THEALLIANCE

May 2015WEDNESDAY MORNING – DR. JOHN STUMBO

Beliefs we hold

Mission we share

Relationships we value

Beliefs we LIVE

CALLING we share

RELATIONSHIPS we are committed to

THEALLIANCEWe are A Christ-Centered, Acts 1:8 Family

Christ-CenteredActs 1:8

But you will receive power when the

Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be

my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea

and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.– Acts 1:8

PRAYER

Christ-CenteredActs 1:8Family

In my vision at night I looked, and there

before me was One like a son of man, coming

with the clouds of heaven. He approached the

Ancient of Days and was led into his presence.

– Daniel 7:13

He was given authority, glory and sovereign

power; all peoples, nations and men of every

language worshiped him. His dominion is an

everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and

his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.– Daniel 7:14

. . . children born not of natural descent,

nor of human decision or a husband's will,

but born of God.– John 1:13

How then shall we live?

As a Christ-Centered, Acts 1:8 Family

WE WILL

LOVE

1If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels,

but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or

a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy

and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge,

and if I have a faith that can move mountains . . .– I Cor. 13:1-2a

. . . but have not love, I am nothing. – I Cor. 13:2b

If I give all I possess to the poor and

surrender my body to the flames, but

have not love, I gain nothing.– I Cor. 13:3

The greatest commandment is: LOVE– Matthew 22:34-40

The greatest of these (faith, hope and love) is LOVE.– I Cor. 13:13

LOVE is the most excellent way.– I Cor. 12:31b

They will know you are my disciples by your LOVE.– John 13:35

The fulfillment of the Law is LOVE.– Romans 13:10, Gal. 5:14

5 REASONSWhy We Should Take Seriously This Call to Love

#1 Biblical Priority

#2 Any church that is not a loving church is not the

church that Christ intends

#3 Only a loving church will bring long term,

positive change to the world

#4 Only a loving church

will be embraced by the arising generations

#5As animosity increases against

the church, our clearest and most compelling answer is LOVE

To be a great soul winner, a man must first be a great (soul) lover.

– A. B. Simpson

Love is at the core of everything God has done for us, so love must be

at the core of everything we do.

– Jerry Kragt, Alliance IW

27“But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28bless those who

curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. – Luke 6:27-31

32“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ love those who love them.

– Luke 6:32-35a

It’s not complicated. Love the person standing in front of you.

– Mark Young, Alliance Pastor

And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love

of Christ– Eph. 3:17b-18

to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

– Eph. 3:19

The soul is endued by the Creator with a strange and exquisite power of loving.

– A. B. Simpson

As a Christ-Centered, Acts 1:8 Family

WE WILL

PROCLAIM

The church is increasingly seeing itself as a transformative member of

the community, not an isolated fortress from the community.

Enter & Bless

Show & Tell

In your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be

prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks

you to give the reason for the hope that you have.

But do this with gentleness and respect. – 1 Peter 3:15

Our generation is losing the need and

ability to articulate faith.– Ben Stewart, ENVISION

As a Christ-Centered, Acts 1:8 Family

WE WILL

REACH

All authority in heaven and earth has been given to me, therefore go make disciples.

You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you and you shall be my witnesses.

People on the MovePeople of All Ages

People Lacking Access

We are being called to REACH

We are being called to REACH

People on the MoveDiaspora (di·as·po·ra)

the dispersion of any people from their original homeland.

And you are to love those who are foreigners, for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt.

– Deut. 10:19

We are being called to REACH

People on all Ages

We are being called to REACH

People Lacking Access

As a Christ-Centered, Acts 1:8 Family

WE WILL

LAUNCH

36Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them,

because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep

without a shepherd.37Then He said to His disciples,

“The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. 38Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to

send out workers into His harvest.”– Matthew 9:36-38 (NASB)

May God allow us to LAUNCH new waves of

church planters

May God allow us to LAUNCH new waves of

“greenhouse” churches

May God allow us to LAUNCH new waves of

multi-cultural churches

May God allow us to LAUNCH new waves of

“threshold” churches(Fresh Start)

May God allow us to LAUNCH new waves of

students into our colleges and seminary

May God allow us to LAUNCH new waves of

musicians, poets, and artists

May God allow us to LAUNCH new waves of

Strategically Minded Donors

Assets Cash

7%

93%

Where are the resources?

June 2011, “Growing Philanthropy in America” by Blackbaud

May God allow us to LAUNCH new expressions of

multi-generational ministry

May God allow us to LAUNCH new expressions of

lay ministry

May God allow us to LAUNCH new waves of

international workers

Which of these two story lines is true?

#1We’re in a losing battle

#2We’re in the midst of a

great God story

24Then the end will come, when he (Jesus) hands over

the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed

all dominion, authority and power. 25For he must reign

until he has put all his enemies under his feet.– I Cor. 15:24-25

This is not a human endeavor we are undertaking.

– Tim Meier, ENVISION