Be an Owner, not just a Member or Attender!

10.25.2023

11.8.2023

The local church is a breeding ground for spiritual growth!

Are you making the most of your life with God?

Matthew 16:13-18 (NKJV)

When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” 14 So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

17 Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.”

The local church is a miniature example of the universal church all over the world.

God’s plan is that every believer not just attend, but be actively involved in the ministry of a local church!

Ephesians 4:7-16 (NKJV)

But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8 Therefore He says: “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men.” 9 (Now this, “He ascended”—what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.) 11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

Ephesians 4:12-16 (BBE)

For the training of the saints as servants in the church, for the building up of the body of Christ: 13 Till we all come to the harmony of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to full growth, to the full measure of Christ: 14 So that we may be no longer children, sent this way and that, turned about by every wind of teaching, by the twisting and tricks of men, by the deceits of error; 15 But saying true words in love, may come to full growth in him, who is the head, even Christ; 16 Through whom all the body, being rightly formed and united together, by the full working of every part, is increased to the building up of itself in love.

Ephesians 4:12-16 (GW)

Their purpose is to prepare God’s people to serve and to build up the body of Christ. 13 This is to continue until all of us are united in our faith and in our knowledge about God’s Son, until we become mature, until we measure up to Christ, who is the standard. 14 Then we will no longer be little children, tossed and carried about by all kinds of teachings that change like the wind. We will no longer be influenced by people who use cunning and clever strategies to lead us astray. 15 Instead, as we lovingly speak the truth, we will grow up completely in our relationship to Christ, who is the head. 16 He makes the whole body fit together and unites it through the support of every joint. As each and every part does its job, he makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

Ephesians 4:12-16 (NLT)

Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. 13 This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. 14 Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. 15 Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. 16 He makes the whole body fit 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.

Be an owner, not just a member or attender.

What part do you play here at Victory Church?

What are you called to do?

Don’t just coast, but be involved in the area of your giftings!

Victory Pathway can help you find your place and become involved.

Matthew 22:14 (NKJV)

For many are called, but few are chosen.

When you are born again, God’s plan is that you grow and find your place in the body of Christ!

You find that place by being faithful in small things!

Romans 1:1 (NKJV)

Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God.

Paul was called to be an apostle of the Gentiles from birth, but only entered into that call as he was faithful.

Faithfulness enables you to enter into God’s place for you.

The test of God’s purpose for your life is the test of faithfulness.

1 Corinthians 4:2 (AMPC)

Moreover it is essentially required in stewards that a man be found faithful – proving himself worthy of trust.

Proverbs 28:20 (NKJV)

A faithful man will abound with blessings, but he who hastens to be rich will not go unpunished.

 

1 Timothy 1:12 (NKJV)

And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry.

Rotherham:

Grateful am I to Him that empowered me.

Henry Alford:

I give thanks to Him who puts strength in me.

New English Bible:

And I thank Christ Jesus my Lord, who has made me equal to the task.

 

2 Timothy 2:2 (NKJV)

And the things you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

 

Big Things Have Little Beginnings!

Zechariah 4:10 (NKJV)

For who has despised the day of small things?

 

Matthew 25:21,23 (NKJV)

…Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter the joy of your Lord.

 

I am in ministry today because God saw my faithful heart.

God will start in a place of ministry you may not care for, just so you can prove faithful.

Same way with a church.

I started in ministry as a janitor. It was a great place of testing faithfulness. My attitude and motivations were tested in fire!

I became a pastoral staff member in 1984 for Bob Yandian at Grace Church in Tulsa.

I was tested in my loyalty, in wanting to do things differently from him, in wondering why he did or didn’t do this or that!

God wanted to see if I would be faithful when I disagreed!

I became an associate to Carl Morris in 1993. It was a great test of faithfulness in my life because I so did not do life the way he did in ministry.

The Lord challenged me: “Who are you to judge another man’s servant? To me he rises or falls.” That changed my life. I learned to do what I do to Jesus, whether I agreed or disagreed. And God rewards faithful hearts.

I pastored another man’s church for 1 year before I came here. God was testing my faithfulness. People told me I was a better preacher, and I said, “Be quiet! Never say that again!” I refused to record my messages because I refused to draw disciples to myself. God was testing my faithfulness.

I built his church up and then gave it back a year later when he came home from the mission field.

And that year of serving another man’s vision opened up my place here at Victory for the past 29 years!

You can likewise find your place in the body of Christ by choosing to be faithful!

 

Are you faithful or self-serving?

Our current generation and national mindset value comfort and entertainment over future rewards.

 

The “What’s in it for me?” attitude often rules instead of the attitude that says, “What can I do to be a blessing to others?”

Doing Jesus’ work as a volunteer with an unfaithful attitude:

• Late to commitments
• Last-minute calls to cancel commitment
• Not showing up when you’re scheduled to help
• Slackness in local church commitments, such as attending services, fellowship opportunities in Small Groups, and prayer times
• My commitment to God is not as important as other things in life.

 

Doing Jesus’ work as a volunteer with a faithful attitude includes:

• Being just as committed to what we do for Jesus as we are to our jobs! No such thing as NOT showing up unless we call and let someone know what’s up.
• Arriving early to a commitment because we’re excited to see lives impacted and changed by Jesus through the Word!
• Enthused, excited, and involved in your local church services, fellowship opportunities, and in inviting others to come with you!
• My volunteer work for Jesus is one of the most important things in my life.

 

We need balance in life, but not to the extreme of leaving God and His work out!

 

I’m just a volunteer!

 

NO! You’re a son or daughter of an Almighty God, and you have a mission to change lives!

 

Our motive for serving as a volunteer should be:

Love for God

Matthew 22:37-40 (NKJV)

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the Prophets.

 

Love for people

2 Corinthians 5:14-15 (Phillips)

We look at it like this: if one died for all men, then, in a sense, they all died, and His purpose in dying for them is that their lives should now no longer be lived for themselves but for Him who died and was raised to life for them.

 

Romans 15: 1-2 (MSG)

Those of us who are strong and able in the faith need to step in and lend a hand to those who falter, and not just do what is most convenient for us. Strength is for service, not status.

What do my present life and works tell God about what is important to me?

Luke 16:10,12 (NKJV)

He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much… 12 And if you have not been faithful in what is another man’s, who will give you what is your own?

Regardless of what we do, if we are faithful, we ALL get the same pay…

Matthew 20:1-16 (NLT)

For the Kingdom of Heaven is like the landowner who went out early one morning to hire workers for his vineyard. 2 He agreed to pay the normal daily wage and sent them out to work. 3 At nine o’clock in the morning he was passing through the marketplace and saw some people standing around doing nothing. 4 So he hired them, telling them he would pay them whatever was right at the end of the day. 5 So they went to work in the vineyard. At noon and again at three o’clock he did the same thing. 6 At five o’clock that afternoon he was in town again and saw some more people standing around. He asked them, “Why haven’t you been working today?” 7 They replied, “Because no one hired us.” The landowner told them, “Then go out and join the others in my vineyard.” 8 That evening he told the foreman to call the workers in and pay them, beginning with the last workers first. 9 When those hired at five o’clock were paid, each received a full day’s wage. 10 When those hired first came to get their pay, they assumed they would receive more. But they, too, were paid a day’s wage. 11 When they received their pay, they protested to the owner, 12 “Those people worked only one hour, and yet you’ve paid them just as much as you paid us who worked all day in the scorching heat.” 13 He answered one of them, “Friend, I haven’t been unfair! Didn’t you agree to work all day for the usual wage? 14 Take your money and go. I wanted to pay this last worker the same as you. 15 Is it against the law for me to do what I want with my money? Should you be jealous because I am kind to others?” 16 So those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last.

 

Action Points:

1. Are you a part of the volunteer Serve Team, helping your church obey God’s plan for it?
2. What should be your motivation for helping in your local church?
3. Do you do the small, unnoticed thing with as much heart as something you do that everyone sees?