Trinity | Big Rapids Campus

Standing on our convictions means allowing our commitment to God to impact everything about us. Hebrews 11:13 Hebrews 13:12-14 1 Peter 2:11-12 Jeremiah 29:5-7 John 17:14-16 Daniel 1:1-21

Does Vision 2019 GAIN the focus God has for us? YES!!! It sends us to be IN our communities: . . . Intentionally (John 17:18-23) Courageously (Acts 4:29-33) Generously (Acts 13:2-4) For the “WIN” (Luke 15) How do we SUSTAIN this focus? TOGETHER!!! We need each other IN the midst of distractions, like . . . The world’s hatred (John 17:14-17) Satan’s attacks (John 17:14-17) Unholy temptations (John...

Promises We can have what it takes to speak COURAGEOUSLY: --As the Fragrance of Christ, we speak in Christ (2 Corinthians 2:14~17). --As the Witness of Christ, we speak through the Spirit (Matthew 10:16~22). --In the Opportunities from Christ, we speak a mouth of wisdom (Luke 21:12~19). Practices We will speak COURAGEOUSLY if we remain: --PRAYER-FUL for an open door. --AWARE-FUL of each opportunit...

To stay "salty" we must be generous.

INtentional We have been Commissioned. We have been Positioned: --Intentionally --Naturally --Providentially We MUST be INtentional... Beginning in Prayer.

Answers to questions submitted during the Summer of Reconciliation Series.

The Twin Confusions of Forgiveness The Challenge of Care-Fronting Jesus Care-Fronts Local Churches --The Church in Ephesus (Rev. 2:2~4) --The Church in Thyatira (Rev. 2:19~21) A Local Church Care-Fronts A Sinning Member --1 Cor. 5:1~13 --2 Cor. 2:5~11 A Brother Care-Fronts His Brothers (Gen. 44:16, 45:3~5, 50:15~17) --Joseph --The Brothers

Preparing Our Heads to Forgive Two Common Theses: 1) We must only forgive when there is repentance in word and deed, with reconciliation being the end-goal (Inter-personal). 2) We can forgive even without contacting the other party, with our release from the emotional prison of bitterness as the chief target (internal). A Synthesis - The Two Hands of Forgiveness: --An Open Hand to ALL (Offering or...

Rev. Pastor Gerhard deBock Preparing Our Hearts, Part 2 To Prepare Our Hearts We Must: 1) Take a Gut-Check: Do we really understand how important this is? 2) Take the Log-Out: Begin with self-examination. 3) Take Another Gut-Check: Do We Really, REALLY Understand How Important This Is? --Matthew 18:21~35 4) Put the Love In: Do We Remember How Much We Have Been Forgiven? --Luke 7:36~50 --Ephesians...

Preparing Our Hearts, Part 1. To Prepare Our Hearts We Must: 1) Take a Gut-Check: Do We Really Understand How Important This Is? --Matthew 6:11~15 "forgive us as we have forgiven" --Matthew 7:12~14 "the gate is narrow" 2) Take the Log Out: Begin with Self-Examination --Matthew 7:1~5 (Luke 6:37~38) ----"judge not" ----"first take the log out of your own eye" --Matthew 5:21~26 ----"angry, insults, '...

Receiving Forgiveness: Our Part In Reconciliation 2 Chronicles 6 & 7 God offers "The Gold Standard of Forgiveness" to all, But not all are forgiven; ONLY those who respond by faith in the blood of Jesus Christ are forgiven, justified, and reconciled to God. THE RESPONSE to God's initiative includes our: --Humbling Ourselves --Repentance (Turning) ----With all our Heart and Mind --Acknowledgement o...

Forgiveness: The Gold Standard

We Must Show Delight (the incense of delight): --By GIVING them our full attention and unhurried time. --By AFFIRMING to them our public commitment. --By BLESSING them with our dreams for their future. We Must Arouse Compassion (the oil of healing): --By INITIATING reconciliation. --By remembering forgiveness is a decision and a process. --By not adding up a record of wrongs but PRAYING that mercy...

Tip #1: Know Your Purpose --Fill the earth with Godly Children. --Are your children filling you with Joy? Tip#2: Value Wisdom --Wisdom is supreme! --Am I directing them to the Beginning of Wisdom? --Are you helping him/her fall in Love with God? Tip#3: Weigh Out Life Choices with Wisdom #1 Time ---We need to Manage our Time. ---We need to Savor our Time. #2 Work ---It's all about our Perspective....

It starts with following Jesus, our Servant-Example, and taking up our Towel. So that our children and others... See our Model (The What), Hear our Teaching (The Why), Do with us what we Pray (The How) Pray daily for a Philippians 2 mindset: Holy Spirit, Make me a Christ-Like Servant today.

The Rod & Staff: Teaching and Discipline Having the Right Attitude: --Do I make it about the sheep? --Have I really gotten to know the sheep? --Am I willing to lay my life down for the sheep? --Am I "On Purpose" Having the Right Dexterity: --Do I teach intentionally consistently? ----Will I make a toolbox list? --Do I discipline consistently? ----I will use "law" to show the need for "grace". ----...

On The Team -Beloved Siblings -Faithful Minister -Fellow Slave -Take Responsibility to Listen & Share -Fellow Prisoner -Fellow Kingdom Worker -Source of Comfort -Struggling in Prayer -Focused in Prayer -It is All My King's -Follow-Through On The Couch -Unknown Guest -User, a Leech -Waiting to be Served -It is Others' Job to Tell Me or Ask Me -"Here for You"... Until it Costs Too Much -Work for the...

Walking in Christ... Everyday... Everywhere - A Changed Person Practically Changes... Specifically In The Name of The Lord Jesus "X-Changed" gets specific for: --Wives - put on submitting, for it is fitting. --Husbands - put on love, put off being harsh. --Children - put on obeying, for it pleases the Lord. --Fathers - put off provoking, for it discourages kids. --Bondservants - put on obeying sin...

"Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures" Ministry is given to us... By God... For Others - Effective Ministry Requires That We: -Re-energize through the toil and suffering. --Rejoicing in our sufferings for others' sake. --Remembering we are filing up Christ's afflictions. --Re-energizing with Christ's energy. -Re-Calibrate to Christ and His Word --Re-calibrate our content: ---To make the wo...

Grateful that we can be MADE Worthy --The Gospel can make us worthy to be Saints --To be made worthy Prayerful that we can WALK Worthy --The Gospel makes us want to walk worthy, being fully Pleasing to Jesus --To walk worthy Lessons for Christ-Learners: --people of learning (don't pit heart vs. head). --apply what they learn to life (don't pit word vs. deed) --people can only be rescued if someone...

Grateful that we can be MADE Worthy --The Gospel can make us worthy to be Saints --To be made worthy Prayerful that we can WALK Worthy --The Gospel makes us want to walk worthy, being fully Pleasing to Jesus --To walk worthy Lessons for Christ-Learners: --people of learning (don't pit heart vs. head). --apply what they learn to life (don't pit word vs. deed) --people can only be rescued if someone...