06/05/11 - Pillars & Focus - Pastor Tony Ashmore

Pastor Tony Ashmore teaches on "Pillars & Focus" in this vision Sunday morning celebration.

Pillars & Focus
Pastor Tony Ashmore
Sunday, June 05, 2011

www.mylifegatechurch.com


Sermon Notes:

Ephesians 1:20 MESSAGE “All this energy issues from Christ: God raised him from death and set him on a throne in deep heaven, in charge of running the universe, everything from galaxies to governments, no name and no power exempt from his rule. And not just for the time being, but forever. He is in charge of it all, has the final word on everything. At the center of all this, Christ rules the church. The church, you see, is not peripheral to the world; the world is peripheral to the church. The church is Christ's body, in which he speaks and acts, by which he fills everything with his presence.”

Matthew 16:18 “…I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.”

Our Pillars:
1.    Weekend Celebrations—a partnership with you to reach your circle of influence

2.    Connections—“doing life together” is the Jesus method of making disciples.  Significant churches are those where people have decided they are in for the long haul and set about making lifetime connections that strengthen everybody.  Get healed from the “easy to disconnect” disease.
    a.    Dream Team—our foundational connection—find your ministry, find your place—“Get on the bus, Gus”
    b.    Connect Groups—social groups, interest groups, sports groups, coaching groups (Reel Life)
    c.    Wednesday “Core Fitness”—more intimate, focused on strengthening the “core”
    d.    Special Ministries: ManUp, Shine, Freedom

3.    Servolution—serving our community, our nation and the world through intentional, strategic missions

Our Focus: The Lost, The Hurting and the Next Generation

Church is not for those already here—it is for those yet to come.  Those of us already here are here to serve those yet to come.  Matthew 20:28 “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

*    The Lost:  The Unconnected (those who don’t have a relationship with Jesus) and the Disconnected (those who know Jesus but are not part of a local church—the unchurched and the dechurched).  Church must be a place that celebrates people.  A place where people can find a friend.  A place where purses left unwatched might be stolen.  A people that understands the culture without embracing it.  Every study shows the unconnected or disconnected are looking for the same thing when they visit a church—to experience the presence of God.  We must be a people who love God and people with all our heart, soul, mind and strength.

*    The Hurting:  The broken, lonely, rejected, sick, betrayed, addicted, etc.. The church should be a place of healing—spirit, soul and body.  We must be people who are full of the power of the Holy Spirit, overflowing with the love of the Father, and moving in the compassion of Jesus.  We have the answer for the hurting but we have to earn the right for them to ask us the question.

*    The Next Generation:  Those who are right behind us.  Each generation should effectively be impacting 3 generations: their own and 2 others.  (God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob).  Church must be a place where the next generation can find their voice and where their voice is heard.  There is a place for every generation in the church, and all of us must empower, encourage, and equip the next generation.  There is no success without a successor.  Celebrate the “new thing” while providing a solid foundation for the next generation to spread their wings.