Grace Fellowship
Read: Acts 1:6-11 (NOTE: Their Judea is our Norwalk!)
Church planting...it has such a strange ring to it. Perhaps it brings to mind the image of placing a bulb in the ground and in a few weeks a new church springs up. Well, it’s something like that, but not as simple.
Church planting is in essence starting new churches. A better analogy would be what your mother used to do when she wanted to create a new plant. She would take a pair of scissors and cut a branch off the original plant, place the branch in a glass of water and wait a few weeks. Before long roots began to show and she could then take the new plant out of the water and place it in its own pot of dirt. Without doing a thing, she had created a new plant that had the same characteristics of the original plant, and yet it was a different plant.
At Grace Church we want to do basically the same thing. We want to find a group of people who are willing to leave the “mother church” and begin a new work. As the sending church, we would help get the new church “planted” in its new community. Before long, if the Lord blesses and the people work hard, a new church will be rooted in a new community reaching people who would never consider driving to 4200 E. 25th Street.
Currently, a new church is planned for the Norwalk area later this year. Here is how you can be involved in the Norwalk church and in church planting in the future:
- Consider being a part of a harvest prayer team for new groups heading out. The harvest prayer team will provide a prayer covering for the new church and pray specifically for the needs of the new church.
- Consider donating time, talents, and money to help get the new church rooted. As the time approaches and we begin a heavy concentration of activity in the new community, we will need volunteers to knock on doors, pass out flyers, make telephone calls, and serve wherever else there are needs.
- Consider being a part of the group leaving Grace Church to be a part of the new church. As “Charter Members” of the new church, you will have the privilege and responsibility to provide leadership and support for the church.
From 1995.
What Is Our Vision?
Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he. Prov 29:18
Vision...What is it Anyway? We hear the word tossed around all the time. For example, “he is a ‘visionary’ leader.” Even King Solomon, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, saw the significance of vision. But what is it?
Here are a few ideas:
- Vision is merely hope with a blueprint. – Anonymous
- Vision is the world’s most desperate need. There are no hopeless situations, only people who think hopelessly. – Winifred Newman
- Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do. – John Wooden
The only person who likes change is a wet baby. – Mark Twain
What about Grace Church? What is the vision God has given us? If you could enter a time machine and jump ahead in time 10 years, what would Grace Church look like?
- First, you would see a church that is operating on a solid biblical foundation. We want the Bible to be our “Operating Manual” in all areas.
- Second, you would see a church that is a praying church. We want to be a church that intercedes on behalf of our members, our fellow churches, our missionaries, our city, our state and nation, and our leaders. We want to be a “house of prayer.”
- Third, you would see a church that is fulfilling its mission to “make disciples.” We want to be a disciple-making church where the theme “Maturity Evidenced By Love” is more than just a slogan.
- Fourth, you would see several additional churches in communities around Central Iowa. We want to be a church that reproduces itself in areas where our impact is diminished due to distance.
- Fifth, you would see a church where missions–both home and abroad–is a significant part of our ministry. We want to be strong Prayer Warriors on behalf of the missionaries we support.
- Sixth, you would see a church that is one. We want to be a church that loves one another and encourages one another. We want to stand in unity with the saints in Des Moines and be a testimony to a community desperately in need of a Savior.
Begin praying today that God will lead us triumphantly as we accomplish this vision...for His glory!
Will The Real Grace Church Please Stand Up
Read: Ephesians 4
Yesterday we looked at “Why We Exist.” We found a simple answer in Scripture–to glorify God. Another important “W” question could be, “Who Are We?” Who is Grace Church?
Are we Baptist? Yes. Are we non-denominational? Yes. Are we a large church? Yes. Are we a “mega-church?” No. Are we a traditional church? Yes and no.
You see, there are a lot of questions we could ask about ourselves, but we still haven’t really answered the question, “Who are we?” Here are some facts you may not know about our church: Approximately 1,000 people call Grace Church home on any given Sunday; each week you contribute approximately $13,000 to the ministry; approximately 600 of our 1,000 weekly attenders are involved in a Sunday School class; our church supports more than 50 home and foreign missionaries on a monthly basis; Pastor Nelms has been our pastor for 11 years; our present building is approximately 35,000 square feet; our auditorium can seat 700.
Those are interesting facts, but it still doesn’t answer the question: Who Are We? Who is Grace Church? We are not buildings, programs, offerings or statistics–we are the church. Who is Grace Church? We are Grace Church.
In 1 Corinthians 6, the apostle Paul tells us,
Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? (1 Cor. 6:19)
Buildings don’t minister to people...people minister to people. This leads to an important question: how are you involved in ministry? Are you using the gifts given to you by the Holy Spirit himself to minister to your brothers and sisters in Christ?
Begin praying now that the Lord will reveal to you the area in which He would have you serve. Remember, it’s not the size of the mission in front of you that matters, but the size of the Person behind you.
Why We Exist?
Have you ever wondered why Grace Church exists? Why do we work so hard to do what we do week after week? Take a moment to discuss this question.
You probably thought of many reasons: to share the gospel with a lost world; to equip the saints for the work of the ministry; to pray for one another and show our love for one another. You may have thought of several more reasons why Grace Church exists, but there is only one reason Grace Church exists.
The answer to our question is found in the New Testament book of 1 Corinthians. In chapter 10:31 the Holy Spirit led the apostle Paul to write,
Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
In a sentence, that is our answer–that is the reason we exist. In fact, the purpose statement for our church states this first and foremost: “Grace Church exists to glorify our Lord Jesus Christ.” How can we do this? The purpose statement continues, “We believe we can best do so by growing in grace and becoming true disciples of Jesus Christ. Our desire is to equip each one to reach and then teach others how to grow into a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ.”
Does this principle apply just to Grace Church? Absolutely Not! God created each one of us for one purpose–to worship Him and bring glory to His Name.
How does this occur? First, by cultivating the habit of including the Lord God in every segment of your life. Second, by refusing to expect or accept any of the glory that belongs to God. Third, by maintaining a priority relationship with Him that is more important than any other on earth.
Additional reading: Psalm 145; Psalm 86:1-10
Finance & Personnel Team Purpose & Description
PURPOSE: To operate as a sub-committee of the elder body to oversee the financial and personnel matters of Grace Church.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Analyze financial data and monitor trends to assure compliance with budget restrictions.
- Make budget recommendations that support the Purpose-driven concepts of ministry.
- Review all requests for non-budgeted expenditures over $1,000, analyze impact, consider alternatives and make recommendations to the elders.
- Monitor expenditures to assure effective stewardship of church funds.
- Provide regular update reports to the elder.
- Provide periodic updates of financial condition to the congregation.
- Review employee benefits as necessary and recommend appropriate changes.
- Perform annual employee performance reviews and recommend appropriate salary changes.
- Assist in screening process for the acquisition of new employees.
CURRENT MEMBERS:
The Finance & Personnel Team will meet monthly, the third Wednesday of each month at 4:30 p.m. and as needed to fulfill the responsibilities defined above.