Being a People of PassionBeing a People of Passion  

“Whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the

inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.” (Colossians 3:23-24)

 

BECOMING A PEOPLE OF BECOMING A PEOPLE OF PASSION PASSION 

““I would rather be ashes than dust! I would rather be ashes than dust! I would rather that my spark should I would rather that my spark should burn out in a brilliant blaze than it burn out in a brilliant blaze than it should be stifled by dry rot. The should be stifled by dry rot. The

proper function of man is to live, not proper function of man is to live, not to exist. I shall not waste my days in to exist. I shall not waste my days in trying to prolong them. I shall use trying to prolong them. I shall use

my time.” ~Jack Londonmy time.” ~Jack London  

Have youHave you discovered the inner discovered the inner spark provided by the Holy spark provided by the Holy Spirit that ignites you to live Spirit that ignites you to live

out out youryour God-given purpose? God-given purpose?  

• • Do you know Do you know whywhy you are here you are here on Earth?on Earth?

““For we are God’s workmanship, For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do created in Christ Jesus to do

good works, which God prepared good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” in advance for us to do.”

(Ephesians 2:10)(Ephesians 2:10)  

•Do you want to know Do you want to know howhow to to make a difference?make a difference?

•Do you want to change your Do you want to change your church?church?

•Do you want to change your Do you want to change your world?world?

 

How Do I Become aHow Do I Become a Person of Passion?Person of Passion?  

1.1. Discern God’s Presence in Discern God’s Presence in Your Life:Your Life:

““And surely I am with you always, And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”to the very end of the age.”

(Matthew 28:20)(Matthew 28:20)  

Ask yourself the following Ask yourself the following questions:questions:

  

1. Where have I been? 1. Where have I been?

(See how God has been at work in (See how God has been at work in your life, fulfilling His purposes)your life, fulfilling His purposes)

 

2. Where am I going?2. Where am I going?

(Develop a mission statement to (Develop a mission statement to clarify your future direction.)clarify your future direction.)

 

3. How will I get there? 3. How will I get there?

(Ask God to empower you with (Ask God to empower you with the resources you need to finish the resources you need to finish

the race.)the race.) 

4. Is He Lord of my life?4. Is He Lord of my life?

(Surrender to God your future (Surrender to God your future and your dreams so He can help and your dreams so He can help you discover His unique call on you discover His unique call on

your life.)your life.)   

2.2. Discover the Secret of HisDiscover the Secret of His Passion:Passion:

““Love the Lord your God with all Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul your heart and with all your soul

and with all your mind.” and with all your mind.” (Matthew 22:37)(Matthew 22:37)  

Do I love God with all of my Do I love God with all of my being?being?

 

3.3. Depend on His Presence andDepend on His Presence and Power:Power:

““I am going to send you what My I am going to send you what My Father has promised; but stay in Father has promised; but stay in

the city until you have been the city until you have been clothed with power from on clothed with power from on

high.” high.” (Luke 24:49)(Luke 24:49)  

Am I calling on Him in prayer?Am I calling on Him in prayer?  

4.4. Direct the Focus of HisDirect the Focus of His Passion:Passion:

““Love your neighbor as yourself.”Love your neighbor as yourself.”(Matt. 22:39)(Matt. 22:39)

  

Do I love others the way He Do I love others the way He did?did?  

5.5. Duplicate the Power of HisDuplicate the Power of His Passion:Passion:

““All who were sitting in the All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Sanhedrin looked intently at

Stephen, and they saw that his Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an face was like the face of an

angel.” angel.” (Acts 6:15)(Acts 6:15)  

Do those around me know He Do those around me know He lives in me?lives in me?    

6.6. Demonstrate His Passion in YourDemonstrate His Passion in Your Actions:Actions:

““They devoted themselves to the They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the apostles’ teaching and to the

fellowship, to the breaking of bread fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. . .Selling their and to prayer. . .Selling their

possessions and goods, they gave to possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. . . . And the anyone as he had need. . . . And the Lord added to their number daily.”Lord added to their number daily.”

(Acts 2:42-47)(Acts 2:42-47)  

Am I actively involved in Am I actively involved in discipleship,worship, discipleship,worship, fellowship, service, fellowship, service,

evangelism,and prayer?evangelism,and prayer?  

7.7. Do What He Commanded UsDo What He Commanded Us to Do:to Do:

““Therefore go and make disciples Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

and teaching them to obey and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded everything I have commanded

you.” you.” (Matthew 28:19-20)(Matthew 28:19-20)    

Am I involved in making any Am I involved in making any disciples?disciples?

Has anyone been added to The Has anyone been added to The Kingdom because of me?Kingdom because of me?

      

RENEWING YOUR PASSION RENEWING YOUR PASSION 

What Can Rekindling the What Can Rekindling the Passion Do for My Life?Passion Do for My Life?

    

You will discover why God created you.You will discover why God created you.

You will discover how to make an eternalYou will discover how to make an eternal difference.difference.

You will hear one day the words, “Well You will hear one day the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”done, good and faithful servant.”

You will reflect Him. You will do His will.You will reflect Him. You will do His will.

You will discover the abundant life Jesus You will discover the abundant life Jesus came to give.came to give.

““I have come that they may have I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” life, and have it to the full.”

(John 10:10)(John 10:10)       

What Can Rekindling the What Can Rekindling the Passion Do for My Church?Passion Do for My Church?      

Your small church will grow as Your small church will grow as God works through you.God works through you.

Your big church will reach more Your big church will reach more lives for Him.lives for Him.

Your struggling church will Your struggling church will rediscover its purpose.rediscover its purpose.

Your brand new start-up church Your brand new start-up church will grow strong. will grow strong.

Your church will grasp its God-Your church will grasp its God-given purpose.given purpose.

Your church will be exciting, Your church will be exciting, alive, and on fire for Him! alive, and on fire for Him! 

““Everyone was filled with awe, Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and and many wonders and

miraculous signs were done by miraculous signs were done by the apostles.”the apostles.” (Acts 2:43)(Acts 2:43)

  

What Can Rekindling the What Can Rekindling the Passion Do for My Passion Do for My

Community and World?Community and World?  

We will show others His love.We will show others His love.

We will reach more lives for We will reach more lives for Jesus.Jesus.

We can give someone eternal We can give someone eternal hope!hope!

  

““He is patient with you not He is patient with you not wanting anyone to perish, but wanting anyone to perish, but

everyone to come to everyone to come to repentance.” repentance.” (II Peter 3:9)(II Peter 3:9)

  

We We CanCan Make an Eternal Make an Eternal Difference!Difference!

    

How Does My Church Begin toHow Does My Church Begin toRekindle the Passion?Rekindle the Passion?      

Step One:Step One:

Pray.Pray. Seek God’s face. Seek God’s face.

““If my people, who are called by my If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray name, will humble themselves and pray

and seek my face and turn from their and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from wicked ways, then will I hear from

heaven.”heaven.” (II Chronicles 7:14)(II Chronicles 7:14)

  

Step Two:Step Two:

PledgePledge to God that you will do to God that you will do whatever He asks, even if it means whatever He asks, even if it means being uncomfortable.being uncomfortable.

“ “ . . . let us throw off everything that . . . let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily hinders and the sin that so easily

entangles, and let us run with entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for perseverance the race marked out for

us.” us.” (Hebrews 12:1)(Hebrews 12:1)  

Step Three:Step Three:

PursuePursue the Unchurched. Ask yourself: the Unchurched. Ask yourself:

1.1. Who are our neighbors?Who are our neighbors?2.2. What’s on their minds?What’s on their minds?3.3. By what means can they be reached?By what means can they be reached?4.4. What are their interests?What are their interests?

Decide to do what it takes to reach these Decide to do what it takes to reach these

unchurched.unchurched.    

Step Four:Step Four:

Be a Be a people-orientedpeople-oriented church, loving church, loving one another.one another.

““A new command I give you: Love one A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you another. As I have loved you, so you

must love one another. By this all men must love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if will know that you are My disciples, if

you love one another.” you love one another.” (John 13:34-35)(John 13:34-35)  

Step Five:Step Five:

Be a Be a purpose-drivenpurpose-driven church. church.

““Therefore go and make disciples of all Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of nations, baptizing them in the name of

the Father and of the Son and of the the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” everything I have commanded you.”

(Matthew 28:19-20)(Matthew 28:19-20)

  

Step Six:Step Six:

Pray!Pray! Pray! Pray! Pray! Pray!

““Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest field.” send out workers into His harvest field.”

((Matthew 9:38)Matthew 9:38)

    

Returning to Our Returning to Our Denominational RootsDenominational Roots

in Our Passion for People:in Our Passion for People:

Souls for Christ—Our GoalSouls for Christ—Our Goal    

““Souls have been the goal of the church. These Souls have been the goal of the church. These have been second only to love for Christ. The have been second only to love for Christ. The

church has never been with us an end, but church has never been with us an end, but always a means to an end, namely, souls. To always a means to an end, namely, souls. To this end every department of the church must this end every department of the church must operate, together with all institutions. Church operate, together with all institutions. Church

buildings, schools, departmental organizations, buildings, schools, departmental organizations, revivals, preaching, budgets, must all be revivals, preaching, budgets, must all be

directed to the salvation of souls. Let this directed to the salvation of souls. Let this conviction deepen, that our one business is to conviction deepen, that our one business is to

cooperate with God in saving souls.”cooperate with God in saving souls.”  

~ General Superintendents’ Quadrennial Address ~ General Superintendents’ Quadrennial Address to the 10th General Assemblyto the 10th General Assembly

    

Will Will youyou make the make the difference?difference?

Will Will your churchyour church make the make the difference?difference?

  

Presented by:Presented by:

Don Cowan, Assistant D.S.Don Cowan, Assistant D.S.

North Alabama District North Alabama District Church of the NazareneChurch of the Nazarene

(205) 822-4520 (205) 822-4520