The Practice of Neighboring

Jay Pathak

The practice of neighboring is engaging your neighborhood in a meaningful way by building genuine relationships right out your front door. In our culture we have under-valued the power of hospitality with our neighbors. We can reclaim the ability to influence our neighbors for Christ by moving from acquaintances to relationships by sharing meals, remembering people's names and opening up our homes to the people living in our neighborhoods.

United for a Purpose

Kate Mizelle

1 Timothy 1:5

Do we recognize that the biblical call to evangelism is not just an individual call, but a corporate call? To fully embrace what God intended, we must understand the unique witness that the body has to a lost world and why our best experience of community comes from when we are focused together on those outside of it. In this workshop we will also brainstorm some practical ideas on how to utilize community in evangelism.

Leading through Uncertainty: Lessons from Nehemiah

Shane Coulter

Nehemiah 8:1-17

Times of crisis, fear, and uncertainty present unique challenges and opportunities for servant leaders. Nehemiah offers us an example of how we too can be bold, faithful and loving in the midst of overwhelming and uncertain times. The effective servant leader will cling to prayer, be bold in the face of opportunities, be creative in the face of setbacks, and will see opportunity in upheaval.

Mind Over Mood

James Rochford

Philippians 4:4-9

Paul contends that we can experience joy even in the midst of suffering. We do this by presenting all our anxious thoughts to God in prayer with thanksgiving. Gratitude affects our prayers by helping us appreciate the goodness of God, makes us bolder and heals our emotional life. By focusing on positive truths, we are not denying the negatives in the world but we are countering our innate negative bias. But, prayer with gratitude is only effective if one actually puts it into practice.

How to Become Spiritually Stable

Chris Hearty

Philippians 4:1-9

\r\nPaul describes to the Philippians how to stand firm in the Lord. Experiencing the peace of God is one way of knowing that you are in the will of God. He lists seven ways we can become spiritually stable. Have unity and humility in relationships. Cultivate a heart of joy. Become a person that is easy to please. Live with expectancy that Jesus is returning soon. Replace anxiety with prayer. Think about the positive things listed in verse 8. The facts in our heads should become truth in our hearts and lead to action in our lives.

Growing with God

Jim Leffel

Colossians 1:9-12

Paul prays for the Colossians that as they grow in their knowledge of God, they will learn to honor God. As they honor God, they will bear fruit and they will grow even more in their knowledge of God. This cycle of knowing God and bearing fruit leads to experiencing God in deeper ways as we learn to trust in the life-changing power of his love.

Meditating on God's Word

Gary DeLashmutt

Psalms 1

The majority of the Psalms are prayers, but the first two Psalms are not. They instead teach us truths that are crucial to effective prayer. An effective prayer life is ignited, sustained and guided by God's Word. Unlike eastern religions where you are instructed to empty your mind, the Bible says to fill your mind with God's Word, to meditate day and night, to abide in His Word. This will result in genuine happiness as we become like a tree planted by streams of water rather than chaff that is blown away by the breeze.

A Prayerful Anthem to God's Word

Gary DeLashmutt

Psalms 119

Psalm 119 is the longest Psalm in the Bible. It is useful for finding insight into how one can improve one's prayer-life. Meditation on God's Word is the foundation of a good prayer-life and a healthy relationship with God. This Psalm emphasizes the Word of God and prayer (petition). The first insight we can gain is affliction provides indispensable motivation to learn and trust God's Word and nothing sustains and comforts us in our affliction like God's Word. The second insight is the "freedom" of assertive selfishness results in constriction but true freedom is living according to God's revealed design.

God's Peace

Conrad Hilario

Philippians 4:4-7

Everyone wants to be happy, yet it is so elusive. True happiness is connected to having peace with God. When we ask for and receive forgiveness from God, we have peace with Him. This peace isn't something we are to strive for but it is freely given to us by God. Paul calls us to be anxious about nothing. Prayer with thanksgiving expresses our trust in God and assumes a posture of humility. Gratitude is not the result of peace but the cause of peace. It reminds us who really is in charge.