Category Archives: bible study

Second Service @ IBC Berlin


Truth Religious Stock ImageAs you´ve already heard IBC-Berlin is adding a second worship service. That brings up a lot of questions, like why, when, how? This brochure will help make things clearer and will challenge you to join our second service team for a period of at least six months!

What is our mission, vision, and strategy?

IBC Berlin’s mission is to multiply and mobilize disciple-making followers of Jesus Christ (Mt 22 & 28).

Our vision is to establish a core congregation of around 300 regular participants so that we can begin new churches (i.e. home groups, house churches, and church plants) in every Bezirk of Berlin to do our part in reaching 10,000 new believers by 2025.

In order to accomplish our mission and vision we commit ourselves to:

  • Bringing the lost through the love of Christ.
  • Changing believers through the power of Christ.
  • Training disciples in the service of Christ.
  • Sending disciple-makers on the mission of Christ.

 Why do we need a second service?

A second service helps us accomplish our God-given mission, vision, and strategy.  As Christians we want and ought to be disciple-making disciples. It should be not only that Jesus commanded us to tell the Good News to all people and all nations and to help people to grow in their faith (Mt 22 & 28) – but also our hearts’ desires for us to reach our friends, families and neighbors with the Gospel. For that reason our church has to be a growing church.

For the last five years IBC Berlin has grown so that now we have the situation that the sanctuary is “uncomfortably full”. Studies show that churches stagnate and don’t grow when more than 85% of the seats are occupied. This is the situation we have at most of our Sunday services.Worship in Prayer Religious Stock Photo

So we need to do something if we want to continue the growth of our church. A second service is the best alternative; it offers the greatest opportunity with the least risk.

 At which time will the second service be?

At a time that will best help us reach our target group – young, multi-cultural, English-speaking families.  This is a good question. There are a lot of things to think about: Who do we want to reach and when are they most likely to come?  Should it be close to the first service or do we need a break in between? What time is good for families with (small) children? What is the best time for us to invite friends and family? What works best for providing children’s ministry?

So this is one point, where we need to find answers together. We´re going to take a survey to find out what you think is best. And of course besides that we´re praying about and asking the Lord! This is something where you can support, too!

When do we start with the second service?

As soon as we have a small core group that can help us prepare for the “launch.”  One idea is that we start the second service as soon as possible with a group of interested people, no matter how many will show up. Then later, when we´re at least 50 people (on the core team) we would “launch” the second service officially and advertise it to the community.

Why is that? To start “small” means it would be easier for people to find out their gifts and try out new ministries. One example:  If I want to find if I could be a good leader / moderator for the worship service, then It would be easier for me to try in front of a church community of 20 or 30 people than of 150. If it works out, great! If it is not my gift it is probably less awkward for me.

So starting small means that people can find out how they could serve the Lord best with the gifts God gave them. Later, when people feel comfortable in different ministries and when the second service runs “fluently”, it is easier to invite people, because we know what to expect when they come.

A second service also provides the opportunity to try new elements during the service, like drama, multimedia, and different ways for personal prayer. We can try to be more culturally relevant and to “speak” better the language of unchurched people, those who until now are not believing in Christ.

That can (and I am sure it will) make our services more colorful and so more “seeker sensitive”. That means that our unchurched family and friends will feel more comfortable when we invite them to our service.

 How can you get involved with the second service?

Identify one way you can contribute to the team and contact Jürgen.  The second service needs at least as much involvement for the different ministries as does the first service. We need people that are willing to serve as ushers, tech-team, beamer-team, praise-team, etc. Perhaps God is calling you to join one of these teams.

Besides that we can try new things. Why not start a drama-ministry? We´d need actors and leaders (and creative people for finding dramas and decoration). Why not having a film-team? Multimedia in a worship service helps a lot of people open their hearts to the message.

The Bible says that every Christian is gifted. And for what reason? To build up the Body and to expand the kingdom of God! You are gifted – and God asks you to use the gifts He´s given you. The second service is a good chance to do so.

Here’s what we are asking:

  • Pray for God to guide us as we plan and prepare for our second service.  Everyone can do this!
  • Ask God to show you how he wants you to get involved in the second service.  We’re asking God to provide a core group of 50 who will commit themselves to attending and supporting the second service for a period of six months.
  • Commit to serving on one of the second service teams for at least six months.  Find a place to serve in a way that fits your gifts and abilities.  If you have an interest let us know.  We’ll help you find a place of service.


Watch out!  Using your gifts will change you and grow God’s kingdom. The risk for you would be small, but the blessing can be amazing!

The next steps

If you have questions, please, ask them!  If you are willing to serve (no matter if it´s in a special ministry or if you have no idea yet how), please let us know!  Please contact Jürgen and tell him (juergen@ibcberlin.org  or  030.7940.4531).  He’ll be glad to help you!

Tenebrae — Good Friday Shadows Service

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Good Friday, 18. April

19:30-20:30 h @ IBCB

Commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus Christ in this solemn, reflective service of worship that invites participants to humble themselves before the Lord and to confess their sins.  We will use a variety of candles, images, scriptures, songs, and actions to guide us in this service.

The nature of this service makes it inappropriate for babies and children; thus, childcare is available in the downstairs fellowship room for this service.

If My People … A Call to Prayer

 

Prayer2

… if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.  2 Chronicles 7:14

God has called us to be on mission with him to seek and to save the lost and to make disciples.  The foundation of our obedience is nothing less than a passionate, authentic love for God himself.  The way we encounter God’s power and provision for doing what he asks us to do is by experiencing his presence.  Only when we enter his presence for the purpose of enjoying him will we be empowered to do what he has called us to do.  Only when we engage him in an authentic love relationship will his work be accomplished.

We believe God has called us to do great things for his kingdom during this year:  call a 2nd pastor (part time), start a 2nd service, grow and give to the point that we can support the 2nd pastor full time, send four teams on international mission projects, and more.  We can NOT accomplish this apart from God’s miraculous intervention … God’s personal presence.

That’s why I am calling our church family to a time of prayer asking God to renew us personally and to revive us corporately.  The prayer requests below are a great place for you to begin your praying as individuals, families, small groups, ministry teams, and a church.

Join me and the rest of IBCB as we together humble ourselves before the Lord in prayer seeking his face.  Be prepared to return to the Lord through repentance and recommittment.  Let God have his way in your life through surrender and sacrifice.  Then watch what God does … what only he can do!

  • Pray for your church leadership to seek God with their whole hearts. See Acts 6:4
  • Pray for a spirit of repentance to fall on individuals and the congregation at large. See Acts 5:11
  • Pray for a spirit of forgiveness to permeate the members so that those who may be at odds will be reconciled. See Matt. 6:14-15
  • Pray for families within the church to draw close to Jesus and to each other. See Eph. 3:14-21
  • Pray for a spirit of humility to replace any pride that has arisen. See Gal. 5:22-25
  • Pray for kingdom purposes to be accomplished within your life and through the congregation. See Matt. 6:33
  • Pray for a natural turning back to Jesus as the head of the church in all decisions. See Eph. 4:15-16
  • Pray for a spirit of surrender to our Father’s will, following the example of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. See Luke 22:42.
  • Pray for lost people to be saved. See 1 Tim 2:1-5

 

Serve the City Berlin, 22. March

Again… It’s Serve the City time!

STCBerlin

We would be delighted to see you on our next Serve the City day at 22th March from 1pm to 7pm! We have prepared some terrific project for you!

Please register soon!

Project 1: Kitchen aid! Cutting,chopping, snipping: For the homeless shelter of the Berliner Stadtmission we want to support the cook Robert by cutting, chopping, snippin all that is needed for the soup in the evening. So we need so people who are not afraid of knives nor vegetables 🙂  This will be our last time at the Stadtmission as it is closed from April till Oktober. The next project there will be in November!

Project 2: Collecting Food Donations: We want to support the Berlin Stadtmission. From November till March they have a “Winter Watch” for homeless people. We want to go to a grocerie shop (KAISERS) and want to encourage customers to give small donations e.g. pack of flour etc. We will deliver the donation to the Stadtmission in the evening (http://www.berliner-stadtmission.de/wie-sie-helfen/aktuelle-spendenprojekte/kaeltehilfe). This will be our last time at the Stadtmission as it is closed from April till Oktober. The next project there will be in November!

Project 3: Fresh air, nature and some gardening:  In the garden of the Siloah residence there is always plenty to do- especially in spring time. Siloah is a facility for handicapped people- young and old. STC has been there for a couple of times and we have good relationships with the gardeners. We will help weeding,raking and make the garden ready for spring!

Project 4: Feel like at home at Café Treffpunkt! We want to create a special afternoon for the visitors of the Café Treffpunkt.

Project 5: Everything becomes new at Memi-Treff! We need handy people who know how to hold a brush because in this 12 storie building we will help to create a new living atmosphere and make everything look new!

Evening-Projekt 6: Soupkitchen: Those of you who want to have a closer contact to people without a home can register here. In the evening we will help at the soup kitchen to serve food to 160-200 people. This will be our last time at the Stadtmission as it is closed from April till Oktober. The next project there will be in November!

Additionally: For the soup kitchen we want to donate self-made cakes, which will be delivered in the evening. Please let us know, if you want to bring a cake!

As usually you can register on our website:http://www.servethecity-berlin.de/projekte/m%C3%A4rz-2014/   or through replying to this e-mail!

We are looking forward seeing you!
The Serve the City Berlin Team