January 2010 Archives

Vacation Bible School Follow-up from Claude V King on Vimeo.

At LifeWay today, we've got close to 1,500 people being trained and introduced to the Vacation Bible School Emphasis for 2010. Through the years, VBS has been one of the most effective evangelistic outreaches that many of our churches conduct. Yet many leaders have sensed that our follow-up with prospects has been inadequate. We have the opportunity of reaching these children and also their entire families. But this opportunity requires a very intentional effort.

I've invited Mike Smith to challenge you to consider the importance of follow-up for the children who attend Vacation Bible School this summer. This year select a Follow-up director and enlist a team to help him or her. Prepare and conduct an intentional plan to connect with the prospects you identify through VBS. Chapter 4 and the CD-ROM of VBS 2010 Administrative Guide for Directors provide ideas for immediate follow-up through phone calls, letters, and doorstep visits to reach out to the children and families God has entrusted to your church as prospects.

Let's reach out to the "Brookes" who visit our churches for the first time this summer!

Greatest Day: Sharing Christ from Claude V King on Vimeo.

In part IV, David Wheeler describes an assignment he makes to students at Liberty University and how one student experienced "the greatest day" of his life. David is coauthor of Growing Disciples Series: Minister to Others in which he and Richard Leach help disciples understand how they can use ministry to create opportunities for sharing faith in Christ.

If you want to download and show these video blogs to encourage a small group studying Minister to Others, you can access them in an album and share them with others at: Minister to Others.

To download a sample chapter or learn more about multiplying servants using David's book go to: Growing Disciples Series: Minister to Others.

Becoming a Servant from Claude V King on Vimeo.

I want to share some more encouraging words from David Wheeler, a professor at Liberty University and coauthor of Growing Disciples Series: Minister to Others. In part III David tells some stories of people who have used service to others to create opportunities for sharing faith in Christ.

I'm thinking that small groups who are studying Minister to Others might want to download and show these video blogs to encourage the group. You can access them in an album and share them with others at: Minister to Others.

To download a sample chapter or learn more about multiplying servants using David's book go to: Growing Disciples Series: Minister to Others.

The Barrier of Entitlement from Claude V King on Vimeo.

On my way to work this morning (at 18 degrees) I saw a man walking down the highway. Being around David Wheeler over the holidays has hightened my sensitivity to ministry to those in need. I knew this guy needed a ride. I know the Lord prompted me to turn around and pick the man up. He'd been wiped out by Hurrican Ivan in 2004 and moved to Tennessee. We talked on the brief trip to his home (I'm guessing). He popped the question, "Where do you go to church?" I told him. He goes to church, too. Though our time was short, I think the Lord had me ministering to one of His children to remind Him that "the God who sees me" saw him and cares enough to provide a ride. 

In part II of this Multiplying Disciples video blog, David Wheeler, coauthor of Growing Disciples Series: Minister to Others, speaks about one major barrier to multiplying servants--our attitude of entitlement. He contrasts our attitude with that of Jesus in Mark 10:45 where Jesus explained that He came not to be served but to serve.

I want to learn to do that better and more, to look and act like Christ. Don't you?

To download a sample chapter or learn more about multiplying servants using David's book go to: Growing Disciples Series: Minister to Others. I've got two more blogs from David coming up.

Pass the Baton of Service from Claude V King on Vimeo.

Over the holidays, I had a chance to spend some time with David Wheeler who is coauthor of Growing Disciples Series: Minister to Others and professor at Liberty University. I took the opportunity to turn on my Flip camera and capture some of David's marvelous stories. My next few posts will allow you to listen in on some of his stories.

In part I, David shares about the importance of demonstrating a lifestyle of service and passing the baton to our children and the next generation. David's dad used a variety of ministry opportunities to meet the needs of people and create opportunities to give his faith away to them. In so doing, he taught David experientially to have a heart for others that includes ministry to their needs and sharing Christ.

To download a sample chapter or learn more about multiplying servants using David's book go to: Growing Disciples Series: Minister to Others.

In my last post I suggested that our lives and churches are like water jugs. We’ve been given the Living Water, the Spirit of Jesus Christ. The way we live in purity and holiness, in unity and love, in joy and power will either cause the gospel about Christ to be appealing or it will cause people to say, “I’m not that thirsty.” Does the watching world want what they see in your life? in your church? or are they saying by their actions, “We’re not that thirsty.” Here are eight steps to clean up your spiritual water jug.

1. Examine yourself. “Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith” (2 Cor. 13:5). Joining a church or claiming the name “Christian” doesn’t make you one. A saving relationship with Jesus Christ does. Does His Spirit live in you in such a way that your life is a new creation that looks and acts like Jesus? That’s the starting point for being a powerful witness.

2. Judge yourself. “If we were properly evaluating ourselves, we would not be judged” (1 Cor. 11:31). Do you know of any sin or impurity in your life that is unlike Christ? Those need to go. Pray like the Psalmist,

 “Search me, God, and know my heart;
  test me and know my concerns.
  See if there is any offensive way in me;
  lead me in the everlasting way” (Psalm 139:23-24)

3. Remove idols of the heart. An idol of the heart is anything that captures my love in such a way that I’m distracted from my first love for God. Things, money, pleasures, hobbies, sports, careers, positions of power, or other people can all become idols. If you are loving anything too much, put it away and return to your first love.