Life Mission Group

Introduction (10 Minutes): Review together the homework from the previous week to set the stage for this weeks session.

session 3
our values

Church in the Boro & Newfrontiers

Church in the Boro is partnering with Newfrontiers, a worldwide family of churches together on a mission. There are currently over 700 Newfrontiers churches in over 60 nations around the world. With a passionate commitment to build the church according to New Testament principles, we believe that the most effective form of evangelism is worked out from strong local churches.

Biblical local churches are places where each member can participate. They are places where the gifts of the Holy Spirit are worked out, and where there is joy in caring for one another. There is also a desire to make a difference in society, and an urgency to reach those in need. Church in the Boro partners with Newfrontiers to achieve this aim by pursuing five fundamentals.

1. Restoring the Church

Restoration is a biblical principle. Throughout scripture we read of God's dealings with His people to restore them to Himself, both individually, and corporately. The book of Nehemiah graphically illustrates this process. Jerusalem, which had been glorious in Solomon's day with its temple filled with God's glory, had fallen into decline. It was time to return to rebuild the ruins of the city and the house of God. This literal rebuilding was a picture of the spiritual rebuilding that was to happen in the New Covenant, as prophesied in Amos 9:11-12. The fulfillment of Amos prophecy began with the introduction of non-Jews into the family of God, also called the church (see Acts 15:12-17). (Your Notes) In the New Testament, the early church in Jerusalem was flooded with God's presence and the new temple, made up of living stones, was being built together (Eph. 2:19-22; 1 Pet. 2:4-5). Tragically, over the centuries the church has suffered decline and confusion. There have been waves of recovery, including such major breakthroughs as
The 16th century Reformation, with its recovery of justification by faith. The 17th century Puritan movement, with its recovery of biblical expositional preaching. The 18th century World Missions movement, with its compulsion to return to the nations.

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The early 20th century, with a recovery of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and water baptism of believers. The early to mid 20th century, with a recovery of evangelism. The late 20th century, with a recovery of a biblical understanding of church structure and leadership.

The Body of Christ God's ultimate purpose is that the church should become a 'mature man' (Eph. 4:13), a body with all its members functioning. In Ephesians 4 Paul describes how God has purposed for this to be accomplished through the gifts of apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastors and teachers. Well talk more about this in Session 6: Biblical Leadership. The desire is to see churches that are built on New Testament principles through receiving these Ephesians 4 ministries, where the word of God is honored, and there is openness to the work of the Holy Spirit. We believe in a restored church and embrace the OT prophet Haggai's promise that 'The latter glory of this house will be greater than the former.' (Hag 2:9)

2. Making Disciples
Jesus calls us to 'go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything he has commanded' (Matt. 28:19-20). Our response to this great commission must therefore be reflected at the very heart of church life. Churches work this out in a number of ways, often through small groups, whose aim is to grow through reaching out to unbelievers. Having believed, people need to be baptized in water and in the Holy Spirit, in order to live by the power of the Spirit. Maturity in Christ Making disciples also means bringing individuals to maturity in Christ in order that each one can fulfill God's plan for their lives. Our desire is that believers enjoy the grace of God, understanding that salvation is a gift that cannot be earned. We want people to know that God has forgiven and accepted them solely because of what Jesus has done for them on the cross i.e. people who are certain of eternal life, getting to know Jesus better every day, experiencing His guidance, living for His glory, enjoying their involvement in His church and keen to reach out to others with the good news of the Gospel.

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3. Training Leaders
Jesus wants His church to function effectively, so leadership is a top priority. God-given leadership provides security, motivation and direction. Leaders who know that they are genuinely anointed, called and loved by God bring peace and security to a local church. Ephesians 4 Ministries Paul tells us that when Jesus ascended He 'gave gifts to men' (Eph. 4:8). The leadership gifts are people: apostles, prophets, evangelists and pastors/teachers (Eph. 4:11) and their function is to 'prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up' (Eph. 4:12). These gifts, described in Ephesians 4, are given by God to stand alongside and assist local church leaders in fulfilling their commission to present every believer mature in Christ. Again, more on this in Session 6: Biblical Leadership. Within the Newfrontiers family, Church in the Boro recognizes these gifts as vital for fulfilling our mission. We are working with teams of gifted men serving existing churches as well as emerging church plants. Whilst these teams are predominantly working with churches in their locality, they are not only geographical but also built upon relationships. As a result some of these teams are also serving nations other than their own. Strong Foundations Working alongside those involved day to day in church leadership, they are pioneering into new areas and helping churches fulfill their calling. In this way they help to ensure churches are started on strong foundations and that all the ministries identified in Ephesians 4 are playing their part in helping to make these churches strong. Training new leaders and seeing these gifts multiplied forms a central part of our mission in order to equip the body of Christ.

4. Starting Churches
We believe the most effective way of evangelizing a new area is to plant a church. The Gospel not only needs to be proclaimed, but also to be demonstrated in tangible ways, and the best way is through Christians living out the Gospel together in a locality. In this way new communities are established, often in places that have not seen authentic Christianity outworked through the church. Different Methods Philip, the evangelist, gathered a community in Samaria and the apostle Paul founded churches in many towns. He recognized leaders weren't the only people involved in church planting. The scattered, persecuted believers went everywhere preaching the gospel. Even the influential

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Antioch church was started by believers that the book of Acts does not name. There are many different ways that may result in a church being planted. However, whatever the method, we believe that Ephesians 4 teams are essential to help plant churches, ensuring that they are established on apostolic and prophetic foundations. Whether in major cities and towns, or small rural communities, we long to help evangelize the nations through planting churches across the world.

5. Reaching the Nations

In Acts 1:8 we are told that Jesus promised his disciples that they would receive power from the Holy Spirit to be his witnesses not only in Jerusalem, but also in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. The call to be Jesus' witnesses is local, regional, national and international. In his revelation John saw a great multitude from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne of God. (Rev. 7:9). We take these promises seriously. Nations on Our Doorstep Churches often find that the nations are right at their doorstep, with many cities of the world being host to people from across the nations. Our passion is to build churches representative of such communities. But there is also a passion to fulfill the great commission to go to the nations and restore and start other churches, which will also reflect New Testament church life. Newfrontiers is working in many nations starting new churches as well as establishing relationships with existing churches that share the same heart and vision. Ephesians 4 teams are pioneering into these new situations and helping churches fulfill their calling in God. Church in the Boro is one of those. Alongside these pioneering activities Newfrontiers is also committed to helping churches serve the poor and needy. Thus, as a family of churches on a mission together, we are seeking to reach the nations of the world.

On a local level, heres how we see these values building the DNA of Church in the Boro.

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Always Reforming
We stand in the tradition of the historic Reformed Confessions of Faith. We affirm the five "Solas" of the Reformation: Sola Scriptura, Sola Gratia, Sola Fide, Solus Christus, and Soli Deo Gloria. We embrace the Biblical doctrines of grace: the depravity of man, sovereign election, particular redemption, effectual call, and the preservation of the saints. However, we also understand that the expression of these doctrines will be reflected in different ways based upon our culture and our place in history. Each subsequent generation of the church provides a fresh contextual opportunity, both historically and culturally, to continually reform the church of Christ to His standards and expectations, as revealed in the Scriptures.

Always Gifted & Empowered

We believe that the gifts of the Holy Spirit as outlined in passages such as Rom. 12:3-8; 1 Cor. 12-14; 1 Peter 4:10-11 are to be operative in the life of the church until Christ returns (1 Cor. 1:4-9; 1 Cor. 13:8-14:1). These gifts are sovereignly distributed by the Holy Spirit as He wills for the upbuilding of the churches. His presence and filling provides power for the Great Commission, expressed in these spiritual gifts. For this reason we also stand in the tradition of the historic charismatic work of the Spirit; and more specifically these movements and activities have not contradicted the plain teaching of Scripture but instead have conformed to it.

Always Missional
We believe that from before the beginning of time, the Trinity designed a plan involving a mission. That mission was for God to glorify Himself through the creation of the world, the fall of man, and the redemption of a people for Himself. We believe that the church is a functional expression of that same mission of redemption; a team working together to reconcile sinners to God, people to each other, and the world the King Jesus. This is most aptly expressed in the Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20; Mark 16:1420; Luke 24:44-53; John 20:19-23; Acts 1:4-11).

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Always Relational
We value relationships as Gods gift to us for friendship, encouragement, and partnership in the mission God has called us to. Relationships give us the opportunity to know and be known by one another (See Romans 12:10; Galatians 5:13; Ephesians 4:32; Colossians 3:16). It is not Gods intention for us to simply attend weekly meetings and then live the rest of our Christian lives in a vacuum. God has given us one another as true friends who rejoice and mourn together as we go through lifes ups and downs (See Romans 8:15). Relationships also serve to encourage us. The reality is, we all need to be reminded and redirected as to how we should live our lives. Through our relationships, we "encourage one another daily" (Hebrews 3:13) and we "spur one another on toward love and good deeds" (Hebrews 10:24). Our relationships are never to become inward or self-serving. Instead they help us remain focused on Gods mission to disciple "all nations" (Matthew 28:19).

Always Grace-Filled
We value grace as the foundation for how we relate to God, each other, and the world around us. Grace enables us to freely approach God, one another, and people who do not yet know Jesus with an attitude of acceptance and joy. The Bible is permeated with this little, yet extremely powerful word: grace. We dont only receive our entrance into a relationship with God by grace (See Romans 5:1-2), but His grace also empowers us to grow in our relationship with Him. Its not by "trying harder" that we grow in the Christian life, but its as we "receive Gods abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness [that we] reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:17). As we receive Gods grace for our own failings and weaknesses, we can shower others with grace as well, creating an environment of forgiveness (See Ephesians 4:32) and a willingness to step out into new areas of serving. A community of grace is not only encouraging to be a part of, it is also attractive to those who do not yet know Jesus (See John 13:35 and 17:23). In our conversation with them, we seek to be "always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that [we] may know how to answer everyone" (Colossians 4:6)

Always Praying
We value prayer as our lifeline to God for receiving His purpose and requesting His power. Prayer enables us to declare our dependency upon His all-sufficiency and deals a deathblow to self-reliance and pride. When Jesus walked this earth, He taught His disciples to pray by saying, "When you pray" (Matthew 6:6). His clear assumption was that we would pray; that we needed to pray. Why?

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Because good relationships thrive on frequent communication. Prayer is an ongoing conversation (See 1 Thessalonians 5:17) with God, not a religious ceremony, or a duty to be performed. God loves to communicate with us just like we can't wait to share good news with people we love or to seek advice from those we respect. With Him, however, our sharing and asking take on new depth and power because we are speaking with the One, who made us, sustains us and can grant us success in His purposes (See Psalm 118:25). Scripture teaches us to "pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests" (Ephesians 6:18). We are to "pray in the Spirit" because prayer is not something we do naturally; we need supernatural help. The fact is, "the spirit is willing, but the body is weak" (Matthew 26:41). Knowing this, we rely on the Spirit of God to enable us (See Romans 8:26 and 1 Corinthians 14:15) to converse with God the Father (See Galatians 4:6) in Jesus name (See John 16:23-24).

Always Worshiping (In Word and Spirit)

We value worship as our primary and highest calling as creations of God. Worship gives us the privilege of responding to Gods love for us, reflecting Gods glory in us, and revealing Gods salvation to a lost world around us. Worship is a response and will grow or shrink in direct proportion to our view of [God]." We therefore "Praise the LORD" and "give thanks" because "He is good" and "His love endures forever'' (Psalm 106:1). Gods character and loving commitment to us are fuel for a passionate response of worship. As the Creator, God has invested His glory and image in us. Consequently, in all that we do, whether private or public, at home, work or school, we worship as we seek to accurately reflect the character of God in our lives (See 1 Corinthians 10:31). Because worship is not only heard and seen by God but also by others around us, it has the ability to reveal and declare Gods character and salvation. "Sing to the LORD, praise His name; proclaim His salvation day after day. Declare His glory among the nations, His marvelous deeds among all peoples" (Psalm 96:1-3). It is our joy and privilege to worship God and reveal His glory and saving love.

Always Pursuing (Word and Spirit)

We value Gods Word as having the first and final say about who God is, who we are, how we can know Him and how we should live our lives. Gods Word has authority because it is "Godbreathed" (2 Timothy 3:16). It directs us as "a lamp to our feet and a light for [our] path" (Psalm 119:105). Also, it is always relevant since "heaven and earth will pass away, but Gods+ words will never pass away" (Mark 13:31). While Gods Word is His revelation to us it was never Gods intention for us to have a relationship with a book, but with Himself, through His Spirit. It is through the "Spirit of
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adoption" that we "cry out, Abba, Father" (Romans 8:15). Christians are not those who simply agree to a creed or intellectually ascent to a set of doctrines, but those who have been, and continue to be, "filled with the Holy Spirit" (Ephesians 5:18). In addition, we are "being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit" (Ephesians 2:22). Therefore, as a community of the Spirit, we experience His presence and expect His power to be demonstrated among us through the "gifts of the Spirit" (Romans 12:68, 1 Corinthians 12:1-14:40, 1 Peter 4:10-11) "for the strengthening of the church" (1 Corinthians 14:26) "so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 4:11).

Always Participating
We value the participation of every member of the church body. Just as a human body ceases to be fully effective without any of its parts, we depend upon the active participation of each person to be all God has called us to be. Paul made it clear that each person's contributions and giftings are equally necessary when he said, "those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable" (1 Corinthians 12:22). There are no spectators in church life; we are all players, playing our unique role "for the common good" (See 1 Corinthians 12:7). When we gather together to worship, pray, and hear Gods word, "everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation" (1 Corinthians 14:26). The goal of leadership is to see the full participation of every member of the church. Leaders are to "prepare Gods people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built upas each part does its work" (Ephesians 4:12,16).

The Prophetic Work and Word of God for Church in the Boro

10 Churches in 20 Years. Early on, it has been a part of Church in the Boros DNA that a healthy and mature local church will be reproducing itself. This led to a prophetic sense and vision for Church in the Boro to reproduce itself 10 times over in the next 20 years. Since then, there is a constant recall to our purpose of getting ready to either uproot ourselves to plant a new church, or else stay, send, and support those who are going. At the 12 Days of Prayer, December 2009. A non-member of Church in the Boro attended our 12 day prayer meeting and prophesied seeing a large oak tree. Its root system ran underground, but it was growing a new root system that was slowly choking out the old root system. From this new root system sprung up smaller oak trees all around the large oak tree. She prophesied that the old root system represented the old way of doing church in Statesboro. The new root system was a new and fresh method of doing church, and one which would result in the springing up of new works all over town.

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The sense Rob and Brice had the next night was two-fold. First, the new root system was applicable in a thinking-outside-the-box mindset as far as church planting goes. Second, the smaller trees represent works around Statesboro which would primarily be in the poor and economically less-fortunate neighborhoods (e.g. rent-by-the-week motels, housing projects, government assisted apartment housing, etc.). Jesus told His disciples to pursue those who would never be able to pay them back in anyway. Those people are in smaller sub-communities around Statesboro whom the churches in town typically look at as charities. The prayer and goal now is to blossom where we are planted. Brice and Rob are praying and working toward a work in their poverty-stricken neighborhood, with a church in the hood approach on the horizon. Our desire is to encourage and see families uprooting where they are in more traditional, white, middle-class, suburban housing, and move into these sub-communities to live and work among these groups of people who are largely unreached.

Envision 2010, in St. Louis, MO. At a meeting of pastors, teachers, and prophets styled much after the meeting we see in Acts 13:1 ff. a church leader from another Newfrontiers church in another state prophesied over Brice that he saw him becoming too comfortable where he was. Instead, God had called Brice to be a Tarzan in a jungle, swinging from trees, and living the adventure God had truly called him to. Today that is translating into a desire to begin simply gathering people in his neighborhood to build a church in a community where these people will never step foot into the doors of Church in the Boro on a Sunday morning. Church Plant in Jacksonville, FL. For the first half of 2010 there was a stirring in Brices heart to plant a church in Jacksonville, FL. A church plant in that area seemed to be confirmed by a dream Rob had, without having ever heard of Brices desire to plant in Jacksonville, FL. Later at Envision 2010 a prophetic word was given about a church plant in Jacksonville, FL from someone who had no knowledge of Brices desires. Other Prophetic Words

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Session Three Assignment:

Read Appendix Three: Values of Newfrontiers Review the Values of Newfrontiers and Church in the Boro in this lesson. Then consider them more carefully, asking where you may disagree, need more information, or need greater maturity. Restoring the Church o Do you understand the concept of restoring the church? [ ] Yes [ ] No o What would be your view of the church, particularly in America, based on your own experience?

Making Disciples o Do you understand the concept of making disciples Jesus referred to? [ ] Yes [ ] No o What areas do you think you need to grow in, to be a disciple-maker?

Training Leaders o Do you understand the concept of Ephesians 4 ministries? [ ] Yes [ ] No o Do you agree with the five-fold ministry concept for today? [ ] Yes [ ] No o What issues or questions might you have with this understanding of church leadership and ministry in the local church today?

Starting Churches o Do you recall how the disciples interpreted Jesus Great Commission? o Would you say that your life reflects a commitment to this understanding and application of the Great Commission? [ ] Yes [ ] No

Reaching the Nations o Would you say that you take the promises seriously that we read about in Acts 1:8 and Revelation 7:9? [ ] Yes [ ] No (If not, what can you do to increase your understanding and desire for these promises? o What nations might be represented in your immediate neighborhood? At your work? In your university classes?

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