Discipleship: The 2:7 Series
What do churches make? We make disciples. That’s what Jesus told us to do (Matt 28:18-20). At VGC, we take the mission Jesus gave us seriously and would like to make sure we are continuing to make disciples as effectively as possible.
However, making disciples is long, hard work. For each disciple, it is a lifelong process. Each disciple passes through different stages of development throughout life. Each stage has different characteristics with unique challenges. Each life stage also requires different disciplines or practices to continue maturing. One simple way of identifying these stages is seeking, beginning, growing and maturing.
Beginning in January, VGC will make a series of discipleship courses or workshops available. These courses are the beginning of what we plan to be a more robust series of discipleship tools to help us fulfill our mission of making disciples of people in all stages.
The elders have been reviewing discipleship plans and materials for the last few months and have chosen the Navigators 2:7 Series as our foundational discipleship courses (www.2-7series.com). The 2:7 Series is basic enough for beginning believers, but the principles are profound enough to challenge growing believers also.
The name 2:7 comes from Colossians 2:7: “Having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.” Notice the progression: first, you are firmly rooted in Christ; once rooted, you can be built up in Christ, eventually leading to being established in your faith.
Which discipleship stage are you in? If you are beginning or growing, the 2:7 courses will help you establish your faith. If you are a more mature believer, please consider participating in a course both for your own benefit and also to prepare you to lead others through these courses in the future.
Wednesday Nights at VGC
Beginning January 11th, Wednesday nights at the church will offer a variety of opportunities for fellowship and spiritual growth.
To start off the evening, Pastor Charles will lead a time of corporate prayer. This time will be spent lifting up the petitions and praises of our brothers and sisters here at VGC and around the world. The weekly prayer meeting will begin at 5:30pm. Immediately following the prayer meeting, a free potluck dinner will be offered starting at 6:15pm.
At 7pm, Alice Kraft will lead a comprehensive study on the land of Israel and the Jewish cultural background of Jesus, the Bible, and Christianity called “God’s Chosen People, God’s Chosen Land.” The study will begin by looking at the miraculous land of Israel where our Savior was born, and where He lived, ministered, and died. The study will look at the Jewish people, God's chosen people, and will help attendees learn all about them.
Many Christians wonder why the Jewish people "don't get it;" why can't they see that Jesus is their Messiah? In order to learn more about, and better understand, the Jewish people, this study will look at the historical record of the Church's long involvement in Anti-Semitism. By learning the painful realities of what has been done to Jews over the centuries, Christians can begin to truly understand and sensitively love Jewish people...as God would have us do.
Have questions about the weekly prayer meeting or potluck? Please contact Pastor Charles at 505-206-3210. Have questions about the Israel study? Please contact Alice Kraft at eakraft@swcp.com.
Spring 2017 LIFE Groups
There are currently 5 LIFE Groups being offered this Spring. Please contact Pastor Charles if you would like to start a LIFE Group.
· Leavitt LIFE Group: led by Pastor Charles @ Leavitt home, Mondays @ 6pm-8pm (resumes 2/6)
· Hope Ahead LIFE Group: led by Sara Ghormley @ Vineyard Church, Wednesdays @ 6:30pm-8pm (resumes 1/11)
· College & Young Careers LIFE Group: led by Mike Harding @ Harding home, Wednesdays @ 6:30pm-8:30pm (resumes 1/4)
· Teen Girls LIFE Group: led by Emily Harding @ Harding home, Thursdays @ 7pm-8pm (resumes 1/26, see note below)
· Teen Guys LIFE Group: led by Mike Harding @ Harding home, Thursdays @ 7pm-8pm (resumes 1/5)
NOTE: The Teen LIFE Groups will be combined for 1/5, 1/12, and 1/19
Ministry Spotlight
VGC Youth Ministry: Michael Harding
As far as youth activities go, we held girls and guys specific events one Saturday night in December that the teens, their parents, and our adult volunteers attended. The girls did a spa night led by Emily and Edna Harlan. Edna gave a great message to the girls about what it means to be God’s princess and they spent the evening making sugar scrubs, doing facials, and enjoying fellowship time. The guys, led by me, had a blast shooting each other with airsoft in a mock mission setting. We also heard testimonies from fathers on when they felt they had become a man. Brad King grilled us some great brats, hotdogs, and burgers.
Youth has been going really well, the biggest challenges for us currently are getting used to our new location and making our way around the holidays. In guys and girls LIFE Groups on Thursday nights, the girls finished up an inductive study of Ruth and the guys are finishing up the book of James.
Starting in January, I have challenged the youth to join me in reading through the entire Bible. On Sunday nights, I will be preaching through the entire Bible in 2017 and likely into 2018. It is an exciting time because I feel that the students will begin to grasp the meta-narrative of the Bible, if they haven’t already. I am already excited to begin preaching out of Genesis; it is a wealth of wisdom and reminders for us all.
Rio to Rio
The Central Baptist Association of New Mexico is working with International Commission, a missions organization based in Texas, to send a group of people to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in the summer of 2017.
Rio de Janeiro has a population of 6 million people in the city itself and close to 16 million people in the surrounding regions. Church members within the CBA of New Mexico have been invited to join 20 churches in Rio de Janeiro to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ through various evangelistic outreach opportunities. The trip is scheduled for July 13th through July 24th, 2017.
Please contact the CBA office if you are interested in learning more about this missions opportunity. You can email Barbara Long at barbara@cbanm.org or call the office at 505-243-2707. You can also sign up to receive updates and information about the trip by visiting the CBA website at www.cbanm.org. A link to sign up for updates/information is located on the home page under “Upcoming Events.”
January Calendar Event Details
· Jan 4, 18—Feed the Kids, 10am-12pm @ First Baptist Church Tijeras
· Jan 4, 11, 18, 25—College & Young Careers LIFE Group, 6:30pm-8:30pm @ Harding home
· Jan 5, 12, 19—Teen LIFE Group (NOTE: Guys and Girls combined), 7pm-8pm @ Harding home, led by Mike Harding
· Jan 7—Men’s Breakfast, 8am-10am, location TBD
· Jan 8, 15, 22, 29—Early Worship Service, 8:30am @ church building, coffee fellowship @ 8am
· Jan 8, 15, 22, 29—Late Worship Service, 10:30am @ church building, coffee fellowship @ 10am
· Jan 8, 15, 22, 29—Youth Service, 5pm-7pm @ church building
· Jan 11, 18, 25—Prayer Meeting/Potluck, 5:30pm-6:15pm prayer and 6:15pm-6:55pm potluck @ church building
· Jan 11, 18, 25—Israel Study, 7pm-8pm @ church building, led by Alice Kraft
· Jan 11, 18, 25—Hope Ahead Study, 6:30pm-8pm @ East Mountain Vineyard Church, led by Sara Ghormley
· Jan 14—Vista Sisters Breakfast, 8:30am-10:30am @ church building
· Jan 15—New Members Class, 12:30pm-3pm @ church building, led by Pastor Charles
· Jan 22—Ministry Leaders Fellowship, 12:30pm-2pm @ EMC
· Jan 24, 31—Vista Sisters Fellowship, 10am-12pm @ church building, led by Sheryl Stewart and Christie Lord
· Jan 26—Teen Girls LIFE Group, 7pm-8pm @ Harding home, led by Emily Harding
· Jan 26—Teen Guys LIFE Group, 7pm-8pm @ Harding home, led by Mike Harding
· Jan 29—Church-wide Potluck, 12:30pm-2pm @ EMC, sign-up sheet to come!
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