This is Gateway’s theme for 2008. (Does your church do a theme thing?) I am personally excited about it. I begin Sunday preaching a series based on it. I am falling back on that old sermon device- the acrostic- to do so.
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Complete Confession
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Radical Redirection
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Only faith (okay I cheated on this one! But had to work faith in somewhere.)
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Serious Submission
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Simply Servanthood
Our basic goal with this theme is to create the culture of the cross in our hearts, family and church. To lift up everything Jesus and model his spirit and his ministry. Our theme text is 1st Corinthians 2:2-5:
For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness and fear and with much trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power.
It was no mistake Paul directed them to the cross. By creating this just Jesus culture which Paul proclaimed, we open ourselves up to the working of God’s resurrection power which can accomplish in us more than we can “ask or imagine.” (See Ephesians 3:20-21)
This is what is before us at Gateway in 2008. It will be challenging. Of course, by using the nuances of the term “cross-culture”, it will be fun too.
Just thought I would share this. Pray for us.
And if your church has a 08 theme share that with me too.
Posted by dannydodd 