Churches Get Stuck When…

“To the angel of the church in Sardis write: These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.”
Revelation 3:1 NIV
Churches can get stuck and die by…
1) Focusing on the past instead of the ___________________________________.
“Watch for the new thing I am going to do. It is happening already – you can see it now!”
Isaiah 43:19a GNT
2) Concentrating on cosmetics instead of ________________________________.
The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
1 Samuel 16:7 NIV
We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character…
Romans 5:3-4a NLT
3) Emphasizing ritual instead of _______________________________________.
“Love the Lord your God…and love your neighbor as yourself.”
Matthew 22:37, 39 NIV
“Woe to you, teachers of the Law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like
whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.”
Matthew 23:27-28 NIV
4) Looking inward instead of _________________________________________.
You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had….He gave up his [own]
privileges…humbled himself in obedience to God…
Philippians 2:5, 7-8 NLT