Embracing Unity and Discipleship at Shores Church

Devotional

Day 1: Unity in Pursuit of Jesus

The early church was a powerful force because of their unity in pursuing Jesus Christ and His mission. They were devoted to prayer, the apostles' teaching, fellowship, and communion, which are foundational practices for any church aiming to fulfill God's will. This unity is essential for the church to be a transformative force in the world. At the Shores Church, we believe that by emulating the early church's commitment to these practices, we can also become a powerful force for change in our community and beyond. Unity in pursuit of Jesus means aligning our hearts and actions with His mission, fostering a community that is deeply connected through shared faith and purpose. [01:19]

Ephesians 4:3-6 (ESV): "Eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all."

Reflection: How can you contribute to the unity of your church community this week? Is there someone you need to reconcile with or a group you need to join to foster deeper connections?

Day 2: Experiencing Jesus

Every person is created in the image of God and needs to experience Jesus to be saved and sanctified. At the Shores Church, we aim for everyone to encounter Jesus in every aspect of church life, from worship to various ministries. This encounter with Jesus is the foundation for a transformed life. Experiencing Jesus is not just a one-time event but a continuous journey of growing closer to Him. It involves opening our hearts to His presence, allowing Him to work in us, and being receptive to His guidance in our daily lives. [02:28]

Colossians 2:6-7 (ESV): "Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving."

Reflection: In what ways can you seek to experience Jesus more deeply in your daily routine? Consider setting aside specific times for prayer, worship, or reading Scripture.

Day 3: Intentional Discipleship

Discipleship is a deliberate process that involves smaller group settings, such as anchor groups, and practices like monthly fasting and prayer. These practices help individuals grow closer to Jesus and transform their lives to look more like Him. Intentional discipleship is crucial for spiritual growth and maturity. It requires commitment and a willingness to be vulnerable and accountable to others. By engaging in intentional discipleship, we can support one another in our spiritual journeys and encourage each other to live out our faith more fully. [03:58]

2 Timothy 2:2 (ESV): "And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also."

Reflection: Who can you invite to join you in a small group or discipleship relationship? How can you be more intentional about your spiritual growth this month?

Day 4: Joyful Generosity

As people grow in their faith, they begin to take on the heart of Jesus, which includes joyful generosity. We aim to give our time, talents, and resources to further God's kingdom locally and globally. Generosity is a reflection of God's love and a vital part of Christian living. It is not just about giving out of obligation but giving joyfully and willingly, recognizing that everything we have is a gift from God. By practicing joyful generosity, we can make a significant impact on the lives of others and advance God's work in the world. [05:13]

2 Corinthians 9:7-8 (ESV): "Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work."

Reflection: What is one way you can practice joyful generosity this week? Consider how you can use your time, talents, or resources to bless someone in need.

Day 5: Common Unity

Our final value is common unity, where we desire everyone to join our community, serve, and get involved. This cycle of experiencing Jesus, being discipled, becoming generous, and joining in unity is what we believe will grow God's church and lead more people to Christ. Unity in the church is essential for its mission and effectiveness. When we come together as one body, we can accomplish much more than we could individually. By fostering a sense of common unity, we create an environment where everyone feels valued, supported, and encouraged to contribute to the church's mission. [06:20]

Romans 12:4-5 (ESV): "For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another."

Reflection: How can you actively contribute to the unity and mission of your church community? Is there a specific ministry or service opportunity you feel called to join?

Sermon Summary

### Summary

Welcome to First Steps, the Shores Church's online membership class. This is the first of five videos designed to introduce you to our church, our beliefs, and how you can get involved. We believe that God intends to change the world through the local church, and we are committed to being a part of that mission. The early church in the book of Acts was a powerful force because of their unity in pursuing Jesus Christ and His mission. They were devoted to prayer, the apostles' teaching, fellowship, and communion. Similarly, we at the Shores Church are committed to these principles and aim to build up the body of Christ.

Our core values are every person experiencing Jesus, intentional discipleship, joyful generosity, and common unity. We believe that every person is created in the image of God and needs to experience Jesus to be saved and sanctified. Our goal is for everyone who walks through our doors to encounter Jesus in every aspect of our church life, from worship to various ministries. We emphasize intentional discipleship through smaller group settings, such as anchor groups, and practices like monthly fasting and prayer. As people grow in their faith, they begin to take on the heart of Jesus, which includes joyful generosity. We aim to give our time, talents, and resources to further God's kingdom locally and globally.

Common unity is our final value, where we desire everyone to join our community, serve, and get involved. This cycle of experiencing Jesus, being discipled, becoming generous, and joining in unity is what we believe will grow God's church and lead more people to Christ. Membership at the Shores Church is not a ticket to heaven, but it does come with responsibilities and privileges, such as voting on church issues, serving on the church board, and leading ministries. Through this series of videos, you'll learn more about us and decide if you want to take the next step in becoming a member. Whether you choose to become a member or not, you are always welcome at the Shores Church.

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Key Takeaways

1. h0H85ybm8&t=79s'>[01:19]
2. Experiencing Jesus: Every person is created in the image of God and needs to experience Jesus to be saved and sanctified. At the Shores Church, we aim for everyone to encounter Jesus in every aspect of church life, from worship to various ministries. This encounter with Jesus is the foundation for a transformed life.

3. Intentional Discipleship: Discipleship is a deliberate process that involves smaller group settings, such as anchor groups, and practices like monthly fasting and prayer. These practices help individuals grow closer to Jesus and transform their lives to look more like Him. Intentional discipleship is crucial for spiritual growth and maturity.

4. Joyful Generosity: As people grow in their faith, they begin to take on the heart of Jesus, which includes joyful generosity. We aim to give our time, talents, and resources to further God's kingdom locally and globally. Generosity is a reflection of God's love and a vital part of Christian living.

5. Common Unity: Our final value is common unity, where we desire everyone to join our community, serve, and get involved. This cycle of experiencing Jesus, being discipled, becoming generous, and joining in unity is what we believe will grow God's church and lead more people to Christ. Unity in the church is essential for its mission and effectiveness.

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Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:19] - Core Values Introduction
[02:28] - Experiencing Jesus
[03:58] - Intentional Discipleship
[05:13] - Joyful Generosity
[06:20] - Common Unity
[07:30] - Membership Responsibilities
[08:45] - Voting and Leadership Opportunities
[09:55] - Conclusion and Next Steps

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

What were the four practices the early church devoted themselves to according to Acts 2:42?
According to Ephesians 4:11-12, what roles did Christ give to the church, and for what purpose?
How does John 3:16 describe God's love and generosity?

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think the early church's devotion to prayer, teaching, fellowship, and communion was so powerful in their mission? [01:19]
How does the concept of "intentional discipleship" as described in the sermon align with the roles mentioned in Ephesians 4:11-12? [03:58]
In what ways does joyful generosity reflect the heart of Jesus as described in John 3:16? [05:13]

Application Questions

The early church was united in their pursuit of Jesus and His mission. How can you contribute to fostering unity within our church community? [01:19]
Experiencing Jesus is a core value at the Shores Church. Reflect on a recent experience where you felt Jesus' presence. How can you create more opportunities for such encounters in your daily life? [02:28]
Intentional discipleship involves smaller group settings and practices like fasting and prayer. What steps can you take to be more intentional in your discipleship journey? [03:58]
Joyful generosity is a reflection of God's love. Identify one way you can practice joyful generosity this week, whether through your time, talents, or resources. [05:13]
Common unity is about joining the community and getting involved. What is one area of church life where you feel called to serve or participate more actively? [06:20]
Membership at the Shores Church comes with responsibilities and privileges. How do you feel about the idea of church membership, and what steps are you willing to take to become more involved? [07:30]
Reflect on the cycle of experiencing Jesus, being discipled, becoming generous, and joining in unity. Which part of this cycle do you feel strongest in, and which part do you need to grow in? [06:20]

Sermon Clips

1. "God intends to change the world through the local church, and we believe that he can do some incredible things in us and through his church if we'll allow him to. The early church in the book of Acts was a powerful force because people were united in their pursuit of Jesus Christ and his mission for the church. They structured things around what they understood about God's will and God's desires for his church." [00:20] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "We value every person. Every person was created in the image of God, and God loves them, cares about them, and sent Jesus for them. So we believe that we need to minister to every person. We also believe that every person is lost in sin until they meet Jesus, who can save them, sanctify them, make them right, and allow them to experience everything that God has for them." [01:19] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "One of the things that we're all about here is we want Jesus to be the foundation of everything that we do. That when you walk in the doors of the Shores Church, you experience Jesus in the worship, in the word, in all of our different ministries, in our activities, events, everything we do, we want people to experience Jesus. Because if we experience Jesus, we want people to experience Jesus. And we want people to experience Jesus, our lives will be changed." [01:19] (21 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "We have anchor groups here so that we can have smaller group settings where we can study the Bible together and really draw close to Jesus and learn who he is and have Jesus transform our lives. We make a big deal about fasting. We do a once a month fasting Monday that we spend time in prayer, that we spend time serving our kids ministry, our youth ministry, helping them get discipled." [02:28] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "As people look more like Jesus, they start taking on the heart of Jesus. That John 3.16 tells us, for God so loved the world that he gave his only son. That God is a giving God. God is a generous God. And we want to be joyfully generous. That we want to give up our time, our talent, our ability, our resources, and we want to give up our time, our resources, so that we can further the kingdom of God right here in St. Clair Shores, in Michigan, across America, and around the world as we give to missionaries and different ministries and individuals within our own city and area so that they can meet Jesus." [02:28] (37 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

6. "We desire that as this whole process happens, that people will join our common unity. They will join our church. They will join the things that we're doing. They'll serve. They'll get involved. And that we become one big community as we operate in unity. And as people join that common unity, they'll desire that every person will experience Jesus, will be discipled, will become generous, and will join the common unity as well." [03:58] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

7. "Now what I want you to understand is membership does not mean you're instantly going to go to heaven. But I think it makes it harder to not make it to heaven. That once you become a member of the Shores Church, you will have a responsibility. You will have a responsibility in relationship with each other, that we want to help others grow, that we want what's best for this church, that we're all working together in that common unity." [05:13] (23 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

8. "Now through this series of videos, you're going to get to know more about us as a church. You're going to get to know more about what we believe, and kind of make that decision whether you want to be a member of the church. Now you're welcome to attend the Shores Church, whether you're a member or not. But we would love for you to take those next steps and become a member here at the Shores Church." [06:20] (19 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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