Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations That will Help Mount Moriah Church Grow and Thrive

1. Five Practices of Fruitful CongregationsThat will Help Mount Moriah Church Grow and Thrive

2. MOUNT MORIAH’S GOALS ARE: • TO BE VIBRANT • TO GROW • TO CHANGE • TO BETRANSFORMED FOR JESUS CHRIST

3. MOUNT MORIAH CHURCH HAS A MISSION TO EQUIPE OUR CONGREGANTS TO MAKE DISCIPLES OF JESUS CHRIST FOR THE TRANSFORM OUR SORROUNDING COMMUNITIES AND THE WORLD TO THE GLORY AND HONOR OF GOD

4. YOU CAN NOT GIVE WHAT YOU DON’T HAVE • RECONCILIATION IS KEY • Romans 5:10 • 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.

5. 2 Corinthians 5:18 • All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation

6. Radical Hospitality Passionate Worship Faith-forming Relationships Risk-taking Mission Extravagant Generosity Connectional Ministry Fervent Prayer Diligent Study of Scripture MOUNT MORIAH’S CORE BELIEFS ARE:

7. THE KEY DRIVERS SHALL • Be Spirit-led Life • Exhibition of Excellence in All Aspects of Life • Endeavoring for Fruitfulness in All Aspects of Life • Embracing Accountability to God and Each Other

8. QUESTION? How do we as Mount Moriah make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world?

9. By being sensitive to the Person of the Holy Spirit • The Holy Spirit is always reforming, conforming, and transforming believers. 2 Corinthians 3:18 is a case in point: "But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord."

10. Acts 2 WE SHALL TAKE THE SCRIPTURE VERY SERIOUSLY.

11. WE SHALL HAVE THE FOLLOWING AS OUR CORE PRACTICES • Radical Hospitality • Passionate Worship • Faith-forming Relationships • Intentional Faith Development • Risk-taking Mission and Service • Extravagant Generosity to all God’s Children

12. Radical Hospitality • We Shall be Looking Outward even as We Shall be Looking Inward • We Shall be Shall be Offering the Embrace of Jesus Christ

13. We Shall be Having Passionate Worship That Connects People to God Purpose: Help in the Deepening of Our Relationship With God and One Another.

14. We Shall Have Faith-Forming Relationships And Intentional Faith Development • Pedagogy/Learning Shall be the Main Conduit • We Shall encourage Learning in the community that is relevant and intentional in practical ways

15. We shall Prudent Missions and Services • In Order to Make a difference in Our Community and the world

16. We Shall Practice Extravagant Generosity • We shall Practice What the Bibles Teaches About Tithing • We Shall Not be Afraid to Talk About Money • We shall always Put God first

17. These Core Practice are: Fundamental Activities are so Critical to Church Mission. Failure to Perform them has Lead to Deterioration and Decline of Churches Worldwide.

18. Key Words Here Are • Critical • Excellence • Adjectives • Intense practice • Resonate with the Wesleyan means of grace • Fruitful: Plants can not be fruitful unless they are Cultivated and prune

19. Accountable • God’s expectations • Making public what we do as a Church • Requires us to mature in word and deed • Acts 2

20. Advantages • Effective in relating to each other as a congregation, conferences, congregations and with other pastors • Clear, understandable, doable • Focuses on practices —what congregations can do • Provides common language

21. Changing language without changing practices makes no difference.

22. How we act shapes • Congregations • Individuals • Groups

23. Mount Moriah Congregation Radical Hospitality Passionate Worship Faith-Forming Relationships Children of God Risk-taking Mission and Service Children of God Disciples of Jesus Extravagant Generosity

24. Radical Hospitality

25. Why? • This the way to Demonstrate the Genuine love for Christ • To Show Genuine love for one another • Our Desire to help others grow in faith as they become a part of the Body of Christ.

26. How Shall we do this:? • We Shall Focus on Those Who are Outside Our Congregation with as much Passion as we do to those Who are inside our Congregation. • We Shall Apply Utmost Creativity, Energy, Effectiveness to Mentor and Shape each Other. • We Shall Exceed all Expectations.

27. Christian Hospitality • We Shall have Active Desire to: • Invite • Welcome • Receive Care for Strangers so that they find a Spiritual Home • Discover the Unending Richness of Life in Christ.

28. Christian Hospitality • We Shall Cultivate and Nature Genuine love for Those Outside Our Congregation • We Shall Employ the Practices of the Gracious love of Christ • We Shall Endeavor to have the Marks of Christian discipleship • We Shall Express our Commitment to Grow into Likeness of Christ

29. Our Foundation Shall be the Scripture God reminds Israel to welcome Strangers. Why? “For you were once strangers in the land of Egypt.” Deuteronomy 10:19

30. Foundation Shall be Scripture Jesus: “I was a stranger and you welcomed me.” Matthew 25:35 Jesus: “Whoever welcomes one such a Child Welcomes me.” Matthew 18:5

31. Foundation Shall be Scripture Jesus: “Go therefore into the streets and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.” Matthew 22:8-9

32. Foundation Shall be Scripture Paul Says: “Welcome one another just as Christ has Welcomed You for the Glory of God.” Romans 15:7

33. Our Tradition Teaches Us: John Wesley and Early Methodists

34. Recognize Prevenient Grace • That Preparing Grace that Draws People to God. • Sometimes It Works through Stranger to Move Closer to God • Works through Church as we Offer Inviting Love.

35. Questions • Who Invited You? • Where did You Become Involved? • Why? • What and Who Made You Feel Welcome? • What Difficulties did You have to Overcome?

36. Mount Moriah Shall practice Radical Hospitality However Techniques are Important BUT Motivation is the Key

37. Three Questions Every Member of Mount Moriah Needs to be able to answer clearly are: • Why do People Need Christ? • Why do People Need Church? • Why do People Need this Church?

38. A Caution “We’re a warm, friendly, caring church.”

40. What is RADICAL Hospitality? • Arising from the Source; Jesus Christ • Drastically Different from Ordinary Practice • Exceeds Expectations • Goes to Extreme Joyfully • Excellence is the Standard

41. Mount Mariah Church Shall Practice Radical Hospitality by: • Offering Surprising and Unexpected Depth and Authenticity in Caring for Strangers • Surprising Newcomers with Glimpse of Unmerited Gracious Love of God • Constantly Learn on how to do Better

42. We Shall Show Radical Hospitality by • Encouraging everyone to take it as his/her ministry • Every committee to take their Departments Seriously.

43. Radical Hospitality Shall be the Vehicle to Help Us: • Vibrant • Growing • Fruitful Congregation • but it will Requires Us to Change Attitudes, Practices and Values.

44. Radical Hospitality Dictates that: Good Intentions are not Good Enough.

45. Questions • Does Mount Moriah Have a Good Media to Show How People Hear About Our Church? • Do We Have a Consistent Plan for Welcoming Visitors Who Attend Any Church Ministry.

46. Questions • When and Where Does Our Congregation Train people? • What is One activity You or Your Group Can do Which will Foster a Culture of Radical Hospitality?

47. Passionate Worship

48. Passionate Worship is Very Important • It Connects People to God and One Another • It Must be Authentic • Alive • Creative • Comprehensible

49. Passionate Worship • Brings Experience that is life-changing Presence of God in the Presence of others • Brings Extra-ordinary Warmth, Genuineness, and Belonging

50. We Must Take Worship Seriously • Worship is a Daily Practice • Times When We Gather Deliberately Seeking to Encounter God in Christ and Fellowship with Each other • Times When We Cultivate Our Relationship with God and with One Another as People of God