Summit Church
ReFormation Pt 4 | Let Us Rebuild! | Jim Ladd
Locations & Times
Summit Church
7200 S Clinton St, Centennial, CO 80112, USA
Sunday 10:00 AM
The same Jesus Who turned water into wine can transform your home, your life, your family, and your future. He is still in the miracle-working business, and His business is the business of transformation." - Adrian Rogers
The Big Idea: Re-Formation requires that I answer the Call, reject the Con, and walk in Community.
1. The Call: “Let Us Rebuild and end this disgrace!”
I am in Trouble and Ruins when I’m living the opposite of Psalms 23:
- I don’t like myself or my life
- I cannot control myself
- I have continual anxiety, clouds, fears, or despair
- I don’t have sustained success in relationships
- My soul is dry, desolate, and desperate
- I can’t find God’s rest for my soul
- I am not bearing fruit that feeds others
- I have no clear and positive sense of identity
- I experience more fear than faith
- Evil has free access to my life
- I don’t like myself or my life
- I cannot control myself
- I have continual anxiety, clouds, fears, or despair
- I don’t have sustained success in relationships
- My soul is dry, desolate, and desperate
- I can’t find God’s rest for my soul
- I am not bearing fruit that feeds others
- I have no clear and positive sense of identity
- I experience more fear than faith
- Evil has free access to my life
God is glorified when you are able to function in a healthy way in spite of your past.
He is glorified when you no longer live in fear but in victory.
He is glorified when you no longer let your past define you.
He is glorified when you no longer allow your past to write
your future but hand the pen to him.
He is glorified when you accept his forgiveness and you forgive yourself.
He is glorified when no matter what road you are required to walk down your life is filled with grace, joy, and peace.
Do you want to glorify God? Live your life fully alive!
He is glorified when you no longer live in fear but in victory.
He is glorified when you no longer let your past define you.
He is glorified when you no longer allow your past to write
your future but hand the pen to him.
He is glorified when you accept his forgiveness and you forgive yourself.
He is glorified when no matter what road you are required to walk down your life is filled with grace, joy, and peace.
Do you want to glorify God? Live your life fully alive!
Nehemiah 2:19 But when Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem the Arab heard of our plan, they scoffed contemptuously. “What are you doing? Are you rebelling against the king?” they asked.
Sanballat – Secret enemy of God (“Sin gave life”)
Your Shame is a Mockery of Christ
Your Freedom is a Shout of Praise
Your Shame is a Mockery of Christ
Your Freedom is a Shout of Praise
Nehemiah 2:20 I replied, “The God of heaven will help us succeed. We, his servants, will start rebuilding this wall. But you have no
share, legal right, or historic claim in Jerusalem.”
share, legal right, or historic claim in Jerusalem.”
Put the Devil in His Place:
You Have No Portion - not one part of my life is yours
No Legal Right - you can fight against me, but you have no legal rights in me.
No Memorial - You get no trophies in my life
You Have No Portion - not one part of my life is yours
No Legal Right - you can fight against me, but you have no legal rights in me.
No Memorial - You get no trophies in my life
2 Corinthians 10:3-5
“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;”
“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;”
3. The Critical Mistake: “My Faith is a Private Matter”
Chapter three is a list of 78 names that are difficult to pronounce and identifies who was rebuilding each section of the wall and gates.
There is one huge truth about your restoration that is revealed in chapter 3 and it is central to your restoration:
You cannot complete the journey of restoration alone.
There is one huge truth about your restoration that is revealed in chapter 3 and it is central to your restoration:
You cannot complete the journey of restoration alone.
John 17:22-23 “I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me.”
38 different men, 8 vocational callings, 6 communities, 7 rulers, and several different age groups mentioned.
What could happen in your life if you allowed yourself to walk in community with others?
We Cannot Settle for Fake Community
I want to be known, but I fear being known
I want to be loved, but I refuse to show my true self, so all love rings untrue - cuz you don’t truly know me.
You are only as sick as your secrets.
“I was afraid, because I was naked, so I hid.” - Adam
“When you’re worried about what people think of you, just remember: they aren’t.” - John Burnett
What could happen in your life if you allowed yourself to walk in community with others?
We Cannot Settle for Fake Community
I want to be known, but I fear being known
I want to be loved, but I refuse to show my true self, so all love rings untrue - cuz you don’t truly know me.
You are only as sick as your secrets.
“I was afraid, because I was naked, so I hid.” - Adam
“When you’re worried about what people think of you, just remember: they aren’t.” - John Burnett
Ways People Form Fake Church Communities
1. Judgment, Not Jesus
* Fake: The group thrives on gossip, critique, or spiritual superiority—often judging outsiders or even each other.
* Real: Christ-centered communities unite in grace, not comparison, and seek to lift others up, not tear them down.
2. Sunday-Only Relationships
* Fake: Members smile and shake hands on Sunday, but there’s no real connection or care throughout the week.
* Real: Genuine church community shows up in daily life—through prayer, presence, meals, and mutual support.
3. Consumer Mindset
* Fake: People attend for what they can get—entertainment, good feelings, or social status—not what they can give.
* Real: Healthy communities grow when each person sees themselves as a part of the body, serving and contributing.
4. Spiritual Mask-Wearing
* Fake: There’s pressure to appear perfect, act holy, or hide struggles to "fit in."
* Real: True community creates space for confession, grace, healing, and transformation.
5. Inner Circles with no inclusion
* Fake: Church becomes divided into inner circles where only certain people feel welcome or valued.
* Real: The church of Jesus is radically inclusive—making room at the table for everyone, regardless of background or status.
6. No Questions or Doubts Allowed
* Fake: People feel silenced when they wrestle with hard questions or struggle in their faith.
* Real: Authentic church invites honest dialogue and discipleship, trusting God to meet people in the process.
7. Faith as Performance
* Fake: Worship, service, or prayer are done for show—more about appearances than true devotion.
* Real: In a real community, worship flows from love, not performance. It's about honoring God, not impressing others.
1. Judgment, Not Jesus
* Fake: The group thrives on gossip, critique, or spiritual superiority—often judging outsiders or even each other.
* Real: Christ-centered communities unite in grace, not comparison, and seek to lift others up, not tear them down.
2. Sunday-Only Relationships
* Fake: Members smile and shake hands on Sunday, but there’s no real connection or care throughout the week.
* Real: Genuine church community shows up in daily life—through prayer, presence, meals, and mutual support.
3. Consumer Mindset
* Fake: People attend for what they can get—entertainment, good feelings, or social status—not what they can give.
* Real: Healthy communities grow when each person sees themselves as a part of the body, serving and contributing.
4. Spiritual Mask-Wearing
* Fake: There’s pressure to appear perfect, act holy, or hide struggles to "fit in."
* Real: True community creates space for confession, grace, healing, and transformation.
5. Inner Circles with no inclusion
* Fake: Church becomes divided into inner circles where only certain people feel welcome or valued.
* Real: The church of Jesus is radically inclusive—making room at the table for everyone, regardless of background or status.
6. No Questions or Doubts Allowed
* Fake: People feel silenced when they wrestle with hard questions or struggle in their faith.
* Real: Authentic church invites honest dialogue and discipleship, trusting God to meet people in the process.
7. Faith as Performance
* Fake: Worship, service, or prayer are done for show—more about appearances than true devotion.
* Real: In a real community, worship flows from love, not performance. It's about honoring God, not impressing others.
Four Levels of Community We All Need:
1. Church Body
2. Circle of Friends
3. Table for Two
4. Altar with God
1. Church Body
2. Circle of Friends
3. Table for Two
4. Altar with God
Response:
1. I will glorify God by being fully alive
2. I will stop listening to myself and start talking to myself
3. I will Do Life in all four levels of Community
1. I will glorify God by being fully alive
2. I will stop listening to myself and start talking to myself
3. I will Do Life in all four levels of Community
Discussion Guide
Series: ReFormation – Week 4
Title: Let Us Rebuild!
Big Idea: True restoration happens when I stop performing, start believing, and stay connected.
Group Discussion Guide: Let Us Rebuild!
Icebreaker:
If you could rebuild or transform one thing in your life right now, what would it be and why?
Discussion Questions:
1. Understanding Restoration:
* How does the story of Nehemiah inspire you in your personal journey of restoration?
2. The Call to Rebuild:
* Nehemiah said, "Let us rebuild and end this disgrace." What areas of your life do you feel God is calling you to rebuild?
3. Facing Opposition:
* How do you handle mockery or criticism when you are trying to make positive changes in your life, similar to Nehemiah's experience with Sanballat and Tobiah?
4. God's Role in Restoration:
* How do you see the "gracious hand of God" at work in your life, as Nehemiah did?
5. Community in Restoration:
* Why do you think community is essential in the process of restoration, as highlighted in Nehemiah chapter 3?
6. Overcoming Shame:
* How can we combat the voice of shame that tells us we are not worthy of a happy life?
7. Living Fully Alive:
* What does it mean to you to glorify God by being "fully alive"?
8. The Power of Unity:
* How can we foster genuine community within our church or group, avoiding the pitfalls of "fake" community?
9. Faith and Action:
* How can we ensure that our faith is not just a private matter but something that grows from and adds to our community and relationships?
10. Personal Reflection:
* What is one practical step you can take this week to begin or continue the process of rebuilding an area of your life?
Closing Prayer: Invite someone to close the discussion with a prayer, asking for God's guidance and strength in the journey of restoration and community building.
New boost
Title: Let Us Rebuild!
Big Idea: True restoration happens when I stop performing, start believing, and stay connected.
Group Discussion Guide: Let Us Rebuild!
Icebreaker:
If you could rebuild or transform one thing in your life right now, what would it be and why?
Discussion Questions:
1. Understanding Restoration:
* How does the story of Nehemiah inspire you in your personal journey of restoration?
2. The Call to Rebuild:
* Nehemiah said, "Let us rebuild and end this disgrace." What areas of your life do you feel God is calling you to rebuild?
3. Facing Opposition:
* How do you handle mockery or criticism when you are trying to make positive changes in your life, similar to Nehemiah's experience with Sanballat and Tobiah?
4. God's Role in Restoration:
* How do you see the "gracious hand of God" at work in your life, as Nehemiah did?
5. Community in Restoration:
* Why do you think community is essential in the process of restoration, as highlighted in Nehemiah chapter 3?
6. Overcoming Shame:
* How can we combat the voice of shame that tells us we are not worthy of a happy life?
7. Living Fully Alive:
* What does it mean to you to glorify God by being "fully alive"?
8. The Power of Unity:
* How can we foster genuine community within our church or group, avoiding the pitfalls of "fake" community?
9. Faith and Action:
* How can we ensure that our faith is not just a private matter but something that grows from and adds to our community and relationships?
10. Personal Reflection:
* What is one practical step you can take this week to begin or continue the process of rebuilding an area of your life?
Closing Prayer: Invite someone to close the discussion with a prayer, asking for God's guidance and strength in the journey of restoration and community building.
New boost