To Know Christ and Make Him Known Discovering First Presbyterian Church CLASS 101 OUTLINE Session One: A Personal Relationship With Jesus Christ What
It Means To Be a Christian
Session Two: A Process for Spiritual Growth Dynamics
for Spiritual Growth
Session Three: A Plan for Changing Our World Biblical
Principles Which Shape Our Structure
Session Four: A Purpose for Gathering as First Presbyterian Church Our
Mission Statement
Session One:
A Personal Relationship With Jesus Christ WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A CHRISTIAN
Most people live their entire lives without ever knowing “WHY”. They exist year after year with no idea of why they are alive or God’s purpose for their lives. The most basic question a person can ask is “What is the meaning of Life?” Many conclude that the meaning of life is found in the pursuit of happiness.
But real happiness comes from understanding and fulfilling God’s purpose for my life.
1. God made me to love me!
2. We were created to enjoy a personal relationship with God and to manage all of God’s creation.
3. When we know and love God, and live in harmony with God’s purpose for our lives, it produces tremendous benefits in our lives:
1. The Bible calls our problem sin.
2. Sin breaks our close relationship with God. It causes us to fear God and try to live our lives outside of God’s will.
3. When people have problems, they often try many different ways of coping before turning to God.
4. Even when we know that our deepest need is God, we often try wrong ways of getting to know Him.
1. Jesus has already addressed our sin problem!
God Himself came to earth as a human being to bring us back to Himself. If any other way would have worked, Jesus Christ would not have had to come. The Way is a Person!
2. God did this for us because He loves us and wants us to know Him.
God has already done His part to restore our relationship to him. God took the initiative. Now He waits for each of us to individually accept what He has done.
IV. What Does God Want Me To Do?
1. Admit that God has not had first place in your life and ask Him to forgive your sins.
2. Believe that Jesus Christ died to pay the penalty for your sins, that He rose again on Easter, and is alive today.
3. Accept God’s free gift of salvation. Don’t try to earn it – you can’t.
4. Invite Jesus Christ to be the director (“Lord”) of your life. As you pray, invite the Holy Spirit to live within.
“To all who receive Him, He gives the right to become children of God. All we need to do is to trust Him to save us. All those who believe this are reborn…not a physical rebirth…but from the will of God!” John 1:12-13
You can take these steps by praying a prayer of commitment to God:
Session Two:
Just as a newborn baby needs special care to grow healthily, so also newborn believers in Jesus Christ need special care so that they too can grow healthily! It is God’s desire that all believers in Jesus Christ grow from spiritual infancy into spiritual adolescence and ultimately into spiritual adulthood. The following is a list of some of the dynamics that foster spiritual growth.
Our objective is to keep moving people toward the center by encouraging personal spiritual commitments. Specifically, we call people to three basic commitments:
1. THE MEMBERSHIP COMMITMENT...
…is a commitment to Christ and the First Presbyterian Church family. “You are members of God’s very own family…and you belong in God’s household with every other Christian.” Ephesians 2:19 (Living Bible) “We are all parts of Christ’s Body, and it takes every one of us to make it complete, for we each have different work to do. So we belong to each other and need all the others.” 2 Peter 3:18
2. THE MATURITY COMMITMENT…
“Continue to grow in grace and knowledge
of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”
3. THE MINISTRY OR MISSIONS COMMITMENT…
“God has given each of you some special abilities; be sure to use them to help each other…” 1 Peter 4:10 (Living Bible) “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do it with gentleness and respect…” 1 Peter 3:15
Why do we have these COMMITMENTS? We become what we are committed to!
Magnify the Lord Sharing Christ – Committed to Missions
Session Three
1. The Church continues Christ’s ministry in order to accomplish Christ’s mission.
2. Church programs should be designed to accomplish Christ’s mission.
3. Christ’s Church should not be tradition-driven or personality-driven, but rather Christ’s Church should be purpose-driven!
God: We believe in one living and true God who exists in three distinct Persons-Father, Son, and Holy Spirit-the same in substance, power, and eternity. God is the sovereign Creator and Sustainer of all things, infinitely perfect, powerful, and loving.
Jesus Christ: We believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the second person of the Godhead. He took upon Himself a human nature without sin, was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, was crucified, arose from the dead, returned to heaven, and is coming again.
Holy Spirit: We believe that the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Godhead and proceeds from the Father and the Son. He has come to glorify Jesus Christ and to apply the saving work of Jesus Christ to our lives. He regenerates people by His grace, convicts them of sin, moves them to repentance, enables them to embrace Jesus Christ by faith, lives within all believers in Jesus Christ, unites them in the church, and enables them to live the Christian life.
The Bible: We believe that the entire Bible is the Word of God written by men who were inspired by the Holy Spirit. We look to the Bible as our final authority in all areas of belief and practice.
Creation: We believe that God created the world and all things for Himself. He created man-male and female-as immortal souls in His own image.
Salvation: We believe that salvation is a gift of God’s love received through faith alone by which God forgives our sins, declares us righteous in His sight through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross, adopts us as His beloved children, and gives us eternal life.
The Church: We believe that the church consists of those who by the grace of God and faith alone have become children of God through faith in Jesus Christ, who alone is the Head of the church.
The Sacraments: We believe that the Sacraments of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are instituted by God. Baptism marks the admission of the person baptized into the visible church. The Lord’s Supper is a commemoration of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ upon the cross.
Our Mission: We believe that it is the privilege and responsibility of everyone who hears and receives the Gospel of Jesus Christ to share it with others in word and deed.
Christ’s Second Coming: We believe that God has appointed a day when Jesus Christ will come again to earth in great power and glory to take unto Himself all those who have been saved by grace through faith alone. Those who reject His salvation will forever be separated from the presence of God.
THE SACRAMENTS OF BAPTISM AND THE LORD’S SUPPER AN OVERVIEW
THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM
1. Baptism is a sign of the forgiveness we receive through the grace of Jesus Christ, as we share in his death and resurrection.
2. Youth or adults who have not been baptized before are encouraged to receive this sacrament when they make a public profession in Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord.
3. Parents who acknowledge Jesus as Lord are encouraged to present their children for baptism, anticipating that one day the children’s baptisms will be confirmed when they make a public profession of faith in Christ.
4. When those already baptized make their own profession of faith in Christ, they are not re-baptized, but become confirmed members of the church. Adults who return to the church after a time of spiritual hibernation need not be re-baptized.
1. Baptism only needs to happen once but the Lord’s Supper should be received regularly.
2. Like the Jewish Passover, the Lord’s Supper is a covenant-celebrating meal which connects us to the event which brought us salvation.
3. Communion reminds us of Christ’s presence.
4. Communion reminds us of our future hope.
5. Communion reminds us of our connection with the covenant family.
6. In the Presbyterian Church, those who are baptized in Jesus’ name and who trust in Jesus for their salvation, are invited to receive the Lord’s Supper. Baptized children who have been taught the meaning of the Lord’s Supper are also invited to participate.
7. The Lord’s Supper is offered in different settings and in different forms.
8. God calls us to prepare ourselves to receive the Lord’s Supper.
HOW DO I PREPARE MYSELF TO RECEIVE THE LORD’S SUPPER? By: 1. Self Examination 1 Corinthians 11:27 2. Confessing My Sin 1 John 1:9 3. Recommitment Romans 12:1 4. Restoring Relationships Matthew 2:23-24
OUR FORM OF CHURCH GOVERNMENT: PRESBYTERIAN
Being a member of this denomination gives us:
1. Identity:
2. Accountability:
3. Resourcing:
Presbyterian Organization/Structure
The difference between “attendees” and “members” can be summed up in one word: commitment. We ask you to commit to membership for these reasons: 1. A Biblical Reason: Jesus Christ is committed to the church!
2. A Cultural Reason: It is an antidote to consumerism!
3. A Practical Reason: It defines who we can count on!
4. A Personal Reason: It produces spiritual growth!
MY COMMITMENT:
1. I will protect the unity of Christ’s Church…
2. I will share in responsibility for Christ’s Church…
3. I will serve the ministry of Christ’s Church…
We will arrange a brief meeting for the purpose of introducing candidates for membership to the elders, at a special meeting of the Session. After being introduced, you will be invited to share briefly about yourself and about how you came to trust in Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord and what it means to you to become a member of this church. After meeting with the Session and being received into membership at First Presbyterian Church, we will arrange a time for you to be introduced at one of the Sunday worship services with other new members. Please fill out the membership profile sheet. The main information will be for the church office, and portions of the “biographical section” will be included in The Good News for other church members to know more about you.
OUR MISSION STATEMENT “To Know Christ and To Make Him Known”
The Biblical Basis for Our Mission Statement…Why We Exist as a Church!
The purpose of Christ’s church was expressed in two key scriptures:
The Great Commandment: Jesus said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart…soul…and mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and Prophets hang on these two commandments…” Matthew 22:37-40
The Great Commission: Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” Matthew 28:19-20
“The Purpose of the First Presbyterian Church is to:
Integrity, Compassion, Enthusiasm, Excellence,
WORSHIP
“Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.” Matthew 4:10 The center of our life as a church is worship. In addition to the personal worship that each member offers throughout the week, we gather together as a covenant family to worship God. Our goal at all worship services is to help individuals worship God.
EVANGELISM - MISSION
“Anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
But who can ask Him to save them unless they believe in Him? And
how can they believe in Him if they have never heard about Him?
And how can they hear about Him unless someone tells him?”
“…Yes, whatever a person is like, I try to find common ground with him so he will let me tell him about Christ and let Christ save him.” 1 Corinthians 9:22 (Living Bible)
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