Finding My Place in the Kingdom

1. Finding My Place in the Kingdom Dr. Ronald Moore Session One

2. What is The Church? • Born in Acts 2 • The Church is People. • The Church is People together. • The Church is Peopletogether Loving God. • The Church is People together Loving One Another. • The Church is People together Loving a Lost and Dying World.

3. Is There A Place For Me? “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah 1:5 (NIV)

4. My Most Important Duty as a part of the Church is: • My Personal Intimate relationship with God. • Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior is our role model. • Jesus maintained His Relationship throughout His Life on Earth of obedience to the Heavenly Father and a dependence upon the Holy Spirit. • Jesus spent many hours in prayer. • Jesus calls each of us to be His disciples.

5. My Most Important Duty as a part of the Church is: Process X Response X Time = Spiritual Formation

6. God has a tailor – made plan for each of us. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29: 11-13 (NIV) • I am special to God! • If God had a refrigerator my picture would be on it!

7. During the times of my preparation and training - • God holds me in His hand. • God watches over me. • God personally oversees my preparation all through my life. • God puts VIP’S in my Life… • Very ImportantPersons!

8. Two Very Important Parts of an Arrow - • The Shaft • The Arrow Head “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God fore-knew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.” Roman 8:28-29 (NIV)

10. Two Very Important Keys in my development as a disciple of Jesus are: • God’s Preparation • My Response

11. Three Important parts of a proper response to God are: • Availability • Teachable • Faithful • “Lord, I know I can depend on you to do your part!” • “Lord, you can depend on me to do my part!”

12. Ecclesiastes 3:11 He (God) has set eternity in the hearts of Men… • I am given by God the divine right to choose.

13. But, I am responsible for my choices! I choose to love God. I choose to know God. I choose to serve God. He will prepare me for His plans and for His Purposes.

14. God will display His grace and His glory… • in us. • through us. • In spite of us. God wants to make you a Trophy of His grace!

15. It Starts With You! “Live a life in such a way that it demands an explanation.” Bill C. Terry Session Two

16. Three Critical Principles • We Can only teach what we know! International Discipleship • We can only lead where we are willing to go! Servant Leadership • We only reproduce who we are! Reproduction

17. We must be able to answer the following life questions • Who we are? Speaks to Our Identity (Luke 3:21-22) • Whose we are? Speaks to Our Significance/Value (Luke 3:21-22) • Why we were created? Speaks to Our Purpose (Luke 4:16-21) • What we are destined to become? Speaks to Our Potential (Luke 4:16-21)

18. Consider These Vision Questions • If you had unlimited resources and complete freedom to fail what would you do? • What is God dreaming in you? • In a sentence what is God’s vision for your life?

19. Consider the following steps in seeing your potential realized • Vision • Process • Leadership • Resources • Obstacles • Budget • Evaluate

20. There are issues that are challenging us and the men we lead. Men are… • Spiritually lost. • Not satisfied with themselves. • Not satisfied with their marriages and family life. • Experience stress on the job. • Caught in cycles of pain, addiction and sin. • Confused about masculinity.

21. There are issues that are challenging us and the men we lead. • Possess a “Father Wound.” • Have abandoned their families. • Struggle with sexual matters and caught in pornography. • Deluded by the pursuit of false success & promises of wealth and power. • Need male friends with whom they can be open and honest. • Think God is mad at them. • In a state of grief and despair.

22. The Heart of Discipleship Pastor Robert Russo Session Three

23. Philippians 3:7-11 …but what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count then M as rubbish, that I might gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I MAY (not might) know Him (His PERSON) and the power of His resurrection (HIS POWER), and the fellowship of His sufferings (His PASSION), being conformed to His death (The PROCESS). If by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

24. Paul wanted to know three things: • The Person of Jesus Christ. • The Power of Jesus Christ. • The Passion of Jesus Christ

25. Focal Issues • Discipleship is a relationship. • This relationship requires discipline, which is the root word for disciple.

26. The Person of Jesus Christ • His teaching • His style • Paul’s obsession • Philippians 3:8 “Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ” (NKJV) • The goal is not a place; it is a person.

27. The Power of Jesus Christ • Resurrection Power • Philippians 3:10 “that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,” (NKJV) • When we learn to operate in the power of the resurrection, then we can bring life to what would otherwise be death

28. The Passion of Jesus Christ • To understand the death of Christ. • To understand why He suffered on the cross.

29. The Heart of Discipleship Philippians 3: 10 “that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,” (NKJV)

30. Relational Dynamics • Pursuit – In discipleship we are not just learning facts, but getting to know Christ. • Philippians 3:8 “Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ” (NKJV) • Position is obtained by pursuing Christ. • Philippians 3:9 “and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;” (NKJV)

31. Relational Dynamics • Possession • Philippians 3:9 “and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;” (NKJV) • Personnel • Philippians 3:9 “and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;” (NKJV)

32. Summary Philippians 3:10 “that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,” (NKJV)

33. To Know… • His Person • His Power • His Passion

34. The Process • Philippians 3:10 “that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,” (NKJV) • The Process is ugly, but the result is beautiful. His death led to His resurrection.

35. The Pragmatic Approach • Philippians 3:11 “if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.” (NKJV) • The pragmatic approach is to use every possible means to get there.

36. Intentional Discipleship Process “He didn’t call us to fin in. He called us to stand out.” Bill C. Terry Session Four

37. True discipleship is a revolution of love and obedience. • Great Commandment. And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. Mark 12:30 (NKJV) • Great Commission. 18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore[a] and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. Matthew 28: 18-20 (NKJV)

38. The goal of a disciple is to learn how to walk and please God. Finally then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more and more, just as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God; 1 Thess. 4:1 (NKJV)

39. True discipleship is from the heart. John 15:4-7 • Is obedient. John 15:14-15 • Is servant-oriented not self-serving. John 15:20-25 • Is a witness of Christ. John 15:26-27

40. Love is the reason and motivation for discipleship. John 15:9-10 • Accept His love. • Love Him. • Love others. • Share His love.

41. God is glorified by the fruit of true discipleship. John 15:8 • Transformed character. Gal 5:22 • Making disciples. Phil 1:22 • Praise from our lips. Heb 13:15

42. Joy is a result of being a true disciple. John 15:11 • God is interested in my joy. • Joy of the Lord is my strength. • Joy comes in relationship with Him. • Joy comes in being used by Him –bearing fruit in character and influence. • Joy comes in experiencing God’s answer to prayer.

43. “ A Disciple is a person committed to loving, following, and serving Jesus Christ in every sphere of life” Intentional Discipleship Map Jn 15:14-15 Magnify Glorifies God Jn 15:5 Branch Jn 15:20 Jn 15:8 “Abides in Him” Member Step One 5"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. Jn 15:27

44. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. Friend “Obeys Him” Jn 15:14-15 Step Two Maturity Magnify Glorifies God Jn 15:5 Branch Jn 15:20 “Abides in Him” Jn 15:8 Member Step One Intentional Discipleship Map Jn 15:27

45. “Obeys Him” Intentional Discipleship Map Friend Jn 15:14-15 Step Three Ministry Step Two Maturity “Lives For Him” Magnify Glorifies God Servant Jn 15:5 Branch Jn 15:20 Jn 15:8 20 Remember the words I spoke to you: 'No servant is greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. Member Step One “Abides in Him” Jn 15:27

46. Intentional Discipleship Map Friend “Obeys Him” Jn 15:14-15 Step Three Ministry Step Two Maturity “Lives For Him” Magnify Glorifies God Servant Jn 15:5 Branch Jn 15:20 Jn 15:8 “Abides in Him” Member Step One Mission Step Four 27 And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning. Jn 15:27 “Speaks of Him” “Speaks for Him” Witness