Favour Follows A Fresh Start Culture
Romans 12:2 TPT “Stop imitating the ideals and opinions of the culture around you, but be inwardly transformed by the Holy Spirit through a total reformation (RE - FORMATION - FRESH START] of how you think. This will empower you to discern God’s will as you live a beautiful life, satisfying and perfect in his eyes.”
Much of Paul’s writing to the early church, most of the New Testament, is this challenge: Leave the patterns, opinions and ideals of the CULTURE that surrounds you and MAKE A FRESH START with a NEW CULTURE that BEGINS WITHIN YOU!
The REWARD for A FRESH START CULTURE kind-of-LIFE is a LIFE that FAVOUR FOLLOWS......BEAUTIFUL, SATISFYING and PERFECT LIFE....
Q: Do you want to see FAVOUR in your marriage, family, workplace, business, ministry, study...want divine favour to touch the dreams on your heart ... favour to touch the your future endeavours?
Q: Is this the kind of life you want? Do you want a ‘favour follows’ kind of life?
What does a FRESH START CULTURE LOOK LIKE?
Does Paul point us to a model or a method..does he give us some help...?
A: Paul talks a LOT about the the LOCAL CHURCH and in Paul’s worldview, the church, when it is living out A FRESH START CULTURE...is the hope of the world!
This is the FRESH START culture I want to point us to today...the fresh start culture of Gods one and only rescue plan for humanity....the local church....
THE SAME FRESH START CULTURE THAT BRINGS FAVOUR TO THE LOCAL CHURCH IS THE SAME FRESH START CULTURE THAT BRINGS FAVOUR INTO YOUR WORLD….;
A FRESH START CULTURE is 5 things:
- A Salvation Culture
Romans10:13NLT “For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Salvation is central to a FRESH START CULTURE.
We have to make room for this miracle for every person, every time, and in every place we gather.
The culture of the LOCAL CHURCH has the GUEST in mind FIRST.
If you have said Yes to Jesus, your new mission in this world is to point the rest of our broken and hurting world to their saviour.
Churches do so many great things around our world AND THEY SHOULD... ... but the difference between the CHURCH and the CHARITY, the sports club, the book club or the bike club, is that the church isn’t trying help you live a BETTER life...it’s calling you to LIVE A SURRENDERED life. ... A LIFE SURRENDERED to Jesus.
So....When you encounter church...you should be encountering Jesus.
“Therefore, we are here, for those who are not yet here!”
Our preaching, special events, kids programs, youth, music, academy, church planting, are ALL built to help people connect with Jesus.
At Beyond Church we say:
“WE WILL POINT PEOPLE TO JESUS AS THE ONE AND ONLY HOPE FOR HUMANITY”
A FRESH START CULTURE is always a salvation culture.
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2. A Hospitable Culture
Romans16:1-2MSG “Be sure to welcome our friend Phoebe in the way of the Master, with all the generous hospitality we Christians are famous for.
Famous, generous hospitality is God’s WAY/ CULTURE OF welcoming people into a community of faith.
Why are Christians FAMOUS...for their generous hospitality...?
- John 2:1 - 11 Jesus first miracle = water into wine.
- Jesus miraculously fed thousands of people on 2 separate occasions. John 6:10-11 + Matthew 15:35-38
- Luke 24:30-32 Jesus broke bread with some of his disciples. The meal together is the one thing that helped them recognise Jesus identity. Then he miraculously disappears.
- Luke 24:40 - 43 Jesus appears to his disciples for the first time and asks for some fish to eat to prove he has risen from the dead!
- John 21:10-14 Jesus appeared for the 3rd time to his disciples after his resurrection around a miracle catch of fish and bread cooked over a fire
- In the book of Luke, there are 10 stories where Jesus is eating a meal with various people.
Nothing opens hearts more than a generously open and full table.
A FRESH START CULTURE is always a HOSPITABLE CULTURE
3. A Growth Culture
Ephesians 4:14-16 MSG “No prolonged infancies among us, please. We’ll not tolerate babes in the woods, small children who are an easy mark for impostors. God wants us to grow up, to know the whole truth and tell it in love—like Christ in everything.
At Beyond Church we say that EVERYBODY has a next step! We are unapologetic about having an aggressive growth culture…
For us corporately, and for us as individuals. When our mission is one of eternal significance, where the eternal destiny of the human soul hangs in the balance...we build a “whatever it takes” kind of of culture!
Romans 8:15 MSG “This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It’s adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike “What’s next,
Q: What’s next for you, in this FRESH START season? What’s your next step? JOINING A LIFE GROUP, COMPLETING BEYOND BASICS, JOINING A TEAM, BEING IN THE ROOM?
4. A Leadership Culture
Matthew 5:13-14 MSG “Let me tell you why you are here. You’re here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavours of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You’ve lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage.
- You are meant to stand out - BRIGHT! - Not grey! - Church is only boring when we are boring!
- You are meant to be on the edge of innovation and community transformation
- The church needs to be the flavour of the month....it shouldn’t be a sour taste in the mouth of the community.
- You are meant to be brave - The first brush stroke is always to bravest!
- Be first, LEAD in your world....family, workplace - turn up first, stay late, ask what else you can do, go ABOVE and BEYOND.....
- You are meant to be vocal about the cause of the local church
I know that the next generation of leaders will be launched into significance from the leadership pipeline of the local church - The worlds greatest architects and educators, composers and politicians, business people and doctors, academics and artists all inspired, equipped and encouraged by the leadership greenhouse that is the local church.
A FRESH START CULTURE is always a LEADERSHIP CULTURE
5. A Youth Culture
At Beyond Church we say that we will flourish from generation to generation.
Could it be that there is something supernatural at work in this environment, something intangible, something of the power of God at work, that if immersed in it for long enough, consistently enough.....it sets your kids up to flourish in life?
“A young church needs EVERY generation “ . . .
Psalm 119:90 Your faithfulness extends to every generation, as enduring as the earth you created.
The faithfulness of God extends to every generation ONLY as we extend our hand to the generations to come.
Older people....We need to be lifting up, not holding back. Our role is to be the cheer squad, championing on those growing in their faith journey and their gift. We don’t need the maturity police.....
Young people....1 Timothy 4:12 NLT Don't let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity.
What’s the culture of YOUR life today?
- Do you know Jesus?
- Are you living a generous life?
- Do you have an aggressive growth agenda?
- Are you leading in all area of your life?
- Are you championing the generations to come?
This is the FRESH START CULTURE that FAVOUR will ALWAYS FOLLOW!
Q: Want to take your FIRST STEP into YOUR FRESH START TODAY?
Jesus, this is my decision
Today I say yes to you
You died on the cross
To pay the price for my sin.
I invite you to be my saviour.
Come into my life.
Forgive my sin.
Fill me with the power of your holy spirit.
Amen
