All About Church

Here's today's sermon notes, for any of you early risers:

Top Ten Truths the Preacher wishes People knew about Church:

The Nature of the Church

• It's a group plan, get used to it. Nobody gets to fly solo. (1Cor 12:12-27)
• It's not my church, it's the Lord's church. Don't forget whose name really belongs on the sign out front, Jesus Christ. (Eph 5:30)
  
• The Church's closest parallel in this world is the family. (Gal 6:9,10)
  
• Wise, fatherly Elders make all the difference. (1Tim 3:1-7)
  

The People of the Church

• Believe it or not, these are the folks who get to go to Heaven. It's like the bumper sticker says, "we're not perfect, just forgiven." (Col 3:13)
  
• Numbers matter, sort of. Because we're counting family members, and ultimately the people who are saved, we count the people. But we're driven by faithfulness not numbers. (Acts 2:41; 4:4)
• Church membership should matter the most to you. Because God made us to do good works, we should desire to work in and through the Church. (Eph 2:10)
  

The Purpose of the Church

• Worship, and church in general, isn't really for you. It's all for the glory of God. (1Pet 4:10,11)
  
• Church has a cumulative effect. Church is where you learn (patience, forgiveness, reconciliation, etc) over time. (Gal. 6:9,10)
  
• The Believers could hum hymns in a hay barn, but the unchurched will not. And lost people are a priority to us because they're a priority to the Lord. (Luke 15:7; 19:10)