Good LEADERS
The Book of Titus | Making Leaders | Titus 1:5-9 | Pastor Duane Smets
This an exegetical sermon of Titus 1:5-9 which addresses the need for leaders, the example of leaders and the qualities of leaders. Particular attention is given to the plural elder model of church government, the importance of church planting and the qualities pastors need to possess in order to help teach and train others in those same characteristics. This sermon was originally preached on June 12th, 2011 at The Resolved Church in San Diego, CA.
Resolved Church Plants
Blog | Pastor Duane Smets
The Resolved Church is part of the Acts 29 Network. Acts 29 exists to “band together Christian, Evangelical, Missional & Reformed churches, who, for the sake of Jesus and the gospel, plant churches across the United States and the world.” Part of our Acts 29 covenant is to devote 10% of our resources (time, talent & treasure) to planting new churches.
We believe that many people need Jesus and that planting churches is the most effective strategy for reaching people with the gospel. It has been said that, “Planting new churches is the most effective evangelistic methodology known under heaven.” We take that to be true.
Currently (Fall 2010) there are two brand new church plants launching this fall whom The Resolved Church is supporting.. Please take a second to check out their websites and pray for the church planter who is leading them.
Acts 29 Coffee
At our Sunday morning worship service we have a coffee cafe set up in the back offering free coffee for everyone. Recently we started serving Acts 29 Coffee.
Acts 29 Coffee is made in Gig Harbor, WA by Cutter’s Point who roasts premium Arabica beans. Coffee snobs agree, it’s good coffee. But what’s really cool about Acts 29 Coffee is that for every bag a person and/or church buys $5 of that money goes directly toward funding Acts 29 Church Plants (the church planting network The Resolved Church belongs to).
At The Resolved Church we are currently using about 4 Bags a month, which means that $20 a month or $240 a year is going toward churching planting just by using the Acts 29 Coffee. It’s great for churches, but not only churches.
Individuals and/or families who are coffee addicts can subscribe to Acts 29 Coffee straight from their website and have bags of coffee delivered right to their doorstep AND the same amount of money ($5 a bag) goes to Acts 29 Church Plants!
I encourage everyone to go to www.acts29coffee.com and read about their vision of planting churches “one cup at a time.” It’s a great company and a great way to support and spread the gospel simply by drinking coffee.
Blood & Jail: The Church Planting Philosophy of Acts
By Pastor Duane Smets
We’ve got a whole book in our Bible titled, “Acts” which is really short for action and in the Bible is short for the “Acts of the Apostles.” Basically, it’s a book which outlines the life and times of the early church.
In the story of Jesus, we have him beginning his official public ministry when he is about 30 years old. For three years he travels around teaching, preaching, healing and spreading the good news that he is here and the kingdom of God has been now initiated through him. A big part of his goal during those three years was to train 12 dudes to lead his church that he would start through them after he died on the cross and rose again.
Acts is an exciting book. All kinds of stuff is going on. The church gets started off with a bang, several thousand people becoming Christians right away. Then things start to heap up and some Christians pay the price for it and are stoned to death. Others are thrown into prison. But there are earthquakes and angels and shipwrecks and healings and exorcisms and public debates all kinds of crazy stuff happening… which all ironically result in furthering the spread of the church as more and more people become Christians.
The thesis of the book of Acts is in Acts 1:8 “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses.” The overriding theme in Acts is simply that God by His Spirit is at work making this thing happen, enabling the church to be his witnesses.
I remember almost exactly five years ago now when we first started this church and I had some of my pastor friends ask me what our plan was for starting the church, how we were going to do it? What would be our church planting philosophy or strategy?
The Book of Nehemiah
Building God’s Church In The City – This series covers the entire book of Nehemiah. These sermons look at the vision God gives and then the heart, prayer, work, difficulties, determination, and grace of God it takes to see that vision through. In total there are 13 sermons preached from January to May of 2009 at The Resolved Church, San Diego, CA.
Audio & Manuscripts Below
Listen Read Nehemiah 1 – Getting God’s Vision for a City
Listen Read Nehemiah 2 – Moving Forward with God’s Vision
Listen Read Nehemiah 3 – Putting God’s Vision into Practice
Listen Read Nehemiah 4 – Facing Challenges to God’s Vision
Listen Read Nehemiah 5 – The Community Life of God’s Vision
Listen Read Nehemiah 6 – Personal Persistence with God’s Vision
Listen Read Nehemiah 7 – Completing the Groundwork of God’s Vision
Listen Read Nehemiah 8 – The Centrality of God’s Book in God’s Vision
Listen Read Nehemiah 9 – The History of God’s Vision in a Prayer
Listen Read Nehemiah 10 – Looking to the Future Fulfillment of God’s Vision
Listen Read Nehemiah 11 – The Urban and Missional Living of God’s Vision
Listen Read Nehemiah 12 – Dedicating our Work to God and God’s Vision
Listen Read Nehemiah 13 – Continuing in the Mission of God’s Vision
Acts 29 – The Story Continues…
This is a special sermon about Acts 29, the church planting network that The Resolved Church is a part of. It is a topical sermon on the missional theme of Acts 1:8 & 28:28-31 which call for the continual mission of Jesus church in planting churches. This sermon looks at the history of The Resolved Church, the Acts 29 Network Vision, Values and Doctrine, and how The Resolved Church intends to plant churches and fullfill the Acts 29 mission. This sermon was originally preached by Pastor Duane Smets on June 28th, 2009 at The Resolved Church in San Diego, CA.
