GCI Vision: Healthy Church - Understanding the Church's Ministry of Worship and Witness

1. Part 6The Church’s Ministry of Worship and Witness Understanding GCI and Its Ministry

2. GCI Vision: Healthy Church “…God’s primary instrument for realizing our collective vision is healthy local churches—here in the U.S. and around the world. As we look ahead, we see us becoming more and more a growing, loving community of congregations that are dynamically living out God’s mission in a broken world!” (J Tkach: GCI – Our Mision and Vision)

3. GCI Vision: Healthy Church “…God’s primary instrument for realizing our collective vision is healthy local churches—here in the U.S. and around the world. As we look ahead, we see us becoming more and more a growing, loving community of congregations that are dynamically living out God’s mission in a broken world!” (J Tkach: GCI – Our Mision and Vision) “Our emphasis going forward is “Healthy Church.” We simply want GCI Churches to be the very best expression of the church of Jesus Christ they can be! You will be hearing and reading a lot about Healthy Church in the months ahead, and it is my personal prayer that this vision will become a reality.” (Greg Williams: Speakig of Life, 2018)

4. GCI Vision: Healthy Church “…God’s primary instrument for realizing our collective vision is healthy local churches—here in the U.S. and around the world. As we look ahead, we see us becoming more and more a growing, loving community of congregations that are dynamically living out God’s mission in a broken world!” (J Tkach: GCI – Our Mision and Vision) “Our emphasis going forward is “Healthy Church.” We simply want GCI Churches to be the very best expression of the church of Jesus Christ they can be! You will be hearing and reading a lot about Healthy Church in the months ahead, and it is my personal prayer that this vision will become a reality.” (Greg Williams: Speakig of Life, 2018) But, What is Healthy Church? What does it look like? What does it do?

5. GCI Vision: Healthy Church A Healthy Church is a church that understands its purpose and reason for being The primary, central purpose and reason the church exists is the proclamation of Jesus Christ in Word and Deed

6. GCI Vision: Healthy Church A Healthy Church is a church that understands its purpose and reason for being The primary, central purpose and reason the church exists is the proclamation of Jesus Christ in Word and Deed “There is a church because there is a mission, and not vice versa.” (MJ Khauoe)

7. GCI Vision: Healthy Church A Healthy Church is a church that understands its purpose and reason for being The primary, central purpose and reason the church exists is the proclamation of Jesus Christ in Word and Deed “There is a church because there is a mission, and not vice versa.” (MJ Khauoe) GCI Mission Living and Sharing the Gospel

8. How does a Healthy Church Lives and Shares the Gospel? • A few points from previous sessions to note: • The church’s foundation is the apostles and the prophets, with Jesus as its Cornerstone (Building) • The church is a gathered community – an assembly (ekklesia) of God (Gathering) • The church is a creature and creation of the Word of God (Living and Written) (Word) • The church images evoke unity, gathering, togetherness, community (Unity)

9. How does a Healthy Church Lives and Shares the Gospel? • A few points from previous sessions to note: • The church’s foundation is the apostles ad prophets, with Jesus as its Cornerstone (Building) • The church is a gathered community – an assembly (ekklesia) of God (Gathering) • The church is a creature and creation of the Word of God (Living and Written) (Word) • The church images evoke unity, gathering, togetherness, community (Unity) “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them." (Matt. 18:20)

10. How does a Healthy Church Lives and Shares the Gospel? • A few points from previous sessions to note: • The church’s foundation is the apostles ad prophets, with Jesus as its Cornerstone (Building) • The church is a gathered community – an assembly (ekklesia) of God (Gathering) • The church is a creature and creation of the Word of God (Living and Written) (Word) • The church images evoke unity, gathering, togetherness, community (Unity) “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them." (Matt. 18:20) GCI has named the venueswhere the church gathers for its ministry according to the purpose of each gathering, namely Love Venue, Hope Venue, and Faith Venue

11. Ministries Children Youth Women Men

12. The three Buildings / Venues are defined by what happens in them, that is, the purpose of their gatherings Ministries Children Youth Women Men

13. The three Buildings / Venues are defined by what happens in them, that is, the purpose of their gatherings Ministries Children Youth Women Men Venues Three

14. GCI Vision: Healthy Church “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” (1 Cor. 13:13) A Healthy Church Lives and Shares the Gospel in and through these three Venues, representing the three key Ministries of the Church Faith Venue Discipleship Hope Venue Worship Love Venue Witness Father Son Holy Spirit GCI Mission: Living and Sharing the Gospel Foundation of the Living and Written Word of God (Apostles & Prophets)

15. Love Venue: The Ministry of Witness • As indicated earlier, the central vocation of the church is witnessing to Jesus Christ • “… As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” (Jn. 20:21) • “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?” (Rom. 10:14) • Methods of Witnessing: • Literature Evangelism • Electronic Media Evangelism • Mass Evangelism • Personal Evangelism

16. Hope Venue: The Ministry of Worship “…proclamation also occurs through the church’s worship” (Deddo, p. 27) “The first responsibility of church leaders is seeing that the Word of God (both Living and written) is proclaimed in and through the church’s worship” (Deddo, p. 27) Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh and say to him, 'This is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says: "Let my people go, so that they may worship me." (Exo. 9:1) We cannot truly worship if we are ensalved to other masters besides God

17. Hope Venue: The Ministry of Worship (cont.) • The Content of Worship – Church Service • The following are recommended aspects of a Worship Service: • Reading of Scripture • Preaching of the Word • Worship response through Prayer, Praise, Thanksgiving and Confession • Offerings • Sacraments of Baptism and Communion • GCI highly recommends that the Communion be offered weekly, preferably not less than once a month

18. Hope Venue: The Ministry of Worship (cont.) • The Nature of Worship – Church Service • “The worship of the church is … our participation in Jesus’ worship of the Father, which he gives in our place and on our behalf.” (Deddo, p.28) • “Now the main point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by a mere human being.” (Heb. 8:1-2) • The Church’s Worship involves: • Firstly, Receiving from God – this is the beginning of worship • Secondly, Responding to God in the Spirit, through the Son, to the Father • Both movements of worship are led by Christ, we receive from God and respond to God through Christ

19. Hope Venue: The Ministry of Worship (cont.) The Nature of Worship – a Holy Activity “For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.” (Jn. 17:19) “Thus, from beginning to end, the Triune God is the subject of biblical worship. Worship is not about us, not even about how well we worship. Jesus Christ, as our great High Priest, is present and active.” (Deddo, p. 29)

20. Hope Venue: The Ministry of Worship (cont.) • The Content of Worship – Music • Music is an important aspet of worship • “Worship is not entertainment put on for others to watch.” (Deddo, p. 29) • Worship leaders must lead and enable others to worship • The Worship Service must emphasize the gathered community, not the individual, that is, We/Us as opposed to I/Me • Music used for church worship should be communal music, unless offered as special music by individuals or group of individuals

21. Hope Venue: The Ministry of Worship (cont.) • The Content of Worship – Preaching & Scripture Reading • “…preaching is an essential and large part of our worship.” (Deddo, p. 29) • Nature of preaching was addressed earlier – proclamation of the indicatives of the gospel, calling for the imperative • An unbeliever must be able to hear the gospel preached if they walk into a church service • Responses to preaching and scripture are prayer, confession, singing, offerings, testimony, baptism, sharing of communion • The church worship must promote maximum participation of the gathered community in the various worship aspects of the church service

22. Faith Venue: The Ministry of Teaching / Care • “To make disciples is to help people grow in their faith, hope and love for God outside of the time of worship.” (Deddo, p. 30) • The Hope Venue (Worship Service) must never be the only place and time that the church gathers • The Faith Venue is critical for teaching, i.e. bible study, care groups, music practice, MTP, formal studies, reading Christian writings, other fellowship opportunities • “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you…” (Matt. 28:19-20)

23. Faith Venue: The Ministry of Teaching / Care • “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” (Acts 2:42-47)

24. Faith Venue: The Ministry of Teaching / Care “Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica,for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.” (Acts 17:11)

25. The Church and its Ministry in the World • In all its activities, “the church must be aware of, and responsive to the social, economic and intellectual-educational context” it exists in • However, the church is not primarily a social change agent • If there is to be change in the world, be it small or great, it will come about as God enables members of the body of Christ to make use of their education, wealth and vocations outside the immediate membership of the church. Change will come to the wider world as church members build relationships outside the immediate church community. (Deddo, p. 31)

26. The Church’s specific Ministries • Healthy ministries in a Healthy Church are aimed at assisting the people to express their faith, hope and love in all that they do • All ministries, including family ministries, must focus on all the three venues of Church Ministry, namely, Love venue (evangelism); Hope venue (worship) and Faith venue (discipleship/teaching) • For example, a children’s ministry must focus on evangelism, worship, and discipleship. The same applies to youth ministry, women’s ministry, men’s ministry, senior citizens, worship ministry, etc • All the ministries of the church must have evangelism as their ultimate goal or purposes, otherwise they become futile

27. So, What is Healthy Church? What does it look like? What does it do? • A review of the GCI Vision, Mission and Ministries • Conclusion • Primary vocation of the church is proclamation of the gospel • Secondary vocation of the church is worship, witness and teaching, whose ultimate objective is proclamation of the gospel

28. GCI Vision: Healthy Church “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” (1 Cor. 13:13) Ministries Children Youth Women Worship The Church’s Ministry of Worship, Teaching and Witness Faith Venue Discipleship Hope Venue Worship Love Venue Outreach Father Son Holy Spirit GCI Mission: Living and Sharing the Gospel Foundation of the Living and Written Word of God (Apostles & Prophets)

29. QUESTIONS / COMMENTS