At the corner of Christianity and culture.

WE CAN DO BETTER!

A HIGHER STANDARD PART 2: THE CHURCH

Lesson #12 — November 19, 2014

A Higher Standard for the ChurchA Roadmap for This Study

I. Mediocrity: Lowering the Bar

II. Solutions: Hitting the Mark

Mediocrity | Lowering the Bar

2 Corinthians 10:12 Revelation 3:15-16

Passages

Mediocrity | Lowering the Bar

1. Attend church fairly regularly (Isa. 29:13). 2. Give money to charity and to the church (Luke 21:1-4). 3. Tend to choose what is popular over what is right when they are in conflict (Luke 6:26). 4. Don’t really want to be saved from their sin (John 10:10) 5. Never act upon their faith (James 1:22; 4:17) 6. Rarely share their faith with others (Mat. 10:32-33). 7. Gauge their “goodness” by the world (Luke 18:11-12).

Profile of the Mediocre:

Mediocrity | Lowering the Bar

8. Jesus is a part of their life – only a part (Luke 9:57-62). 9. Love God, but not with their all (Mat. 22:37-38). 10. Love others but do not seek to love others as much as they love themselves (Mat. 5:43-45; Luke 14:12-14). 11. Will serve God and others, but there are limits to how far they will go (Luke 18:21-25). 12. Think about life here more than eternal life (Phil. 3:18-20).

Profile of the Mediocre:

Mediocrity | Lowering the Bar

13. Do whatever is necessary to keep themselves from feeling too guilty (Mat. 13:44-46). 14. Feel secure because they do the bare minimum (Mat. 7:21). 15. Do not life by faith; their lives are structured so they never have to (Luke 12:16-21). 16. Probably drink and swear less than average, but besides that, aren’t very different from the typical unbeliever.

Profile of the Mediocre:

Mediocrity | Lowering the Bar

It can turn the church into a country club.

Anything less than your best is unbiblical. (Mat. 6:33; Luke 13:24; Gal. 5:24; 2:20)

Perils of Mediocrity

Solutions | Hitting the Mark

1. The Courage to Care 2. The Dare to Dream (Eph. 3:20) 3. The Willingness to Work (Eph. 2:10):

- Mighty Ministers – Acts 20:26-27; 2 Tim. 4:1-5 - Enlightened Elders – Acts 20:28 - Dedicated Deacons – 1 Tim. 3:10 - Faithful Followers – 1 Pet. 3:15; Heb. 10:24-25

We are the church.Three Dynamics of Christian Excellence:

Solutions | Hitting the MarkWe are the church.

Three Dynamics of Christian Excellence:“Re-Understanding” the Church:

ekklesia – Assembly, a calling out, a popular meeting Matthew 16:18; Acts 2:47; 5:11; 8:1, 3; 9:31; 11:22

At the corner of Christianity and culture.

WE CAN DO BETTER!

A HIGHER STANDARD PART 2: THE CHURCH

Lesson #12 — November 19, 2014

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