Essential Elements
Values That Shape Who We Are
CONNECT
February 3, 2019 • Ron Moore
Our Mission: To develop followers of Jesus Christ in the South Hills of Pittsburgh, in the Greater Pittsburgh area, and throughout the world. TBC CORE VALUES The Five Essentials WORD WORSHIP CONNECT SERVE SHARE Genesis 1:1—God: All-Powerful Creator Genesis 1:2—Spirit of God: Protector and Overseer Genesis 1:3—The Word of God: Life-Giving Agent of Creation THE ESSENCE OF CONNECTION IS THE PERSON OF GOD. THE EXPRESSION OF CONNECTION IS THE PEOPLE OF GOD. THE ANCHOR OF CONNECTION IS THE SON OF GOD.
WORSHIP
January 20, 2019 • Ron Moore
Our Mission: To develop followers of Jesus Christ in the South Hills of Pittsburgh, in the Greater Pittsburgh area, and throughout the world. TBC CORE VALUES The Five Essentials WORD WORSHIP CONNECT SERVE SHARE Why We Can Trust the Bible 1. Internal claims 2. Continuity of Scripture 3. Preservation 4. Fulfilled Prophecies 5. Personal Experience Worship is an active demonstration of my love for God in every area of my life—all day, every day. For you created my inmost being You knit me together in my mother’s womb
WORD
January 13, 2019 • Ron Moore
TBC CORE VALUES The Five Essentials WORD WORSHIP CONNECT SERVE SHARE Can the Bible be Trusted? Claims Construction Preservation Prophesies Experience Written by an apostle. Written by those associated with an apostle. Faithfulness to previously accepted writings Confirmed by Christ, prophet, apostle (Luke 24:44; 2 Pet. 3:16). Church usage and recognition There seems to me to have been twice as much done in some ages in defending the Bible as in expounding it, but if the whole of our strength shall henceforth go to the exposition and spreading of it, we may leave it pretty much to defend itself . . . Many suggestions are made and much advice is offered. This weapon is recommended, and the other. Pardon me if I offer a quiet suggestion. Open the door and let the lion out; he will take care of himself. Why, they are gone! He no sooner goes forth in his strength than his assailants flee. The way to meet infidelity is to spread the Bible. The answer to every objection against the Bible is the Bible. -C. H. Spurgeon Speeches at Home and Abroad, from a speech at the Annual Meeting of the British and Foreign Bible Society, May 5th, 1875:
Kick-Off 2019
January 6, 2019 • Ron Moore
How are we doing with the call that God has place on our church? There were three things that characterized an apostle. He had to be commissioned by Christ (Matthew 10:5) He possessed supernatural gifts (Matthew 10:8) He had to have seen the Lord (Acts 1:22) Goal #1: Increase the investment and intentionality in the health, growth, and development of our staff and key leaders. WHY? Staff and key leaders must be appropriately equipped to more effectively serve our church family. Goal #2: Increase the development and intentionality to empower all campuses for local ministry. WHY? Each campus must develop local leadership, local resources, and local ministry. Goal #3: Significantly improve our process for connection and assimilation. WHY? People need to belong, grow, and serve to experience purpose and meaning. The Pew Research Center conducts polls concerning religious issues. In their latest survey they found that “Religious Nones” are among the fastest growing group. Religious Nones Atheists Agnostics Nothing Their specific explanations include the following statements: ‘‘Learning about evolution when I went away to college.’’ ‘‘Religion is the opiate of the people.’’ ‘‘Rational thought makes religion go out the window.’’ ‘‘Lack of any sort of scientific or specific evidence of a creator.’’ ‘‘I just realized somewhere along the line that I didn’t really believe it.’’ ‘‘I’m doing a lot more learning, studying and kind of making decisions myself rather than listening to someone else.” Here’s what Wallace concludes: “Ex-Christians often leave the church because they don’t think anyone in the church can answer their questions or make a case. It’s time for believers to accept their responsibility to explain what Christianity proposes and why these propositions are true, especially when interacting with young people who have legitimate questions. “Rather than embracing a blind or unreasonable faith, Christians must develop an informed, forensic faith that can stand up in the marketplace of ideas. We know why young Christians are leaving. Now it’s time to give them a reason to stay.” https://hillfaith.blog/2018/12/27/big-challenges-for-christians-in-latest-nones-survey-results/#more-475 Developing followers of Jesus is not just for us…it is for generations to come. What we do today will determine what we leave tomorrow.