Raising Spiritual Passionfrom the book:

“Ezekiel’s Bones: Rekindling Your Congregation’s Spiritual Passion”

by Bill Kemp

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Spiritual Passion is the fuel that keeps a congregation active and

excited about the faith it has to share with the world. Just as the body is

fueled by a nutritious diet, congregational life is fueled by a healthy, passionate, spirituality.

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WITHOUT SPIRITUAL PASSION,A CHURCH DOESN’T FLY

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SPIRITUAL PASSION IS ABOUT RELEVANCE NOT DOCTRINEPrayer must be related to results

Scripture needs to be related to daily life

Witness must be focused on building real relationships with the unchurched

Worship must be focused on our relationship with God

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THE LIFE CYCLE OF THE AVERAGE CONGREGATION CAN BE CHARTED AS THE RISE

AND FALL OF SPIRITUAL PASSION.

Spiritual Passion

Time

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THREE PLACES WHERE A CHURCH CAN STOP BEING NORMAL

1. Young congregations can continue to be passionate witnesses for Christ

2. Stable congregations can choose the present over the past3. Declining congregations can choose to be born again

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Spiritual passion

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THE 7 MARKS OF LOW SPIRITUAL PASSION ARE:

1. The lack of expectation regarding Prayer & its ability to change things

2. A loss of interest in studying the Bible, coupled with a sense that it doesn’t apply to daily life

3. A reluctance to Witness or share faith (or church) with others

4. A lifeless feel to Worship, even though the worship performance may be of excellent quality

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THE 7 MARKS OF LOW SPIRITUAL PASSION ARE:

5. An inability to show any Joy when talking about faith

6. A disconnect between the work of the church’s committees and the Faith that the church professes

7. A loss of hope for the Future coupled with a reluctance to try new things

R U stuck?

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…these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone…

(Ezekiel 37:1-13a)

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Natural Church Development says, “Work on your minimum factor first”

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CHURCHES ARE SELF-

REGULATING SYSTEMS

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THREE RULESOF ALL SYSTEMS

1. The system is designed for the results you are receiving

2. The longer you participate in the system the more normal it feels

3. To implement lasting change you must use a distributed strategy

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THE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED FOR THE RESULTS YOU ARE RECEIVING:

+ +

+=

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THE LONGER YOU TRAVEL IN THE CURRENT DIRECTION, THE MORE

NORMAL IT FEELS

Choose your rut carefully; you

may be in it a long time

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TO IMPLEMENT LASTING CHANGE YOU MUST USE A DISTRIBUTED STRATEGY

Trustees

Secretary

Youth

Sunday School

UMW

Pastor

Choir

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SPIRITUAL PASSION IS ABOUT RELEVANCE NOT DOCTRINEScripture needs to be related to daily life

Prayer must be related to results

Witness must be focused on building real relationships with the unchurched

Worship must be focused on our relationship with God

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SPIRITUAL PASSION’S FOURLIFT POINTS

Prayer with ExpectationScripture with RelevanceWitness with JoyWorship with Passion

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PRAYER WITH EXPECTATION

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SCRIPTURE

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the [people] of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. - II Timothy 3:16-17

WITH RELEVANCE

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WITNESS WITH JOY

Nothing goes without saying

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THE FIELD IS OPEN

1/3 of Americans will change their religious affiliation at least once in their lifetime

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WITNESS & COMMUNICATION

How does your church communicate with?

1) OUTSIDERS

2) VISITORS

3) LIMITED COMMITMENT

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PASSIONATE WORSHIP

When the emotionaltone of eachact of worshiphelps convey the meaning of whatis being said.“Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those

who mourn.” (Romans 12:15)

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WORSHIP WITH PASSION

The minister gave out his text and droned along monotonously through an argument that was so prosy that many a head by and by began to nod—and yet it was an argument that dealt in limitless fire and brimstone and thinned the predestined elect down to a company so small as to be hardly worth the saving. —Mark Twain,

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

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PLOT: EVERY SCENE OF A NOVEL HAS BOTH CONTENT AND INTENSITY

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EVERY ACT OF WORSHIP HAS BOTH CONTENT AND INTENSITY

For Spiritual Passion, getting these to line up is more important than performance quality

or worship order

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1) HOW CAN WE INCREASE PRAYER EXPECTATION?

2) HOW CAN WE RELATE THE BIBLE TO LIFE & CHURCH WORK?

3) HOW CAN WE INCREASE JOYFUL WITNESS AND COMMUNICATION?

4) HOW CAN WE DRIVE WORSHIP WITH PASSION?

Trustees

Secretary

Youth

Sunday SchoolUMW

Pastor

Choir

DIVIDE INTO STUDY GROUPS:

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GETTING OFF THE BEATEN PATH WILL REQUIRE SPIRITUAL PASSION

This way to follow your heart

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Books by Bill Kemp

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Books by Bill Kemp

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PLAYING HAND IN HEARTS

Identity = church that cares for others

Action = making a difference in Oakmont & the world

Evaluation = how well have we served others?

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