Relationship:
Everything comes out of relationship!
Relationship has four critical components: Time, Presence, Communication, and desire. It takes all of these to really fall in love.
Our PRIMARY relationship is to be rightly joined with the head. In other words, our relationship with God comes before all other relationships. This can be applied to each of us individually or to the church corporately. There is only one head. There are no intermediate heads between God and us we have a direct connection.
God is not a concept, idea, or philosophy. He is real, and we are created in his image. Relationship requires that we KNOW him NOT just know stuff about him. Salvation is not a formula or saying the magic words its knowing God and being known by him its receiving him into the center of your very being.
God is supernatural. In order for us to fully know God, we must worship him in spirit and in truth. You must be born of the spirit and have spiritual senses in order for that to occur. How can you hear supernatural things without supernatural ears? It is so important for the Holy Spirit to be activated in your life for your spirit-man to come alive.
God is boundless. There are no limits to the depths of God you can explore. The more you discover about God, the more there is that remains undiscovered. Our relationship with him becomes an adventure.
Our SECONDARY relationship is to be rightly joined to the Body of Christ (other Christians).
A body isnt much of a body if it only has one or two parts. We have to be connected to each other (all the parts) in order for the body to function. There is, after all, only one body, but it has many, many parts. Getting connected (relationship) cant be a formula, obligation, or a law it has to come from reality; from your heart.
Identity:
Everyone has a true identity in the kingdom of God.
The first step is to know God intimately (love him, be with him, and hear his voice). The next step is to know who you are in Him. In other words, you need to know what God says about you and discover who you are according to what he thinks.
Things to discover about yourself:
Your personal growth (coming into the fullness of your identity) is not limited by another mans opinion. You are responsible to discover and live into your own identity.
Everyone else has an identity too.
We must see each other through Gods eyes. We must develop spiritual senses and not rely on our physical ones. You can affirm and confirm anothers identity, but nobody can dictate who someone else is.
Maturity:
Its not natural to remain a child.
Maturity leads to self-government. What would it be like if my mommy still had to change my diaper when Im 40 years old and who would give the keys to the car to a three-year-old? We all need to grow up (spiritually).
Every person has a desire and a need for good instruction. The same goes for our hunger for knowledge and understanding into the fullness of God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). It is primary to teach principles and not laws. Its better to teach a man to fish than give him a fish
The Bible is not God or a substitute for him, but it does point to him and reveal him. Anything that is contrary to what the Word of God (the Bible) says is opposed to God, himself. The Bible is the basis and foundation of our faith and growth.
There are gifts given to men for the perfecting of our faith, the equipping of our spirit-man, bringing us into the oneness of faith, instruction into the full accurate knowledge of Christ, and leading us to maturity. These gifts are those who are called by God to be Apostles, Prophets, Pastors, Teachers, and Evangelists.
Maturity springs forth from the heart not the intellect or the flesh.
We must provide a safe place for everyone to mature. Growing up requires opportunities for making mistakes as well as having successes.
Functioning:
Everyone functions there is no such thing as Lay people. The FULLNESS of the Godhead resides in every believer.
Everyone is potentially a leader (as they mature). Everyone is definitely a follower. The greatest in the Kingdom of God is the servant of all. We are all to submit to one another out of reverence of Christ. Follow me as I follow Christ and likewise, dont follow me if Im not following Christ.
Submission to a leader is a voluntary act of the heart it can never be forced or demanded.
Functioning comes from obedience - which is a result of hearing God - because weve been in his presence (which is the primary key to being in relationship with him). Jesus said, I only do what I see the father doing. Every believer has the ability to tap into the mind of Christ and the gifts of the Holy Spirit. We lack nothing in order to function.
Kingdom:
Its not enough to preach, teach, or understand salvation. Salvation is only the beginning to an eternity of living in Gods kingdom.
The reality of the Kingdom overshadows and is more real that what we understand reality to be in the natural the facts.
Jesus said we would be doing greater works than he did. That means what we read in the Bible is a foundation, not a limitation. The supernatural isnt something spooky its a realm where God resides and a place that we are called to live in (now).