Having a healthy local church Series – part 1
Preached at Minden Baptist Church
(3/6/2018 → 28/9/2018)
The Apostle Paul wrote letters to Timothy, Titus, and Philemon. Timothy was a young pastor in the big city of Ephesus and he needed help. In all of these letters, we discover the most essential spiritual health characteristics needed as leaders, pastors, elders, deacons, and indeed anyone involved in ministry in the church so that the church can grow to be a healthy local church. One of the themes that keep coming up through all four letters is the characteristic of "faithfulness."
If you would ask me as the pastor of a church what is the most important characteristic that I need for a worker in the church it would not be ability or talents it would be that I need a person who is reliable and faithful and turns up on time and doesn’t forget their ministry in the church. I think it is the number one quality and that's why this sermon series is so important. No wonder that in the end, the words of Jesus that will be most important for his servants will be, "Well done, good and faithful servant." (Matt. 25:23)
When something is predictable and reliable you can plan and you know where you are headed. If we had people in the church who are reliable and don’t complain and love and put their whole heart into their job, then I believe that any church will explode in growth. It's as simple as that. We, the church are sometimes the biggest hindrance to the growth of the church.
God is looking for faithful men and women. Men and women like you and me. Paul wanted Timothy and Titus and Philemon to just stick to their job and not be discouraged. The more faithful one becomes, the more responsibility one will receive. There are two main resources that we have been given to use: money and time. And what we do with these two resources and how we have been faithful with them determines our reward in heaven.
Attached Files
| File | Action |
|---|---|
| 1. 1 Tim. 1:1-11 "Introduction to the healthy local church series" | Download |
| 2. 1 Tim. 1:12-17 "A healthy church preaches the gospel" | Download |
| 3. 1 Tim. 1:18-20 "A healthy church defends the gospel" | Download |
| 4. 1 Tim. 2:1-8 "A healthy church sees the men praying" | Download |
| 5. 1 Tim. 2:9-15 "A healthy church sees the women helping" | Download |
| 6. 1 Tim. 3:1-7 "A healthy church needs healthy elders" | Download |
| 7. 1 Tim. 3:8-13 "A healthy church needs healthy deacons" | Download |
| 8. 1 Tim. 3:14-16 "A healthy church needs healthy members" | Download |
| 9. 1 Tim. 4:1-7 "An unhealthy church has unhealthy teaching" | Download |
| 10. 1 Tim. 4:7-16 "A healthy Christian practices Godliness" | Download |
| 11. 1 Tim. 5:1-16 "A healthy church helps the widows and the marginalised" | Download |
| 12. 1 Tim. 5:17-25 "How the church can be faithful to its leaders" | Download |
| 13. 1 Tim. 6:1-5 "Three fleshly areas destroying the church today part 1" | Download |
| 14. 1 Tim. 6:6-10 "Three fleshly areas destroying the church today part 2" | Download |
| 15. 1 Tim. 6:11-15a "Flee, follow, fight and fulfill" | Download |
| 16. 1 Tim. 6:15b-21 "A healthy church lives and travels light" | Download |
