Culture andCulture and

(Confessional)(Confessional)

ChristChrist

"Debbie…""Debbie…"

Show no weaknessesShow no weaknesses

Over-disclosureOver-disclosureAll over the place…All over the place…

"No regrets""No regrets"

I beat my girlfriends:I beat my girlfriends:No regrets?No regrets?

I steal from my job:I steal from my job:No regrets?No regrets?

Religion= guilt. Therefore… Religion= guilt. Therefore… Show no weaknessesShow no weaknesses

(Except minor infractions)(Except minor infractions)

Cross= FreedomCross= Freedom

Jesus= GraceJesus= GraceConviction leading Conviction leading

to repentanceto repentance

Therefore…be realTherefore…be real

We are calledWe are called

To To engage one anotherengage one anotherIn Community In Community

- Not to hide and pretend- Not to hide and pretend- Not to blurt out and be proud- Not to blurt out and be proud

But to confess and be freeBut to confess and be free

The church is jacked…The church is jacked…

- Always has been- Always has been

The church is jacked…The church is jacked…

- Jesus created her knowing it- Jesus created her knowing it

The church is jacked…The church is jacked…

- Died for her anyway- Died for her anyway

The church is jacked…The church is jacked…

- Is coming back for her- Is coming back for her

Jesus created a CommunityJesus created a Community

- Body (various parts- 1 body)- Body (various parts- 1 body)

Jesus created a CommunityJesus created a Community

- House (Spirit's dwelling place)- House (Spirit's dwelling place)

Jesus created a CommunityJesus created a Community

- Family (Same Father)- Family (Same Father)

Jesus created a CommunityJesus created a Community

- New Man (Distinctions fade)- New Man (Distinctions fade)

Jesus created a CommunityJesus created a Community

- Mystery (Unity in Christ)- Mystery (Unity in Christ)

Jesus created a CommunityJesus created a Community

- Bride (Loved by Jesus)- Bride (Loved by Jesus)

We are calledWe are called

To To engage one anotherengage one anotherIn Community In Community

Gospel-Based Community:Gospel-Based Community:

CreationCreationFallFallRedemptionRedemptionRestorationRestoration

Older men are to be sober-Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness.love, and in steadfastness.

Older women Older women likewiselikewise are to be are to be reverent in behavior, not reverent in behavior, not

slanderers or slaves to slanderers or slaves to much wine.much wine.

They are to They are to teachteach what is good, what is good, and so and so traintrain the young women the young women to love their husbands and to love their husbands and children.children.

Likewise,Likewise, urge the younger men urge the younger men to be self-controlled. Show to be self-controlled. Show

yourself in all respects to be a yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in model of good works, and in your teaching show integrityyour teaching show integrity

- Titus 2:2-7- Titus 2:2-7

God's Plan for God's Plan for Redemptive Community:Redemptive Community:

- Relationships modeled/taught- Relationships modeled/taught- Age respected & youth celebrated- Age respected & youth celebrated

Homogenous Christian Homogenous Christian Community ignores the Community ignores the Mandate of Mandate of DiscipleshipDiscipleship

Humbly Teach and Humbly Teach and Learn from One AnotherLearn from One Another

Let the word of Christ dwell in Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, you richly, teaching and teaching and admonishing one another admonishing one another in all in all wisdom…wisdom…

……singing psalms and hymns singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with and spiritual songs, with

thankfulness in your thankfulness in your hearts to Godhearts to God

- Col. 3:16- Col. 3:16

In Community:In Community:

WeWe teach and learn from teach and learn from one anotherone another

Based upon Based upon scripturescripture

……if anyone is caught in any if anyone is caught in any transgression,transgression, you who are you who are spiritual should restore him in a spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentlenessspirit of gentleness- Gal. 6:1- Gal. 6:1

- Not Opinion- Not Opinion- Not Conviction/Debatable- Not Conviction/Debatable- Not for Power- Not for Power- Always out of Love- Always out of Love

- Humility on both sides- Humility on both sides

Eye has not seen…Eye has not seen…

"Pastor- look at the next verse""Pastor- look at the next verse"

...he gave…the shepherds and ...he gave…the shepherds and teachers, to teachers, to equipequip the saints the saints for for the work of ministry, the work of ministry, for for building up the body of Christ…building up the body of Christ…

Pastors Equip BelieversPastors Equip Believers

Equipped People Do MinistryEquipped People Do Ministry

……until we all attain to the unity of until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge the faith and of the knowledge

of the Son of God, to mature of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ…stature of the fullness of Christ…

……so that we may no longer be so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.deceitful schemes.

Ministry together Ministry together

- Serving Jesus - Serving Jesus By serving each other- By serving each other-

Brings unity and maturityBrings unity and maturity

Rather, Rather, speaking the truth in speaking the truth in love,love, we are to grow up in every we are to grow up in every

way into him who is the way into him who is the head, into Christ…head, into Christ…

Truth without love Truth without love Is harsh and uglyIs harsh and ugly

Love without truthLove without truthIs CompromiseIs Compromise

We are calledWe are called

To To engage one anotherengage one anotherIn Community In Community

from whom the whole body, joined from whom the whole body, joined and and held together by every jointheld together by every joint with which it is equipped, with which it is equipped, when when each part is working properly, each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in lovebuilds itself up in love- Eph. 4:11-16- Eph. 4:11-16

- Everyone has a ministry- Everyone has a ministry- No one is unimportant- we - No one is unimportant- we need each otherneed each other- Our differences are a strength- Our differences are a strength- - We We speak truth in love to one speak truth in love to one anotheranother

Restorative Community:Restorative Community:

- Teaching One Another- Teaching One Another- Speaking the Truth in Love- Speaking the Truth in Love- Confessing to One Another- Confessing to One Another

Is anyone among you sick? Let Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the him call for the elders of the church, and let them church, and let them pray over him,pray over him,

……anointing him with oil in the anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the name of the Lord. And the

prayer of faith will save the one prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will who is sick, and the Lord will

raise him up.raise him up.

And if he has committed sins, he And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.will be forgiven.

Therefore, Therefore, confess your sins to confess your sins to one another and pray for one one another and pray for one another,another, that you may be that you may be healed. The prayer of a healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful righteous person is powerful and effective…and effective…

Freedom!Freedom!

God designed his church to be aGod designed his church to be a

Mutually-confessingMutually-confessingContinually prayingContinually praying

Community of FaithCommunity of Faith

In that contextIn that contextGod's Spirit works powerfullyGod's Spirit works powerfully

My brothers, if anyone among My brothers, if anyone among you you wanders from the truthwanders from the truth and someone brings and someone brings him back…him back…

……let him know that whoever let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a from death and will cover a multitude of sinsmultitude of sins- James 5:14-20- James 5:14-20

God designed his peopleGod designed his peopleTo love To love so muchso much They risk friendship They risk friendship

For the sake of FamilyFor the sake of Family

Restoration CommunityRestoration Community(We got each others' backs)(We got each others' backs)

We are calledWe are called

To To engage one anotherengage one anotherIn Community In Community

Culture: Culture: Over-disclosure Over-disclosure With no repentanceWith no repentance

Religion:Religion:Hide sin and Hide sin and

Front perfectionFront perfection

Christ's Community:Christ's Community:

- Learn from (generationally)- Learn from (generationally)- Speaking the Truth in Love- Speaking the Truth in Love- Confessional- Confessional

We're in this togetherWe're in this together

Fighting for each otherFighting for each otherAgainst anything that keeps usAgainst anything that keeps usFrom God's best for usFrom God's best for us

"Debbie…""Debbie…"