THEALLIANCE
WEDNESDAY MORNING – DR. JOHN STUMBO
May 2015
Beliefs we hold
Mission we share
Relationships we value
Beliefs we LIVE
CALLING we share
RELATIONSHIPS we are committed to
THEALLIANCE
We are A Christ-Centered, Acts 1:8 Family
Christ-Centered
Acts 1:8
But you will receive power when the
Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be
my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea
and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
– Acts 1:8
Christ-Centered
Acts 1:8
Family
In my vision at night I looked, and there
before me was One like a son of man, coming
with the clouds of heaven. He approached the
Ancient of Days and was led into his presence.
– Daniel 7:13
He was given authority, glory and sovereign
power; all peoples, nations and men of every
language worshiped him. His dominion is an
everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and
his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.
– Daniel 7:14
. . . children born not of natural descent,
nor of human decision or a husband's will,
but born of God.
– John 1:13
How then shall we live?
As a Christ-Centered, Acts 1:8 Family
WE WILL
LOVE
1If
I speak in the tongues of men and of angels,
but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or
a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy
and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge,
and if I have a faith that can move mountains . . .
– I Cor. 13:1-2a
. . . but have not love, I am nothing.
– I Cor. 13:2b
If I give all I possess to the poor and
surrender my body to the flames, but
have not love, I gain nothing.
– I Cor. 13:3
The greatest commandment is: LOVE
– Matthew 22:34-40
The greatest of these (faith, hope and love) is LOVE.
– I Cor. 13:13
LOVE is the most excellent way.
– I Cor. 12:31b
They will know you are my disciples by your LOVE.
– John 13:35
The fulfillment of the Law is LOVE.
– Romans 13:10, Gal. 5:14
5 REASONS
Why We Should Take Seriously This Call to Love
#1
Biblical Priority
#2
Any church that is not a
loving church is not the
church that Christ intends
#3
Only a loving church
will bring long term,
positive change to the world
#4
Only a loving church
will be embraced by the
arising generations
#5
As animosity increases against
the church, our clearest and most
compelling answer is LOVE
To be a great soul winner, a man must
first be a great (soul) lover.
– A. B. Simpson
Love is at the core of everything
God has done for us, so love must be
at the core of everything we do.
– Jerry Kragt, Alliance IW
27“But
I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies,
do good to those who hate you, 28bless those who
curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.
– Luke 6:27-31
32“If
you love those who love you, what credit is
that to you? Even ‘sinners’ love those who love them.
– Luke 6:32-35a
It’s not complicated. Love the person
standing in front of you.
– Mark Young, Alliance Pastor
And I pray that you, being rooted and established in
love, 18may have power, together with all the saints, to
grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love
of Christ
– Eph. 3:17b-18
to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you
may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
– Eph. 3:19
The soul is endued by the Creator with a
strange and exquisite power of loving.
– A. B. Simpson
As a Christ-Centered, Acts 1:8 Family
WE WILL
PROCLAIM
The church is increasingly seeing
itself as a transformative member of
the community, not an isolated
fortress from the community.
Enter & Bless
Show & Tell
In your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be
prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks
you to give the reason for the hope that you
have.
But do this with gentleness and respect.
– 1 Peter 3:15
Our generation is losing the need and
ability to articulate faith.
– Ben Stewart, ENVISION
As a Christ-Centered, Acts 1:8 Family
WE WILL
REACH
All authority in heaven and earth has been given
to me, therefore go make disciples.
You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes
upon you and you shall be my witnesses.
We are being called to REACH
People on the Move
People of All Ages
People Lacking Access
We are being called to REACH
People on the Move
Diaspora (di·as·po·ra)
the dispersion of any people from
their original homeland.
And you are to love those who are foreigners,
for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt.
– Deut. 10:19
We are being called to REACH
People on all Ages
We are being called to REACH
People Lacking Access
As a Christ-Centered, Acts 1:8 Family
WE WILL
LAUNCH
36Seeing
the people, He felt compassion for them,
because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep
without a shepherd.37Then He said to His disciples,
“The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.
38Therefore
beseech the Lord of the harvest to
send out workers into His harvest.”
– Matthew 9:36-38 (NASB)
May God allow us to LAUNCH new waves of
church planters
May God allow us to LAUNCH new waves of
“greenhouse” churches
May God allow us to LAUNCH new waves of
multi-cultural churches
May God allow us to LAUNCH new waves of
“threshold” churches
(Fresh Start)
May God allow us to LAUNCH new waves of
students into our
colleges and seminary
May God allow us to LAUNCH new waves of
musicians, poets, and artists
May God allow us to LAUNCH new waves of
Strategically Minded Donors
Where are the resources?
7%
93%
Assets
Cash
June 2011, “Growing Philanthropy in America” by Blackbaud
May God allow us to LAUNCH new expressions of
multi-generational ministry
May God allow us to LAUNCH new expressions of
lay ministry
May God allow us to LAUNCH new waves of
international workers
Which of these two story lines is true?
#1
We’re in a losing battle
#2
We’re in the midst of a
great God story
24Then
the end will come, when he (Jesus) hands over
the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed
all dominion, authority and power. 25For he must reign
until he has put all his enemies under his feet.
– I Cor. 15:24-25
This is not a human endeavor
we are undertaking.
– Tim Meier, ENVISION