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Connecting Through �Serving Each Other

Bob Houghton

June 3, 2026

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Revisiting Our �Vision for 2026

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Connecting to Each Other

United in Love is the Defining Characteristic of the Church

John 17:20-23 - “²⁰ My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, ²¹ that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. ²² I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one - ²³ I in them and you in me - so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”

Tonight we will take a look at the first-century church and their Fellowship of Believers.

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Connecting to Each Other

Purposes

Bearing Burdens�Galatians 6:2 - “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ”
Accountability�Proverbs 27:17 - “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.”
Encouragement�Hebrews 10:24-25 - “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another”

We will look at areas where each of us can make a difference and become more connected when we serve each other.

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Connecting to Each Other

Actions

Be present
Greet
Share
Look, Listen and Touch (be connected)

We will each be challenged to take a meaningful action in service to each other.

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Connecting to Each Other

Results

Unity in Love
Mutual Support, Protection, Comfort and Strength
A bold and clear example of Kingdom life
We will defeat Satan by not losing God’s children -and- not missing those who would become God’s child

We will discuss making a generational impact on our individual families and our church family.

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Connecting to Each Other

A Starting Place

Connect Groups
Elders in Connect Groups

Tonight we will consider opportunities for each member to connect and serve each other.

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Introduction

Out-Reach

In-Reach

Over 70% of our budget on missions, external benevolence, and OUT-Reach.

I want to thank everyone that worked and served the many organizations that were selected for attention on Serve Weekend

Each Connect Group participated and served our extended community

Then we were able to worship and fellowship together as a church family

79 Mission Efforts

We support so many foreign and domestic efforts at varying extents

Countless countries directly or indirectly

Separate from our mission budget our youth group and some connect groups also have mission efforts

Benevolence Efforts

We support so many people that are represented in Matthew 25:35-36

³⁵ For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, ³⁶ I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’

We should be proud of our service to our community and that we focus so much on seeking the lost here and around the world

THANK YOU to all who are so generosity with their money and time, it is amazing here at Madison

This is to be commended and praised!

[CLICK to SHOW IN-REACH]

As wonderful as all that is, I want to talk about:

IN-Reach

Connecting, within the body, in a deeper, more meaningful way

Serving each other to foster spiritual growth and a solid foundation

Each of us, connecting inside the church by serving each other, becomes an influence within the body.

This intimate relationship with each other, within the body, leads to generational change within this church family, and within your own family.

[CLICK to THE FELLOWSHIP OF BELIEVERS Page]

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The Fellowship of Believers

Acts 2:42-47 - “⁴² And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. ⁴³ And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. ⁴⁴ And all who believed were together and had all things in common. ⁴⁵ And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. ⁴⁶ And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, ⁴⁷ praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.”

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The First Century Church

Prioritized Care for the Church Family

Family centered
Bound in Prayer
Teaching in homes
Provided for each other’s needs
God blessed them!

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The First Century Church

Acts 2:44 - “And all who believed were together and had all things in common.”

All Things in Common

Not gifts and abilities
Common focus
Common purpose
Strong Internal relationships
Bonds of unity

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Caring for Each Other

Care for the Most Vulnerable Members

Serve beyond the ministries

Seek out the hard to see needs
Serve in some way to supply those needs
Invite people to get involved

I Peter 4:10 – “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace”

Let’s be diligent to look for those to serve!

It is also the responsibility of the church to support and care for its most vulnerable members.

We have wonderful programs here at Madison to serve those in need.

Internal Benevolence
Meal Trian
Connect Groups
SMILES
Ladies Ministry
Men’s Ministry

I would never fault the great things our ministries do

I have a challenge for each member, serve beyond the ministries themselves

Be diligent to see those in need, before they make their needs known

See our own with broken spirits, or lonely - Provide companionship

See mothers stressed with caring for young children

See those struggling at work

See new members that haven’t fit in yet – Invite them to participate

[CLICK to NEXT LINE]

I Peter 4:10 – “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace”

We each have a talent, let’s seek to use it.

[CLICK to NEXT LINE]

Let’s all be diligent to look for those to serve.

[CLICK to SERVING YOUR CHILDREN Page]

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Serving Your Children

Our Children Have Spiritual Needs

Deuteronomy 6:6-7 - “And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.”

Make God the focal point of your everyday life
Let the children you are around SEE your faith
Make sure they SEE your relationship with God!

Likewise, we can see the spiritual needs of our children in this congregation.

[CLICK to SHOW DUET 6:6-7]

Deuteronomy 6:6-7 says “And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.”

[CLICK to SHOW GOD AS FOCAL POINT]

This commandment emphasizes that we are to make God the focal point of our everyday lives within our families

Bryan LeMaster, “How did you and Missy influence your children spiritually?”

I told him that I felt it was around the dinner table and in the car.

I felt that by including God as part of our everyday life and decision making, declaring the things we saw in the world as Godly or not, we instilled God in their lives.

It wasn’t simply preaching at them about everything THEY did or didn’t do, it was where they saw God around them.

I told him I believed that is why if they spread their wings in college, or face challenges in life, they would return to their roots when it came to making life decisions

[CLICK to NEXT LINE]

Let the kids you are around SEE your faith

[CLICK to NEXT LINE]

Make sure they SEE your relationship with God

Missy and I often talk about being a generational influence to our family.

Being the Matriarch and Patriarch of generations of grands and great-grand.

[CLICK to SERVING ALL CHILDREN Page]

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Serving ALL Children

Psalms 145:4-7 “One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts. On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate. They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds, and I will declare your greatness. They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness and shall sing aloud of your righteousness.”

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Serving Madison’s Children

Opportunities Abound at Madison

Ministry leaders beg for teachers EVERY quarter
Children need to see mentors other than parents
This need will not diminish
Help create a foundation that can last a lifetime
Better yet, a Foundation of Generational Influence

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Serving the Household of Faith

Galatians 6:9-10 - “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and ESPECIALLY to those who are of the household of faith.”

Our Madison Family needs the same attention we give to outside activities in our lives

We must focus on the physical and spiritual needs of this body here at Madison

Galatians 6:9-10 says “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and ESPECIALLY to those who are of the household of faith.”

Did you catch that? ESPECIALLY to those who are of the household of faith

We need you serving here at Madison.

We need conviction and attention to this family, inside these doors, that we eagerly give to other places

Work

Community activities

Ball teams & extracurricular activities

Missy and I moved to Madison in 1988 when Heather was just 3-month-old

We visited half a dozen churches before settling here at Madison

The reason we settled here was because of the people

The Glenn’s, the Sherrod’s, the Hargett’s, the McClure’s, and many others

They opened their doors to us, took us in as family, and cared for us when we were alone in a new place

We had Bible study in their homes

We were encouraged, and almost expected, to host and lead a devotional

[CLICK to BUILD BONDS / STRENGTHEN THE BODY Page]

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Build Connections / Strengthen the Body

Ephesians 4:15-16 says “Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.”

Seek out and serve the new, the weak, the grieving, the broken hearted, and the lonely
Strengthening each part Strengthens the Whole Body

Serving each other within this Madison family will build deep, lasting connections

This church family became a strong bond to us where we felt loved and included

Ephesians 4:15-16 says “Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.”

[CLICK to SHOW NEXT BULLET]

Seek out and serve the new, the weak, the grieving, the broken hearted, and the lonely.

Missy and I were far from perfect, but when we served, we felt blessed, and when we had opportunities and did not step up, we had regrets.

[CLICK to SHOW NEXT BULLET]

Strengthening each part strengthens the whole body.

[CLICK to SERVE EACH OTHER Page]

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Serve Each Other

Romans 12:10 “Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.”

A church that serves itself well becomes spiritually healthy, emotionally connected, and deeply unified
Strive for Unity without Uniformity
Serve without Conditions!

Those early bonds helped us grow spiritually and taught a young couple how to be true Christians as described in Romans 12:10 “Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.”

A church that serves itself well becomes spiritually healthy, emotionally connected, and deeply unified

Another strength at Madison, and a primary goal of the Madison eldership, is to strive for and maintain unity

[CLICK to SHOW NEXT BULLET]

Unity does not mean uniformity

There will always be many differences of opinions, but we strive to always align with scripture on doctrinal issues, without allowing traditions to divide the church.

Serving each other may mean looking past differences of opinion to maintain unity.

Without compromising doctrinal, scriptural teachings in the Word, this is a form of respect for other’s opinions and convictions.

[CLICK to SHOW NEXT BULLET]

Serve without conditions!

[CLICK to GENERATIONAL FAITHFULNESS Page]

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Generational Faithfulness

Psalms 145, “One generation shall commend your works to another …”

In-Reach demonstrates service to one another
It also produces Generational Faithfulness
Not just your family, but the families of others you influence.

More is Caught than Taught

In-Reach produces generational faithfulness

Remember - Psalms 145, “One generation shall commend your works to another.”

Have an active faith, not be a silent participant

Make a generationally lasting, and generationally changing impression

Not every person you influence may have a strong spiritual background

Sometimes your service may be the primary influence they see at that point in life

[CLICK to Next Line]

I love the phrase “More is caught than taught.” - Credit Dave Ramsey for where I heard it first

Countless opportunities to influence others

Actions speak louder than words

When our kids were young, one of the many times Missy made a meal for someone

I believe it was a roast dinner with all the fixin’s

The kids were excited to have such a good meal on a ballpark night

Then she packed it up to leave the house

They wondered what she was doing with their dinner

She explained that it wasn’t our dinner, it was made for someone else in need

She told them our dinner would have to be ball park food again

It was just one of many great lessons of serving others that she showed the kids

Those lessons stick with them

When you serve this Madison family, it is seen by your children, it is seen by the families and children you are serving, and it is seen by the bystander

[CLICK to SHOW GENERATIONAL FAITHFULNESS Page

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Generational Faithfulness

II Timothy 1:5, “I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.”

Generational, not Accidental

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Conclusion

I Peter 4:8-11 - “Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies - in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

Let’s work to build a Stronger, �more Connected body of Christ through our �Service to Each Other here at Madison

Find your Connection, find your Area of Service

Conclusion

A church that takes care of its own becomes unified in purpose and unbreakable in faith.

I Peter 4:8-11 gives that good direction of purpose. “Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

Just like the first century church, we need to build deeper bonds and connections through fellowship and prayer, care for the elderly, and by investing in our children.

We do this by serving one another to build deep bonds, creating a generational influence through shared teachings and examples.

[CLICK to SHOW NEXT BULLET]

When we strengthen the family inside the church, we create a congregation that stands firm, has deep roots, and passes faith from generation to generation.

[CLICK to SHOW FINAL BULLET]

Find your Connection, find your Area of Service