WHAT PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR?
September 9, 2007
Simple Strategy
Series 5 of 6

Intro:
Most of the time we operate with a flawed understanding of what it looks like to be spiritually mature.
* That faulty definition has caused many churches to actually get in the way of those interested in a relationship with God.
- So what does it look like to be spiritually mature?
- And how do you get there?

* Clear in the NT spiritual development – spiritual maturity is NOT based on what you KNOW but HOW MUCH you LOVE!
- It is not that you have the right answers but how people sense that you love them.
- Many churches that's NOT the message that creeps through.
- Because many seminaries place a high value on INFORMATION – not so much on application.
SO many pastors are in the EDUCATION business instead of the loving business.
- They value detailed info about the bible, memorization, study…
* So pastors get that understanding - think that is their job- information

LISTEN to this:
John 13:35 “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, (fill in the blank here)
if ye have love one to another.”
* Jesus tells us the litmus test of his disciples… not church attendance, bible knowledge, mission work- BUT love one for another.
* Jesus says the ONE thing that will mark FOLLOWER of me is… if they have love for one another! Love other people
* Remember one day some people came to Jesus & asked him a question – what is the greatest commandment?
Mt 22:37-40
Jesus reduced it to two things:
1. Have a loving relationship with God…
2. And I want you to have a loving relationship with others around you.
* Learn how to love God…
And learn how to love others like you love yourself!
But he uses a RELATIONAL term- LOVE…
WHY?
#1 Jesus actually believed you could have a relationship with God characterized by LOVE.
Not just by obedience!
#2. Jesus said your other relationships should be characterized by LOVE.
*** Spiritual maturity & following Christ is characterized by healthy relationships – it is NOT about learning a lot of STUFF.
- We learn a lot of stuff to help those relationships!

Jesus says the goal: is to LOVE GOD PASSIONATELY & love OTHERS PASSIONATELY.

Let’s get specific:
Eph 5:25 “Husbands love your wives like Christ loved the church, and gave himself for it.”
Eph. 5:22 “Wives, submit unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.”
This is the model…
- Ladies how many of you would rather have a loving husband instead of a know it all man rambling on about the deep things of the bible?

Question:
(1) Raise your hands if you know of somebody that left the church because of a relationship reasons NOT theological reasons.
(2) Most churches start because of a SPLIT- people that have bad relationships.
(3) Many people stopped going to church because of SOMEBODY not some bad information.
I think a lot of people would like to have a loving relationship with God …
- The church just hasn’t helped much.
1Cor. 13:1-3 explains this truth.
Spiritual maturity is not just learning a lot!!!

* Remember the #1 group of enemies of Jesus was the SMARTEST guys in the culture.
* They knew MORE than anybody of their day- but Jesus said, “have you NOT READ…”
Seven times in NT. Mt 12:3, 5; 19:4; 22:31; Mk 12:10; 12:26; Lk 6:3…
Can you hear them, “What do you mean, have you not read--- we TEACH it.”

Some where many Christians just decided to be RIGHT- & were only interested in the same.
They decide it was enough just to be SMART – to be DEEP.

Unfortunately people all over this world have missed God because people that were supposed to be representing God have MIS-REPRESENTED him.
So we need to measure Spirituality – by measuring it relationally…
- That a really spiritually mature person was in pursuit of three relationships”
1. Intimacy with God
2. Community with insiders (inside the faith or inside the church)
3. Influence with outsiders (outside of the faith)
Pursuing a love relationship with God, with others like you & others NOT like you.

IF- I can check my gauges of activity in those three pursuits – I am on my way to spiritual maturity.
Hopefully we can create an atmosphere where that can happen – a desire to build a relationship with God (the study of bible), other believers (small groups), those that are NOT believers (by encouraging you to live the life of Christ in the world)

1. The guest environment- when they come they feel welcome!
When they leave, even if they never come back, they say they were the nicest people.
“I had a great time & I didn’t get drunk.”
* Some rules to follow…
- When have guests there are some things you talk about & some things NOT.
* This is the STARTING point for people in the relational continuum.
The church service

2. The Friend environment- small groups
You can’t get to know anyone very well by just coming to church.
People meeting to develop relationships as friends.
Young & old alike.
People who are like you – someone to share your values & build each other up in the faith.
Pray for each other…
Discuss the Sunday/Wednesday messages
You do LIFE together. Get a sense of community!
* Our goal is to get every member & attendee into a small group.

3. The acquaintance environment – those not in the FAITH, or church
Special services, Easter, Christmas, Hero’s Day, Series… etc
Co-workers, neighbors, mission trips, door-hangers.

Along the way you will learn many things about the bible, life, all those personal disciplines, etc… but at the end of the day if you connect with God in a real vibrant way and other people (believers or not)…
Then…
* It will be true, “it’s not what you know but WHO you know.” That counts.
* It’s necessary not HOW well you live, but HOW well you LOVE…

- At the end of the day you have to ask yourself & I have to ask myself these questions,
1. I am pursuing a relationship with God that I would consider personal & intimate?
2. Am I genuinely connecting to other Christians?
3. Am being challenged to love & accept people that are different than I am that I might give them the gospel? To know Christ.

* Why this is important for Paradise…
1. I want to challenge each one of you who attend to take a step and go to one of the small groups (where you can get to know others)

2. I want to challenge you to take another step & JOIN a TEAM - find a place of service, youth, children’s ministry, AWANA club, ushering, parking lot service, security… some where that you can serve.
Because we are poised to grow - new building will coming along, new staff are coming, new challenges will arise & we NEED YOU!
3. We need you to invite people- to these environments…

Imagine next Sunday that every person would get up and say I want to go church.