I Will Not Let Church Be About My Preferences

February 11, 2018 ()

Bible Text: Mark 9:35 |

I Will Not Let Church Be About My Preferences*

I Will Not Let Church Be About My Preferences

Mark 9:35

As some children because of immaturity and poor training can be selfish and demanding, people in church can behave in the same ways if not worse.

  1. The Motif of the Servant

The Word Servant Occurs 57x in NT, Serve occurs 58

Jesus said that we were to be a servant to ALL

Paul said we must be servants as well

Ephesians 3:7

7 Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.

  1. The Message of the Survey

10 dominant behavior patterns of members in declining churches

  1. Worship wars.

 

  1. Prolonged minutia meetings.

 

Great Commission and Great Commandment are rarely the topics of discussion.

 

  1. Facility focus.

 

  1. Program driven.

 

  1. Inwardly focused budget.

 

  1. Inordinate demands for pastoral care.

 

  1. Attitudes of entitlement.

 

  1. Greater concern about change than the gospel.

 

  1. Anger & hostility.

 

  1. Evangelistic apathy.

 

  1. The Mind of Christ

This attitude should be representative, not remarkable

 

Philippians 2:5–11

5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

 

6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

 

7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

 

8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

 

9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:

 

10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

 

11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

 

Pledge

I am a church member. I will not let my church be about my preferences and desires.

 

That is self-serving. I am a member in this church to serve others and to serve Christ.

 

My Savior went to a cross for me. I can deal with any inconveniences and matters that just aren’t my preference or style.

 

Heavily excerpted from I am a church member by Thom Rainer

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