February 26-27, 2005, Selected

BETTER TOGETHER - 40 DAYS OF COMMUNITY
A CELEBRATION OF WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED!

*** Deut. 11:2 “Remember today what you have learned about the Lord through your experiences with him….. You saw the Lord's greatness, his power, his might….” [Today’s English Version]

THE BIBLE WORD FOR THIS IS KOINONIA:
being as committed to each other as we are to Christ!

WHAT WE’VE LEARNED:

1. ABOUT WORSHIPPING TOGETHER!
*** Matthew 18:20 “For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them." [New International Version]

WORSHIP IS TO BE A CELEBRATION!

*** Psalm 68:4 “Our God, you are the one who rides on the clouds, and we praise you. Your name is the Lord, and we celebrate as we worship you.”
[Contemporary English Version]
*** Acts 20:7 “On the first day of the week, we gathered [together] to observe the Lord's Supper.” [New Living Translation]

2. ABOUT FELLOWSHIPING TOGETHER!
*** Romans 12:5b “Since we are all one body in Christ, we belong to each other, and each of us needs all the others.” [NLT]

· WE ALL BELONG TO EACH OTHER!
· WE ALL NEED EACH OTHER!

*** James 3:18 “You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor.” [Message Bible]

3. ABOUT GROWING TOGETHER!
*** Eph. 2:21 “We who believe are carefully joined together with Christ as parts of a beautiful, constantly growing temple for God.” [Living Bible]
*** Eph. 4:13 “This work must continue until we are all joined together in the same faith and in the same knowledge of the Son of God. We must become like a mature person, growing until we become like Christ and have his perfection.”
[New Century Version]

4. ABOUT SERVING TOGETHER!
*** 1 Peter 4:10 “Each of you has received a gift to use to serve others.” [NCV]

WE ALL NEED TO BE SERVED AND BE SERVING!

*** Galatians 6:10 “Right now, therefore, every time we get the chance, let us work for the benefit of all, starting with the people closest to us in the community of faith.” [Msg]
*** 1 Cor. 3:9 “We work together as partners who belong to God.” [NLT]
*** Eccles. 4:9 “Two people are better than one, because they get more done by working together.” [NCV]

5. ABOUT REACHING OUT TOGETHER!
*** Romans 10:13-14 “For "Anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." But how can they call on 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 them?” [NLT]

SO NOW WHAT???????

KEEP GETTING TOGETHER IN WORSHIP & SMALL GROUPS!
*** Hebrews 10:25 “And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage and warn each other, especially now that the day of his coming back again is drawing near.” [NLT]

KEEP GROWING TOGETHER IN STUDY & SERVICE!
*** Phil. 4:9 “Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.” [Msg]

WARNING!

KEEP REACHING OUT TOGETHER WITH THE GOOD NEWS!
*** 2 Thes. 3:1 “Pray that the Master's Word will simply take off and race through the country to a groundswell of response….” [Msg]

EVERYONE HELP ONE MAKE CCC THEIR HOME!

“May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other—each with the attitude of Christ Jesus toward the other. Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Romans 15:5-6 [NLT]