What Do We What Do We BelieveBelieve

Lesson 1Lesson 1

What Do We Believe“Our Covenant”

All persons desiring to become members of the body of SonRise

Church must have:Received Christ as their _____ and _____Have been ________ by immersion as a

believer______ with the church’s mission

statement, strategy, and vision

2. Romans 14:19 encourages us to concentrate on what?

Romans 14:19 PHILLIPS

“So let us concentrate on the things which make for harmony, and on the growth of

our fellowship together.”

Things that make for harmony, and the growth of our fellowship.

3. Three ways we can commit to protecting the unity of the church are:

1 Peter 1:22 TEV

““Have a sincere love for other Have a sincere love for other believers, love one another believers, love one another

earnestly with all your heart.”earnestly with all your heart.”

Acting in love towards other members

Ephesians 4:29 NIV““Do not let any unwholesome talk Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others what is helpful for building others

up according to their needs.”up according to their needs.”

Refusing to gossip

Hebrews 13:17 TEV““Obey your leaders and submit to their Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as authority. They keep watch over you as

men who give an account. Obey them so men who give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be no advantage to you.” for that would be no advantage to you.”

Follow and support the leaders of the church

4. We can share in the responsibility of the church by:

1 Thessalonians 1:1-2 LB

“To the church…We always thank God for you and pray for you

constantly.”

Praying for its growth

Luke 14:23 NCV“The Master said to the servant, “Go

out to the roads and country lanes, and urge the people there to come so

my house will be full.”

Invite the unchurched to attend

Romans 15:7 LB“So warmly welcome each other into the church, just as Christ has warmly

welcomed you; then God will be glorified.”

Warmly welcome those who visit.

5. You can serve the ministry of the church by:

1 Peter 4:10 PHILLIPS

“Serve one another with the particular gifts God has given

each of you.”

Discovering my gifts and talents and using them

Ephesians 4:11-12 NIV“[God] gave…some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for

works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.”

Being equipped to serve by my pastors.

Philippians 2:3-4, 7 NIV“Each of you should look not to his own

interest, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who…took on the very

nature of a servant.”

Developing a servant’s heart.

6. You can support the testimony of the church by:

Hebrews 10:25 NIV

“Let us not give up meeting together …but let us encourage

one another.”

Attending faithfully.

Philippians 1:27 PHILLIPS

“Whatever happens, make sure that your everyday life is worthy of

the gospel of Christ.”

Living Godly lives

1 Corinthians 16:2 LB“Each one of you, on the first day of the week, should set aside a specific sum of

money in proportion to what you have earned and use it for the offering.”

Giving regularly

What Do We What Do We BelieveBelieve

Lesson 2Lesson 2

What Do We Believe “Tithing”

That God provides us with all we have.

1 Timothy 6:17 NLT

“Tell those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should

be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment.”

That God commands 10% as a tithe.

Leviticus 27:30

"A tenth of the produce of the land, whether "A tenth of the produce of the land, whether grain or fruit, belongs to the LORD and grain or fruit, belongs to the LORD and

must be set apart to him as holy.” must be set apart to him as holy.”

That God only accepts a cheerful giver and blesses those who have

faith to tithe.

2 Corinthians 9:6-8 NLT

““Remember this--a farmer who plants Remember this--a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. only a few seeds will get a small crop.

But the one who plants generously But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. You must will get a generous crop. You must

each decide in your heart how much each decide in your heart how much to give. to give.

And don't give reluctantly or in And don't give reluctantly or in response to pressure. For God loves response to pressure. For God loves a person who gives cheerfully. And a person who gives cheerfully. And God will generously provide all you God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have need. Then you will always have

everything you need and plenty left everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.” over to share with others.”

4. The entire tithe comes into the church and anything over that is an offering and can be given wherever

you feel led by the spirit.

Malachi 3:8-10 NLT"Should people cheat God? Yet you "Should people cheat God? Yet you

have cheated me! "But you ask, have cheated me! "But you ask, `What do you mean? When did we `What do you mean? When did we

ever cheat you?' "You have cheated ever cheat you?' "You have cheated me of the tithes and offerings due to me of the tithes and offerings due to me. You are under a curse, for your me. You are under a curse, for your

whole nation has been cheating me. whole nation has been cheating me.

Bring all the tithes into the storehouse Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my so there will be enough food in my

Temple. If you do," says the LORD of Temple. If you do," says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, "I will open the Heaven’s Armies, "I will open the

windows of heaven for you. I will pour windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won't out a blessing so great you won't

have enough room to take it in! Try it! have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test! Put me to the test!

What Do We Believe “The Bible”

The Bible is complete and The Bible is complete and entirely true..

The Bible is the The Bible is the sole authority and guide to how and guide to how we should live as Christians. we should live as Christians.

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our

lives. It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right. 17It is God's way

of preparing us in every way, fully equipped for every good thing God

wants us to do.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 NLT

The Bible is inspired by God and speaks directly to us today.

The Bible is complete and The Bible is complete and entirely true..

The Bible is the The Bible is the sole authority and guide to how and guide to how we should live as Christians.we should live as Christians.

Above all, you must understand Above all, you must understand that no prophecy in Scripture ever that no prophecy in Scripture ever

came from the prophets came from the prophets themselves or because they wanted themselves or because they wanted to prophesy. It was the Holy Spirit to prophesy. It was the Holy Spirit who moved the prophets to speak who moved the prophets to speak

from God.from God.

2 Peter 1:20-21 NLT

What Do We Believe “ “The Lord’s Supper”

1. The Lord’s Supper is an ordinance of Christ.

Luke 22:17-19 NLTNLTThen he took a cup of wine, and when he had Then he took a cup of wine, and when he had given thanks for it, he said, "Take this and share given thanks for it, he said, "Take this and share

it among yourselves. For I will not drink wine it among yourselves. For I will not drink wine again until the Kingdom of God has come." again until the Kingdom of God has come."

Then he took a loaf of bread; and when he had Then he took a loaf of bread; and when he had thanked God for it, he broke it in pieces and thanked God for it, he broke it in pieces and

gave it to the disciples, saying, "This is my body, gave it to the disciples, saying, "This is my body, given for you. Do this in remembrance of me." given for you. Do this in remembrance of me."

a. You do not receive more of Christ

through the act communion.

b. It is symbolic of His sacrifice on the cross.

2. You must be a believer to partake.

1 Corinthians 11:29 NLT1 Corinthians 11:29 NLT

“ “For if you eat the bread or drink the cup For if you eat the bread or drink the cup unworthily, not honoring the body of unworthily, not honoring the body of

Christ, you are eating and drinking God's Christ, you are eating and drinking God's judgment upon yourself.” judgment upon yourself.”

3. It is a time of reflection & commitment.

1 Corinthians 11:27-291 Corinthians 11:27-29

“ “So if anyone eats this bread or drinks this So if anyone eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily, that person is cup of the Lord unworthily, that person is guilty of sinning against the body and the guilty of sinning against the body and the blood of the Lord. That is why you should blood of the Lord. That is why you should examine yourself before eating the bread examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking from the cup. For if you eat and drinking from the cup. For if you eat the bread or drink the cup unworthily, not the bread or drink the cup unworthily, not

honoring the body of Christ, you are eating honoring the body of Christ, you are eating and drinking God's judgment upon and drinking God's judgment upon

yourself. yourself.

What Do We What Do We BelieveBelieve

Lesson 3Lesson 3

““What Do We Believe”What Do We Believe”The Bigger PictureThe Bigger Picture

Lesson 3Lesson 3

1. Our church is a member of the Eastern Baptist Association. Which

consists of 37 churches and missions, from the Eastern Shore of Maryland and in

Delaware.

2. Most but not all the churches in the association

contribute to the association.

3. The money is used to maintain the Association’s office building located on College Ave. in Salisbury.

From the support of the churches the association also

pays the salaries of an Associational Missionary, part-time secretary, and other part-

time directors.

4. The Eastern Baptist Association is one of 11 associations that make

up the Baptist Convention of Maryland

and Delaware which includes approximately

470 churches.

5. All the churches in the convention contribute to the Convention’s

Cooperative Program. The Baptist Convention of Maryland and

Delaware then forwards 40% of the money given to the Southern

Baptist Convention which includes numerous conventions and

associations across the United States, and includes over 16

million members.

6. Those monies go to various and multiple

ministries including but not limited to:

a. maintaining 6 seminaries

b. Financing 2 mission boards

1. International Mission Board (Outside the U.S.)

2. North American Mission Board (Within the U.S.)

These two mission boards send approximately 11,500 missionaries

across the United states and around the world

spreading the Gospel of Christ and sharing his

love.