Laying the Foundations for Spiritual Renewal

Ryan Lowery

Nehemiah 2:1-18

For many Christians, the balance between using their minds to strategize and depending on God is difficult to find. Nehemiah is a great example of someone who was extremely strategic in reaching his goals, while at the same time remaining diligent in prayer. Ultimately, Christian workers need to learn how to take an honest look at spiritual goals and the barriers to their fulfillment, and be ready to take a step of faith.

Discovery Bible Studies

Curt Stearns

Pam Stearns

Luke 10:1-9

To understand how to use the Discovery Bible Study method with cultures and people of faith who don't know the God of the Bible, it is important to understand the principles behind Church Planting Movements. Church Planting Movements consist of these principles: 1) pray abundantly; 2) gain access to a community; 3) search for the person of peace; 4) Discovery Bible Studies; 5) obedience based discipleship; 5) develop leaders. Once you have prayed and found the person of peace you can begin the Discovery Bible Method.

Prayer and Evangelism

Jeanne Arter

Luke 10:1-9

Prayer is the means of communicating with a God who loves unconditionally, but Christians often avoid or neglect it. Praying is a heavy and taxing work. Still, there are ways to commit to prayer and to persevere in it. This is necessary for successful evangelism, and it involves God in reaching people.

Effective Teams

Mike Sullivan

Colossians 4:7-18

Through Paul and his team we learn qualities that make a team effective. Qualities that made them effective were their faithfulness, growth in their roles, giving each other second chances, serving together, fighting together, praying for each other, challenging each other, and loving each other. There was genuine love and closeness. These are qualities that we can develop with the people we serve with. Effective followers of God are on teams and never working alone. Who is your team? What qualities can be developed to be more effective in God's work?

Representing Jesus in What We Say

Gary DeLashmutt

Colossians 4:2-6

Three guidelines to represent Jesus well in what we say: 1) pray for open doors; 2) make the most of every opportunity; and 3) speak graciously. Each Christian has a significant role to speak in a way that attracts people to Jesus. It's important to pray for ourselves as well as each other. It's important to be sensitive to the open doors God will give to share something about Him. It's important to be good listeners and good question askers. The purpose of following Paul's instruction in this way is to be God's ambassadors to the people He's put in our lives.\r\n

Prayer

Ryan Lowery

Colossians 4:2-4

God wants to change the world through us, so He must teach us how to communicate with Him: through prayer. The apostle Paul writes that devoting ourselves to the difficult task of strategic prayer plays a key role in our lives and the lives of others. He records three main ways we can pray: with thanksgiving, for other people, and petitioning.

The Church Before the Watching World

Dennis McCallum

Colossians 4:2-6

The Bible states that there is an important message from God to be proclaimed, and that there is good reason for believers to share their faith. There are three ways to share this message with people: 1) through prayer; 2) through lifestyle; and 3) conversation.

Speaking For God

Scott Risley

Colossians 4:2-18

As Christians, we have been entrusted as ambassadors of God's message of forgiveness through Jesus. As we go out and try to tell others about Jesus and his offer of forgiveness, there are some principles that can assist us in this work from God: 1) devotion to prayer; 2) speaking in a way that accurately reflects Christ; and 3) exhibiting wise and authentic behavior to those who don't know Jesus.

Christians At Work

Gary DeLashmutt

Colossians 4:2

God's will for His followers is to live their whole lives for Him, not compartmentalizing their spiritual life from their secular life. Paul focuses on four key issues on the topic of Christians at work: 1) for whom we work; 2) what should characterize our work; 3) why we should work this way; and 4) how we are empowered to work this way. When Christians serve and represent Jesus well in the workplace it can have an impact on Jesus' reputation, on our personal growth, on people coming into Christian fellowship, and growing personally with Christ.