Dennis R. Wiles
First Baptist Arlington
October 5, 2025
Flourishing Together
First Baptist Arlington
2025 – 2030
2025: Flourishing Together: Rooted in Christ
1 Corinthians 2:6-16 (Gospel Guide: Matthew)
FALL 2025: It is Not Good . . . to be Alone
September 7 – November 1, 2025
The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone.”
Genesis 2:18
Your Spiritual Family
1 Corinthians 12:12-31
COMMUNION: As Christians, we gather at the Lord’s Table in community with our God and with our fellow sisters and brothers.
CONTEXT – The Corinthian church was beset with a lack of social cohesion and characterized by breakdowns in relationships.
Corinthian society was riddled by competitive individualism, and this ethos spilled over into the relationships in the church as wealthier members competed for followers. Socially pretentious and self-important individuals appear to have dominated the church. It is likely they flaunted their symbols of status, wisdom, influence, and family pedigree and looked down on others of lesser status. They appear to have wanted to preserve the social barriers of class and status that permeated their social world but were nullified in the cross of Christ. For some, the Christian community had become simply another arena to compete for status according to the societal norms.
-David E. Garland, 1 Corinthians: Baker Exegetical Commentary
CURE – The answer for the brokenness in the local church is for the church to . . . believe and behave like the Lord intended for the local church to believe and behave!
CHURCH – Paul referred to the church as a field, a building, and a body to help the Corinthians better understand the new family of God known as the church.
Why is the health of local churches such a huge concern? Because of what is at stake!
MISSION OF GOD – God is engaged in the redemption of humanity and the restoration of His creation.
CHURCH – Jesus established the church to serve as His instrument on earth to accomplish the Mission of God (Matthew 16:13-20).
COMMISSION – Jesus has commissioned the church to fulfill the Mission of God through both the Great Commandment (Matthew 22:37-40) and the Great Commission (Matthew 28:16-20).
CHURCH - The Church is a purposeful community of gathered believers following The Jesus Way together in the fulfillment of His mission.
DISCIPLE - A Disciple: A person being formed by Jesus as they follow Him in accomplishing His mission.
How do we make disciples?
We lead people to:
-Know God
-Experience God
-Serve God
Every human being needs to:
-Know God: Be saved!
-Experience God: Be shepherded!
Be shaped!
-Serve God: Be sent!