A healthy church will eventually become a sending church. The heart of the father is not for churches to continue to balloon in numerical growth without sending forth some in the flock to help other assemblies of believers who need their assistance. Church revitalization and church planting are clear components of New Testament mission. When the time comes to send forth people to new works, whom do we send? From Paul’s letter to the Philippians, we learn that he believed in releasing his top-tier co-laborers to go and begin new works. What he says about Timothy and Epaphroditus will help modern believers understand some of what makes us valuable to the mission of Jesus in our generation. Not everyone can be an Apostle Paul, but none of us is prohibited from being like the two men that he mentions in this passage. Character, commitment and love are revealed as powerful traits for profitable servants of God. These are the types of people our churches need to send forth.
Sending Forth Our Best
Philippians 2:19-30
March 6, 2019 • Jeff Lyle
Remaining True To The End
May 1, 2019 • Jeff Lyle
Last words tell us so much about a person. As Paul is closing out his highly heartfelt letter to this little church that owned a special place in his heart, we find him moved by the Holy Spirit to express his gratitude for who they are and what they have done for him. Paul's life reveals to us the truth that power and anointing never elevate above the level of our humility and gratitude. As Paul calls the Philippians to remain true to the end of their race, we are helped by his words to know for ourselves what it means to live lives of contentment, generosity and partnerships in the Kingdom.
Prioritizing Peace
April 17, 2019 • Jeff Lyle
Most of the world thinks of peace as the absence of conflict. Beyond that, many of those same people assume that peace is unattainable unless that absence of conflict is their current reality. Wouldn’t it be terrible if that were true? That would mean that would be zero possibility of peace unless everything in our lives was pleasant, friction-free and easy on our souls. In this message, we will learn that peace is something that is to be prized, and especially when it is attained in the midst of real-life struggles. Because we live in a world conditioned by sin and brokenness, we will only experience spiritual peace to the degree that prioritize and pursue it. The Apostle Paul teaches us how to do exactly that as he instructs the Philippian believers to fight for peace in their human relationships, their relationship with God and their own minds.
Essentials For Victory-Part 2
April 10, 2019 • Jeff Lyle
Picking up where we left off last time in Paul's little letter to the Christians at Philippi, we receive two final essentials for us to embrace in order to experience regular victory. This type of victorious, abundant living never happens accidentally for Christians. While it is true that God is in full, sovereign control of everything that takes place in the universe, we should never allow that reality to rob us of living with purposed intentionality. We are responsible for living lives that are situated to bring glory to Jesus Christ. As we live those kinds of lives, we discover that we also live at high levels of fulfillment and pleasure. Paul’s words to the Christians at Philippi reveal to us some of the necessary mindsets and actions that all Christians must embrace in order to live in victory. From the hungers of our hearts unto our assurance about eternity, how we think and who we follow are essential elements that will help determine the level of victory we each experience as we follow Jesus.