Grace Bible Fellowship

                  Mission & Purpose

 

 

       

 

 

Purpose Statement

 

With a Great Commitment

To the Great Commission

And the Great Commandments

God will grow a Great Church!

 

 

 

The Great Commandments:  “Jesus said, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind.  This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it:  Love your neighbor as yourself.  All the law and the prophets hang on these two commandments.’”      Matthew 22:36-40

 

The Great Commission:  “Jesus said, ‘Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you.’”      Matthew 28:19-20

 

 

                                    Priorities of Grace Bible Fellowship

 

1.  Youth & Children

 

Because youth and children are our future, we will endeavor to provide ministries that reach this age group.

 

2.  Personal Witness

 

Because this is the primary function of the church, every believer should have a personal witness and be involved in the Great Commission.

 

3.  Personal Discipleship

 

Because our Lord desires that we be disciples (not just believers), we will endeavor to offer a variety of discipleship opportunities.  Every believer should be a disciple and a disciple-maker.

 

4.  Community Focus

 

Although foreign missions are important, the United States is rapidly becoming a pagan nation and we must focus our evan­gelism, discipleship and love toward those around us that need it most.

 

 

 

 

 

 

             The Five Functions of the Church

 

 

1.  WORSHIP - TO CELEBRATE GOD’S PRESENCE

 

“Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only”  Matt. 4:10

 

“...The Father seeks worshipper..and His worshiper must worship Him in spirit and in truth.”   John 4:23-24

 

                                    Expressions of Worship

 

              Singing                      Commitment

              Eph. 5:19                                Rom. 12:1-2

 

              Praying                      Hearing the Word

                     Ps. 95:6                            John 17:17

 

                     Giving                        Baptism

              I Cor. 16:1-2                           Rom. 6:3-4

 

                    Meditating                  Communion

                Hab. 2:20                                 I Cor. 11:12-26

 

The important part of worship is that you experience God.

 

Worship can be celebrational (Psalms 122:1), inspirational (Isaiah 40:31) and preparational (Eph.4:11-12).  God is not concerned with the outward appearance of worship, like we are.  God looks at the heart.


2. EVANGELISM - TO COMMUNICATE GOD’S WORD

 

“His intent was that through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known...”    Ephesians 3:10

 

“And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about Him?  And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?”   Romans 10:14

 

Why evangelism is important:

 

* The Lord wishes that all would be saved.

 

“The Lord is patient, not wanting anyone to perish, but wants everyone to come to repentance.”   2 Peter 3:9

            (also see2 Cor 5:14, Luke 15:3-10, Matt 9:12-13)

 

* The Lord wishes that His house be full

 

“Go out into the country...and urge anyone you find to come in, so that My house will be full.”    Luke 14:23

 

*  The Lord wants His house to grow maturity and in number

 

“Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace.  It was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in fear of the Lord.”   Acts 9:31

 

 

3. DISCIPLESHIP - TO EDUCATE GOD’S PEOPLE

 

* God wants us to mature as Christians.

 

“Let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity.”   Hebrews 6:1

 

“Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 

                                                                        2 Peter 3:18

* The job of a mature Christian is to equip others.

 

“(God has given).....some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of ministry, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”   Eph. 4:11-13

 


4. MINISTRY - TO DEMONSTRATE GOD’S LOVE

 

“By this shall all men know that you are my disciples: that you love one another.”   John 13:35

            (1 John 3:16-17, Matt. 25:34-40, Heb. 13:16)

 

* Every believer has a ­­ministry

 

“There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit.  there are different kinds of service(ministry), but the same Lord.  There are different kinds of working but the same God works all of them in men.  Now you are the body of Christ and each one of you is a part of it.  1 Corinthians 12:4-5,27

 

* Since we are a body, if every member has the same function we would be disfunctional

 

“If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be?  If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be?  But in fact the Lord has arranged the parts in the body every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.”            I Corinthians 12:17-18

 

* Each gift is a manifestation of the Spirit and is for the common good of the Body.

 

“Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.”   I Corinthians 12:7

 

* All members are necessary and special

 

 

5. FELLOWSHIP - TO INCORPORATE GOD’S PEOPLE

 

* Baptism says to the world, this person is part of us.

 

Baptism is not only a symbol of salvation, it is a symbol of fellowship.  It not only symbolizes our new life in Christ, it portrays a person’s incorporation into the body of Christ. 

 

* Fellowship says that I’m not just a believer but I belong

 

“...you are no longer foreigners and aliens but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household.”   Ephesians 2:19

 

* Believers are living stones in the House of God.

 

“You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house...”   1 Peter 2:5

 

* All believers should be precious to us and everyone believer deserves our respect

 

“Now to you who believe, this stone is precious...Show proper respect to everyone:  Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the King.”   1 Peter 2:7,17

 

 

 

 

     

 

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Grace Bible Fellowship

P.O. Box 13

Stella, NE 68442

(402) 883-2110