Sorry for the delay in making these posts folks. Here’s my notes from the final session at the 2010 PAOC General Conference. Ed Stetzer was the speaker and I was really looking forward to hearing him speak because I’ve been a reader of his blog for quite a while. Sometime this week I’ll write the final post in this series where I’ll sum up my thoughts and observations from my experience at this years General Conference. Remember the notes below may or may not be verbatim.
The title of Ed’s message was, “Mobilizing all God’s people on Mission” (1 Peter 4:10-11)
1. All have gifts…
- Everyone should use it to serve others
- we need to teach people that the gospel involves knowledge AND ACTION
- church is more than a theatrical show it is a team sport
- 1 Cor. 12:7 “7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.”
- God gives gifts for the common good
- we need to lead more differently so people can engage God’s mission more faithfully
- what do we need to do to lead them on mission?
- the gospel is not YOU do it is JESUS DID
- when we do for people what God has called people to do everyone gets hurt.
- you can’t disciple people with books alone- you disciple them life to life.
2. …God intends all to use…
- God has given us gifts – we are to steward them
- God calls us to be managers of our gifts and equippers so people can manage their gifts
- too many churches are just a pile of dismembered hearts rather than a body of members on mission
- we’ve made it acceptable to sit in church, do nothing and still be called a follower of Jesus Christ
3. …for which he empowers us…
- Hebrews 4:11; 1 Peter 4:11
- there are people who think it is their job to sit and to watch rather than to go and do.
- too often church staff have a codependent relationship with their congregation
- to break the codependency the enabler has to break the enabling
4. …to bring God glory
- Ephesians 4:11
- you want a united church get everyone working together.
- God is not getting his due glory in church because people are spectators rather than participants
- all are called