Have you ever wanted to know God more intently and invigorate your prayer life, but you just didn’t know where or how to start? If your answer is yes, you’re not alone. Prayer is, without a doubt, the most dynamic discipline in a believer’s life. Yet it may be the most misunderstood and the least taught. Pray Like This, a new six-session study by Steve Gaines shows believers that following Jesus' Model Prayer will lead them to fall more in love with God and grow in their desire to engage in conversation with Him. Groups who dive … [Read more...]
A Treasure Awaits: How to Find the Unexpected in Your Bible Study
Theres's something wonderful about getting a gift out of the blue. Whether it’s a care package from home, rediscovering your favorite childhood toy, or finding $20 in an old pair of jeans — gifts are exciting. For a few moments, your heart is content because you’ve just received a treasure you weren’t expecting. Believe it or not, we can apply that same idea to our Bible study time. Do you grasp the value of what you’ve received in the Word of God? And more importantly, are you intentional about digging deep into it to discover all … [Read more...]
Friday Links
Here are some articles, blogs, and podcasts from this past week that you may find helpful as you work with young adults in your church and community. “10 Practical Ways to Read the Bible More” by Chuck Lawless Young adults in our group may have the intention of reading the Bible more, but aren't in the discipline of making daily Bible reading a part of their day. Dr. Lawless gives some practical suggestions we can share with young adults (and ourselves) to make daily Bible reading a priority. “The Attitude Jesus Wants From … [Read more...]
Do Groups Really Matter?
Anytime I'm in the presence of collegiate or young adult ministry leaders, I’m always intrigued by the conversations that surface about our ministries. “What does your large group worship time look like?” “What are some of the issues you're tackling in your group gatherings?” “What type of missions opportunities does your group do?” Are those relevant and important questions to ask? Absolutely. They're all aspects of what draws young adults to our ministries and keeps them involved with the ministry as a whole. However, … [Read more...]
Grace. What Does it Really Mean?
The Greek word for grace is charis, and there’s no question of its importance in biblical theology. Charis appears 116 times in the New Testament. There’s a lot about grace in Scripture because it’s the message of Jesus. Grace means favor. It means acceptance. It means giving. Grace is free in the sense that something done or given in grace is done so without expecting to receive anything in return. Grace isn’t dependent on the way it’s received, the moral goodness of the one receiving it, or even that person’s ability to rightly … [Read more...]
Are You Distracted? (Part 2)
Editors note: This is part 2 of a series. Read Part 1 here. Are you distracted? I recently wrote an article in which I said, "If I could pick one word that I think best describes this generation it would be the word, distracted." So, how about you? Is your focus easily pulled from one thing to another? If so, you're not alone. And, distraction is more problematic than you may initially think. Distraction is doing a lot more than just keeping us from being able to hear God speak. Distraction is keeping us from effectively … [Read more...]
Are you distracted?
If I could pick one word that I think best describes this generation it would be the word distracted. I debated whether or not I really needed to take the time to argue my case, so instead of me writing about it, just look up at the people around you. What are they doing? Where are they looking (or not looking)? The next time you're at a restaurant, watch the people at the tables around you. The next time you're in class, at work, at home, or at the airport, take a minute to notice what the people around you are doing. Between … [Read more...]
Do Something
We live in a word-saturated world. We don't have to look far to find opinions; they find us. Glance through a blog, read a wall-post, scroll through your tweets, or flip through a textbook and you'll hear hundreds of voices clamoring to persuade you. Friends, professors, authors, coworkers, and the media argue controversial issues. Don't misunderstand; communication is great—we're wired for it. But something powerful happens when we replace talk with action, debating with doing, and speaking with serving. So, how do we do this? … [Read more...]
7 Ways to Stick With Your Daily Bible Reading
So you'd like to begin spending time with God daily? It's a noble goal and one that every Christian should strive for. Whatever it is that has moved you to act, you'll have a better chance of developing a daily habit of time with God if you follow these seven tips for nurturing a daily devotional time with God. 1. Pick a time. Make it a priority by calendaring it as you would any other important meeting. We set appointments for much less important things like oil changes, haircuts, and lunches. Set a specific time to meet with Him … [Read more...]
Advent: A Season of Long-Suffering
"Long suffering”—one of the fruits of the spirit—is a phrase that strikes the modern ear as more than a little odd. Today in North America, “to suffer” calls for immediate intervention: a financial stimulus, a pill, a new job, a new relationship. Anything to relieve our pain (however great or small). In fact, most of us wonder how suffering could ever be good, especially over a long period of time. Yet in Scripture, things happen on a different timetable, and terms take on new meanings. With God, a rapid response might take decades … [Read more...]