Dennis R Wiles 

FBC Arlington 

September 17, 2023 

2023 - Why Does It Matter? 

FALL 2023 - The Church: Why Does It Matter? 

September 3 – November 4, 2023 

First Baptist Arlington: We are Changing! 

Acts 2:42-47 

FALL 2023:  THE CHURCH: Why Does It Matter? 

The Church is a purposeful community of gathered believers following The Jesus Way together.  

Psalm 1 Tree – Purpose, Transformation, Influence 

Becoming fruitful believers, influencing our world for Christ. 

ENRICHMENT: Becoming fruitful believers 

DEVOTION: The early church was “all in” – these believers were steadfastly devoted to this new life in Christ. So are we! 

SPIRITUAL FORMATION: The early believers were devoted to the authoritative teaching of the Apostles. So are we! 

As He moves about He leaves behind him a trail of transformed scenes and changed situations—fishermen no longer at their nets, sick people restored to health, critics confounded, a storm stilled, hunger assuaged, a dead girl raised to life. Jesus’ presence is an active and instantly transforming presence: He is never the mere observe of the scene or the one who waits upon events but always the transformer of the scene and the initiator of events. 

-V. H. Vanstone, The Stature of Waiting 

As followers of Jesus, we are being formed, conformed, and transformed along The Jesus Way!