EPISODE 0063 | Culture Is An Attitude

Nov 6

THESE NOTES ACCOMPANY EPISODE 0063

Today, Pastor Stephen explores the final “C”, Culture, and how it completes the "four Cs" of Character, Calling, Competence, and Culture. These elements build upon each other to create a life of purpose and impact. Discover why your attitude, or "kingdom culture," acts as a powerful multiplier, enhancing the effectiveness of everything you do. Join us as we discuss practical ways to cultivate a Christ-centered culture that brings light and hope to those around you.

Culture is defined a way of life of a group of people--the behaviors, beliefs, values, and symbols that they accept, generally without thinking about them, and that are passed along by communication and imitation from one generation to the next.

One Church – Many Cultures

Matthew 5:14: 14 “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.

A city is a collection of families.

We are called to be unified but: Unity is not conformity. Diversity is a good thing, not doctrine but culture.

Bad culture has killed more churches and hurt more people than bad doctrine.

OUR SPIRITUAL DNA OR CULTURE:

1. People Matter to God

What does God think about when He closes His eyes at night? His lost children. Every person is a priceless image bearer of God and God is desperate to find them and bring them home.

2 Peter 3:9: “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”

2. Your Future Is Tied To Your Relationships

1 Corinthians 15:33 : “Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character.”

Examples in the Bible:

· Moses & Aaron, Joshua & Caleb, Ruth & Naomi, Hannah & Samuel, Jonathan & David, Elijah & Elisha, Ezra & Nehemiah, Jesus & His Disciples, The early church in the Book of Acts, Paul & Timothy

· Remember: You find your people, you find your purpose.

3. Character Over Charisma

Your gifting will open doors for you but only your character will keep you there.

· It’s tempting at times to rely solely on our talents and abilities as a foundation for our identity. This is a big mistake.

1 Samuel 16:7: “But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”

4. The Local Church Is The Hope Of The World.

Today there are a lot of Christians walking away from The Local Church thinking that they can grow in faith without other Christians. Many of them have been hurt by other Christians, maybe even by leaders.

· The truth is that The Church and especially the men and women who lead in it, aren’t perfect. We miss it sometimes, I know I do.

· And yet Jesus said that He would build His Church and the gates of Hell wouldn’t stop it.

Matthew 16:18: “And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.”

Jesus only promised to build one thing. It wasn’t your house, your future or even your family, it was His Church.

Matthew 6:33-34: “33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

5. We Are Sons & Daughters

More than Judge, more than Creator, more than Ruler of the Universe, more than King, Jesus called God “Father”.

· Through His sacrificial & obedient death on the Cross, as the “Ultimate & Perfect Older Brother” He invites all of us who love God into this same relationship.

· God is not building an organization, a movement, a company, a religion or a philosophy. First and foremost, He’s building a family.

1 John 3:1: “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.”

Approach The Local Church differently. When you gave your life to Jesus, a lot of other people became your brothers and sisters.

6. Generosity Transforms

The totality of The Gospel Message can be summed up in one word: “Generosity”. God was first generous to us, not withholding even His own son, we in turn and as a result of such generosity, share it forward with those around us.

Acts 20:35: “In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

7. The Presence of God is Essential

Every other religion is about what man does to make himself more enlightened, more spiritual, more appealing to a Higher Power. Christianity is none of those things. It’s about what God did to get to man.

2 Corinthians 3:17: For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

· It’s the supernatural, incredible reality that the Creator of the Universe is present in creation because He wants to know and love us. There’s no way you can encounter His Presence and not be changed.

8. Jesus Is Everything

Jesus is ultimately the answer. Not religion, just Jesus. Not a little added here and a little added there. It is about Jesus. We can complicate things, argue about things, allow preferences and prejustice to leak in but we must always come back to The Person of Jesus.

I Corinthians 3:10-11: 10 Because of God’s grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ.

Culture always produces Attitude (the right or wrong attitude)

This culture impacts how we lead at church.