Small Groups - Ministry Blah

Here is a list of 5 things to consider when you are feeling caught in a routine. 

Ministry Blah
What can you do when you're discouraged about your God-inspired service?
By Cory Whitehead

Do you ever get a case of "ministry blah"? I define the "blah" as "a consistent discouragement with your place of service." It can be further defined as "feeling like your ministry is useless, that you're not supported, and that no one else cares."

Remember Your Original Passion
Do you remember proclaiming "this is where I'm called to be" or "this is where God wants me to serve"?

1 Peter 4:19 says, "So then, those who suffer according to God's will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good." When the "blah" brings suffering in the form of discouragement, remember your original passion and that will help you dig in a little deeper. Jog your memory of the early days and the calling you felt.

Talk About It
God has a funny way of working, and our friends are sometimes the vitamins we need to get spiritually healthy again.

Fast Until There Is Healing
I've found that when I have the "ministry blah," it's often because I'm not staying well-connected with God. Spiritual disciplines, like prayer and Bible reading, fall by the wayside, and slowly, often without recognizing the symptoms for what they are, I'm bombarded with feelings of discouragement, incompetence, and carelessness.

Set a Goal
Sometimes God shuts down a ministry or moves us to a different area of service. I've experienced times when I felt God wanted to give me a break and build me up for the season ahead.

For this reason, it's not always simple to tell if you're sick with the "blah" or if you just need to change your ministry diet. Besides connecting with God regularly, I often set a goal for myself in regard to the ministry.

Stay Faithful
"Ministry blah" is part of spiritual life. You're not a worse Christian because you have it. You're not wasting your time in your ministry. You're not useless. Actually, the fact that you are in ministry says something important about you. You've stepped out of the boat. You've stepped into a life of service, and that pleases God.

At times when I want to quit, I realize that I have to fight it off. Satan doesn't want us serving God, so he'll do everything that he can to discourage us.

Let's fight the "blah" and persevere in the task that God has called us to.

Source: Small Groups - Ministry Blah

Leadership - budgeting your priorities

Our church is currently in the budget cycle as we seek the Lord's direction for our role in the Kingdom for 2007. Budgeting may seem worldly and lacking in faith, but it can be an exercise in wisdom, discernment and leadership which are all admonished in Scripture.

Here are some personal guidelines that I am challenging some our leaders to consider.

My personal opinion is that activities designed to minister to the needs of people outside of the Body of Christ [evangelism & outreach] should be underwritten by those within the Body of Christ – MT 10:8.

Matthew 10:8 …Freely you received, freely give.

I think that we need to honor leadership by underwriting supplies and training [equipping] so that it does not cost more financially to be a leader than to be a participant (the leader is already donating time and expertise) – 1 Tim 5:17 & Gal 6:6.

1 Tim 5:17 "Elders who provide effective leadership must be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard in speaking and teaching."
Galatians 6:6 "Now the one who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with the one who teaches it."

Fellowship and growth events [building] should be self-funding – Acts 4:32. (participants “share” by giving of tithes & offerings which are used to provide facilities, hospitality supplies, administrative & publicity needs.) Part of “having in common” is providing scholarships for those who cannot afford an activity.

Acts 4:32 The group of those who believed were of one heart and mind, and no one said that any of his possessions was his own, but everything was held in common.

I realize that people with different passions would set different priorities, but my perspective is that priority in allocating resources should be given to outreach, leadership resources and scholarships and that those who benefit from an activity should bear the costs of it.

What do you think?

Has Sunday School gone the way of the Dodo bird?

Found this and thought it was a good summary of some thoughts I heard expressed at a conference 7 or 8 years ago. Here is a summary, link to original is at the end of the post. 

How did Sunday School become a dinosaur?
As I've conversed with other senior pastors of large, growing churches, it seems that our situation is the norm. These days, a church with a strong, thriving Sunday School is the exception rather than the rule.
What in the world happened to Sunday School? Why is the old dinosaur on the verge of extinction?
Here are a few possible explanations:
1. The focus of Sunday School has switched from Outreach to Instruction.
2. The "invitation" of friends is to the worship service, rather than a Sunday school class.
3. Midweek gatherings have replaced Sunday School as the "second hour."
4. Sunday School is the "coffee shop" and the midweek programs are like "Starbucks."
5. The biggest reason for the demise of Sunday School is because the leaders have quit working it.
Maybe Thom Rainer is right when he says, “Sunday School has not stopped working for churches; churches have stopped working Sunday School.”

Source: Revitalize Your Church: Sunday Schoolsaurus

Small Groups - What Do We Want to Study Next?

The following is abridged from ChristianityToday.com/smallgroups a link appears at the end if you want to read the original post.

Five principles for selecting the right study for your group.

by Michael C. Mack

1. QUESTION: Why does the group exist? PRINCIPLE: The main purpose of every group should flow out of the mission of the church.

Once you have clarified your group's mission, you then need to answer the question, "What can we study next that will help us carry out that mission? What should we study that will help us make disciples or make fully devoted followers of Jesus?"

2. QUESTION: Who is in my group? PRINCIPLE: The small group leader's main function is that of a shepherd who knows his or her sheep.

Here are a few questions a good shepherd will ask:

• Where are people spiritually? As a shepherd, you must know where people are individually and where the group is as a whole. Are participants newborns in the faith, like spiritual teenagers, or are they mature adults? (See passages such as 1 John 1:12-14; 1 Peter 2:2; 1 Corinthians 3:1-3; and Hebrews 5:11-6:1 for discussions on how to shepherd people at different spiritual levels.)
• In what areas do they need to grow? Do they need more knowledge about beliefs and doctrine? Do they need to learn the disciplines or practices of the Christian life? Do they need to understand the virtues of the Christian life or the fruit of the Spirit?
• How do they learn best? Do participants in your group tend to learn best through application-oriented discussion, by doing, hearing, reading, or a combination? Would individuals learn better in a group, or would some one-on-one mentoring be helpful?

3. QUESTION: What do you believe? PRINCIPLE: Teach what is in accord with sound doctrine (Titus 2:1).

As you choose curriculum, be sure it leads you to study God's Word, not just someone's opinions, even opinions that relate to Scripture. Examine a Bible study closely before using it in your group. If you don't feel confident or competent to examine a curriculum piece for doctrinal purity, ask a church leader to do so first.

4. QUESTION: What are your group's capabilities and limitations? PRINCIPLE: A group agreement can help establish some basic ground rules for Bible study selection.

Some considerations:

• Depth of studies. Are the studies too deep? Not deep enough? Just right for your group?
• Homework. Has your group agreed to do "homework" between studies?
• Length of study. How many weeks will the study take? Most groups get antsy with more than a six or seven week study. The old standby of 13 week studies just does not seem to work anymore.
• Length of time in each study. How much time will you spend in Bible study in each session? Are there too many questions for the time allotted by the group?
• Good questions. Will the questions in the study lead to discussion and lively interaction, or do the questions sound like a pop quiz, looking for one-sentence answers?
• Open or closed. A long study or series may inadvertently close your group. Do sessions build upon each other or are they somewhat independent, so that new people can easily join at anytime?
• Cost. Discuss with your group how much members want to shell out for Bible study guides.

5. QUESTION: What are your own capabilities and limitations? PRINCIPLE: Know yourself. Don't get in over your head.

• Functionality. How easy is the study to use? Does it include everything you need?
• Prep time. How long will it take to prepare for meetings?
• Cost. How much is this going to set you back personally? Will you have to purchase a separate, and more expensive, leader's guide?
• Passion. Do you like the study? Can you get excited about it each week?

Answer all five of these questions and follow these principles, and you can navigate the sea of curriculum choices successfully. Better yet, you can lead your group to the destination God desires for you.

Used by permission from www.SmallGroups.com.

Source: Small Groups - What Do We Want to Study Next?

Fasting: It's not always about food

 I found this quote from Greg Atkinson and thought it might prompt some self evaluation.

Recently my family and I went to our church’s “Family Camp”, which took place in the middle of No-where, Arkansas. Not only did they have a rule about not bringing laptops with you, but I couldn’t even get a cell phone signal, so trying to find an Internet connection would have been a joke. Though I was not crazy about the idea, I went totally “unplugged” for the entire week of Family Camp. I mean: no cell phone, no iPod, no laptop, no TV – nothing! The first day and a half I was having withdrawal symptoms and really wanted to check my email. But eventually I accepted the reality of the situation and decided to make the most of it. Now don’t misunderstand me, I’m glad to be back in civilization and checking email, etc., but that week of being “unplugged” was amazing. I had some amazing quiet times with God and could actually HEAR from Him for the first time in a long time.

It’s funny, once the noise, the distractions of my TV, iPod, laptop and cell phone were missing I found myself more sensitive to the Spirit and felt more connected to God. I don’t know if that’s a law of nature or what, but the more disconnected I am from the world, the more connected I am to God. I had ideas flowing left and right. I kept a notebook/journal with me and ideas and thoughts were just constantly coming to me. It was as if I had tapped into this spring of creativity and vision and I was drinking away.

Source: MMI Weblog

Good Mentoring

I have condensed this story for you to get a taste then included a link to the original at the bottom if you want to read the full copy.


Good Mentoring: Is your time well spent?
3 success stories compiled by Lesa Engelthaler
Nobody has time to mentor. In fact, conversations with Christian leaders reveal that the number one reason they don't take on a disciple or facilitate a mentoring program is that they simply have no time.
Here are three stories from one church that makes the time.

Mentoring is simply pointing them in the right direction and walking with them
on the journey.—Mark Engelthaler

Mark's Story

One afternoon, I received a frantic phone call from Dan's wife, Anne. Dan was in the hospital with heart problems and wanted to talk to me. After intense conversation and much prayer, Dan made it through heart surgery, and during the process, he became a follower of Jesus.
A few weeks later, Dan asked, "Mark, I believe that Christ died on the cross for my sins, and yet I still have a lot of questions about God, creation, miracles, and so many other things. Will you meet with me so I can sort through these issues?"
"Of course!" I said.
Dan and I try to meet each week for an hour in my office. We began with the Navigator study Growing in Christ and added C. S. Lewis's Mere Christianity. The combination of the two books has spawned great conversation.
Often the men I ask to meet with me come from my natural circle of influence, such as the Bible study I'm leading or younger guys on staff with me. I ask them hard questions up front (Do you seriously desire a deeper and more committed walk with the Lord? Can you commit to a couple of hours a week?) to determine their level of commitment and willingness to see change in their lives. On the whole, my personal screening of potential disciples makes the dropout rate low and the success rate high.
I am also surprised by how people really do grow. Several years ago, I met with a man and, to be honest, at the end of the year I wondered if he had grown at all. Last month I attended a small group meeting during which this guy led the Bible study capably and with deep insights. He had really grown. It's both fun and encouraging to watch God work in people and to know that I had a small part in that growth.
What's the price to be paid? I had to learn to open up my life and calendar to this kind of commitment. But when I choose to meet with these men, God always blesses me too.
Several years ago I mentored a new believer who was so enthusiastic. It was exciting just to be a part of his life. Yet, I chose to use a Bible study with him that was out of his league and too intense. He and I laugh about it today, but I learned that mentoring is more about modeling and relationship and less about proper exegesis of a particular passage.
I want the men in my church to take off their "rugged individualism" mask and see that Christianity is about growing up in Christ and learning to be dependent on him and others. I'm learning that the investment of my time every year to meet with a man one-on-one is an important part of that process.
—Mark Engelthaler

Lesa's Story
Much of my formative spiritual growth resulted from older Christian women saying yes to my cries for help. I was clueless about the sacrifice they made to add me to their schedules. Because of their modeling, I felt compelled to do unto others what they had done unto me.
Yet, as I grew older and "did the math," mentoring one woman a year didn't seem enough. In 1996, I prayed for God to show me other women in our church with the same passion. The answer to that prayer was for me to begin a program to partner women one-on-one for a one-year commitment.

I had one rule for the program: keep it simple. I didn't want something that
took tons of administration.—Lesa Engelthaler

It was not an easy decision. I'm a pastor's wife with a career and already involved in many areas of the church. Where would I find time? So I had one rule for the program: keep it simple. I didn't want something that took tons of administration, and the women involved certainly didn't need "one more meeting."
My keep-it-simple mantra came from C.S. Lewis: "Think of me as a fellow-patient in the same hospital who, having been admitted a little earlier, could give some advice."
In the fall of 1997 we had an informational meeting to explain details: our goal is not intense Bible study, but meeting for encouragement. The commitment is once a month for one year. The participants fill out an information profile, which helps us prayerfully pair them.
This is the hardest part, yet every year I'm in awe at how God sovereignly pairs up women we've never met. Then we contact each woman to provide her partner's name, and the program basically runs itself.
The only extra commitment is attending two group meetings each year. This has become a vital part of the ministry, because when women look around the room filled with others who think discipleship is important, it helps us see that we're a part of a bigger multiplication plan.

Role Reversal

One thing I discovered about mentoring is that I often benefit from what my mentorees have to say.
As I slid into the seat across the restaurant table from my mentoree Melissa, I had anything but "I'm the older godly woman" thoughts in my head. I'd come straight from work, preoccupied with a job-related frustration. Waiting for our dinner I silently uttered an SOS prayer, "Lord, you gotta show up because I have nothing to offer tonight."
I asked Melissa about her day, her family, how her personal time with the Bible was going. Then something happened that was so God-like. Melissa is about ten years my junior, and she's also fairly new in her faith. Yet her profession as director of human resources makes her my "senior" in the work world. Melissa asked me about the situation I was facing. When I told her, then out of her mouth flowed the most amazing managerial wisdom, which was exactly what I needed to hear.
That night, God showed up, but not in the way I'd imagined. He used my mentoree to mentor me.
—Lesa Engelthaler

Bill's Story
One morning I'd planned to ask Randy about his relationship with his wife, Donna. When he arrived, we talked briefly about the Mavericks game, ordered breakfast, and just as I was about to ask my first question, Randy asks one of his own: "Bill, I'm really struggling at work. My boss is asking me to do some things that are unethical, maybe even illegal."
For the next several meetings, Randy and I talked about the risks and rewards of maintaining integrity in the business world. We reviewed some valuable principles from Proverbs and the New Testament about the Christian and his work.

Mentoring is about relationships and influence. It's really life-on-life.—Bill
Brewer

Originally, the subject of work was further down my list of topics for discussion, but that morning, the situation with Randy's boss moved it to the top of the list. God often sets his own agenda through current life experiences. And being flexible is where the power of mentoring is most effective.
Randy worked things out with his boss, and three months later at breakfast, I asked him, "So, what investments have you made lately in your relationship with your wife?"
Mentoring is not about a carefully outlined curriculum. It's about life-on-life relationships.
—Bill Brewer

Books we really use
Mark: Spiritual Leadership by J. Oswald Sanders (Moody); Growing in Christ (Navigators series)
Lesa: Becoming a Woman of Influence by Carol Kent (NavPress); Down to Earth Discipling by Scott Morton (NavPress)
Bill: As Iron Sharpens Iron by Howard & William Hendricks (Moody)
Copyright © 2006 by the author or Christianity Today International/Leadership Journal.Click here for reprint information onLeadership Journal.Summer 2006, Vol. XXVII, No. 3, Page 84

The full article is located at:http://www.christianitytoday.com/le/2006/003/8.84.html

Big Mistakes and Big Rewards

I read the following story about an executive at Google a couple of weeks ago and can't get the story out of my mind.

I am NOT a risk-taker by nature, but wonder if there might be bigger rewards for those I am discipling if I provide a save environment to take risks.

In my parenting I try to protect my kids from this kind of failure. Am I limiting their chance for success?? (by making this statement I know I am setting up somebody to talk about the sovereignty of God)

What the Church Can Learn From Google
I was just reading my new copy of Business 2.0 magazine; and found an interesting article on Google. There was the story of Sheryl Sandberg, one of the Vice Presidents at Google.com who committed an error that cost Google several million dollars...

"Bad decision, moved too quickly, no controls in place, wasted some money,” is all she’ll say about it—and when she realized the magnitude of her mistake, she walked across the street to inform Larry Page, Google’s co-founder and unofficial thought leader. “I feel feally bad about this,” Sandberg told Page, who accepted her apology. But as she turned to leave, Page said something that surprised her. “I’m so glad you made this mistake,” he said. “Because I want to run a company where we are moving too quickly and doing too much, not being too cautious and doing too little. If we don’t have any of these mistakes, we’re just not taking enough risk.”

Hmmm… how does this apply to the church?

If you’re not making mistakes, you just might not be risking enough!

The original story can be found at this link.
What the Church Can Learn from Google

Is Scripture Memory just for Children?

I received the following quote from a partner in ministry. He attributed it originally to John Piper. I think it has some good information that is helpful for any teacher who wants to "keep his razor sharp"

First, a few testimonies: I have it third hand, that Dr. Howard Hendricks of Dallas Seminary once made the statement (and I paraphrase) that if it were his decision, every student graduating from Dallas Theological Seminary would be required to learn one thousand verses word perfect before they graduated.

Dallas Willard, professor of Philosophy at the University of Southern California, wrote, “Bible memorization is absolutely fundamental to spiritual formation. If I had to choose between all the disciplines of the spiritual life, I would choose Bible memorization, because it is a fundamental way of filling our minds with what it needs. This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth. That’s where you need it! How does it get in your mouth? Memorization” (“Spiritual Formation in Christ for the Whole Life and Whole Person” in Vocatio, Vol. 12, no. 2, Spring, 2001, p. 7).

Chuck Swindoll wrote, “I know of no other single practice in the Christian life more rewarding, practically speaking, than memorizing Scripture. . . . No other single exercise pays greater spiritual dividends! Your prayer life will be strengthened. Your witnessing will be sharper and much more effective. Your attitudes and outlook will begin to change. Your mind will become alert and observant. Your confidence and assurance will be enhanced. Your faith will be solidified” (Growing Strong in the Seasons of Life [Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1994], p. 61).

One of the reasons Martin Luther came to his great discovery in the Bible of justification by faith alone was that in his early years in the Augustinian monastery he was influenced to love Scripture by Johann Staupitz. Luther devoured the Bible in a day when people earned doctorates in theology without even reading the Bible. Luther said that his fellow professor, Andreas Karlstadt, did not even own a Bible when he earned his doctor of theology degree, nor did he until many years later (Bucher, Richard. “Martin Luther’s Love for the Bible“). Luther knew so much of the Bible from memory that when the Lord opened his eyes to see the truth of justification in Romans 1:17, he said, “Thereupon I ran through the Scriptures from memory,” in order to confirm what he had found.

So here are a few reasons why so many have viewed Scripture memorization as so essential to the Christian life.

1. Conformity to Christ
Paul wrote that “we all, . . . beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another” (2 Corinthians 3:18)) If we would be changed into Christ likeness we must steadily see him. This happens in the word. “The Lord revealed himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of the Lord” (1 Samuel 3:21). Bible memorization has the effect of making our gaze on Jesus steadier and clearer.

2. Daily Triumph over Sin“How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. . . . I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:9, 11). Paul said that we must “by the Spirit . . . put to death the [sinful] deeds of the body” (Romans 8:13). The one piece of armor used to kill is the “sword of the Spirit” which is the word of God (Ephesians 6:17). As sin lures the body into sinful action, we call to mind a Christ-revealing word of Scripture and slay the temptation with the superior worth and beauty of Christ over what sin offers.

3. Daily Triumph over Satan
When Jesus was tempted by Satan in the wilderness he recited Scripture from memory and put Satan to flight (Matthew 4:1-11).

4. Comfort and Counsel for People You Love
The times when people need you to give them comfort and counsel do not always coincide with the times you have your Bible handy. Not only that, the very word of God spoken spontaneously from your heart has unusual power. Proverbs 25:11 says, “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.” That is a beautiful way of saying, When the heart full of God’s love can draw on the mind full of God’s word, timely blessings flow from the mouth.

5. Communicating the Gospel to Unbelievers
Opportunities to share the gospel come when we do not have the Bible in hand. Actual verses of the Bible have their own penetrating power. And when they come from our heart, as well as from the Book, the witness is given that they are precious enough to learn. We should all be able to sum up the gospel under four main headings (1) God’s holiness/law/glory; 2) man’s sin/rebellion/disobedience; 3) Christ’s death for sinners; 4) the free gift of life by faith. Learn a verse or two relating to each of these, and be ready in season and out of season to share them.

6. Communion with God in the Enjoyment of His Person and Ways
The way we commune with (that is, fellowship with) God is by meditating on his attributes and expressing to him our thanks and admiration and love, and seeking his help to live a life that reflects the value of these attributes. Therefore, storing texts in our minds about God helps us relate to him as he really is. For example, imagine being able to call this to mind through the day:

The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust. (Psalm 103:8-14)

I used the word “enjoyment” intentionally when I said, “communion with God in the enjoyment of his person and ways.” Most of us are emotionally crippled—all of us, really. We do not experience God in the fullness of our emotional potential. How will that change? One way is to memorize the emotional expressions of the Bible and speak them to the Lord and to each other until they become part of who we are. For example, in Psalm 103:1, we say, “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name!” That is not a natural expression for many people. But if we memorize this and other emotional expressions from the Bible, and say them often, asking the Lord to make the emotion real in our hearts, we can actually grow into that emotion and expression. It will become part of who we are. We will be less emotionally crippled and more able to render proper praise and thanks to God.

There are other reasons for memorizing Scripture. I hope you find them in the actual practice.

Monday Encourager - 10/9/2006

I found the following at Christianity Today. I thought it was a good reminder of ONE WAY we can use modern technology to ASSIST in the care of our students. I have condenses the original so that you can get a short tast. If you want to read the whole story, click on the link at the end of the article.

Cyber Pastors
by T. R. Robertson
Our weekly small-group Bible study has been over for nearly an hour. The last of the lingerers has just pulled out of the driveway to head home. I'm picking up the popcorn bowls and coffee cups. My wife is already logging onto the computer, preparing to send quick e-mail messages to several of the young women she has just been talking to.
E-mailing someone she has just spent an evening with may seem odd, but for the young married couples in our small group, it's a vital connection. Some of them will be eager to get home, not to go to sleep, but to log on and see what Karen has sent to their inbox.
Friday morning, I'll be at the computer myself, sending a longer e-mail to a young man who asked a complicated doctrinal question during the evening's discussion, a question that would have derailed the whole study if we had tried to explore it fully at the time. But the next day I can compose a well-thought-out explanation and include links to Scripture references or other online resources for further study. By the time I see him again Sunday morning, he will have had a chance to read it all, and I'm sure he'll be ready to hit me with follow-up questions.
Ministry E-fficiency
In our ministry with college students and young married, we have discovered that a strong sense of personal connection is vital, and intimate relationships are fostered by combining face-to-face and e-contacts. Their expectations for immediacy, heightened by technology, have made our use of the Internet more important. Our contacts now are not only more immediate, they're more frequent.
Small-group ministry is no longer a once-a-week event. It's often daily.
Ministry has changed since we were students thirty years ago. Many contacts we once made in person are handled more naturally and efficiently by e-mail, if we do it right. But the most important things we've learned have little to do with the Internet itself.
We Mentor Young Ministers
I received an e-mail from a young man who had just been asked to perform the eulogy at the funeral of his wife's aunt. The family tabbed him for the job because they know he is religious, plus they knew there would be enough emotional distance for him to handle the task better than those who were closer to her for a longer time.
The problem was, the young man had never done a eulogy. In fact, he had attended very few funerals. Not only did he need guidance and information, but he needed it immediately, since they were leaving for the distant funeral within hours.
I quickly located some helpful and practical eulogy guidelines on a funeral home's website. I sent these to him with some personal encouragement and advice.
Like so many search engines and websites, Karen and I have become Internet resources, of sorts, for people with ministry needs.
We Carry on Theological Dialogue
I was sitting at the computer one afternoon when an instant message popped up on my monitor from Allan: "Hello there!" I responded and we began to chat.
Soon, Allan began asking some serious questions. He was concerned about his faith, and was wondering whether he was really a Christian, since his memories of his salvation experience at age 10 were dim.
I began to ask him specific questions about what he understood about the gospel. Gradually I turned the conversation to questions about his current spiritual life, his prayer life and ministries.
We were able to talk through his dilemma until he could see that his problem might not be whether he was saved back when he was 10, but how he is living the Christian life today.

Here’s a link to the whole article - http://www.christianitytoday.com/smallgroups/articles/cyberpastors.html

Another blog to check out

Check out this blog by a partner in ministry. I respect his integrity and the values that his life represents. He has been in corporate consulting his whole life so his thoughts do not come from "behind the stained glass." This man has great wisdom to offer those who want to make a difference and leave a legacy with their lives.

His Time in His Way

Monday Encourager - 10/2/2006

I received the following in an email from a ministry colleague last week and I thought it might be encouraging to you.

The next time you feel like GOD can't use you, just remember...
Noah was a drunk
Abraham was too old
Isaac was a daydreamer
Jacob was a liar
Leah was ugly
Joseph was abused
Moses had a stuttering problem
Gideon was afraid
Samson had long hair and was a womanizer
Rahab was a prostitute
Jeremiah and Timothy were too young
David had an affair and was a murderer
Elijah was suicidal
Isaiah preached naked
Jonah ran from God
Naomi was a widow
Job went bankrupt
Peter denied Christ
The Disciples fell asleep while praying
Martha worried about everything
The Samaritan woman was divorced, more than once
Zaccheus was too small
Paul was too religious
Timothy had an ulcer... AND
Lazarus was dead!

Now! No more excuses!
God can use you to your full potential..
Besides, you aren't the message, you are just the messenger.