Celebrating Saddleback: Values of Grace and Growth

 

Summary

In this message, we explore the unique values that define Saddleback Church, especially as we celebrate our 40th anniversary. We begin by emphasizing the importance of baptism and inviting those who haven't yet been baptized to take this step. As we reflect on the question of why we have a church, we delve into the distinct values that set Saddleback apart from other churches, even as we share common Christian foundations.

The first value, represented by the "S" in Saddleback, is being a "second chance place of grace." This means we are a community where everyone can find a fresh start, free from shame, and filled with compassion and forgiveness. We recognize that everyone is broken and in need of recovery, and we offer support through testimonies, counseling, and various ministries.

The "A" stands for being an "all nation congregation," intentionally embracing diversity in ethnicity, nationality, and generation. We strive to be a church that looks like heaven, where all races and cultures are welcomed and respected, reflecting God's love for variety.

The first "D" highlights our focus on "doable discipleship," where we emphasize not just hearing God's Word but actively living it out. We encourage practical application of biblical teachings, ensuring that our faith is demonstrated through our actions.

The second "D" represents our "deliberate pathway for personal growth." We provide a clear and practical track for spiritual development, modeled after Jesus' approach to discipleship. This includes moving from knowing Christ to serving and sharing Him with others.

The "L" stands for "love in action," where we demonstrate our love through tangible acts of service, both locally and globally. Our PEACE plan addresses major global issues, and we encourage personal involvement in meeting needs as they arise.

These values, along with others like empowered members, bold faith, authentic fellowship, creative outreach, and being kid and family-focused, form the unique thumbprint of Saddleback Church. We invite everyone to join us in this journey of faith, growth, and service.

Key Takeaways:

1. Second Chance Place of Grace: At Saddleback, we embrace the brokenness in everyone, offering a community where grace abounds and shame is absent. This value is rooted in the understanding that everyone needs recovery, and we provide support through testimonies, counseling, and ministries like Celebrate Recovery. Our church is a hospital for sinners, not a hotel for saints, where your greatest life message emerges from your mess. [06:48]

2. All Nation Congregation: We intentionally cultivate a diverse community that reflects the beauty of God's creation. Embracing every culture, language, and generation, we strive to be a church that looks like heaven. This diversity is not just a feature but a core value, as we believe that God's house is a house of prayer for all nations. [10:16]

3. Doable Discipleship: Our focus is on active faith, where we not only hear God's Word but also live it out. We emphasize practical application, encouraging believers to be doers of the Word. This approach ensures that our spiritual growth is not just theoretical but transformative, impacting our attitudes and actions. [13:31]

4. Deliberate Pathway for Personal Growth: We provide a structured and practical path for spiritual development, modeled after Jesus' discipleship approach. This journey involves moving from knowing Christ to serving and sharing Him, with clear steps and support along the way. Our purpose-driven life diamond and various classes and campaigns guide this growth. [18:07]

5. Love in Action: Our love is demonstrated through tangible acts of service, both locally and globally. The PEACE plan addresses major global issues, and we encourage personal involvement in meeting needs. Love in action is not just a program but a culture, where we respond to needs as they arise, embodying the love of Christ in practical ways. [25:00]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:10] - Baptism Invitation
- [00:54] - Series Introduction: This Is Us
- [01:09] - Why We Have Church
- [02:32] - Saddleback's Unique Values
- [04:06] - Second Chance Place of Grace
- [09:15] - All Nation Congregation
- [13:05] - Doable Discipleship
- [17:53] - Deliberate Pathway for Growth
- [23:32] - Love in Action
- [31:08] - Empowered Members
- [35:37] - Bold Faith
- [38:04] - Authentic Fellowship
- [44:58] - Creative Outreach
- [48:55] - Kid and Family Focused

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:

1. Ephesians 4:32 - "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."
2. Colossians 3:12 - "Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience."
3. 1 John 3:16-18 - "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth."

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Observation Questions:

1. What does it mean for Saddleback Church to be a "second chance place of grace," and how is this value demonstrated through its ministries? [04:06]

2. How does Saddleback Church embody the concept of an "all nation congregation," and what biblical basis supports this value? [09:15]

3. What is meant by "doable discipleship" at Saddleback Church, and how does this differ from merely hearing the Word? [13:05]

4. How does the PEACE plan illustrate the value of "love in action" at Saddleback Church? [23:32]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How might the concept of a "second chance place of grace" challenge traditional views of church as a place for the "perfect"? What implications does this have for church members? [06:22]

2. In what ways does the diversity at Saddleback Church reflect the biblical vision of a "house of prayer for all nations"? How does this diversity enhance the church community? [10:16]

3. How does the emphasis on "doable discipleship" encourage believers to live out their faith practically? What challenges might arise from this approach? [13:31]

4. How does the PEACE plan's focus on global and local issues align with the biblical call to love in action? What are the potential impacts of this approach on the community and beyond? [25:00]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a time when you needed a "second chance." How can you extend grace to others in your community who are seeking a fresh start? [06:48]

2. Consider the diversity within your own community. How can you intentionally embrace and celebrate this diversity in your interactions and relationships? [10:16]

3. Identify one area of your life where you can apply the principle of "doable discipleship." What specific steps can you take this week to live out your faith more actively? [16:22]

4. Think about a need you have observed in your local community. How can you take tangible steps to address this need, embodying the value of "love in action"? [30:03]

5. How can you contribute to creating an atmosphere of acceptance and grace in your small group or church community? What practical actions can you take to support those who are struggling? [07:06]

6. Reflect on your personal spiritual growth journey. What deliberate steps can you take to move from knowing Christ to serving and sharing Him with others? [18:07]

7. How can you be more involved in your church's efforts to address global issues through initiatives like the PEACE plan? What specific role can you play in these efforts? [25:42]

Devotional

Day 1: Embracing Grace in Brokenness
In a world where everyone carries their own burdens and scars, the concept of a "second chance place of grace" offers a sanctuary of hope and renewal. This value emphasizes the importance of creating a community where individuals can find a fresh start, free from the weight of shame and filled with compassion and forgiveness. Recognizing that everyone is broken and in need of recovery, the community provides support through testimonies, counseling, and various ministries. It is a place where one's greatest life message can emerge from their mess, transforming personal struggles into powerful testimonies of grace. [06:48]

Isaiah 61:1-3 (ESV): "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to grant to those who mourn in Zion—to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified."

Reflection: Think of a personal struggle or failure you have experienced. How can you allow God's grace to transform this into a message of hope for others today?


Day 2: Celebrating Diversity in Unity
The value of being an "all nation congregation" highlights the intentional embrace of diversity in ethnicity, nationality, and generation. This community strives to reflect the beauty of God's creation by welcoming and respecting all races and cultures. It is a church that looks like heaven, where diversity is not just a feature but a core value. This commitment to inclusivity is rooted in the belief that God's house is a house of prayer for all nations, and it seeks to embody this truth by fostering a community that mirrors the diversity of the world. [10:16]

Revelation 7:9-10 (ESV): "After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, 'Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!'"

Reflection: Consider someone from a different cultural or ethnic background in your community. How can you reach out to them today to celebrate and learn from their unique perspective?


Day 3: Living Out Faith Actively
"Doable discipleship" focuses on the active practice of faith, where believers are encouraged not only to hear God's Word but to live it out in their daily lives. This value emphasizes the practical application of biblical teachings, ensuring that spiritual growth is not just theoretical but transformative. By being doers of the Word, individuals can impact their attitudes and actions, demonstrating their faith through tangible expressions of love and service. [13:31]

James 1:22-25 (ESV): "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing."

Reflection: Identify one specific teaching from the Bible that you have heard recently. How can you put this teaching into practice in a concrete way today?


Day 4: Growing Spiritually with Intention
The "deliberate pathway for personal growth" provides a structured and practical track for spiritual development, modeled after Jesus' approach to discipleship. This journey involves moving from knowing Christ to serving and sharing Him with others, with clear steps and support along the way. By following this pathway, individuals can experience a purpose-driven life, guided by various classes and campaigns that facilitate growth and transformation. [18:07]

Colossians 1:9-10 (ESV): "And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God."

Reflection: Reflect on your current spiritual journey. What is one step you can take today to move closer to serving and sharing Christ with others?


Day 5: Demonstrating Love Through Service
"Love in action" is about demonstrating love through tangible acts of service, both locally and globally. This value is embodied in the PEACE plan, which addresses major global issues and encourages personal involvement in meeting needs. Love in action is not just a program but a culture, where individuals respond to needs as they arise, embodying the love of Christ in practical ways. By serving others, believers can make a meaningful impact in their communities and beyond, reflecting the heart of God through their actions. [25:00]

1 John 3:16-18 (ESV): "By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth."

Reflection: Think of a specific need in your community or beyond that you can address. How can you take a step today to meet this need and demonstrate love in action?

Quotes

We are a second chance place of grace. A second chance place of grace. That means we're a place for a fresh start. We're a place to start over. We're a place to be born again. We're a place to get a second chance place of grace. God has shown us mercy, so we cut other people a lot of slack. [00:04:18]

We are a second place, second chance place of grace. And what that means is we understand that everybody's broken. So everybody needs recovery. We are a grace place. We are a shame free zone. And we've had many, many testimonies about every kind of problem you could imagine. [00:05:03]

We support those who struggle and stumble. Why do we do this? Because we know that when you come through on the other side of that struggle where you have stumbled, that your greatest life message is gonna come out of your mess. Your message comes out of your mess. Your testimony comes out of your test. [00:06:40]

We are intentionally multi-ethnic. We're multi-national. We're interracial. We're multi generational. In this church we have every culture, we have every language, we have every age group, we have every economic status. That's intentional. Why? Because in Mark 11:17, Jesus had said this about the church, "My house will be called the house of prayer for all nations." [00:09:17]

We say Saddleback is the church that looks like heaven. We want our church to look like heaven. If you don't like diversity, you're gonna hate heaven. Because not everybody's gonna look like you in heaven. In fact, nobody's gonna look like you in heaven. 'Cause we all are different, we're all unique. [00:10:14]

We focus on doable discipleship. Doable discipleship. That means we're an active church. We're not a passive one. We focus on doing what God tells us to do. Not just knowing it. Not just hearing it. Not just learning it. A lot of churches are learning churches. They hear it but they don't do anything about it. [00:13:05]

James 1:22 says, "Be doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves." You know it says that if you read the word of God, or you listen to somebody preach it or teach it, and you don't really do it, he says you're just deceiving yourself. You might think you're growing, but you're not. [00:13:28]

We have a deliberate pathway for personal growth. Write that down. The second D is a deliberate pathway for personal growth. What I mean by that is we give you a simple and practical track to grow on. Now Saddleback Church didn't just make this up. We're built on the Jesus model of discipleship. [00:17:53]

Growth is, spiritual growth, personal spiritual growth, is a journey. You have to leave. That means you let go of some old things, and you have to go on. It implies action. It implies movement. It implies progress. So the Christian life and growing in maturity, growing in discipleship is a journey. [00:18:59]

Love in action. We don't want to be a church that just talks about love. That just studies love. That just defines love. That just prays about love. It's not enough to just say we love people. We have to show it. We have to show it. Here's a great passage on love. 1 John 3:16-18. [00:23:32]

How do we show love and action at Saddleback Church? Well we do it primarily to the world through our local and global PEACE plan. You remember P-E-A-C-E, there's a word for each of these. Promote reconciliation, Plant churches, Equip ethical servant leaders. A is assist the poor. C is care for the sick. E is educate the next generation. [00:24:55]

The love and action is a personal value and it's a culture that we have in this church that says if you see a need, you're it. You know, just this Wednesday night, I went to say thank you to all of our lay volunteers, the 301 team who serve in our 301 ministry of helping people discover their shape for ministry. [00:26:25]

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