As some of you may be aware, One80 has 5 purposes. These are the 5 things that one80 exists to to. They are each summarised by a single key word. They are...
BUILD REACH GROW CONNECT EMPOWER
Purpose 1 is to...Build a community of love, care, acceptance and fun.
One of the Bible passages that comes into my mind when I think about the sort of community that God wants One80 to be is Acts 2:42-47. It talks about how the first Christians related to each other, lived life with each other and the impact that this type of community living had on the people around them.
Have a read of the passage, it's just below.
"They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved." (NIV)
"They committed themselves to the teaching of the apostles, the life together, the common meal, and the prayers. Everyone around was in awe--all those wonders and signs done through the apostles! And all the believers lived in a wonderful harmony, holding everything in common. They sold whatever they owned and pooled their resources so that each person's need was met. They followed a daily discipline of worship in the Temple followed by meals at home, every meal a celebration, exuberant and joyful, as they praised God. People in general liked what they saw. Every day their number grew as God added those who were saved." (The Message)
So guys, what were some of the characteristics of this community?
What was the impact of this sort of living?
How would you like to be a part of something like this?
What would this sort of community look like in a One80 context?
What are YOU going to do to make this community more and more of a reality for us?
Guys, I love serving you. I love serving God with you. I count it a privilege and a blessing from God that you allow me to be a part of your life. You guys encourage, inspire and challenge me. I am in awe of what God is doing in so many of your lives. It is not just a throw away line when I write...
Know Jesus and make Him known
Mike
