Pastor Jeff Summers

Evangelical Free Church of Mount Shasta

---

The Basics

Over the next several weeks we are spending time looking at what it means to be the church. We’re going to explore some basic fundamental ideas about “church.” We could approach our conversation a number of different ways, but here are my boundary lines (my basic assumptions as we move ahead and ask God to help us understand what He might do in us and through us as His people—the church):

1) MY FILTER: I will run everything through the filter of this: “The church is…people who voluntarily gather with others believers under the authority of God and the Scriptures, committed to worship, growth, encouragement, and correction for the purpose of glorifying God and living in the world as messengers of His good news.”

2) BE & DO: The church by definition is not a monument but a movement…thus God calls us to “be” and “do”

3) No One Is Immune: There are implications for us as individuals (Christ-follower or not) and as a community of Christ-followers

I am still a traveler on the journey between here and heaven and do not pretend to have all of the answers. I believe that the next few weeks can be uncomfortable, challenging, and stretching, but I believe they will be good weeks.

May we wrestle with who we are as The Church and who we are as an expression of The Church.

May we strive to be the people of God that He desires us to be, doing what He desires we do.

And may we would passionately and accurately display God’s heart and character in our lives, our families, and our community as we seek to glorify Him above all else and leave His mark everywhere!

Thanks for your grace and for joining me on this adventure!

Pastor Jeff

---

JOINED

Matthew 22:34-40    

COMMANDS & OBEDIENCE

COVENANT

LOVE IS A CHOICE

TWO RELATIONSHIPS

GOD

NEIGHBOR

LOVE IS MORE THAN JUST A SONG

IMPLICATIONS:

1. Where do I (we) draw the line when it comes to obedience?

2. How can I (we) remember the significance of covenant-relationship?

3. In what ways can I (we) express our love to God and to others?