Midland Evangelical Church

IMPACT

To be a church of IMPACT for Christ in our communities, our region, and the world.

I - Intentional Evangelism

M - Mentor the Next Generations

P - Passionate Worship

A - Authentic Christian Living

C - Compassionate Care

T - Take Christ to the Nations

To learn more about the vision of Midland Free and what IMPACT means to us, the following resources are available for you for each letter of the word IMPACT.

• Video introduced by an Elder at Midland Free which features a member of the Pastoral Team providing an explanation. Questions are also provided to help you as you view the video.
• Sermon from the Fall 2007 sermon series by Pastor Jay Childs, Senior Pastor, and Pastor David Jebaratnam, Executive Pastor.
• The vision at Midland Free is to be a church of IMPACT for Christ in our communities, our region, and the world. Our purpose and desired results are for you to be energized to make an IMPACT by writing specific plans for spiritual development with tangible actions. We invite you to use these helps as a guide to making a Personal IMPACT Plan.

A place to start:

• Ask yourself, “How is God calling me to grow or change?”
• Pray about the area(s) in which God may be inviting you to grow. God may be calling you to more than one change in any given area. 
• When you have completed your Personal IMPACT Plan, be sure to share it with someone else, i.e., accountability partner, small group, mentor, good friend.
• Additional helps, explanation of ministry areas and specific dates for class offerings are listed on the website.

Guide to Making a Personal IMPACT Plan

Guide_to_Making_a_Personal_IMPACT_Plan.pdf

Intentional Evangelism

Deliberate and spontaneous sharing of the Gospel with those who don't know Jesus Christ

Video -  Intentional Evangelism

Questions:

1. Why are some people scared to evangelize?
2. Is it easy for you to meet and talk with people? For those of you who answered yes, has this always been easy or has it become easier for you over time? Why?
3. How can we be more spontaneous in sharing our faith and pointing people towards Christ? The challenge this week is to identify a relationship you currently have where you can help move this friend closer to Christ.

Making a Personal IMPACT Plan for Intentional Evangelism

God is calling me to grow or change with regard to Intentional Evangelism by
_______________________________________.

Additional Helps to Prepare a Personal IMPACT Plan regarding Intentional Evangelism:

• Participate in the ALPHA class (a 10-week class that explains in straightforward terms what Christianity is all about)
• Take the SALT Class (how to witness to friends and peers)
• Invite _______________________to an IMPACT Midland event (events to share with friends, neighbors, and co-workers)
• Begin praying for the salvation of _______________________________________  
• Build a relationship with _______________________________________
• Share my story (testimony) with _______________________________________    

Mentor the Next Generations

Teaching and training men, women, children and youth to love and serve Jesus Christ

Video - Mentor the Next Generations

Questions:

1. Who do you consider was your most significant mentor (positive or negative) when you were growing up? (Mentors need not be from personal interactions, books and TV may have been key in shaping your early attitudes, beliefs and behaviors.)
2. Why is it important for adults to be mentored as they mentor younger believers? What ideas do you have to help simplify the time constraints for mentor/mentoree relationships and help them fit into our schedules?
3. The challenge this week is to seek someone to mentor, especially other peoples’ kids, and make sure you have positive mentors in your own life.

Making a Personal IMPACT Plan for Mentor the Next Generations

God is calling me to grow or change with regard to Mentor the Next Generations by
_______________________________________.

Additional Helps to Prepare a Personal IMPACT Plan regarding Mentor the Next Generations:

• Serve in Children’s Ministries or Youth Ministries
• Become a discipleship group leader for 7-12th graders
• Take a parenting class
• Begin mentoring
  _______________________________________
• Begin being mentored by _______________________________________   
• Participate in Interwoven Hearts, a women’s mentoring ministry at Midland Free
• Begin a small group, workplace group, neighborhood group or school group
• Mentor a couple preparing for marriage or already married

Passionate Worship

Enthusiastic gladness in the glory of God

Video - Passionate Worship

Questions:

1. Has your early excitement for God faded somewhat and have you become bored with church?
2. What is the evidence of worship in our life? When people see where we spend our time, money and emotional energy what stands out to them? (Sports? Shopping? Stocks? Kids?)
3. The challenge this week is to consider what must decrease in other areas of my life so that He can increase in my daily worship?

Making a Personal IMPACT Plan for Passionate Worship

God is calling me to grow or change with regard to Passionate Worship by
_______________________________________.

Additional Helps to Prepare a Personal IMPACT Plan regarding Passionate Worship:

• Use the Psalms as a help in praising the Lord each day
• Schedule a quarterly day for solitude
• Begin a prayer journal
• Begin regular devotions in your family or with a friend
• Don’t miss a minute of worship on Sundays. Be sure to be in the Worship Center by 9:00 or 10:45 am
• Take sermon notes and do further study during the week
• Read books from Pastor Jay’s top 10 list
• Take steps to fill my thoughts and affections with God

Authentic Christian Living

Genuine obedience demonstrating the character and priorities of Jesus Christ.

Video - Authentic Christian Living

Questions:

1. What can you point to in your life that is radically different than it was before you were saved?
2. Some people may only understand who Jesus Christ is by the life of a Christian they know. What stands out in the “letter of your life” read when you consider your witness the last month? It is much easier to know what the Bible says rather than to do what the Bible instructs. How can we better encourage one another to love and good deeds?
3. The challenge this week is to pick something in your visible witness to improve that can make a difference to those around you. As unbelievers watch you, what does your lifestyle say about your commitment to Christ? What are some specific things that stick out, positive or negative (i.e., how you spend money; how you treat your spouse, how you treat others; etc.)?

Making a Personal IMPACT Plan for Authentic Christian Living

God is calling me to grow or change with regard to Authentic Christian Living by
_______________________________________.

Additional Helps to Prepare a Personal IMPACT Plan regarding Authentic Christian Living:

• Study God’s Word daily
• Live more boldly as a Christian
• Commit to intolerance about a personal, specific sin
• Participate in monthly church-wide fast
• Take the Baptism class and get baptized
• Give more generously, specifically by giving _____________(% or amount)
• Share authentically in an accountability relationship
• Begin a triplet prayer group or find a prayer partner
• Join a Small Church or small group

Compassionate Care

Providing for the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of people

Video - Compassionate Care

Questions:

1. Who has God placed near you that you care for today? In gardening and in helping the needy, we will get our hands dirty. What experiences have you had that have proven this to you?
2. As we learn to love God more we will love people more. How can this help us to love people that are considered “the least of these?” Who are the “least of these in your life?” Contrast loving people more from a worldly perspective and loving people more from God’s perspective. How is the outcome different?
3. The challenge this week is to commit to come into personal contact and care for someone that can’t care for you in return.

Making a Personal IMPACT Plan for Compassionate Care

God is calling me to grow or change with regard to Compassionate Care by
_______________________________________.

Additional Helps to Prepare a Personal IMPACT Plan regarding Compassionate Care:

• Begin caring for _______________________________________
• Become or continue serving as a Stephen Minister who expresses God's care through their lives to others
• Participate in church-wide community care events
• Sign up for H20 (Help to Others) to help widows, single moms, etc. with home and car repairs or finances
• Join Celebrate Recovery to overcome a hang-up or habit or invite a friend to attend
• Serve in the community

T - Take Christ to the  Nations

Carrying the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the least reached peoples

Video - Take Christ to the Nations

Questions:

1. Why is it so easy to think the world is centered around our needs and wants?
2. Many of us give to many good causes including mission organizations. How is being a “zealous sender” different from being a “regular contributor?” Have you experienced a cost or a sacrifice in your role as a sender?
3. The challenge this week has two parts: If you have ruled out “going” be explicit about why. And consider who are you specifically sending and what actions will you take to give them more of your heart?

Making a Personal IMPACT Plan for Take Christ to the Nations

God is calling me to grow or change with regard to Take Christ to the Nations by
_______________________________________.

Additional Helps to Prepare a Personal IMPACT Plan regarding Take Christ to the Nations:

• Begin financial support of a Midland Free missionary
• Faithfully pray for a specific missionary family
• Participate as a member of a Midland Free Missionary Timothy Team
• Attend the Midland Free monthly prayer time for the Malay and Tatar people groups
• Say “yes” to God by committing to become a missionary
• Pray around the world for the expansion of God’s Kingdom among the unreached