Purposefully Focused as the Body of Christ!

The Vision of Calvary Baptist Church is

to be a vibrant church which exalts Christ,

edifies the Body, and evangelizes the Lost.

 

The Mission of Calvary Baptist Church is

to believe and live the Word of God in the

world to the praise and Glory of God

  • Vision: A vibrant church that exalts Christ, edifies the Body, and evangelizes the Lost.

    • "A Vibrant Church…

    Vibrant:

    1) Oscillating or pulsating rapidly;

    2) Pulsating with life, vigor, or activity [~personality], responsive and sensitive; 3) Bright.

    [taken from Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary]

     

    Church [Ekkljsia]:

    1) Literally: Called-out ones

    2) An Assembly

    3) Church [to distinguish between a) the whole body; and b) the local congregation (house church)]

    [taken from The Theological Dictionary of New Testament Words page 397ff]

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    What does Biblical Vibrancy look like? Ephesians 4: 11-16; 5:1; Philippians 2:5-18

    Our Never Ending Pursuit for Spiritual Vibrancy:

      • Eph. 2:19-22
      • Eph. 3:14-21; 4:11-16
      • Rev. 2:1-3:22
      • Biblical Vibrancy exists in the individual and within the corporate body in which The Spirit of God is allowed to work without any hindrances and the Word & Will of God is lived without compromise.

    What brings about & hinders Spiritual Vibrancy?

    • The Roadblock(s) to Vibrant Living: Sin!
    • The Manner of Removing Roadblocks [Sin]: Repentance!
      • Matt 18:3 = begins with Conversation [if not repented of, then the following verses/ method applies]
      • 1 Thess. 4:1-6 = continues through Sanctification
      • The Prayer/ Continuation for Vibrancy: Psalm 139:23!

    How to maintain Spiritual Vibrancy? Eph. 4: 11-16; Phil. 2:12-13! Obedience!

    Vision: A vibrant church that exalts Christ, edifies the Body, and evangelizes the Lost.

    …that exalts Christ,...

    Exalt [hupsoma/ hyperypsoo]

    • an elevated place or thing; 
    • elevation or elation (Eminence, high place);
    • 3) raised to the highest position.

    Preeminence [Col. 1:18 proteuo]

    to be first in rank or influence

    [taken from The Theological Dictionary of New Testament Words pg. 1241ff]

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    Christ is the object of the Church's exaltation: Colossians 1:18!

     

    • Why should we exalt Christ & not Someone/Something Else?
      • Christ is the Head of All Things: Ephesians 1:22
      • Christ is Head of the Church: Ephesians 1:22; 5:23
      • The Church is His Body and therefore He possesses us:  Ephesians 1:23; Acts 20:28
    • What should our response be to Christ's preeminence?
      • The Church's supreme duty is submission to Christ as Head: Ephesians 4: 11-16; 5:24
    • How do we become a Church which exalts Christ?
      • Answer: we become individuals which exalt Christ in our lives everyday!
      • How? Colossians 3:1-11; Eph. 4:11-16

    As His Body, we have a great privilege to live according to His Holy Standard—Himself!

    Vision: A vibrant church that exalts Christ, edifies the Body, and evangelizes the Lost.

    …edifies the Body,…

    Edifies [oikodomeo]

    1) Literally: to be a house-builder;

    2) to construct;

    3) Figuratively: to embolden, to strengthen, to build up.

    Summary: living life with a total attitude of looking out for another's wellbeing.

    [taken from Strong's Exhaustive Concordance & The Theological Dictionary of New Testament Words]

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    How does edification of the Body occur?

    • Through Equipped Saints doing the work of the Ministry: Ephesians 4:11-12; Matt. 28:18-20
    • Person-To-Person and then People-To-People: 1 Cor. 14:3ff; Eph. 4:11-16; Rom. 15:2
    • Our lives are to be lived for the edification of others: 2 Cor. 13:10; Rom. 15:1-6; 1 Cor. 14: 12, 14, 26

    The Nature of Edification:

    • Truth & Love: Ephesians 4:15 [True Love Edifies - 1 Cor. 8:1; 2 Cor. 12:19; Rom. 15:2]
    • Edification takes pulling your own weight – Ephesians 4:16
    • Edification takes work and discipline – Ephesians 4:16

    The Outcome of Equipped Saints and an Edified Body of Believers:

    • Ephesians 4:13-16
    • 1 Timothy 1:4

    The Goal of Edification: Ephesians 2:19-22 [esp. 21-22]

    Vision: A vibrant church that exalts Christ, edifies the Body, and evangelizes the Lost.

    …and evangelizes the Lost."

    Evangelize [euangelizomai]

    • To proclaim good news;
    • To deliver a message;
    • To announce a victory or to bring good tidings/ news

    Summary: to deliver good and victorious news to those who are in desperate need of aid, encouragement, and help.

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    What is to be proclaimed as the "good news"? Rom. 1:1ff, 1 Cor. 15:1ff, Acts 26:22-23, and 1 Pt. 1:10-25

    • Evangelizing should not be bound only to proclamation but also preaching, teaching, and witnessing.
    • Jesus is not just bringing a new teaching but is bringing himself as the content of the message, so that for the disciples [of Christ] euangelion implies disclosure of the messianic secret [TDNT 270].

    The Result of Evangelizing:

    • Healing [Mat. 4:23
    • Joy [Acts 8:8]
    • Salvation [1 Cor. 15:1-2]
    • Regeneration [1 Pt. 1:23ff]

    Who possesses the responsibility to Evangelize?  Those who have been recipients of the good news themselves!

    • Matt. 5:13ff
    • 1 Peter 3:15ff
    • Matt. 28:18ff
    • Acts 1:8

    Where should evangelizing occur?

    • Matt. 5:13ff – in the world!
    • Acts 1:8 = locally, regionally, nationally, and globally!

    Mission: "To believe and live the Word of God in the world to the praise and Glory of God."

    "To believe [and live] the Word of God…

    Believe [pisteuo]

    • to credit;
    • to have faith in, to entrust;
    • to commit or to devote

    Summary: to place absolute devotion in someone, something, or some idea as true, liberating, or purposeful! ____________________________________________________________________ ___

    To Begin [belief unto Salvation]: A Person becomes apart of the Church at the moment of belief in Christ as Savior – Romans 10:9-11; 1 Cor. 12:18ff!

    To Continue [belief/ trust should grow stronger & stronger]: A person or a church must decide from where they will receive guidance, Truth, and understanding for decision-making, order, correction, etc. – 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4!

     What is the Word of God? Any manner in which He reveals Himself!

        • General Revelation: Creation – Romans 1:20-21
        • Specific Revelation:
          • Prophets--Hebrews 1:1
          • Jesus --Hebrews 1: 2
          • The Scriptures--2 Timothy 3:15-16; 2 Peter 3:16
          • You, The Church, and the Scriptures: Matthew 18:18-20; 1 Timothy 3:15; 2 Timothy 2:15; 2 Peter 1:20!

    To believe the Word of God means to receive the total counsel of God as True, place our complete trust in what He says is right and good, and then order our lives accordingly!

    Mission: "To believe and live the Word of God in the world to the praise and Glory of God."

    "To [believe] and live the Word of God…

    Live [zao]

    • physical vitality or organic beings;
    • Not a thing but a vitality that characterizes all living Things

    [taken from The Theological Dictionary of New Testament Words, pg. 290ff]

    Summary: "Living" denotes a spiritual vitality that occurs through obedience to God.

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    Physical life originates & is sustained by God Himself: Gen. 2:7; Ps. 104:29-30!

    Spiritual life originates & is sustained by God Himself: Acts 22:22; Jn. 5:26; 1 Cor. 15:45!

    The Path to True Life:

    Born Physically Alive but Spiritually Dead -- Ephesians 2:1-3

    ↓  ↓  ↓  ↓

    But God – Ephesians 2:4a = God intervenes for our benefit & His Glory!

    ↓  ↓  ↓  ↓

    Born Again, through Christ, and made spiritually alive -- Acts 17:28; Ephesians 2:1a &2:4-10

    ↓  ↓  ↓  ↓

    Our Response to Our Spiritually Alive State = LIVE FOR HIM! Ephesians2:10!

    • Where do we find instruction on what it means to LIVE FOR HIM?
      • Psalm 119:105
      • Psalm 1 
      • 2 Timothy 3:15-16
    • How do we Live for Him? What does Living for Him look like?
      • Acts 25:24
      • Rom. 1:17; 8:12ff
      • Heb. 10:38
      • 1 Pt. 2:24ff
    • How Does the Church Ultimately Live for Him? Ephesians 3:10!
    • Mission: "To believe and live the Word of God in the world to the praise and Glory of God."

    …in the world…

    World [kosmos]

    1) Orderly arrangement, by implication: the world;

    2) Adornment

    World [aion]

     an age, a course, eternal, forevermore

    World [oikoumene]

    land, terrain, the globe (i.e the Roman Empire)

    Kosmos:

    • In New Testament: kosmos never means "Order."
    • The Sense of Adornment: of a woman [1 Peter 3:3]
    • The Sense of Universe—the sum of all created beings [Acts 17:24]
    • The Sense of The Theatre of Human Life – the inhabited world [Rom. 1:8]
    • The Sense of Fallen Mankind – the Setting for Salvation History [ Mk. 16:15]
    • Our Response as The Church to the World:
      • We are not to love the lifestyle of fallenness [i.e. the lifestyle of the world]:
          • Jn. 17:14ff
          • Rom 12:2
          • Col 2:20
          • 2 Tim. 4:10
          • 1 Peter 5:9
          • 1 Jn. 2:15, 4:5
      • We are, However, to love fallen People & called to help them!
          • Jn 3:16 – God loved the world, so should we
          • Matt 28:18; Mk 16:15 – We are to go into the World
          • Matt. 5:13-16 -- we are the light of the world, salt of the earth
          • Jn 17:15ff – we are sent into the world by Christ
  • We are to separate from the sins of the world, but we are not to separate ourselves to the point that we withdraw the testimony of Jesus Christ from society!

    • Mission: "To believe and live the Word of God in the world to the praise and Glory of God."

    …to the praise and Glory of God."

    Praise

    Doxa : glory (as very apparent); dignity, glorious, honor, worship

    Epainos: laudation, a commendable thing

    Glory

    Doxa: glory (as very apparent); dignity, glorious, honor, worship

    Kauchaomai: to vaunt (in a good or bad sense); boasting, to glory of, glorifying, rejoicing

    Summary: to boast, glory, and worship the greatest dignitary—GOD!

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    Why should Mankind Glorify God? Because God Glories in Himself!

    • Arrogant for God? No!  Why? Ultimate Being! 1 Sam. 12:22;  Is. 48:11; Phil. 1:10-11; Jn. 15:8ff; Rev. 11:13; Matt. 5:16.
    • Arrogant for me to glory in my? Yes! Why? Placing myself as Supreme when I am Not!

    What does it mean to glorify God [taken from Jonathan Edwards, The End for Which God Created the World, pgs. 229-239]?

      • Glory denotes internal excellence or greatness –2 Sam. 19:43; Dan. 5:27
      • Glory is the outshining of the internal greatness or excellence --1 Cor. 15:41; Is. 6:1-3, 60:1-2; Lk. 2:9; Heb. 1:3; Rev. 18:1]
        • Glory refers to God's goodness and grace: Eph. 3:16; Ex. 33:18-19
      • God's Glory is the honor accorded him by the creature: Ezekiel 39:21-13: to see and know by the creature the inter goodness and greatness of God.
      • God's glory is the praise He receives from His creature: Ps. 50:23; Is. 48:9-11; Phil. 1:11
  • How does mortal man suppose to glorify God?
    • Reflecting His Character/Goodness is all we can do…we cannot add anything to God for He is complete in and of Himself.
      • Bring Him Glory? Only if we reflect! Ephesians 1:12; 5:1
    • How? Christ-likeness – Philippians 2:5-11!
    • To Glorify God is our created purpose and His ultimate reason for creating.  Therefore, the entire function of the Church is to reflect the character of God

    Vision & Mission