadors for Jesus! There’s never a moment where we punch out or we’re off the clock of being a representative of Christ.
That's WHY we place such a big emphasis creating an INVITE culture. Inviting people to do life with you. Inviting people to church or to serving opportunities with you! Why we keep talking about the BLESS strategy
Begin with Prayer – praying for people
Listen to people
Eat with people
Serve people
Share your story – share Jesus' story
Begin with Prayer – praying for people
Listen to people
Eat with people
Serve people
Share your story – share Jesus' story
Statistics say: Only 2% of people in church will invite a friend to church this year. BUT - here’s the crazy ENCOURAGING statistic:
83% of un-churched people say they will attend a church if a friend invites them.
83% of un-churched people say they will attend a church if a friend invites them.
Christian Job Description:
“All Christians are called as Christ’s ambassadors into places they live, work, play and worship, with the glorious purpose of leaving people, places and things better than they found them." -Scott Sauls
“LEAVE IT BETTER” - what if we just lived with that as a mantra of our lives as we follow after Jesus?!
Leave the people you meet, better
Leave the conversations you have, better
Leave the things you engage in, better
Leave the places you go, better
“All Christians are called as Christ’s ambassadors into places they live, work, play and worship, with the glorious purpose of leaving people, places and things better than they found them." -Scott Sauls
“LEAVE IT BETTER” - what if we just lived with that as a mantra of our lives as we follow after Jesus?!
Leave the people you meet, better
Leave the conversations you have, better
Leave the things you engage in, better
Leave the places you go, better
That’s the heart behind how we’re to live – as we BECOME AN IRRESISTIBLE kind of Christian.
Leave it Better & Lead to Jesus
Leave it Better & Lead to Jesus
You and I have been tasked to not only LOVE people well – but we’re to SHARE THE GOSPEL with people – let them know about God’s love and how they can know him…
Tonight, I want to practically walk you through how to share your faith / share the gospel on a napkin with 1 verse: John 3:16
Tonight, I want to practically walk you through how to share your faith / share the gospel on a napkin with 1 verse: John 3:16
BIG Myth: There’s a Good God up in a Good Heaven and I’ll get there by being Good…as long as my good outweighs my bad. That logic sounds so GOOD… but here’s the problem: it’s not true!
Our friends, family, coworkers, classmates need to know:
Good people don’t go to heaven - Forgiven people do!
Our friends, family, coworkers, classmates need to know:
Good people don’t go to heaven - Forgiven people do!
As your conversations take a spiritual turn or an opportunity comes up: say something like: “Can I tell you a story about God? The heart of God is maybe best summarized in one verse in the bible…and it’s a great verse.”
God loved, So God gave – if you believe, you can receive.
= that’s the story of God…summed up in one verse! The entire Bible points to this reality and then unpacks more of what it’s like to follow after Jesus
= that’s the story of God…summed up in one verse! The entire Bible points to this reality and then unpacks more of what it’s like to follow after Jesus
We’re not to stockpile God’s gospel/Good News to ourselves – we’re to share it! When it comes to sharing the gospel – statistics say that we just don’t often share our faith like this. *70% of Christians will never share their faith with anyone.
70% of us will go to heaven without ever bringing anyone with us…
70% of us will go to heaven without ever bringing anyone with us…
They say: sharing is caring, but I know when it comes to spiritual conversations: sharing can feel scary! Listen, you don’t have to have an answer to all their questions in order to lead someone closer to Jesus!
We do need the guts & the boldness – to sit down with someone and say “You know, I don’t have all the answers---- but here’s what I know:
God loved, so God gave (Jesus)
If you believe – you can receive life with God
…here’s how that profound truth has changed me (share your story)
what if we all began to live with a simple focus of:
Leave it Better & Lead to Jesus
We do need the guts & the boldness – to sit down with someone and say “You know, I don’t have all the answers---- but here’s what I know:
God loved, so God gave (Jesus)
If you believe – you can receive life with God
…here’s how that profound truth has changed me (share your story)
what if we all began to live with a simple focus of:
Leave it Better & Lead to Jesus
NEED PRAYER?
....we've got some of our prayer team and pastors available following service to pray with you. You can also submit your prayer request via our app. We look forward to partnering with you in prayer.
....we've got some of our prayer team and pastors available following service to pray with you. You can also submit your prayer request via our app. We look forward to partnering with you in prayer.
Thanks for partnering with us...
Thanks for partnering with us. Every gift you give enables us to move the mission of Elements and the Hope and Light of Jesus forward in our city and beyond. Thank you for financially & faithfully partnering with us! You can give here, online or easily within our free app on your phone or tablet.
http://elem.cc/giveIF YOU'RE NEW:
we throw a 10-minute party immediately following the service in the back corner of the room, if you're new, we'd love to meet you and welcome you! We invite you back next weekend as we continue this series...
we throw a 10-minute party immediately following the service in the back corner of the room, if you're new, we'd love to meet you and welcome you! We invite you back next weekend as we continue this series...
Join us NEXT WEEKEND as we launch our Summer in the Psalms series with a worship night with City Psalms!