WEBVTT
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This program is made
possible by the giving
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of the God called partners
of Renner Ministries.
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Get ready for a teaching
that feeds your spirit
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and your mind where the
word is the anchor in
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uncertain times,
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and doctrine doesn't bend to culture.
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We keep it simple,
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but dive deep revealing a
truth that strengthens us,
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a love that emboldens,
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and a mission that touches the world.
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Let's join Rick Renner.
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Welcome to today's program.
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My name is Rick Renner
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and today we're gonna continue
the brand new series called -
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The Right Way to Join
or to Leave a Church.
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And the reason I'm teaching this is
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because I dreamed that I taught it.
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And in fact, the dream was so lucid,
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I really felt I had the experience of teaching this series.
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And I woke up in the middle
of the night, went to the room
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where I pray, and where I study my Bible,
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got out my computer
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and began to write down all the points
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that I taught in the dream.
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And I understood the Holy
Spirit was telling me I needed
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to teach this for you
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and for my listeners. My friends, we need to know
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what the Bible says about the
right way to join a church
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and the right way to leave a church.
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There's a right way and a
wrong way to do these things.
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And yesterday we saw the
right way to join a church.
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And today we're gonna
be seeing why is church
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membership important?
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Many people say, ah,
it's not even important.
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It is very important.
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And today I'm gonna tell
you why it is important.
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But the series is called
The Right Way to Join
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or to Leave a Church.
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It comes with a full study guide.
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And I'm so excited to tell
you about my book, one
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of my favorites that I've written,
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and I've written a lot of books,
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but this book is called A Life Ablaze,
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and it's about the 10
essential fuels you need
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to inject into your spiritual fire
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so you burn like an inferno
to the end of your life.
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You're not supposed to have
fire in the early years
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of your life and then
lose it along the way.
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You're supposed to be a
flame of fire to the end
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of your life, but for
you to be a life ablaze,
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you need these 10 essential fuels
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to be putting into your spiritual fire.
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All of that is in my book
called A Life Ablaze.
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But to find out about all these resources, just go online.
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Just go to our website or give us a call.
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And remember that we're
here to pray for you.
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Jeremiah 33:3 says, Call unto me
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and I'll show you great and mighty things -
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and my friends, if you'll reach out to us for us to pray
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with you, you can pray by yourself,
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of course you can,
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but maybe you want
somebody to pray with you.
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Well, we'll pray with you
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and in faith we will call out to God
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in the name of Jesus, we will pray scripturally,
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God will hear us, God will respond
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and God will do something
mighty for you just
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as he promises in Jeremiah 33:3.
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So please send us an email,
tell us how to pray for you
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or call the number.
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We're waiting for the
phone to ring right now,
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but I want you to reach for your Bible.
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And today we're gonna cover the subject -
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Why is Church Membership Important?
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But in the whole series,
here is what we are covering.
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What is the right way to join a church?
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Why is church membership important?
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What to do if you have relational conflicts in a church?
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That's what we're going to be seeing tomorrow.
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What to do if you have doctrinal disagreements in a church.
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And finally, what is the right way to leave a church?
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We're covering all of this in this series,
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but I wanna tell you a story.
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When we started our church
in Moscow, Russia, that's
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where I'm coming from today,
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this is our studio in Moscow.
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And if you're a partner, I wanna say
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thank you for being a partner.
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You helped build this studio
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and with your partnership,
we're taking the teaching
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of the Bible to the ends of the Earth.
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But here in Moscow, when
we started our church many,
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many years ago, I didn't want
local Pastors to accuse me
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of stealing their sheep.
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So we made a decision to do
everything we could to avoid
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that accusation.
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So when we decided to start a church,
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we sent a letter all over
Russia to TV viewers saying,
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if you know anybody in
Moscow that needs a church,
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please inform them
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that on this day at this
location at the Hotel Russia,
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downtown Moscow, right near Red Square,
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we are starting a new Good News church.
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We did not send that
letter to anybody in Moscow
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because I didn't want any
local Pastors to accuse me
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of writing to their church members
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and inviting them to come to our church.
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But all over Russia, people received the letter
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and they begin to call their friends in Moscow
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and they said, Hey, Rick Renner is starting a new Good News
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Church, Hotel Russia, right on the edge of Red Square.
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And they told them, we didn't tell them,
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their friends told them
to come check us out.
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So the day finally came when
we had our first meeting,
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it was so exciting.
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It was small, it was in a conference room
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of the Hotel Russia, which no longer exists.
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It's been torn down
and replaced by a park.
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But people began to pack
into that auditorium
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and very, very quickly our
little church was booming.
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Soon we had to move to another theater,
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which was called the Kinotavr Mir,
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and there we could see 800 people.
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Suddenly it was booming.
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Then we moved to another
location and another location.
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And very, very quickly our
church just begin to grow
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and grow and grow.
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But some Pastors said - Hey,
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my church members are attending your church.
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But here was the problem.
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When I would speak to those people
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and I would say, are you a
member of this other church?
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Here's what they would say,
no, I've attended that church,
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but I've never signed a document.
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I've never gone through a process
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to become a member of that church.
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And I found out that back in those days,
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now this would not be true today,
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but back in those days,
close to three decades ago,
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churches basically did not have a process
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of officially receiving church members.
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Pastors would just eyeball the crowd
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and by what they saw, they would say, well,
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that person's a member of our church.
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Or I guess that person's
a member of our church
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because they come here pretty often.
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Some churches determined their
church membership by those
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who attended their home groups,
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but it was really hard to keep track of
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who was attending home groups.
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And so basically it was
a guessing game as to
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who was a member of their churches.
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There was no official documents to say,
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this person has officially
joined our church.
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So it was one pastor's opinion against
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another pastor's opinion.
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It was just a guessing game and it was a mess.
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Now let me tell you, when you're married to somebody,
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there's no guessing.
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There's official documentation to prove
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that you are married.
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You have to sign a marriage
certificate proving
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that you are married to that person.
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You're not just eyeballing it
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and trying to figure out
who you're married to.
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You know who you're married to
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because there is documentation.
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And when it comes to church membership,
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documentation provides clarity for everybody
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so there is no confusion.
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Now, somebody might say - Ah, this is just legalism.
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No, it is not legalism. It is spiritual accountability:
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spiritual accountability.
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When you take spiritual responsibility for a soul,
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that is a very, very serious thing.
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Let me tell you another story.
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Many, many years ago, Andre Chabokorop, a young man who came
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to work in our ministry,
came from another country.
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And when he came to work
with us, he understood
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that God was calling him to serve with me
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to the end of his life.
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And we really made a covenant together.
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He traveled with me all over the lands
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of the former Soviet Union.
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As we began to establish the TV ministry,
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he helped me start our first church in Rega.
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Today, he is the pastor of that church.
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But back in those early years,
he understood he was to serve
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with me for the rest of his life.
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And that meant he had to leave his country
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and he had to be distantly, relocated away from his family.
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Well, his family was a godly family.
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The father was so godly,
he was like the patriarch.
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They had many, many children.
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I always said that the
father was like Jacob
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and all of his sons.
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And one day the father called me
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and said, I need you to come with my boy
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and come to where we live.
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I want to talk to you. So I went.
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It was quite hard to get there,
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but when I got there, there was a official family ceremony.
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I'll never forget it.
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And he said, today,
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I'm spiritually transferring my son to you.
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He has been my son. Legally, he is my son.
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But from this moment forward,
he is serving with you.
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He is connected to you,
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and I'm transferring him to you for you
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to take spiritually responsibility for him
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as if he was your own son.
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Wow, that was such a somber moment. But I took it to heart.
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This was a great responsibility.
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And from that time until
this time, I've treated
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that young man as if he was my own son.
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And today he's no longer a young man.
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He's already in his fifties,
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but I call him every day,
check on him every day
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because the responsibility
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for his spiritual welfare was
entrusted to me by his father.
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That was a spiritual responsibility.
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Well, likewise, when a person joins a church,
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that is a great responsibility not just
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for the person joining the church, but also for the pastor
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and the leadership of the church.
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And when you come to Hebrews 13:17,
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we importantly read - Obey them that have the rule over you
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and submit yourselves for
they watch for your souls
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as they which must give account.
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When Andre was transferred into my care,
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I understood I would answer to God for him
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because his father transferred to me
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the spiritual sonship from himself
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to me. That was a great responsibility
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and I understood I was going
to give account for Andre.
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And in the same way,
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when a good pastor receives
a new member into his church,
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he really is entrusted with a
great spiritual responsibility
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for that person.
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I'm very grateful that
when I was growing up,
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we were very serious about church membership: very,
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very serious.
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And when a person was
born again in our church,
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they immediately became
a member of the church.
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But if a person came from
another church, we wanted
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to know why were they
leaving the other church?
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Why were they joining our church?
248
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And we had a phrase in our denomination,
249
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which meant they were transferring their letter.
250
00:11:12.450 --> 00:11:14.430
It meant they were moving
their membership from another
251
00:11:14.430 --> 00:11:16.080
church to our church.
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00:11:16.080 --> 00:11:19.710 line:15%
And when you transferred
your letter to a new church
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that was so serious, the whole
church had to vote on it.
254
00:11:24.420 --> 00:11:28.620
We considered changing church membership very important.
255
00:11:28.620 --> 00:11:31.710
And my friends, church membership really is important.
256
00:11:31.710 --> 00:11:33.480
It brings clarity.
257
00:11:33.480 --> 00:11:37.260
It brings clarity to Pastors to know who they're accountable
258
00:11:37.260 --> 00:11:39.630
for, who they are not accountable for.
259
00:11:39.630 --> 00:11:41.850
It brings clarity to the
church member to know
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00:11:41.850 --> 00:11:43.200
where his commitment is.
261
00:11:43.200 --> 00:11:45.090
He's not just a roaming sheep,
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but he belongs to a local flock.
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00:11:47.430 --> 00:11:50.640
We saw in the previous program that in 1 Corinthians 12:
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13, it says, the moment we're saved,
265
00:11:53.230 --> 00:11:56.770
we're inducted into the body of Christ - universally,
266
00:11:56.770 --> 00:11:58.450
but eventually we need a local church.
267
00:11:58.450 --> 00:12:01.090
We need a flock to belong to.
268
00:12:01.090 --> 00:12:05.680
But in Acts 20:28, Paul was speaking
269
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to the elders or to the Pastors in Ephesus
270
00:12:08.350 --> 00:12:10.810
and listen to what he said - Take heed
271
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therefore unto yourself
272
00:12:11.945 --> 00:12:15.940
and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made
273
00:12:15.940 --> 00:12:18.010
you overseers.
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00:12:18.010 --> 00:12:21.550
This word flock is a Greek word which literally describes a
275
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flock of sheep or figuratively,
276
00:12:24.520 --> 00:12:28.570
it is used to describe a congregation of believers.
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00:12:28.570 --> 00:12:32.650
The word overseers is a form of the Greek word espiskopos.
278
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The word epi, means over. The word skopos, means to look.
279
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It's where you get the word for a microscope or a telescope.
280
00:12:39.070 --> 00:12:40.870 line:15%
It describes an intensive look.
281
00:12:40.870 --> 00:12:42.550 line:15%
But when you compound
the two words together,
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00:12:42.550 --> 00:12:44.800 line:15%
it forms the Greek word espiskopos.
283
00:12:44.800 --> 00:12:49.300 line:15%
It is one who looks over,
one who observes, one
284
00:12:49.300 --> 00:12:50.500 line:15%
who surveys
285
00:12:50.500 --> 00:12:54.310 line:15%
or one who has oversight,
administration or management.
286
00:12:54.310 --> 00:12:57.400 line:15%
It describes a supervisory position and here,
287
00:12:57.400 --> 00:13:00.340
a spiritual supervisory position.
288
00:13:00.340 --> 00:13:03.790
And it goes on to say, to feed the church of God.
289
00:13:03.790 --> 00:13:08.050
And the word feed is actually the Greek word for a shepherd
290
00:13:08.050 --> 00:13:09.550
or a pastor.
291
00:13:09.550 --> 00:13:11.770
So if you're gonna
translate this correctly,
292
00:13:11.770 --> 00:13:14.980
it describes Pastors as being overseers.
293
00:13:14.980 --> 00:13:17.860
They have oversight of a flock of sheep,
294
00:13:17.860 --> 00:13:22.090
and their job is to pastor the flock.
295
00:13:22.090 --> 00:13:23.350
And the word pastor
296
00:13:23.350 --> 00:13:27.910 line:15%
or the word feed, means
to feed, to care for,
297
00:13:27.910 --> 00:13:30.040 line:15%
to rule, to shepherd or to tend.
298
00:13:30.040 --> 00:13:32.950 line:15%
It includes all the duties of a shepherd,
299
00:13:32.950 --> 00:13:37.950 line:15%
including guarding, guiding, leading, and feeding the flock.
300
00:13:38.260 --> 00:13:40.660
But now listen to this.
301
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Every Christian is a sheep in God's eyes.
302
00:13:45.910 --> 00:13:50.020 line:15%
Every Christian belongs
in a specific flock.
303
00:13:51.040 --> 00:13:55.330 line:15%
Every Christian outside
a flock is like a lost
304
00:13:55.330 --> 00:13:57.100 line:15%
and disconnected sheep.
305
00:13:58.300 --> 00:14:00.670 line:15%
Every Christian needs a shepherd
306
00:14:00.670 --> 00:14:04.630 line:15%
or every Christian needs a pastor.
307
00:14:04.630 --> 00:14:06.190
My friends, we understand
308
00:14:06.190 --> 00:14:10.360
that from everything we read in Acts 20:28:
309
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Take heed therefore unto yourself and to all of the flock.
310
00:14:13.780 --> 00:14:16.300
My friends, we are to be in a local flock
311
00:14:16.300 --> 00:14:18.940
over which the Holy Ghost
has made you overseers.
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00:14:18.940 --> 00:14:21.160
That's a word to Pastors; their job is
313
00:14:21.160 --> 00:14:23.650
to have spiritual oversight of the flock, those
314
00:14:23.650 --> 00:14:26.890
that are under their care to
feed them, to pastor them,
315
00:14:26.890 --> 00:14:28.540
or to shepherd them.
316
00:14:28.540 --> 00:14:32.140
Wow! All of this is so very important.
317
00:14:32.140 --> 00:14:34.570
And when you are a member of a church,
318
00:14:34.570 --> 00:14:36.550
you have a place to belong.
319
00:14:36.550 --> 00:14:38.080
You know where you belong,
320
00:14:38.080 --> 00:14:41.200
and you have a shepherd who
has a spiritual responsibility
321
00:14:41.200 --> 00:14:43.750
to watch over your life.
322
00:14:43.750 --> 00:14:47.200
And that's what we read in Hebrews 13:17.
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Listen to this - Obey them that have the rule over you
324
00:14:52.610 --> 00:14:56.990
and submit yourselves for they watch for your souls
325
00:14:56.990 --> 00:15:01.130
as they that must give account.
326
00:15:01.130 --> 00:15:04.070
Let's begin with the
word rule in this verse.
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00:15:04.070 --> 00:15:06.140
The word rule is the Greek word hegeomai.
328
00:15:06.140 --> 00:15:10.730 line:15%
My the word hegeomai, means to rule or to lead.
329
00:15:10.730 --> 00:15:13.100 line:15%
It also means to consider.
330
00:15:13.100 --> 00:15:15.410 line:15%
But this Greek word
actually means to lead.
331
00:15:15.410 --> 00:15:17.570 line:15%
It depicts those who
lead the ways for others.
332
00:15:17.570 --> 00:15:19.280 line:15%
And in a military sense,
333
00:15:19.280 --> 00:15:22.970 line:15%
it described resplendent military leaders.
334
00:15:22.970 --> 00:15:25.460
And it means that when you
join a church, you need
335
00:15:25.460 --> 00:15:28.130
to join a church that has
a pastor that you deemed
336
00:15:28.130 --> 00:15:31.730
to be bright and shining: someone that is resplendent,
337
00:15:31.730 --> 00:15:34.670
somebody that you consider to
be the person that you want
338
00:15:34.670 --> 00:15:37.190
to follow, and that you
give them the permission
339
00:15:37.190 --> 00:15:39.650
to spiritually lead you.
340
00:15:39.650 --> 00:15:42.560
That's what this word, rule, really means.
341
00:15:42.560 --> 00:15:46.610
Then it says they watch for your souls.
342
00:15:46.610 --> 00:15:49.370 line:15%
The word watch is a form of a Greek word,
343
00:15:49.370 --> 00:15:51.590 line:15%
which means to guard,
344
00:15:51.590 --> 00:15:52.760 line:15%
and it was often used
345
00:15:52.760 --> 00:15:56.990 line:15%
to picture long nights when
travelers took turns staying
346
00:15:56.990 --> 00:15:58.550 line:15%
awake to defend themselves
347
00:15:58.550 --> 00:16:00.980 line:15%
and their companions against bandits
348
00:16:00.980 --> 00:16:04.430 line:15%
and robbers who waited to attack in roadside ditches
349
00:16:04.430 --> 00:16:06.140 line:15%
and caves.
350
00:16:06.140 --> 00:16:09.530 line:15%
Because highway robbers lurked in the dark,
351
00:16:09.530 --> 00:16:12.950 line:15%
travelers took turns guarding to stop robbers from beating,
352
00:16:12.950 --> 00:16:14.930 line:15%
robbing and plundering them.
353
00:16:14.930 --> 00:16:18.470 line:15%
Thus, this word depicts one
who gives constant attention
354
00:16:18.470 --> 00:16:20.690 line:15%
to guarding and watching.
355
00:16:20.690 --> 00:16:25.220 line:15%
That is the assignment which
God gives to the pastor.
356
00:16:25.220 --> 00:16:27.770 line:15%
His job is to watch for you.
357
00:16:27.770 --> 00:16:30.260
He has been given his supervisory position
358
00:16:30.260 --> 00:16:31.670
and my friends, we all need it.
359
00:16:31.670 --> 00:16:32.990
I have a pastor.
360
00:16:32.990 --> 00:16:34.820
I have a group of elders that I look to
361
00:16:34.820 --> 00:16:36.320
who watch for my soul.
362
00:16:36.320 --> 00:16:40.460
Every single Christian needs to be a member of a local flock
363
00:16:40.460 --> 00:16:43.130
or a local congregation with a shepherd
364
00:16:43.130 --> 00:16:44.840
that they can call by name.
365
00:16:44.840 --> 00:16:46.970
And there doesn't need to be a guessing game
366
00:16:46.970 --> 00:16:50.060
for a pastor about who is
a member of his church.
367
00:16:50.060 --> 00:16:51.380
You don't need to guess.
368
00:16:51.380 --> 00:16:53.210
Well, I think this one's
a member of my church,
369
00:16:53.210 --> 00:16:54.440
but I'm not really sure.
370
00:16:54.440 --> 00:16:57.440
You should have a process
that makes it so clear.
371
00:16:57.440 --> 00:17:00.860
You will know those that
are members of your church.
372
00:17:00.860 --> 00:17:03.470
This is good for the
pastor, it's good for you
373
00:17:03.470 --> 00:17:05.210
as a member of the church.
374
00:17:05.210 --> 00:17:10.210
But the verse also says
they watch for your souls.
375
00:17:10.370 --> 00:17:14.570 line:15%
And the word souls is a plural
form of the Greek word psuche.
376
00:17:14.570 --> 00:17:17.420 line:15%
And this is where we get
the word for the soul.
377
00:17:17.420 --> 00:17:19.760 line:15%
And it pictures a person's mind, will
378
00:17:19.760 --> 00:17:24.350 line:15%
and emotions, which New Testament writers clearly understood
379
00:17:24.350 --> 00:17:26.960 line:15%
to be components of the soul.
380
00:17:26.960 --> 00:17:29.840
It means every pastor has been entrusted
381
00:17:29.840 --> 00:17:31.730
with a spiritual responsibility
382
00:17:31.730 --> 00:17:34.250
to help develop a person's mind,
383
00:17:35.150 --> 00:17:39.830
will their emotions: not just to develop them spiritually,
384
00:17:39.830 --> 00:17:44.210
but help develop every single sphere of their life.
385
00:17:44.210 --> 00:17:46.310
That is the pastor's charge
386
00:17:46.310 --> 00:17:49.650
and every member of
every church needs that.
387
00:17:49.650 --> 00:17:54.630 line:15%
And then Hebrews 13:17 continues to say -
388
00:17:54.630 --> 00:17:58.560 line:15%
As they that must give account; those that are entrusted
389
00:17:58.560 --> 00:18:00.120 line:15%
with spiritual care
390
00:18:00.120 --> 00:18:02.550 line:15%
for your soul are going to give account.
391
00:18:02.550 --> 00:18:05.460 line:15%
And this word, give account, in Greek means literally will
392
00:18:05.460 --> 00:18:08.310 line:15%
answer and will give a report.
393
00:18:08.310 --> 00:18:11.070 line:15%
They're gonna give a
report for how they did
394
00:18:11.070 --> 00:18:13.560 line:15%
at overseeing your soul
and how they led you.
395
00:18:13.560 --> 00:18:15.270 line:15%
They're going to give an account
396
00:18:15.270 --> 00:18:16.950 line:15%
and the Bible says to submit
397
00:18:16.950 --> 00:18:18.870 line:15%
and to do it with a
good attitude that those
398
00:18:18.870 --> 00:18:21.510 line:15%
that are leading, you might do it with joy.
399
00:18:21.510 --> 00:18:24.990 line:15%
The word joy, the Greek word chara, it denotes gladness
400
00:18:24.990 --> 00:18:26.430 line:15%
or great joy.
401
00:18:26.430 --> 00:18:29.250 line:15%
And then it says, and not with grief for
402
00:18:29.250 --> 00:18:30.900 line:15%
that is unprofitable for you.
403
00:18:30.900 --> 00:18:34.590 line:15%
The word grief, the Greek word, stenadzo. It means to moan
404
00:18:34.590 --> 00:18:35.670
or to groan; it means - ugh.
405
00:18:37.350 --> 00:18:41.400 line:15%
This person is so difficult.
They are so hard to lead.
406
00:18:41.400 --> 00:18:44.400 line:15%
Every time I read this
verse, I think about a couple
407
00:18:44.400 --> 00:18:46.170 line:15%
of women that were members
408
00:18:46.170 --> 00:18:48.900
of our church in Riga decades ago.
409
00:18:48.900 --> 00:18:51.780 line:15%
Every time they were coming
in my direction, I wanted
410
00:18:51.780 --> 00:18:53.730 line:15%
to find someplace to hide.
411
00:18:53.730 --> 00:18:55.620 line:15%
They loved me, they called me pastor,
412
00:18:55.620 --> 00:18:58.080 line:15%
but they were so belligerent, they were
413
00:18:58.080 --> 00:18:59.760 line:15%
so difficult to deal with.
414
00:18:59.760 --> 00:19:03.180 line:15%
They argued, they complained,
they never said a good word.
415
00:19:03.180 --> 00:19:06.810 line:15%
Every time I saw them, I
wanted to hide and run.
416
00:19:07.830 --> 00:19:10.170
And that's why the Bible says
417
00:19:10.170 --> 00:19:12.930 line:15%
that this is unprofitable for you.
418
00:19:12.930 --> 00:19:15.840
And the word unprofitable actually means there's
419
00:19:15.840 --> 00:19:16.860 line:15%
no benefit in it.
420
00:19:16.860 --> 00:19:20.100 line:15%
And in fact, the word unprofitable even means injurious.
421
00:19:20.100 --> 00:19:21.180 line:15%
And my friends, I want to tell you,
422
00:19:21.180 --> 00:19:25.560
if your pastor is hiding from
you, that's not good for you.
423
00:19:25.560 --> 00:19:27.960
You need your pastor's attention.
424
00:19:27.960 --> 00:19:29.970
And the Bible says that
we need to be members
425
00:19:29.970 --> 00:19:32.880
of a church in such a way
that we bring joy to those
426
00:19:32.880 --> 00:19:34.710
that are spiritual leadership.
427
00:19:34.710 --> 00:19:36.120
That's good for us.
428
00:19:36.120 --> 00:19:39.330
We don't want the Pastors hiding from us.
429
00:19:39.330 --> 00:19:43.380
But when you come to Hebrews 10:25,
430
00:19:43.380 --> 00:19:45.450
it also says this about being a member
431
00:19:45.450 --> 00:19:47.670
of a local church and participating.
432
00:19:47.670 --> 00:19:50.310 line:15%
It says, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together
433
00:19:50.310 --> 00:19:54.390 line:15%
as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another
434
00:19:54.390 --> 00:19:57.960 line:15%
and so much the more as you see the day approaching,
435
00:19:57.960 --> 00:20:00.330
which means as we come closer
436
00:20:00.330 --> 00:20:01.920
and closer to the end of the age,
437
00:20:01.920 --> 00:20:06.000
our participation in a flock,
in a local congregation
438
00:20:06.000 --> 00:20:09.780
to whom we belong, where we
have a shepherd, a pastor
439
00:20:09.780 --> 00:20:14.310
that we can call by name,
a faith assembly, people
440
00:20:14.310 --> 00:20:18.180
of like faith, where we know
God is called us to serve.
441
00:20:18.180 --> 00:20:20.040
We need it more and more
442
00:20:20.040 --> 00:20:22.680
and more as we see the day approaching
443
00:20:22.680 --> 00:20:25.260
because the days are gonna
get pretty rough as we come
444
00:20:25.260 --> 00:20:26.970
to the end of the age.
445
00:20:26.970 --> 00:20:29.520
But there's another reason why church membership is
446
00:20:29.520 --> 00:20:30.690
important, and
447
00:20:30.690 --> 00:20:34.320 line:15%
that is found in 1 Peter 4:9-10.
448
00:20:34.320 --> 00:20:36.930
You need a place to use your gifts.
449
00:20:36.930 --> 00:20:40.020
What a shame that God has
entrusted you with such gifts
450
00:20:40.020 --> 00:20:43.680
and you're not using them locally to benefit other people.
451
00:20:43.680 --> 00:20:45.030
Listen to what the Bible says -
452
00:20:46.410 --> 00:20:49.630 line:15%
As every man has received a gift, even
453
00:20:49.630 --> 00:20:52.810 line:15%
so minister the same one
to another as good stewards
454
00:20:52.810 --> 00:20:56.920 line:15%
of the manifold grace of God. God has gifted you.
455
00:20:56.920 --> 00:20:59.740
You are loaded with spiritual enablements
456
00:20:59.740 --> 00:21:02.140
and they're not just for you to sit at home
457
00:21:02.140 --> 00:21:05.200
and have while you watch TV
458
00:21:05.200 --> 00:21:06.640
or while you go to church online.
459
00:21:06.640 --> 00:21:08.440
That's good if that's all you have.
460
00:21:08.440 --> 00:21:10.570
But God wants you to
get into a local flock,
461
00:21:10.570 --> 00:21:14.830
a local congregation where
your gifts can begin to shine.
462
00:21:14.830 --> 00:21:17.620
It's the manifold grace
of God in your life.
463
00:21:17.620 --> 00:21:19.810
And there are people in
your church that need you
464
00:21:19.810 --> 00:21:21.910
and they need what you have to give.
465
00:21:22.990 --> 00:21:26.620
But my friends, there are so many benefits of being a member
466
00:21:26.620 --> 00:21:28.720
of a church.
467
00:21:28.720 --> 00:21:30.460
And I hope that today this has helped you.
468
00:21:30.460 --> 00:21:31.570
So I wanna ask you -
469
00:21:32.650 --> 00:21:34.960
Do people just play the guessing game when it comes to you?
470
00:21:34.960 --> 00:21:37.360
Are they guessing that maybe you're a member of the church
471
00:21:37.360 --> 00:21:38.800
or do they know it?
472
00:21:38.800 --> 00:21:41.470
Is there some kind of documentation that shows you've been
473
00:21:41.470 --> 00:21:45.160
through a process and you've
tied the knot with that church
474
00:21:45.160 --> 00:21:46.480
and you're committed there?
475
00:21:46.480 --> 00:21:50.020
Can you call your specific pastor by name?
476
00:21:50.020 --> 00:21:52.090 line:15%
Do you know a spiritual leader
477
00:21:52.090 --> 00:21:54.700 line:15%
who has taken spiritual
responsibility for you
478
00:21:54.700 --> 00:21:57.400 line:15%
and to develop you in every
single sphere of your life?
479
00:21:57.400 --> 00:22:00.490 line:15%
And do you have a local
church to be encouraged in
480
00:22:00.490 --> 00:22:03.550 line:15%
and to use your gifts? My friends,
481
00:22:03.550 --> 00:22:08.550 line:15%
all of those are a reason why you need to be a member
482
00:22:08.560 --> 00:22:10.510 line:15%
of a local church.
483
00:22:10.510 --> 00:22:13.900 line:15%
I'll be back in just a moment
and I'm going to pray for you.
484
00:22:13.900 --> 00:22:18.100 line:15%
Becoming a member of a
church is very, very serious.
485
00:22:18.100 --> 00:22:22.300 line:15%
It's a long-term covenant,
not a casual relationship.
486
00:22:22.300 --> 00:22:26.320 line:15%
In Rick Renner's new 5-part series, The Right Way to Join
487
00:22:26.320 --> 00:22:28.570 line:15%
or to Leave a Church, you will learn
488
00:22:28.570 --> 00:22:32.800 line:15%
that church membership is a
serious sacred relationship
489
00:22:32.800 --> 00:22:34.210 line:15%
that should always be entered
490
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or exited prayerfully intentionally
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and biblically: not casually or emotionally.
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Rick teaches - What it really means to be a part
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of a congregation: How
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to prevent a fence from driving you away:
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00:22:47.470 --> 00:22:50.410 line:15%
What the appropriate process of departure is -
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00:22:50.410 --> 00:22:52.900 line:15%
and more - available in digital
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00:22:52.900 --> 00:22:56.590 line:15%
or physical formats starting at just $11.
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This series is filled with practical biblical teaching
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that will strengthen your fellowship with your local church.
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In addition to this teaching series,
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you can order Rick's book, A Life Ablaze, for just $22.
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00:23:12.070 --> 00:23:14.740 line:15%
A Life Ablaze will ignite your spirit
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00:23:14.740 --> 00:23:18.490 line:15%
and encourage you to burn red hot as you do your part
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00:23:18.490 --> 00:23:22.960 line:15%
to fulfill God's great plan for such a time as this.
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00:23:22.960 --> 00:23:26.590 line:15%
Don't miss this special offer - The right way to join
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00:23:26.590 --> 00:23:29.830 line:15%
or to leave a church and A Life Ablaze.
507
00:23:29.830 --> 00:23:31.810 line:15%
Call the number on your screen now
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00:23:31.810 --> 00:23:34.240 line:15%
or go to renner.org to order.
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00:23:34.240 --> 00:23:39.240 line:15%
Call or go online now.
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00:23:39.880 --> 00:23:41.140
Hey, this is Rick Renner,
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and right now I'm standing
in the reception area
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00:23:44.350 --> 00:23:47.210
of the Tulsa Ministry Headquarters.
513
00:23:47.210 --> 00:23:50.360
And this building is just so wonderful.
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00:23:50.360 --> 00:23:55.130
You know, the Bible tells us in Proverbs 10:21, The lips
515
00:23:55.130 --> 00:23:58.070
of the righteous feed many.
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00:23:58.070 --> 00:24:00.710
And I know that is our assignment.
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God has called us to feed many
people the trusted teaching
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of the Bible.
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And together with you
and all of our partners,
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00:24:08.960 --> 00:24:12.860
we really are taking the trusted teaching of the word of God
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00:24:12.860 --> 00:24:15.590
to the very ends of the earth.
522
00:24:15.590 --> 00:24:19.640
Right now. We've paid off
about 82% of this facility
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00:24:19.640 --> 00:24:22.250
and that is just wonderful.
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00:24:22.250 --> 00:24:24.560
And my friends, we can
only do it with your help.
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So thank you if you're
already part of the team.
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00:24:27.710 --> 00:24:31.280 line:15%
And if not yet part of the
team, please join us as a part
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00:24:31.280 --> 00:24:33.440 line:15%
of the giving team to
pay off this facility
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so we can be finished with it
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00:24:35.330 --> 00:24:38.150 line:15%
and use these funds to
take the gospel further
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00:24:38.150 --> 00:24:40.460 line:15%
to other places across the world.
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Well, today we've been seeing
why church membership is
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00:24:51.530 --> 00:24:54.920 line:15%
important, but when we come
back in the next episode,
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we're going to see what do
you do if you have relational
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conflicts in a church?
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00:24:59.261 --> 00:25:01.895 line:15%
Many people leave the church because of relational
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00:25:01.895 --> 00:25:02.728 line:15%
conflicts.
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00:25:02.728 --> 00:25:06.680 line:15%
What do you do if you have relational conflicts in a church?
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00:25:06.680 --> 00:25:08.720 line:15%
Well, the answer to that is very important.
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00:25:08.720 --> 00:25:11.720
So please don't miss tomorrow's program.
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00:25:11.720 --> 00:25:14.480 line:15%
But this whole series is called The Right Way to Join
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00:25:14.480 --> 00:25:15.890 line:15%
or to Leave a Church.
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00:25:15.890 --> 00:25:17.750 line:15%
It comes with a study guide.
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00:25:17.750 --> 00:25:18.920 line:15%
And again, I want to tell you, I'm just
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00:25:18.920 --> 00:25:22.910 line:15%
so thrilled about my book called, A Life Ablaze. Writing
545
00:25:22.910 --> 00:25:25.460 line:15%
that book did something for me,
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00:25:25.460 --> 00:25:28.040 line:15%
and I believe this book
will do something for you.
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00:25:28.040 --> 00:25:31.760 line:15%
It's about the 10 essential
spiritual fuels you need
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00:25:31.760 --> 00:25:34.040 line:15%
to inject into your fire in your heart
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00:25:34.040 --> 00:25:35.870 line:15%
to make sure you stay burning all the way
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00:25:35.870 --> 00:25:37.220 line:15%
to the end of your life.
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00:25:37.220 --> 00:25:40.100 line:15%
You're not supposed to lose your fire.
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00:25:40.100 --> 00:25:44.900 line:15%
That's why I believe you need to read this book. Wow!
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00:25:44.900 --> 00:25:47.450 line:15%
But you can find out about these resources
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00:25:47.450 --> 00:25:51.710 line:15%
by going online on our website or you can give us a call.
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00:25:51.710 --> 00:25:53.510 line:15%
And my friends, when you call that number,
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00:25:53.510 --> 00:25:55.010 line:15%
let us know how to pray for you.
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00:25:55.010 --> 00:25:57.680 line:15%
Or if you wish, send us an email.
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00:25:57.680 --> 00:26:00.200 line:15%
And whether you call or whether you right, either way,
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00:26:00.200 --> 00:26:02.090 line:15%
we're gonna really pray for you.
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00:26:02.090 --> 00:26:05.090 line:15%
But Father, we thank you for
speaking to us, helping us
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00:26:05.090 --> 00:26:07.460 line:15%
to know what church we
are to be a member of
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00:26:07.460 --> 00:26:10.580 line:15%
and which pastor we are to call our pastor.
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00:26:10.580 --> 00:26:11.990 line:15%
And help us to be in a place
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00:26:11.990 --> 00:26:14.630 line:15%
where we can use our gifts to the end.
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In Jesus' name - Amen. I'll see you in the next program.
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00:26:18.800 --> 00:26:22.070
But remember, Ecclesiastes 8:4 says, "Where the word
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00:26:22.070 --> 00:26:24.710
of the king is, there is power."
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00:26:27.435 --> 00:26:28.880
Hey friends, my wife
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00:26:28.880 --> 00:26:30.560
and I are coming to the United States
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00:26:30.560 --> 00:26:32.870
to hold some wonderful meetings
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00:26:32.870 --> 00:26:34.220
and I want to tell you about them,
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00:26:34.220 --> 00:26:36.440
but please be sure to go to our website
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00:26:36.440 --> 00:26:38.630
to affirm all these times and dates
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00:26:38.630 --> 00:26:40.910
because sometimes things change.
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On January 25th, we're coming
to Green Mountain Falls,
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00:26:43.890 --> 00:26:47.280 line:15%
Colorado to Legacy Church, to be with Pastors Jeremy
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00:26:47.280 --> 00:26:49.230 line:15%
and Sarah Pearsons.
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00:26:49.230 --> 00:26:53.040 line:15%
On Friday, Saturday, Sunday, January 30th, 31st
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and February 1st, we're coming to Mesa, Arizona,
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00:26:55.680 --> 00:26:58.380 line:15%
to Vida Church to be with Pastors Ben
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00:26:58.380 --> 00:27:02.700 line:15%
and Kara Diaz. On Sunday, February 8th, we're coming
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00:27:02.700 --> 00:27:06.180 line:15%
to Southfield, Michigan to be at Word of Faith
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00:27:06.180 --> 00:27:09.870 line:15%
with Bishop Keith and Pastor Deborah Butler.
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00:27:09.870 --> 00:27:14.340 line:15%
On Sunday, February 15th, we're coming to Tulsa, Oklahoma
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00:27:14.340 --> 00:27:16.740 line:15%
to be at Millennial Church with Pastors Paul
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00:27:16.740 --> 00:27:18.480 line:15%
and Karen Brady.
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00:27:18.480 --> 00:27:21.150 line:15%
And on Saturday and Sunday, February 21st
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00:27:21.150 --> 00:27:24.570 line:15%
and 22nd, we're coming to Midland, North Carolina
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00:27:24.570 --> 00:27:27.930 line:15%
to Encounter Church to be with Bishop Alan
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00:27:27.930 --> 00:27:29.670 line:15%
and Tera DiDio.
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00:27:29.670 --> 00:27:32.130 line:15%
And friend, I want to invite you to come to one
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00:27:32.130 --> 00:27:33.420
of these meetings.
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00:27:33.420 --> 00:27:36.300
We're waiting to see you there.
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00:27:36.300 --> 00:27:38.550
If you've never received
Jesus as your Savior
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00:27:38.550 --> 00:27:42.930 line:15%
and Lord, now is the time for
you to experience a new life
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00:27:42.930 --> 00:27:45.060 line:15%
Jesus has to give you.
597
00:27:45.060 --> 00:27:49.140 line:15%
Pray this prayer with me right now - Lord,
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00:27:49.140 --> 00:27:53.190 line:15%
I repent of my sin and receive you as my Savior
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00:27:53.190 --> 00:27:56.130 line:15%
and Lord. Wash away my sin
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00:27:56.130 --> 00:27:59.160 line:15%
and make me completely new.
601
00:27:59.160 --> 00:28:02.910 line:15%
I thank you that my sin is removed
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00:28:02.910 --> 00:28:07.910 line:15%
and Satan no longer has any
right to lay claim on me.
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00:28:08.520 --> 00:28:12.480 line:15%
I faithfully promise that
I will serve you as my Lord
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00:28:12.480 --> 00:28:15.750 line:15%
for the rest of my life. Amen.
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00:28:16.680 --> 00:28:18.870
Thank you for joining Rick Renner today.
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00:28:18.870 --> 00:28:21.030
For more information about Renner Ministries
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00:28:21.030 --> 00:28:23.970 line:15%
and product resources, visit renner.org.