Joined and Knit Together

I already heard there was a little bit of rumbling because there were certain places that we wanted you to sit, that you didn't want to sit. Join and live together. So maybe we've got a few things that we still have to learn. We thought, this is the perfect group to hear this presentation.

Oh, dang! So, we're glad you're here. So, we put the u-heads up the door, some of the most incredibly positive people that we have in our congregation, so we're saying hello to them. And they don't feel too bruised by their comments. But what we wanted to remind you is that we are going to do a breakout question.

And we have our group one, and Chuck Stu, who's there, who's going to help us in this group. And this is 65-plus, and they're the first three rows or so. So, if you're in the wrong section, get over there by Mr. Klein, who met first and said the fact I heard. He said so, seriously. Okay, the second part of the group over here is your group two section, and this is the 50-50-4-year-old. And Tom Randall is holding up the sign. It's right that's not with him right now, because she refused to sit in this group.

I love her, too. Okay, and group three is the year, 32-49. And that is in what section? Ah, big section there. He's holding up that little sign. And group three is 21-31. Yay, Felicia! She's holding up that one. Maybe a little more with it. For Mrs. Randall, she chooses to move around a little. And then group five is in the last one.

Cody and, okay, back here in the back. Okay, thank you. That's a good sign. And we've got some random holding up that one. Thank you. So we'll get to that one very shortly. Okay, well, we're going to ask God's question before we get too far, because we don't want to do anything without His guidance. And so let's bow our heads and ask for His help and guidance.

Father and Heaven, Almighty God, we bow before Your throne to give You praise, honor, and glory, because You are the Most High, and You are the One and Only True God. You've also told us that You are our Father, and that we are Your offspring, Your children.

And You've invited us to be a part of Your family, and to live Your way of life. Thank You, God, for creating us, for making us, thanking. Thank You also for the opportunity we have to be here, not only to be alive, but also to be able to have an abundant life, the way that You live.

So we ask for Your blessing on all the sessions, God. We ask for Your guidance here on every single one of us that are here, in this place at this time. That You may teach us that You may open up our hearts and our minds so that the knowledge is just more of the knowledge, but it begins to enter into our hearts and guide our lives. We know that's how You live. So now we commit this seminar and all the seminars and everything that is happening for the rest of this day, and commit it into Your hands, and pray that You inspire, and we pray this by and through the authority of our coming King and our Elder Brother, Jesus Christ.

Amen. Okay, well, my name is Dave Shriver. For those of you that don't know me, my wife, Joe Linda, and we have the privilege to serve a few congregations here south of here. We serve the Ellendale, Minnesota congregation, La Crosse, Wisconsin, and Sea of Rapids, Iowa, and we also have an opportunity to share God's blessings with some of our brethren in Sri Lanka, India, and we have a chance to go over there a couple of times a year.

So, we're busy, but we're grateful for the opportunity to do this and to share. We're grateful to be all here with you, as we all learn together what God has to share for us. You know, I was a full-time accountant for about 30-plus years, until fairly recently when I was hired into the ministry, started about August 1st. And my wife and I have worked together for years. We've actually put on business seminars and that type of thing. But as we've worked together for years, we're never actually in the same building.

We had two different locations, a year-round accounting service and a part-time seasonal tax office, which she managed. So, we were never actually working together as closely as we are right now. And so, we work out of our home right now, and what I began to realize is that I began to think, well, you know, I think Jelinda's hearing isn't what it used to be. And so, the doctor said, well, you know, Dave, you don't have to go to all these hearing specialists to find out whether she's got a problem. There's a very simple test.

You just go into the house, get about 40 feet away, and just in a normal conversation with boys, say, Jelinda, what are we having for dinner? So, I thought I'd give that a try. So, I did it. She was in the kitchen. She had her back to me. I could see her. I was 40 feet away. And so, I asked her, just in a conversational tone, Jelinda, what's for dinner? Nothing. I mean, she didn't say a thing.

There was no movement, no acknowledgement or anything. So, I said, well, keep getting closer until you find out when she can finally hear me. So, I got to 30 feet, and I said, Jelinda, what's for dinner? Nothing. So, then I got another 10 feet. Now, I'm 20 feet away. And I said, Jelinda, what's for dinner? No movement.

She's got her back to me at the sink. So, finally, I get only 10 feet away. And I said, Jelinda, what's for dinner? And she turned around with frustration, and she said, Dave, for the fourth time, we're having baked chicken and baked potatoes. So, things are not always as they seem. Well, I'd like to share with you, I think, something it will tie into what we both like to share, something that ties in very well with the theme.

We've heard so much already, and it's amazing how God can add layer upon layer to our understanding, because He wants us to understand the depths that He does. So, we're going to be starting out here with a very similar theme, but adding a little bit of new information. Maybe that hasn't been covered already. We are a church. We are an assembly. God, as we heard in the Bible study last night, we're the ecclesia, the called out ones. God has called us out into an assembly, a group of people. I think we all understand that. Jesus promised that He would build His church, and I think all of us want to be a part of that.

So, when we come together as a church, whether it be on the Sabbath day or the Holy Days, or on days like this, or Bible studies, and we all come together, why do we come? What are we here for? Well, we're here to learn some things, aren't we? We're here to learn. We're here to worship God. And we're here to help fellowship with one another.

Now, that's all true. But what is the overall objective in the collection of all of these things that we've just talked about? Now, when it comes to fellowship, it's good to be able to have the coffee and the cookies and the conversation and all that afterwards. But, you know, if all we're going to do is just have the coffee and the cookies, we could do that in our homes, couldn't we? But we do more than that.

And it's good for us to get together, because these fellowship times give us the opportunity to linger, to spend time with one another and get more acquainted with one another. But what is the value in that? I'm not looking so much for the immediate reasons why we do these things, but as a church, why we should foster these types of things. How does it fit into our overall objective? Our reasons for being? Well, we'd say fellowship, you know, the coffee, the cookies, the snacks, and whatever it is that we do after services. It's for fellowship, and that's a good thing. It's something that we should do.

But I'm wondering, though, if we really understand the word fellowship the way God has it in the Scriptures. And how does it tie into being joined in it together? Let's discuss a little bit about fellowship. What is it? Is it just you and I spending time together at church? Is fellowship just spending time with people that we're comfortable with after services? Or is it more than that? And if it's more than that, then what is it? And what responsibilities do we have when it comes to fellowship?

And if we do have responsibilities when it comes to fellowship, then what are those responsibilities? I think the Apostle John shed some light on this. If we turn to 1 Timothy 1 and verse 3. And for those of you that would like to follow along, I put some of these Scriptures on screen so you can follow along. Let's take a look at what John has to say. In 1 John 1 and verse 3, he says, So John begins to introduce this topic of fellowship, that we would all have fellowship together, and this fellowship that we all have together is also with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ. And then he goes on to say, He goes on to say in verse number 5, We're lying and we're not practicing the truth. But if we walk in the light, the way that He is in the light, because it just says there's no darkness in God at all, if we walk in the light the way He is in the light, then we have fellowship with one another. Fellowship is a well-worn religious word. And like a lot of words, it's been overused, it's lost some of its original significance of what God intended it to mean. The word in Greek means considerably more for you and I than snacks and conversation after church services. The word denotes partnership. Fellowship in the Greek is koinonia, koinonia, and it means partnership. And so if there's one concept that I'm hoping to get across, or that hopefully God is getting across to all of us today, is that we are together are in a partnership. You know, if we're partners in a business and the business goes broke, we all lose out, don't we? We're all losers. But if it makes money, then we can all be well off. But if we're partners, we share everything. We become like one. We share the good. We share the bad. We share the good times and we share those down days. You know, it's a little frightening to think about this in relation to our faith, but let's see what Jesus said to His disciples just shortly before His death. John 15, verse 5.

He said, I am the vine and you are the branches. He who abides in me and I in Him. See, there's a partnership here. And abiding in each other. He who abides in me and I in Him bears much fruit. For without me, you can do nothing. And then He goes on to say, if anyone does not abide in me, in other words, we're not in this fellowship together, this partnership together. Jesus Christ says, you can't do anything. You can do nothing. In fact, He's cast out as a branch, is withered, and they gather them and throw them into the fire and they are burned. And those of you that like to work outside, maybe you trim a tree branch from time to time, and boy, it's in the spring, everything's leaped out, and you're just going to trim that one branch. It doesn't take long after you've trimmed it, it falls to the ground, that those leaves begin to curl up and get brown and get dry, and they die. The whole branch dies. But verse 7, if you abide in me, and my words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. Jesus Christ's commitment to this partnership is absolute. He's a disciples. He's committed absolutely to His disciples, and He expects nothing less from you and me, back to Him. Now, you and I may speak of fellowship in terms of coffee and conversation, but the way John and Jesus Christ talk about fellowship, they go way beyond that. They are speaking of an absolute partnership, a closeness, the oneness, the love that we heard just talked about in the sermon today, the love that they had between each other that Jesus had for His disciples, and they had for Him.

He's basically saying, you stay in me, and I'll stay in you. Now, I think this meant more to the disciples at that time that they were sitting right there with Jesus Christ at the time, and they were hearing this, and they were saying, yes, I'm getting a grasp of what you're asking us to do and what you're going to do for us. But God is trying to wake you and I up to that. He's thinking about the same way right now.

This partnership to stay in Him, and He'll stay in us. Let's go on in the same discourse here in verse 12, just a few verses down. Jesus goes on to say, this is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Jesus said, I'm partnered with you and I want you to be a partner with me, and now I want you to love each other the way that I have loved you.

And then He goes on in verse 13, greater love has no one to miss than to lay down one's life for His friends. And now that begins to take this partnership and this fellowship to a whole different level, doesn't it? Because we can understand our life is on the line in the relationship that we have.

Let's talk about partnership for a moment. I've been in the accounting profession for a long time until recently, I would have new business people, when we're thinking about starting a business, come up and say, how should we be organized? Should I be a sole proprietor? Should I be a corporation? Should I be a partnership? And you know, over the years, when they would ask me, should we be a partnership? I have to admit, over the years, and I've seen some partnerships work, and I've been there just like this, and it's amazing how they work. But I have seen most of them not work.

I've seen best of friends that decided to go into business together, and they became the fiercest of enemies. I've seen close brothers that grew up and were close, and they went into business together as a partnership, and they don't speak to one another anymore. And I'm thinking, so I got to a point where I would really caution people about going into a partnership, because I said, I've seen very few of them work. Most of them have failed. And we see now that just the statistics, I think, are saying a little over half of all marriages, which are, of course, a partnership between a husband and a wife, are ending in divorce. And so I'm trying to wrap my mind around this, and I think, God, what are you trying to tell us? You know, the very type of organization that seems where people really struggle and end up not getting along and actually not hating one another in some cases, is the one that you are pointing us towards. But God says, Jesus Christ and I are like one. We're partners. And I want you to have a relationship with each other just like that and with us. So I'm trying to wrap my mind around this. What are we missing? Why a partnership? What is God trying to help us to understand? Let's go on. John 17, verse 20. There's more. Talking about this partnership, this oneness, this fellowship. Jesus says, I do not pray for these alone, but I also pray for those who will believe in me through their word. So Jesus Christ is, wow, looking generations down the road. He's praying to His Father. I'm not just praying for the disciples that are on the ground with me right now, but I'm praying for those who are going to believe in me through their word. That's you and me. And what's He praying about? Verse 21. That they all may be one. He's coming right back to this oneness, this partnership, this fellowship. That they may all be one as you, Father, are in me. And I in you, that they also may be one in us, and that the world may believe that you sent me. He goes on in verse 22. And the glory which you gave me, I have given them that they may be one, just as we are one. And then He begins to give a little more information as to why. I in them, in you and me, that they may be made perfect in one. Apparently, this type of organization, this partnership, this fellowship, is the way that we all can begin to grow towards perfection in a way that no other way could. God is beginning to tell us how it works. He says that they may be perfect in one, and that the world may know that you sent me, and I love them as you love me. So as partners, what is God trying to teach us? Becoming partners together, being one together. What's His goal? What's His objective? 1 John 1, verse 3. We've read this already, but I'd like to focus on verse 4. That which we have seen and heard, we declare to you that you may have fellowship with us, and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ. And these things we write to you that your joy may be full. God is trying to tell us that this partnership, this fellowship, with each other and with Him, is the only way that our joy can be full.

You know, as partners with your spouses, husbands, wives, and all the difficulties that can sometimes be challenges that can go on in a family or in a marriage. God is saying, men, you will never reach fullness of joy unless you bring your wife along with you. If you're tearing down your wife, you're tearing down yourself because you're one. You'll never achieve the potential for your spouse, or your family, or your children.

And so He's telling us that here in the Scriptures, and it works more for just the partnership of a husband and wife. It also works in church families. God is trying to tell us that. It works the same. What do we say to people? What do we share with them? And if they leave us, how do they feel? Are we encouraging? Are we uplifting? Are we edifying? God says, we ourselves as individuals will never reach our full potential on the fullness of joy unless we're helping to bring people along with us. Who's called us into this fellowship? Well, I think most of us know who does. But let's make sure we understand 1 Corinthians 1 and verse 9. Who called you into this fellowship? It says there God, referring to the Father, is faithful by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord. It was the Father. Remember John 6, verse 44? That's a memory Scripture for a lot of us, maybe not for all of us. But it says, no man can come to Me, Jesus Christ said, unless the Father draws Him. Jesus Christ said, I don't know who should be a part of this family, this part of this partnership, this fellowship right now. But the Father does. And when the Father called you, and when He called Me, He knew that you had the capabilities to be this type of partner. Otherwise, He wouldn't have called you. He knows already that you have the capabilities to be this type of partner and to work towards this type of unity, this type of oneness.

God sees the end from the beginning. Now, yeah, we're going to fight, aren't we? We're going to resist. We're going to struggle. But He keeps trying to get our attention and He keeps giving us the tools, such as some of the things that we're learning here this weekend.

It can be done. And God just knows how great it's going to be, this temple that He's building and He's making without hands. If we're partners together, and with the Father, and with Jesus Christ, what are they doing? What's their goal? What's their objective? How do they spend their time? What do they do? Well, one of the things that we know is that God is a builder. That God is a master builder. In fact, we're made in His image, and it seems like He's given us those tendencies as well to be a builder, a creator.

In a sense, we make things. God made us. He created us in His own image. Genesis 1, verses 27-28. God created man. He created man in His own image. In the image of God, He created a male and female. He created them. And then it says in verse 20, all the things that He gave man is a minion over. And if we jump to Genesis 2, verses 1, it says, He made the heavens, He made the earth, He made the worlds, and all the hosts of them were finished.

God's a builder. He's a master builder. He builds worlds. He builds a people. He builds a family. And we're wired just like Him. We're made in His image. We're just like Him. You know, if you look around at human civilization, you look at all the things that man builds. He builds houses. He builds cities. He builds palaces. He builds temples. He builds governments and other unique cultures around the world. We're wired that way because that's the way He is and we're His offspring. You know, what happens when you put a few blocks in front of a young child? What do they do? All of a sudden, they start to stack one on top of another.

They call them building blocks. It's in us. It's part of what we are. It's part of what God is. So what are God the Father and Jesus Christ doing right now? Well, they're building a temple made without Hims. They're honing us. We're part of that. He says, for we are His workmanship created in Jesus Christ for good works. That's what God expects from you and I, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. He says over in Ephesians 3, verse 14 and 15, we see that He's building a family. This partnership together, He's also building a family, this oneness.

For this reason, I bow my knees to the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, from which the whole family in heaven and earth is named. God's beginning to build a family. These called out ones. He's calling to have fellowship with Him and with each other. You know, back in the early church, there were some dynamic things that started to happen. You remember on the day of Pentecost, when God's Spirit was poured out, and there was this oneness we heard about in the special music. There was this oneness. They shared everything. It was just amazing what was happening in the early church.

It says here in these particular verses of Acts 9, it says, He spoke boldly, referring to Paul in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Hellenists that they went and attempted to kill Him.

And when the brethren found out, they brought Him down to Caesarea and sent Him out to Tarsus. Then all the churches throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and were edified.

The word edified comes from a Greek word which means built. They were being built up. There was peace. They were being edified. They were walking in the field of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, and they were well supplied. The word edified comes from... I'm getting ahead of myself here. The word edified comes from a Greek word, oikodomeo. Oikodomeo means to build, to edify. Verse 31 says the churches had peace, and they were being built up, walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit.

The end result was there was love, and their numbers were growing. You know, tell me, what do we have to do to have a church like that? Because we have to do something to have a church like that. What do we have to do where when we come together, we feel there's a sense of peace? That when we come together in the church service, and afterwards in our fellowship with one another, there's a peace, and we're able to learn things that God wants us to learn. Where we're comfortable and there's peace, and there's an environment for growth. What do we have to do to have a church like that? 1 Thessalonians 5, verses 9-11.

It says, for God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, and we know how far He was willing to go in His partnership with us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him. Part of this partnership, this fellowship that we're talking about. Verse 11, I got the focus here on verse 11.

So if we understand what's going on before, therefore is the transitional word. Therefore, in order to have this, comfort each other. Comfort each other. Look out for each other, in other words. Edify, build up one another. In that same Greek word, edify, okidomeo, meaning to build. God is saying that in order for this to take place, for this oneness and this peace to take place, we have to comfort each other and edify one another. Instead of judging, instead of competing, we should be comforting, building up one another. But you know, it doesn't take much to be reminded that there's another spirit out there that's contrary to what the Master Builder is doing and what His sons and daughters are doing. Revelation 9, verse 11, talks about this other spirit and the one that leads it, Satan the Devil. He's referred to in Revelation 9, verse 11 as the angel of the bottomless pit. His name in Hebrew is Abaddon, but in Greek, it has the name Apollon. Now, what do these names mean? Well, Abaddon, the Hebrew word, means destruction. Destruction in the Greek word Apollon literally means destroyer. Destroyer is one of His names. God calls things what they are. And destruction is one of His goals and one of His aims. These two titles, destruction and destroyer, perhaps sum up His character and His goals better than anything else. This is the end result of everything that He is striving for. Complete, absolute and total destruction. There's really a great contrast here between Satan the destroyer and God, whose greatest attribute is the great creator. God is the one who creates, who builds, who makes, who gives us so many beautiful things and so many wonderful things. And Satan, on the other hand, is the great destroyer.

Satan and his spirits are not builders. They're destroyers. And their goal is a complete destruction of the family, of God's family, completely. That's His aim, that we would cease to exist. That we would never achieve this partnership, this oneness, being part of this family.

So what are some of the ways that we can be a builder and an edifier like God and not a destroyer? What are ways that we can individually and collectively begin to build and to edify one another? Let's go on. Romans 4, verse 19. God begins to share more. He says, therefore, let us pursue. You know, some of us when we were young, pursued the ladies. You know, we pursued our wives.

Run after something. If you're going to have something on a focus, if there's going to be something you're going to pursue, if there's going to be something that you run to, run after, then God says to you and me, pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which we may edify another.

There's, you and my calling right there. That's what God wants us to do. Is he any different than that? That's what he does. He's trying to make peace. He's trying to build you and I up. He's trying to create a wonderful family, and he is faithful. He won't quit. And he grieves when his offspring are not following him. He knows how good their lives could be. God wants us to be the same way.

Run after the things which make for peace and the things which may edify one another. And now we come to Ephesians 4 and verse 16, kind of the theme scripture for this weekend. It says there, "...from whom the whole body joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effect of working by which every part does its share, and it causes growth." When every part does its share, it causes growth for the edifying of itself.

We all get edified when we encourage and help one another. We become edified when we encourage and edify somebody else. For the growth of the body, for the edifying of itself in love. Now, there's a lot in this scripture, isn't there? First of all, talking about the whole body. We want the whole body to come along. This calling to this fellowship. God has called us into this body, this partnership, to be joined and knit together, this oneness. And joined and knit together by what every joint supplies. So, in other words, we all have a responsibility.

No one can be a spectator. As it goes on to say, because it, by the effect of working by which every part does its share. So, we can't be a spectator. Now, I know a lot of us have been spectators of games. We go to a basketball game, football game, and you're watching from the stands. And you're saying, oh, you know, if they could have done that differently, you know, if they would have done it the way I think it should be done. And it's easy to be a spectator because you're not there on the ground. It's a whole different situation when you're out on the floor, on the basketball floor, isn't it?

No, God is trying to tell you and I as not to be a spectator. He's telling us to get in the game. Get in the game. To not be on the sidelines. Because if we don't get in the game, we're not going to be able to contribute to edify the body. Nor will we possibly be edifying. In a few moments, we're going to begin to the interactive portion of the seminar.

Part of being joined and knit together in this fellowship, in this partnership, in this calling, is for the body to edify itself in love. And of course, Jesus Christ, it's His body. And we're part of it. And it begins to edify itself in love. We're going to explore ways how we can individually and collectively edify or build up the body of Christ. Ephesians chapter 3, verse 1. Before we start this process, though, God gives us a little more information here in how we approach this fellowship that we've been called into.

He says in Ephesians 4, 1, I therefore the prisoner of the Lord, and we heard last night for those of you who were here in the Bible study, about being a prisoner of the Lord chained to Jesus Christ, and Him chained to us, that we're in this together.

I therefore the prisoner of the Lord beseech you. It's like Paul is pleading with you and me and with them, as he did back in the first century, to walk worthy of the calling, this fellowship that we've been called into, this partnership with which you were called. It begins to give us some general guidelines as how we go forward here.

And as we try to edify one another in this fellowship, how are we to walk? Well, we've heard a lot about this lately, and God gives it to us. Verse 2, with loneliness. In other words, with humility, with gentleness, with long suffering, with forbearing one another in love. And that's the Godly love that we heard about in the sermon. And endeavoring. Endeavor means to work hard. Unity just doesn't come without working hard. We have to be involved. Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. It goes on to say there's one body.

We heard a little bit about that. God knows who His sheep are. There's only one body, one church, one Spirit. He knows who's following Him. We're all transparent to Him. He knows those sheep that are following His voice. There's verse 5, one Lord and Chief Shepherd, in other words, one faith, one baptism. One God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in you all. We're in this together.

God is with us in this together. He goes on to say that to each one of us, grace was given God and His love for us. He's given us grace according to the measure of Christ's gift. Therefore, it says, when He ascended on high, He led captivity captive and He gave gifts to men.

That's also part of the topic, which we may or may not be able to get into today. He's given everyone at least one gift. He expects us to use that in edifying the body. He goes on to talk about some of the gifts that were given to some apostles, some prophets, some evangelists here, some pastors and some teachers. Why? Why were they given? To equip the saints for service. So we're all going to be serving for the work of the ministry and for the edifying of the body of Christ.

Until we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God to a perfect man to the measure of Jesus Christ. Wow, now we're beginning to see the scope of this whole thing. The scope of this whole thing is that as partners with Him, not only to walk in the light as He walks in the light, but actually to come to the fullness, the stature of the fullness of Jesus Christ.

That's how we begin to understand the scope of where He's taking us. That each person is expected to come to the stature of Jesus Christ. Seems like a pretty high calling, doesn't it? But you know, God the Father called you and said, you have the capabilities. He wouldn't have called you and me unless He felt that we could be a part of this partnership and work towards that goal. So now we come back to Ephesians 4, verse 16.

From whom the whole body joined and knit together by what every joint supplies according to the effective working by which every part does its share causes growth, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. The body we're talking about is alive, is composed of people.

And these people, God says, I want them to be partners together. As one, working with me, edifying itself, edifying each other. You know, a partnership really can work. I had to wrap my mind around it a little bit, but a partnership really can work. When we rise to the full stature of Jesus Christ, when we walk in the light, and when we edify one another, it can work. And so we're going to begin to explore some ways that we can edify each other.

Individually and collectively. You know, God encourages us to be a builder, to edify. To become an answer to somebody's prayer, to strive to leave others more uplifted than what we found them, to make it our mission to build up everything and everyone around us. We're partners, and we're in this together with each other and with the Father and Jesus Christ. Now, I'd given a message a few months ago about how to rebuild each other up, how we can edify each other.

And I had one of the members say, how can we do it specifically? I understand it's something that I should do. I understand it's something we should do. But how can we do it specifically? And that's kind of what prompted us in our seminar today. We're going to get into some of the specifics where the rubber meets the road. So I'm going to turn it over to Mrs. Driver right now, and hang on, because we've got to ride through along together. Three seconds. Okay. This is where the fun begins, right?

Well, we did talk about the partnerships, and we wanted to go one more step further, is that why don't partnerships work? And one of the reasons, as Mr. Trevor mentioned, is because they lost sight of the goal. When those two business partners came together, they knew what they wanted. But then later, along their path, they lost sight of what they really wanted. Because one person wanted their way a whole lot more than somebody else.

They weren't willing to submit to one another. They lost the view to work together. Well, we know that in our church, we, candy partners, because we all have a common goal, and it is being God's kingdom. But to edify each other, we have to kind of know who each other is. So that's why we've divided you up today.

We've got some great enthusiastic leaders in each of these groups, and they're going to help you lead you through a discussion. And then you're going to come up and share that with us. What we're doing right now is that some people have said, okay, I can do this, but how do I edify a 16-year-old? I'm 72. How does a 31-year-old encourage a 90-year-old? How is this all going to work together? So we're going to get your input on how to do this.

Now, there's two things we're going to do. Your group leader is going to work with you. This will be Chuck Zoots for our group one. He's going to stand here and wave his hand. Mr. Tom Randall in group two, him, his group. He's going to stand up there in front of you. Group three, the world. Where is that? Okay, we're going to turn around that group basically and talk to your group. Group one is 65 plus. Group two is 50 to 64.

Group three, 32 to 49. Group four, 21 to 31. And group five, 13 to 20. Or anybody in that group younger than 20. Okay, let's get to that group one. And putting Martin, we'll be leading the group five. And in group four, we have Brian and Gina. And then the U of the first.

Now in group five, you're going to probably have to turn your tears around and look that way because it would be hard for you to get into that way. But your group leaders will kind of help you and don't focus on your group.

Now, what you've got is a sheet of paper. What we're going to do first in your group is you're going to answer the question. Let's say if you're in group one, the first you're going to brainstorm in your group, raise...this is the seniors group. The seniors feel that they can be edified by other brothers and sisters. Why are we asking you that? The reason why is because we want to know what seniors have to say. And so this is really how we feel encouraged, edified, and are able to be really good servants in our church.

Okay, here's the thing. Every group will answer that. But the first job you're going to do is to answer what your group feels. And then, one of you represent the person. Your group is going to come up and share it with us. So, we've got a long piece of paper here. So each group will take one piece of paper. Group one will have this piece of paper. Group two can put theirs right there. And you're going to write only on the large piece of paper what your group feels that they can be edified by.

Then, the sheet of paper, I'll say we have a recorder. Mrs. Zootz is a recorder in this one. And she's going to be writing things down, too, for that one. And I'll explain that. Your group leaders will be able to explain that to you. We'll have a limited amount of time, so you're going to have to talk in your group, encourage each other, and get as much information as you can on that piece of paper. Okay? Group leaders, I'm going to let you take over with your group right now. Okay, we'll walk around and make sure everybody knows.

Thank you.

Okay, now you're going to just wrap this up. The one that's in your group, you've already kind of brainstormed what a senior is or what your group wants. Put it on your big sheet, and then let's go on to the next ones, and you'll have about one minute for each of the other groups. So go ahead, finish up what your group needs right here, and then go through the other sheets that your leader has for you to fill out. Years and the rest of you, the other sheet may only have two or three ideas per sheet, but keep going as quickly as you can.

So, you can go back and forth and take your time. And finish your request for the next one. So, you're going to get out of the crowd, and we'll be sharing some of that. We'll be sharing some of that. And we'll be sharing some of that. And we'll be sharing some of that. And we'll be sharing some of that. Do you guys have another one? Yes, we do. So, I'll share it. We'll be sharing some of that right now. Thank you. I'll go ahead and close the room. I'll go ahead and close the room. You might be well-taught, but I'm not sure you would have to use the public. Excuse me. That's my good message. We'll copy it every part of the page. I need a 20-second link. I'll be there. Okay. I'm going to close it. I'm going to close it. I'll be there. Okay. Okay. Yes. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay, what you're going to do now is move to the next page, and you're going to ask your group. And they will tell you which one they're going to be looking at. How do you edify, build up, and encourage that next group to become a strong member of the body of Christ? What ways do you see, and they'll tell you the age group, that you can move, as a individual, to edify your brother in that particular age group? Go to that next page now.

Okay, Douglass, pick up.

Okay, let's move on. Okay, I'm going to take you back to your house.

Okay, you should be turning your face to your next seat. Thank you.

Okay, I'm going to turn your face to your next seat. Okay, I'm going to turn your face to your next seat. Okay, I'm going to turn your face to your next seat. Turn your seat. Okay, to the next group, and be working on your next group. Thank you.

Okay, to the next group, and be working on your next group. Okay, to the next group, and be working on your next group. Okay, to the next group, and be working on your next group. Okay, we've got two minutes. Here's what you're going to do. If you have not already forgot, every seat and gone to every group, get at least one or two ideas that you feel that you as a senior or you as a teenager can edify that particular age group. You have a seat for all five age groups. So now, at this moment, at least come up with one or two ideas in your group, age group, that you feel you can at least edify all the other groups. If you haven't done that, go through each page and at least put one or two ideas.

Okay, has anybody done this? The seniors have done this. Have a big round of applause! Now, actually, put the paint on.

Okay, this is your last call. Thanks a lot, and we will begin presenting. Every group needs to have one person that will represent their group to come up and speak, and they'll bring their marked sheet of paper with them, which means the seat you filled out that your group says is encouraging to them.

Okay, are we going to have your attention, please? If everybody could turn your chairs around this way. And if you could do that a little quietly, that would be awesome.

Okay, what we're going to do first is have the teenagers. I need one representative from the teams to come forward with your sheet. The marked sheet of paper is what you said others could do to edify the teams. Okay, Victoria, come on up! Victoria! Okay, Victoria, if you could bring the sheet of paper with you, that would be great. Okay, now, what the rest of you are going to do is probably Mrs. Zoop here. Victoria is coming up, thank you. Good, you can help Brandon.

Okay, what we're going to do is give you a couple of ideas what they feel. Victoria, can you come up here with the podium right back here? Okay. Okay, what we're going to do, you're sitting at your seat, and if your group would please look at your sheet of paper and turn to the place with those teams. Okay? On your sheet right there, you will see he's written out five things that they feel that they could do to edify the teams. Over on the right-hand column, I want to see if any of you in this group, which is 56 years old, if they got those things. So, go over here and put a check in this column there. If you had something that the team said, it would be edifying to them. We're going to see if this is any of these groups. After they're done, I want to ask you in each group if you had other comments that make it helpful to them. Okay, you guys go ahead and look at your group. Alright, for the teams, we put down, give them acknowledgement. We approach them open to talking and having someone to relate to. Who wrote this? A good role model. Be a good role model to the teams. I know personally that I could use one of those. So, the first one, let's kind of go up by points. The first one was to acknowledge the teams. Okay. And then, Psyc-at went to approach. Be really easy to approach. They're asking for you to be a... you're asking... teams need to be a purchaser? Yeah. Yeah, I think that's what they're talking about. Yeah. Is this what people can do to them? So, okay, what we should do. What's the exact issue? What's going on? Point one was acknowledgement. And what kind? Do you acknowledge us or do you acknowledge these teams? You acknowledge us. Acknowledging. Acknowledging. Then, the third point was to be good role models. And, fourth, encourage... re-encouraging and supporting. And, finally, to be humble.

Okay. Well, thank you. Okay. Did anybody have those particular things on their list? You guys should, but you have Mrs. Will. I could resist. I'm sorry. We should cut the hole. Yeah. We had asked them for help, compliment them, and respect them. Okay. Anybody else have a really good idea, Brian? Can you come up here, Brian, real quick? I don't really have an idea. I don't have an idea. Have a really good idea? Or did you have something on the sheets that they said? Yeah. How many did you have? We had like three and a half. Three and a half! Did anybody beat three and a half things? You had four! Are there the same things they said? Oh, you had your own thing. There's four things they need to validate that. Oh, I'd like to hear these. Okay. They said they'd actually like to hear a couple. You really want to hear these? I'm going to go with the other one. We have number two is get them involved with direct responsibility and doing things. Spend time with them and explain the rules and let them take over from there. Is that good? Is that being helpful? I really like that a lot. That's a good idea. I'd like to explain the rules more. This is to help their joys. So good job. Okay. Good. Give them a hand.

This is the way we're going to help edify the kids. The next group, with our group four, could just one of you come up, please? And then your large seats. Daniel, thank you. Okay, Daniel, if you want to put that up, then listen up really carefully, because what we'd really like for you to do is to see how many of these areas. And this is the group that is 21 to 31. Right, Daniel? I can't see. Okay. Okay. Well, first of all, we have a field part of the church community by developing relations outside of church, and by visiting during the week to develop the relationships and connections. I can personally relate with this by people in my church, we don't really get together all that often outside of church, and when it happens, it's really special to me, especially when someone older invites me over, so that really has deep meaning for me. Also, relate to us spiritually. Don't treat us like we're inferior. Some of us are baptized, and just because we're younger doesn't mean that we're inferior to anybody else. And also, give us leadership opportunities, or roles, to do things for the service, such as some leading with appropriate age, doing prayers, helping set up a church, I mean, just certain things that allow us to contribute to the services. And that's all I have. Great job! Great job! This is how this age group feels that you can help edify them. Does anybody have something? Any of those areas on their sheet?

Two of those in this group. Okay, I'm sure. You had all three of those areas.

That's okay! So, great job! Group two! Great job! All three! Let us know and understand how to help each other. Thank you, Daniel. Give them a round of applause. Daniel!

Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay.

I can probably talk long enough. How am I?

Some of the things we kind of went through is, offer us good parenting advice. We're at that age where we have teenagers and young children, especially from your older people who have gone through this. We could really use some help. Offer childcare from those that are younger. That's very respectful because we're at that age where we feel strapped down and we need... We are still socially active and we like to get out. We feel trapped once in a while, so if you offer childcare, it gives us the opportunity to do that. Quality time. Even just spending time with each other. Spend time. Make a phone call. Come visit. Let us come visit you. Let us help you with things we still like to do so much. And for us to be given the opportunity to share our lives with you is just wonderful. Thank us for what we do. It helps us be encouraged and allows us to feel like we are participating in your lives. Just ask us for help. If you do have something that you need, ask us for help we love to do. That's one of the things that I've noticed in our age group that a lot of them said is just to let us be involved. Ask us or allow us. And respect us for our wisdom. We are smart. We have gone through some things. We may be a little bit scatterbrained at the time because we have so much going on. But we do like it when people ask us advice. And we do like it when people respect us for what we do know. Wow. That's great. Thank you. Thank you very much. Wow. Those are some tall, munchy nowadays, aren't they? Okay. Just a chance that you have those on your list as well. I get three. Very welcome. One of the things that we call a good time will follow up in the space of life. And that's the encouraging words for it. Felicia, this was... 32-49. 42-49. Thank you, Felicia. Thank you. Okay. Group 2. Are your age groups going to let them know that age group is who I am? 50-64. So, yes, your newspaper up here. That's fine. Do you like the mic? Sure. Okay. We add... Listen 5. Number 1, to be respected and honored. We're agreed. Number 2, be communicated with. In other words, don't assume we know, but talk to us. Tell us how you feel. Tell us what you want. Tell us what you need. We're there for you. Number 3, use our experience. We've already made all the mistakes. So, come and ask us about it, and we'll help you with avoiding them, because we've been there and done that. Number 4, seek advice for us. And number 5, be appreciated for the things that we do and thank for what we do and that we're there for you.

Thank you. Wow. It's amazing how each of us has a lot of skills that they bring to the body and how we can tap into those and appreciate them for what they have and what they can contribute to the body. It's amazing. Okay, not last but not least, we have our beautiful few more 65+. What I'd like to ask you, though, is that you look at your papers and keep score of where you are right now. But how many? I know this group said they have three one-time, you have three in their hands, a couple of them. So, we're going to find out which group has the true score of the most points. Okay? Thank you. There's a little smile on the screen here, but smile and say hi. Instead of just walking by and ignoring us, we want to participate in your conversations, we want to know you, we want you to know us. Number two. Include us in your get-togethers. Now, I want to point this one out to you because this happened to me by accident. Because we were guardians of a 15-year-old that we were invited to a teenager gathering. And it was a different life for us. We ruined a lot of things about these teenagers and the serving that they're doing, and we wanted to be part of that. It was something, I mean, it didn't make me younger. There's a lot of things I had to shy away because it scared me, but I wanted to be part of it. And just to enjoy what you're doing because that's wonderful. Number three. Do things, be responsible for what you serve.

For one, recognize their ideas aren't old passion, but the results of experience. We've been there before. There's many times in life where you have a situation and you see somebody in trouble, or you see somebody do something wrong, and you know how to be very casual about it and help correct them without hurting them. You can save them in many ways. Your experience is more than what you think. It is life-saving in many ways.

Number five. Come to us for advice and looking for experience.

There was a time where I used to do sound. I can't do it anymore. But it's amazing. Somebody will just ask you a question and you come up and they look at you. That's a really good idea! And you think, well, glad I'm glad you asked me. Because you don't know what you've got. You are a walking library and you can share those wonderful ideas with people. Number six. Be receptive when we reach out to you. Sometimes, how's your day going? It starts a conversation. And, let me surprise you. Be prepared to hear everything. Just maybe not make a lot of comments, but you can help a lot of people. That's all I've got. Thank you. Thank you.

The teens in the back? 13 to 20. Did you notice the first one was to smile and say hi? Just sort of passing by. What was the first one on the teens' random? Wasn't it technologous?

It's like sometimes the teens and the seniors are in the same group there. But they both are not acknowledged in the same way. There's such a busy crowd going on in different other ways. That was interesting. Yes, Mr. King! We had your help. Help with tasks. Help with things to do. You guys are in this older group. You know any of that? That's not edifying you? Never even came up like... Not that old.

Okay. Because last year, my wife and I helped an elderly person de-leaven their stuff. And that turned out to be a really unique experience. We had never thought of doing that. You probably need the right thing to do. Okay. If they need them. That's fun.

I'm not going to tell you that. That's not a sin. Just gonna die for you and then cut that grass on me. Was that helpful to any of you? To see what our job is? To bring joy and that our church will grow. That we can edify one another. And we can't edify just our friends.

It's to edify the teens, our 20-year-olds, our 30s, 40s, 50s. Each group should be edified and build up. And if we have the humility to, like they said, ask somebody for their advice and not think that we know it all. We remember the partnerships that done work because everybody thought they had to do it their way. But the partnerships that were most successful had the humility, love, and a common goal. And they had the common goal so much in their forefront that that was more important than what they were doing and their own way of thinking. Now, I'd like to know just very quickly how many of you in each group, what was the total score of the things that you got right? The seniors are going on. I know I'm not going to tell. Thirteen in group three. Anybody keep a thirteen with different things for breakdown? Is there a chance? Eight. Eight. Okay. You got their own way of thinking. I'm not going to. That's awesome. That's very awesome. That's wonderful. So we had thirteen. How many of you in your group? Three. Three? You got three? Okay. So seniors have three. Two? How'd you like to? One. One? One person? One person. Oh, I'm like, glad to. Okay, we are going to wrap this up now, but we hope that group three will spread their joys and they have a joy that they shouldn't just spread around. So they can spread one joy and will spread this because this is your way where they will get the body. Alright, it's time to switch rooms, so we'll take a little break.