2010 Senior Pastors' Conference - Session 4 - Dave Rolph

·         We look back at baptisms as being the start of a whole lot.

·         This stuff isn’t just for the ‘70’s – it’s for 2010 – and beyond.

·         ESSENTIAL CHURCH – Acts 2

·         The Book of Acts is the story of what happened when Jesus continued His ministry through the church

o   It’s more than just nostalgia

o   It’s the way culture carries itself along as the story unfolds

·         He’s not trying to say that Calvary Chapel is the only church that does this, it’s just his frame of reference – what he knows, what he’s experienced.

o   When Dave studied this passage, he wasn’t drawn to point out how CC is doing it right, and everybody else is doing it wrong – he’s drawn to point out where the Spirit is saying we must focus and re-focus as a movement.

·         The Apostles’ work was something that was moving towards strength

o   They were devoted to the Lord, exclusively, and decided at some point that this is what we do – Apostles’ doctrine, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayers.

o   So many distractions in our lives – but Jesus and His call on us must be primary.

·         Top of the list – APOSTLES’ DOCTRINE

o   What we do starts with the teaching of the Word.

o   Something unique about Pastor Chuck’s teaching when Dave first heard him.

§  He’d heard many pastors before, but there was something about the simple teaching of the Word, simpliy.

§  It wasn’t that he was saying things that nobody else had said

·         it was the diligent, simple teaching of the Word.

·         It was the consistency

·         It was the simplicity

o   Just a guy sharing the Word

o   Not preachy, not a guy putting on a show

o   Just sitting down with the Bible and the Spirit and letting it say what it said where it said it.

o   Believed that the Word of God was strong enough on its own so that he could just bring it and let it do its work.

o   How hard do we work at the Apostles’ Teaching?

§  How hard do we work to make sure our teaching is accurate?

§  It takes labor, it takes work.

§  Do we follow the example we have been given?

§  Dave mentioned, he doesn’t think he has ever preached a message that he didn’t think he could have done better if he’d have spent just a bit more time in preparation.

§  In Acts, they raised up deacons, so that pastors could devote themselves to prayer and the ministry of the Word.

o   Teaching the Word of God is not an excuse for us to get off on tangents and just go off on our personal rants!

§   We must preach the Word, not our word!

§  Faithfully present the Word of God.

·         Then there’s FELLOWSHIP.

o   More than just the donuts after church.

o   Koinonia – word means “common,” “shared”

§  They were devoted to being common.

§  When you came to CC Costa Mesa, you were going to be loved.

§  Thing is – we can’t generate it.

·         Programs won’t work

·         Trying to do it won’t work

§  Instead, it begins with the whole idea of being common.

·         Being real

·         Being accessible

·         No hierarchy

·         No agenda

o   Want to work on fellowship?

§  Work on commonness.

o   Often, the intelligence of the pastor is in inverse proportion to the effectiveness of their ministry!

§  All your  smarts isn’t going to “make this happen.”

§  It’s the Holy Spirit.

§  To get to the point where people realize it’s God, that He uses anybody – Paul had to get to the point where he came to them in absolute brokenness and humility, determining not to know anything among them – except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

o   Until you work at being common, you’ll never be able to achieve communion.

o   Realize – we are all in this together.

§  {{story of Chuck Smith & Katherine Kuhlman}}

o   Common, regular people – as soon as we become something else, we are not doing what the Lord intends.

·         Then, there’s THE BREAKING OF BREAD

o   Probably talking specifically about the Lord’s Supper

o   People go to one extreme or the other

§  First end, mystical – transubstantiation/consubstatiation

§  Other end, that it’s not that important, treated lightly.

§  Both wrong!

o   Communion is, in fact, a big deal.

§  Treat it as such!

·         Then, PRAYERS

o   Definite article – literally, “in THE prayers.”

o   Later in Acts – “you deacons do what you do so that we can devote ourselves to prayer”

o   Are we in to praying?

§  Do we schedule prayer?

§  Do we encourage people to pray as they are worshipping Jesus?

§  Do we pray corporately?

§  Do we choose songs that express prayer and such?

·         Not so much the “Jesus is my boyfriend” creepy choruses

§  How much of an emphasis do we put on prayer?

·         Remember the emphasis in the Word!

o   “PRAYER…and the ministry of the Word.”

·         The result: “Fear came upon every soul.”

·         When we lose simplicity, we lose gladness.

o   When we complicate things, make them burdensome, the first thing that goes out the window is joy.

·         God desires us to set the scene in the churches we’re given to pastor to encourage Acts 2:42 expressions.

·         {{story of yelling in a mailbox, “JESUS LOVES YOU!!!}}

·         When the church does what the church is, God shows up.