“Be An Effective Church!” Part 1 Acts 12:19-13:12
In this day and age, we need to come before God and cry out to Him to help us to be effective for His kingdom and glory. In a culture and education system that seems increasingly hostel to biblical Christianity, the church must be the light and hope of Christ. Personally, I am very tired of all the church growth books. I believe that the church of Jesus Christ needs to get back to the basics as in the book of Acts. What are the marks of an effective church? Dr. Luke give us some important marks of an effective church. Be a Praying ChurchRecognize and deal with idolatryIdolatry will be judge in both a believer’s and unbeliever’s lifeThings can easily become an idolPossessions can easily become an idolActivities can easily become an idolPeople can easily become an idolRepentance and confessionNaming the idol specificallyTurning from itPutting God in His rightful position of the only true GodGod is a jealous GodHe is God who delivers us by grace through faithExodus 20:1-7Explain the purpose of the Ten CommandmentsReveal God’s holiness and standard for holy livingReveal our sinfulness and our need of a Savior to be rescuedThese still apply to us today:A. Have no other gods before Me (Acts 14:15; John 4:21–23; 1 Tim. 2:5; James 2:19; 1 Cor. 8:6). B. Make no idols or images (Acts 17:29; Rom. 1:22–23; 1 John 5:21; 1 Cor. 10:7, 14). C. C. Do not take His name in vain (James 5:12; Matt. 5:33–37 and 6:5–9).Warren W. Wiersbe, Wiersbe’s Expository Outlines on the Old Testament (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1993), Ex 19–20.20 And God spoke all these words: 2 “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 3 “You shall have no other gods before me. 4 “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments. 7 “You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name. The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Ex 20:1–7.Then the Word of God Can Spread and FlourishWith clear hearts and mindsWith raising up the Name of Jesus Christ above all other nameWith freedom and the power of the Holy Spirit