Connecting into the Life of the Church

CONNECTING TO THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH

Three important things you need to know about God's House:

1. CHURCH IS MADE UP OF PEOPLE, NOT BUILDINGS

I am a valuable part of God's Church.

1 CORINTHIANS 12:12-27

Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one bodywhether Jews or Gentiles, slave or freeand we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.

Now if the foot should say, Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body, it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. And if the ear should say, Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body, it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

The eye cannot say to the hand, I dont need you! And the head cannot say to the feet, I dont need you! On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

Many people have the idea that church is meant to be merely a beautiful building but they are entirely missing the point of why God created church. God created church as a place where the people that He loves gather together in unity to worship Him which brings glory to His name. Church is much more than just a building it is Gods precious possession His people.

1 CORINTHIANS 3:16

Dont you realise that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you

EPHESIANS 4:15-16

We will hold to the truth in love, becoming more and more in every way like Christ, who is the head of His body, the church. Under His direction, the whole body is fitted together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.

God has a purpose for you inside the church and outside the church.

HEBREWS 10:25

And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of His return is drawing near.

BODY OF CHRIST = All the churches of the world gathered together.

BRIDE OF CHRIST = Jesus calls the church His bride and promises to come back for Her.

MATTHEW 18:20  

For where two or three gather together because they are mine, I am there among them 

2. GOD'S HOUSE IS A HEALTHY FAMILY

Church is a place where we belong.

EPHESIANS 1:5

His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ. And this gave Him great pleasure.

When you became a Christian, you were born into the family of God. Great news! God is our Father and we are all brothers and sisters. As Christians, we share in all the benefits and inheritance that comes from being a child of the King of the Universe. You can rightly say that your dad is the richest and most powerful man in the world. As His child we have the backing of heaven in all that we do, as we pursue Godly lives. We also have each other!

In the world we live in today, many of us would not have experienced what it means to be part of a healthy family. By being a part of church life, we experience family life with all its ups and downs. Here are a few keys to what a healthy family should be like.

5 keys to a healthy family:

1. Healthy families communicate & spend time together

• Connect Groups
• Serving on a team

What is a connect group?

At connect groups we eat food, build relationships and talk about how the bible applies to our lives. The theme of the messages spoken in our weekend services, are also discussed in an interactive conversation. We encourage every person in our church to be a part of a connect group, as this is where you will be able to establish deeper relationships in a warm and safe environment. Connects are a great place where you can build lifelong friendships and they provide opportunities to share God's Word, pray and support each other.

What is serving? 

All through scripture, we find Jesus serving people. Whether it was in the form of washing the disciples feet, feeding the five thousand, healing the sick and raising the dead to life. Jesus gave Himself unconditionally, setting the perfect example of love, humility and service. 

Serving on a team is another way for you to find where you belong in church. Globalheart has many teams, to essentially fulfill the mission of the local church, but also to give people opportunities to fulfill their personal call to build God's house. Jesus gave His life for us, so we give of our time, talent and treasure in response; to see His Kingdom come. 

If you decide to be on team at Globalheart Church, your decisions and actions will be a reflection of our church's values to the people around you. 

2. Healthy families love and nurture

PSALM 68:6

God sets the lonely in families.

1 THESSALONIANS 5:11

So, encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.

How do we do this? 

• Building connection with people: People matter to God, so they matter to us. 
• Building relationship: Real life change happens and real leaders are developed when we take a step towards intentional relationships. 
• Empowering each other: We are a people of purpose, working together on purpose.
• Celebrating the wins: There is nothing more powerful than a life changed by Christ. 

3. Healthy families protect and speak well of each other

1 THESSALONIANS 5:14

Encourge those who are timid. Take tender care of those who are weak. Be patient with everyone.

4. Healthy families have structure and respect for authority

HEBREWS 13:7

Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. 

ACTS 20:28

And now beware! Be sure that you feed and shepherd God's flock His church, purchased with His blood over whom the Holy Spirit has annointed you as elders. 

5. Healthy families discipline

PROVERBS 3:11-12

My child don't ignore it when the LORD disciplines you, and don't be discouraged when He corrects you. For the LORD corrects those He loves, just as a father corrects a child in whom He delights. 

3. IN GOD'S HOUSE WE WILL FLOURISH

When we allow our roots to go down in church we will grow.

PSALM 92:12-14

The Godly will flourish like palm trees and grow strong like the cedars of Lebanon. For they are transplanted into the Lords own house. They flourish in the courts of our God. Even in old age they will still produce fruit; they will remain vital and green.

The principles of God are usually outworked in nature and serve as examples for us in our daily lives. If you buy a rose and put it in a pot you expect it to flourish and grow as you regularly feed and nurture it. However, if you keep moving and repotting the plant every couple of weeks it weakens it and prevents it from putting down roots and growing into the beautiful rose bush God intended it to be. In the same way, if we keep moving churches, going from one family to another, we will never put down our roots and grow into what God has called us to be.

It is Gods purpose for your life that you flourish. By regularly attending church and getting watered and fed by the Word of God, you will grow into who God has designed for you to be a tree that produces fruit, provides shelter for others, and reproduces itself!

NOTE: Trees will eventually not produce much fruit if they are not regularly pruned. Sometimes God takes the secateurs to our lives and cuts off those things that do not please Him. He will do this through His Word, circumstances, and people. The Bible says that the Lord disciplines those He loves.