the church in context final

8/9/2019 The Church in Context Final

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Las Cruces Church of Christ

August 1, 2010


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James 1:27 (NIV)

27Religion that God our Father accepts as pure andfaultless is this: to look after orphans and widows intheir distress and to keep oneself from being pollutedby the world.


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At a Beverly Hills reception surroundedby wealth and excess .


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At a Church of Christ university where lessthan 20% of students are from the Church

of Christ.


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In an ocean-side community that isoften more concerned about surf

conditions than soul conditions.


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In a mega-city that is seemingly moreworried about image than reality .


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Maybe never more inspired


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In a rented room for church withwobbly chairs and make-do

conditions.


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In a community where less than 1% ofpopulation attends a Church of Christ(but the new Olive Garden is full) .


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In a state with a declining number ofChurches of Christ and church

membership.


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In a nation where less than 1% of thepopulation attends a Church of Christ

and overall membership is declining.


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Maybe never more hopeful


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W

hy?


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Big PictureI

ssues


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American Religious Identification Survey 2008


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Churches ofChrist by the Numbers 2009


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Churches ofChrist by the Numbers 2009

yAccording to the 2009 edition ofChurches of Christ inthe United States, the number of men, women andchildren attending Churches of Christ has dipped tothe lowest level since a comprehensive effort to count

members began in 1980.

y 21st Century Christian identifies 12,629 a cappellaChurches of Christ with 1,578,281 members

nationwide.

y These figures represent 526 fewer churches and 78,436fewer people than just six years ago.


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Church of Christ University Enrollment (2007-2009)


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Many of Our Youth are Leaving Churches ofChrist

y Church growth experts suggest that youths comprise alarge percentage of the estimated 78,000 membersthat Churches of Christ have lost since 2003.

y There is less concern about brand loyalty amongchurch youth. In a national survey conducted by theChristian Chronicle, many youth reported that they

would look more at what the church was doing thanwhat the name of the church was when seeking afellowship as an adult.


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wow.


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Big Picture Opportunities


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Tremendous Growth among

Non-Denominational, Bible-Based Churches

y Growth in millions among this type of fellowship over pastten years

y Many Churches of Christ focusing on outreach/service andevangelism have experienced similar growth during sametime period:

y GOODMAN OAKS CHURCH OF CHRIST, Southhaven, MS

y CHURCH OF CHRIST AT GOLD HILL ROAD, Fort Mill, SC

y SATURN ROAD CHURCH OF CHRIST, Garland, TX


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SATU

RN ROADCHU

RCH

OFCH

RIST, Garland,

TX

For the third consecutive year, the church in this Dallas suburb surpassed 150baptisms in 2007, senior minister John Scott said. Since 1992, the churchsmembership has grown from 950 to more than 2,300.

Our area is a transitional community with an aging Caucasian population withhuge influx of Hispanics and African-Americans Scott said. The challenge is

... building a new multiethnic congregation where a once all-whitecongregation stood.

The church has taken steps to make its ministerial staff look like itscommunity. Mike Crosby, who is black, recently became the churchsevangelism minister. Crosby, Scott and Joe Hernandez, the churchs Hispanicminister, take a team approach toward evangelism, Scott said.

Strong ministries for children and teens have drawn families to Saturn Road,Scott said. The church sponsors a ministry to children in its neighborhood thatruns daily for seven weeks each summer and is involved in outreach to a localdrug rehabilitation program for women.

Our leadership has committed itself to be a church of mirrors, reflecting wholives in our area now Scott said. We talk about and celebrate outreach.


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Enrollments are at record highs across most Church ofChrist universities largely fueled by non-memberstudents seeking high quality, Bible-based, service

oriented education.


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Our youth nationwide have a heart for service andwant to be part of pure and faultless religion.


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So back to the story


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I

nspired by.


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A Beverly Hills reception where Christianservice is celebrated and Church of Christmembers are honored by the larger

community.


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A Church of Christ university that is ahighly-ranked, elite institution clearlycommitted to the work of the Lord.


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Hopeful because of.


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A fellowship in Las Cruces full ofloving relationships, new

connections, and a renewed spirit.


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A city with countless opportunitiesfor real and meaningfulChristian outreach.


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W

hat this means for us as anew church.


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What t

his means for us.

y We have tremendous opportunities but cannot ignorethe reality that surrounds us

y We need to let our light shine before men so that maysee our good deeds and praise our Father

Matthew 5: 14-16

14"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.15Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead theyput it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16In thesame way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your gooddeeds and praise your Father in heaven.


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What t

his means for us.

y We need to remain in the Word so that we know howto best serve the needs of others

2 Timothy 2: 15Study to show yourself approved to God, a workman that needs not tobe ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

y We need to mold ourselves to the needs that are

around us

I Corinthians 9: 22b

I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means savesome.


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What t

his means for us.

y We need to do these things like never before

y We need to involve the breadth and depth of our body

y We need to move from contemplating what type ofchurch God is calling us to be and awaken to the work

that He has already placed before us

y We need to do this with a passion and joy that istranscendent and contagious


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Loving God, loving each other, it's that simple

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