Series: Whatever It Takes
Message: Shift Your Circle
REVIEW:
This week we pulled back the curtain on church strategy to see the importance of shifting your strategy by Shifting Your Circle.
There is a common strategy accepted by churches that you need a certain amount of "Churched" people in order for the ministry to work. These churched people are consistently, high percentage givers and the thought is that they will fund the ministry to go out and reach the "un-churched." In Sunday's message we called the "churched" people the Small Circle and everyone else the Big Circle.
In John chapter 6, we see Jesus speaking to about 20,000 people! He looks at His disciples and asks them where they are going to get food to feed everybody. Feeding the crowd was a Big Circle problem. Jesus did not attract the religious elite. He attracted the people who needed help and needed hope!
The disciples could not get their minds around how they could possibly get this massive task done. Philip counted up how much money it would cost and Andrew searched for food but found WAY too little. The disciples were trying to solve a Big Circle problem with a Small Circle strategy.
Andrew had found one little boy with one small meal. Jesus took the little boys lunch, and turned it into more than enough food for everyone! In this we learned a crucial lesson:
THE RESOURCES ARE IN THE HARVEST
In other words, the very thing that the church needs to thrive and reach more people in the Big Circle, exists IN the Big Circle. If we are faithful to continue doing the work that Jesus gave us to do, He will be faithful in providing what we need to get it done!
APPLY:
MetaChurch is in the middle of fundraising for a new permanent space that will hold significantly more people. (www.metachurch.tv/whateverittakes) We are trusting God that the Resources are in the Harvest.
When have you had to take a "leap of faith" in life that God would provide for you?
When have you allowed the fear of not having enough to keep you from acting?
MetaChurch decided before we ever launched to Shift Our Circle. We go after the Big Circle HARD!
How have you seen church prioritize religion over relationships in your life?
How have you seen religion compromise its mission for the comfort of those who fund it?
What is one area of your life that you need to trust God in today?
PRAY:
Continue to pray for the Whatever It Takes initiative to get funded. Ask God to move on the hearts of people toward generosity. Spend time allowing the Holy Spirit to show you areas of your life where you are struggling to fully trust in God's provision for your life and resolve to move forward with faith.
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