Love God, Love People, Make Disciples | 15 March 2026

Devotional

Day 1: The Biblical Model for Church Leadership and Structure

The church is not built on the ideas or traditions of man, but on the clear design found in God's word. This design includes every believer, known as saints, alongside specific leadership roles such as elders and deacons. These leaders are not to lord over people, but to serve and guide the body forward. There is a beautiful and purposeful order that God has established for our health and growth. [40:32]

Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons. (Philippians 1:1 ESV)

Reflection: As you consider your place within the church, what is one practical way you can support and honor the leaders God has placed in your life this week?

Day 2: Keeping Our Eyes Fixed on Jesus as Our Leader

The primary role of leadership is not to run ahead or lag behind, but to keep their gaze firmly on Christ. The entire church, led by its servants, is called to move forward together with Jesus as the focal point. This ensures we are following His direction and not our own agendas or the opinions of the crowd. Our collective journey is one of following His lead into all He has for us. [59:00]

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith. (Hebrews 12:1-2a ESV)

Reflection: Where in your life are you most tempted to look to human leadership for direction instead of first fixing your eyes on Jesus?

Day 3: The Foundational Call to Love God Wholeheartedly

Everything in the Christian life flows from a passionate, wholehearted love for God. This love engages every part of our being: our heart's affections, our soul's deepest cares, our mind's understanding, and our strength's actions. It is not a passive feeling but an active pursuit of knowing Him more deeply. This vertical relationship is the source from which all other obedience springs. [01:07:25]

And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment.” (Matthew 22:37-38 ESV)

Reflection: Which of the four areas—heart, soul, mind, or strength—feels most distant in your love for God right now, and what is one step you can take to engage that area with Him?

Day 4: Extending God's Love to Our Neighbor in Practical Ways

Loving God inevitably leads us to love the people He places around us. Our "neighbor" is not defined by proximity or similarity, but by anyone we encounter who is in need of mercy and compassion. This love moves beyond feeling to action, just as the Good Samaritan bandaged wounds and provided care. It is the horizontal expression of our vertical love for God. [01:11:20]

But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. (Luke 10:33-34 ESV)

Reflection: Who has God recently placed in your path that you might have overlooked, and what is a tangible, compassionate action you could take for them this week?

Day 5: Embracing Your Personal Role in Making Disciples

Jesus' command to make disciples is for every believer, not just a select few. Discipleship is a relational journey of helping others follow Jesus, which can look like teaching a child to pray, answering a friend's questions, or walking with someone through a difficult time. It is about being intentional with the opportunities God gives us each day. You are called and equipped to participate in this work. [01:16:04]

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age. (Matthew 28:19-20 ESV)

Reflection: When you think about your own journey of faith, who helped you follow Jesus? How might God be inviting you to be that same person for someone else right now?

Sermon Summary

Solid Ground framed its identity around biblical leadership, clear purpose, and an active laity. The church introduced elders, deacons, and a wider leadership team as a shared governing body that prays, discerns, and opens doors for people to serve. Leadership functions as a forward-facing team that keeps eyes fixed on Jesus, not as a top-down authority nor as a passive backstop. The New Testament pattern emerged as four complementary elements: saints (the whole congregation), elders (overseers), deacons (servants who manage practical care), and apostolic friends who visit to encourage and correct. That structure provides both local stability and external accountability.

Several leadership failures illustrated what Solid Ground rejects: leaders who run too far ahead, leaders who lag behind, and groups with no direction. Those images clarified why ordered leadership matters for clarity, unity, and mission. The congregation received new deacons through laying on of hands and corporate prayer, reinforcing service as a calling rather than a status.

Purpose distilled into three clear commitments: love God, love people, and make disciples of all nations. Loving God involves heart, soul, mind, and strength—renewing worship, Scripture, thought, and life. Loving people means practical mercy to any neighbor encountered, following the Samaritan’s example rather than limiting love by familiarity or convenience. Making disciples expands beyond formal classes: it includes parenting, one-on-one conversations, hospitality, testimony, prayer, and walking with people through hard seasons. Discipleship belongs to every believer; a simple yes to being used by God becomes the starting point.

The congregation received an invitation to move from consumption to contribution. Church life should not resemble entertainment, self-help, or a social club. Instead, the local body exists to grow in holiness, send people out, and join with apostolic oversight so the work remains gospel-shaped. Practical next steps focused on saying yes to God’s use—bring a friend, invest in someone younger, pray for leaders, and allow gifting to be stirred and released.

Key Takeaways

1. Servant leadership guides church life Servant leadership frames authority as service, not status. When leaders pray, open doors, and equip others, the congregation gains direction without domination. This model protects the body from personality-driven decisions and cultivates a culture where gifting gets released rather than hoarded. [39:56]
2. Fourfold New Testament church structure The church works best when saints, elders, deacons, and apostolic friends function together. Each role carries responsibilities: the people participate, elders govern, deacons serve practically, and apostolic friends provide external correction and encouragement. That balance prevents isolation, centralization, and drift by creating local accountability and wider perspective. [55:30]
3. Love God, then love people True worship reshapes motives and expands mercy; loving God fuels authentic love for neighbors. Heart devotion, theological thought, earnest prayer, and sacrificial living form the vertical pillars that naturally overflow into horizontal care. Loving people means practical, costly compassion toward whoever crosses the path, not only those who feel comfortable. [66:51]
4. Discipleship belongs to every believer Making disciples means walking with people—not only teaching classes but parenting, mentoring, hospitality, and testimony. Discipleship appears in everyday rhythms: praying with a coworker, inviting a friend to church, or helping a new believer read Scripture. The call asks for a willing heart rather than expert credentials; a simple yes opens a lifetime of gospel work. [73:58]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[39:56] - Why Solid Ground Exists
[40:32] - Elders and Deacons Introduced
[43:03] - New Deacons Commissioned
[45:36] - Laying Hands and Prayer
[49:35] - Leadership Models Illustrated
[53:12] - Biblical Model Explained
[55:30] - Fourfold Church Structure
[59:00] - Leadership Keeps Eyes on Jesus
[60:33] - Apostolic Friends and Oversight
[61:41] - Why the Church Exists
[64:31] - Three Core Calls
[66:51] - Loving God Defined
[70:16] - Loving People: The Parable
[73:58] - Making Disciples Explained
[77:15] - Closing Prayer and Invitation

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading
Matthew 22:37–39 (ESV)
And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Matthew 28:19–20 (ESV)
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

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Observation questions

According to the passage in Matthew 22, what are the two greatest commandments Jesus gives, and how are they related?
In Matthew 28, what specific actions does Jesus command his followers to take when making disciples?
What four aspects of a person’s being are mentioned in loving God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength? [01:07:12]
How does the parable of the Good Samaritan redefine who our “neighbor” is? [01:10:16]

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Interpretation questions

Why do you think Jesus connects loving God wholeheartedly with loving others practically?
How might the command to “make disciples” look different from simply convincing someone to believe in Jesus? [01:14:21]
In what ways can a structured church leadership (saints, elders, deacons, apostolic friends) help a congregation stay focused on Jesus rather than drifting? [55:30]
What might be some dangers of viewing the church as merely a place of entertainment, self-help, or social connection rather than a body called to love, serve, and make disciples? [01:03:42]

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Application questions

Loving God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength involves intentional focus in each area. Which of these four (heart, soul, mind, strength) do you find easiest to engage when loving God? Which is most challenging? [01:07:45]
Who is one “neighbor” in your life (maybe someone inconvenient, unfamiliar, or in need) that God might be calling you to love practically this week? [01:12:44]
Discipleship isn’t just a program—it happens in everyday moments like parenting, conversations, or walking with someone through difficulty. Who is one person you could intentionally walk alongside in their faith journey? [01:15:05]
The church is designed to function with every member contributing, not just consuming. What’s one simple “yes” you can offer to God this week to serve or encourage others in the church? [01:17:15]
How can you intentionally support and pray for those in leadership so they can keep their eyes fixed on Jesus and lead effectively? [59:00]
Are there areas in your life where you’ve been holding back from God’s call to make disciples because you feel unqualified or afraid? What would it look like to trust Him with a simple “yes” instead? [01:05:40]
Reflect on a time when someone helped you follow Jesus. How can you now be that person for someone else? [01:16:25]

Sermon Clips

Believing that God wants to use you where he's placed you. So we're not a as I land this morning, we're not we're not a entertainment business. We're not a club. We're not a country club. We're not a places to come and spend some time on a Sunday morning. We're far greater than that's far much there's far more what God has called us to. He's called us to love him, to love God, to love people, and to make disciples. You don't need a microphone for that. You don't need a title for that. You don't need a position for that. All I wanna say this morning, all you need is a yes in your heart. [01:16:45] (36 seconds) #ServeWhereYouAre

Say, okay, God. Let me understand your love for me, your grace of my life, your patience with me, your mercy towards me, and help me to love my neighbor like you love me. Right? Those two work together. My loving Christ should lead me to love others. So it's typical of us to sometimes think, well my neighbor is somebody who speaks the same language as me, same sort of social circle, same circumstances but but the the Bible and Jesus will have none of that. Jesus will have none of that. [01:11:58] (35 seconds) #LoveAllNeighbors

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Love God, Love People, Make Disciples | 15 March 2026 | 8am