4 Audio CD's: 4 hours of teaching + 1 Materials CD with Powerpoint, Student Notes and Transcripts.
Teaching by Rick Warren.
Just about every pastor has experienced a time when he realised he and his congregation weren’t on the same page. “Why are we starting this new ministry?” “Are we really trying to reach those ‘kind’ of people? “You mean the church really believes THAT?” And invariably confusion ensues.
If that’s what is going on in your church, 101 might be a good fit. You’ll never be able to centre your church on God’s five purposes if the church family has confusion about its identity.
101 is the first of a four part series written by Rick Warren that will help your church members begin to internalise God’s purposes for their lives.
“These classes are the heart of Purpose Driven® paradigm,” said Saddleback Senior Pastor Rick Warren. “We started using them when we were very young and they have been one of the keys to our growth.”
101 - the Membership Class. Your congregation will focus on four key messages that will unite your entire congregation as you begin your purpose driven journey.
1. Common Salvation
Your church will never have unity of purpose until they have unity of faith. Make sure your congregation starts their purpose driven journey of faith on the same starting mark - faith in Jesus Christ alone for salvation. This first segment of 101 will help your congregation understand the basics of what the Bible teaches concerning salvation. After focusing on how sin has disrupted God’s original design for humanity - perfect communion with him - 101 then shifts to the only possible solution to the sin problem: the death of God’s own son, Jesus Christ.
This session concludes with the meaning of the two biblical symbols of salvation - baptism and the Lord’s Supper.
2. A Common Belief
This session turns to the basic beliefs of the church, starting with the congregations purpose statement. For many in your congregation this will be their first introduction to what it means to be a purpose driven church. The session goes through all five purposes of the church (worship, fellowship, discipleship, ministry and evangelism) and explains how they impact your church’s ministry.
The session then focuses on the essential theological beliefs of your church, including what your church believes about God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, eternity and more. Finally in this section you can take a look at the lifestyle expectations of church members, including their responsibility to tithe, to be ministers and to share their faith.
3. A Common Strategy
If your church members agree on a common salvation and common beliefs but not on a strategy, you’ll still be climbing uphill on your journey to becoming a purpose driven congregation. Thet’s why 101 will help you explain your church’s strategy for reaching your community.
4. A Common Understanding of Church Structure
This section helps unpack different metaphors the New Testament uses for the church, including the church as a family, as the Body of Christ and as a flock. It then helps show how these two truths affect how your church structures itself.
As a prelude to what attendees will learn in 101, the class also teaches the biblical role of pastors as administers of the church and members as the ministers. This will help prepare your congregation for learning their SHAPE and using it to serve others in your church. Then using Saddleback as a model, you’ll be able to include information on your own denominational affiliation and membership expectations.
Finally, those attending the class will be urged to join your team as church members. Included in the materials will be a basic membership covenant you can adapt to your own needs.
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