Planting Churches among the City's Poor - Volume 1

202 • P LANTING C HURCHES AMONG THE C ITY ’ S P OOR : V OLUME 1

words. For these are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: “And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, your old men shall dream dreams. And on my menservants and on my maidservants I will pour out my Spirit in those days; and they shall prophesy. I will show wonders in heaven above and signs in the earth beneath: blood and fire and vapor of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the coming of the great and notable day of the Lord. And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Eph. 1.13 (NIV) – And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the Gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit. 2 Cor. 1.20-22 (NIV) – For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God. Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. 2. The Holy Spirit as pledge and arrabon of the Kingdom in the midst of God’s people.

3. The Church is animated and empowered by the Holy Spirit as the one providing life and direction in the Body of Christ.

a. Provides gifts and endowments, 1 Cor. 12.3-11

b. Appoints leaders and elders, Acts 13.1-3; cf. 20.28

c. Prays with groanings too deep for utterance, Rom. 8.26

C. The Church is the concrete locus of authentic kingdom Shalom .

1. In the community of believers is the place where God may become known and experienced in the midst of this god forsaken world.