Preaching a Memorable Sermon

I was talking to a lay-member the other day who was very excited about a sermon he had heard. The member gave me all four of the points of the sermon and was excited about applying the sermon to his daily life. Interestingly enough, he searched on the internet to try to find this sermon and other sermons by the same preacher. So What did the preacher do?
1. Clear Points
The first thing the preacher did was have clear and easily identifiable points. The people did not have to guess about what was important, the preacher simply told them. The preacher clearly defined the points and clearly defined what he meant by the points. We as preachers cannot expect anyone to remember our points if they do not even know what they are.
2. Points Illustrated Well
The second thing the preacher did was clearly illustrate the points with stories. Each and every main point had a story connected to it. These stories were memorable and clearly connected to the point. Sometimes we tell stories that are only tangentially related to the point. Stop doing that. It takes away from your message. However, if you have a clear point and a relevant memorable story, you are well on the way to a sermon that people will remember.
3. Each Point Stronger than Previous One
Finally, the stories of the preacher were more intense as the sermon continued. The layperson told me that each story and point was "stronger" than the other one. Please note that I am not talking about yelling to manufacture intensity, I am talking about the content being stronger. So point two was stronger than point one, and point three was stronger than point two, and point four was stronger than point three. We must leave people with the strongest content at the end, and that content should be related to the point illustrated and the main point of the sermon.
Here was an effective preacher who had content that the people remembered. And the people were ready to apply it to their daily lives. If we are to learn from this preacher, we must clearly define our points, illustrate them well with stories, and make each point progressively intense. Then the people will understand and be ready to apply the sermon.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/3871624

The Difference Between Good Sermons and Bad Sermons

How can you tell the good sermons from the bad sermons? There are plenty of ways to tell if your congregation is inspired by what you tell them every week. One easy way to tell of course is that if your congregation is fidgety or falling asleep, you might want to take a different approach with your next sermon. What makes sermon writing difficult is that telling the difference between good ones and bad ones is so subjective!
How many weeks do you look out at your congregation and find half of them nodding along with you while the other half look like they are counting the seconds until they can escape? Sure, that's an open-ended question, but for many it could be more than they would like to admit to.
Good sermons can speak to all of the members of your congregation regardless of individual ages, personalities, family dynamics, politics or any other individual traits that might normally inform their opinions. A good message will inspire your church members to take your words and thoughts to heart and apply them to their own lives. A good message will also inspire them to bring in their friends and other family members next week.
Of course, knowing this is one thing. Figuring out how to write good sermons on a regular basis is entirely different.
One of the biggest differences between sermons is the enthusiasm with which they are delivered. If you simply stand up front and drone on in a monotone voice every week, it won't matter how important or wonderful your words are, people will most likely be zoning out and looking at their watches until the weekly talk is over.
On the other hand, if you show your congregation how inspired you have become by the week's sermon, it will not matter if the message itself is perfect or not. Clunky delivery and odd wording can easily be overlooked if the speaker shows enthusiasm and passion for his topic!
This is just one of the differences that separate sermons that are inspiring from those that are not. As you continue working with your congregation you will learn how to tell the difference between a good sermon and a bad sermon before you stand up to deliver it!

Next, go to this website on Good Sermons [http://www.simplesermons.net] where you will find information and ideas on how you can be assured of always having a great sermon. [http://www.simplesermons.net]

One Church: All Things In Christ

EPHESIANS 3:16-20 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his spirit in your inner being. 17. So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18. May have power, TOGETHER, with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19. And to know this love that surpasses knowledge- that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. 20. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to HIM be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen.
Paul was praying for the church at Ephesus that they would have power together in love through Christ. And that through the power that works in them, God could do more than we can ask or think.
Brother Holt spoke to us last week on moving from the sanctuary to the harvest, about following the spirit and staying under the fountain. I am excited about that! I believe it is possible! I also believe it is our purpose as a church.
The book of Ephesians talks about God's intentions for his people and insight into the nature of the church. Paul stresses the unity of believers and gives us practical ways to live in unity with God and one another.
I have been reading The Purpose Driven Life as a daily devotion and studying Ephesians for this message. I knew the Lord wanted me to preach Ephesians but I was struggling with exactly what he wanted me to say. In the mean time in my devotion time, I was reading about how God views my life. I was so blessed and humbled by what it had to say that I felt impressed to share it with you.
1. Life on earth is a test. God tests our character, faithfulness, love, obedience and loyalty.
2. Life on earth is a trust. Everything belongs to Him and he has placed things in our trust.
As I began to ponder these things and realize how it could change my life the Lord asked me how these revelations could change the church. More specifically, how these truths could change the church and help us move with the spirit.
Tonight I want to explore these truths in the context of the church and compare them to the Word of God and the Apostle Paul's letter to the Ephesians.
I. Life on earth is a Test: character, faith, love, obedience and loyalty
A. The bible is full of proof that God tests his people
1. He tested Abraham's faith when he asked him to sacrifice his son (he passed)
2. He tested Noah's faith and obedience when he asked him to build an ark (he passed)
3. He tested Joseph in many ways
4. He tested David and on many occasions he failed. Yet he was a man after God's own heart. God loved him. Even when David failed tests, his faith in God was strengthened because he repented and it served as a time of purging and David learned to rely more on God.
5. It is these tests, passed or failed, that strengthen our faith and our character if we let them.
B. As a church we are tested. Many times we have passed and many times we have failed.
1. AS a church we are tested in faithfulness, loyalty, obedience, integrity and love.
2. As a church we are tested as a whole and a whole is defined as the sum of it's parts.
3. Half of this church cannot pass the tests and move forward with the spirit. We must be as a whole faithful, loyal, obedient and most importantly, we must love one another. A divided church cannot follow the spirit. The church at Ephesus was tested. Jesus told them they were doing well with persevering and enduring hardships but He had this against them.... They had forsaken their first love. He told them they needed to repent or He would remove their lamp stand.
4. Ephesians 4:1-6 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle: be patient, bearing one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit- just as you were called to one hope when you were called- one Lord, one faith, one baptism one God and one Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
5. As individuals in this church, we must all realize that we are tested everyday. By what we say, what we do, how we lead, if we follow. When I look at things that way, I want everything I say and do involving this church to edify and benefit the body. I want to pass the tests before me to build my character and make me more useful to the church and to the Lord.
II. Life on earth is a trust: everything belongs to God.
A. We are the body and Christ is the head of the body. The body receives life from the head. Let's look at what Paul said to the Ephesians.
1. Ephesians 1:18-23 I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, 19. and His incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of His mighty strength, 20. which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms, 21.far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22. And God placed all things under His feet and appointed Him to be head over EVERYTHING for the church, 23. which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills everything in every way.
B. This church has been entrusted to us.
1. Whatever part you play in this body has been entrusted to you. No power belongs to us. This building doesn't belong to us. It doesn't matter how much tithes you pay. The ministries, even if you are a leader, do not belong to us. Our pastor, no matter how much we pay him, does not belong to us. They have been entrusted to us. If we understand that simple truth, we will understand how important it is to seek God in everything we say, do and decide. When we talk about our sisters and brothers, we are not being good stewards with what God entrusted us with.
2. The scripture says according to HIS power that works in us. Paul is telling the Ephesians that in order to have their eyes enlightened, to see their calling, they must operate under His power. Church, if we are going to follow the spirit into the harvest we must first line every part of this body under the Head, who is Christ.
3. Then, and only then, will we be filled as a church to the measure with all the fullness of God.
a. That is when we are going to see miracles happen.
b. Ephesians 3:20 Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work in us.
If we want to see immeasurably more than we can ask for or imagine, we have to unite and line ourselves under the one who has all power and authority! We have to be one church from one end to the other. If we surrender all things to Christ we will be found faithful when we are tested. We will be found trustworthy with the church that was entrusted to us.
I don't know about you, but I've asked for God to do some things in this church. HE CAN DO MORE! I can imagine souls being saved in this alter every time the doors are open. I can imagine this church growing so much we have to build a bigger sanctuary. HE CAN DO MORE! I can imagine laying hands on every sick person and them being healed. I can imagine, just through our food pantry alone, souls being ministered to and lives being changed. HE CAN DO MORE THAN I CAN IMAGINE OR ASK! I can imagine our youth so on fire for God they are winning souls outside these four walls. I can imagine that they begin to recognize their callings and use them for God in this church. Church, HE CAN DO MORE THAN WE CAN ASK FOR OR IMAGINE! According to the power that works in us...

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/170930

How to Build a Leading Youth Ministry

Nation often depend their future on the lives of the young people. The same is true with the Church. To have a firm and well established Church, that will continue to deliver the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, you must have a firm and strong youth ministry. Adolescent stage can be considered as the most dangerous stage in human life. These people, known as the youth, are subject to violence and different kind of danger that will grab them away from their faith. In the current generation, there are numbers of bad influences that may ruin a youth's life.
The best thing to keep them away from those matters is to keep them close to the arms of the Beloved. Youth who live and spent most of their time on Church really have a different attitude from those who live outside of it. These two kinds of young people also have different views and have different kind of future. Therefore, the Church has a big responsibility on the kind of path that the youth in their community may have. In order to keep the youth in the Church, there must be people who will lead them in the right path. Thus, there is a need to build a strong and leading youth ministry.
There are important steps that a church must consider in building a leading youth ministry. First thing is to focus on the youth that are present in the Church. Divide them in small cell groups with a spiritually matured leader that will help and guide them in their spiritual lives. It is important that each one of them will be involved in every discussion and will have a chance to share the kind of life that they have outside the church. Second, is to enhance their God given abilities and talents that will be beneficial to the church. This can be done through regular workshop and trainings that is sponsored by the ministry. Third is to have a regular fellowship among other young people inside the church. Bible studies and Sunday school classes are some ways where this step can be done. Fourth, is to invite them or encourage them to share their faith to their fellow youth in the community. Through this, the young people will become aware about the importance of their ministry within and outside the Church.
The church must also develop the leadership aspect of the youth's life in order to prepare them to their future calling. Their spiritual lives and prayer lives must be regularly checked so that they will not be subject to spiritual stagnation. By making them part of the whole church ministry, the youth will learn to value their faith. The most vital part in building a leading youth ministry is to help them develop a strong relationship with the Lord. They must be aware of the reasons why they go to the church and why they have their own ministry. A strong relationship and commitment with God will also help them to hold on and to keep on doing the ministry not just for ministry sake, but most of all because of their love for Jesus Christ.

Are you looking for more information regarding youth ministry? Visit http://www.trinitylivingtoday.com/Church-Growth-Course.html today!

Small-Group Worship - Have the Right Expectations

If you want to lead worship effectively at a small group meeting, and to keep it up for the long run without burning out your musicians or yourself, you need to get your expectations right. Many small group worship leaders try to reproduce what they hear on Sunday services or on the 'worship' albums available at the Christian bookshop, because they think this is what worship is supposed to be like. And it is this wrong idea that has frustrated many small group worship leaders and caused them to miss the joy and blessing of praising God in a small group setting.
These are the expectations you should embrace in order to consistently lead worship effectively in a small group setting.
1. It takes time for good things to happen
Allocate enough time for the people to let their hearts settle down into praising God. You may have heard stories about gifted worship leaders who bring about God's manifested presence with the very first words they sing and the first chord on the piano or guitar. What you may not have heard is that often times there were months and months of groundwork laid, either by the worship leader personally or by other worship leaders who came before.
So be prepared to allocate time for good things to happen. If you give 4-5 minutes for each song, you can expect to unify the praises of the people in about 12-15 minutes, 20-25 minutes is even better. And persevere in this for 4 to 8 meetings. This, of course, assumes that you are doing other things right as well.
2. The people need clear direction and guidance
Many worship albums do not have the worship leaders giving clear direction to the congregation. Two reasons: it does not make for a slick performance; and it is not necessary for the people singing in that recording because they've heard the same song the same way umpteen times. And if your church worship leaders emulate such worship albums, you'll not see them giving clear directions to the congregation either. This is really ineffective, but in a larger church there are usually more musicians and back-up vocalists to cover it up. You are not going to get away with this in a small group.
So give the people clear directions. Prompt them with verbal or vocal cues so they will know if you want them to sing the verse again or to repeat the chorus next.
3. You do not have to entertain the people with new material
There is this unspoken assumption in charismatic circles that any leading of the Holy Spirit must be something new, fresh and exciting. If you just reinforce the same themes and songs you heard used in your church Sunday services, there may be people who think you are counting on formulae, routines or rituals instead of depending on the leading of the Spirit.
"But reject profane and old wives' fables, and exercise yourself toward godliness." (1 Tim 4:7 NKJV)
This is one aspect of godliness that many do not address: it is something we exercise through constant use and repetition. We do not grasp something with our hearts when we read or hear something once. Often we need to be exposed to something (a theme or a song) many times before it really sinks into our hearts and changes the way we think and live.
So do not be surprised if after seriously seeking the guidance and leading of the Holy Spirit about the worship theme or songs for your small group meeting you do not get any radical ideas but believe you are to repeat either the songs or theme of your church's most recent Sunday service. Remember that, in the Bible account of the calling of the prophet Samuel given in 1 Samuel 3, we learn that the voice of God often sounds so similar to the voice of our spiritual leadership. Sometimes what the Holy Spirit wants us to do is just walk along the direction our church leaders have taken.
Conclusion:
These three expectations are not glamorous or very exciting. But they are the expectations that enable us to serve effectively in a small group worship ministry in the long run, and without burning out. Embrace them and see how much simpler worship ministry becomes for you!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/2475124

How to Start a Christian Cell Group

If you want to start a cell group in your church it is important to begin with prayer. There needs to be a very clear calling from God before starting anything, and a cell group is no exception. If you do feel a calling from God, and you are willing to sacrifice, the next step in starting a cell group is asking yourself hard questions. Is your church ready for a new group? Will people come? Do you have what it takes to lead it? Will more groups spawn from this group? Are there other leaders in the church that can rise up and lead other cell groups? These are just some of the questions you need to ask yourself before beginning a cell group.
If you still feel called from God, and you have answered the hard questions truthfully and still feel prepared to keep going, the next step is to develop your cell group vision. Where do you see the group going, where would you like it to go, and what do you feel God is calling you to? These are questions you need to answer when developing the vision for the cell group. When you have developed a vision, speak to your pastor. How does he feel about this? Does he give you his blessing? And does he have any tips/words of encouragement? If your pastor has blessed your endeavor, start talking to your friends. Ask them what they think about your idea, and ask if they would be interested in helping you start the cell group. Once you have gotten feedback from your friends, and hopefully some of them have signed on to help you, talk to other key members in your church. Ask them their opinions, and if they would be willing to help you in your cell group.
Once you have a group of friends and key members signed on to your cell group, come up with a group vision statement together. The vision statement should be short and easy to remember, expressing the group's hope and coinciding with the church's beliefs. Once you have a vision statement, start your group. Announce it during church services. There might not be an overwhelming turn out, but your friends and the key members will be there to support you. The group will grow as it progresses. It is important to keep inviting church members, and even people who do not go to church. Remember to keep an "open chair" policy. Never turn anyone away, no matter who they are or if you do not have room for them.
Starting a cell group is a big deal, and should not be taken lightly. There may be some stress added to your life because of the group. However, whatever stress may be felt is worth it, because you are creating a place where people can come together and grow, not only as friends, but in their relationship with Jesus Christ. If you feel called to small group ministry, do not keep it a secret. Talk to your pastor and talk to your friends.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1158118

The Purpose Driven Life (5 Purposes) for Christian Small Groups

"A group needs only two things to be a tribe: a shared interest and a way to communicate."
~Seth Godin
When we do small group right, we develop a tribe; and beyond allusions to 'the tribal' we can know that it is God's will that the small group connects as a tribe. Tribes are intimate. They know each other. They share in each other's struggles and celebrate each other's joys. Not one is better than or worse than another; but there is difference, and a tribe learns to operate within, and appreciate, the difference - using difference as strength for the tribe.
For small group tribes to be effective in realising the will of God, through them, they need to connect not only with each other, but also with these tasks or purposes below:
1. WORSHIP, WITHIN THE SMALL GROUP, AS A LIFESTYLE
We bring glory to God when we meet together with hearts bent on worship and praise.
From out of the group experience comes the example of living broadly the worshipful lifestyle. Within the small group we have models of worship, from which we learn.
The most important purpose of a small group is to create a culture where worship is a lifestyle.
2. SMALL GROUP AS A MEANS OF AUTHENTIC FELLOWSHIP
As God is a community - the Godhead three in one: Father, Son, and Spirit - we were ordained from the beginning to belong within community. Indeed, coming together, authentically, and willing to be vulnerable before each other is an act of worship; an act of surrender to, and trust in, God.
Small group can be hardly any good for God's purposes if it doesn't break past superficiality. We must allow superficiality, but we need to be open if we are to create the deeper trusting and intimate relationships.
We literally need to share in each other's lives; much as the First Century church did.
3. GROWING TOGETHER IN CHRIST
Perhaps the central purpose of meeting together is to grow together. I think it may be our core purpose in life to Grow In GOD.
We may think that growing together in Christ is possible in isolation, but it isn't.
The vital ingredient for character growth is what many call 'sandpaper ministry'; we cannot grow in Christ unless we do so together, learning to be humble, merciful, and just, in the midst of our relationships.
4. SERVING TOGETHER WITHIN, AND BEYOND, THE SMALL GROUP
Serving together is a direct means of growing together, as serving builds upon the purpose of fellowship (because we do it together), it ensures we remain humble (supporting the purpose of discipleship), and it, in itself, is an act of worship.
The servant-hearted serve with genuine joy, but someone who is just pretending will be found eventually in frustration.
5. SMALL GROUP AS A WITNESS TO THE WIDER WORLD
When the preceding four purposes are achieved and made manifest through the group, the small group is well positioned to be a witness to the not-yet-believing world.
The reason why the First Century church was so attractive to those looking in was that it embraced the previous four purposes, and, by the power of the Holy Spirit, mastered them. That is our anointing. We have the self-same task.
As groups, we have opportunities to broaden our reach, evangelistically, into the world.
***
When our groups behave like tribes, integrating worship as a lifestyle, having authentic fellowship, growing together in Christ, serving each other together, and being a compelling witness of God's power to the world, they bring glory to God.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7538574

Making Small Groups Ministry Work

Each time I run our small groups ministry seminar Shutting The Back Door I ask the audience this question:
"What is the single most important thing to keep in mind when leading your group?"
Here are just a few of the answers I receive:
*Awesome bible studies
*Discipleship
*Christian accountability
*Experiencing Christ together
*Good leadership
*Pastoral ministry; shepherding
*Koinonia
*Spiritual growth
Now don't get me wrong - these are major ingredients. In fact, I believe these are the most important aspects of cell groups, as you will see if you take a few moments to look around my site. But that's not what I was asking. Let's look at the question once more:
"What is the single most important thing to keep in mind when leading your group?"
My answer is this:
"The key principle to keep in focus is that small groups offer a completely different way of 'doing church' compared to a congregational setting."
Now, of course, we need both formats. It's not either/or, but both/and. The point is that when we meet in small groups we should exploit the advantages they offer to the full.
If they become just a re-run of Sunday's congregational meeting we have missed the point. Sure, we do similar things to some extent, like fellowshipping, bible teaching, worship, prayer, etc. but there are two main differences:
1) We do them in a completely differently way. The style presented in a congregational meeting is mainly that those present are spectators. Whereas the emphasis in a cell group is that everyone gets to become a participator. This can best be summed up in the New Testament recurring phrase "one another". Every believer present is a recipient of the grace of God and therefore has something to share with the rest of the group. The body edifies itself in love (Eph.4:16).
2) We also do things in groups which do not happen in a congregational setting. For example, discipleship. Christian small groups are the ideal setting for making disciples.
Unfortunately, some today have opted for one aspect of church life against the other. On the one hand you have those who have no place for cell groups in their church. At the other end of the scale there are those who see no value in congregational meetings and believe everything is done in small groups.
The New Testament clearly recognizes the need for both. In the book of Acts we often come across the two formats of church life in terms such as "in the temple" and "from house to house" (e.g. Acts 2:46&47; 5:42; 20:20).
I once had a man in my church who always wanted to preach. The problem is that with other pastors and me on staff, and visiting speakers from time to time, we had enough preachers. So, he became frustrated. Then I made the mistake of giving him a home group, thinking this would keep him happy. I have since learned that groups are not designed for frustrated preachers. All he wanted was a group of people who would sit and listen to him preach at them. The result? A re-run of Sunday's congregational meeting - one participator and a dozen spectators.
Let me spell this out one more time:
"The key principle to keep in focus is that small groups offer a completely different way of 'doing church' compared to a congregational setting."
Watching people's lives being impacted as God's grace flows from person to person is an amazing thing. Let's make sure it happens! And let's see how we can help facilitate it....

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/3944376

Bible Study Recommendations for Young Adults

These Bible study recommendations for young adults are for Bible study on a personal, individual level, not for a group. I have two reasons for choosing this level, the personal, individual level. The first is that I noticed that there is so much literature already on Bible study on a group level, either in Sunday school or in catechism classes or in other formal and informal groups, but there is so little on the personal, individual level. My second reason is that in my opinion there are more benefits to be derived from a Bible study on an individual level than on a group level. Very many who attend a group Bible study do not really develop their Christian life. They just go and grow with the group. At least this has been my personal experience, both in participating and in leading Bible study groups.
My Experience of Bible Study
I began to read and study the Bible on my own (without any human teacher or parent telling me to do it) when I was 8 years old but it was only when I was 49 years old that I got the full benefit of studying the Bible. I am now 65 years old.
If somebody guided me correctly when I was a young adult of 20 to 40 years old on how to study the Bible maybe I would have gotten this full benefit from studying the Scriptures earlier and I would have more years of enjoying this benefit. As it happened I have enjoyed this benefit for 16 years only as of now, instead of a possible 45 years, missing some 29 years when I could have enjoyed the full benefit of studying God's written Word.
When I was 26 years old I enrolled in a subject on studying the Bible. But this was for preaching purposes. It was basically a course on how to get to the real meaning of a Biblical passage in order to share this with the church members by preaching. I learned a lot in this course but it did not give me the full benefit of Bible study. It was only 23 years later that I got the full benefit.
It is my hope and fervent desire that young adults who read these recommendations and do them will get the full benefit of Bible study while they are still young and strong and thus enjoy this full benefit many, many years before they leave physically this planet Earth. It is understood and presumed that they do have the motivation to study the Bible on their own. After knowing through this article what this full benefit of Bible study is they may be encouraged to study the Bible on their own and not depend on a group leader or pastor or priest or catechist to teach them about the Word of God.
One: Get a Good Translation of the Bible
In the English language the translation that I recommend is the so-called King James or Authorized version. I am a Catholic and yet I recommend this translation for personal study of the Bible. I know some of the words there are foreign to a present day reader. They are called archaic words which belong to the English language in the 16th century but are no longer used now. But there are copies of this version where at the back of the Bible there is a Bible word list where these words are given equivalents in our time. Get a copy of such a King James version Bible. Many groups of Christians are giving out this copy free. Avail of one.
The reason why I recommend this translation of the Bible is because it is the one I consider done by the translators with the utmost reverence and so the unction of the Spirit can be felt most from this translation than from other translations. In my opinion it is the version that is most congenial for praying. And it has produced more holy men and women than any of the other translations.
From the point of scholarship and readability there are other better translations. The New International Version Bible may be better from the point of scholarship. The New Living Bible is far better from the point of view of readability. But from the perspective of a genuine, reverential, loving study of the Bible, I recommend the King James version. It is only a recommendation. You can use another version if you want.
Two: Have a Conversational Mode of Relationship with the Holy Spirit
As you begin to set yourself to study the Bible have a conversational mode of relationship with the Holy Spirit. Look up to him as your teacher, for he is indeed the best teacher of the Scriptures. After all he was the one who wrote them. Thank him for writing these and ask him to help you understand their content. Anytime that you think you need to know about the meaning of a passage, ask him first. He will be the one to direct you to a Bible dictionary or a commentary if needed. Be attentive to him always as you set about to study the Bible.
Third: Begin Studying with the First Book of the New Testament
Do not begin with Genesis or any other book of the Old Testament. Begin with the New Testament and begin with Matthew. The reason for this is because it is easier to understand the Old Testament after you have read the New Testament. There is a saying that the Old is in the New explained and the New is hidden in the Old. This means that the New Testament is hidden in the Old Testament and it explains the meanings of the words in the Old Testament. So, if you know the explanation of the Old Testament passages by reading the New Testament, it is easier to understand them later.
Another reason for beginning with the New Testament is because using the method that I am going to show you you can use this method more easily and with more profit if you use it first with the New Testament and only later with the Old Testament.
Fourth: Your Main Guide Question Is What Does This Passage Tell Me about Jesus?
Read only a small portion of the Bible. Maybe it is only a verse or few verses. Sometimes it may just be a phrase, a part of a verse. As you read this passage ask the Holy Spirit, What does this passage tell me about Jesus? Pause and listen for the answer. Then stop. Think about the answer given you. This may take only a minute or two or about 5 minutes. Sometimes it may be longer. But focus only on one character or description of Jesus.
The reason why I recommend this method is because our real life is hidden in Jesus and the more we know him the more we know ourselves and what we are supposed to be and do to be happy.
Almost all Bible study guides will tell you to reflect upon your life in the light of the passage read. In my experience this method does not really lead you to the full benefit of a Bible study. It will get you stuck thinking about your life, eventually forgetting about Jesus.
Five: Keep a Record of the Bible Verses You Have Read and the Descriptions or Insights about Jesus Given You by the Holy Spirit
This record is brief. It has the day and date when you studied the passage and the book, chapter and verse number or numbers you have studied for that day. Then you write in a sentence or two what the passage tells you about Jesus. Here is an example.
May 31 Thursday 2012. Matthew 1:1. Jesus descended from Abraham through David.
That's all. The next day you proceed to verse 2, doing the same thing. And you continue until you get to the end of the New Testament. Then after the last verse of Revelation proceed to the Old Testament. Begin with Genesis. After you finish with the Old Testament you can go back to the New Testament. From time to time read your record of your Bible study. Sooner or later you will be given the full benefit of Bible study.
The Full Benefit of Bible Study
Throughout this article you may have noticed that I mention the words "full benefit of Bible Study". If you follow this method prayerfully you will learn more and more of Jesus. Sooner or later you will come upon a passage where your spirit begins to understand all the mysteries of God. The conviction comes upon you that now you understand the Truth. When this happens keep a special record of this event in your life. This is the moment when you begin to see God face to face but darkly, like in a Roman mirror at the time of Paul the Apostle which was made of polished metal unlike today when our mirror is made of glass.
When you see God face to face while you are still on earth, you get the full benefit of Bible study because you are going to possess God himself. There is nothing greater than God. There is a sense in which you can say that your joy and happiness are full. That is why I call this full benefit.
Then you continue enjoying God for the rest of your life. This does not mean that you will no longer have problems or that you will no longer suffer. But in the midst of all these problems and sufferings you know you have God and with him you enjoy the full benefit of your salvation, the vision of God. And this happens while you are still living physically on earth.
Those are my Bible study recommendations for young adults so that while they are still young they can begin to enjoy the blessings of God himself, not just the blessings of the things God created for us, but he himself, the source of all blessings.

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Bible Studies For Christian Small Groups

"What's the key to inspirational bible studies for my group?" That's a question I'm sometimes asked. My reply is to learn from the shepherd, after all God's people are described in the bible as sheep. So how does a shepherd feed his sheep?
A good shepherd will lead his sheep into pastures of rich, green and lush grass. But, he will not let them overstay there. If they stay too long in one pasture, no matter how green it is, they will eventually eat the grass down to the roots and destroy the roots. So he will move his sheep from pasture to pasture. When the flock has had a good feed in one pasture, he will move them into another, allowing the grass in the first pasture to grow once again.
There are many pastures in the Word of God. Yet, a Christian small group's leader may sometimes have a liking for certain pastures, leaving others virtually untouched. Our role, however, is to bring the whole counsel of God. A balanced, well-rounded presentation of truth is the best safeguard against heresy. Heresy is usually truth which becomes overemphasized. There are often strings on our harps we have never touched.
Type of Pasture Examples
Doctrinal: e.g. Justification, the Person of Christ, the Second Coming of Christ
Book Study: e.g. Genesis, Job, 1 Corinthians, James
Character Study: e.g. the life of David, the Patriarchs, Peter, Paul
Expository Study: e.g. Psalm 139, the Sermon on the Mount, the Epistle to the Galatians
Topical Study: e.g. Forgiveness, bible studies on Marriage, Finances
Devotional: e.g. Worship, Prayer, Relationship with Jesus
Character Development: e.g. The fruit of the Spirit, the Beatitudes, Growing in Christ
Christian Service: e.g. Servanthood, Discovering our Gifts, Evangelism
The Godhead: e.g. the Names of God, the Life of Christ, the Work of the Spirit
Practical Learning: e.g. How to share our faith, How to read the Bible, Dealing with grief
Bible Study Styles
One way to ensure you have inspirational bible studies is to vary the style. Variety is the spice of life. The most monotonous of jobs and chores can be made more interesting by doing them in different ways. Conversely, even the most exciting career can be turned into drudgery and boredom through routine. There are different ways of doing guided bible studies and the leader should be creative in this.
Here are some different styles:
- The question/answer basis, where a question is asked, a bible reference is looked up and the answer is written down. This is usually suitable for younger Christians, as it saves them from the embarrassment of not knowing much on the subject you are studying.
- Another style is to study a passage, then discuss it together, bringing out its applications. The group would read a paragraph or so and specific questions would be asked, leading to further discussion and application.
- Yet another approach is to do a full bible study for half the allotted time or so, then have four or five discussion-type questions for the remaining half of the time.
- Another style is, at some stage in the study, to split the group into cells of three or four people and give each cell a question (preferably not all the same question). Give the cells twenty minutes or so to discuss and jot down a brief summary of their discussion, then re-form the whole group. Each cell shares with the group its question and their findings. Not only does this provide another means of approach, but inevitably shy and withdrawn people will share more openly with three or four than they would with 13 or 14.
Do's and Don'ts
*Never lecture. Encourage discussion. One of the major characteristics of a Christian small group is that it must do what can't be done in congregational meetings. With regard to the teaching this includes having the freedom to discuss the bible together in contrast to listening to one person preach from it.
*Be aware of shy people who like to 'hide'. Draw them in, but don't embarrass them.
*Don't allow anyone to dominate the discussion.
*Don't wander; keep on track. Avoid 'red-herrings' (distractions, diversions).
*Don't let the study go for too long. Let them want to come back for more! If you finish late, people may be polite to you as the leader, but they won¡¦t come back. Many have to get up early the next day for work, etc.
*Never bluff. If you don't know an answer, say so. Tell the group that you will try to have an answer for the following week.
*Don't argue. Truth is received by revelation, not argumentation.
*Don't ride your own hobby horse.
*Never use the study to 'get' at someone. The Word is to build people up, not put them down
*Keep it positive. Communicate hope and inspire faith in God.
*Don't allow anyone to use the study to contradict the pastor's teaching, to gossip about others, etc.

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Four Tips For Small Group Bible Study Leaders

Whether it's your first time as a Bible study group leader or it seems like you've always been the shepherd for a small flock, these basic tips may help you build a feeling of community and encourage active participation in your next meeting.
1: Be spontaneous
A great way to create a relaxed feeling in your small group Bible study is to break away from regimented schedules. While you should always try to begin and end the Bible study at its scheduled times, encourage your group members to share their insights and interpretations of the verses being studied, and a lively discussion will follow.
Some Bible study groups have found that having their meetings on weeknights rather than before Sunday services creates a looser, more relaxed environment and a feeling of community. Snacks don't hurt, either.
2: Be aware of language limitations
Words change meanings over a very short period of time, and English is a more fluid language than most. Many words in older Bible translations have changed their meaning since they were translated. Some words in the King James Bible now mean the opposite of what they did at the time of their translation. For example, the word "let" sometimes meant "to refrain or prevent" back in the 1600s.
Supplement your small group Bible study with lexicons and word study books in Hebrew and Greek that focus on the meaning of the original words.
3: Don't exclude other versions of the Bible
There are hundreds of different versions of the Christian Bible published today, from the King James and New International Versions to customized study Bibles geared toward different groups, from children or teenagers to alcoholics or business people. As a small group Bible study leader, you should be aware of the existence of these differences.
With the help of small group study guides, like those from Word Among Us Ministries, and by studying the original Hebrew and Greek meanings and comparing them with the modern translations, you can help your Bible study group gain a better understanding of the scripture.
4: Don't get too far away from the Word
Although study guides and lexicons can be helpful in understanding the meanings of the words in a verse, it is important to use scripture to interpret scripture. If you were interpreting ancient Babylonian texts, you wouldn't use the New York Times or Shakespeare as a reference guide.
Context is everything. Rather than taking a verse of scripture on its own, it is important to encourage your Bible study group to not only read the before-and-after verses, but also to read the verse in the context of the entire paragraph, chapter, book and Bible.
By following these few tips, you can make your Bible study fun and enlightening for everybody.

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Christian Education - 12 Keys of Effective Teaching

While there are many forms of teaching in the Christian education arena, there are a few basic tenets that are applicable across the board. We will focus on these tenets as they apply to "formal" teaching (classroom, discussion, lecture, discipling relationships), but they are just as important in informal settings.
1. Set goals. This is probably the biggest omission for teachers. We know and want to communicate a lot of "stuff," but we haven't clearly defined our goal and purpose. Without a goal and purpose, our teaching wanders and we won't see the fulfillment the Lord intends in our ministries.
It may be helpful to choose a verse or passage to be a guide for your teaching. Then, as you prepare a lesson or a series of lessons, ask yourself questions to see if you are meeting your goals. For example, if we were looking at Ephesians 4:11-16, we might ask ourselves:

• How am I equipping people to serve through this lesson?
• How am I building up the body of Christ?
• How am I succeeding as an example of Christ-like character? How am I failing?
• What doctrines am I teaching on? How can I better communicate them?
• What practical application will my hearers draw from my lesson?
• What sin or error am I confronting?
• What spiritual disciplines am I promoting? Am I demonstrating them in my own life?
• How am I encouraging intimacy with God?
• How am I exhorting people to love?
• Is Christ the beginning, ending, and focus of my teaching?

Specific lessons and series of lessons will, of course, have additional specific goals particular to the topic at hand. These goals should be clearly delineated before teaching begins, and regular evaluations should take place to be certain that goals are being achieved.
2. Put forth effort. Give your preparation - and your delivery - the best of yourself. Don't expect fulfillment in ministry if you consistently "cobble something together" at the last minute, are rushing around the house to get out on time, and are tired when it's time to teach. You and your hearers will get the most out of your teaching if you put forth solid, concentrated effort into preparation time, and are rested and enthusiastic when it's time to speak.
3. Be orderly. Build a lesson as you would build a house. Lay a foundation and develop your points thoroughly and completely to a conclusion. You want your hearers to walk away with several things: facts, understanding, and application.
4. Avoid tangents. Whether they come from you or from one of your hearers, nip tangents in the bud (unless there is a distinct reason and the Spirit's leading to follow them and expand on them). Lessons should be tight, allowing no room for wandering or drifting. You will not accomplish your goals unless you stay focused.
5. Combine orthodoxy and orthopraxy. Each lesson should contain both right teaching (orthodoxy) and instruction on right practice (orthopraxy). Doctrine in a vacuum will not be remembered or be seen as applicable. Guidance on right practice will not become ingrained unless the reasons and doctrines behind it are understood. Instruction on the Word of God and the walk of God should go hand-in-hand whenever we teach.
6. Make it practical. Every lesson should be a "rubber-meets-the-road" lesson. If it's not practical, it won't be remembered. If it doesn't apply to life today, to my life today, then it's a waste of my time. Draw lessons from life today, and show how to apply lessons to life today.
7. Be dynamic. Whatever your teaching style, make it dynamic. Dynamic comes from the Greek word "dunamis," or power. Whether you lecture or lead discussions, whether you enjoy acting your lessons in front of a crowd or prefer quiet times in a circle, your teaching style should be power-filled through the Spirit. Be creative. Be compelling. Be challenging. Be excited. Be intense. However you speak, grab your hearers and hold them - only then will they hear what you're saying.
8. Encourage interaction. In almost all cases, people will learn more from a class that they participate in. Ask questions. Encourage responses and discussion. Be sure people are understanding what you're saying. Welcome input. Even a class that is predominantly lecture has room for learner participation. Frequently a question and answer time will serve to bring home the doctrines and lessons taught.
9. Repeat and review. You only remember a fraction of what you hear - so be sure your listeners hear what's most important many times. Review the key points of past lessons. Review points made earlier in a given lesson. Repeat truth until it becomes ingrained in your hearers.
10. Handouts and homework. Don't be afraid to ask your listeners to put forth effort on their own part. Give handouts with fill-ins and room for notes at each class - it encourages people to write down key points, therefore aiding the learning process (the more senses you engage in learning, the better you will remember). Give homework. Ask people to read and think and prepare for the next class, or to follow up on the one just given. Remind your hearers that Christian education does not happen for one hour on a Sunday - it must be a part of daily life.
11. Expect excellence. People will rise to your expectations of them. Never patronize or act condescendingly toward people. Don't give shallow or fluff-filled lessons. Dig deep into the truth and your listeners will fall in love with the truth, too.
12. Pray. Pray for yourself and your hearers. Pray for your preparation time, your sanctification, and your delivery. Pray for their attentiveness, understanding, and commitment to walk with the Lord. Pray for discernment, insight, and wisdom. Your ministry will only succeed if it is bathed in and founded on prayer.

The Importance of Christian Education in Today's World

Christianity has been of the greatest importance to the USA since the time when the first settlers stepped on the Plymouth Rock. Ever since the USA has upheld the Christian values teaching them as mandatory in schools and even conducting witch hunts. At present the church is separated from the State to assure the normal functioning of other religions, while being no longer mandatory, but rather optional for studying. In the following essay I am going to speak about the Christian education as always being the option for the citizens of the USA and to explain the importance of Christian education and the role it plays in our society.
Christianity has constantly played a great role in human education in Europe as well as in the USA. The first schools in both Europe were Catholic that taught high moral standards and compliance with the God's rules. After the Protestant reformation, the role of Catholicism was drastically reduced. When the first settlers arrived to the USA, the religion they were teaching in schools was Protestantism. Christianity educated people in schools while placing certain limits on the human development. Unlike Catholic and Orthodox churches that highly believed in God's dominance and written scrutiny and therefore rejected various sciences that are anti-religious (genetic engineering, nuclear sciences, etc.), protestant churches considered good deeds and helpful behavior to be of the ultimate importance to God. Protestant churches believed that God created any sciences possible; therefore it was a human duty to study as much as possible as well as proclaiming God and expressing God in all human achievements.
Christianity if taught at schools leaves a great stigma on the students. The statistics say that students who study Christianity and Christian values at school are much less likely to engage in illegal activities such as underage drinking, promiscuous sex, and carrying arms. In US schools from all students who engage in the illegal activities only 12% of them are students studying Christianity or are engaged in Christian schools.
On a more personal level I believe that Christian education is of great importance to the whole country. Students in their teens are only forming their future character and certainly need various people to take example from. It is no wonder that in poor schools and in what we call bad neighborhoods, the crime rates are much higher--children that grow up in violent environment are in my opinion are going to be violent. It is a common fact that boys that grew up in families where fathers beat up their wives are more likely to also beat up their future spouses like their fathers. All these examples indeed show us the importance of education in the early years of human life and make us understand that education should be of great value to the society. Christianity on the other hand discourages arms, sex before marriage, as well as drinking. When exposed to Christian morals, students are more likely to develop personal attitude that would allow them to resist the peer pressure, engage in profound studying and strong desire for excellence. This shows the important role of domestic security that the Christian education provides for the society that promulgates Christianity in schools.
At the same time, Christianity being only optional provides the necessary freedoms to students of other religions, or even atheists who do not want to be influenced by the religious thought. The freedom or choice, makes the Christian teachers compete for the students and therefore not to abuse the Christian moral as it happens in areas of the world where Christianity is dominant (e.g. in Serbia and Horvatia Christianity prompted the people to eradicate the Muslims from the Christian land).
In conclusion I would like to say that the Christian educational option in fact provides a wonderful complementary material to students in the USA. The statistics that show reduction in violence, loose behavior or engagement in illegal activities corroborate the practical importance of Christian education, while the separation of church and state assures that no single religious leader can take control of the political life in the USA. The role of being the crime reducer that the Christian education represents the true need of such education in the society.

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Christian Home Education - A Few Tips

The standards and motivation for a Christlike homeschool is dominated by the juvenile's work that is based from the Testament, wherein the course of study of the lad should be left in the moms' control.
As seen in all Christlike homeschools, parents educate the word of the lord, to cultivate their young people for favorable Christianly understanding, and impart values that are critical in their traditional affairs as well as when they establish age of consent. This facet of teaching is not found in the course of study at most every public school.
Christian like homeschools are particular for each house. Some perfectly prepare their homeschooling environment and curriculum to look very similar a "junior high school", definitive with textbooks, desks, flag salute, and yes, recess.
Others create homeschooling in their everyday activities, concluding not so much in employing workbooks, essential texts and schedules. Here, both kids and dads grasp through experiences; teaching, intellectual acquirement and being trained is part of their prevailing schedule by choice of a closely regulated public school session.
Whatever is each families homeschool style, their ground is all uniform, that of giving their children eminent pointers while at the same time instructing in them how to arise to become significant thinkers and individualistic persons that are observant and conscious of the choices they formulate.
Families that homeschool cut down its atmosphere to fit both their viewpoints and style; there is no inapt or precisely way to define and formulate an encompassment for their home sweet home Christianlike method of schooling.
Christian homeschoolers give the go-ahead to the moms to express God's word to their adolescent children. It is a setting of religious and upstanding positive reinforcement through which youngsters are being taught seriously in the testament of God, above all to statute and think as Christly followers.
Typically, the course of study in a Christian homeschool invests a considerable amount of time in the study of the God's word, wherein the focus is the Lord's good book.
Christians opt for to school at home in order to broaden the mind of their young people. It could be said that they predominantly do this because of their good faith that the Almighty God's schedule is revealed through moms raising and coaching their own youngsters. In fact, Christians firmly respect that it is the way of the Bible; there is no other academic organization than this. Christ followers without doubt affirm that the Almighty God did not even hint at schools to be attended by His congregation; that schools were a product of the individual.

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7 Ways a Christian Education Can Make a Difference

There's no question that a Christian education is special. It doesn't matter if you're in a primary school, seminary, or somewhere in between. To be able to spend your time around people who love God and want to obey Him is a joy that is almost unequalled by anything else in this life. We are to be in the world, rather than of it; but spending more time in a Christian environment, especially when you're young, can encourage you to maintain your witness when you do find yourself in it full-time.
Although there are probably others, here are seven ways that a Christian education can make a difference in the lives of your kids.
1. It will provide daily spiritual food.
Some schools will have worship services as part of their daily or weekly schedules. Teachers may open their classes with prayer and Bible reading. That alone can set the tone for the rest of the session.
2. It can help students to establish lifetime values.
Studies have shown that students who attend any faith-based school come away with a clear idea of what their values are. Those who are left to their own devices seldom know what they believe in. Like all children, they need to know what the boundaries are and, if they don't, then they tend to drift from one set of values to another, often for their entire lives.
In today's world, it's especially important for students to be grounded in Christian values, not least because they will be challenged to compromise them in almost every area of life once they leave school and start to make their own way.
One value that is essential is learning what the Bible says is the difference between right and wrong. The world makes no such distinction, preferring instead to leave it up to the individual. The Bible clearly teaches, however, that men and women will naturally choose evil over good. This is one reason why parents are exhorted to "train up a child in the way he should go."
3. It can reinforce Christian values.
It's not enough to be taught Christian values. There also needs to be reinforcement.
Think of a Christian retreat, for example. If you've ever been on one, then you know how easy it is to come away from that experience on a spiritual high, all pumped up for service to God. But a few months down the road, it all seems like a distant memory. You find that you're back to the same old routine and have the same bad habits.
If you continued to meet with other Christians for the purpose of reminding yourself of what you learned and discussing how to put those principles into practice, then your life would more closely reflect the good intentions you had when you left.
The same thing is true in a school. Listening to one or a handful of Bible-based lecturers on the necessity of Christian values may generate some enthusiasm; but it won't be lasting. In order for that to happen, those values need to be reinforced.
4. It provides Biblical role models
Teachers in any institution are role models to their students. In a Christian school, however, those people will have a vibrant relationship with God.
Think for a moment of the impact that Christ had on the eleven disciples who spent three years with him day after day. It's easy for us to sit on the sidelines and criticize the impulsiveness of Peter, for example; but he wrote two letters that are included in the New Testament, and his experiences recorded in the Acts of the Apostles exemplify the influence that Christ had on him.��Christ was the ultimate role model. His modern day disciples should be worth copying, too.
5. It gives students the opportunity to make the right friends.
We all know how cruel children can be to one another, as the playground will testify. While Christian schools are not immune to this, their emphasis on glorifying God and teaching children to do the same can help students to recognize the characteristics that their friends should have. Because many of them will try to practice the behaviors that are consistent with what they're taught, they will learn to identify who their friends should be outside of a Christian environment as well.
6. It teaches students to respect authority
This is a biggy.
Since the 1960s, society has encouraged everyone to challenge authority. While it's true that not everyone who is placed such positions fulfills them responsibly, it is nevertheless proper for young people to learn to respect those who hold them.
God has placed these people over us to protect us, and so when we rebel against them, we're ultimately rejecting Him.
7. It teaches kids that education is a privilege
A Christian education also teaches kids the privilege of being able to study at all.
There's no question that a Bible-based environment is special for a lot of reasons, but few people in the United States realize just how privileged they are to be able to live where they do.
Children especially, need to know that there are millions of people in the world today who can't read or write in their own language. And kids need to cherish their education because it frees them to do so much more than they could do without it.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Christian Education

The pursuit of a Christian education for children typically involves a number of questions and concerns. At the forefront, you may want to ascertain that your children will receive a well-rounded and high-quality learning experience while they also receive ongoing exposure to spiritual ideals and a Biblical view of the world.
Definition of Christian Education
Students enrolled in a Christian school receive academic and extracurricular instruction from a religious perspective and with a faith-based foundation. While some private schools focus on other areas such as a specific vocation or fine arts, this type of instruction focuses on instilling Christian values and developing a spiritual perspective in students. The environment of the institution is different from public schools because the focus is centered on God. Teachers working at a faith-based institution typically share the same faith, enabling them to work with students from the same perspective.
The Pursuit of Quality
The combination of a Christian education and rigorous academic instruction should be a priority. An ideal institution will offer both faith-based guidance for students and academic instruction that meets or surpasses state requirements. Small class sizes, a supportive academic environment, and certified teachers with experience will ensure a quality experience for students.
Concerns about Sheltering
Pursuing a Christian education for children is not a matter of sheltering them from the harsh realities of the world. Students experience many of the same peer issues when attending a religious academy that they would face in a public school, including teasing and selfishness from other students on occasion. Unfortunately, unsavory influences from the media will follow children everywhere as well, including private faith-based institutions. However, schools instilling a Biblical perspective in students will continually work to supplant negative influences with positive, spiritual influences.
Extracurricular Opportunities
Faith-based institutions can offer extracurricular opportunities for students, not unlike public schools. Art, drama, and sports are three of the main extracurricular options that children may wish to pursue in conjunction with a well-rounded spiritual education.
Timing of Enrollment
Shaping students' perspectives about the world and the issues that arise begins at the beginning of life. As children grow and begin learning, instruction should include a religious perspective to ensure that they incorporate this mindset into their overall attitude. Optimally, Christian education should begin when a child enters school. However, it's never too late to make a positive change and teach a Biblical viewpoint to students.
Differing Perspectives
The viewpoint imparted to students attending a faith-based institution will be significantly different from the perspective taught to students in public school. Students will focus on service, helping others, outgoing concern for others, pleasing God, pursuing truth and Godly wisdom, and using the Word of God to decode issues and challenges in life. In a secular education, instruction typically focuses on independence, personal rights, competition, personal gain, comparison to others, random chance, and identity based on performance.
Finding a faith-based institution that will partner with you in teaching your children a Biblical worldview will enable to you to ensure that your kids receive the instruction you want them to have to prepare them for a full and rewarding life.

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Sources of Theology in Africa

Africa with its diverse cultures and unique worldviews has its own sources in discussing God. Any guide to the pursuit of an African Theology in the Christian tradition needs be surveyed from God's perspective with an underlying African worldview.
Biblical Christian theology has its base in the Bible and to some extent, systematic theology takes some its influence from the accepted ecclesiastical traditions during the immediate post resurrection age. The Bible and church tradition form the two principal sources for accepted Christian theologies in the different sects and denominations.
The discourse on God regarding African tradition has long been a mix of oral tradition and experience passed on through ages. In addition the influence of the two major religions of the world plus cultural factors also contribute to this discourse and of vast influence is traditional religion itself.
The lack of documentation of any form of religious literary corpus has made African traditional religion to be subjected to a lot of criticism, doubt and descriptions. Some refer to traditional religious practices as animism or heathenism. But it should be noted the religious practices of pre Christian Africa should be accepted as a reflection of past experiences, which have been inherited.
The call for an African theology should ignore these factors. Additionally, the sources; from which Africans have experienced the phenomenon of the deity will contribute a lot to the expression of any theology that may ensue. There is always the impossibility of an "out of the blues" theology because Christianity in its essence is a historical religion. The sources of African Theology though not acceptable in some Christian quarters are very important in doing theology.
Nature
Omasogie says, prior to and including the medieval period when Christian came into its own in Europe, there was no serious problem in accepting the reality of the spiritual realm. Under such an atmosphere it was easy to sense the presence of God in nature and to symbolize that presence in the use of material elements, which were regarded as concrete tokens of his presence.1
In simple terms, nature served as a revelatory factor in comprehending to some extent the Supreme being. There is no different thought in this perspective with regards pre Christian Africa. Whatever discussions or evaluations were made of the Supreme being, were by virtue of observing nature and its activities in the absence of any written scripture about God and creation. Therefore, there are a variety of stories in African traditional religion about God, creation, man, etc.
For instance, rain is regarded as one of the greatest blessings of God. Whereas the Bantu speaking groups in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Ewe in Togo, Ghana and Benin regard thunder as the voice of God, the Gikuyu of Kenya regard thunder as the movement of God. On the other hand, the Yoruba in Nigeria regard thunder as an indication of God's anger.2
The general belief concerning the divinities is that they were created by God to fulfill specific functions. As creatures some West African societies regard them as children oar messengers of God. These divinities may be made to look like male or female beings and are given places of abode such as hills, rivers, trees, rocks, the seas or even certain animals.3
In consequence, some of these natural elements in some African communities are venerated and held in high esteem as factors, which are inhabited by spirits who relate to the Supreme being in one way or the other. For instance, in some communities, women may not go to a village well with their slippers on or with their head uncovered.
Traditional Cultures
Religion and culture in Africa are interwoven and sometimes it becomes very difficult to distinguish between what is purely religious and what is just part of the cultural complex. Most cultural activities have some religious activities in them. They may involve pouring libation to spirits oar ancestors or making some incantation to one spirit or another.
Byang Kato says religion is the heart of culture. A change in religion necessitates a re-adjustment in culture.4 There are some cultural activities that have no religious bearing. For instance, polygamy in Africa is more of a cultural value performance than religious. The aspect of kinship, which controls social relationship between people in a given community, is very significant in African culture. It determines the behavior of one individual to another.5 So, a crime of adultery in a typical Mende culture in Sierra Leone is more a sin against the community than against God.
But it is quite plain to see that even though there may be no connection between culture and religion, in some; instances many cultural performances provide the basis from which truths about God may b e deduced. In such a case, sacrifices to Spirits are cultural practices with a religious significance.
The Influence of Islam
Islam has had more influence on traditional religion and culture in Africa than Christianity. To some extent, Islam has accommodated influenced or ignored many traditional practices in contrast to what Christianity has been to traditional practices. Consequently, many; a discourse about God in African theology may have a taint of Islamic theology. According to Islamic teaching, anything that happens in this world is within God's will because that particular happening has God's stamp of approval. Thus, fatalistic belief of this kind is held by a large percentage of Muslims and Christians alike.
African Traditional Religion
African Traditional Religion forms the largest fountain from which African theology is drawn. Since it is a religion without any written codes or special revelations, all of its teaching about God and creation are drawn largely from observations in nature and assumptions. Consequently, while most African traditionalists would suggest that the religion proposes monotheism, the multiplicity of objects of worship and veneration may suggest a shift from the monotheistic position held strongly by both Christians and Muslims.
African traditional religion is a powerful influence and a large number of nationalistic Africans would want to maintain the cultural value of most practices without regard for the religious implications. For instance, some African theologians; have attempted to design a Christian theology based on the traditional mode of African religion. Harry Sawyerr and E. Fashole-Luke, former Professors of the University of Sierra Leone, argue that African ancestors have a role in the doctrine of the communion of Saints as presented in the ecclesiastical.6
Nyamiti and Bujo, both African Christian Theologians are quoted by John Parrat, in using the African ancestor concept to elucidate Christology. In Nyamity's opinion, Christ may be regarded as Ancestor because just as the human ancestor; establishes a link between the spirit world and that of the living, so Jesus by His crucifixion establishes a mystical link between God and the Christian community. Bujo on the other hand, believes that Jesus is the first ancestor, but transcends all others.7
Society
Society as a source of theology includes all forms of human activity and interaction: politically, economically, socially, ethnically, etc. These factors have become complex everyday to the point that certain features in them are easily addressed by any religion. These aspects or features have become points of debates and arguments from which atheoloagies are built.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I must reiterate here that all these sources of theology seek to present concepts of God based on what has been handed or experienced. It may be argued that they are not enough for arriving at a universally accepted African Christian theology since there are so many features in them that are totally unacceptable to orthodox and even Evangelical Christianity. But African theology away from the Christian domain draws a lot of inspiration from these sources and they are no doubt issues to be grappled with as we move ahead to see how far we can do theology in Africa.

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Spiritual Duty

When it comes to a spiritual duty what is the first thing that comes to mind? For me, the first thing that comes to mind is a job and way of life or way of living. So what is our Divine duty as spiritual beings? One of our spiritual duties is to learn from our life experiences and secondly we are to express Love in all the many forms. Believe it or not, we are here to learn, aid, and Love each other no matter the form of experiences that we are faced with.
Every experience that happened to you up to this point in life has created the individual that you are today. There are different types of experiences that lead us to this point that we may find ourselves at. There are experiences in: forgiveness, compassion, kindness, generosity, empathy, etc. It is these life themes that help to create a space for learning about our inner-selves beneath the surface. It is our spiritual duty to learn these life themes inside and out, so that we can aid others who find themselves going through the same life themes that we have been through. Wouldn't you like to aid a friend, co-worker, or family member in understanding some of their life themes that are embedded within their experiences?
Love comes in many forms; there is not just romantic-Love. Forgiveness, compassion, empathy, are all forms of Love. You see, when we are learning some of the life themes embedded within our experiences we are actually learning about Love. So if this is the case then why is it hard for some to express Love always and in all ways? Failure to learn from the life themes that are within our experiences is why it's hard for some. Some of us have been beaten up inside from having rough experiences. Shift your perspective with me for just a moment while we look at the life theme of forgiveness. When the life theme of forgiveness is presented to us within an experience it usually takes the form of an individual being emotionally, mentally, or physically hurt by someone else; thus, forgiveness being the answer to properly heal from the emotional and/or mental and/or physical pain. So once you forgive the other person and forgive yourself from having gone through the experience, you end up being in a position where you can aid someone else. And to me this is one of the best positions that you could find yourself in.
So as you walk your path remember that you are not just walking it for yourself, you are walking the path so others that you help along the way can prosper too. Your spiritual duty is to express Love always and in all ways by first helping yourself so you can ultimately aid others.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9573904

Prepare to Be Shocked By God's Kingdom Reversal

Paradoxes of the Kingdom abound to confuse the 'righteous' and encourage the broken. Don't believe me? Read the Old Testament. Then read Jesus.
Isaiah 61:1-10 in the Septuagint (LXX) links the message of salvation and those who are broken with the concept that it is the broken person who leads other broken people to their salvation.
God's key Kingdom reversal is this: He wants to use the broken to bind up the wounds of the broken. He uses the broken with power, but those who are proud toil fruitlessly for years. If life has smashed you up, prepare to be part of God's Kingdom reversal; and be used greatly (which is measured in the eternal realm; certainly, not by numbers).
God has no role for the self-righteous priest. The priest is necessarily from the broken. If the priest is not from the broken, they will be ineffective for they haven't borne witness to the power of the Spirit in the realities of Isaiah 61:1-3 in their own lives. They cannot take persons through places they themselves have not gone. And they have insufficient empathy and compassion. God cannot use them who do their ministry for their own kudos. And be careful, for it is difficult to discern the right minister from the self-righteous minister.
But God will use the one who has been smashed and dashed on the rocks of life.
It is the broken person that God has predestined to work great deeds for His glory. Not just the person once broken and caused to be prideful, but the person who remains broken.
The Holy Spirit works maximally through broken people who lead as if they don't.

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Christian Youth - God Has a Bright Future For You

We live in a confusing and changing world. With so much discord and unhappiness swirling around it can sometimes feel impossible to lead a truly Christian life. When our political and social leaders are making great missteps and failing to succeed as being an example of good Christian living, it is easy to get discouraged. Despair not though, as a Christian you need not look to those around you to feel God's love or for a good example. Know that your heavenly father wants only the best for you as a Christian youth, and that He provides you with all that you will ever need to succeed.
"For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord.
They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a
future and a hope."
-- Jeremiah 29:11
The times that Jesus Christ lived in were no less tumultuous than the times we live in now. Through his actions and great love for man, God showed the people of that time what it meant to be a Christian. God sacrificed his only begotten son, so that we would be able to love one another as God loves us and that we would fulfill his wishes by leading a good Christian life. The Christian youth of today is blessed with the opportunity to live in a time that you can do so much good in sharing God's word. Know that you are blessed and have the power to help others by setting a good example of Christian living.
"I can do all things through him who strengthens me."
-- Philippians 4:13
Living your life as a good Christian means accepting others even though they may be different. The Christian youth of today can make a radical and lasting difference in the world by living their lives as God would want; by leading by example and by demonstrating that a good Christian life is a full one. Family, friends and God's word are the greatest gifts that one can ever share and are all the rewards that come from Christian living. We are so blessed to have God's great love in our lives. How better to honor that love than to share it with others who may be living in darkness?
"Be strong and bold; have no fear or dread of them, because it is the Lord
your God who goes with you; he will not fail you or forsake you."
--Deuteronomy 31:6
Armed with the great love of God, there is no obstacle that you cannot overcome. Being a Christian offers you so many opportunities to share God's word and God's love. Don't be afraid to be overjoyed at the great gift you have as a Christian youth. Know that, no matter what trial you are facing, God's love will see you through. Stick to your beliefs, and live your life as God has commanded and you will reap the rewards of a good Christian life. Even in your darkest hour your great faith and Christian living will light your soul and fill you with a great peace, knowing that you are never alone.
"The Lord will guide you continually."
-- Isaiah 58:11

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Study the Bible - The Most Important Element in Bible Verse Study

Here's the most important thing you need to know when it comes to understanding the Word of God:
You can't.
Well . . . not by yourself, anyway.
I find that a lot of people feel like they can just pick up a copy of the Holy Writ and start reading it with full comprehension. Many treat the scriptures like some sort of giant, leather-bound fortune-cookie. They pick up the Bible, dust it off, and randomly begin reading expecting the wisdom of the ages to be implanted into their lives.
It doesn't work that way.
In fact, there is a word for this kind of approach - bibliomancy. Bibliomancy is divination by interpreting a passage picked at random from a book, especially from a religious book such as the Bible. This can lead to results that range anywhere from the ridiculous to the dangerous. Imagine someone randomly connecting the following verses of scripture:
(Matthew 27:5)
Then Judas . . . went out and hanged himself.

(Luke 10:37)
". . . now go and do the same."

(John 13:27)
. . . "What you do, do quickly."
What we need to realize and accept is that there is a proper way to study and apply the scriptures. In this day of tolerance we're afraid to say that somebody's interpretation is wrong. Faith is a very personal thing and conventional wisdom says that we should not question someone's religious experience. But, the truth is that not every one is correct in their approach to the Bible.
In future articles we will be discussing proper methods of Bible study. Things like context and culture must be considered along with literary styles and the author's intent. But for now I want to just touch on the number-one, all-important, necessary ingredient for understanding the Bible. Without this component, it is impossible to grasp the things of God, and the most learned among us become fools. It's found in this one simple verse:
(1 Corinthians 2:14)
But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.
Notice what this verse says about the natural man, without the Spirit of God:

• He does not accept the things of God

In fact, he considers them foolish. This would naturally lead him to mock the truths of God as well as those who follow them.

• He cannot understand the things of God

Natural man - no matter how intelligent or sophisticated - will never be able to understand the things God because they are spiritually evaluated. Those who idolize human intellectualism will find this hard to accept, but this is actually the way God delights in doing things.1 Corinthians 1:27 NLT
(27) . . . God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And He chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful.
In attempting to comprehend God and His Word, don't miss this basic principle:
Understanding the things of God begins with being submitted to the Spirit of God. When you approach the scriptures with humility, the Word of God will open up to you.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/534037

The Purpose of Christian Missions - Seven Essential Tasks of Effective Christian Missions

There are many important responsibilities applicable to Christian missions. Yet, of all that can be listed, there are seven essential tasks that are most central. This article outlines and briefly discusses the seven main points pertinent to Christian missions.
Christian Foreign Missions exists to:
1. Exalt the Name of the One True God
2. Exemplify the Body of Christ
3. Evangelize Unbelievers
4. Educate Disciples
5. Establish Local Church Bodies
6. Equip and Empower National Leaders
7. Encourage the National Church as Co-Laborers in Christ
Exalt the Name of the One True God
First, Christian missions exists to exalt the Name of the One True God. Christians believe there is only one Lord God Almighty, Creator of the universe and all living things. He made every human being to be special, unique persons with eternal value in his sight. To exalt His Name means to glorify God or, in plain terms, to make God look good and attractive to others. Certainly, others have the right to reject God, but they should never reject him because of the unseemly character of a mission group or team member.
Exemplify the Body of Christ
Second, Christian missions is about exemplifying the Body of Christ. To exemplify Christ's Body means to model the kind of loving fellowship that comes from knowing Jesus and walking together in God's Holy Presence. Christian missionaries are far from perfect, but as a group they exist to demonstrate to others around the world a type of support and camaraderie that does not exist in the secular world. Christian mission teams are envoys or ambassadors that represent the Kingdom of God, a place of refuge, a safe harbor from the storms of life. To exemplify the Body of Christ means to value each member along with their special quirks and peculiarities and to help each other thrive to God's fullest potential. As such, team members seek God together and when conflict arises, as inevitably it will, they are quick to talk through differences, forgive one another and walk forward together, hand-in-hand.
Evangelize Unbelievers
The third essential task of Christian Missions is to evangelize unbelievers. Unfortunately, the term - evangelize- has a bad connotation, as it gives the picture of a Christian hammering a non-Christian over the head with a Bible until they cower into submission and - pray the sinner's prayer.- However, in this context, the term - evangelize- simply means - to tell the good news- of God's great love for them. To testify about Him, who He is and what He has done.
If there is only One True God, then it is an imperative that Christians, including Christian missionaries, tell others about Him and how they can have a relationship with Him. Telling others the good news also includes telling them about God's Son Jesus Christ, his loving sacrifice on the cross in order to pay the penalty for our sins, and how Jesus conquered death by resurrecting on the third day.
Perhaps, it should be written that telling the good news does not mean shoving Christ down another person's throat. Not even the most persuasive person can make another person a true believer by coercion. Christian's are called to be loving, kind and cordial. It is God's task to convince others to believe; it is the Christian missionary's task simply to present the good news in a loving manner.
Educate Disciples of Jesus Christ
The fifth purpose of Christian missions is to educate disciples. To educate disciples means to teach the new believers how to grow in their faith and knowledge of God and Jesus Christ. The main source of teaching should be the Christian Bible. New believers should be taught or trained in the basic fundamentals of Christian faith and practice, including how to:
- Worship God
- Read and study the Bible
- Pray for themselves and others
- Fellowship with other believers
- Deal with conflict
- Forgive themselves and others
- Tell others about God and Jesus
Establish Local Church Bodies
Another task germane to Christian missions is to establish local church bodies or to start new church groups. Christians were never meant to live their lives in isolation. Each person has been uniquely created to function within a wider organization of believers. The reason this is so is because each human being is finite in his or her abilities. No one is good at everything. Christians need one another to balance each other out and to help each other thrive to their optimum potential. The Christian Bible tells us that each member of the Christian family has been given unique spiritual gifts to aide in the administration of the church. The goal is to establish a place of loving fellowship where fellow believers can worship God and support one another in their relationship with God and His Son, Jesus Christ.
It should be noted that establishing a local church does not mean making the church in the likeness of American or Western cultural norms. Each culture has its own unique expression of what it means to do church. Missionaries should allow national believers to explore what doing church means in their own cultural context.
Finally, one part of the task of establishing a local church body is to teach and train them in administration of the church. This includes guiding them through the process of:
- Defining their own vision for the church,
- Writing out guidelines for church discipline
- Learning how to handle church finances.
Equip and Empower National Leaders
A sixth purpose of Christian Missions is to equip and empower national leaders. The ultimate goal of Christian mission teams is to work themselves out of a job. Many missionaries lack faith and trust in God to keep His church going when they leave. Christian leaders are often too slow to let go of the reigns of leadership to national believers. It seems a bit ironic that these missionaries, who trusted God enough to leave home and family to go to a strange land far off, are not able to muster enough faith in God to raise competent leadership in their stead. Even so, leadership development is a central task of the Christian mission team.
Encourage the National Church as Co-Laborers in Christ
It is not a proper objective for Christian mission organization to remain on soil forever. It is another imperative that mission teams define an exit strategy, clearly defining what a mature national church should look like and how to back out when the appropriate time comes. However, this does not mean that the relationship has to end. In fact, the seventh purpose of Christian missions is to encourage the national church as co-laborers in Christ. Such encouragement can come through letters or periodic visits. When a mission organization has exited from a foreign field, the national church and or one or more of the local bodies will have periods when they will experience hard times. It is not the job of the mission group to jump back over and re-take the reins, but rather to be there for moral support and encouragement.
There are many important responsibilities applicable to Christian missions. Yet, of all that can be listed, there are seven essential tasks that are most central. This article has outlined and briefly discussed the seven main points pertinent to Christian missions.