David Rudd

2009 Preaching Calendar

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Goals of This Calendar

1. The flow of this calendar is intentionally designed to mirror (and thereby foster) the spiritual development of a new believer. It begins with a realization of who I am in Christ, moves to address some tensions about "Christian beliefs", and then finishes the year focusing on developing a more robust handle on Scripture before coming full circle to the idea of being "missional".

2. The first quarter of the year, leading up to Easter, is designed to focus people's attention on the need for the church to be a missional body. Particularly, the progression should inspire people to engage their world more actively. Practically, the series leading up to Easter will equip people to invest themselves in the live of those around them.

3. Hopefully, Easter and surrounding weeks can be somewhat "invitational". People who have bought into the Jan-Mar message will be excited to have their friends join them for these particular celebrations.

4. The series immediately following Easter is very "seeker-friendly" and very "Gospel-centric".

5. The final three months are focused on formation, care, and mission, as seen by overviewing three books of the Bible.

2009 Preaching Calendar

January 5-26: I am Here for the Church

This is basically a series to discuss what it means to be part of the body of Christ. Contrast the title statement with the statement, "The church is here for me." This series will fly in the face of the consumeristic mindset, and challenge our people to consider their real motivation for being part of a church. It may also be a place to begin a discussion about what membership does and doesn't mean.

Key passages to consider in this series:

1 Corinthians 12
Ephesians 4
Romans 12
Philippians 2:3
John 15:13

February 2-23: The Church is Here for the World

This series follows the previous series by confronting two common myths about the church's place in the world. First, the church is not God's gift to believers; it is God's gift to the world. Jesus said He came for the sinners, not the righteous. The church is not an institution which provides goods and services; and therefore, believers are not the customers to whom the church caters. Rather, believers are the church, they are God's gift to the world. Secondly, the world does not exist for the church. The idea is not to bring more people in just so we can have bigger numbers, more money, and better programs. The idea is that we are to serve the world, we are to serve our community, we are to serve the people around us; all so that we can meet the world's greatest need which is to present to them the Gospel of Christ.

Key passages to consider in this series:

Matthew 5:13-16
Matthew 28:19-20
Mark 2:17
1 Peter 2:11-12

March 2-April 5: Investing Your Life in the Lives of Others

I haven't spent a lot of time thinking through this series. I envision big ideas which encourage people to examine and understand their existing circles of influence, then act in such a way as to impact those in their current circles, while also seeking to expand their circle of influence for the good of the kingdom. The commonly used expression "invest and invite" would be worth discussing and unpacking in this series.

April 12: Easter

April 19-June 21: Ten Eternal Questions

Based on the book Ten Eternal Questions, which is a complilation of widely recognized people's answers to religious and spiritual questions. I think these questions give us an opportunity to speak truth in a very relevant way like we've never done before. Addressing these questions in an authentic, biblical way provides an amazing chance for our people to engage their friends and neighbors with God's answers to the questions they're asking. The questions are as follows:

What is your concept of God?
Do you think this life is all there is, or do you believe in an afterlife?
Do you accept the concept of karma, in the sense of cause and effect?
What is your moral code, in relation to right and wrong?
Do you believe you have a destiny, and do you see yourself as here to fulfill it?
What has life taught you so far?
What advice or words of wisdom would you like to pass on to those close to you?
Do you believe our survival on planet Earth is being threatened?
Who do you most admire in this world, historical or living?
How do you find peace within yourself?

Some special dates during the series:

4.26 Baptism (question is "do you think this life is all there is." a powerful answer is the testimony of those who are demonstrating they belief that there is!)
5.10 Mother's Day (maybe we could use some mothers to give words of wisdom on this day?)
5.24 Memorial Day (question for this sunday is "who do you most admire"... a good tie to memorial day)
6.21 Father's Day (a huge peace stealer in people's lives is absent or uncaring fathers...)