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Core Value #1: Adoring
the Triune God
Praise the
Lord. Praise the Lord, O my soul. I will praise the Lord all my life; I
will sing praise to my God as long as I live. Do not put your trust in
princes, in mortal men, who cannot save. When their spirit departs, they
return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing. Blessed
is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God, the
Maker of heaven and earth, the sea and everything in them—the Lord, who
remains faithful forever. He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives
food to the hungry. The Lord sets prisoners free, the Lord gives sight to
the blind, the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down, the Lord loves the
righteous. The Lord watches over the alien and sustains the fatherless and
the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked. The Lord reigns
forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations. Praise the Lord. - Psalm
146
This Old Testament Psalm
(song) reveals three things about our adoration of God:
- We see the MOVEMENT of
godly adoration (vs. 1,3,4)
-it is to be vertical, not horizontal (do not give ultimate
praise to men, but to God)
three times in the first 3 lines we read “Praise the Lord!”
Corrie Ten Boom: “Gather compliments like a bouquet, then give
to God.”
-it
is to be hopeful, not historic (against our tendency to base
praise only on past)
- We see the MANNER of godly
adoration (vs. 2)
-it
is to be central to our being (“O my soul” where “soul” =
core/essence of life)
-it
is to be comprehensive to our being (“I will praise God with
my life”= my all)
-it
is to be continuous to our being (“as long as I live” = as long as I
am breathing)
- We see the MOTIVE of godly
adoration (vs. 5-10)
-because He is a faithful Creator (Maker of everything, including
me)
-because He is a gracious Provider (cares for the oppressed, hungry,
lowly, etc.)
-because He is an eternal King (reigns forever, for all generations)
At Searchlight Ministries we
work hard to make our communal adoration of the Triune God both authentic to
the biblical record and relevant to today’s worshipper. Why not come on a
Sunday morning and join with us as we Praise the Lord together.
(Back to Top)
Core
Value #2: Serving Our Neighbors
The
apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and
taught. Then, because so many people
were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said
to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”
So
they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. But
many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the
towns and got there ahead of them. When
Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because
they were like sheep without a shepherd. So
he began teaching them many things.
By
this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him.: This
is a remote place,” they said, “and it is already very late. Send
the people away so they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages
and buy themselves something to eat.” But
he answered, “You give them something to eat.” They
said to him, “That would take eight months of a man’s wages! Are
we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?”
“How
many loaves do you have?” he asked. “Go and see.” When
they found out, they said, “Five — and two fish.”
Then
Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green
grass. So they sad down in groups
of hundreds and fifties. Taking the
five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and
broke the loaves. Then he gave them
to his disciples to set before the people. He
also divided the two fish among them all. They
all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls
of broken pieces of bread and fish. The
number of the men who had eaten was five thousand. Mark
6:30-44
The
Biblical formula for service is as follows: Compassion
+ Commitment = Compensation
COMPASSION
When
we move out of our own Circumstances
(Max
Lucado, In The Eye of the Storm, calls this Jesus’ 2nd most stressful
day)
And
into a real Concern for others…
(Jesus
has much going in his own life, but still models feeding/teaching others)
COMMITMENT
From
our own human Rationalizing
(Listen
to the disciples: “It’s late; It’s a remote place; It’s too expensive,”
To
a divine, seemingly illogical Risking
(All
those things are true, but disciples put themselves on the line with Jesus)
COMPENSATION
We
move from receiving what Man can do
(When
we handle things our own way, take care of selves, we get only that)
To
receiving what God can do
(Using
the most unlikely gifts, resources, people, etc. God
makes miracles)
When
we put ourselves at the disposal of God and others, we get far, far more
than we could ever give. Serving
others in the Name of Jesus is a great privilege as well as being energizing
and community-forming. Come and share
our community service with us! (Back
to Top)
Core
Value #3: Enfolding the non-Churched
The
next day John was there
again with two of his disciples.When he saw Jesus passing by, he
said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”
When
the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. Turning
around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?”
They said, “Rabbi”
(which means Teacher), “where are you staying?”
“Come,”
he replied, “and you will see.”
So
they went and saw where he was staying, and spent that day with him. It
was about the tenth hour.
Andrew,
Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and
who had followed Jesus. The first
thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found
the Messiah” (that is, the Christ).
Then
he brought Simon to Jesus, who looked at him and said, “You are Simon,
Son of John. You will be called
Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter). John
1:35-42
Andrew,
who is often called the “First Home-Missionary,” gives us four tips on
how to reach out and enfold our neighbors who do not yet know Jesus:
1.
FORSAKE our former way of life
-sometimes
we are more into Comfort than we are into Change
(we
will have to change sinful habits, activities, etc to walk with Jesus)
-sometimes
we are more into Maintenance than we are into Mission
(even
if we are already in a church, we cannot just sit there— just “get by”)
2.
FOLLOW Jesus Christ
-be
careful we are not just following the Messenger, but the Messiah
(we
need more than a good pastor or mentor, we need Jesus)
-be
careful we are not just Curious, but Committed
(Andrew
left John and “stayed with” Jesus)
3.
FIND others who need Jesus
-this
should not just be Incidental, but Intentional
(word
in v.41 indicates an intense, deliberate searching)
-this
should not just be for Foreigners, but for Family and Friends
(not
need to go to Russia, Africa— start in our neighborhood)
4.
FETCH them to Jesus
-not
just Tell people, but Take them to Jesus
(65%
of people not try church because no one invites/brings them)
-not
just One time, but Over and Over and Over
(whenever
we meet Andrew always bringing people to Jesus, 6:8, 12:22)
We
need to act on our faith that God can change lives around us, just like
he has changed our lives and then
we need to invite our friends to come and meet Him with us. (Back
to Top)
Core Value #4:
Anchoring
Ourselves to God’s Word
“But
as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced
of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy
you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for
salvation through Jesus Christ. All
scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting
and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly
equipped for every good work.”
2
Timothy 3:14-17
“The
Bible — banned, burned, beloved. More
widely read, more frequently attacked than any other book in history. Generations
of intellectuals have attempted to discredit it; dictators of every age
have outlawed it and executed those who read it. Yet
soldiers carry it into battle believing it more powerful than their weapons.
Fragments of it smuggled into solitary prison cells have transformed ruthless
killers into gentle saints. Pieced-together
scraps of Scripture have converted whole villages of pagan Indians. Yearly,
the Bible outsells every best-seller. Five hundred million copies were
published last year alone [1982].Portions
have been translated into more than 1800 languages and even carried to
the moon.”
Charles
Colson, Loving God
Q.
Why is the Bible so important? Why
is our first core value to anchor ourselves to it?
1.
Because
of its ultimate PROVIDER:
-all
scripture is “God-breathed”
-its
source is not from man (see also 2 Peter 1:21)
-we
should, then, listen to what it says
2.
Because
of its stated PURPOSE:
-it
is to “make you wise for salvation through Jesus Christ”
-not
given to gratify our curiosity or prove certain points
-not
a scientific or astronomical textbook — but not be proved wrong, either
3.
Because
of its intended PRODUCT:
-so
that “the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work”
-for
our growth; to “teach, rebuke, correct and train us in righteousness”
-literally,
means to be “in shape” with God — get on a spiritual health kick!
We
live in changing times, as restless as waves of the ocean. We
need our anchor to catch onto something solid and firm and unchanging. We
believe we have found that in God’s Word, the Bible, and so we will continue
looking to it for our life-lessons.
Why
not come and join in that Search with us? We
would welcome you with open arms.
(Back
to Top)
Core Value #4: Adoring
the Triune God
Praise the
Lord. Praise the Lord, O my soul. I will praise the Lord all my life; I
will sing praise to my God as long as I live. Do not put your trust in
princes, in mortal men, who cannot save. When their spirit departs, they
return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing. Blessed
is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God, the
Maker of heaven and earth, the sea and everything in them—the Lord, who
remains faithful forever. He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives
food to the hungry. The Lord sets prisoners free, the Lord gives sight to
the blind, the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down, the Lord loves the
righteous. The Lord watches over the alien and sustains the fatherless and
the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked. The Lord reigns
forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations. Praise the Lord. - Psalm
146
This Old Testament Psalm
(song) reveals three things about our adoration of God:
- We see the MOVEMENT of
godly adoration (vs. 1,3,4)
-it is to be vertical, not horizontal (do not give ultimate
praise to men, but to God)
three times in the first 3 lines we read “Praise the Lord!”
Corrie Ten Boom: “Gather compliments like a bouquet, then give
to God.”
-it
is to be hopeful, not historic (against our tendency to base
praise only on past)
- We see the MANNER of godly
adoration (vs. 2)
-it
is to be central to our being (“O my soul” where “soul” =
core/essence of life)
-it
is to be comprehensive to our being (“I will praise God with
my life”= my all)
-it
is to be continuous to our being (“as long as I live” = as long as I
am breathing)
- We see the MOTIVE of godly
adoration (vs. 5-10)
-because He is a faithful Creator (Maker of everything, including
me)
-because He is a gracious Provider (cares for the oppressed, hungry,
lowly, etc.)
-because He is an eternal King (reigns forever, for all generations)
At Searchlight Ministries we
work hard to make our communal adoration of the Triune God both authentic to
the biblical record and relevant to today’s worshipper. Why not come on a
Sunday morning and join with us as we Praise the Lord together.
(Back to Top)
Core Value #5: Renewing
Our Minds
Wisdom calls aloud in the street, she raises
her voice in the public squares; at the head of the noisy streets
she cries out, in the gateways of the city she makes her speech:
“How long will you simple ones love your simple ways? How long will you
mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge? If you had responded
to my rebuke, I would have poured out my heart to you and made my thoughts
known to you. But since you rejected me when I called and no one
gave heed when I stretched out my hand, since you ignored all my advice
and would not accept my rebuke, I in turn will laugh at your disaster; I
will mock when calamity overtakes you—when calamity overtakes you like a
storm, when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress and
troubles overwhelm you. Then they will call to me but I will not answer;
they will look for me but will not find me. Since they hated knowledge
and did not choose to fear the Lord, since they would not accept my advice
and spurned my rebuke, they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled
with the fruit of there schemes. For the waywardness of the simple will
kill them, and the complacency of fools with destroy them; but whoever
listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm.
My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands with you,
turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding,
and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you
look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure,
then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge
of God. For the Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and
understanding. He holds victory in story for the upright, he is a
shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of
the just and protects the way of his faithful ones. Proverbs 1:20-
2:8
1. The
BREADTH of renewing our minds
-in
the “street” this is about the common/ordinary
-in the “public squares” this is about
business/market
-at the “head of the…street” this is about the
family/ “Road of the Roofs”
-in the “gateways of the city” this is about
government/politics
2. The
BARRIERS to renewing our minds
-“rejected
God’s call” this is called anarchy (no ruler)
-“ignored God’s advice" this is called apathy
(no feeling)
-“hated knowledge” this is called apostacy (no
standing)
3. The
BASICS in renewing our minds
-“whoever listens to me” this is attentiveness
to God
-“if you accept my words” this is acceptance of
God’s Word
-“applying your heart” this is application of
God’s Truths
-“if you look…and search” this is aspiration to
know more of God
4. The
BLESSINGS by renewing our minds
-“understand the fear of the Lord” this is
salvation (God’s past gift to us)
-“victory in store for the upright” this is
success (God’s future gift to us)
-“guards and protects his faithful” this is
security (God’s present gift to us)
As Christians, we are not
asked to “check our minds in at the door” or undergo a lobotomy simply
because we have entered the realm of faith. On the contrary, God lays claim
to our minds as well, and longs to remold our entire thought process after
the pattern of His Son, Jesus. Care to join with us in this exciting and
challenging journey?
Core Value #6: Creating
Christian Community
If you have any
encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love,
if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then
make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one
in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit,
but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should
look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who being in very
nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but
made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in
human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted
him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and
under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the
glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:1-11
Men can build buildings and erect dwellings, but only God can
create Christian Community: The passage of scripture above shows that He
does this by sharing with us the following four favors of His grace:
1. A biblical POWER (vs.1)
-this
belongs to the church by virtue of being united with Christ
-this belongs to the church by virtue of being in fellowship
with the Holy Spirit
2. A biblical PURPOSE (vs.2)
-living in community (unity) helps complete the joy
of fellow Christians
-living in community (unity) helps bring glory
to our Heavenly Father (Jn. 17)
3.
A biblical PRACTICE (vs.3, 4)
-He changes our attitudes to consider others
better than ourselves
-He changes our actions so we look first of all
to the interest of others
4.
A biblical PATTERN (vs.5-8)
-Jesus, who surrendered up the very thing(s) He
wanted to enjoy (equality with God)
-Jesus, who submitted to the very thing(s) He
wanted to escape (Golgotha’s shame)
The
Christian Community is like no other community on earth, for by its very
definition it is identified with the Christ of God, Who came to serve and
not be served, to give and not take, to offer and not demand! In fact, the
leader of “Our Community,” even after His great victory over sin and death
and Satan, was still recognizable by one thing—His scars! We are honored to
be marked with the mark(s) of Christ. Come join us some Sunday and
experience what that’s like.
Core Value #7:
Hungering After God's Spirit
Finally, brothers, we
instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are
living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and
more. You know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord
Jesus. It is God’s will that you should be holy; that you should avoid
sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in
a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen,
who do not know God; and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother
or take advantage of him. The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we
have already told you and warned you. For God did not call us to be impure,
but to live a holy life. Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does
not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.
Thessalonians 4:1-8
Here at Searchlight, we do not believe that Christians are
called to be “holier-than-thou,” that is, a group of people who think
themselves better than all others. On the other hand, we do want to honor
this Godly Word that calls us to be different from the ways of the world
around us. Concerning our holiness, we see these three things:
1.
A life of holiness is DEMANDED
-
-God Himself instructs us in it, through His Word and Spirit and
Servants (v1, 2)
-God Himself wills it for
us, choosing for us to be holy (v.3)
-God Himself calls us to holiness, not wanting us to
continue in impure lives (v.7)
2. A life of holiness is DESCRIBED
-negatively: we are to avoid evil! The sin
mentioned here for the Thessalonians
is sexual immorality, accepted by
their society but hated by God (v.3)
-positively: we are to act honorably! Good is
not just the absence of evil, but the
actual performance of good (e.g.,
exercise self-control, etc. v.4)
-neutrally: we always affect others! Our lack
of holiness will, at times, either
“wrong our brother” or “take
advantage of him” (v.6)
3.
A life of holiness is DEFENDED
-to reject this is to reject not men, but God
Himself (v.8a)
many around us say, “Can’t live that kind of life
today!” God disagrees
-to receive this is to receive not men, but God
Himself (v.8b)
living a holy and set-apart life is to trust in God’s
Spirit, not in ourselves
The essence of living a holy life is illustrated by the little girl who was
confused by two seemingly contradictory statements her Sunday school teacher
made: “God is bigger than you and I” and “God lives in us by His Spirit.”
Her response was very insightful: “If both of these are true, then
shouldn’t God show through us?” This is what holiness is really all
about—it has to do with walking in such close relationship with Jesus Christ
that His Life and His Spirit show out through us. And No! We aren’t doing
this perfectly at Searchlight! But it is still our goal!
            
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