Sunday, April 24, 2005

Authentic or Synthetic

Authentic or Synthetic
Mark 3:31-35

Authentic = genuine; original; real
Synthetic = NOT reak; artificial

1. God's Rule or Self Rule
Mark 3:33-35; Matthew 10:35; Matthew 8:34-35
Self Rule will never lead to satisfaction.

2. Repent or Retreat
Mark 1:14-15
God's grace without our repentance doesn't work.

3. Genuine faith or Imitation faith
Mark 10:14-15
Synthetic Christianity prays to a God and doesn’t expect an answer.
God, I believe you know what you’re doing, even when I do not.

4. Discipleship or Desertion
Not outward appearance, but inward
Mark 2:114
John 6:66-67

5. Evangelism or Evacuation
“Institute for American Church Growth” supplies the following statistics about percentages of how people have come to be saved
Special needs 2%
Walk in (to a church) 3%
Through a pastor 6%
Visitation 1%
Sunday School 5%
Crusade 5%
Programs 3%
Friend/Relatives 75%

Mark 1:17-18

6. Dynamic church or Dying church
Mark 7:6-8

Conclusion: Where are you lacking?