There is More to Come!

            Has Christ made a difference your life?  How has that difference shaped your life and your relationships?  Are you changing, growing, and becoming more effective as a Christian?  Has the ministry of Emmanuel Church ministered to you along the way?

            I praise the Lord that over the years the ministry of Emmanuel Church has been instrumental in touching people’s lives! 

            In 1978 Pastor Charles Stanford started a Christian School which was housed in these buildings until 1995.  The school was closed here and was given a rebirth as an independent Christian School and continues in operation as Mountain Home Christian Academy.  Hundreds of young people have been taught the Word of God through what was begun at Emmanuel Church.

            In the early days of the church a young couple by the name of Gary and Gail Cooper were members of Emmanuel Church … and God used this church in calling them and preparing them to become missionaries!  They have ministered in Guatemala, Germany and much of Europe, Africa, and they are presently in the United Arab Emirates.  Thousands of people have heard the gospel because of something that happened at Emmanuel Church!

            Sam and Alice Beck were a part of our fellowship for several years as they took a Sabbatical from working in Guatemala.  We had the joy of helping them return to Guatemala where they ministered for several years before retiring last year and returning to Mountain Home.  We helped change lives in Guatemala!

            We recently sent Ken and Sherry Whiteside as missionaries to Nicaragua where he is pastoring a church and winning souls to Christ.  We have received several reports of people being born again, baptized in the Holy Spirit, deliverances, and healings!  We are touching lives in Nicaragua!

            The White River Marathon for Kenya is coming up November the 20th.  The idea for this ministry was birthed at Emmanuel Church with God speaking to Laura Kasinger’s heart about developing a running ministry that would support missions.  We took the idea to the other pastor’s in our city, partnered with World Vision, and since 2004 over 1800 runners have run in the Marathon and the money from this endeavor has drilled fresh water wells in Kenya, helped by medicines, and helped children attend school! 

            Time could not permit the stories of the individual ministry that has happened in our church services, our prayer times, and our other ministries in the church and community!  In all of this, God is preparing us for greater ministry in the future!

            I would like for us to look at how the early church began the dynamic ministry they had in the Book of Acts.  The Day of Pentecost had birthed the church with the power of the Holy Spirit and Peter stood up and preached:

Acts 2:40-47

40 And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, "Be saved from this perverse generation."

41 Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.

42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.

43 Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.

44 Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common,

45 and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.

46 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart,

47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.

            The early church was involved in nine activities in this passage. But it is the first four activities which are the minimum of what a church must do in order to accomplish the ministry given to them by God. 

42 … the apostles' doctrine 

            The church in Acts didn’t have the New Testament, but the Apostles taught the doctrines of Jesus from the Old Testament as well as their recall of what Jesus said in His ministry.  The preaching and the teaching of the whole Word of God is the most basic thing which a church must do.  The Bible must be our text book!

            The Apostle Paul told Timothy:

2 Tim 4:2-5

2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season.  Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.

3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers;

4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.

5 But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

            We may live in an age when the teachings of the Bible is unpopular and scorned, but that does not change the Word nor the power of the Word!  God has not changed and His Word has not changed!  Heaven and Earth may pass away but God’s Word endures forever!  I encourage you to read it, memorize it, sing it, think about it, and most of all allow it to change your life!  We are committed to allowing the Word of God shape our lives and our ministry at Emmanuel Church!

            The first activity of the early church was to continue steadfastly in the apostles doctrine.  The next activity of the early church was …

42 … fellowship

            To the early church fellowship was as important as the apostle’s doctrine!  Fellowship is more than having a church dinner but it is being together ... we might call it “regular attendance in church.”  Together in worship, together to share burdens, together to listen, together to visit one another, together to grow in love for God and one another.  Together!

            In addition to Sunday morning worship there are Bible classes each Sunday morning at 9:30 a.m. and we have some kind of service or ministry each Sunday evening at 6:00.  Each Tuesday morning we have a prayer time at 9:00 a.m. and the ladies meet with Victoria at 10 a.m. for Women’s Ministries.  On Wednesday evening there is a prayer time at 6:00 p.m. with worship and Bible study at 7:00 p.m.  Other activities are scheduled in your bulletin.  Tonight is our chili cook-off!

            I don’t think we are to be legalistic about being in church but fellowship is part of a solid foundation for your faith and for the vitality of our church.

            The apostle’s doctrine, fellowship, and they also broke bread together.

42 … in the breaking of bread,

            Breaking bread together may have involved the Communion, but it was more than that.  It was spending time together in friendship.  This involves getting acquainted with fellow believers in the church, interacting with one another both at the church and at times during the week.  It involves church dinners and going for a meal together following the services.  Once a month we have home fellowship groups … you are invited!  In addition to that …almost every Sunday and Wednesday evening we break bread together at Hardees!  You can even invite someone over to your house!

46 … breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart,

            Building a church … or building a Christian life … requires a group of people to become involved in one another’s lives.  We are called to become friends, confidants, prayer support, and counselors for one another.  We are to know and be known!  Who really knows you?  Who do you really know?

            The apostle’s doctrine, fellowship, breading bread together and

42  in prayers.

            A vital, exciting, God breathed Church is one that prays.  The exercise of prayer is the exercise of talking to God and listening to what the Holy Spirit speaks to our heart.  Preaching, teaching, fellowshipping, breaking bread together, and not praying …leaves the heart of God out of our ministry.  When the early church needed power, they prayed!

Acts 4:31

31 And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.

Acts 16:25-26

 … at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing … Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken …

            It’s time we get the power of God to shake our lives, shake our city, and to shake our nation!  God’s activity of shaking our world is in response to our prayers.  It’s time that the church PRAYS!

            The apostle’s doctrine, fellowship, breading bread together and prayer.

            The results?

43 Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.

            God’s power was evident!  Souls were saved, people were healed!  The rest of this passage gives the results of these four foundational principles of church:

45 … anyone had need  ... Needs were met.

46 … with one accord  ... People worked together with grace. 

47 praising God  ... Worship was spontaneous!

47 having favor with all the people ... They had a favorable impact on their community.

47 And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved ... Souls were saved!

 Church is: The apostle’s doctrine, fellowship, breading bread together, and prayer.  We are already making a great impact on our community ... but THERE IS MORE TO COME!