Our series at the end of 2015, “God Is…” ended with the wonderful news that God is Here – as Jesus Christ. So, this new series for 2016 picks right up on that theme!
We’ll be learning about Jesus from some key stories in the Bible.
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CloseRyan Sim - November 7, 2013
Thursday - Act On It - Groups - in Community
Yesterday, we explored how a church community is meant to be a gathering, sometimes even just for fun and fellowship. You might think church has always meant a religious gathering of Christians on Sunday morning. But in the Bible’s Greek language, church had another meaning before that. The Greek word for church is ekklesia which literally means “an assembly” or “gathering of people”. But not just for its own good. It’s called out to be and do something specific. This week’s passage says gathering together is not just for encouragement to love, but for encouragement to good works. We are meant to be a preview of the world as God wants it to be. We are meant to make people say wow. Unlike the church I described yesterday, people are supposed to look at our community (even at its business meetings) and say, “Wow! That’s how we are supposed to relate with each other, and our world, and God. I can see it now!” They are meant to see the Kingdom of God in us. Aristides was a philosopher in Athens in the second century and he observed the first Christians, the early church, and this is what he recorded about them in 125 AD. “They walk in humility and kindness, and falsehood is not found among them. They love one another. He that has distributes liberally to him that does not have. If they see a stranger they bring him under their own roof and rejoice over him as if he were their own brother.” Aristides looked at that first church, that earliest gathering of Christians and he said WOW. Have you ever looked at a team, group or organization and said, wow? Why? Think of the Snowbirds, or a great dance troupe. Our church today meant to make people say wow…because of our generosity and love of one another, that spills over to the lives of others near us. We’re intending to becoming this kind of church through our discussion groups first, and also when our discussion groups come together as one community for celebration. Challenge: If you’re not already meeting with a group, please do. What act of generosity and service can you do with your discussion group, or family, that will make others in your life say wow? Think of one thing internal to your group that you do for each other, and one thing your group does for others. Reminder: Last week we saw the importance of reading the Bible together in sync, so our new daily bible readings start today in our mobile app and web site.
Related Topics: Community, Groups | More Messages from Ryan Sim | Download Audio
From Series: "Becoming Like Family"
This series looks at becoming “like family” with others learning to follow Jesus. We're exploring how the church is not a building, institution or event, but a community of people. It's important that explore what church means as we prepare to launch a new church in Ajax in 2014.
More Messages From Ryan Sim...
Introduction to Daily Challenges | November 2, 2012 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - New Idea - Poor in Spirit | November 12, 2012 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Poor in Spirit | November 13, 2012 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change - Poor in Spirit | November 14, 2012 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - Poor in Spirit | November 15, 2012 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Poor in Spirit | November 16, 2012 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Those who Mourn | November 19, 2012 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Those Who Mourn | November 20, 2012 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change - Those Who Mourn | November 21, 2012 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act - Those Who Mourn | November 22, 2012 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Those Who Mourn | November 23, 2012 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Meek | November 26, 2012 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Meek | November 27, 2012 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change - Meek | November 28, 2012 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act - Meek | November 29, 2012 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Meek | November 30, 2012 | Music | Watch | Listen | |
Monday - A New Idea - Poor in Spirit | December 3, 2012 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Righteousness | December 4, 2012 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - Righteousness | December 5, 2012 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - Righteousness | December 6, 2012 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Righteousness | December 7, 2012 | Music | Watch | Listen | |
Monday - A New Idea - Merciful | December 10, 2012 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Merciful | December 11, 2012 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - Merciful | December 12, 2012 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - Merciful | December 13, 2012 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Merciful | December 14, 2012 | Music | Watch | Listen | |
Monday - A New Idea - Pure in Heart | December 17, 2012 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Pure in Heart | December 18, 2012 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - Pure in Heart | December 19, 2012 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - Pure in Heart | December 20, 2012 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Pure in Heart | December 21, 2012 | Watch | Listen | ||
Christmas Eve | December 24, 2012 | Watch | Listen | ||
Christmas Day | December 25, 2012 | Watch | Listen | ||
Boxing Day | December 26, 2012 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - December 27 | December 27, 2012 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - December 28 | December 28, 2012 | Watch | Listen | ||
New Years Eve - Growth | December 31, 2012 | Watch | Listen | ||
New Years Day - Groups | January 1, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - January 2 - Grace | January 2, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - January 3 - Generosity | January 3, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - January 4 - God | January 4, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Peacemakers | January 7, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Peacemakers | January 8, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - Peacemakers | January 9, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act - Peacemakers | January 10, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Peacemakers | January 11, 2013 | Music | Watch | Listen | |
Monday - A New Idea - Persecuted | January 14, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Persecuted | January 15, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change - Persecution | January 16, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act - Persecuted | January 17, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Persecuted | January 18, 2013 | Music | Watch | Listen | |
Monday - New Idea - Living Backwards | January 21, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Living Backwards | January 22, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change - Living Backwards | January 23, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act on It - Living Backwards | January 24, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Living Backwards | January 25, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Salt | January 28, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Salt | January 29, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - Salt | January 30, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - Salt | January 31, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Salt | February 1, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Light | February 4, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Light | February 5, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - Light | February 6, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - Light | February 7, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Light | February 8, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Law | February 11, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Law | February 12, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - Law | February 13, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - Law | February 14, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Law | February 15, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Anger | February 18, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Anger | February 19, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - Anger | February 20, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - Anger | February 21, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Anger | February 22, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - The Look | February 25, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - The Look | February 26, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Study It - The Look | February 27, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - The Look | February 28, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - The Look | March 1, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Truth | March 4, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Truth | March 5, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - Truth | March 6, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - Truth | March 7, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Truth | March 8, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Retaliation | March 11, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Retaliation | March 12, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - Retaliation | March 13, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - Retaliation | March 14, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Retaliation | March 15, 2013 | Listen | |||
Monday - A New Idea - Neighbours | April 8, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Neighbours | April 9, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change - Neighbours | April 10, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - Neighbours | April 11, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Neighbours | April 12, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Perfection | April 15, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Perfection | April 16, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change - Perfection | April 17, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - Perfection | April 18, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Perfection | April 19, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Generosity | April 22, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Generosity | April 23, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - Generosity | April 25, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Generosity | April 26, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Pompous Prayer | April 29, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Pompous Prayer | April 30, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - Pompous Prayer | May 1, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - Pompous Prayer | May 2, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Pompous Prayer | May 3, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Self Denial | May 6, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Self Denial | May 7, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - Self Denial | May 8, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - Self Denial | May 9, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Self Denial | May 10, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Forgiveness | May 13, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Forgiveness | May 14, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - Forgiveness | May 15, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - Forgiveness | May 16, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Forgiveness | May 17, 2013 | Watch | Listen |