Dennis R. Wiles

September 22, 2019

Hope for Our Church

Fall 2019

September 2 – November 2, 2019

Becoming Fruitful Believers

Ephesians 4:7-16

Hope for Our Church

Becoming Fruitful Believers

Ephesians 4:7-16

But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. This is why it says:

“When he ascended on high,

he took many captives

and gave gifts to his people.”

(What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATION

Glorifying God by Following The Jesus Way

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

Becoming fruitful believers, influencing our world for Christ!

ENRICHMENT: Becoming fruitful believers

ENGAGEMENT: Influencing our world for Christ

GIFTS: The resurrected and ascended Christ has gifted His church with just what is needed for the church to fulfill its calling.

GOAL: The people of God are equipped for service and the body of Christ is edified.

GROWTH: Each believer is to be on a spiritual growth trajectory that bears fruit in our lives and benefits the rest of the body of Christ.