This document discusses the importance of being an engaged church member and combating spiritual dangers. It provides guidelines for church members, such as being functioning, unifying, and not letting personal preferences divide the church. The document also discusses the reality of spiritual conflict from forces like Satan, sin, and the world. However, it emphasizes that Christians have overcome these through Christ and can expect spiritual victory by exposing darkness, resisting the devil, and overcoming delusion. Church leaders are especially vulnerable to attack, so prayer and support are needed.

1. 2014
A Year For Zeal

2. I Am a Church Member
“I noted in my
research that church
conflict was
increasing. Over
one-half of the
conflict issues dealt
with church
members arguing
over their personal
preferences.”
The attitude
that makes
the difference.

3. I Am a Church Member
1. I will be a functioning church
member.
2. I will be a unifying church member.
3. I will not let my church be about my
preferences and desires.
4. I will pray for my church leaders.
5. I will lead my family to be healthy
church members.
6. I will treasure church membership as
a gift.

4. I Am a Church Member
1. I will be a functioning church
member.
2. I will be a unifying church member.
3. I will not let my church be about my
preferences and desires.
4. I will pray for my church leaders.
5. I will lead my family to be healthy
church members.
6. I will treasure church membership as
a gift.

5. Zeal Is More!
• Galatians 4:18
– It is fine to be zealous, provided
the purpose is good, and to be so
always, not just when I am with
you. (NIV)
– If someone is eager to do good
things for you, that's all right; but
let them do it all the time, not just
when I'm with you. (NLT)

6. A Church With Zeal
• Acts 2:42-47
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
A learning church
A fellowshipping church
A praying church
A reverent church
A happening church
A sharing church
A worshipping church
A happy church
A popular church
A growing church

7. Where Zeal Is Applied
1.
2.
3.
4.
Personal
Home
FRANs
Church

8. The Church With Zeal
• NOT like a restaurant where you
get to choose from a menu but a
family where you eat the meal set
before you.

9. The Church With Zeal
• NOT like a store where you
wander the aisles deciding what
to buy but like a theatre backstage
experience where you learn your
role.

10. The Church With Zeal
• NOT like a diversion where you
engage based on whims or
immediate needs but a place of
commitment where you
demonstrate the Lord’s work
comes before all other possible
uses of time, talent and treasure.

11. The Church With Zeal
• NOT like a dysfunctional family
where people live in silence and
don’t share and work out their
differences but a healthy family
where everyone respects the
others and submits to them.

12. The Church With Zeal
• NOT like a charity where you
decide to support based on the
personal appeal of a cause but a
covenant group where you join
with others and support the
family.

13. The Church With Zeal
• NOT like a workplace where
everyone has a better idea than
the boss but a spiritual team
where everyone sets their
personal ideas and preferences
into the framework of the greater
cause.

14. Why?
• “The church is the indispensible
filling station where zeal is
replenished.”

15. Why?
• “The church is the indispensible
filling station where zeal is
replenished.”

16. Zeal Zappers
Serious Danger!

17. Serious Danger?

18. Serious Danger?

19. Spiritual Danger
1. Satan is real.

20. Spiritual Danger
1. Satan is real.
2. Satan is nasty.

21. Spiritual Danger
1. Satan is real.
2. Satan is nasty.
3. People are vulnerable.

22. Spiritual Danger
1.
2.
3.
4.
Satan is real.
Satan is nasty.
People are vulnerable.
God is infinitely greater.

23. Spiritual Danger
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Satan is real.
Satan is nasty.
People are vulnerable.
God is infinitely greater.
God gives victory.

24. Spiritual Danger
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Satan is real.
Satan is nasty.
People are vulnerable.
God is infinitely greater.
God gives victory.
Christians are vulnerable.

25. Spiritual Danger
• Galatians 1:3-5
• Grace and peace to you from
God our Father and the Lord
Jesus Christ, who gave himself
for our sins to rescue us from
the present evil age, according
to the will of our God and
Father, to whom be glory for
ever and ever. Amen.

26. Spiritual Danger
• Colossians 1:13
• For he has rescued us from the
dominion of darkness and
brought us into the kingdom of
the Son he loves.

27. Spiritual Danger
• 2 Corinthians 4:4
• The god of this age has blinded
the minds of unbelievers, so
that they cannot see the light of
the gospel that displays the
glory of Christ, who is the
image of God.

28. Spiritual Danger
• Ephesians 4:25-27
• Therefore each of you must put
off falsehood and speak
truthfully to your neighbor, for
we are all members of one body.
“In your anger do not sin”: Do
not let the sun go down while
you are still angry, and do not
give the devil a foothold.

29. Spiritual Danger
• 1 John 3:7-8
• Dear children, do not let anyone
lead you astray. The one who
does what is right is righteous,
just as he is righteous. The one
who does what is sinful is of the
devil, because the devil has
been sinning from the
beginning.

30. Spiritual Conflict ~ Expect It!
1. The Problem of Fallen Life
1. Toil
– Genesis 3:16-19
• “pains in childbearing”
• “Cursed is the ground because of
you; ...through painful toil ... all the
days of your life. ... By the sweat of
your brow”

31. Spiritual Conflict ~ Expect It!
1. The Problem of Fallen Life
2. Trouble
– Job 5:7
• “Yet man is born to trouble as
surely as sparks fly upward.”

32. Spiritual Conflict ~ Expect It!
1. The Problem of Fallen Life
3. Torment
– 2 Corinthians 12:7
• “... in order to keep me from
becoming conceited, I was given a
thorn in my flesh, a messenger of
Satan, to torment me.”

33. Spiritual Conflict ~ Expect It!
2. The Perniciousness of Sin
– Romans 7:14-20
• “... For I know that good itself does
not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful
nature. For I have the desire to do
what is good, but I cannot carry it
out. ...”

34. Spiritual Conflict ~ Expect It!
3. The Persuasiveness of the
World System
– 1 John 2:15-16
• “ Do not love the world or anything
in the world. If anyone loves the
world, love for the Father is not in
them. For everything in the world—
the lust of the flesh, the lust of the
eyes, and the pride of life—comes
not from the Father but from the
world.”

35. Spiritual Conflict ~ Expect It!
4. The Power of Satanic
Opposition
1. Erosion
– Revelation 3:14-20
• “I know your deeds, that you are
neither cold nor hot. I wish you
were either one or the other! So,
because you are lukewarm—neither
hot nor cold—I am about to spit you
out of my mouth.”

36. Spiritual Conflict ~ Expect It!
4. The Power of Satanic
Opposition
2. Ruts
– Exodus 20:5-6
• “... punishing the children for the
sin of the parents to the third and
fourth generation of those who hate
me, but showing love to a thousand
generations of those who love me
and keep my commandments.”

37. Spiritual Conflict ~ Expect It!
4. The Power of Satanic
Opposition
3. Walls
– 1 Thessalonians 2:18
• “For we wanted to come to you—
certainly I, Paul, did, again and
again—but Satan blocked our way.”

38. Spiritual Conflict ~ Expect It!
4. The Power of Satanic
Opposition
4. Blinders
– 2 Corinthians 11:3
• “… But I am afraid that just as Eve
was deceived by the serpent’s
cunning, your minds may somehow
be led astray from your sincere and
pure devotion to Christ.”

39. Spiritual Victory ~ Live It!
• 1 John 4:4
• You, dear children, are from
God and have overcome them,
because the one who is in you is
greater than the one who is in
the world.

40. Spiritual Victory ~ Live It!
• Expose the Darkness
– Ephesians 5:11
• “But everything exposed by the light
becomes visible ...”
• Resist the Devil
– Ephesians 6:10-18
• “... Put on the full armor of God, so that
you can take your stand against the
devil’s schemes.”
• Overcome the Delusion
– 1 John 2:12-14
• “…because you have overcome the evil
one”

41. Spiritual Leaders ~ Attacked!
• Zechariah 13:7, Mark 14:27
– Strike the shepherd, and the sheep
will be scattered.
• Ephesians 6:12
– 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.

42. I Am a Church Member
1. I will be a functioning church
member.
2. I will be a unifying church member.
3. I will not let my church be about my
preferences and desires.
4. I will pray for my church leaders.
5. I will lead my family to be healthy
church members.
6. I will treasure church membership as
a gift.