Partnering for Purpose: Moving from Fan to Follower

Every fall at Lifepointe, we revisit the concept of partnership - not membership, but partnership. This is a yearly commitment where we covenant together to do the work of the kingdom in our community. As Paul mentions in Philippians, he thanked God for the churches' "partnership in the gospel." That's what we're called to as believers - to partner together for kingdom work.

But before we dive into what partnership means, let's consider something many of us can relate to - sports fandom. In North America, we have various types of fans:

• Bandwagon fans who only support winning teams

• Free ticket attendees who only show up when it's convenient

• Fair weather fans who disappear when times get tough

  
  

• Social spectators who come for relationships, not the actual event

  
  

• Switcher fans who change allegiance based on circumstances

  
  

• Late arrival fans who show up late and leave early

Unfortunately, many churches in North America have people who are fans, not followers. They exhibit half-hearted commitment, church shopping for the best experience, and conditional participation.

At Lifepointe, we want people to be partners - committed and working for the kingdom. Not working for LifePoint, but working for the Lord to further His kingdom in our region.

What Does Partnership at LifePoint Involve?

There are four key commitments that partnership entails:

1. Active Participation in the Life of the Church

If you want to grow your faith or go deeper in your spiritual walk with Jesus, active participation in church life is essential. This means regularly attending Sunday services and engaging in church activities.

Hebrews 10:23-25 tells us: "Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering. For he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near."

The word "stir up" here means to stimulate or incite mutual activity where we do life together. We're called to encourage one another, which happens when we gather regularly.

We all have those Sunday mornings when we don't feel like going to church. Maybe we feel down in our faith or burdened by life's challenges. But when we choose to go anyway, we often leave encouraged and changed, ready to face those challenges. Someone was there that God knew we needed to hear from, someone gave us a hug, or shared words that changed our perspective.

The early church recognized the importance of community. In Acts 2:42-47, they sold everything they had and gave to those in need. While we have more social supports today, nothing will ever replace the importance of meeting together as followers of Jesus.

2. Serving the Church with Your Gifts and Talents

Every follower of Jesus has been given at least one spiritual gift, along with natural talents. 1 Peter 4:7-10 reminds us: "The end of all things is at hand... As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace."

When you became a follower of Jesus, you received the Holy Spirit and spiritual gifts. These gifts aren't meant to be put on a shelf to collect dust - they're meant to be used in service to others.

As a partner, you commit to serving in at least one ministry area, using your gifts to build up the body of Christ.

3. Financial Generosity

God has been incredibly generous with us - giving us life, gifts, His Son Jesus, love, creation, forgiveness, provision, salvation, grace, and mercy. Ephesians 1:3 says He has "blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing" and "lavished" His grace upon us.

In response to God's generosity, we're called to be generous as well. While the Old Testament required a tithe (10%) plus additional offerings that could total 30-40%, the New Testament presents a different approach. There is no required percentage in the New Testament - instead, followers of Jesus are asked to give voluntarily in proportion to their wealth.

2 Corinthians 9:6-7 tells us: "Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."

The big idea is that your financial giving can bring significant spiritual results. We need to see beyond the dollar sign and envision changed lives. Every dollar given has the ability to transform someone's life. We give because we love God, we love people, and we desire to see lives changed.

4. Making the Mission Your Own

The final commitment is embracing the church's mission as your personal mission. At Lifepointe, the mission is based on the Great Commandment and Great Commission:

• Love God (Matthew 22:37-38)

• Love others (Matthew 22:39-40)

• Make disciples (Matthew 28:18-20)

This means personally connecting to this mission, not just expecting church leadership to carry it out. It involves leveraging your intentional relationships and utilizing the training the church provides.

Lifepointe's discipleship pathway includes:

• Helping people explore their faith

• Connecting new believers with God and others

• Assisting people to mature spiritually

  
  

• Equipping people to share their faith w

  ith others

Life Application

What is God calling you to do? Is He calling you to become a partner at LifePoint? If so, sign the partnership form and return it. If you need more time to pray about it, that's perfectly fine too.

The whole point of partnership is to have the church family committed to the Lord, committed to one another, and moving in the same direction for the coming year - loving God, loving others, and seeing lives changed.

Whether you become a partner or not, Jesus wants more of your life. He wants you to go deeper in your faith journey with Him.

Ask yourself these questions:

• Am I currently more of a "fan" or a "follower" of Jesus?

• Which of the four partnership commitments challenges me the most right now?

• What specific step can I take this week to move from being a spectator to being an active participant in God's kingdom work?

• How might my life and the lives of others be transformed if I fully embraced these partnership commitments?

Remember, partnership isn't about checking boxes or fulfilling obligations - it's about joining together with other believers to accomplish God's purposes in our community and beyond.