Building a legacy requires a church to be fruitful. Two prophetic portraits of a fruitful church: Antioch Church and the River of God. Characteristics of the Antioch Church: 1) Radically committed to the power of the gospel. 2) A Multi-cultural Church. 3) They experienced a great harvest. 4) There was an evidence of God’s grace. 5) An Active Five-Fold Ministry - apostles, teachers and prophets. 6) Hungry for God’s Word. 7) Modeled a Christian Lifestyle and 8) A Generous, Giving Church. Secondly, the River of God. God repeatedly used “rivers” as a symbol of His life-giving Spirit. God desires that every church experience the river of God. The River brings blessing and life: 1) The river is a place for fruitful trees to be planted and to grow. 2) The river causes life to spring forth everywhere. 3) The river brings healing and health to everything. 4) The river will be a place for many fish. 5) The river flows out to dry and barren places. There are differing levels and depths for entering into the river. We must Step into God’s River.

In Gods economy festivals where designed for three objectives: 1) Thanksgiving - show appreciation and reflect on the things God has done. 2) Fellowship - with God and with one another. and 3) Prophetic - for telling and forth-telling. Why do we respond to the invitation? We respond to the invitation: 1) According to the value we place on the person who has invited us. 2) Based on what we stand to gain. 3) To show gratitude. What will be your excuse: 1) The invitation is worth the sacrifice, 2) There is enough provision and 3) God is saying everything is ready.

A good shepherd lays his life down for the sheep, he never runs but is always on high alert to save the sheep. A good shepherd has compassion and takes responsibility for the lost. Prophetic shepherd sees the lost and takes action to bring them back home. We need to move from mere evangelism to spirit-led, strategic evangelism. The holy spirit needs people that can move urgently. There are so many man and woman who are ready to come back but need people who can work with the holy spirit to bring them back home.

Jesus always sees value in his people, whether they are sinners, tax collectors etc. When we draw near to Jesus to hear him, our lives begin to change and things begin to happen, as he draws near to us. The thing that distracts you is less important than what it distracts you from. Serving is important but knowing the God we serve is more important (Luke 10:38-42). Jesus was not focused on the sin of those that draw near to him but their lostlessness. We also have to be worried about those that are lost rather than judge them, be persistent in evangelism.

Tucked between Christ’s resurrection and ours to come is the church of God on a mission here on earth to influence the way people think, how they behave, and who they ultimately glorify. But, any local church that allows the local culture to invade her will certainly fail in her mission. 1) What makes us the church of God: i) the life of God we share, ii) the will of God we submit to and iii) the work of God we seek to promote. 2) What threatens the church of God? The guiding philosophies of this age which are shaping the people of our generation: humanism, moral laxity, and personal selfishness. 3) What may cause the church of God to fail?: lack of readiness, courage and moral convictions. 4) What will help the church of God succeed ? The message of the Cross delivered in the power of the Resurrection with a steadfast faith, an unmovable hope, and an enthusiastic work done out of love for God and his people.