Sm Grp Functions Beliefs Practices Virtues

Thank you Pantego Church for usage of this from Randy Frazee's Book, The Connecting Church

Seven Functions of Biblical Community

SPIRITUAL FORMATION
As a Biblical Community, we will annually assess our own development in Christ using the Christian Life Profile. We will then confess our areas of struggles to one another and set personal goals for our growth in Christ in the year to come. Through the year, we will share our progress and encourage one another monthly in our pursuit of Christ-likeness.

EVANGELISM
Each household within the Biblical Community will commit to pray for at least three Seeker households within their neighborhood using the Five-fold Plan for Prayer Evangelism. As a Biblical Community, we will pray together monthly for our seeker’s personal request. We will hold one another accountable to prayerfully touch our seeker households quarterly. We desire to win at least one household to Christ each year.

REPRODUCTION
Each Biblical Community is open and will have at least one Leader in Training who is preparing to launch a new group as the Lord adds to their number. We will seek to reproduce another group at least once a year.

VOLUNTEERISM
As members of the Biblical Community, we will commit ourselves to support the greater Body of Christ at Pantego Bible Church through involvement in ministries such as youth, children, worship, ushers, and greeters. We will celebrate what God is doing in the greater Body of Christ at Pantego Bible Church at least quarterly.

INTERNATIONAL MISSIONS
As an expression of our desire to share Christ with the world, the Biblical Community will support monthly at least one International Missions Project through increased awareness, commitment to prayer, and financial contributions.

CARE
The foundation of Biblical Community will be our commitment to care for one another. This will manifest itself in practical help to those in difficult and crisis situations, i.e. hospital or home visits, meal preparation, validation, prayer, referral to resources, etc.

EXTENDING COMPASSION
In response to the social needs of our community, each Biblical Community will commit to participation in at least four onsite compassion projects as families through the year. Monthly, the Biblical Community will select, prepare for, or celebrate their involvement in their compassion project.

10 Core Beliefs - Loving God and Neighbor

Luk 10:27 And he answered, "YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND; AND YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF."

Authority of the Bible
I believe the Bible is the Word of God and has the right to command my belief and action.

2 Timothy 3:16–17, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."

Church
I believe the church is God's primary way to accomplish His purposes on earth today.

Ephesians 4:15–16, "Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From Him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work."

Compassion
I believe God calls all Christians to show compassion to those in need.

Psalm 82:3–4, "Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked."

Eternity
I believe there is a heaven and a hell and that Jesus Christ is returning to judge the earth and to establish His eternal kingdom.

John 14:1–4, "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going."

Humanity
I believe all people are loved by God and need Jesus Christ as their Savior.

John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that he gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life."

Identity in Christ
I believe I am significant because of my position as a child of God.

John 1:12, "Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God."

Personal God
I believe God is involved in and cares about my daily life.

Psalm 121:1-2 "I lift up my eyes to the hills—where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven & earth."

Salvation by Grace
I believe a person comes into a right relationship with God by His grace, through faith in Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 2:8–9, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast."

Stewardship
I believe that everything I am or own belongs to God.

1 Timothy 6:17–19, "Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life."

Trinity
I believe the God of the Bible is the only true God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

2 Corinthians 13:14, "May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all."

10 Core Practices - Loving God and Neighbor

Luk 10:27 And he answered, "YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND; AND YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF."

Bible Study
I study the Bible to know God, the truth and to find direction for my daily life.

Hebrews 4:12, "For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart."

Biblical Community
I fellowship with other Christians to accomplish God's purposes in my life, others' lives, and in the world.

Acts 2:44–47, "All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as He had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved."

Giving Away My Faith
I give away my faith to fulfill God's purposes.

Ephesians 6:19–20, "Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should."

Giving Away My Life
I give away my life to fulfill God’s purposes.

Romans 12:1, "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship."

Giving Away My Time
I give away my time to fulfill God's purposes.

Colossians 3:17, "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him."

Prayer
I pray to God to know Him, to lay my request before Him and to find direction for my daily life.

Psalm 66:16–20, "Come and listen, all you who fear God; let me tell you what He has done for me. I cried out to Him with my mouth; His praise was on my tongue. If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened; but God has surely listened and heard my voice in prayer. Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld His love from me!"

Spiritual Gifts
I know and use my spiritual gifts to accomplish God’s purposes

Romans 12:4,5, "Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us."

Worship
I worship God for who He is and what He has done for me.

Psalm 95:1–7, "Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before Him with thanksgiving and extol Him with music and song. For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods. In His hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to Him. The sea is His, for He made it, and His hands formed the dry land. Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker; for He is our God and we are the people of His pasture, the flock under His care."

Single-mindedness
I focus on God and His priorities for my life.

Matthew 6:33, "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."

Giving Away My Money
I give away my money to fulfill God's purposes.

2 Corinthians 8:7, "But just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us—see that you also excel in this grace of giving."

10 Core Virtues - Loving God and Neighbor

Luk 10:27 And he answered, "YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND; AND YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF."

Gentleness
I am thoughtful, considerate and calm in dealing with others.

Philippians 4:5, "Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near."

Faithfulness
I am faithful to fulfill God's will for my life.

Proverbs 3:3–4, "Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man."

Hope
I can cope with the hardships of life and with death because of the hope I have in Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 6:17–20, "We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf."

Joy
I have inner contentment and purpose in spite of my circumstances.

John 15:11, "I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete."

Love
I unconditionally love others.

1 John 4:10–12, "This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us."

Peace
I am free from anxiety because things are right between God, myself and others.

Philippians 4:6–7, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Self-Control
I have the power, through Christ, to control myself.

1 Thessalonians 5:6, "So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled."

Humility
I choose to esteem others above myself.

Philippians 2:3–4, "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others."

Patience
I am patient with others.

Proverbs 14:29, "A patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man displays folly."

Kindness/Goodness
I choose to do the right things in my relationships with others.

1 Thessalonians 5:15, "Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else."