Everybody is Somebody and Jesus Christ is Lord. We are a body of believers who are dedicated to prayer, bible study and worship. We are under God’s instructions to build a diverse and multicultural congregation.
2 Peter 1:3-11 - Divine Teamwork Causes the Extraordinary
According to his divine power he hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
According to his divine power he hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
What is Discipleship? |
Discipleship focuses on actively following in the footsteps of Jesus Christ. As Christian disciples, we are not spectators, but participants in God's activity in the world. Because of what God has done for us, we offer our lives back to Him. We order our steps in ways that embody Christ's ministry in our families, workplaces, communities, and the world.
Love God
The first commandment is, you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind." (Matt. 22:37-38. See Matt. 22:34-40; Mark 12:28-34; and Luke 10:25-28.) In other words, God wants all of you, and total devotion from you.
Discipleship is all about loving God. It is more than acceptance of God's existence or a statement of belief, but it is total devotion and the desire to know God, to be one with God, and to worship God. Ways to have a better relationship with God include continuous prayer, study, worship, fasting and relationships with other Christians. John Wesley, founder of the Methodist movement, called these practices means of grace. These practices help us spend time with God and to develop a deep relationship with Him.
Love Thy Neighbor
The second commandment is,You shall love your neighbor as yourself?? (Mark 12:31). The Bible teaches us that loving God and loving neighbor go hand-in-hand. We cannot do one without the other. How can you love the unseen and not the seen? (Matthew 5:43-48, Matthew 25:31-46, Luke 10:25-37, John 15:12-17, Romans 12:9-18, 1 Corinthians 13, 1 John 4:19-21).
Because love is an action and a behavior, it is more than just a feeling. It's not enough to love someone, but to show them through sacrifice and support. We are charged with "keeping" one another. We are the stewards of our neighbors, both locally and globally. Neighbors aren't just the person(s) living on either side of you or your street. From a biblical perspective, neighbors include people whom we might not normally consider, such as strangers, prisoners, the less fortunate, the more fortunate, and other religions, races and backgrounds. Our neighbors even include people that annoy or test our patience. They are all neighbors, because we are all God's children. Loving others takes time, energy, and commitment. It is a lifestyle carefully cultivated in response to God's Word and Will.
The first commandment is, you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind." (Matt. 22:37-38. See Matt. 22:34-40; Mark 12:28-34; and Luke 10:25-28.) In other words, God wants all of you, and total devotion from you.
Discipleship is all about loving God. It is more than acceptance of God's existence or a statement of belief, but it is total devotion and the desire to know God, to be one with God, and to worship God. Ways to have a better relationship with God include continuous prayer, study, worship, fasting and relationships with other Christians. John Wesley, founder of the Methodist movement, called these practices means of grace. These practices help us spend time with God and to develop a deep relationship with Him.
Love Thy Neighbor
The second commandment is,You shall love your neighbor as yourself?? (Mark 12:31). The Bible teaches us that loving God and loving neighbor go hand-in-hand. We cannot do one without the other. How can you love the unseen and not the seen? (Matthew 5:43-48, Matthew 25:31-46, Luke 10:25-37, John 15:12-17, Romans 12:9-18, 1 Corinthians 13, 1 John 4:19-21).
Because love is an action and a behavior, it is more than just a feeling. It's not enough to love someone, but to show them through sacrifice and support. We are charged with "keeping" one another. We are the stewards of our neighbors, both locally and globally. Neighbors aren't just the person(s) living on either side of you or your street. From a biblical perspective, neighbors include people whom we might not normally consider, such as strangers, prisoners, the less fortunate, the more fortunate, and other religions, races and backgrounds. Our neighbors even include people that annoy or test our patience. They are all neighbors, because we are all God's children. Loving others takes time, energy, and commitment. It is a lifestyle carefully cultivated in response to God's Word and Will.