R882 The Soul of the New Testament Church, Pt.2

Is there such thing as absolute truth. Dr. Don Wilton would tell you absolutely study God's word together in just a few moments. We wrapping up our wonderful four-part series on the soul New Testament church… To be talking today about absolute truth and how tragically today. Some people believe it's irrelevant or nonexistent will go to God's word together discover biblical truth on that in just a moment. Dr. Don also want you to know that we're here for you to pray with you and for you online at tewonline.org G that's DEW online.org great place to sign up for the daily Encouraging Word email can call us as well. At 866899 word 866899673 and now Dr. Don Wilton that have a direct bearing on the word of God. Distinctive number one issue of absolute truth. We living in a world where absolute truth is becoming increasingly nonexistent. It's irrelevant.

The world is declaring absolute truth to be irrelevant. Absolute truth is the word of God.

Everything about God.

Genesis 11 is absolute truth in the beginning God people lost me about marriage between a man and woman that's absolute truth is nonnegotiable because God determined that Jesus Christ is absolute truth. Jesus is the way the truth and the life no man can come to the father but by me through your riches and poverty will through your service or your mission mindedness so your church membership or your ability to preach. He said through me that's absolute truth that narrow way that's absolute truth and, in so far as we are able to do so as a congregation of believers we give one another permission never to compromise when it comes to absolute truth, the second critical issue is the matter personal conviction personal conviction boy, that's a good thing to talk about. I love it. I think we should be people personal conviction.

I think that should be our business and personal conviction should come out of absolute truth, but insofar as we are able to do so. We do not give anybody permission in this church to impose their personal convictions on this church as absolute truth.

Are you listening while the third most critical issue is the issue of personal preference by the light. You know what we cook for Thanksgiving leg of lamb, ham and chicken chicken ham Landon O'Connor goes to get some people cited for Thanksgiving.

Although I couldn't. That's my personal preference. Okay I like Graham I grew up on land now somebody might have turkey son might have roast duck. Someone might've just said good old peanut butter and some people might've had chicken, lamb, anything else in between. It didn't affect Thanksgiving wielded Thanksgiving. We all had a wonderful time. We will personal preferences, folks.

Some people say one of these days that cost is going to stand still long enough that I can actually see him or at the same time. Some people say man I love the pasta when he walks around some people want me to be loud. Some people say, but I wish he just turned down a little bit. Some people like to sing courses. Some people only want him some people love the whole Christian. Some people love the people who play in the orchestra but they don't like orchestra. Some people like you know, trombones and other people like guitars personal preference. Folks watch me watch me watch me.

We do not give one another permission in this church ever to impose our personal preferences on this congregation as absolute truth. This is my dear friends, there are churches all over America today that are being built on personal preference knocked on absolute truth and we are losing America. We are losing America well number eight is the unity distinctive Bible says in verse 32. They were one in heart and mind one in heart and mind.

What does it mean to be one churches being so united two things means they will one thing they love the Lord Jesus Christ and it means that they were one in the purpose for the Lord. That's what a purpose driven Church is folks when we are one in heart and mind. It means that we lay aside our own personal preferences and convictions and we stand upon the absolutes of God's word and we are here to serve him.

Number nine the giving distinctive the giving distinctive it's amazing you know from verse 32 in following something happens, the people began to give in a unified fashion. Big subject, I submit to you that in this passage, folks that it addresses elements of giving that is so important. Number one. The method of giving. They gave together unitedly, to the manner of giving that game. According to the means of the people distributing according to the needs of the people number three. The mission of giving who was the focus then maybe those who needed it now before the two of giving. Why do we give because God is given to us. They gave unselfishly that were there in the Greek text literally means they turned loose of their own. Hold on what they had in recognition of all that God is with an open and with a free hall to see my friends. I'm believing that God is calling us to an entirely new level of giving God is calling us to do things that nobody else wants to do and I'm talking about across-the-board.

I believe God is calling this congregation to a distinctive that you and I cannot even begin to imagine your site pasta how we do that in one itty-bitty little congregation you with one itty-bitty little congregation one drop in the bucket.

One person all he needs is one person to give already has. And Jesus will take the fish and loaves and feet as many people as need to be fate I believe is a new initiative coming in this congregation you see folks when our people go to work as they starting to already in February and March of next year.

The team organization will bring together the unified budget of this church and presented to the finance team. The finance team will present that to the deacons and the deacons will present it here to this congregation for body approval. All of us old people who've worked on this bringing together sign Lord we can do it, but with one difference. I'm asking our church to do it God's way.

You know that we consulted with Spartanburg County. You know what the average per capita income is in Spartanburg County average income $48,000 now if you would a microcosm Medicare in our congregation that means in this congregation. If the average income is $48,000. That means there are hundreds of people in this congregation who earn far less than $48,000 a year and there are hundreds of people earn formal that's the average income in Spartanburg County. Now watch this.

Folks, some of our accountants have done this work. This homework I'm giving you accurate figures. You know that if every one of our family units we have about 2600 family units in this church on paper.

We have 6700 members at First Baptist Church. If every one of the family units in our church just tied that's $4800 a year.

There are hundreds of people who would give far more than that.

And there are hundreds of people who give far less than because that's the average. But if every one of our family units would tie.

According to God's instructions. We would receive anywhere between three to $5 million goal. Then we will receive in receipts this year 32 $5 million site pasta water. We knew if we receive all that money. Let me tell you what we do folks, one hour people come together present a unified budget.

I can tell you right now we have an extra $4 million in our church decided we'd spin every single bit of it on ministries at this church. God is put in our hearts folks. We've got trucks standing in our parking lots that are idly we got trucks standing in our parking lots that can't go anywhere because they have no fuel and we got trucks that are traveling all over the world.

If you had any idea of the number of ministries that we are not able to do right now. It would probably shock you all week cutting out go to court and of course we all because we operate according to functional principal line item we never screen one time more than we had. We never drive the trucks anywhere when we don't have we done forgive the interruption · talking about specific elements of our own church and your church as well. This concept, making sure we live within our means something that applies to all of us, not just our organization God is bringing you to like fresh new perspective on finances. Whatever is going on.

Whatever God's doing in your heart you need to know you have friends at the Encouraging Word with you about it for you judge this number down but if not, take a moment to write it down or sorting your cell that is tax 8668998668999673 any time day or night is Dr. Don would say we'd be thrilled to a friend. We love to pray with and encourage will also meet you online keyboard keyboard on our website.

DEW online.org that's TBW online.org many resources putting the new series on Daniel, a man of courage. That's all there DEW online L it's not like today's message.

The conclusion of sold testing the church with Dr. Don we church of Christ finance team existing romantic we get three months every year.

Outside to make sure that the stewardship finances of the church and every year we get a clean every year because the management function. We've got a responsibility as a congregation you site pasta. Now, what would we do with the excess money well I'm asking the finance team. Ultimately, the deacons to form a team.

We got ministries in Spartanburg. Many names, some of them for you Carolina pregnancy center MobileMe use Child evangelism Fellowship miracle Hill ministries Habitat for Humanity you can all shout out 100.

They are the most wonderful ministries you've ever seen folks run by godly people, many of whom are in our church is what happens every year, every year.

All these ministries need money. Of course I knew they doing incredible work. So who did I go to they come to church people in Spartanburg because we're the ones who understand.

I say we can have a banquet so they have a banquet and I and bipolar people from all the churches and you sit around tables that your presentation then you get out a piece of paper and you make a pledge to give $25 a month for the year and all Christian people from all churches might hold a contribution and everybody gives including myself and at the end of the year they run out of money again why lots of reasons why, but the overriding reason is because the church is not doing what the church is supposed to guess what I'm proposing. I'm proposing that our church receive applications from these organizations that a team of people in our church consider those on an annual yearly basis, not a lifetime basis and every year they meet and they determined that the following 56 organizations.

For whatever reason would receive money from us that our people are unified in giving that we approach this is an organization in Spartanburg that is doing a phenomenal job of giving away money to charities.

That's what they do. Let's lead a group like that help us to get that money away get involved in the distribution business. We need to be the ones who give we add to the pot and let's just say for example this next year that instead of giving each one of these organizations $500 a year or a thousand or $2000 a year which is wonderful but it's a drop in the bucket. Could we not give away this next year thousand dollars or $200,000 distributed according to need, according to the Scriptures the way God intends it to do what happens folks under the giving distinctive if first Baptist Spartanburg started to give away money like that and then first prayer says what's going on in the Anglican church is what's going on. Ensign John church says what's going on. I couldn't think of a better way to spend some of my time than going to meet with the presbyters and the elders and the deacons and the ministers signed them guys let me show you how it works. Would you join with us. Is it possible that there is a county in the United States of America where the Christian church starts to do what God tells us to do when people come to me inside of me.

Would you would you support this, would you support that I can look them in the on-site. I am supporting you.

I'm giving it to my church and my church last year gave away 500,000 to this organization and it was put into the pot with all the other churches and now you understand why last year. This organization had $3 million to give to citations) back right here in our backyard in Spartanburg beloved friends. You listening you listening not to want to pasta has to say is what the Bible says no one claimed that any of these positions was his own, but they shared everything that they had.

There were no needy persons, among them, they put it that the apostles feet. It was distributed to anyone as he had need.

It's time, my beloved friends in America to put the Christian community back where the Christian community needs to be where we need to lead and do it God's way and fly the flag and say, for example, in folks God is giving us a unity and ability to be able to do anything. We allow God to do in and through us to even step across the line of the impossibilities to pray for miracles and I'm going to close with the final distinctive the witnessing distinctive it's right there in verse 33 with great power the apostles continued to testify. What's this what's this the witnessing distinctive mentor close with this nobody leave just listen. This is too important. Listen carefully. We have 6700 members that all members of this church. Last year we averaged 2500 people in Sunday school class on our bulletin last week. I think we had 2600 and something in Sunday school. So what just 2000 people from our church were to come together in this congregation under my leadership with me leading the way and we were together in this church in early January.

Sometime and only 2000 about people to make a commitment that by God's grace we 2000 people were going to witness to share our faith with one person a month for 12 months run that by again 2000 people make a commitment in this century in God's house that 2000 of us were gonna witness to just one person a month for 12 months and we make that commitment. And we also God for America.

Okay, you're ready in one month, 2000 people that we witness to give their hearts and lives to Jesus Christ. If 2000 people in the month of January, gave their hearts to Jesus through this church.

Is there anybody here who would say I am in. Is that all you can rerun that bargain if thousand people in the month of January, gave their hearts to Jesus in this church this coming January. Is there anybody who would say amen. Okay, now what" because we missing something here because you and I know better than that.

We know that God is incapable of having 2000 people in one month give their heart to Jesus.

You and I know that he's too busy. God can't do that. That is the most ridiculous fall out of line thing you've ever said pasta you just ministerial exaggeration. There is no way that God can save one 2000 people in this community and one month conduit right alright so let's just go with our best feelings on this. Let's just say that out of 2000 people we witness to only half of them only 1000 actually give their hearts to Jesus.

The other thousand site. No way I'm not interested.

Is there anybody who would say amen. If 1000 people a month guide their hearts to Jesus.

Amen. I like but folks other PhD and I know God can't do that we stupid man. I'm a God can't even keep up with outdated language is old-fashioned. He's not gonna cover God's not cutting it juicy gods, slipped a little bit and he's probably all to. He's been around a long time. No way that he can save a thousand people right so what if what if 2000 of us go out in one month and only 100 people.

Of those, 2000. Say yes to Jesus 1900 say I'm not interested.

Is there anybody in this group.

I would say 100 gave their hearts to Jesus man again a heavenly forgiven the Oscar? If out of 2000 of us who went out only one day their heart to Jesus as the anybody here who would say amen.

That's the reason why I'm here. That is why we exist, my beloved friends. We are not interested per se.

Of the thousands and thousands God is cool – because these one more person is going to Devils Hill if we don't introduce them to Jesus Christ.

That's the reason why my wife are not tied to our annual income to the church. That's the reason why I say Lord God serve you. That's the reason I'm willing to drive a bus to rock a baby in the nursery.

That's the reason I'm willing to play in the orchestra to sing in the choir. That's the reason I'm willing to sit in church when it goes into overdrive. That's the reason we built a hangar for our young people.

That's the reason we have a vacation Bible school.

That's the reason we were church because this Jesus who is the son of God came in God and across for Richardson like me that is the soul of the New Testament to search his commands. Your identity is. This is right playing Jesus preaching low since clearly God brought to life.

Dr. Don Wilton is ensuring that says churches all across the globe share this broadcast together is also talking to you in the invitation for you to be a part of the body of Christ starts with your personal decision functions. You ready to make that choice for you would open your heart to what Dr. Don is about to share.

Next are you ready to give your heart and life to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Why did you pray this prayer with me right. Dear God, I know that Iverson and I know that God for me on the cross. Today I repainted myself and by faith I received Jesus and I my friend welcome you today into the family of God. This is exciting. You absolutely prepared 899673. Their phone number that 866899967 Devon chief Daniel Amanda. Details on that specific reasons in the story dollars and 99 video presentations if not all the details are online@theonline.org tewonline.org