may I direct you to a blog that has the BEST resources in Sunday School work I have ever seen.
Darryl Wilson, Director of the Adult Sunday School Department of the Kentucky Baptist Convention, has put together in compressed form, everything you will ever need to know about Sunday School work.
Just click here to be instantly transported to useful materials and insights.
The largest Bible Conference for pastors was held a few weeks back at First Baptist Jacksonville Florida.
One of the speakers was Dr. David Allen who serves Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary as Dean of the School of Theology, Professor of Preaching, Director of the Center for Expository Preaching, and George W. Truett Chair of Ministry. He is the author of Hebrews in the New American Commentary Series (Nashville: Broadman & Holman, forthcoming). These great sermons are found here and here
Dr. Albert Mohler has two very very good selections this week worthy of a careful read.
The first deals with the issue of theistic evolution, “It is entirely possible to be a confused Christian or a confused evolutionist . . . or both.” Wisely, Dr. Mohler summarises the situation with “the theology that has declared a truce with Darwin is a theology that is required, for example, to see God allowing any number of possible outcomes to history — a God who is “deeply involved” in creation, but not omnipotent. So I repeat my assertion: This is not biblical Christianity.”
The second offering is a very intense and very well reasoned series of lectures “Atheism Remix: The New Atheism as a Challenge to Christian Theology”.
4 Lectures each of an hour’s length, each worthy of publication and wide distribution.
Thursday February 14th at 2 pm and then again at
7 pm at the Newcastle Baptist Tabernacle
Don’t miss this tremendous opportunity to hear acclaimed speaker Ann Cretin from the Southern Baptist Convention’s Lifeway organisation.
Ann, with her husband Steve has been a missionary for many years throughout Asia, serving the Lord through conference work.
Ann will be introducing us to The Search For Significance.
Have you ever struggled with feelings of inferiority?
Do you find that guilt sours your relationships and governs your life?
Do you struggle with who you are and why you are here?
You need to hear Ann.
Some resources will be available for purchase, but this FREE conference will be an unmissable experience for your wife.
The second session at 7:00 pm will repeat the teaching of the afternoon, so that you can encourage friends or family members to benefit from this wonderful opportunity to hear and meet Ann Cretin.
Again, this seminar is FREE! Elsewhere you would have to pay hundreds of dollars to hear a speaker like Ann, but, as an introduction to Lifeway Christian education materials, these seminars are free.
The Anabaptists
The Baptists number over 110 million worldwide in nearly 300,000 congregations, and considered the largest world communion of evangelical Protestants, with an estimated 38.8 million members in the USA.
According to Baptist historian H. Leon McBeth, Baptists, as a distinct denomination, originated in England in a time of intense religious reform. McBeth writes, “Our best historical evidence says that Baptists came into existence in England in the early seventeenth century. They apparently emerged out of the Puritan-Separatist movement in the Church of England.”
Some see the Baptists as the descendants of the 16th century Anabaptists (which some view as a product of the Protestant Reformation and others view as a continuation of the older pre-Reformation non-Catholic churches) and others see them as a separation from the Church of England in the 1600s.
The Baptist perpetuity view (also known as Baptist succession) holds that the church founded by Christ in Jerusalem was Baptist in character and that like churches have had perpetual existence from the days of Christ to the present. Groups such as the Montanists, Novatianists, Donatists, Paulicians, Albigensians, Catharists, Waldenses, and Anabaptists, as predecessors to contemporary Baptists.
‘The Anabaptistst were not wrong, therefore, when they said that anabaptism was no new thing. The Waldensians had practiced it before them” (Ibid, II. 166). No one can certainly say whether they appeared first in the Netherlands, Germany or Switzerland, and their Ieaders were not confined to any one country, and seem to have had no especial connection with each other.
The Radical Reformation
Drowning of Anneken Jans, Rotterdam, 1539 (etchings by Jan Luiken 1649-1712 Martyrs Mirror, (1685)
Capture of Hans Smit, Hendrik Adamsz, Hans Bek, Matthijs Smit, Dileman Snijder, and 7 others, Aachen, 1558
Execution of about 350 persons, Alzey, 1529
Anabaptists: Mennonites, Amish,
Revolutionary Anabaptists: Münster,
Contemplative Anabaptists: Hans Denck, 1500-1525
Evangelical Anabaptists: Conrad Grebel, 1498-1526, Swiss Brethren, The Schleitheim Confession, Hutterites, Mennonites
Swiss Anabaptists Anabaptist movement developed in Northern Switzerland first.
Zurich was the early center. Zwingli, the Swiss Reformer, is more specific than Luther. From the beginning of his work he was under the necessity of dealing with the Anabaptist movement. He says: The institution of Anabaptism is no novelty, but for three hundred years has caused great disturbance in the church, and has acquired such strength that the attempt in this age to contend with it appears futile for a time.
Conrad Grebel (1498-1526)
Grebel was born of a wealthy patrician family.
He worked with Zwingli until 1523.
Grebel gathered other “radicals” around himself.
The Swiss Brethren
On January 17, 1525, G. debated Zwingli on the subject of infant baptism.
On Jan. 21, Grebel & Felix Manz baptized (sprinkled) several adults.
Mennonites
Sola scriptura
Free church concept
Believer’s baptism
Earnest obedience
Against civil oaths
Pacifist
Suffering the key mark of the church
Plain worship
Infants and children without baptism are saved
In 1526, the Zurich council authorized drowning for Anabaptists. Grebel and Manz escaped. Grebel died in exile, of the plague, in 1526. Manz was recaptured and drowned in 1527.
By 1535, the Anabaptist movement was nearly nonexistent in Zurich.
German Anabaptists
Balthasar Hubmaier (1481-152 
Hubmaier was educated at the University of Ingolstadt, under Catholic scholar and Luther debater, John Eck.
Hubmaier served as priest at Waldshut, near the northern Swiss border.
In 1523, Zwingli converted Hubmaier.
Balthasar Hubmaier
In 1525, Hubmaier and 300 followers were sprinkled. At Augsburg, in 1525, was a Baptist church of eleven hundred members. Hans Denck was the pastor, and he was of Waldensian origin.
In 1526, Hubmaier went to Augsburg to preach reformation.
Catholic authorities chased him to Zurich, where he was imprisoned, then banished to Moravia.
Hubmaier made 1000s of converts.
Archduke Ferdinand II of Austria had him arrested and burned in Vienna, March 10, 1528.
Dutch Anabaptists Menno Simons (1496-1561)
In the Netherlands (Holland), Anabaptism survived because of Menno Simons.
Simons was a Catholic priest who became an Anabaptist in 1536.
He refused to align himself with the Munster radicals. His followers were called “Brethren.”
After his death, they became known as “Mennonites.”
Anabaptist Doctrines
The Bible is the supreme authority.
Only adult believers should be baptized.
Separation of church and state
The church is the “company of the committed.”
Many were pacifists (esp. Mennonites).
Extreme millennial views, leading to socialism
Used small group Bible study extensively.
England
A brief survey of Church history reveals that Baptists have existed throughout the years, though for many centuries that existence bore the character of an underground movement. We might for instance quote the example of one Peter de Bruys living in the South of France at the close of the 11th century. He preached the evangelical doctrine of repentance and faith, and maintained that personal faith was a necessary prerequisite for valid baptism. His followers were known as Petrobrusians. Likewise in the Eleventh and Twelfth centuries many Waldensians were of Baptist persuasion. Their contemporaries the Cathari in Germany, clearly taught, that, baptism should be delayed until individuals come to years of discretion and that even then, only those who profess personal faith in Christ ought to be baptised.. It is by no means improbable that in our own country some of the Lollards of the 14th and 15th centuries held Baptist views. Dr Evans, in his’ History of Early English Baptists’, cites the following evidence for this-
‘I have now before me a manuscript register of Gray, Bishop of Ely[ 1454 - 1479 ] , which proves that in the year 1457, there was a congregation of this sort[ Baptist] in this village, Chesterton… who privately assembled for divine worship, and had preachers of their own, who taught them the very doctrines which we now preach. Six of them were accused of heresy… and condemned to do penance, half naked with a faggot at their backs and a taper in their hands, in the public market place of Ely and Cambridge, and in the churchyard of Great Swaffam’.
Walter Lollard, a Dutchman, of remarkable eloquence, came into England, in the reign of Edward III., “from among the Waldenses, among whom he was a great bard or pastor.” His followers rapidly increased so that Abelard declared “our age is imperiled by heretics, that there seems to be no footing left for the true faith.” Knighton, the English chronicler, says: “More than one-half of the people of England, in a few years, became Lollards” (Knighton, col. 2664). Hallam says in his History of the Middle Ages: “An inundation of heresy broke in the twelfth century over the church, which no persecution was able to repress, till it finally overspread half the surface of Europe.”
It is possible that the two forerunners of the English reformation were both Baptists. Wycliffe refuted the idea of infant baptism, believing that unbaptised children dieing in infancy were saved. William Tyndale the first translator/publisher of the Bible in English (A. D. 1484-1536) may have been a Baptist. He was born near the line between England and Wales, but lived most of the time in Gloustershire. “Llewellyn Tyndale and Hezekiah Tyndale were members of the Baptist church at Abergaverney, South Wales.” There is much mystery around the life of Tyndale. Bale calls him “the apostle of the English.” “He was learned, a godly, and a good-natured man” (Fuller, Church History of Britain, II. 91). It is certain he shared many views held by the Baptists; but that he was a member of a Baptist church is nowhere proved. He always translated the word eccleesia by the word congregation, and held to a local conception of a church (Tyndale, Works II. 13. London, 1831). There were only two offices in the church, pastor and deacons (1.400). The elders or bishops should be married men (I. 265). Upon the subject of baptism he is very full. He is confident that baptism does not wash away sin. “It is impossible,” says he, “that the waters of the river should wash our hearts” (Ibid, 30).Baptism was a plunging into the water (Ibid, 287). Baptism to avail must include repentance, faith and confession (III. 179). The church must, therefore, consist of believers (Ibid, 25). His book in a wonderful manner states accurately the position of the Baptists.
The Anabaptists in England were called Baptists as early as 1569. Some hold that the first Baptist church in England met in London at Spitalfields in Southwark, from 1611.
There was a congregation of Protestant Dissenters of the Independent persuasion in London, gathered in the year 1616, whereof Mr. Henry Jacob was the first pastor; and after him succeeded Mr. John Lathrop, who was their minister at this time. In this society several persons, finding that the congregation kept nor to their first principles of separation, and being also convinced that baptism was not to be administered to infants, but such only as professed faith in Christ, desired that they might he dismissed from that communion, and allowed to form a distinct congregation, in such order as was agreeable to their own sentiments. By 1650, there were a number of Particular Baptist churches in and around London. In 1644, seven of them had drafted a confession of faith which showed some of their distinctive views.
John Smyth, England, 1570-1612
(14) That baptism is the external sign of the remission of sins, of dying and of being made alive, and therefore does not belong to infants.
(15) That the Lord’s Supper is the external sign of the communion of Christ, and of the faithful amongst themselves by faith and love.
(16) That the ministers of the church are, not only bishops (”Episcopos”), to whom the power is given of dispensing both the word and the sacraments, but also deacons, men and widows, who attend to the affairs of the poor and sick brethren. [
(17) That brethren who persevere in sins known to themselves, after the third admonition, are to be excluded from the fellowship of the saints by excommunication.
(1 That those who are excommunicated are not to be avoided in what pertains to worldly business (civile commercium)
Do you notice that there are some beliefs that are held by the different groups that identify them as Baptists?
These are called Baptist distictives. They are distinctive beliefs that are different from other denominations.
Baptists arrived at these distinctives through careful study of the Bible. These teachings emerged as Baptist distinctives because individual Baptist churches have consistently and independently held to them, not because some group of Baptist leaders composed the list and then imposed the distinctives on local churches. Church groups other than Baptists have held some of the Baptist distinctives, and one may even find churches that hold all of the distinctives but do not call themselves Baptist. On the other hand, some churches naming themselves "Baptist" are not truly Baptist because they no longer hold the historic Baptist beliefs or even the fundamentals of the Christian faith.
What Are the Eight Baptist Distinctives?
These teachings may be remembered by associating them with the letters that form the word "BAPTISTS."
B.A.P.T.I.S.T.S.
Biblical authority
The Bible is the final authority in all matters of belief and practice because the Bible is inspired by God and bears the absolute authority of God Himself. Whatever the Bible affirms, Baptists accept as true. No human opinion or decree of any church group can override the Bible. Even creeds and confessions of faith, which attempt to articulate the theology of Scripture, do not carry Scripture's inherent authority.
2 Timothy 3:15-1715 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Peter 1:20, 21 20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
Autonomy of the local church.
The local church is an independent body accountable to the Lord Jesus Christ, the head of the church. All human authority for governing the local church resides within the local church itself. Thus the church is autonomous, or self-governing. No religious hierarchy outside the local church may dictate a church's beliefs or practices. Autonomy does not mean isolation. A Baptist church may fellowship with other churches around mutual interests and in an associational tie, but a Baptist church cannot be a "member" of any other body. Colossians 1:18; And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
2 Corinthians 8:1-5, 19, 23 1 Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia; 2 How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. 3 For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves; 4 Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. 5 And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God. 19 And not that only, but who was also chosen of the churches to travel with us with this grace, which is administered by us to the glory of the same Lord, and declaration of your ready mind: 23 Whether any do enquire of Titus, he is my partner and fellowhelper concerning you: or our brethren be enquired of, they are the messengers of the churches, and the glory of Christ.
Priesthood of all believers
"Priest" is defined as "one authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and God." Every believer today is a priest of God and may enter into His presence in prayer directly through our Great High Priest, Jesus Christ. No other mediator is needed between God and people. As priests, we can study God's Word, pray for others, and offer spiritual worship to God. We all have equal access to God--whether we are a preacher or not.
1 Peter 2:5, 9 5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. 9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light; Revelation 5:9, 10 And they sang a new song: You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals; because You were slaughtered, and You redeemed [people] for God by Your blood from every tribe and language and people and nation.
Two ordinances
(believer’s baptism and the Lord’s Supper) The local church should practice two ordinances: (1) baptism of believers by immersion in water, identifying the individual with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection, and (2) the Lord’s Supper, or communion, commemorating His death for our sins. Matthew 28:19, 20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-32
Individual soul liberty
Every individual, whether a believer or an unbeliever, has the liberty to choose what he believes is right in the religious realm. No one should be forced to assent to any belief against his will. Baptists have always opposed religious persecution. However, this liberty does not exempt one from responsibility to the Word of God or from accountability to God Himself.
5 One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. 12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. Romans 14:5, 12; 2 Corinthians 4:22 But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.
Titus 1:9 holding to the faithful message as taught, so that he will be able both to encourage with sound teaching and to refute those who contradict it.
Saved church membership
Local church membership is restricted to individuals who give a believable testimony of personal faith in Christ and have publicly identified themselves with Him in believer’s baptism. When the members of a local church are believers, a oneness in Christ exists, and the members can endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Acts 2:41-47 41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. 42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
2 Corinthians 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
Ephesians 4:3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Two offices of the church (pastor and deacon)
The Bible mandates only two offices in the church–pastor and deacon. The three terms–”pastor,” “elder,” and “bishop,” or “overseer”–all refer to the same office. The two offices of pastor (or elder or overseer) and deacon exist within the local church, not as a hierarchy outside or over the local church.1 Timothy 3:1-13 This saying is trustworthy: “If anyone aspires to be an overseer, he desires a noble work.” 2 An overseer, therefore, must be above reproach, Deacons, likewise, should be worthy of respect, not hypocritical, not drinking a lot of wine, not greedy for money,
Acts 20:17-38 Now from Miletus, he sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church.
Philippians 1:1 Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons: the • overseers and deacons.
Separation of Church and State
God established both the church and the civil government, and He gave each its own distinct sphere of operation. The government’s purposes are outlined in Romans 13:1-7 and the church’s purposes in Matthew 28:19 and 20. Neither should control the other, nor should there be an alliance between the two. Christians in a free society can properly influence government toward righteousness, which is not the same as a denomination or group of churches controlling the government.
Matthew 22:15-22; Acts 15:17-29
What sets one church apart from all the others? We have seen that it is the church’s distinctive beliefs that set it apart from all others and that Baptists in general hold to some convictions that make them different from all other groups. Baptist churches will continue to hold to the Baptist distinctives because these distinctives are historically Biblical. They are relevant to the issues facing contemporary society and the church. So when “shopping” for a church, look for the name “Baptist” and then take a closer look to make sure that church is upholding the Biblical Baptist distinctives.
Thursday February 14th at 2 pm and then again at
7 pm at the Newcastle Baptist Tabernacle
Don’t miss this tremendous opportunity to hear acclaimed speaker Ann Cretin from the Southern Baptist Convention’s Lifeway organisation.
Ann, with her husband Steve has been a missionary for many years throughout Asia, serving the Lord through conference work.
Ann will be introducing us to The Search For Significance.
Have you ever struggled with feelings of inferiority?
Do you find that guilt sours your relationships and governs your life?
Do you struggle with who you are and why you are here?
You need to hear Ann.
Some resources will be available for purchase, but this FREE conference will be an unmissable experience for your wife.
The second session at 7:00 pm will repeat the teaching of the afternoon, so that you can encourage friends or family members to benefit from this wonderful opportunity to hear and meet Ann Cretin.
Again, this seminar is FREE! Elsewhere you would have to pay hundreds of dollars to hear a speaker like Ann, but, as an introduction to Lifeway Christian education materials, these seminars are free.
Have you seen the charismatic agenda that the Pentecostal movement has for the Southern Baptist Convention?
WHAT IS FAITH EVANGELISM?
1. FAITH Evangelism is an intentional approach of disciple making, evangelism training and ministry conducted by members of the open Bible study classes or small groups.
2. FAITH enables a church to intentionally affect the climate of evangelism within the church family as members take the gospel to the community and beyond.
3. FAITH Evangelism is designed to be a journey, not a destination. It is a journey that develops believers, connects people and multiplies disciples.
4. The primary focus of FAITH Evangelism is to build on-mission Christians who are involved in the Kingdom work as multiplying disciples. A key text for understanding FAITH is found in 2 Timothy
2:1-2: “You, therefore, my child, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, commit to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (HCSB).
5. FAITH Evangelism builds and equips believers to grow in their own personal lives, to go into the community with the gospel and with needed ministry, and to develop others as committed followers of Jesus Christ.
These days provide us God size opportunities to prepare ourselves for carrying out the Great Commission. As you spend these days being equipped to go and teach others, I am praying that God will give you a new vision for equipping people in your community, state, nation, and around the world.
Our desire is to provide you with the tools for you to be prepared to go wherever God sends you to teach, tell, and mobilize people to go, tell, and teach all the things of Jesus.
Unfortunately, as Jesus lamented, the workers are few (see Matt. 9:37). Ironically, while people in Australia are more receptive to the gospel than ever before, research shows that Christians are becoming increasingly apathetic in their efforts to evangelize the lost. Jesus requested that we pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest (Matt. 9:38).
Your willingness to recognize the opportunity and step forward in commitment means that you are obeying Christ’s command. You are among thousands who are pressing forward into the spiritual darkness to rescue precious lives from eternal separation with God. You are an answer to Jesus’ prayer in Matthew 9:38.
My favorite verse of Scripture comes from Acts 4. Peter and John have just healed the man at the temple gates who had been crippled from birth. The people were amazed! The temple authorities were enraged. They dragged the disciples into court for an inquisition, then commanding them to stop preaching in the name of Jesus. Peter and John, with great boldness, responded, “Whether it’s right in the sight of God for us to listen to you rather than to God, you decide; for we are unable to stop speaking about what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:19- 0). That’s my passion. I never want to stop speaking about what I’ve seen and heard.
Jesus has made too great a difference in my life for me to be silent. Think about the story: God wants to save sinners, but because of our sin and rebellion, we rightly deserve His punishment. For Him to be a just God, He has to punish us (see Prov. 17:15). How does God reconcile His desire to save sinners with His unwavering commitment to His standard of holiness? I’ll let the Bible answer: “God, who is abundant in mercy, because of His great love that He had for us, made us alive with the Messiah even though we were dead in trespasses. By grace you are saved! He also raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavens, in Christ Jesus” (Eph. :4-6). What a story! What great news! As the old hymn says,
Jesus paid it all.
All to Him I owe.
Sin had left a crimson stain.
He washed it white as snow.
It is easy to become isolated and to see our churches as a refuge where we get away from the increasing rawness of our culture. Church was never meant to be a retreat centre but a mighty army. A great pastor with a passion can guide church members to look outward. Not only does he turn their eyes to the fields, he also leads them into the harvest. Never underestimate a great pastor’s influence to infuse the congregation with a passion for the lost.
As you work through this invaluable training and move out into a hostile culture, go in confidence. The field is ready for harvest. God wants to save sinners. Jesus paid it all.
“How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’ ” (Rom. 10:14-15, NIV).
FAITH is a tremendous strategy to enable pastors to motivate their congregations to reach the lost.
The core of the course focuses on learning an easy gospel presentation, following the acronym F.A.I.T.H.
In your personal opinion, what do you understand it takes for a person to get to heaven and have eternal life?
F Is for Forgiveness
Everyone has sinned and needs God’s forgiveness.
Romans 3:23 “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
God’s forgiveness is in Jesus only.
Ephesians 1:7 “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace.”
A Is for Available
God’s forgiveness is available for all.
John 3:16 “God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.”
God’s forgiveness is available but not automatic.
Matthew 7:21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord!’ will enter the kingdom of heaven.”
I Is for Impossible
According to the Bible, it is impossible to get to heaven on our own.
Ephesians 2:8-9
“By grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—not from works, so that no one can boast.”
So how can a sinful person have eternal life and enter heaven?
T Is for Turn
If you were going down the road and someone asked you to turn, what would he or she be asking you to do? (Change direction)
Turn means repent.
Turn away from sin and self.
Luke 13:3 “Unless you repent, you will all perish as well!”
Turn to Jesus alone as your Savior and Lord.
John 14:6 “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
Here is the greatest news of all.
Romans 10:9-10 “If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. With the heart one believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth one confesses, resulting in salvation.”
What happens if a person is willing to repent of their sins and confess Christ?
H Is for Heaven
Heaven is a place where we will live with God forever.
John 14:3 “If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come back and receive you to Myself, so that where I am you may be also.”
Eternal life begins now with Jesus.
John 10:10 “I have come that they may have life and have it in abundance.”
H can also stand for how.
How can a person have God’s forgiveness, eternal life, and heaven?
Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
By trusting Jesus as your Saviour and Lord.
WHAT IS INVOLVED IN THE FAITH RTAINING COURSE?
If you and I believe there is a heaven and a hell, why do we keep so quiet about the gospel of Jesus?
The FAITH evangelism strategy consists of a 12 week course.
The session titles give you an idea of what is included in each session.
1. Session 1: The Great Adventure
2. Session 2: Moving Toward Spiritual Dialogue
3. Session 3: Finding Connection Points
4. Session 4: F Is for Forgiveness
5. Session 5: A Is for Available
6. Session 6: I Is for Impossible
7. Session 7: T Is for Turn
8. Session 8: H Is for Heaven
9. Session 9: The Invitation
10. Session 10: They Accepted Jesus; Now What?
11. Session 11: Your Role in Kingdom Work
12. Session 12: Your Next Step
Each session includes home studies with a strong emphasis on one’s daily, personal walk with the Lord.
Come and learn how to utilise this tremendous resource for training your small group and congregation in ongoing witness.
During 1990 I had a wonderful privilege to be sent by a kind deacon to the USA for the wonder trip of a life-time. Since planting the Kiama church in 1984 as a young, keen 23 year old, I had had a very keen interest in Church Growth. By 1990 I had read everything that was available anywhere on the topic.
Now came the opportunity to fulfil my dearest dream: to discover the “secret” of church growth from men I had only read about. Over the three week period I met with and watched the ministries of Chuck Swindoll (who taught me the importance of preaching the Word and trusting the Lord), John Macarthur Jnr (who taught me grace), Bill Yaeger (who taught me the value of aggressive whole church evangelism) and Gene Getz (who taught me the value of the small group). One man, Bill Taylor, then Christian Education minister at Prestonwood Baptist Church in Dallas, distilled an incredible 3 weeks and 10 years of research into 2 words: Multiply Units!
“Your body grows each daily by multiplying units of itself. When parts of your body stop doing this, then that area stops growing” he said, patting his balding pate. “The same is true in the Body of Christ! For any area to grow, we must first of all multiply units. If we want more small group Bible studies, we must multiply the number of small group leaders. If we want a larger Sunday School we must multiply the number of effective teaching and recruitment units in Sunday School. If we want more men in discipling ministry, we must multiply disciplers.”
This rare insight revolutionised my philosophy of ministry.
I had understood the significance of Ephesians 4:11-16 and the value of an equipping ministry.
11And He personally gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers,
12 for the training of the saints in the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ,
13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God’s Son, [growing]into a mature man with a stature measured by Christ’s fullness.
14 Then we will no longer be little children, tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching, by human cunning with cleverness in the techniques of deceit.
15 But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into Him who is the head—Christ.
16 From Him the whole body, fitted and knit together by every supporting ligament, promotes the growth of the body for building up itself in love by the proper working of each individual part.
However now an equipping ministry had “wheels under it.”
I now understood how to make this possible:
Definitively focussing upon multiplying small group ministries!
The small groups of whatever sort it may be, whether small groups we call men’s dinners, youth groups we call Brigades, children’s ministries we call Kid’s Clubs, or adult biblical education which we call Bible studies or Adult Sunday School, are the heart of churches where real Body Life is experienced.
One of the opportunities that the NSW Baptist Pastors Forum can provide is the opportunity to network pastoral resources.
Some tremendous resources for Small group ministry are freely available on the internet.
As an example, my own blog Grosey’s Messages provides alongside preached messages, the Small Group Bible Study materials I use at the Tabernacle. Studies in 1st Peter, the Lamb of God, and Zechariah are available for you to reproduce, adapt and use in your own congregations.
Another great resource that has just come online is that of Geoff Pound the former Principal of Whitley College in Victoria. Geoff is a good man who has produced a wonderful resource for helping folks discover the Will of God.
Geoff has produced some great Bible studies at his free Bible studies website called Making Life Decisions: Journey in Discernment
Dr. Geoff Pound’s book, Making Life Decisions: Journey in Discernment, is a workbook, a tour guide or a travel journal for people wanting to make a forty-day journey in discernment.
Forty Individual Studies
The book, which draws on down-to-earth biblical principles, is written for Christians, for seekers and specifically for those at the vocational crossroads. The forty short chapters are not designed to be read in one sitting but they are intended as daily guides and reflections in a deliberate period of seeking and discovery.
Group Studies
Making Life Decisions also contains seven group studies for people who want to make this journey in discernment with another person or with a small group.
Geoff writes:
As a young person growing up in New Zealand I remember repeatedly asking my parents the question, “What am I supposed to do in life?” They took me to Careers Nights put on by the school but I agonized for years over this vocational question.
After I embarked on theological training and began to serve as a church pastor, the question continued to confront me and, while I was acquiring a sizeable bank of experience and a rich treasury of guidance principles, the elusive challenge of discernment has never been easy.
I would be rich if I had been given $50 for every time someone asked me the question (or a variation of it): “How can I discover God’s will for my life or in this situation?” As a pastor, this is the question I have been asked more than any other. Sharing the weight of this question and its consequences has been a significant part of the privilege of being a pastor.
When my vocational journey took a new twist in which I served as a consultant with Australian Baptist Churches, I came to see that the issue of corporate discernment is pivotal to local churches and denominations in discovering their unique personality and mission.
My path turned later in the direction of training and leadership, first as a lecturer and then as Principal of Whitley College, the Baptist College of Victoria, and I discovered that student interviews and course planning were vitally connected with matters of discernment.
In recent years I have relocated with my wife to the Arabian Peninsula and I am testing out new vocational directions. Daily we are being confronted with questions of discernment. This book, therefore, does not come as a last word on discernment because one never actually nails it as one might solve a Sudoku puzzle. The issues of discernment change from time to time and from person to person because they are about the dynamic way that God relates to each individual in their uniqueness.
Here are very useful Bible studies for small groups and for individuals intended to assist in the life of the local church.
May I recommend them to you. Making Life Decisions: Journey in Discernment
May I encourage each pastor to facilitate the growth of the body of Christ in our churches by the free interchange of small group ministry resources.
Please place your small group resources in the comments section here and they will be published as posts.
We can always adapt each other’s materials for the blessing of our own congregations. Why reinvent the wheel?
Steve
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