Radical or Foundational?

We’ve gotten so far out of the “box” that being “radical” means getting back into the box.

…someone said to Him, “Lord, I will follow You wherever You go” (Luke 9:57).

How many times I have boastfully said: “Here am I Lord, send me” while thinking to myself, “As long as Your plans do not conflict with my plans.”

And Jesus reveals me for what I truly am (John 2:25). It is there that I realize the depth of my depravity and the grandeur of His Kingdom possibility. It is there, if I am willing, that the King of Kings can either destroy my lofty aspirations or I continue in my treason. He says, “…the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”

Whatever It Takes: I Am His Disciple

I am a part of the body committed to doing “whatever it takes.”

I have Holy spirit power. The die has been cast. I’ve stepped over the line.

I am out of the comfort zone. The decision has been made. I’m a disciple of Jesus. I won’t look back, let up, slow down, or back away. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is secure. I am finished and done with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tame vision, mundane talking, chincy giving, and dwarfed goals.

I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotions, or popularity. I don’t have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by presence, learn by faith, love by patience, lift by prayer, and labor by power.

Your Position In Christ Jesus

One of the greatest gifts you can present to God is to believe – truly accept – what He says about you.

Jesus resisted the devil by applying God’s Word. When you are attacked, it is the knowledge and use of the Word that allows you to resist temptation. We cannot resist him by human will or human effort. We resist him by spiritual means – by using the Word of God, being empowered by His Holy Spirit, and through prayer.

As we look at the Word, apply the Word in faith and obedience, allowing the Spirit to empower that action through prayer we can be victorious.

Practical Idea: Print and post this somewhere in your home, ministry, or workplace where you and others can see it often. Use in your small group setting. Review each Scripture and dialogue about what each means.

Jelly-filled kids

American children are physically obese and spiritually starved. And yet, we continue to serve up unhealthy food at home, school, and church.

I’m no nutritional expert, but let’s do the math:

• Junk food + inactivity + no accountability = jelly-filled donut

We are what we eat.

Back in the day before social media, I remember climbing trees, biking with friends, all-night camp-outs, sword drills, and actually going door-to-door to visit with people face-to-face. Comparatively, seems our kids today are addicted to electronic media and adrenaline-producing-rollercoaster-events and popcorn diets.

Radical Discipleship

“Much of our difficulty as seeking Christians stems from our unwillingness to take God as He is and adjust our lives accordingly. We insist upon trying to modify Him and bring Him nearer to our own image.” -A. W. Tozer (1897-1963), The Pursuit of God

Patrick Morley writes, “What is the greatest problem facing men today? It is the same problem that faces the church and men’s ministries. As a whole, the church is not making disciples. We have a great problem in the church today. An executive in a major denomination said one day, “Our churches are not making disciples.” But that’s not the real problem. The real problem is – we think we are. So what? Most men only know enough about God to be disappointed with him. They listen to the sermons, they try to do the right things, they have it in their hearts to be faithful Christians, but they don’t have much joy, and certainly lack victory over sinful habits. They feel a sense of shame. That’s because they have never actually been “educated” about what it means to “be” a Christian. They are not disciples.”

Want to go where few churches have gone? Want to become more effective in making disciples? Want to become a New Testament church in the 21^st century?

Starting with your new member’s class, the senior pastor can set and manage expectations by clearly and simply presenting a Biblical discipleship model. Use the following free resources and adapt as your teaching platform. Bring accountability to the church. Clearly communicate the following expectations:

• Every member encouraged to read and study their Bible every day.
• Every member encouraged to attend a corporate worship experience every week.
• Every member encouraged to join and regularly attend a home fellowship group.
• Every member encouraged to be involved in at least one meaningful Bible study each year.
• Every member encouraged to be involved in at least one mission activity each year.
• Every member encouraged to be in a meaningful discipleship group with two or three others of the same gender.
• Every person’s privilege and responsibility to disciple others.

Additional resources:

Discipleship Resource Center: Multiple Discipleship Articles

Ray Stedman: The Way of the Cross

Ray Stedman: The Poor-Rich Church

Ray Stedman: Straight Talk From Jesus

Jesus’ last command. Your most important mission.

Regardless of denomination, research says that the church is losing 70% of church-raised kids.

One recent attempt to curb this alarming trend has been to assign the job and responsibility of spiritual influence entirely to dads and moms (based on Deuteronomy 6:5-7). And though I believe that parents do have the greatest opportunity as “spiritual influencers” in their children’s lives, I see this as only partially remedial. Recall that Moses plainly and simply taught the law to Israel so that parents could then instruct their children. As such, we see the church in partnership with parents and parents in partnership with the church. Discipleship is not to be relegated solely to parents; it is the job and responsibility of the entire church.

Children’s Ministry Online Resources

These new resources for children’s and family ministry will greatly help you in your ministry!

Publishers – With so many resources available, look for a curriculum and publisher committed to Jesus’ Great Commission discipleship and whose primary purpose is in providing children’s ministry curriculum; a provider who not only provides resources, but provides hands-on training.

10 Online Church Tools that can help your children’s ministry – Check Them Out!

1. Volunteer Scheduling
For volunteer scheduling, allows scheduling around peoples preferences and availability, which is key. It also has a web-based portion for accessing and updating the scheduling once it has been produced. If you are managing a lot of volunteers it is definitely worth a look.

2. Basecamp – online project collaboration

3. Donor Tools
Donor Tools is simple, inexpensive, and online donor management software for non-profits.

4. Unifyer
Unifyer is a web-based application that unites online communication, online networking, and dynamic media content for your ministry community. Like having a custom social network for your church.

5. ConnectionPower
Here is a way to find out who is missing from small groups and offers follow-up.

6. Jarbyco
Jarbyco is a customizable mobile application built around text messaging that lets you (1) quiz, poll, and survey the congregation, (2) message people, (3) create audience interaction, (4) leverage your website, and even more.

7. Children’s Church Training & Curriculum Great resource for children’s ministry resources, training, and more.

8. SermonPlayer.com
Free online media player for churches.

9. Wufoo
Build online forms (WYSIWYG).

10. ChurchMetrics
Just released from beta testing, this new free web-based application helps you keep tabs on attendance, giving, salvations, and baptisms at your church.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I am an employee of DiscipleLand. Regardless, I only recommend resources that I believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The Secret To Winning | CORE Discipleship

Vince Lombardi once said, “Winning is a habit and so is losing.”

God has a prosperous future for His children and each of us are to run the race set before us. The problem is that most of us don’t know or we forget that we’re in a race. The Apostle Paul tells us: “You’ve all been to the stadium and seen the athletes race. Everyone runs; one wins. Run to win. All good athletes train hard. They do it for a gold medal that tarnishes and fades. You’re after one that’s gold eternally. I don’t know about you, but I’m running hard for the finish line. I’m giving it everything I’ve got. No sloppy living for me! I’m staying alert and in top condition. I’m not going to get caught napping, telling everyone else all about it and then missing out myself.” (1 Cor. 9:24-27, The Message)

Faith Begins At Home

The role of the Church is not to make sure that others can just see the light shining bright from the church building. Rather, the role of the Church is to equip people so that their lights shine in their homes and in their communities.

The Bible says:
Love God, your God, with your whole heart: love him with all that’s in you, love him with all you’ve got! Write these commandments that I’ve given you today on your hearts. Get them inside of you and then get them inside your children. Talk about them wherever you are, sitting at home or walking in the street; talk about them from the time you get up in the morning to when you fall into bed at night. Tie them on your hands and foreheads as a reminder; inscribe them on the doorposts of your homes and on your city gates.” (Deut. 6:5-9, The Message).