Neighbors Community Network

Covenant Presence
Neighbors Community Network


ENCOURAGING CHURCHES TO EXPRESS AND EXPAND GOD’S KINGDOM GLOBALLY

EMPOWERING BELIEVERS TO ADVANCE THE WORSHIP, MINISTRY AND MISSION OF JESUS CHRIST AS THEY
PRACTICE THE TRUTH AND PROCLAIM THE FAITH TOGETHER - FOR GOD'S GLORY AND HIS GOOD PLEASURE

CULTIVATING BIBLICAL COMMUNITIES THAT MOBILIZE CHRISTIAN NEIGHBORS TO GODLY DILIGENCE -
LABORING IN LIFE WITH ONE ANOTHER TO “ADVANCE THE OBEDIENCE OF FAITH” TOGETHER

LIVING UNDER GOD'S SOVEREIGN GRACE AND REIGNING IN LIFE WITH CHRIST TOGETHER
Give Expression to His Kingdom on Earth by Cultivating Covenant Family Communities that
Incarnate the Truth of God Together and Exemplify the Gospel in Community;
Exhibiting and Expressing Together His Love for God and Neighbor


Purpose:
TO ENCOURAGE CHURCHES TO CULTIVATE BIBLICAL COMMUNITIES THAT MOBILIZE CHRISTIAN NEIGHBORS
TO PURPOSELY LABOR IN LIFE TOGETHER TO EXPRESS AND EXPAND GOD’S KINGDOM GLOBALLY -
FOCUSING ON A FOURFOLD STRUCTURAL PROGRESSION:
• DISCIPLING - “ADVANCING THE OBEDIENCE OF FAITH" TOGETHER
• REFORMING THE COMMUNITY LIFE OF THE “LOCAL CHURCH”,
• “EQUIPPING THE SAINTS FOR THE WORK OF MINISTRY”AND
• CULTIVATING AND SHAPING FUTURE NEIGHBORHOOD CHURCHES

Engaging People Relationally • Equipping Believers Ministerially • Entrusting Leaders Geographically
Personal and Mutual Obedience • Communal and Functional Ministry • Spiritual and Structural Leadership
Matthew 28:18f; Hebrews 3:12f; • Romans 12:1f; Ephesians 4:1f; • Exodus 18:1f; Acts 14:1f; Romans 15:1f

To Mobilize and Empower Believers for Worship, Ministry and Missions by Intentionally Developing Communities that: Shape and Cultivate Discipling Relationships, Ministry Environments and Leadership Infrastructures, and that Properly Function In Life Together for God's Glory and Man's Good; Strategically Shaping and Cultivating Future Churches to Advance the Cause of Jesus Christ Everywhere People Live.


Mission:
TO PERSUASIVELY TESTIFY TO THE GOSPEL OF GOD'S GRACE TOGETHER THROUGH BIBLICAL COMMUNITIES -
SPREADING THE FAITH TO SOCIETY USING PERSONAL, COMMUNAL, VERBAL, SCRIBAL AND VISUAL MEANS OVERWHELEMING CULTURES WITH FAITH, HOPE AND LOVE MINGLED WITH GRACE, TRUTH AND PEACE

GIVING EXPRESSION TO THE GREAT COMMANDMENTS AND COMMISSION OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST -
TO LOVE GOD AND NEIGHBOR TOGETHER WHILE DISCIPLING ALL THE NATIONS TOGETHER
Mobilizing Believers to "Advance the Obedience of Faith" Together - "Exhorting One Another Daily" to
"Learn and Teach Obedience to Christ"; Imitating, Demonstrating and Communicating His Life and Teachings
Living under God’s Sovereign Grace and Reigning in Life with Christ Together
Romans 5:17; 2 Timothy 2:12; Revelation 5:10, 11:15-17, 19:6, 20:4-6, 22:5


Vision:
TO SEE BELIEVERS EVERYWHERE ENGAGED IN COMMUNITY, EQUIPPED FOR MINISTRY AND ON MISSION TOGETHER WITH FELLOW “LEARNING FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST” THROUGH THE COMMUNITY LIFE OF THE LOCAL CHURCH; POSITIONING THE CHURCH WORLDWIDE TO SHAPE AND CULTIVATE FUTURE NEIGHBORHOOD CHURCHES ACROSS THE WHOLE EARTH

Grow in the faith and knowledge of God together - helping one another to really know God through Jesus Christ, realize His kingdom on earth, and resource the healing of the nations by His empowering Spirit.
Cultivate Mutual Discipling Relationships, Functional Ministry Environments, and Compatible Leadership Infrastructures so as to incarnate the truth of God together and exemplify the gospel in community.
Function as discipling communities - being obedient to the commission of our Lord Jesus Christ by exhibiting and expressing together His love for God and neighbor - to shape and cultivate future churches for the expansion of God’s kingdom on earth to every neighborhood through multiplying Covenant Family Communities.

TESTIFY TO THE GOSPEL OF GOD'S GRACE TOGETHER THROUGH BIBLICAL COMMUNITY

Living in the Holy City of God Together - Enjoying the Reality of His Promised Presence on Earth with His People Forever

Then I saw in the right hand of the One seated on the throne a scroll with writing on the inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals. I also saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or even to look in it. And I cried and cried because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll or even to look in it. Then one of the elders said to me, “Stop crying. Look! The Lion from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has been victorious so that He may open the scroll and loose its seven seals.” Then I saw one like a slaughtered lamb standing between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent into all the earth. He came and took [the scroll]* out of the right hand of the One seated on the throne. When He took the scroll, the four living creatures and the 24 elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song:
You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals; because You were slaughtered, and You redeemed [people]* for God by Your blood from every tribe and language and people and nation You made them a kingdom and priests to our God and they will reign on the earth.

"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea existed no longer. I also saw the Holy City, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband. Then I heard a loud voice from the throne: Look! God’s dwelling is with men, and He will live with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will exist no longer; grief, crying, and pain will exist no longer, because the previous things have passed away.Then the One seated on the throne said, “Look! I am making everything new.” He also said, “Write, because these words of God are faithful and true.” And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give to the thirsty from the spring of living water as a gift. The victor will inherit these things, and I will be his God, and he will be My son.

"I did not see a sanctuary in it [the City], because the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its sanctuary. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, because God’s glory illuminates it, and its lamp is the Lamb. The nations will walk in its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. Each day its gates will never close because it will never be night there. They will bring the glory and honor of the nations into it. Nothing profane will ever enter it: no one who does what is vile or false, but only those written in the Lamb’s book of life.

Then he showed me the pure river of living water, sparkling like crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the broad street [of the city]*. On both sides of the river was the tree of life bearing 12 kinds of fruit, producing its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree are for healing the nations, and there will no longer be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and His servants will serve Him. They will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads. Night will no longer exist, and people will not need lamplight or sunlight, because the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign forever and ever.

Revelation 5:1-10; 21:1-7, 22-27; 22:1-5 (HCSB)

Future Realities

Connecting Christians for Integrity, Unity, and Diversity

Restructuring Community Life to build Community and Productivity

Developing Community and Leadership Infrastructures for Stability and Mobility

Reforming “Local Church Environments” for the Purity and Prosperity of the Gospel’s Progress

Planting New Churches and Ministries for Renewable Expandability and Sustainability

Transforming Humanities Future for the Liberty and Tranquility of all Nations

My poem - As the Holy Spirit Flows

As the Holy Spirit flows to awaken our hearts,
We’re resuscitated by the truth He imparts.
His covenant presence so often brings,
A sensation of joy as the Holy Writ rings.
His Word's complete, forever delivered,
It provides what we need to never quiver.

God’s radiance reflects in Christ’s eyes,
To be in His thoughts is no small prize.
His glory is heavy and comes from within,
His Spirit compels us to refrain from sin.
Since with His life He bought us forever,
It's our duty and delight to worship Him together.

By Robert Wells
© November 13, 2005
Inspired by Cal Caylor’s poem “Reflections of My Heart”

My poem - In the Morning

In the morning I wake up to pray,
Asking God “Be the center of my day.”
This one thing I ask Him to do,
“Help me, Lord, to rely on You.”
I want to know the power of His resurrection,
Then I won’t be so prone to insurrection.

God is the One Who reigns above,
He is the One we are to love.
We love Him because He first loved us,
Our soul returns to Him, our body turns to dust.
He is the Sovereign we’re accountable to,
I pray that you will have this same view.

By Robert Wells
© November 16, 2005 Robert Wells

My poem - God, Be There

PRAYER
“God, be there where You are,
Help us, Lord, not to be far.
We approach You with sorrow and tear,
You draw us ever so near.

Your Holy Spirit is everywhere,
Who in this world can compare.
He convicts us of all wrong,
So we in turn can be strong.

You have standards we must meet,
Or forever be doomed to defeat.
We acknowledge that we all fail,
And deserve the punishment of hell.

All the things You rightly call sin,
We confess come from within.
From all these You help us turn,
So judgment won’t come and burn.

Thank You Father for providing the way,
So we can stand and not have to pay.

CONFESSION
Jesus Christ is our only real hope,
It’s through Him we truly cope.

On the cross He conquered sin,
Now, through Him we enter in.
Christ’s presence is the place to be,
Where with Him we are set free.

His Name transcends above all,
In Him we overcome the fall.
His sacrifice was great indeed,
It’s why we confess this creed.

He is our majestic Savior and Lord,
Who graciously opened for us the door.
Because of His unfailing love for us,
We praise His mercy with vocal gust.

By Robert Wells
© November 18, 2005

My poem - She Means the World to Me

She means the world to me,
I cannot simply “let it be.”
We were joined for so many years,
In anguish I ponder with tears.

It’s huge having someone to abide,
A strong tower there at your side.
She was my companion, who compares,
I took her for granted, unawares.

Together we had some fun in life,
Although mixed with strife.
Should reconciliation be in the picture?
Would that serve to make us “richer”?

That begins with God in the heart,
Only He can bring a fresh start.
Jesus is the One Who can heal,
It’s to Him we must appeal.

I know I didn’t do all things well,
I experienced heaven and raised hell.
If only we had focused more on “forever,”
We may have remained in this life together.

Because I didn’t show my love for her,
She didn’t know what to infer.
I should have loved her like Christ,
If anything that would suffice.

She endured as long as she could,
I cannot blame her, even though I would.
She put up with all she could stand,
No longer willing to hear my command.

It’s all in the Sovereign plan of God,
He leads on the path we are to trod.
And so, learning to be content in life,
I continue with Him without the strife.

By Robert Wells
© November 21, 2005