In our worship service on Sunday we called the church to a week of prayer & fasting. We encouraged the Anchor family to fast & pray one full day or one meal per day this week as we prepare to gather for a special Prayer & Praise Night this coming Sunday evening, January 7th at 6:00PM. During the sermon we reviewed the values of an Unstoppable Church found in Acts 1 & 2 and encouraged the body to reflect on them.

An Unstoppable Church is KINGDOM FOCUSED. They make the King & His Kingdom visible by demonstrating peace in turmoil, giving grace in disagreement, sharing with those in need, demonstrating humility, walking by the Spirit and in unity.

An Unstoppable Church is CHRIST FOLLOWING. They walk in the way, truth, and life of Jesus. They strive to obey Christ, value gathering with the body, prioritize prayer together, seek to worship Christ in everyday life, and prioritize the mission of Jesus.

An Unstoppable Church is SPIRIT LED. They are guided and empowered by the Holy Spirit. They are rooted in the Word, possess humble hearts, are devoted to prayer and gathering with the body, are engaged in disciple making, proclaim the Good News, and are using spiritual gifts to serve.

An Unstoppable Church is GOSPEL PROCLAIMING. They are passionate about sharing the Good News and mighty works of God. They are ordinary people, filled with the Spirit, who want to be used to reach those who need Jesus. They step into tension, pain, and/or misunderstanding to show sin is the problem and Jesus is the answer.

An Unstoppable Church is DISCIPLE MAKING. They are engaged on every level of the great commission. They go into the world to proclaim the Gospel, they call people to repentance, bring them into fellowship through baptism, and teach them to walk with Jesus and make disciples. They do these things in partnership with others in the church.

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

• What pain points or tensions exist in our community where the church might become a unique presence and/or voice?

• Are you/we demonstrating deep devotion to following Jesus? (Acts 2:42)

• Are you/we seeking God in prayer with a humble heart? (2 Chronicles 7:14)

• Are you/we embracing the work of reaching people who need Jesus?

• Are you/we engaged in the work of disciple-making through your local church?

PRAYER RESPONSE

• Ask the Lord to show you what your next step is for each value.

• Ask the Lord to lead you into repentance where needed.

• Pray for members of your discipleship group that they would reflect these values.

• Ask God to grant Anchor Church a more particular vision for how we can be a unique voice & presence in our community.

• Ask the Lord to prepare us to face new challenges in 2024 with grace and faith.