Overview:
The motto of our denomination is “In essentials, unity. In nonessentials, liberty. In all things, charity.” This widespread Christian statement is as simple as it is profound. Followers of Jesus can have unity in a handful of core tenets without requiring uniformity. Nonessentials do really matter, and yet Christians of sincere conviction will not all agree on them. Therefore we need charity (i.e. love) to govern all things, so that we can push the love of Jesus further out as we also love one another in our disagreements.
In this series, we want to emphasize and teach on those things which are foundational (cf the EPC’s statement of essentials on the next page). If the work of our life is to know and trust Jesus, it matters that Jesus is knowable and trustworthy. Thus there are foundational matters that we must get in place and guard in our own lives, so that we may follow Jesus faithfully. So that we may love God with our minds and well as our hearts, so that we might love our neighbors by speaking accurately about core tenets and giving freedom on those important-but-not-core. Preachers may decide to focus on one key passage or might decide to move throughout the Scriptures. (Ideally, he/she will offer some Biblical references for people to research more.) Preachers may also decide to draw on statements similar to the EPC’s essentials from other global churches and/or to speak to historical situations that led to certain phrases or emphases in these sorts of Christian statements (including the earliest creeds, i.e. Apostles and Nicene). Ultimately he/she is not teaching a class but preaching a sermon, inviting people to a more Christ-centered life.
Know: The historic and global essentials of the Christian faith and why they are foundational.
Do: Pursue Christ-centered unity, freedom and charity.
Weeks:
October 12 – SERVE DAY
October 19 – God/Trinity
October 26 – Jesus
November 2 – Holy Spirit
November 9 – Church (COMMUNION)
November 16 – Salvation
November 23 – Return and Great Commission