“…the church's task is to learn from the First Testament understanding of what it means to be Israel.” (Goldingay)

Isaiah 41:8 - 9

8 “But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, you descendants of Abraham my friend, 9 I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you. I said, ‘You are my servant’; I have chosen you and have not rejected you.”

Deuteronomy 7:6 - 86 For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession. 7 The Lord did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. 8 But it was because the Lord loved you and kept the oath he swore to your ancestors…

Genesis 22:17 - 18

17 I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, 18 and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.

(Israel) is chosen to be the means of Yhwh’s reaching out to the world, not of avoiding it. The people are chosen so that they may "summon the whole world to faith in Him.” Election is both for Israel's sake and for the world’s…. So election is not the means of leaving out other people but the means of drawing them in. (Goldingay)

Ephesians 1:4 - 6

4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—6 to the praise of his glorious grace…

2 Thess 2:13

3 But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as first fruits to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth.

Not one person who comes through your door comes haphazardly. By sending that guest to you, God is giving you the privilege of cooperating with Him to move someone forward in their journey toward Jesus. (Searcy)

First-time guests are extraordinary gifts full of unparalleled potential. As God brings them through our front doors, our prayerfully planned reciprocation can result in changed lives for the Kingdom.

(Searcy)

Visitors are gifts from God!

1. On Sundays

2 questions to “ban”:

1. “Are you new here?”

2. “Is this your first time at KCi?”

“Smile & Greet Training”

1. Greet someone with a smile

2. Make eye contact

3. Give a decent handshake

2. Outside of Sundays

Sunday 17 August 2014 = The Alpha Banquet