THE RESULTS

Ron Kelly

OVERVIEW

Is your church truly following the voice of the Good Shepherd—or just following trends? This sermon challenges believers to return to Christ-centered leadership, Spirit-led planning, authentic discipleship, and holistic mission, showing how surrender, stewardship, and spiritual unity build a church that thrives in both power and purpose.

The Results
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ABOUT-- Ron Kelly

Ron Kelly previously served as the senior pastor of the Village Seventh-day Adventist Church in Berrien Springs, Michigan. Before his ministry in Michigan, he was the senior pastor in Cicero, Indiana, adjacent to Indiana Academy, for nearly 20 years. He enjoys sharing the Word of God and assisting in mission trips.

SERIES INFO

KEY INSIGHTS

💡 Jesus as the Good Shepherd and Ongoing Leader: Scripture in John 10 affirms that Jesus has neither resigned nor abandoned His role as shepherd of His flock. This means churches must actively seek His voice and leadership daily. Spiritual vitality depends on aligning with Christ’s guidance, rather than relying on human power or methods. Jesus’ sacrifices and leadership remain central, calling for believers to listen carefully and follow faithfully.

💡 Divine Leadership Trumps Human Planning: The speaker cautions against overreliance on strategic planning divorced from God’s involvement. Even well-developed human plans can fail when detached from God’s will. Instead, the church must approach planning as a prayerful, God-led activity, allowing the Holy Spirit to guide decisions. The Bible warns against idols of human wisdom and intellect that usurp God’s glory. The success stories from the speaker’s life illustrated God’s miraculous provision when the church aligned itself with His plans, despite human uncertainty or lack.

💡 The Church as Living Stones Building the New Jerusalem: Using 1 Corinthians 3 and 1 Peter 2, the sermon portrays believers collectively as “living stones” being built into a spiritual temple with Christ as the foundation. This highlights the community and interconnectedness requirement within church life, where every member’s contribution matters and must honor God. It also rejects sectarianism or divisive loyalties to particular leaders, emphasizing unity in Christ alone. This metaphor fosters a view of the church as dynamic, growing, and spiritually integrated rather than static.

💡 The Folly of “Church Growth Movement” Methods: The speaker critiques the church growth movement for promoting superficial results, often tied to consumerism and transactional faith, which undermines the Bible’s power and true spiritual transformation. This approach prioritizes entertainment and worldly tactics that may draw crowds but fail to produce lasting faith or spiritual maturity. Instead, the message calls for a return to scriptural principles, faith-based reliance, and patient nurturing of souls through genuine evangelism and discipleship.

💡 Lay Leadership and Congregational Participation: A significant theme is the indispensable role of godly, consecrated lay leaders who support pastors and sustain local churches. The speaker shares personal testimony about how faithful church elders and laypeople have preserved and strengthened his ministry, illustrating the need for empowered, wise lay involvement. This counters the modern tendency to centralize leadership or rely too heavily on professional clergy. Unity and intentional communication between pastors and laypeople foster a healthier, more resilient church.

💡 Medical Missionary Work as a Vital Church Ministry: The integration of health-based ministries alongside traditional evangelism is presented as a breakthrough approach. By addressing physical needs through hydrotherapy, education, and lifestyle programs, the church opens doors for spiritual conversations and holistic healing. The example of the Village Church’s lifestyle reset programs demonstrates how medical missions attract seekers by meeting tangible needs and preparing hearts for the gospel, thus expanding the church’s reach and impact.

💡 Faithful Stewardship and Generous Giving Unlock Divine Provision: The sermon stresses the importance of returning tithe and offering with faith, viewing financial giving as an act of worship and trust in God’s provision. Generous giving coupled with godly stewardship has led to miraculous financial support in church building projects and ministry expansions. This counters scarcity mindsets and encourages believers to give their best as a reflection of honoring God. The testimony of unexpected fundraising success encourages Christians to trust God with their resources no matter the apparent obstacles.

💡 Authenticity, Humility, and Spiritual Formation Over Performance: The speaker warns against pride, denominational conformity for show, and shallow devotion. Instead, the church must prioritize spiritual formation that involves heart surrender, practical sacrifices, and personal holiness as expressed in Adventist lifestyle principles such as modesty, health, and simplicity. The story of confronting a new member about jewelry and outward appearance highlights the tough but necessary pastoral role to help believers grow holistically. Authentic transformation is foundational to sustainable church health and effective witness.

💡 Spiritual Warfare is Inevitable But Conquerable Through Prayer and Faith: The message candidly acknowledges that ministry will face resistance and crisis because the principles of Heaven are opposed by the forces of Hell. However, this battle is meant to be fought with prayer, faith, and reliance on God’s power, not human strength. Believers and leaders must develop spiritual courage, remain steadfast, and trust God to bring victory. The metaphor of the church moving like a mighty army adopting spiritual armor recalls biblical exhortations to contend for the faith with divine help.

💡 Church as a Missionary Community and Connection Network: The sermon underscores the importance of relational bonding and community as a platform for mission. Church social events, mission trips, and informal fellowship are vital for connecting believers so they can encourage one another and reach out effectively. Creating non-neutral environments like mission trips forces dependency, team building, cross-cultural exposure, and spiritual growth, enriching both participants and the church body. Such shared experiences cultivate deeper commitment and practical love among members.

DATE ADDED: June 12, 2025 TOPICS: No SKU: RK-327L
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