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The Vine Church

Transformers

Aaron Dowds

Locations & Times

The Vine Church

131 Garvock Hill, Dunfermline KY11 4JU, UK

Sunday 11:00 AM

General notes on message:

John Ortberg:

“The fact that you were made in the image of God tells you not just about your worth, but also about your destiny. The main point of “image of God” language in scripture is not about some ability or trait we share with God, its about the mission He has given us… Through our learning, our work, our culture, our relationships, technology, the arts, medicine; we are with humility to add goodness and beauty to families and societies and creation so that God’s whole project becomes a glorious delight to all who see it”

Genesis 1:26

Tselem: Hebrew word for image
Demut: Hebrew word for likeness

Both refer to something that is similar but not identical to the thing it represents or is an image of. We can give a definition that man is made in the image of God as this:

The fact that man is in the image of God means that man is like God and represents God.

The fact that man is made in the image of God has been referred to using the Latin phrase Imago Dei, latin for image of God.

Martin Luther King, Jr quote

“You see the founding fathers were really influenced by the Bible. The whole concept of the imago dei … is the idea that all men have something within them that God injected. Not that they have substantial unity with God, but that every man has a capacity to have fellowship with God. And this gives him uniqueness…. There are no gradations in the image of God. Every man from a treble white to a bass black is significant on God’s keyboard, precisely because every man is made in the image of God. One day we will learn that. We will know one day that God made us to live together as brothers and to respect the dignity and worth of every man. This is why we must fight segregation with all of our non-violent might.” (sermon, 1965, Ebenezer Baptist Church) http://m.blogs.christianpost.com/guest-views/martin-luther-king-jr-psalm-146-and-the-imago-dei-14313/

William Lane Crain quote

“After all, on the atheistic view, there’s nothing special about human beings. They’re just accidental by-products of nature that have evolved relatively recently on an infinitesimal speck of dust called the planet Earth, lost somewhere in a hostile and mindless universe, and which are doomed to perish individually and collectively in a relatively short time. Richard Dawkins’ assessment of human worth may be depressing, but why, given atheism, is he mistaken when he says, “There is at bottom no design, no purpose, no evil, no good, nothing but pointless indifference.… We are machines for propagating DNA.… It is every living object’s sole reason for being”? On Guard, William Lane Craig

“When humans are looking after creation and bringing God’s healing restorative justice to creation in all sorts of ways there they are reflecting God into the world.”

NT Wright, Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity at the University of St Andrews.

“I think what Jesus says here is remarkable. The value given to you is intrinsic, it’s not extrinsic. That every human life is a life of worth and a life of value.

The imperative of love and compassion from Christ to the marginalised in society came as a natural outworking of these 2 precepts that every human being is made in the image of God and you shall love your neighbour as yourself.”

Ravi Zacharias

Hans Rosling: 200 years in 4 minutes - BBC News

Swedish stats guru and public educator Hans Rosling has died aged 68. In this spectacular section of The Joy Of Stats, broadcast by the BBC in 2010, he tells the story of the world in 200 countries over 200 years using 120,000 numbers - in just four minutes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8t4k0Q8e8Y&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR04_RHD1Ur1ajJMsiTh5POOQymb8lNc9g5k3AbWjgg1oVNGoslvuuHHhtU

For example, in the U.S., the end of open legalized slavery called the abolition, nearly every single one of the abolitionist leaders was a follower of Jesus. And they were writing their arguments to end slavery based on the New Testament, and saying, “If we're going to be true followers of Jesus, we have to end slavery.”

William Wilberforce was simply the greatest social reformer in the history of the world. The world he was born into in 1759 and the world he departed in 1833 were as different as lead and gold.

“His new perspective made him about as zealous to improve the social conditions of the world around him as anyone who has ever lived. As we shall see, in Wilberforce’s day, it was devout Christians almost exclusively who were concerned with helping the poor, bringing them education and acting as their advocates, and who labored to end the slave trade, among other evils. But so successful would Wilberforce and these other Christians be at bringing a concern for the poor and a social conscience into the society at large that by the next century, during the Victorian era, this attitude would become culturally mainstream.”

Amazing Grace. Metaxas.

Robert Boyle who created Boyle's Law in modern chemistry. He actually wrote a book called the Christian Virtuoso, which you can read today. And in the Christian Virtuoso, he argues that a view of God as the creator of the cosmos enables you to be the best at science.

Albert Einstein once said,

“First, God gave us Newton's laws of motion,” and then the rest of his quote essentially says, “Modern science is the result of that.”

Jesus Skeptic, John S. Dickerson

Can we know if Jesus actually lived? Have Jesus's followers been a force for good or evil in history? A respected journalist set out to find the answers--not from opinion but from artifacts. The evidence led him to an unexpected conclusion: Jesus really existed and launched the greatest movement for social good in human history.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jesus-Skeptic-Journalist-Credibility-Christianity-ebook/dp/B07PVPZYY9/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Jesus+skeptic+dickerson&qid=1583529134&sr=8-1

Kate Forbes on her 'dream job' as Scots finance secretary

Ms Forbes said her Christian faith is "an integral part of my identity" and "core to who I am" - but rejects that it should have any bearing on how people view her politics. She said: "People are perfectly entitled to scrutinise me, to question me, but ultimately they should look at the decisions I make.  "I would think it's a very dangerous world to be in if anybody by virtue of a protected characteristic like religion is essentially told they can't stand for public office or can't be in the public square."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-51741196?fbclid=IwAR0DNA7C4Umy7UJFA7Fyi-8V3ikSCy0QR5tG1aov0scDQyYetxGQZmYjweE

BLESS

Begin with prayer
Listen to people
Eat with people
Serve People
Share your story

C.S. Lewis Quote

“I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: I'm ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don't accept his claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic — on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg — or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to. ... Now it seems to me obvious that He was neither a lunatic nor a fiend: and consequently, however strange or terrifying or unlikely it may seem, I have to accept the view that He was and is God.” C.S. Lewsis, Mere Christianity

Jesus Skeptic

Read Plan

Free Christian Bible Study Netflix for you

RightNow Media RightNow Media is a library of thousands of videos for all ages and stages of life that we are providing to our attenders for free. Think of it as a free subscription to Netflix with content that is designed to help you grow in your faith, family, and relationships. We are providing you with hours of content to encourage, strengthen, grow & challenge you. Use it for entertainment, teaching, small group prep, family time, etc. The content is for you to use as you please. https://www.thevinechurch.com/rightnow-media/

Giving

We are so thankful for the generosity of so many people at The Vine Church. Their support enables the vision of this local church to be outworked. Over and above Sunday morning voluntary offerings, there are a number of ways in which you can give. You can give online easily here: https://thevinechurch.churchsuite.com/donate/

Vine Kids

We are pleased to welcome new children and their families to Vine Church Children’s Gangs. Our children’s Gangs are for all children from age 1 to those in Primary 7. Our Gang’s operate during the message part of the service and we enjoy bible stories, games, toys, craft, prayer, worship, snacks and lots of fun together. Find out more and what ages kids gangs are for... http://www.thevinechurch.com/childrens-work-2/

Prayer Request or Praise Report

If you have a prayer request or want to tell us about answered prayer, please do so here. We Value the Power of Prayer “Supernaturally Transforming Lives and Circumstances” “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” – Philippians 4:6 NIV As a church we have numerous stories of people who have had prayer answered and seen incredible miracles take place. We have stories of; miraculous healings, miraculous protection from danger and harm, children being born when it seemed impossible, hospitals and orphan’s villages being built in Haiti and many, many more examples that God still answers prayer today and miracles do happen. http://www.thevinechurch.com/prayer-and-care/

Join a Life Group

In an age where people lack community, Life Groups provide the ideal environment for friendship, connection and growth. Read more about Joining a Life Group https://www.thevinechurch.com/groups/

Synergie Youth

Synergie – A coming together producing something GREAT! Read about our fantastic Synergie youth that work with high school age youth... http://www.thevinechurch.com/synergie-youth/

Join a Team

“Our Church is not built on the talents and gifts of a few but on the sacrifice of many.” –Brian Houston The Vine church is as effective as our people. The greatness of our church relies on the heart of our people and their willingness to serve others. Our church functions because ordinary people give their time, talents and energy willingly and cheerfully to serve others. Joining a team is an excellent way to get connected into the life of our church, make friends and help the church to grow. In fact the growth in health and size of our church depends on every member serving and “doing their own special work”: “…as each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is growing and full of love.” Eph.4:16 NLT Read more and join a team https://www.thevinechurch.com/groups/

Vine Church Events

https://www.thevinechurch.com/events-calendar/

Adorn Women's Events

Ladies you’re warmly invited to Adorn, a regular inspirational evening with dynamic teaching, fun and a great place to make new friends and develop your inner beauty as woman after God’s heart. Adorn more than your appearance and attire, let your adornment be what’s inside “Let your adornment be what’s inside – the real you, the lasting beauty of a gracious and quiet spirit , in which God delights.” 1 Peter 3:4 https://www.thevinechurch.com/adorn/

Fight Club 59

Fight Club Men, Your hour has come to move from fed up to head up. Fight Club trains men to fight an excellent fight. It leads men to win the right battles. Fight Club trains men; To fight to discover your identity, purpose and destiny. To fight the real source of the opposition and resistance you face. To fight for your life, your marriage, your family, your brothers, your cities and your nation. Fight Club Trains men to be Strong|Confident|Mobilised|United https://www.thevinechurch.com/fight-club/

Worship Nights

There is a great stirring in the worship and it’s time for us all to join the momentum building and get hungry for more. Nothing compares to God’s presence, and nothing can mimic, transform or breakthrough in our lives like His awesome presence. Details here... https://www.thevinechurch.com/worship-nights/