News from New Life United Methodist Church

As we enter week four of our journey toward God's vision for New Life, we are hopefully nearing the end of the journey and we will soon identify God's vision for us. The Natural Church Development (NCD) Health Team will take the input we have received from those participating in the Bible studies and use it to develop three draft vision statements that we will share first with the church council (and everyone will be invited to attend that meeting) where we will narrow it down to one statement that we will share with the congregation at large and ask for your input. In the meantime, keep praying that we will all hear and recognize God's vision for New Life!

This week, we join Jesus as he talks not only to his disciples but also to the crowd. The crowds following Jesus had grown larger and larger. Those he had called to help fish for people must have been very proud and happy. Then Jesus upped the ante:

34He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. 36For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? 37Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? Mark 8:34-37

Read Jesus' initial invitation to the disciples in Mark 1:17 and compare it with Jesus' invitation in Mark 8:34.
o In what ways are the invitations alike?
o In what ways are they different?
What does Jesus mean when he says, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me?"
Read Matthew 28:16-20 and Acts 1:8.
o What is the purpose of the church of Jesus Christ?
o Why does New Life exist?
Read Acts 6:1-7
o   What was the mission of the early church according to this passage?
o   How did the apostle's assess the current reality?
o   What did they do to move the congregation from that reality to the actual mission of the church
o   What can we learn from them?
Mark 8:34-37 teaches us the Biblical principle of "Beyond and Within." "Beyond and Within" teaches that Christian discipleship must move beyond self-focused concerns as Jesus' followers take up their crosses and lose their lives for Jesus' sake and the gospel's.
o What would a vision based on "Beyond and Within" look like for New Life?

See you on Sunday!

Pastor Sherill