Posts Tagged ‘Discipleship’

You may need to hear this, too!

This past weekend, my generous, amazing, nine-months pregnant wife was willing to let me take the weekend away to spend some quiet time for prayer and solitude.  During that time, I felt like my soul was refreshed and that some nuggets of wisdom were given to me to digest…lessons that you may find valuable, too–maybe messages from God’s heart to yours: You already have God’s favor–He sent Jesus for you.  He desires you.  He is FOR you.  You don’t need to pursue God’s favor because he isn’t withholding it; it’s freely given. You must have more of God’s Spirit–God favors you to the max, but you must have more of his Spirit convicting, encouraging, transforming, enabling, and anointing you.  Don’t settle for yesterday’s victories and intimacy. Your weakness is a positive game-changer–”My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power (more…)

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Why I Love The Wesleyan Church: Apprenticeship

“He says he’s a pastor, but he hasn’t got any kind of education.” I was amazed at the disgust in my friend’s voice, himself an ordained Wesleyan pastor.  It was clear not just by what he said but how he said it that a ‘real’ minister is defined by the organized schooling he or she has endured. Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoy learning and am indebted to the kind of education I’ve received in organized environments in the pursuits of diplomas and degrees.  I’m looking forward to continuing my education and hold institutions of higher learning in high regard–especially those operating out of a passion to equip men and women for ministry.  But the attitude that our value or function as ministers is directly related to our (organized) education stands in stark contrast to the way Jesus developed his own followers and the history of The Wesleyan Church.  Jesus utilized an apprenticeship* process whereby he allowed his followers (more…)

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One thing I know…

Worship. Family. Vocation. In the ancient world, these three things were the pillars on which the plane of ‘life’ rested.  They gave definition, boundary, and, perhaps most importantly, identity.  The same is true today: Who/how we worship, the family of which we are part, and the job or career we’ve chosen are what we often use to define us (we’ll have to discuss how far we have(n’t) come since ancient days some other time).  But with these three life-pillars, I think we can more easily relate to one of my all-time favorite stories in Scripture.  It’s found in John 9–you can click this link or just follow along from here: Jesus is walking with his disciples when they come across a man, begging, who has been blind since birth.  One of his disciples ask why this man was born blind and Jesus’ answer was a paradigm shifting, “So God’s work can be displayed.”  And then Jesus heals the man. Pause (more…)

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Why use a freelancer?

Most churches and small businesses don't have a communications department. Using a creative consultant like me can be the next best thing, bringing a new level of dynamic excellence not just to what you say, but how you say it.

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