TR Playbook: Our Playbook Strategy For Success

2015-08-30 
Pastor Jonathan Falwell 

Memory Verse: 1 Cor. 16:13 Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. 14 Let all that you do be done with love. 

Over the past weeks, we’ve been walking through the booklet, the TRBC Playbook. A plan for who the church is, what the church should do, and how we should do it. We’ve defined the church, last week we talked about our vision, our mission and our message. Today I want to talk about our strategy. How will we actually accomplish God’s plan for our lives as individuals and as His church?

Acts 2:40 And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.” 41 Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. 

42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. 43 Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. 44 Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, 45 and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. 46 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved. 

Our strategy for impact

1. Being Versed In Our Values – If we don’t know what we value as important, we will be distracted by the unimportant. We must place real intrinsic value on the foundations of our faith.

42a And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread…

* Commitment to Scripture – Heb 4:12 – Word of God is living…

-If we do not believe that God’s Word is truly God’s Word and is the only authority on which we stand in faith, our faith is in trouble. 

42b … and in prayers

* Culture of Prayer – James 5:16 – The effective fervent prayer…

-It is imperative that all Christ followers develop a regular line of communication

43 Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.

* Lifestyle of Worship – 1 Cor 10:31 – …whether you eat or drink…

-We must recognize that everything we do is a potential act of worship

46 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart

* Connected in Community – Acts 2:42-47

-God did not intend for us to walk this journey alone

44 Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, 45 and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.

* Heart for Serving – Mark 10:45 – …did not come to be served…

-Jesus made it clear, as our example, we should serve our fellow man as a bridge to life change

47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.

* Passion for Sharing – Mark 16:15-Go into all the world… Luke 4:18 – “The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me, To preach the gospel to the poor;

-If all we ever did was live our lives as Christ followers and never have a desire or passion to bring others into this relationship with Christ, in essence, we are devaluing the entire idea of following Christ.

2. Joined Together In Our Mission

* Gatherings – Corporate Worship (Hebrews 10:25 – forsaking not the assembling…)

* Groups – Acts 5:42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ. 

Eph. 4:11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 

Eph. 4:16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. 

1 Cor. 12:14 For in fact the body is not one member but many. 

Proverbs 27:17a As iron sharpens iron…

When we as Christ followers adopt a deliberate plan of encouraging one another, strengthening one another, praying with one another, doing life together, we will increase our impact exponentially.

3. With Eyes Wide Open

1 Cor. 16:13 Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. 14 Let all that you do be done with love. 

-We must recognize we live in a dangerous, sin loving, world.
-We must be examples of Christ-likeness if we have any hope of changing our world

-Matthew 5:16 – Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven