What Does God Require Of Us?
Micah 6:8b
And what does the Lord require of you?
Have you ever thought – what does the Lord require of me? I mean – salvation is free – but once saved – what does God require of me? I know what the membership vows say when we join the church – that we will support the church with our prayers – our talents – our time/attendance and our offerings – or something like that depending on which version is used. But have you ever thought about what God requires of us – as individuals and collectively as the church? Once we have received Jesus what should we do? Should we just rest in Jesus and rejoice?
The brother of Jesus – James – spends a good portion of his epistle/letter sharing that we should have faith – obviously – and that godly actions/works should be a natural response to that faith. James goes so far as to say that works or godly actions are a required feature of a person of faith when he writes: James 2:26 – As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.
The picture with this article shows that without Jesus no one could get to a relationship with God. Without Jesus – we would be lost – eternally. At our church – our vision is to reach the whole family for Christ. Our mission – a plan to accomplish this vision – is to bring people into environments where they can encounter Christ, build people up in their knowledge and understanding of Christ, and to send people out to serve Christ. To shorten the mission statement we simply say we want to bring them in, build them up, and send them out. Another way of saying it is – our heart at Mt. Oak Fellowship is to reach the lost, to build up the saved, and to send out the saints to reach the lost.
So my questions for us to think about today are the following. What has God required of us individually – and of our church collectively – as a response to the free gift of salvation? What are we doing to reach the lost for Jesus so that they can cross over to an eternity with God? How are we contributing with our time – talent – prayers and offerings to carry out the call of God on our church?
Stay tuned in the weeks to come for some things we can do as a response to God’s saving grace. I would be interested in your thoughts as well.
Just something to think about today as you go on your way.
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Our Vision and Mission – The Plan
I recently posted this on Facebook on the group titled Ask the Pastor. I hope that through this Facebook posting and this blog page posting we can get some good ideas on putting our vision and mission to work!
Our vision at Mt. Oak is “to reach the whole family for Christ”. Our plan or mission to accomplish this is “to bring people into environments where they can encounter Christ”, “build them up in their knowledge and understanding of Christ”, and “to send them out to serve Christ”.
In a recent Church Council meeting we talked about making this mission part of everything we do at Mt. Oak. We said that we wanted to bring, build and send in all ministries, including our committees. We used these terms: fellowship, discipleship and mission. EVERYTHING we do at Mt. Oak should have these three elements.
An example: Jonathan Johnson, our Church Council Chair, recently started our Men’s Open Gym Night again on Wednesday nights. I attended, and although it is primarily a fellowship group, he talked about us discussing our relationship with Jesus each time we meet and that we should find a mission project that we could do as a group. Way to go Jonathan!
How is your group or ministry already doing these three things? How can they begin to do them? What changes might need to be made by your group or ministry in order to focus on fellowship, discipleship and mission?
We want this to be the very DNA of our small groups – our church groups. And it is circular – because when we are serving Christ in mission – we are bringing people into environments where they can encounter Christ!
If your small group is primarily a discipleship group, how can you invite others in and fellowship together? What mission project might you tackle together? Maybe collect food for a shelter? Maybe take a monthly meal to a needy family? Maybe participate in a walk to raise awareness and money for a worthy need? What are your ideas?
Comments?
Something to think about today as you go on your way.
StreetReach 2011
It is early morning – Sunday – July 10 – 2011 – camp is quiet as the sun rises behind it. One by one the members of the 2011 Bowie StreetReach team from Mt. Oak Fellowship emerge from their tents and head toward the shower tent or toward breakfast. Camp was set up Saturday and the excitement of the week ahead probably kept them from getting too much sleep last night.
StreetReach is an Outreach ministry of Mt. Oak Fellowship at 14110 Mount Oak Road, in Mitchellville, MD. Throughout this week our team will be helping to spread the vision and mission of our church. Our vision at Mt. Oak is to reach the whole family for Christ. Our plan or mission to carry out this vision is to bring people into environments where they can encounter Christ, build people up in their knowledge and understanding of Christ, and to send people out to serve Christ.
Throughout this week – our team will be reaching the whole family in the P-Section of Bowie and beyond - one yard at a time. They will be bringing people into environments where they can encounter Christ as they take the love of Jesus to the very homes of the families in our community. They are putting flesh on the love of God as they reach out to serve others for Jesus. A common question from the families will be how much do we owe you for what you have done for us. A common response from the team will be what we have done is free – because the love of Christ is free.
Our team will also be growing in their knowledge and understanding of Christ as they see their work for the Lord bear fruit in a variety of ways throughout the week. They will also be discipled by the adult leaders of their team throughout the week. Not only will they be doing hands on outreach and evangelism at times – they will have devotions and lessons learned along the way. The youth and adults who work at StreetReach each year are never the same!
Our team is sharing and serving Christ this week. Pray for them. Even more – come and support them by finding out what you can do and by attending the evening programs. It is not too late to become involved. They will work hard through the day pulling weeds – cutting vines – trimming bushes and trees – raking leaves – cutting grass – etc. Each evening they will be in inviting the community to activities as well. Check them out here. Events will include a water night – a family fun night – dinner and a movie night – pool night – family fun night at the park and more! Come have some fun with our StreetReach team and the community!
Plan now – it is not too late – to be part of Bowie StreetReach 2011. It might change the life of a family in our community! It might change your life! It might impact your whole church and community in a way that nothing else could. See you there!
Say tuned for reports all week!
Vision and Mission at Mt. Oak Fellowship – Part 6
As we start a new week – we will continue with our thoughts on the need for a vision – a focus – and for a mission or plan to carry out the vision. The Bible says: Where there is no vision, the people perish: Proverbs 29:18 – KJV. As humans – most of us need direction – focus. Most cannot wander aimlessly through life.
A church family is no different. If we aimlessly meet – week after week – without vision – without a purpose – we will find ourselves – twenty years later – in the same place – meeting aimlessly. We need focus – we need vision – we need a direction.
For this reason – the leadership at Mt. Oak – prayerfully discerned a direction – a vision for our church family. We looked around us – in the community around our physical location – and discerned that there was a problem we felt called of God to address. Something was amiss – something that the church could not sit by and watch without taking some action.
The Problem – as we see it: Families are under attack. We mentioned this last Monday and you can read about it here.
The Solution to the Problem – as we see it – is to reach the whole family for Christ. Jesus is the answer to all our problems. We wrote about this last Tuesday and you can read about it here.
The Mission of our church – the basic plan to carry out our vision can be simply said this way: bring in, build up, send out. We wrote about bring in last Wednesday and you can read about it here. We wrote about build up last Thursday and you can read about it here. Last Friday we wrote about send out and you can read about it here.
Today I will write about when we will know if our vision is being reached. Today we will write about the win.
The Win: A changed life or family for Christ.
We will know when we are being successful in reaching our vision – reaching the whole family for Christ – when we see a changed life or family for Christ. The past week or two would be a great example. Recently we held a seminar on marriage and nearly 40 couples (some from outside the church family – bring in) gathered to improve their marriages/families (build up). On a recent Sunday we had members sign up to sponsor more children in El Salvador through Compassion International (send out). Last Saturday we gathered as a StreetReach team to start our new season of reaching the community of Bowie (send out). Sunday in worship (bring in) a number of people came to the cross to commit their lives to Christ.
We are seeing changed lives in our youth – in our children – in our marriages – in our fellowship – in our youth adults. Throughout the church we are seeing lives changed and families strengthened. God is at work.
In counseling Pastor Charlie and I are seeing marriages healed – hurts forgiven – people coming to know Christ – parents and children working through some tough issues together. The more we focus on bringing in – building up – and sending out – the more we will see Jesus at work!
Soon church leadership will meet to begin the process of developing strategies and some measurable goals for our vision and mission. Stay tuned in the weeks to come for more!
Just something to think about today as you go on your way.
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Vision and Mission at Mt. Oak Fellowship – Part 5
As we end this week – we will continue with our thoughts on the need for a vision – a focus. Where there is no vision, the people perish: Proverbs 29:18 – KJV. As humans – most of us need direction – focus. Most cannot wander aimlessly through life.
A church family is no different. If we aimlessly meet – week after week – without vision – we will find ourselves – twenty years later – in the same place. We need focus – we need vision – we need a direction.
For this reason – the leadership at Mt. Oak – prayerfully discerned a direction – a vision for our church family. We looked around us – in the community around our physical location – and discerned that there was a problem we felt called of God to address. Something was amiss – something that the church could not sit by and watch without taking some action.
The Problem – as we see it: Families are under attack. We mentioned this on Monday.
The Solution to the Problem – as we see it – is to reach the whole family for Christ. Jesus is the answer to all our problems. We wrote about this on Tuesday.
The Mission of our church – the basic plan to carry out our vision can be simply said this way: bring in, build up, send out. We wrote about bring in on Wednesday and build up on Thursday.
Today I will write about send out. Send out – at times – is the part that some churches miss. Most churches try to bring in folks – and some try to build up. But not every church turns people around and trains them and encourages them to serve others.
Let me refresh the mission of our church. We want to bring people into environments where they can encounter Christ. We strive to build people up in their knowledge and understanding of Christ. While we desire to send people out to serve Christ in our community.
Send out is putting our knowledge and understanding into practice. Too often Christians become fat in knowledge/understanding but light in putting them into practice. We attend Bible studies and Sunday School classes for many years – even a lifetime – but fail to realize that the church is not here for the saved but to reach the lost.
EVERY church has the same marching orders – or at least they should. Here is what Christ told His disciples to do.
Matthew 28:19 – Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
We are told in the Bible to gather together. We are told to search the truths of God’s Word. But we are also told to go out – to the nations – to make disciples. Some churches don’t even reach out to the community around them – let alone the nations. Send out is all about serving and reaching those outside the Body of Christ with the love of Christ.
Just something to think about today as you go on your way.
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Next week we will share what our vision looks like – when it is working. We will also begin to unfold some strategic thoughts.
Vision and Mission at Mt. Oak Fellowship – Part 4
Today we continue to share some thoughts on the need for a vision – a focus. Where there is no vision, the people perish: Proverbs 29:18 – KJV. As humans – most of us need direction – focus. Most cannot wander aimlessly through life.
A church family is no different. If we aimlessly meet – week after week – without vision – we will find ourselves – twenty years later – in the same place. We need focus – we need vision – we need a direction.
For this reason – the leadership at Mt. Oak – prayerfully discerned a direction – a vision for our church family. We looked around us – in the community around our physical location – and discerned that there was a problem we felt called of God to address. Something was amiss – something that the church could not sit by and watch without taking some action.
The Problem – as we see it: Families are under attack. We mentioned this on Monday.
The Solution to the Problem – as we see it – is to reach the whole family for Christ. Jesus is the answer to all our problems.
The Mission of our church – the basic plan to carry out our vision can be simply said this way: bring in, build up, send out.
Yesterday I shared some on bring in. Today I want to share some on build up. Build up - more clearly defined as building people up in their knowledge and understanding of Christ. Many churches try to teach people about the Bible. Discipleship is more than merely learning about the Bible – about Jesus. Becoming a disciple – a follower – of Christ is more than mere head knowledge. Our task as a church – if we believe that Jesus is the answer to the problem – is to engage people in a study and a practice of the Word of God. Knowing the Word of God is important – knowing how to live in it – to have an understanding of its power – is essential.
Our goal is to not only teach the Bible – in classes, in groups, in worship – but to also develop a daily walk with Jesus that allows us to put our knowledge into practice. Small groups – discipleship groups and classes – are part of our build up approach. Developing fellowship opportunities for the God’s family to grow in knowledge and understanding – to heal and be strengthened – to feel connected – is part of build up. We pray you will join a group today – and help your church think of ways to creatively train up people and teach them the Word of God!
Just something to think about today as you go on your way.
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Vision and Mission at Mt. Oak Fellowship – Part 2
Yesterday we started sharing a little on the need for a vision – a focus. Where there is no vision, the people perish: Proverbs 28:19 KJV. As humans – most need direction – focus. Most cannot wander aimlessly through life.
A church family is no different. If we aimlessly meet – week after week – without vision – we will find ourselves – twenty years later – in the same place. We need focus – we need vision – we need a direction.
For this reason – the leadership at Mt. Oak – prayerfully discerned a direction – a vision for our church family. We looked around us – in the community around our physical location – and discerned that there was a problem. Some was amiss – something that the church could not sit by and watch without taking some action.
The Problem – as we saw it – is: Families are under attack. We mentioned this yesterday and you can read it here.
The Solution to the Problem – as we see it – is to reach the whole family for Christ. Jesus is the answer to all our problems. I know that sounds simplistic – and some would say I am – but I really believe that Jesus is the answer. A deeper walk with Jesus – a fellowship with other believers – and trusting in Jesus to meet your needs – will help us with our hurts and hang-ups.
Last night we had David Delk at Mt. Oak – and he shared with around 40 couples the Marriage Prayer. He talked about ways to improve our marriages. I tweeted two of his comments.
Conflict in marriage often comes when my spouse keeps me from feeding my idol and Marriage reveals what we worship. We should put our spouse second in our life – right behind God. Nothing should come before God and our spouse – not children – not hobbies – not our home or other possessions – not our work – nothing! Conflict usually occurs when we place something before God and our spouse and that reveals an idol in our life. An idol is what we worship beyond God and our spouse.
Working on marriages is one way we are trying to reach the whole family for Christ. There are many other ways. Come and join us as we strive to reach families for Jesus!
Just something to think about today as you go on your way.
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Vision and Mission at Mt. Oak Fellowship – Part 1
Proverbs 29:18
Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; NIV
Where there is no vision, the people perish: KJV
Where there is no revelation – no vision – the people will throw off restraint – they will perish. As humans – most need direction – focus. Most cannot wander aimlessly through life.
A church family is no different. If we aimlessly meet – week after week – without vision – we will find ourselves – twenty years later – in the same place. We need focus – we need vision – we need a direction.
For this reason – the leadership at Mt. Oak – prayerfully discerned a direction – a vision for our church family. We looked around us – in the community around our physical location – and discerned that there was a problem. Some was amiss – something that the church could not sit by and watch without taking some action.
The Problem – as we saw it – is: Families are under attack. When we say families are under attack we mean the fabric of the families in our community are under severe pressure. Marriages – even marriages in the church family – are failing at an alarming rate. Marriage – even when they do not end in divorce – is often dysfunctional. Children are being abused. Singles and marrieds are under pressure to follow the ways of the world. Finances continue to be a major issue in the family – married or single households. And I could continue.
We believe that the church should be a place where the family can find safety and godly support. We are striving to become a family church – where God is glorified.
Just something to think about today as you go on your way.
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Mt. Oak’s Vision and Mission – 21-Day Prayer and Fast
Our Vision and Mission at Mt. Oak
The Problem: Families are under attack.
The Solution: Reaching the whole family for Christ
The Process: Bring in, Build up, Send out
The Win: A changed life or family for Christ
Today begins our 21-Day fast. It is part of our build them up approach to growing as disciples of Christ our Lord. Our Children’s Director has taken the lead in our 21-days of prayer and fasting. This is an article she wrote recently in our E-News.
2011 Mount Oak Fast: Starting the New Year with Focus – by Babette Phillips
For the past few weeks I have been writing about fasting in order to prepare us for the Church Wide Mount Oak Fast. At the beginning of 2010 we fasted and prayed for a variety of things concerning Mt Oak Fellowship for 21 days, and many shared their testimonies of how they were blessed. This year we would like to add the second component to fasting by offering three 24 hour prayer vigils’ and two services.
Last year we had the church open in the morning for prayer, this year we are praying that everyone will sign up for one or more time slots as the Lord leads us to, for the 24 hours of uninterrupted prayer.
We will begin our 21 day fast on January 11th, 2011 but to kick off the 21 day fast we will have a prayer vigil beginning January 10th at 7pm and end it on January 11th. (The prayer vigil will be in your prayer closet) This first 24 hour prayer is for us to focus on our personal relationship with God. As stated in last week’s article *“The importance of any fast is to abstain from food for spiritual purposes. Fasting is also often linked with prayer, it should be considered a spiritual exercise all its own. In fact, fasting can be called prayer without words” *quoted from footnotes from NIV Full Life Study Bible.
So to begin our fast let’s begin by focusing our need to humble ourselves so we can enter into the presence of God and hear His voice. (2 Chronicles 7:14, James 4:10) We will then have a second 24 hour prayer vigil starting January 19th at 7pm and ending January 20th at 7pm. (The prayer vigil will be in your prayer closet). The focus during this 24 hour prayer vigil will be on Mt Oak Fellowship and how we each fit in the body at Mt Oak Fellowship. During this second week we should focus on what God has been showing us over the past week and now start focusing on what God would like us to do for His body. Mt Oak Fellowship is not a building but a body that has many parts and if you are here you are part of that body.
As stated in 1 Corinthians 12:14 through 1 Corinthians 13-13 we need to work as one unit not just for ourselves but for the whole body in order to be the hands and feet of Christ to a hurting world. If we abuse our own body how can we reach out to others as Christ has instructed us? This segment of Scripture ends with: “But the greatest of these is love.” Let us focus during this 24-hour pray where we fit in the body, healing for the whole body and what God is expecting us to do in the coming year. To finish off this 24 hour vigil we would love for the body to come together for praise, worship and corporate prayer. We will hold a praise and worship service in the sanctuary Thursday January 20th 7pm to 8:30pm. Come be encouraged as we seek God together as we reach the mid-point in our pray and fasting. (Ps 84:10, Ps 26:8, Ps 27:4, Ps 96:9, John 4:24, Rev 14:7)
Our third 24 hours pray vigil will be our last day January 30th 7 pm to January 31st to 7 pm. During this 24 hour prayer we would like everyone to focus on the lost. (1 Peter 3:9) Many of us have family, friends and even enemies that need the love of Jesus and if His people don’t pray for them who will? (Mark 16:15-18, John 15:27, Acts 5:20, Acts 22:15)
At the end of this final prayer vigil we will hold a Praise and Worship Communion Service at 7 Pm. This will be a great time of coming before the Lord breaking our fast with the Lord’s Supper and sharing with each other the blessing God has shared with you over the 21 days. (1 Corinthians 10:16-17)
One last thing we suggest is for each of us to head out to the dollar store and pick up a new notebook 5 to begin a journal. I personally don’t remember everything I sense God saying during my prayer time and a journal will not only help you remember it will also give you a record to look back and see how God moved during the fast. When God moves in our lives it is also our responsibility to not only give Him the praise and glory but also to share with the body in order to encourage them with their walk with God. If anyone would like to share about last year’s fast please send Dione an email at dione@mtoak.org. Testimonies from last year would be a great way to begin the 2011 fast and encourage the body to fast.
Fast Schedule:
- First 24-hour prayer vigil: January 10th 7pm to January 11th 7 pm, location – your prayer closet
- Fast begins January 11th
- Second 24-hour prayer vigil: January 19th 7 pm to January 20th 7 pm, location – your prayer closet
- Praise, Prayer and Worship Service: January 20th 7pm to 8:30pm, location – Mt Oak Sanctuary
- Third 24-hour prayer vigil: January 30th 7pm to January 31st 7 pm, location – your prayer closet
- Praise, Worship and Communion Service: January 31st 7pm to 8:30pm, Location – Mt Oak Sanctuary
Just something to think about today as you go on your way.
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Mt. Oak’s Vision and Mission – The Problem
Our Vision and Mission at Mt. Oak
The Problem: Families are under attack.
The Solution: Reaching the whole family for Christ
The Process: Bring in, Build up, Send out
The Win: A changed life or family for Christ
For the next three Sundays (January 9 – 16 – 23) we will be preaching on the vision and mission of our church. To see a listing of future sermons and Scriptures click this link http://wwww.mtoak.org/media/mo-sermons.
During this time frame we will also share in a 21-day fast. During this 21-day fast we will not only fast from something but we will also spend time in three 24-hour prayer vigils and we will celebrate together in special worship services. Please check out the E-News for more details. I will also share some in this blog.
During this time frame I will use my blog page to teach on our vision – mission – and on fasting.
Today I want to write about the problem as we understand it. Your church staff and lay leadership – after much discussion and prayer – discerned that the problem in our community is that the family was under attack. We see fewer and fewer families in our community with what could be considered a healthy family – with a person or persons who love the Lord.
For instance – we see and increasing number of families with one of the parents missing (for a variety of reasons). We see an increasing number of families with one or both of the parents living outside of a relationship with Christ. We see singles living without a relationship with Christ. We see persons living together outside of marriage – heterosexually and homosexually. We see an increasing number of youth and children being abused in dysfunctional homes. And the list sadly continues.
We believe that more and more we are seeing families – and families could be a single person or any other collection of people living together – putting aside a sound understanding of God and believing or not believing a number of myths and falsehoods. We believe the time has arrived that God warned us about in the Bible.
2 Timothy 4:3-4 – 3 For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.
Colossians 2:8 – See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.
We believe that this problem is worth our efforts to try to correct. We believe that if we could impact the families in our community and strive to help them deal with this problem – it would be a worthy ministry for the people called Mt. Oak.
Tomorrow I will try to address the solution.
Just something to think about today as you go on your way.
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