Verge 2014 Part 4 of 4 | Redeemed for Everyday Mission and Discipleship Notes of Quotes
This is the fourth and final post in a series on Verge 2014 featuring notes of quotes for quick perusing. Previous posts of quotes from Verge are below:
- Verge 2014 Part 1 of 4 | Redeemed: Jesus is Better Notes of Quotes
- Verge 2014 Part 2 of 4 | Redeemed for Redemptive Leadership Notes of Quotes
- Verge 2014 Part 3 of 4 | Redeemed for Gospel Communities on Mission Notes of Quotes
Neil Cole, Helen Lee, Steve Timmis, and Bryan Lorrits closed the conference well during the final round of discussions at Verge 2014.
Neil Cole
Church Multiplication Associates
Founder and Executive Director
"The kingdom of God is where everyone gets to play. It's time to stop having a gift. It's time to start being a gift. The church is about going out and getting the God-stuff out of people along the way."
"In Ephesians 4:11-16, we see how God has given the church a collection of leadership qualities to help equip everyone in the church for ministry. Every type of leader and every person being led is necessary in order for us to grow into maturity as His body because Jesus was mature all of these areas.
The leadership qualities in the church that work together to represent Jesus are like a hand:
- Thumb: Apostolic – They're ready to help us hitch a ride; they know how to help us to be sent with the Spirit
- Pointer: Prophetic – They make sure we're listening to God the Father and pointing to His Word for our direction
- Middle Finger: Evangelistic – They're out in front of us all; they reach the world first with the Word and the Spirit
- Ring Finger: Shepherding – They help us be committed to Jesus and His bride, the church, so that we lay down our lives for Him and each other
- Little Finger: Teaching – They dig into the details and make sure what we're saying is in line with what Jesus said, which was always in line with what His Father told Him
These leadership characteristics also work together like the way our bodies work:
- Glandular System: Apostolic – They help us grow and mature in being led by the Spirit; they keep us productive
- Central Nervous System: Prophetic – They keep us obedient to the head of the body
- Muscular System: Evangelistic – They strengthen the body to continue to exercise our faith with others in word and deed in the world
- Circular System: Shepherding – They keep us connected to the heart of God
- Digestive System: Teaching – They make sure the nutrients from God in His Word are digested and absorbed by the body regularly
Thinking of them this way helps us realize we need all of them in order to be a healthy body of Christ.
Helen Lee
Missional Mom
Author
"Too often, our culture pressures mothers and children into being productive members of a society where they are defined more by what they do and how they're doing in the home, at school, or in the community than who they are."
"Mothers and children have such a great opportunity to connect with others for the sake of others meeting Jesus. They are at the front of where God is moving to reconcile families to Himself. We can and should use inspiration and imagination to help mothers and children join their part in the mission of God. Share stories where mothers and kids worked together to serve others in their communities. For one example among many, one eight-year-old girl decided she was going to use her lemonade sales to free 500 children from slavery. For two years, she sold lemonade, and at the end she had $100,000 and she did free 500 children. Her family supported her imagination and now she is an inspiration. Another story is where two boys wanted to bring together the two things they love the most: Jesus and their friends. And so they do. There are countless stories of moms and kids who chose to follow the King in big and small ways that gave great glory to Jesus."
"We need moms to see that their first identity is not as a mother to children. They are redeemed daughters of the King who wants them to be on His mission with Him. We need our kids to see that their first identity is as redeemed children of the King who can inspire others in how they follow Him."
"Mothers and children have such a great opportunity to connect with others for the sake of others meeting Jesus. They are at the front of where God is moving to reconcile families to Himself. We can and should use inspiration and imagination to help mothers and children join their part in the mission of God. Share stories where mothers and kids worked together to serve others in their communities. For one example among many, one eight-year-old girl decided she was going to use her lemonade sales to free 500 children from slavery. For two years, she sold lemonade, and at the end she had $100,000 and she did free 500 children. Her family supported her imagination and now she is an inspiration. Another story is where two boys wanted to bring together the two things they love the most: Jesus and their friends. And so they do. There are countless stories of moms and kids who chose to follow the King in big and small ways that gave great glory to Jesus."
Steve Timmis
Acts 29 Church Planting Network
Global Director
"The church is a community of lovers who keep loving during the mundane, the routine, the regular. In this way, they will become a family living out the mission of God, by the power of the Spirit, for the glory of Jesus."
"What does a community of deep love look like? 1 Peter 4:8-11 shows us. 'Love covers a multitude of sins.' 'Show hospitality without grumbling.' 'Be good stewards of varied grace.'"
"Love covers a multitude of sins: Love pays for the sin and the cost of forgiveness. We're a community of flawed others, but we don't want to be bothered with forgiving each other. But we need to remember, the Spirit bears fruit in us by exploiting our tension and challenging us to be ministers of reconciliation for the glory of God."
"Show hospitality without grumbling: Often, the last part of the person to get saved is his or her home. Jesus didn't say, 'Go home all you who are weary and it will give you rest.' Jesus is our rest. His hospitality is working in us when we realize everything we own is not our own. Opening our front door to one another is generosity."
"Be good stewards of varied grace: If you are a steward, then you own nothing. He's given you what you have by His grace so you can bless others through it. We own nothing, but we are entrusted with so much. We need to live, walk, and talk with due diligence to serve. We're all servants. We need God's grace because this will be tiring. But God has called us to live openly before a watching world."
"Show hospitality without grumbling: Often, the last part of the person to get saved is his or her home. Jesus didn't say, 'Go home all you who are weary and it will give you rest.' Jesus is our rest. His hospitality is working in us when we realize everything we own is not our own. Opening our front door to one another is generosity."
"Be good stewards of varied grace: If you are a steward, then you own nothing. He's given you what you have by His grace so you can bless others through it. We own nothing, but we are entrusted with so much. We need to live, walk, and talk with due diligence to serve. We're all servants. We need God's grace because this will be tiring. But God has called us to live openly before a watching world."
"When we look at the incarnation and the crucifixion, we see that it is in the ordinary that God's glory most shines. It's through the times of bruisings, piercings, and stabbings that people get saved. The church is something like a phenomenon of God – it's ordinary people living ordinary lives with extraordinary gospel intentionality because they know how God has extraordinarily acted on their behalf."
Bryan Lorrits
Fellowship Memphis
Lead Pastor
"God's welfare is not a system of enablement, but empowerment. Tim Keller says, 'The righteous disadvantage themselves for others'. In Matthew 25:31-46, we see how God views the righteous and the wicked as they are most closely linked to how the righteous share and the wicked hoard the world's goods. Being saved by a gracious and generous God is about being changed by Him in every area of life."
"We need more faithful, generous believers who give up their lives for others in the marketplace. One person we can learn from is William Wilberforce. He served for 50+ years in Parliament. When he considered leaving, John Newton told him to stay. And because of his influence and steadfast commitment, he helped the slave trade to be abolished in Great Britain in 1807. And slavery was soon abolished in 1833. When Wilberforce retired, someone asked him what he would do next. His answer: 'Find the next thing to abolish so others will be helped.'"
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"Are we known more for what we know, or who we are obedient to and how? Fundamental to the gospel message of God's generosity for us is how Jesus' grace has impacted us so much that we are compelled to be generous to others. There are 2,350 verses related to God's heart for the alien, the widow, and the poor throughout the Scriptures. And Jesus regularly warned against all forms of greed. Why? Because it's such a subtle sin. You don't know when you've crossed 'the line' until you're already miles down the road."
"We need more faithful, generous believers who give up their lives for others in the marketplace. One person we can learn from is William Wilberforce. He served for 50+ years in Parliament. When he considered leaving, John Newton told him to stay. And because of his influence and steadfast commitment, he helped the slave trade to be abolished in Great Britain in 1807. And slavery was soon abolished in 1833. When Wilberforce retired, someone asked him what he would do next. His answer: 'Find the next thing to abolish so others will be helped.'"
– Sully
Curiosity piqued? Something inside you being stirred? Go ahead and connect. For other updates, like and follow Emmaus City on Facebook.
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