Western Hills Christian Church: “You are family here!”

Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom,that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.
Colossians 1:28

Discipleship is personally transferring the full dimensions of your relationship with Christ to the person you are walking with.  It is not the imparting of spiritual disciplines as much as it is acquainting another with a Person you love.  Paul said that he would teach and urge with all his strength that every person God placed in his life would come to a complete experience of the person of Christ (Colossians 1:29).  He was not satisfied with people becoming partially like Christ.  He would not rest until those around him were perfect, or complete, in Christ.  That is, that the fruits of the Spirit were being fully expressed through each life and the character of Christ was reflected in each person (Galatians 5:22).

We can mistake Christian activity with becoming like Christ.  Christian activity and Christlikeness are not the same things.  We must not assume that because our friend attends church and reads her Bible, she is growing as a Christian.

Christian activities are an important expression of your relationship with Christ.  They can lead you to a relationship, but the danger is assuming that your religious activity is the relationship.  If you are only encouraging those around you to attend Christian activities, then you have not “discipled” them the way Paul did.  You do your fellow Christians an injustice by teaching them that Christian activity is equal to Christian maturity.  Do not rest until those around you have become “perfect” in Christ.  If God has put new Christians under your care, you have an obligation to “stay with them” until they have reached Christian maturity.

Henry and Richard Blackaby
Experiencing God Day-by-Day

SALT (Seniors Adults Learning Together), will meet Tuesday, March 24, 2009 @ 6:00 p.m. in the Connecting Room for food and fellowship.  Bring a covered dish to share!

We’re trying to get organized; so we need your input.  

On Friday, March 27, 2009 @ 5:30 p.m., SAM’s (Senior Adults Ministry) will meet in the Family Life Center (FLC) for Fellowship, Food, Games & Prizes.

The meat and potatoes will be furnished - please bring a side dish or dessert however.
Also on the “menu”… BINGO.  Please bring “white elephants” for prizes.

DATE(S): Friday:, 6March 6 March 2009 through 7, March 2009
TIME: 6:00 pm (Friday) until 1:00 pm Saturday
LOCATION: Camp Y’Shua earnear Meers, OK

For further details and direction to Camp Y’Shua contact Joe, Dave or an Elder at Western Hills Christian Church, telephone # 580-536-1880.

Edited: 2009304 @ 1044

Change Where I Go: Part 4 of “I want to change… so help me God” series

Sermon can be downloaded to your PC from here by RIGHT clicking with mouse and selecting “Save Target As” for the Internet Explorer browser or “Save Link As” for Firefox browsers.

Text: Acts 18:1-4,18-19,24-28; Colossians 3:16; 1st Thessalonians 5:10-11; Hebrews 10:24-25 

I.  Our lives should not be about investing in others, not simply making a living. (See Acts 18:1-4)

1. Their ability to leave their roots and move to new places.
2. They ran a tent making business together.
3. They host a small group in their home.
4. Paul taught them and they are willing to teach others.
5. They are willing to go wherever God leads them. (Acts 18:18-21)

II.  We need each other to grow in Christ.

Acts 18:18-21
18 Paul stayed on in Corinth for some time. Then he left the brothers and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. Before he sailed, he had his hair cut off at Cenchrea because of a vow he had taken. 19 They arrived at Ephesus, where Paul left Priscilla and Aquila. He himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. 20 When they asked him to spend more time with them, he declined. 21 But as he left, he promised, “I will come back if it is God’s will.” Then he set sail from Ephesus.

III.  We need each other to complete our mission.

See: Hebrews 10:24-25; Colossians 3:16; 1st Thessalonians 5:10-11

Application:
We need to invest in other.
We need each other to grow in Christ.
We need each other in order to complete our mission.
How does this work out in our lives?

By being a part of a small group - Sunday school, Home Bible Fellowships, Ministry teams, Discipleship groups.