WELCOME HOME! -- Finding a Place to Grow Spiritually

By Philip Gee

Hebrews 10:24-25

Introduction

1. This morning I want to welcome our college students back and to those who are looking for a place to call their spiritual home away from home.

2. A month ago, my wife and son and I moved into the Davis area so we know what you are going through. One can tell that UC Davis has started because Russell Blvd has turned into a moving garage rather than a free-flowing street. This past week, I saw numerous bicycle accidents in front of the church as you had cars trying to get into the Cost-Plus parking lot and bicycle riders trying to carry their bags of goods and yet trying to cycle- only to discover that they are riding the wrong side of the street. My wife tells me of a time when she was riding her bicycle and a car in front of her all of the sudden opened their passenger car door causing her to crash right into that door!

3. It is when you go away that you begin to appreciate 'home.' You begin to miss the conveniences and the security that your home brings. Within hours, you realize that your dorm, apartment, or rental home is not home but you make the best of it.

4. We, at Davis Chinese Christian Church, cannot replace the church that you have back at home. Nor can we ever be that ideal church you are looking for. But we will do our best to be the church that God wants us to be and to be that spiritual home away from home.

5. Using the acronym H.O.M.E., I will attempt to tell you what DCCC is all about and that you will feel that this is the place God wants you to be for the coming year and, Lord willing, some of you after you graduate will remain with us.

I. 'H' stand for healthy.

A. Some churches measure their success by how many people come to their church or by how much money they collect in the offering plate, or how many programs and activities they conduct.

1. The church is about people whom God has called together.

2. God desires us to be spiritually healthy people because when we are healthy, we are able to live productive lives- just as God designed us to be. You know that if your fruit tree is sick, it will never bear fruit.

3. Before Jesus left, he gave his disciples instruction on how they were to continue without him: the Great Commands (Matthew 22: 34- 40) and the Great Commission (Matthew 28: 19- 20)

Jesus replied, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." Matthew 22:34-40

Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. Matthew 28:19-20

B. Five habits of a healthy Christian.

1. Magnify God through worship 'Love the Lord your God..'

2. Fellowship with God's family 'Love your neighbor as yourself..'

3. Mature to be more like Christ (discipleship) 'Go and make disciples..'

4. Serve in some ministry 'Go.. teaching them to obey..'

5. Tell others about Christ (missions & evangelism) 'Go...'

II. 'O' stands for ownership

A. George Gallup, a famous pollster, after doing a survey about American religious habits, made the observation that we are into religious a la cart. That is we treat our souls to a smorgasbord or buffet of spiritual experiences. For the Christian, it may be going to this church on Sunday morning because the worship team or preacher is great, to another church for fellowship, and yet to another church during midweek because the childcare or the food is great.

B. Our worship experience should not be limited to just Sunday mornings or whenever the fellowship meets.

1. We encourage people to come to prayer meeting (Tuesday), join one of the fellowship or small group or an accountability group.

2. We prefer large meetings because we can stay anonymous but God wants us to be active participants and willing to identify with the family.

3. My last name is 'Gee' and there is a sense of pride that I am part of the family that had grocery stores in Davis.

4. There is a sense of ownership when I worked in one of the stores.

5. We want you to take ownership of your spiritual lives as well as ownership of this great spiritual family at DCCC. Participate in other groups to get the full experience of what it means to be part of God's family.

III. 'M' stands for ministry opportunities

A. Programs exist so that we can systematically and intentionally help believers to develop healthy habits.

1. Remember when your parents made you eat your vegetables and limited your candy intake? Remember when your parents made you do chores, homework, and a whole host of activities that we thought were 'stupid?'

2. In hindsight, our parents were training us to become responsible adults. Of course, we'll never eat those nasty-tasting and smelling Chinese medicine again!

3. As your parents thought through how to raise you with a variety of experiences and disciplines, this church strives to help you exercise your spiritual muscles with various ministry opportunities.

B. Reasons why you should get involved (opportunities, not obligations)

1. God commands us. We need to be hearers and doers of the Word.

Do not merely listen to the Word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. James 1:22

2. God gave us spiritual gifts. 1 Corinthians 12

3. Serving helps us mature spiritually.

We have different gifts, according to the grace given us... .let him use it in proportion to his faith. Romans 12:6- 7

4. God designed to work as a team: Together Everyone Accomplishes More.

Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms 1 Peter 4:10

IV. 'E' stands for encouragement, excitement and energy.

24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 25 Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another - and all the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10: 24- 25

A. Have you ever noticed that people enjoy working or being in places where the environment was positive?

1. Could you ever imagine taking a gym class or aerobics class from someone who was boring and unmotivating?

2. Many of us are thankful for the way our families challenged us to push harder and cheered us on to get where we are today (though I may say that taking SAT training classes when you are in grade school is a little much!)

B. Likewise we strive at DCCC to be an encouraging, exciting place that is full of spiritual energy.

1. The term for 'spur' is the same word used to describe the process that an oyster takes to form a peril. A grain of sand irritates the oyster so it secretes a solution to cover the grain of sand. Over time, the secretion harden to form a beautiful pearl.

2. We are suppose to irritate people in a positive sense- to encourage others to do well in their faith.

3. It is a hard enough world out there that God's family and house should be a safe haven, a sanctuary.

Conclusion

One of the reasons why my family and I are here is because of the positive recommendations we have gotten from missionaries, speakers, and previous UCD graduates who live in Dallas. We have come to enjoy DCCC as our spiritual home. Our prayer is that you will check us out and discover likewise. For the others, you have been visiting enough that it's time to make DCCC your home- are you healthy? taken ownership? participating in ministry? Being an encourager?

Title: WELCOME HOME! -- Finding a Place to Grow Spiritually
By: Philip Gee
Series: Miscellaneous Topics
Date: 9/28/03