SMC Spiritual Formation of the Mind 09-01-2013

Transcript

1. Sunday Morning Communities at The Church of the Good Shepherd
2. Sunday Morning Communities at The Church of the Good Shepherd Marks of these 3 ongoing Sunday Morning Communities (SMC’s) Elder lead, and Minister supported No flock boundaries or expectations Any one is free to participate in any one of them, for any reason. Dive in where you want. But, dive in! Select a Community by visiting them and seeing where you feel like you “fit.” Consider it’s “personality,” “vibe,” teachers, subject matter, style, other people in the Community, etc. Then, jump in, enjoy, serve, invite others, grow, learn, serve
3. Sunday Morning Communities at The Church of the Good Shepherd Leaders of the new Sunday Morning Communities Logos Community (Location: S202) John Sanders, David Pierce Grace Alive Community (Location: S212) Michael Ervin, Barnette Crabtree, Bruce Wells, Tom Hahn Intersections Community (Location: S203-204) Doug Betts, Grant Hoffman
4. Intersection Community Led by: Grant Hoffman, Doug Betts Intersection explores the crossroads of faith, culture, and life after Sunday morning. A safe harbor to discuss pragmatic decisions, doubts, and dilemmas, we are an authentic and open community looking to form new friendships with people in any phase of life or depth of faith in Christ. This fall we will explore the counter- cultural nature of biblical community in an "unchristian" world and wise daily stewardship in all aspects of our life.
5. Sunday Morning Communities at The Church of the Good Shepherd Led by: Bruce Wells Michael Ervin Barnette Crabtree Tom Hahn
6. Logos Community Led by: John Sanders & David Pierce
7. Sunday Morning Communities at The Church of the Good Shepherd • Welcoming • Belonging • Learning • Equipping • Serving • Celebrating
8. Transforming the Mind Spiritual Formation & the Thought Life Chris Garrett Sept. 1, 2013
9. Why Not Make SMC a Priority? • Only day to sleep in and restore the body • Kids don’t like coming • I need renewal of some other kind • Other things are more important than getting God’s Word worked into my mind and heart
10. Keeping our Minds on Christ Jesus, the very thought of Thee, With sweetness fills my breast, But sweeter far Thy face to see, And in Thy presence rest. - Bernard of Clairvaux Psalm 16:8 (NIV84) 8 I have set the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
11. What are “Thoughts” All the ways in which we are conscious of things. - Includes memories, perceptions and beliefs. As well as things like “I thought of you yesterday” or “I was just thinking of our meeting tomorrow.”
12. “Ideas Have Consequences” Let’s list some national or global ideas that have had consequences….
13. Christian Ideas Shape History For more than four hundred years ________ has influenced the way successive generations of Europeans and Americans have thought about religion, structured their political institutions, looked at paintings, written poetry and music, theorized about economic relations, or struggled to uncover the laws which govern the physical universe. - David Steinmetz
14. Ideas Webster’s Dictionary: idea : a transcendent entity that is a real pattern of which existing things are imperfect representations Definition: general models of or assumptions about reality. They are patterns of interpretation, historically developed and socially shared. Our idea system is a cultural artifact, growing up with us from earliest childhood out of the teachings, expectations and observable behaviors of family and community.
15. Ideas we Have
16. Spiritual Formation Must Transform Ideas Ephesians 6:12 (NIV84) 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
17. The Changing of Ideas is Extremely Difficult Luke 12:51–53 (NIV84) 51 Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. 52 From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three. 53 They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in- law.”
18. Images • Definition : (Webster’s) a tangible or visible representation of some reality • “Every idea system among us is present as a life force through a small number of powerful images.”
19. Images
20. Strongholds of Evil
21. Images Empower Wrong Ideas
22. Deliverance from Destructive Ideas and Images We want to see “the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God -2 Cor 4.4 The way God views us and our view of ourselves is radically different. Isaiah 55:8–9 (ESV) 8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
23. Deliverance from Destructive Ideas Old Way Colossians 3:8–9 (ESV) 8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices New Way 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. 11 Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.
24. Correct Information Roman 10:14 – How shall they believe in Him whom they have not heard?” Without the right information, how can we think rightly about God? Charles Wesley Hymn: Long my imprisoned spirit lay, Fast bound in sin and Nature’s night Thine eye diffused a quickening ray, I woke, the dungeon flamed with light: My chains fell off, my heart was free I rose, went forth and followed Thee.
25. Jesus Taught us Correct Ideas Matthew 11:27 (ESV) 27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
26. Spiritual Formation Requires Re-thinking • Psalm 19:7–8 (ESV) • 7 The law of the LORD is perfect, • reviving the soul; • the testimony of the LORD is sure, • making wise the simple; • 8 the precepts of the LORD are right, • rejoicing the heart; • the commandment of the LORD is pure, • enlightening the eyes; “Worship is at once the overall character of the renovated thought life and the only safe place for a human being to stand.” - Dallas Willard