1. Prayer

Prayer is one of the chief expressions of worship. Worship is a lifestyle, but in this age of emphasis on worship through music, many have forgotten that prayer is a powerful form of worship. One of the best ways we connect with people is by speaking to them. When we speak to God, we call it “prayer”—one of the chief expressions of worship. Worship is a tool for connecting us to God—of reaching up to our heavenly Father to ask His glory to come down. David’s language of thirst and hunger read in Psalm 63 is a poetic expression for the need we all have for God. That need is answered through relationship—not signs and wonders or miracles or provision, but a real, living relationship.

Thessalonians 5:17 “pray without ceasing “. Pray without ceasing, three simple words, but it is indeed possible to pray non-stop. We can cultivate a spirit that is habitually devotional, keeping our hearts attuned to the divine. The Greek word for “without ceasing” (adialeptos) does not mean non-stop but rather constant recurring prayer. We know, intuitively, that it is possible to love without ceasing. Adoration for God can enable you to be constantly aware of His presence, creating a desire to punctuate your days, hours, and minutes with communion and fellowship or prayer. This adoration can transform sporadic and stammering prayers into a constant and characteristic attitude of reverence and dependence on God. It is possible to keep your mind consciously in God’s presence.

1. Questions to Deepen Your Relationship With Christ:
   1. Ask yourself where you stand with sin and repentance—are you in genuine repentance for your own sins and pursuing open accountability with trusted partners? Can you accept God’s correction when you sin? Are there people who can tell you when you are wrong, and will you accept what they say?
   1. How much time do you spend in the Word? Are you feeding yourself so you will have oil during dry times? What about your personal devotions? Are they consistent and meaningful?
   1. What do your schedule and checkbook reveal about your priorities? Is God first? Is your relationship with your family your next priority, or have work commitments or other distractions caused you to lose your focus?
   1. What about the fruit of the Spirit? Do you have consistent evidence that your life is producing fruit? Are you growing? Are you maturing as a disciple of Christ? Are you as much in love with Jesus as you have ever been?
   1. I could list another hundred questions, but the point is not to go through a spiritual checklist to make yourself feel good or to reproach yourself. The point is to spur yourself on to prayer where you seek frank, honest answers from the Holy Spirit, preparing your heart for a new move of God in your life, a renewed fellowship, renewed commitment

Sooner or later, we all miss the boat. We slip up, fail, and falter; it is our human nature. When we do, there is only one solution: Spirit empowerment. We must repent and be restored. None of us will ever be perfect—Jesus alone pulled that off—so we do not need a system to promote perfection but one that takes us quickly to the Restorer so we can be made well in body and soul.

This is the very definition of worshipping God in prayer—and letting Him reply to us with life-changing, Spirit-empowering words of life

Core values are used to measure all ministry programs for spiritual effectiveness, financial commitment, and achievement of purpose.

1. Core values and Commitment

Commitment is a core value that involves taking responsibility for actions and sticking to principles. Core values are to be lived out in the daily lives of the congregation; that is, you.

Core values represent the core identity of the church and reflect how the congregation will live into its preferred future. They create boundaries for church life and must be identified and communicated for the church to reach its full Kingdom potential.

While many people in our churches may not understand core values, they do understand convictions. Biblical convictions are Spirit-directed boundaries for our core values.

Steps for Identifying the core values of the church are usually the responsibility of the Pastor and leadership team however you should prepare to identify your own personal core values.

Take the time to pick four or five beliefs or principles that you, yourself, strongly embrace. Our core values are those things we believe are important and we demonstrate in our behaviors. When you truly buy into your own set of values, you will live out those core values in your daily life. It is not enough to state values; our true priorities are those things we both speak and live. It is not enough to be aware of core values subconsciously. If you want them to help you stand for something, you must write them down

You can read my own, personal mission, vision, and set of Values at: https://barrongreenwalt.wordpress.com/2017/10/31/courage-is-first-among-equals-for-great-leadership/

1.  Embrace the process of maturity.

When we consider what it means to be a (Committed) Christ-follower, we must embrace a full approach that focuses on spiritual formation and transformation. We must first be committed to spiritual formation before we promote it to others. The Great Commission of the Church is Disciples Making Disciples. Spirit-filled leadership that makes disciples only happens when the Holy Spirit transforms you, yourself, into disciples. Spiritual maturity is not a destination; it is a process. It requires time, commitment, and effort to grow spiritually . . . and there are no shortcuts. When you become an empowered disciple, the living and life-giving relationship that you have with the Holy Spirit will not let you stay immature; it will urge you forward. I am saying that a lack of commitment alludes to you being spiritually immature.

My desire is for people to embrace truths of faith in a personal way. The imperative is moments of personal decision, encounters, and application. Moments of decision and commitment along with times of receiving from God’s Spirit make His work personal in our lives.

Expressions of His Spirit in giftedness and worship allow followers to make their intimacy personal with Jesus and their life in His Spirit.

A committed church member is aware of what is happening in the church and is involved in the character of the church or the life of the church. When defining the life of the church, we must see it as the body of Christ, and we need to understand that we should function as the body of Christ under our glorious head the Lord Jesus Christ. We were to be faithful to this model.

A committed member gives resources, time, and talent to the furtherance of the gospel in the local church. He lives out the Bible’s call to the body of Christ.