Join us in-person or online this Sunday at 10:30 as Pastor David continues through his series answering the questions, What makes an excellent church?
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-Acts 16:11-34
If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. (Philippians 2:1,2)
Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. (Ephesians 4:2,3)
1. LET GO OF UNREALISTIC ______________________
Since God chose you to be the holy people whom he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. You must make allowance for each other’s faults and forgive the person who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. (Colossians 3:12,13)(NLT)
2. RESOLVE __________________ IN A GODLY WAY.
If a fellow believer hurts you, go and tell him—work it out between the two of you. If he listens, you’ve made a friend. If he won’t listen, take one or two others along so that the presence of witnesses will keep things honest, and try again. If he still won’t listen, tell the church… (Matt.18: 15-17a) (The Message)
A gossip tells secrets, so don’t hang around with someone who talks too much. (Proverbs 20:19)
Without wood a fire goes out; without gossip a quarrel dies down. (Prov. 26:2)
3. SUPPORT YOUR __________________
Be responsive to your pastoral leaders. Listen to their counsel. They are alert to the condition of your lives and work under the strict supervision of God. Contribute to the joy of their leadership, not its drudgery. Why would you want to make things harder for them? (Hebrews 13:17) (The Message)
-(I Thess. 5:12,13
4. HELP _______________ THE LOAD.
-Romans 12:6-8
- Serving helps prevent __________________
- Serving builds strong ______________________
5. __________________________ INSTEAD OF CRITIZING.
So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing. (I Thessalonians 5:12)
I will encourage… _____________________________
Digging Deeper
Q1: Think of a team you were on or a group you were a part of. What allowed for unity in the midst of diversity? What caused disunity?
Q2: In your family unit, what does “fight FOR your family” look like? How might this apply to life in a church family?
Q3: What unrealistic expectations, if any, did you use to have regarding the church? Have you been able to release them? How?
Q4: Read Romans 15:1-7. What principles can you find in this text that encourage and empower you to work towards unity in the church?
Q5: Of the five points Pastor David talked about, which one do you think is most needed at AVBC?….in your own life?
Q6: Read I Corinthians 10:23-11:1
What are some of the marks of a mature believer as laid out in this passage?
Q7: When it comes to serving as part of the AVBC family do you think you are doing too much, too little or just the right amount? What change, if any, should you make?