The Essential Practices

These practices come from important priorities that we see in the Bible.

We will teach and remind ourselves of them often.

The "and" between them communicates these are not a list of to-dos from 1 to x...

We desire to pursue all of them.. all the time.. in all areas of our life.

"What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you." - Philippians 4:9 ESV

Together we will:

Love God, love all people, and encourage one another

This is our Motive

"36 "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?" 37 And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself."
Matthew 22:36-39 ESV

"24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near."
Hebrews 10:24-25 ESV


"15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." He said to him, "Feed my lambs.""
John 21:15 ESV

Because, Love is the Great Commandment


and, together we will

Live and proclaim the Gospel of Jesus

This is our Message

"16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek."
Romans 1:16 ESV

"14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, 15 and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel."
Mark 1:14-15 ESV

"8 So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us."
1 Thessalonians 2:8 ESV

"1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you--unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,"
1 Corinthians 15:1-4 ESV

"18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God."
1 Corinthians 1:18 ESV

Because the Gospel of Jesus is salvation for all who believe


and, together we will

Make disciples and teach them as we go

This is our Mission

"18 And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."
Matthew 28:18-20 ESV

"2 and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also."
2 Timothy 2:2 ESV

Because making disciples & teaching them is the Great Commission


and, together we will

Hear from the LORD through His Word and follow Jesus

This is our Authority

"27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me."
John 10:27 ESV

"105 [Nun] Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."
Psalm 119:105 ESV

"12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account."
Hebrews 4:12-13 ESV

"3 And his delight shall be in the fear of the LORD. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear,"
Isaiah 11:3 ESV

Because hearing the voice of Jesus and following Him is the Way


and, together we will

Pray and walk in the power of the Spirit

This is our Power

"17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,"
Ephesians 6:17-18 ESV

"16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. ... 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit."
Galatians 5:16, 22-25 ESV

"6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked."
1 John 2:6 ESV

"8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.""
Acts 1:8 ESV

"4 and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God."
1 Corinthians 2:4-5 ESV

The Holy Spirit gives us power


Following Jesus is always and only our loving response to the amazing grace, love and power that he first poured out on us.

We never seek to earn anything from God through obedience, because we cannot. Rather, we obey in and through our love relationship with God the Father by His Son Jesus Christ through the Power of the Holy Spirit.

"4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit," - Titus 3:4-5 ESV

Skip Ast - Contending for the faith


Mickey McGee - Making the best use of time


A Summary of the Gospel by Skip Ast

The Church must be Battle Ready

Hearing from the Lord A look at Jonah with Larry & Dave

Decentralized Communication at WVBC

Elder Shepherding and Leadership at WVBC

Jay Letey - The Bookends of the Great Commission