Empowered

The earliest church met together every day.  Their "greenhouse" was always filled with growth-producing activity.  Life Bridge is filled with growth-producing activity, too.  It is obvious that our mission is to empower one more to walk together with God.

Our culture communicates certain expectations with the word "membership."  With it, we expect to receive privileges and to be served.  God's design for His Church, however, is that we consider it a privilege to serve.  This is why we don't focus on membership at Life Bridge.  Instead, we encourage everyone to "get involved." 

Here are some of the growth-producing activities we saw in the early church that we still live out at Life Bridge today.

Encounter God (Worship)
Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts...praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people... (Acts 2:46-47 NIV)

They gathered together with other believers wherever they could.  Large groups would meet together in the temple courts where it was public and there was plenty of room.  They praised God together in a way that other people (non church-goers) treated them favorably.  We gather together every weekend in a large group setting to praise God in a way that, hopefully,  non church-goers would like, too.

Make it Real (Groups)
They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts... (Acts 2:46 NIV)

They met together in smaller groups as well.  They shared meals together.  They shared life together.  By sharing life with others who wanted to walk with God, they encouraged one another in their faith.  It became more "real" (personal) when they took what they had learned, talked it out with others, and applied it to their lives.  

We meet in small groups as well.  Many of them share a meal together.  We walk through parts of God's Word together.  Then we talk it through, apply it to our lives, and make our faith real as well. 

Live it Out (Steps)
They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. (Acts 2:42 NIV)

The apostles learned how to draw near to God from Jesus.  These new believers learned from the apostles' teaching.  The Bible contains the Scriptures they had (our Old Testament) and the apostles' teachings (our New Testament) as well.  

We hear these teachings shared every weekend at our large group services.  These teachings are explored more deeply through devotional studies made available each day.  In small groups, we discuss the apostles' teachings as well.  

Perhaps the most helpful steps, however, are the teachings found in The Path here at Life Bridge.  You are checking out the first steps of The Path right now.  These studies take us through the Bible that show us, step by step, how to draw near to, and then walk together with, God.  We learn from the apostles' teaching, and their Scriptures, how to move closer to "the chair."  We move toward God's ideal picture for our lives.

Empower One More (Ministry)
Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. (Acts 2:43-45 NIV)

The apostles did their part of God's plan.  They performed miracles and taught.  The rest of the church did their part of God's plan.  They pooled God's resources and served one another.  This is why we always have opportunities to participate in ministry at Life Bridge.  This way, we can live out our walk together with God by serving one another as well.

Their ministries not only created a "greenhouse-like" safe environment for growth, but they also created a welcoming environment that new people were attracted to and enjoyed.  The result?

And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2:47 NIV)

How about you?  Are you empowered to walk together with God?  Are you empowered to empower one more?  Are you ready to "get involved?"