Growing in God 4

Christian Foundations

4. Disciplines of Faith

Lesson Overview

1. Fellowship

2. Witnessing

3. Giving

4. Serving

Fellowship

Fellowship

Are these examples of biblical fellowship?

1) A cell group goes hiking together for three days. During

that time they talk about nature, work, and church.

2) A group of friends sit together in church on Sunday. After

church they go out for coffee and share a fun evening

together.

3) A men’s prayer group gets together to watch the soccer

world cup final. They share a braai afterwards.

THE MEANING OF FELLOWSHIP

Fellowship

The Meaning of Fellowship

The Greek word koinōnia

has two meanings:

1) Partnership: sharing

a task

2) Fellowship:

sharing your life



has two meanings:


a task

2) Fellowship:

sharing your life

1 Thessalonians 2:8

We loved you so much

that we were delighted to

share with you not only

the gospel of God but our

lives as well, because you

had become so dear to us.



has two meanings:


a task

2) Fellowship:

sharing your life

Definition

Fellowship is sharing your

life with other Christians

in intimate and

invigorating friendship in

which you meet each

others’ social, emotional

and spiritual needs.

THE MOTIVE FOR FELLOWSHIP

Fellowship

The Motive for Fellowship

Hebrews 10:24-25

And let us consider how we may

spur one another on toward

love and good deeds. Let us not

give up meeting together, as

some are in the habit of doing,

but let us encourage one

another—and all the more as

you see the Day approaching.

Motivations

• Spur on

• Love

• Good works

• Encouragement

THE MEANS OF FELLOWSHIP

Fellowship

The Means of Fellowship

The chief command,

love one another, is

fleshed out in a host of

specific one another

scriptures.

• The chief command

is to love one

another.

• The supporting

commands tell us

how to do it.

The Means of Fellowship

• Bear with one another

• Do not lie to one another

• Pray for one another

• Build up one another

• Be merciful to one

another

• Be kind to one another

• Forgive one another

• Instruct one another

• Serve one another

• Accept one another

• Honour one another

• Be devoted to one

another

• Do not judge one another

• Live in harmony with one

another

THE MECHANISM OF FELLOWSHIP

Fellowship

The Mechanism of Fellowship

The local church

is God’s chosen

instrument in

which we are to

build these kinds

of relationships.

Witnessing

THE NEED FOR WITNESSING

Witnessing

The Need for Witnessing

The church is the

only organisation in

the world that exists

primarily for the

benefit of those

who are not yet

members.

Winning the world is

the primary mission

of God. Therefore,

bearing witness is

ultimately the

church’s greatest

responsibility.

The Need for Witnessing

Matthew 28:19-20a

Therefore go and make

disciples of all nations,

baptizing them … and

teaching them to obey

everything I have

commanded you.

Acts 1:8

But you will receive power

when the Holy Spirit

comes on you; and you

will be my witnesses in

Jerusalem, and in all Judea

and Samaria, and to the

ends of the earth.

THE FEAR OF WITNESSING

Witnessing

The Fear of Witnessing

Remorse for sins

Ability to answer

Expect to fail

Fear of rejection

R

A

E

F

THE STYLES OF WITNESSING

Witnessing

The Styles of Witnessing

1. Radical: confronting unsaved people boldly and

directly with the gospel, calling for response

2. Rational: using rational arguments to challenge

the unsaved to believe in Jesus Christ

3. Relational: developing a friendship with

unsaved people so that you can draw them to

Christ

THE METHODS OF WITNESSING

Witnessing


1. Lifestyle: ‘Show me that you are redeemed and I will

believe in your redeemer’ (Nietzsche, atheist).

2. Experience: ‘Our task is to live our personal

communion with Christ with such an intensity as to make it

contagious’ (Paul Tournier).

3. Gospel: And how can they believe in him if they have

never heard about him? And how can they hear about him

unless someone tells them? (Rom. 10:14-15, NLT)


L E G

The three methods are like

the three legs of a stool. All

three are necessary but not

sufficient. If one leg is

broken, the whole stool is

broken.

Giving

REASONS FOR GIVING

Giving

Reasons for Giving

Questions

1. Why should we give?

Matthew 6:24

No one can serve two

masters. Either he will

hate the one and love the

other, or he will be

devoted to the one and

despise the other. You

cannot serve both God

and Money.

Reasons for Giving

Questions


He calls us to give more

for the good of our souls

than for the needs of the

church. We need to give

because we have

idolatrous hearts, and

generous living protects

us against the idol called

‘the love of money’.

Reasons for Giving

Questions


Two key reasons

a) We give because we

love God.

b) We give because we

love others.

GUIDELINES FOR GIVING

Giving

Reasons for Giving

Questions


2. How much should

we give?

Guidelines for Giving

1. We should give systematically

2. We should give regularly

3. We should give proportionately

4. We should give generously

5. We should give sacrificially

6. We should give cheerfully

7. We should give trustingly

RECIPIENTS OF GIVING

Giving

Reasons for Giving

Questions


2. How much should

we give?

3. To whom should we

give?

Recipients of Giving

1. Give to your

local church


1. Give to your

local church

2. Give to advance

the gospel


1. Give to your

local church

2. Give to advance

the gospel

3. Give to brothers

in need

Serving

Serving

Quotable

Many Christians want

to do great things for

God—save the world,

raise the dead, die for

Christ.

Questions

1) Is spiritual ambition a

good thing?

2) Do you have any spiritual

ambitions?

3) If so, how to you plan to

realise them?

Serving

1. The desire to do great

things for God is

righteous.

1 Timothy 3:1

Here is a trustworthy

saying: If anyone sets his

heart on being an

overseer, he desires a

noble task.

Serving


things for God is

righteous.

1 Timothy 3:1

Here is a trustworthy

saying: If anyone sets his

heart on being an

overseer, he desires a

noble task.

Yet many of the same Christians,

who desire to do great things for

God, never do anything significant

for him.

Why not?

Serving


things for God is

righteous.

2. The willingness to be

nothing in God is

necessary.

Philippians 2:5-7

Your attitude should be the same

as that of Christ Jesus: Who,

being in very nature God, did not

consider equality with God

something to be grasped, but

made himself nothing, taking the

very nature of a servant, being

made in human likeness.

Serving

1) The desire to do great

things for God is

righteous.

2) The willingness to be

nothing in God is

necessary.

Quotable

Most people wish to

serve God—but in an

advisory capacity only.

Serving


things for God is

righteous.


nothing in God is

necessary.

Adolph Monod

‘Between the great things

that we cannot do and the

small things that we will

not do, lies the danger

that we shall do nothing’

(Adolph Monod).

Serving


things for God is

righteous.


nothing in God is

necessary.

3. The path to great

exploits starts with

menial service.

Scriptures

• Mark 10:35-45

• Luke 16:10

• John 13:1-17

• Matthew 25:21

• 1Timothy 3:6

Serving


things for God is

righteous.


nothing in God is

necessary.

3. The path to great

exploits starts with

menial service.

Principle

Just as there is no physical

power without exercise,

so too there is no spiritual

strength without service.

Serving

During the American Revolution a man in civilian clothes rode past

a group of soldiers repairing a small defensive barrier. Their leader

was shouting instructions, but making no attempt to help them.

Asked why by the rider, he retorted with great dignity, ‘Sir, I am a

corporal!’ The stranger apologized, dismounted, and proceeded to

help the exhausted soldiers. The job done, he turned to the

corporal and said, ‘Mr. Corporal, next time you have a job like this

and not enough men to do it, go to your commander-in-chief, and

I will come and help you again.’ The man’s name … George

Washington.

Conclusion

Summary

If we are to grow in God, we must have these

foundational practices in place:

1. We fellowship regularly

2. We witness faithfully

3. We give generously

4. We serve sacrificially

Spiritual

Growing in God 4