Large worship gatherings or a Sunday morning service may be the avenue that draws people to your church, but it’s the relationships developed in small group settings that actually bind people together. Through those relationships and the studying of God’s Word, lives are affirmed, sustained, and changed. Because of that, leading a small group Bible study is one of the most rewarding places of service within the church. As a leader, you will get the best of both worlds—the opportunity to lead and experience biblical … [Read more...]
Greg Ludwig’s Story
Tonight, the last night for worship at Collegiate Week East at Ridgecrest, was such an amazing experience in the presence of the Lord. When Dave Hunt finished his last song, no one wanted to leave. Dave and the band kept rocking it out leading us in worship. Tonight was life changing for Greg Ludwig from Indiana, who accepted Christ as his Lord and Savior. Check out this video of him telling his story. … [Read more...]
Honor Among Competitors
I admit I am a confirmed big three sports fan (baseball, football and basketball) in that order, but occasionally I see something riveting in another sport. This past Friday night, one of those moments took place. Danny Way, Bob Burnquist and Jake Brown went head to head in the Skate Big Air competition in X Games 14, and I have never seen anything close to the drama they created. First of all, they started off a ramp five or more stories high inside the Staples Center in L.A. and then they proceeded to attempt to kill themselves … [Read more...]
Do What It Takes to Keep Your Group Safe
The first time I heard a minister mention the concept of “bouncers,” it made me bristle. In order to keep a church’s young adult worship gathering free of what he described as “stalkers,” several men were stationed around the church to make sure no one gave any women any unwanted attention. If a man even remotely looked like he was making a woman uncomfortable with his presence, the man was taken aside and given a friendly warning to discontinue his contact with the lady. If a second warning was … [Read more...]
Adam Thomason on Red Revolution
Adam stopped by our offices last week, and I got this quick video of him talking about the new study that he is writing for us. Adam has a great message about first culture Christianity and seeing the world through the lens of Christ. I hope you enjoy this sneak peak into Red Revolution, which releases this fall. … [Read more...]
Leadership Reimagined
I’ve always struggled with what it means to be a spiritual leader. I heard I was supposed to be a spiritual leader when I was dating my wife. Did that mean any more than I should keep my hands to myself? I think so, but beyond that I wasn’t always sure how to flesh it out. As a pastor, I’m supposed to be a spiritual leader. Does that mean that I am a professional Christian? I sure hope not. As a dad, I’m supposed to be a spiritual leader. Does that mean I pray before dinner and make my kids go to church? There … [Read more...]
The Least of These
As a 13-year-old boy from a small town in the South, the words social injustice were two words that had no relevance to my life. In fact, the idea that many would lie down at the end of the day with an empty stomach, feeling a chill in the air and with no place to call home was foreign to me. That is what made my first trip to our nation's capitol a life-altering experience for me-both for the social exposure I gained and the lesson I was taught concerning community as Christ intended. It was a beautiful day as our school group … [Read more...]
Becoming a Sworn Enemy of Mediocrity
I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am going to vomit you out of My mouth.Revelation 3:15-16, HCSB Very little good came out of the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. A wide array of government agencies failed to work together and thus failed hundreds of thousands of people in Mississippi and Louisiana who were counting on their help. However, one personality surfaced from the tragedy to give me a battle cry I … [Read more...]
Reflecting on Proverbs 1:1-6
The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel: For gaining wisdom and being instructed; for understanding insightful sayings; for receiving wise instruction [in] righteousness, justice, and integrity; for teaching shrewdness to the inexperienced, knowledge and discretion to a young man- a wise man will listen and increase his learning, and a discerning man will obtain guidance- For understanding a proverb or a parable, the words of the wise, and their riddles. Proverbs 1:1-6 In college I wrestled for the … [Read more...]
How to Integrate Story Into Your Young Adult Ministry
And the story continues… Each week I get to live my childhood over again - climbing in the van, driving home from church with three young children, and listening to them recount the stories they learned from the Bible that morning. I remember the time in my life when I still found wonder and excitement in the stories of Moses & the plagues, David & Goliath, or Jesus walking on water. Nowadays? I barely flinch reading these passages (many probably for the hundredth, or event thousandth time or more), and I’d probably feel … [Read more...]
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