This is the final week of the “Grow Up!” series where we have been focusing on the first section of 2 Peter 1 where Peter talks about the different qualities we are to add to our life as we grow in Christ.
The concept of growing up has a lot of connotations in today’s world. Becoming more independent, self-sufficient, and the like. But the picture that God paints of growing up is one of becoming more like Jesus and becoming more dependent on Him. The end product is way different that what we’ve been trained to think, but way better.
The last two qualities that we focused on this week were brotherly kindness and love toward our neighbor. These are both essential qualities of the Christian life that aren’t necessarily seen as important in today’s world. Yet, as we grow up in Christ, we are to share our heart by giving ourselves away just as Christ did for us. The question that was left with people was “Am I willing to give myself away for the sake of others, whatever that looks like, just as Christ gave Himself for us?”
Service Flow: (Links go to AmazonMp3)
Welcome/Announcements/Greeting
– We’ve been using a video from the Skit Guys to promote our Fall/Halloween alternative.
Call to Worship (Hebrews 4:16)
As It Is In Heaven (Maher/Cash)
O Worship the King (Grant/Gardiner/Tomlin)
Transition Scripture: Psalm 84:10-12
Unashamed Love (Hiebert)
Prayer and Reading of Some One Anothers
The Servant Song (Gillard)
Offering
– During the offering we had an interview with some men working to start a free medical clinic.
Message
Video Story
Prayer/Reflection
Benediction: 2 Peter 1:3 and 2 Peter 3:18
Throughout the series, we’ve shown stories from various people about growing up in Christ. It’s been a great part of the service each week. This week’s video was especially moving because of the content. We heard the story of a lady in our church who lost a son approximately 15 years ago. Throughout that, the family remained focused on and strengthened by their faith in Christ, and today are great witnesses and example of maturity. Her story will be posted later.
The first service this week was a little challenging. It started with me, as these last few weeks have been really stressful and challenging in a number of ways. As a result, I haven’t given as much time to preparation in regards to connective pieces and transitions. It definitely showed in the first service, but was better in the second service.
The start of the first service was a little rough, too. Our video guy had an alarm clock incident (it happens), and so we were rushing to make sure things got communicated and such as we were trying to start. The first service was just rough, although I realize it was probably more so to me than others. In fact, I had someone tell me how meaningful the service was to them. It just goes to show how little I know and understand about how God works.
The call to worship was focused on people acknowledging and expecting the presence of God. The scripture transition from Psalm 84 was something I had shared with the worship team at practice and just seemed to fit. During our prayer time, we recited some of the one anothers from Scripture as it related to the theme of the day. We did about 6-7 verses, and I had different members of the worship team read them as people reflected. It seemed to work really well. The Servant Song was an older song that really seemed to also fit. We did it really stripped down (vocal, piano, acoustic guitar), and it seemed to work.
The close of the service (benediction) was the same we had been doing for the whole series. It was both meant to capture the thrust of the series, and also to help people internalize a couple of verses of Scripture. As we closed, we had the congregation turn toward one another and say the benediction to each other. It was pretty cool.
If you were there, what was significant to you and meaningful?
Thanks for stopping by. For more ideas and insights from other churches, visit Fred’s Sunday Setlists blog carnival.
