Response Ready

Every once in a while, a familiar passage becomes new. 1Peter 3:13-15 presents an expectation for believers living like followers of Jesus to be ready to explain what is different about them. This sermon, Response Ready, highlights simple ways for a Christian to share their faith, and follows with a skit highlighting sharing gone terrible wrong! Listen here.

Sow Much Guts

Sow Much Guts is a sermon based out of Matthew 13:1-9, 19-23, the parable of the sower. In this parable, Jesus talks about the importance to constantly be sowing seed – sharing Jesus with those around us. This message focuses on God Perspective on Sharing, Understanding the Process of Sharing, Tips for Sharing, and Seeking Opportunities to Share. Listen to this sermon here.

The 5 "Be's" of Evangelsim (by Mike Bergman)

I saw this post today from Mike Bergman at SBC Voices and decided to share an abbreviated version of his post with a link for those desiring to read the whole thing. Basically, these are 5 tips for evangelism that are a little different from most evangelism pointers, here they are:

1.     Be talkative – if you are going to share, you’ve got to talk

2.     Be friendly – the Gospel is offensive, you cannot be

3.     Be authentic – be yourself and share with your personality

4.     Be different – a saved person is transformed, be different than a non-believer

5.     Be prayerful – the Holy Spirit calls, pray they receive Jesus

These are 5 good tips I hope you found worthy of thinking about as well.

What Is The Gospel?

This is a very well done Gospel presentation by SBTS.

What is the Gospel? from Southern Seminary on Vimeo.

Albert Pujols' Testimony

I do not like the St. Louis Cardinals, but I do like Albert Pujols. Here is his testimony:

March Madness and Jesus' Mission

March Madness is my favorite sports event all year. I love how NCAA basketball is on television from the time I wake up to the time I go to sleep (well, for the most part anyway). I love the purity of those who are playing, as exhibited by Cornell University and Northern Iowa this year. I love how the tournament through filling out brackets gets my wife into interested, as well as creating an avenue for my friends and family to reconnect. I also love how exciting the games are with the buzzer beaters, strategies, competition, and amazing athletes. When thinking through this, I was brought to a point where the greatness of March Madness is parallel to the greatness of our faith.

Jesus’ Mission is All-day, Everyday. He says that we are to be in the world not of it, and he prays for our protection from the evil one, that we would be protected when faced with temptation, opposition, persecution, etc. While far too many of us have adapted to the world instead of transforming it (In our language, entertainment, attitude, reactions), we must remember that we no more belong to the world than Jesus himself does.

Another similarity is that Jesus’ Mission is Pure. We all need to be sanctified. Sanctified comes from the Greek word hagios, which means holy or different or separate with 2 meanings: To set apart for a special task and to equip with the qualities of mind and heart and character which are necessary for that task. Simply put, we need to trade the rubbish of the world for something better God has for us! Here is the irony of the world we live in: the world is the enemy of our purity, yet in Jesus’ prayer it is the object of a living purpose expressed in mission.

Jesus’ Mission is also All-Inclusive. The directive to proclaim Christ to others is to the calling of every believer. Many think to live on mission equals us going on a mission trip (to Nicaragua, Alabama, Dallas, Nicaragua, etc), but the reality is going is as central to Christianity as love is. It is part of his nature, and you cannot spell God without GO! It is not special for the pastors or those on mission trips – its for every Christ follower. Evangelizing, sharing Jesus with others is the call of everyone who calls themselves Christian. To take the pressure off we need to understand 2 things: Our job is to share Jesus with others, not save them and we cannot save anyone, only Jesus can do that.

The problem is that we tend to see ourselves as business people trying to earn a paycheck when Jesus sends us out as His representatives or His missionaries. Thus, we need to think like missionaries. This occurs by being constantly aware of the lostness around you; constantly prayerful of those outside of a relationship with Christ; constantly looking for opportunities to share Christ; and constantly living as a person in a relationship with Christ. God’s mission is fulfilled through you and me and everyone else who identifies with Him

The final parallel is that Jesus’ Mission is Exciting. Jesus told us, “As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.” The same mission Jesus came to earth to fulfill is the same we are to fulfill. We are to bear witness to God (and produce followers of God), just as Jesus has done. God equips you for His work – the Holy Spirit is constantly moving, working through and around you.

Recently, I had the opportunity to lead a person to Christ. It was exhilarating to listen to this man I had not seen in 9 months refer to our previous conversation where I shared Christ with him by saying when asked if he had thought about our conversation, “I think about it very much, many times.” Although I was not around to share with him and although no one had spoken to him about Jesus, the Holy Spirit was speaking to him “very much, many times!” There is nothing as exciting as leading a person to Christ and it is my hope we will all join in the excitement our Lord and Savior calls us to engage in!

8 Ways to Show Hurting People You Care

1. Listen, Listen, Listen
Listen not only to the words, but the feelings behind the words.

2. Be Cautious About Giving Advice
Wait for them to ask, “What do you think I should do?”

3. Refrain From Judging or Condemning
People who have problems don’t need you to add to it!

4. Avoid Saying, “I Know How You Feel.”
Share how you hurt with them, see their pain… acknowledge their situation.

5. Be Alert to Warning Signals
Pay attention to frowns, sadness, etc.

6. Realize the Power of Your Presence
Physical presence often speaks louder than any words could!

7. Never Divulge Confidences
Keep your John Brown mouth shut when others share with you.

8. Let God Guide You
“Make Your ways known to me, Lord; teach me Your paths. Guide me in Your truth and teach me.” (Ps 25:4-5)

Share Your Opinion on Health Care Reform With Key Players

I am not in favor of the health care overhaul that is being shoved down the throats of the majority of American people (doctors and congress) who oppose it by our President. It appears as the rush is based upon fears from the Executive branch that knowledge of what the bill entails will end with it being overwhelmingly defeated (based on CNN and FOXNews reports). If you care to express your opinion, here is a list of key players involved and how to contact them:

*The White House: (202) 456-1111
*House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.: (202) 225-4965
*House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio: (202) 225-6205
*Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.: (202) 224-3542
*Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.: (202) 224-2541
*Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which canceled its vote this week on health care legislation because there was not enough support : (202) 225-3976
*Rep. Joe Barton, D-Texas, ranking member on the House Energy and Commerce Committee: (202) 225-2002
*Sen. Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, which passed its health care bill last week: (202) 224-2823
*Sen. Michael Enzi, ranking member on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee: (202) 224-3424
*Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, which is still working on its version of a health care bill: (202) 224-2651
*Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, ranking member on the Senate Finance Committee: (202) 224-3744
*Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y. chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, which passed its health care bill last week: (202) 225-4365
*Rep. Dave Camp, R-Mich., ranking member on the House Ways and Means Committee: (202) 225-3561
*Rep. George Miller, D-Calif., chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, which passed its health care bill last week: (202) 225-2095
*Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga., ranking member on the Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions Subcommittee: (202) 225-4501