Sunday, June 10, 2018 - A CHURCH THAT INVOLVES YOU
Pastor Roger Marcos
June 10, 2018
Here at NYCC, I want to involve every member in the work of ministry.
Because when you discover what your ministry is and begin doing ministry in this local church context you will find more fulfillment than you’ve ever known before.
Our Mission/Purpose Statement:
We Exist To:
- Care for the Needy,
- Reach out to the lost,
- Sanctify the believer, and
- Be the Soul of the Community.
The Basic Reasons Why Each of Us Needs to be Involved: 37 “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. Mat. 9
1. WE ARE CREATED TO MINISTRY. It might be not thinking that way but in a biblical view since God came inside us ministry begun.
Have you ever asked yourself the question, “Why did God put me here on earth or NYCC?”
If so, you’re not alone - most people that I meet seem to have a real lack of direction, a need for purpose but no real sense of what it should be.
The good news is that God is very clear that each of us have been created, or perhaps I should say recreated in Jesus Christ specifically to do works of ministry.
For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. - Ephesians 2:10
There are two fundamental truths in this passage that are important for us today:
- You are God’s Masterpiece (God has fashioned you)
- You are a Minister (God has empowered you)
Once you understand that these two truths apply to your personal situation you begin looking at yourself and your calling a little bit differently.
- If you run from these two truths you will find yourself becoming increasingly uncomfortable with your faith, with your church, and with your Christian relationships.
Why? Because you are trying to be a person that God has not created you to be - you are putting a square block in a round hole.
This is not something to run away from, but to run to, because it is in the discovery and implementation of these truths that I finally find fulfillment.
2. WE ARE GIFTED FOR MINISTRY.
We Are Gifted & Called to Minister. The Bible says that each Christian is given a spiritual gift(s) for use in building the Body of Christ. What Are Spiritual Gifts?
are those abilities that the Holy Spirit gives to the followers of Christ to equip them for ministry.
Spiritual gifts categories. First, there are Ministry gifts. These are the gifts of Apostle, Pastor, Evangelist, Pastor and Teacher. These are mentioned by Paul in Ephesians 4:11 when he wrote that “It was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers”, and are often referred to as the five-fold ministry.
Not only does God create us for ministry, He also gives us at least one spiritual gift so that we can function in that ministry at the highest and best level.
God has given gifts to each of you from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Manage them well so that God's generosity can flow through you. Are you called to be a speaker? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Are you called to help others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then God will be given glory in everything through Jesus Christ. All glory and power belong to him forever and ever. Amen. - 1 Peter 4:10-11
Everyone has Spiritual Gifts: Teaching, Singing, preaching, leading, and playing instrument, my friends, IF YOU GOT ALREADY THE GIFT OF SALVATION--- indeed you have the spiritual gift from the Lord.
Why Are Spiritual Gifts Important?
Spiritual gifts are important for the church because they form the foundation of each Christian’s call to ministry. God has gifted every Believer with gifts He wants us to use to further His Kingdom here on earth. These gifts were given to each of us so that we can use them to serve others according to God’s calling and purposes.
Paul says in Ephesians 4:12 that these gifts were given to us “to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.”
Since all Believers are part of the Body of Christ, we all have a role to play in expanding God’s Kingdom on earth. And that role is largely determined by our Spiritual giftedness. In other words, every Christian is called to be a minister for Christ and is equipped to do so with the spiritual gifts God has provided.
When we are not using our spiritual gifts in the work of the local church, the church suffers, and those that are not using their gifts suffer too.
Think about it this way - What happens in your life when one part of your body stops functioning?
You get sick and you may die if one part of your body doesn't function.
If you're a Christian that means you're part of the body of Christ.
- If you're not functioning it makes the rest of us sick-It makes an unhealthy body. - What if one day you got a phone call from your liver? And your liver said, "I don't feel like functioning this year. I just want to be fed."
- You'd say, "What kind of liver are you? Get back to work!"
The strength of NYCC is not the pastors of this church.
It is in the lay ministers of this church that understand the necessity of using their spiritual gifts in ministry.
True life is only experienced when we fulfill our calling to serve.
- It is only when we give our life as an offering of service that we begin to understand what the kingdom of God is really all about.
- If you are involved in the work of this ministry today I want to encourage you and praise God for you - because you have answered His call.
- There is nothing else that you will ever experience that will give you greater satisfaction.
- If you’re a member of this church today and you’re not involved in the work of ministry, why not? What is holding you back? Why not start today?
To those baptized that never been transfer their membership I encourage you to make decision- to those never been baptized but it’s been in the Church WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?
God bless!