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SUNDAY MESSAGE: DUCT TAPE DADS!

This Sunday at Victory Church I will be preaching a message titled "Duct Tape Dads!"  In preparation for this message I ran across this "Duct Tape - MythBuster" video.  Enjoy!

DECLARING A CONGREGATIONAL FAST @ VICTORY CHURCH

As Senior Pastor of Victory Church, today I am declaring a "Congregational Fast" for the approval of a $1.3 million loan for phase one of our building project.

Joel 2:12-13, 15-16 (HCSB) Even now- [this is] the Lord's declaration- turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Tear your hearts, not just your clothes, and return to the Lord your God. Blow the horn in Zion! Announce a sacred fast; proclaim an assembly. Gather the people; sanctify the congregation; assemble the aged; gather the children, even those nursing at the breast.

Below is a study on "Prayer and Fasting" I taught at Victory:

BREAKING STRONGHOLDS THROUGH FASTING

Matthew 6:16-18 (HCSB) “Whenever you fast, don’t be sad-faced like the hypocrites. For they make their faces unattractive so their fasting is obvious to people. I assure you: They’ve got their reward! But when you fast, put oil on your head, and wash your face, so that you don’t show your fasting to people but to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

For many of you this is a new “subject/experience” in your Christian life, but it’s a very biblical practice.

John Wesley said about fasting, “Some have exalted religious fasting beyond all Scripture and reason; and others have utterly disregarded it altogether.”

We live in a world obsessed with food.

• It is almost impossible to drive a city block without passing a local pizza parlor or fast-food restaurant.
• Some would argue that we have a national addiction to food.
• There are support groups for people who cannot control their eating habits.
• It is natural to eat! That’s why the subject of fasting is something that appears unnatural or strange.

What is fasting? It is the biblical discipline from food for spiritual purposes.

Fasting must always be for spiritual purposes, not for public attention! The Sermon on the Mount is best known for the “Beatitudes” or the “Blessed are…” statements.

• Because we have focused so much of our attention on the beatitudes, we have inadvertently missed what Jesus said about certain activities that should be done in privacy away from neighbors and friends.
• He admonished the crown to be careful about what they did in public because of the tendency to do it out of misguided motivation.

Jesus talked about three things we should refrain from doing in public:

1. We should refrain from public notoriety. (Matthew 6:2)
2. We are admonished to pray in private. (Matthew 6:5)
3. We should fast in private. (Matthew 6:16)

Nothing is fundamentally wrong with doing these things in public, but Jesus understood the tendency of people to do things for admiration of their peers instead than for the glory of God. Therefore, to keep our hearts pure, Jesus thought it best for us to do these things in private.

THERE ARE SEVERAL DIFFERENT FASTS WRITTEN ABOUT IN THE BIBLE:

1. NORMAL FAST

• Involves abstaining from all food, but not from water. Matthew 4:2 (HCSB) After He had fasted 40 days and 40 nights, He was hungry. Luke 4:1-2 (HCSB) Then Jesus returned from the Jordan, full of the Holy Spirit, and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for 40 days to be tempted by the Devil. He ate nothing during those days, and when they were over, He was hungry.
• Now it did not say anything about Him being thirsty.
• Since the body can normally survive no longer than 3 days without water, we assume that He drank water during the 40 day fast.
• The most common Christian fast is to abstain from food and drink water or fruit juices. 

2. PARTIAL FAST

• This is a limited diet but not total abstinence from food and water.
• This fast is demonstrated in Daniel 1:12 where we are told that Daniel and his friends had only “vegetables to eat and water to drink.”

3. ABSOLUTE FAST

• This means to abstain from both water and food.
• There are several references in Scripture regarding an absolute fast. Ezra 10:6 (HCSB) Ezra then went from the house of God, walked to the chamber…where he spent the night. He did not eat food or drink water, because he was mourning over the unfaithfulness of the exiles.
• This type of fast is recorded when Esther requested the Jews fast and pray on her behalf. Esther 4:16 (HCSB) “Go and assemble all the Jews who can be found in Susa and fast for me. Don’t eat or drink for three days, night and day. I and my female servants will also fast in the same way. After that, I will go to the king even if it is against the law. If I perish, I perish.” 

4. PRIVATE FAST

• This fast is referred to in Matthew 6:16-18.
• Jesus spoke about fasting in a way not to be noticed by others.
• Fasting for public attention or political power was not an acceptable reason to fast.

 5. CONGREGATIONAL FAST

• This is where the prophet Joel proclaimed a fast… Joel 2:15-16 (HCSB) Blow the horn in Zion! Announce a sacred fast; proclaim an assembly. 16 Gather the people; sanctify the congregation; assemble the aged; gather the children, even those nursing at the breast. Let the bridegroom leave his bedroom, and the bride her honeymoon chamber.
• The congregation at Antioch was involved in a fast… Acts 13:2 (HCSB) As they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work that I have called them to.” 

6. NATIONAL FAST

• The response of King Jehoshaphat to an invasion was to call a national fast… 2 Chronicles 20:3 (HCSB) Jehoshaphat was afraid, so he resolved to seek the Lord. So he proclaimed a fast for all Judah.
• Other references of a nation fasting is found in Neh. 9:1; Esther 4:16; Jonah 3:5-8 • In the early days of our nation, Congress proclaimed 3 national fasts.
• Three presidents (John Adams, James Madison, and Abraham Lincoln) called the nation into fasts.
• Abraham Lincoln called for a fast 3 times during the War Between the States. 

LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT FASTING IS NOT INTENDED TO DO:

1. FASTING IS NOT INTENDED TO PERSUADE GOD TO CHANGE HIS MIND. 

• Some have the mistaken idea that fasting is a sure way to get God on their team; therefore, they learn the hard way that fasting was never intended to be a tool to manipulate God!
  

2. FASTING WILL NOT MAKE YOU MORE ACCEPTABLE IN GOD’S EYES.

• It is not another item on the “to-do-list” in order to be accepted by God!

3. FASTING IS NOT DONE TO LOSE WEIGHT.

• That’s the way the world thinks! Our world has become obsessed with the outward appearance—fasting was never to be intended to be a diet plan!

SPECIFIC REASONS FOR FASTING PRESENTED IN SCRIPTURE:

1. FASTING PREPARES US.

• Fasting puts us in a proper attitude for God to is calling us to do and be.
• Fasting provides an opportunity to get away from the negative impact of the world and provides a time to really listen to the Voice of God.
  

2. FASTING CLEANSES US.

• Fasting is a means of personal cleansing for the physical body, ridding it of impurities.
• Not only our physical bodies are cleansed, but our “soul” is cleansed as well. 

3. FASTING EQUIPS US.

• Fasting equips us for the battle we wage against Satan!
• There is a powerful verse that deals with fasting and the way it is connected to our victory over the strongholds in our lives is found in Isaiah. Isaiah 58:6 (HCSB) Isn’t the fast I choose: To break the chains of wickedness, to untie the ropes of the yoke, to set the oppressed free, and to tear off every yoke?
• When Satan gains a foothold in our lives, we usually try everything except fasting! • When Satan did his very best to tempt Jesus in the wilderness, it was a fasting Messiah that triumphed over the evil one! 

Conclusion:

• The more you know about what the Bible has to say about fasting, the better equipped you will be when God leads you.
• Never fast out of pride or in an effort to draw attention to yourself. Scripture says that will be your only reward!
• The bottom line in fasting is to be done to honor and glorify the Lord.
• This is a limited diet but not total abstinence from food and water.
• This fast is demonstrated in Daniel 1:12 where we are told that Daniel and his friends had only “vegetables to eat and water to drink.”

THIS WEEK'S PARENTAL PRAYER OF BLESSING AT VICTORY - Repentance

Weekly Scriptural Parental Prayer of Blessing For Our Children:

REPENTANCE

Prayer: "Father, when my children sin, quickly lead them to confess and repent so they might enjoy a clear conscience and unbroken fellowship with You, Amen."

Psalms 32:1-2 (HCSB) How joyful is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered! 2 How joyful is the man the LORD does not charge with sin and in whose spirit is no deceit!

1 John 1:5-9 (HCSB) Now this is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you: God is light, and there is absolutely no darkness in Him. 6 If we say, “We have fellowship with Him” and walk in darkness, we are lying and are not practicing the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say, “We have no sin,” we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

THIS WEEK'S PARENTAL PRAYER OF BLESSING AT VICTORY - Spiritual Blessings

Last week at Victory Church was a powerful moving experience as the "blessing" was prayed over our children.  It was a very emotional and spiritually moving time as parents, with one hand raised toward Heaven and the other hand placed upon their children, prayed for God's blessing to rest upon them.  Wow!  What a powerful scene!   

The prayer of blessing we will pray over our children this week at Victory Church are for "Spiritual Blessings" to be bestowed upon our children.  Below is the prayer of the week:

"Father, remind my children that You have adopted them in love. Enable them to experience all the spiritual blessings they have in Christ Jesus, especially Your measureless love. May they act, speak, and think in ways fitting for a child of God."

I would encourage all parents to pray this prayer aloud over your children this week as the Old Testament parents did.  As your children hear you claim God’s blessing on them, several things will happen:

1. It will build their faith
2. It will remind them of their true God-given identity
3. It will reinforce your—and their Heavenly Father’s—great love for them.

Below are the Scripture references closely related to the "Spiritual Blessing" being prayed this week.

Ephesians 1:3-14 (HCSB) Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens.  For He chose us in Him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love He predestined us to be adopted through Jesus Christ for Himself, according to His favor and will, to the praise of His glorious grace that He favored us with in the Beloved. We have redemption in Him through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.  He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure that He planned in Him for the administration of the days of fulfillment—to bring everything together in the Messiah, both things in heaven and things on earth in Him. We have also received an inheritance in Him, predestined according to the purpose of the One who works out everything in agreement with the decision of His will, so that we who had already put our hope in the Messiah might bring praise to His glory. When you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and when you believed in Him, you were also sealed with the promised Holy Spirit. He is the down payment of our inheritance, for the redemption of the possession, to the praise of His glory.

Ephesians 3:14-19 (HCSB) For this reason...I pray that...the Messiah may dwell in your hearts through faith. I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love, and to know the Messiah’s love...

Ephesians 5:8-10 (HCSB) For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light— for the fruit of the light results in all goodness, righteousness, and truth— discerning what is pleasing to the Lord.

"THE BLESSING" - PART OF VICTORY'S D6 STRUCTURE

Beginning this Sunday at Victory Church, I am going to lead and assist our parents in a prayer of blessing over our children!

Blessing our children is part of a rich biblical heritage.

In the Old Testament, fathers regularly pronounced blessings on their children (Gen. 27:26-29,39-40, 49:1-28).

As New Testament believers and priests of God (1 Pet. 2:9), one of our privileges is to bless others. When we invoke God’s name over His people, God blesses them  (Num. 6:22-27).

Each week I will post on this blog a prayer of blessing for our children.  As you pray these blessings for your children, consider pronouncing them aloud, as Old Testament parents did. Hearing you claim God’s blessing on your children will do several things for them.  It will...

1. Build their faith
2. Remind them of their true God-given identity
3. Reinforce your—and their Heavenly Father’s—great love for them.

I'm sure many of you have read the book by Dr. John Trent and Gary Smalley titled: The Blessing.  The blessing is the unconditional love and approval bestowed upon a child and are related in five elements:

1. Meaningful touch
2. A spoken message
3. Attaching high value
4. Picturing a special future
5. An active commitment

The family blessing begins with "meaningful touching."  It continues with a "spoken message" of high value, a message that pictures a "special future" for the individual being blessed, and one that is based on an "active commitment" to see the blessing come to pass.

The prayer of blessing this week will be for the assurance of our children's salvation: Parents, I would like to encourage you to begin praying this prayer over your children:

Lord, lead my children to trust only in Jesus’ sacrifice for their eternal salvation; assure them that their souls are secure in Your hands.

Following are some Scripture verses for this particular prayer:

John 3:16 (HCSB) “For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.

John 10:28-29 (HCSB) I give them eternal life, and they will never perish—ever! No one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 

1 John 5:13 (HCSB) I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.

Join us at Victory Church this Sunday to experience this powerful experience!  Also, be sure to check back each week as I post another weekly "prayer of blessing" for our children.

SUNDAY'S D6 MESSAGE ON SERVANTHOOD IS NOW ON THE PODCAST

I realize many of our Victory Church family were traveling last Sunday, therefore, you can still hear the D6 message on "servanthood" on the podcast (the podcast player is to the right of this post).  Below are the D6 family take home sermon notes:

D6 Family Theme for Week 12/27

SERVANTHOOD

D6 Weekly Goal: To inspire Christians to love others practically by serving like Jesus.

__________________________________________________________

Fusion Facts

1. Service opportunities sometimes happen when we least expect them.  (John 2:1-11)
2. Jesus is able to take our limited resources and do the impossible. (John 6:1-13)
3. A praying heart opens the door to opportunities of service (Philippians 1:1-8)
4. When seeds of compassion are sown, service is grown           (John 9:1-11)
5. When we serve others we are serving Jesus (Ephesians 6:5-8)

____________________________________________________________

Servant Leadership (Mark 10:35-45)

Thought 1: Being a SERVANT is NECESSARY for the believer and Christian leadership.  (Mark 10:35-45)

Jesus taught them this lesson, “If they wanted to be leaders in His Kingdom, they had to be SERVANTS.”

Thought 2: The wrong attitude for servanthood is to serve out of the HOPE of REWARD! (Mark 10:35-45)

____________________________________________________________

Point #1: The world’s view of servant leadership IS NOT Jesus’s definition. (Mark 10:42-43)

Point #2: SERVICE is the measure of Christian  leadership. (Mark 10:43-44)

Point #3: Servant leadership is modeled after JESUS' behavior. (Mark 10:45; John 13:1-15)

____________________________________________________________

Six main points of servant leadership:

1. “Servants lead out of RELATIONSHIPS, not by coercion.”
2. “Servants lead by SUPPORT, not by control.”
3. “Servants lead by DEVELOPING OTHERS, not by doing all the ministry themselves.”
4. “Servants GUIDE people, not drive them.”
5. “Servants LEAD FROM LOVE, not domination."
6. “Servants seek GROWTH, not position.”

____________________________________________________________

Take Home Family Study: Read Mark 9:33-35; Luke 9:11; John13:1-15

Three questions for the believer:

1. What is your motivation in serving?
2. As you look around, what is the need in front of you now?
3. What do you have to give? (Acts 3:6)

Going deeper: Take time to ask yourself and those in your family these questions while pondering the idea of servanthood.

1. Who in your life best reflects Jesus’ servant heart?
2. What Christ-like qualities does he/she exhibit while serving?
3. How has God uniquely gifted you to serve?

This week be sensitive to the leadership of the Holy Spirit as He leads you to opportunities of “humble service.”

SACRIFICE 2 VENTI LATTE'S AT STARBUCKS - Give $10 for Go10 Walk for the World

Join me in giving up two "Venti Peppermint Mocha Latte's" (or whatever you favorite coffee may be) in order to give $10.00 to help spread the Gospel to the unreached people groups around the world!

Go10 Walk for the World is an invitation to young people to experience a life-changing commitment to missions through a 2,500-mile walk for the world.  Each walker is raising $500.00 for the purpose of spreading the Gospel. An anonymous donor has pledged to match all monies raised through this walk—up to $500,000. Therefore, this walk provides an opportunity to raise over $1,000,000... that’s one million dollars!... to share the Gospel with those who have never heard it.

I am going to walk in this event and I would love for you to sponsor me!  Just click here and it will take you to my Go10 Walk website and you can give online.

Thanks for assisting me in spreading the Gospel!  Click here to learn more about Go10 Walk for the World.

Go10 Walk for the World

Go10 Walk for the World is a challenge to young people to consider their role in reaching the nations with the gospel in their generation.

The year 2010 is the commemoration of the 75th anniversary of FWBIM’s modern missions program. Laura Belle Barnard was sent out as our first missionary to India in 1935.

To commemorate this event, we are challenging Free Will Baptist young people to a life-changing commitment. They commit to walk a 10-mile segment of a 2,500-mile course. Teens will also commit to a 40-day prayer and devotional journey in preparation for the walk.

Would you like to participate in this walk?  If so, click here.

Maybe you cannot walk, so why not prayerfully consider sponsoring me in the walk to reach the world - click here to make a donation.

Thanks for all you do to assist us in this endeavor.  Please keep Go10 Walk as a top priority on your prayer list!

RESPONSE LETTER FROM SOMEONE VICTORY SERVED LAST WEEKEND WRAPPING GIFTS AT THE MALL

Just this week I received a letter from someone Victory Church served last weekend at the mall.  Victory's Christmas outreach project is "Free Gift Wrapping" every weekend and Christmas Eve at the St. Clair Square Mall in Fairview Heights, IL.

This was a very rewarding and refreshing letter!  Enjoy!

Dear Jon,
 
On Saturday my son and I finally got time to get some Christmas shopping done. We live in Litchfield and had decided to go to Fairview Heights to the mall. The traffic was horrible, the crowd was larger than I had thought it would be and to top it all off, my wife had a house full of women baking Christmas cookies and candy and now I had to figure out how to get her gifts inside and wrapped before she began snooping.
 
Then one of your church members approached me and offered to wrap my gifts. What a Blessing! All of my gifts were wrapped and ready to go under our tree when I arrived home, and all of the gifts looked great. All of the people there were so friendly and joyful that having my gifts wrapped was the highlight of my trip. You have a wonderful church family. I am always so amazed how God can know my need and provide for it, before I even know I have the need.
 
I just wanted to drop you a note and tell you what a wonderful idea I thought the gift wrapping was and how much I appreciated it. All of the wrappers were wonderful and through them, I could truly feel God’s love. By the time I left the wrapping station, I felt as if you had done all of that just for me. Please tell everyone Job well done!
 
Lee Jarman

Thanks Lee for the encouraging note and Merry Christmas!

KRISTEN CANNON SELECTED TO SERVE ON 2010 E-TEAM Ribeirão Preto, Brazil

My daughter, Kristen Cannon has recently been selected to serve on the Free Will Baptist E-Team to Brazil in June 2010!  She is very excited and grateful for this opportunity to serve on the mission field.

Free Will Baptist have had a ministry presence in Brazil since the mid 1950's when pioneer missionary Thomas Willey visited Brazil. His findings prompted the FWB Board of Foreign Missions to send missionaries to share the good news with Brazilians.

Kristen will be traveling with seven other high school students to Brazil.  They will begin with a week of training at the Free Will Baptist Bible College in Nashville, Tennessee, then travel to Ribeirão Preto, Brazil for two weeks of ministry.

Kristen needs to raise $2,990.00 to go on this trip.  We are working now to get her scheduled in as many churches as possible to share about her opportunity and ask for a prayerful and financial partnership. 

If you would like to make a tax-deductible contribution to her account, please contact the Victory Church office 618.622.9360.  Please keep Kristen in your prayers.  Thanks and God bless! 

Click here to read the history of FWB in Brazil.

VICTORY CHURCH OFFERS FREE GIFT WRAPPING THIS CHRISTMAS AT ST. CLAIR SQUARE MALL!

Tonight marks the beginning of our Christmas servant evangelism project here at Victory Church.  We are offering "Free Gift Wrapping" at the St. Clair Square Shopping Mall in Fairview Heights, IL.

The hours we are serving are as follows: Friday (tonight) 5:00 PM -9:00 PM, Saturday 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM, and Sunday 3:00 PM - 7:00 PM. We will offer "free gift wrapping" every weekend in December and will also be serving Christmas Eve from 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM.

This is a great way to "show God's love in a practical way" this Christmas season.  Please pray for us as we serve and look for opportunities to share the real reason for the season - Jesus!

D6 FAMILY TAKE HOME STUDY

 
The D6 family theme for week 11/01 through 11/07 is "hope."

Each Sunday at Victory Church I will be sending families home with a "D6 Family Take Home Study" which correlates with the D6 theme of the week and the weekly message I share.  This is a great way for families to interact together spiritually, thus helping you to become D6 families! (For those who may not be familiar with D6 - click here.)

Below is this week's D6 Family Take Home Study:

1.  As a family, share some stories this week of seemingly "hopeless" situations you have found yourself in.  Also, share how the Lord answered your prayers and brought you through that particular situation.  KEY: Christian hope grows out of faith.

2. As a family, explain the purpose of anchors to your children.  Then share that by placing our faith in Christ we have "anchored" our life in Him.  Therefore, we are safe and secure in Him!  When the storms come on the sea, the sailors are safe because they have their anchors secure in the rocks.  Reassure your family that when the storms of life come your way, you are safe because you have placed your "hope" in Christ and He is our anchor!  KEY: Christian hope is an Anchor.

3. As a family, read the words of the old hymn "My Hope Is Built." KEY: Christian hope is a Person - Jesus Christ.

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly trust in Jesus’ Name.

Refrain

On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

When darkness seems to hide His face,
I rest on His unchanging grace.
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.

Refrain

His oath, His covenant, His blood,
Support me in the whelming flood.
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my Hope and Stay.

Refrain

When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh may I then in Him be found.
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.

Refrain

Sing-a-long! Now click here and "sing" together as a family this old hymn.

VICTORY LEADERSHIP TEAM STRATEGIC MEETING

  Last evening the Victory Church Leadership Team had our first of two strategic planning meetings. The strategic plan is a tool we put in place to help us reach our vision. You may be asking, "What is our vision?" Good question! Below are our vision and mission statements. I will be sharing more concerning this in the future.

VISION STATEMENT:

"Building D6 families to carry out the great commission and the great commandment."

MISSION STATEMENT:

"Promoting radically transformed lives!" (In short: RTL's!)

We are in the process of evaluating everything and every ministry at Victory in light of our vision and mission statements. Please pray for our leadership team as we complete this process.

Also, if you have not signed up for SPLINK, then do so today! It's FREE! Maybe you did not understand me ... it's FREE! :)

Go to this website to sign up: http://www.d6family.com/splink/week/2009-10-25

DANCING WITH JESUS - VICTORY YOUTH SKIT

Today was youth Sunday at Victory Church.  Below is a video of some of the teens performing the skit "Dancing with Jesus."  This is a great visual illustration of the battle that rages with our teenagers everyday.  Please take time to lift a prayer to our Lord on behalf of every teenager you know! 

REGISTER FOR D6 CONFERENCE BY 09/08 AND SAVE!

Come on, let's keep connecting the church and home!

Almost 1,350 people have registered for the D6 Conference , September 23-25, 2009 in Dallas, Texas.  The exciting to thing to know is there are more and more groups registering each day.

To make it as easy as possible on those who missed all of the early bird opportunities, the D6 Conference would like to extend a promotion to everyone who has not yet registered.  This will help you save a little extra. 

In order to take advantage of this offer, do the following:

1. Go to the D6 Conference website (click here)
2. Register by Tuesday, September 8th (click here)
3. Use the discount code SEPTD6 and groups of 2 - 9 will save $25 per person!!! (Individuals will save $30. Groups of 10+ will save $15 per person.)

See you in Dallas!!

SEVEN VIEWS ON APOSTASY FROM HEBREWS 6:1-6

This Sunday's D6 Family Theme is FAITHFULNESS. The text passage of Scripture is Hebrews 6:1-12 from which I will be preaching tomorrow.

I have been mediating on this passage of Scripture all week.  I have spent time praying over it, reading a variety of commentaries on it, wrestling with it, and doing word studies through the passage.  I'm mentally exhausted, but spiritually revived!

Let me explain.  I was raised Southern Baptist, educated at an Independent Baptist College, and ordained a Free Will Baptist.  Twenty years ago when I felt the Lord calling me into ministry I had to make a decision on which denomination I was going to spend the rest of my life serving.  Yes, you guessed it! It all came down to this passage of Scripture and others like it.

Well, I made my choice. I could not reason away what I was discovering in this particular passage, therefore, I identified with the Armenian group, the Free Will Baptist.  And with no regrets I might add!

I was reading this week in the Randall House Commentary by Dr. Stanley Outlaw.  Dr Outlaw shares seven different views on Hebrews 6:1-6:

1. Those described are “professors” of salvation in Christ, but not genuine “possessors” of that salvation.
2. Those described were “regenerate”, but not “elect”.
3. Those described are genuinely saved people who receive a serious warning about apostasy as a preventive measure, but the whole thing is “hypothetical” since believers are eternally secure.
4. Those described are saved people, but the writer is speaking about “loss of rewards” and not “loss of salvation”.
5. The sin of apostasy spoken of here involves a special situation which could not be repeated today.
6. Those described are saved people who are on the verge of apostasy, but even if they proceed into apostasy, they could come back to God, not through any human effort, but only by the power of the Holy Spirit.
7. Those described are saved people who are seriously backslidden in their spiritual lives, and if they continue to the point of apostasy, they will be eternally lost since they have sinned against the Holy Spirit.

(The seventh view is the one I seem to believe fits the best within the context of the Scripture.  Therefore, this is the view for which I adhere.)

Many have asked me through the years about the "unpardonable sin" the sin of unbelief, the sin against the Holy Spirit.

I believe the sin against the Holy Spirit can be committed by both unsaved people - who constantly and willfully reject the obvious truth of the Gospel, and by saved people who also constantly and willfully turn their back on Christ to the point of final apostasy.

One final thought: You may be wondering if you have committed apostasy.  Well, just the fact you are questioning, pondering, and thinking about your relationship with God is a sure sign you have not committed apostasy.  Once you do, there is no coming back.  Whey? Because those who commit apostasy:

• Have turned off their consciences long enough that they no longer feel guilt.
• No longer feel sorry for their sin — they are enjoying it too much. 
• Have ears that have become dull to the voice of God. 
• Have eyes that have become blind to his goodness and mercy. 
• Have hearts that have become so calloused that they could no longer respond to the love of God.

Apostasy is a willful decision, and a deliberate choice, an abandonment to the things of God which are made with your own conscious.

NEW VICTORY CHURCH WEBSITE

After several weeks of work, it is ready! 

I just launched the new Victory Church website.  It's not 100% complete, but it is up and functioning.  I've got several more pages to add so be sure to check back soon.  Until then, go ahead and check it out, then let me know what you think! (click here)

PRIORITIES MATTER MINISTRIES

After a season of prayer, I feel the Lord has led me to begin a new ministry called "PRIORITIES MATTER MINISTRIES (PMM)." 

I am a Free Will Baptist pastor and former church planter, and one of my greatest desires is to be an encouragement to the local church pastor and congregation.  The purpose of PMM is to first and foremost assist the local church in fulfilling their God-given mission.

Through PMM, I am able to come along side the local church and minister in a variety of ways: 

• Revivals / Camp Meetings / Bible Conferences / Mission Conferences
• Stewardship Seminars / Discipleship Training Seminars
• Marriage Retreats or Seminars
• Men’s and Ladies’ Retreats
• Youth Camps, Retreats or Rally’s
• Parenting Conferences or Seminars
• Leadership Seminars, Conferences or Retreats
• Local Church Leadership Team Strategic Planning Retreats

To learn more about me personally and PMM, please take time to visit my webpage at www.PrioritiesMatterMinistries.org. 

If you have questions about this ministry please give me a call; I would love to speak with you about ways we can serve you and your church.  I am scheduling now into 2010, but I do have some openings for the remainder of 2009. 

Just contact me and I would be thrilled to travel and speak in whatever venue you feel is needed.  May God richly bless you and your ministry!

"D6" CONFERENCE - SEPTEMBER 23-25 DALLAS, TX

D6 Conference Promo (Long Version) from D6 Conference on Vimeo.

It’s time to take a different look at the way we minister to children, students, and families in the church. Research shows that the kids who grow up to be spiritual champions most often have parent(s) in the home who make a considerable contribution to their spiritual influence. Unfortunately far too many parents rely on the church to be responsible for the spiritual development of their kids. According to D6 (Deuteronomy 6:5-7) this is the job of dad and mom.

The D6 Conference will equip leaders with the tools and ideas they need to influence the parents in their church to be responsible for leading their kids spiritually. There is no other ministry of the Church that is more important than ministering to children. At any cost, we must equip dad and mom to connect with their kids spiritually in the home.

REGISTRATION NEWS FOR D6 CONFERENCE

The date for the D6 Conference in Dallas, TX is quickly coming upon us!  September 23rd will be here before you know it; and you will be beating yourself up if you miss this conference!

Also, if you register before Father's Day, June 22nd, you will get a $15.00 discount and a free D6 t-shirt. 

Just click here and enter this Father's Day special discount code D6DAD when you register.

It's going to be a great event.  I hope to see you there!  Also, if you register as a result of reading this blog, be sure to shoot me an email.  I would love to hear from you!

REMEMBER, TO RECEIVE THE DISCOUNT AND FREE D6 T-SHIRT, YOU MUST REGISTER BY JUNE 22ND!

Once again, here's the discount code: D6DAD

SHOWING GOD'S LOVE IN A PRACTICAL WAY!

Yesterday, was the first of the season Servant Evangelism outreach effort for Victory Church.  We initially were going to "wash windshields" however, it was raining.  Therefore, we went to Ace hardware to "volunteer and serve" for about an hour and a half.  We cleaned bathrooms, swept and mopped floors, stocked shelves, placed sale price tags on items, put together a gas grill, cleaned the storage room, ran scanners and did some inventory, unloaded pallets of products... all in the name of "showing God's love in a practical way!"

Mark 10:45 says that Jesus came to serve, not be served (paraphrase). That is the spirit we took into the community, a spirit of simply serving.  Our people love it! 

We will continue to do this on Wednesday evenings at 6:00 PM, so make plans to come out and join us!  It really is more of a blessing to give than to receive!  Below are a few pictures from last evening.

To see more pictures of "Victory In Action" please click link below!

TABERNACLE OFFERING AND SERVANT EVANGELISM AT VICTORY!

Yesterday at Victory Church I shared with our congregation what must take place in order to begin building on our church property.  Primarily there are two areas of focus:

1. Debt reduction on the 21 acres of land we recently purchased.

2. Average 300 in our weekend service through servant evangelism is the key.

To address the subject of debt reduction, I spoke from Exodus 35 and 35.  What a great read for anyone going through a building project. 

Moses ask the people, "whose hearts were willing" to bring an offering for the building of the Tabernacle.  Everyone "whose hearts were willing" brought an offering. Some great, some small, but the key was everyone "whose heart was willing" brought something.  Now, wouldn't you know it!  There was a problem!  What was the problem?  The offering was too large!  The people brought MORE THAN WAS NEEDED!

PRINCIPLE #1: When the hearts of the people are willing, there is always more than is needed for ministry.

Beginning next Sunday at Victory, we are having our weekly "Tabernacle Freewill Offering March."  I have asked everyone to to sacrifice either a cup of coffee, a Diet Coke, a RC Cola and a moon pie, or whatever may cost you $2.oo!  I am asking everyone to bring, at a minimum, $2.oo for our "Tabernacle Freewill Offering."  This offering is to be above the tithe, and all of the Tabernacle Offering will go directly to the land debt!

Now, addressing the second area of focus: averaging 300 in our weekly worship service we are aggressively stepping out into our community to "SERVE."  Mark 10:45 says that Jesus "...came to serve, not to be served..."  We are relaunching our "Servant Evangelism" strategy.  Every Wednesday evening at 6PM we are meeting at the church office. Everyone is to wear their Victory t-shirts and we are going out to wash windshields.  We also have several nurses in our congregation, so we are planning a "Free Health Service" week.  We also are going to business in our community and are going to offer free service for them.  The exciting thing is that we are going to have opportunities to share Christ with those we are serving.

PRINCIPLE #2: You are never closed to the heart of our Lord than when you are meeting the physical needs of people!

VICTORY CHURCH HAS GONE TWITTER!

Victory Church has officially gone "twitter!"  Follow us now at Victory using Twitter and you will receive all the current news, prayer requests, upcoming events and last minute items to hit the calendar.  This is a great way to stay connected at Victory!  Search for us @victoryfwb on Twitter!

You may also want to check out the beta version of "Tweet Deck."  I really like it!  Happy twittering!

LISTEN TO THE VICTORY EASTER CANTATA NOW ONLINE

I trust you enjoyed the Victory Church Easter Cantata last Sunday.  My wife, Debbie along with the entire Victory Worship Choir put many hours of planning and practice into this event.  What a great worship experience we all had! 

Many have asked if the cantata would be available on the podcast.  I have good news!I have posted the entire Easter Cantata on the Victory Worship Choir Podcast! (click here)

Now you can listen online or you can "subscribe" to the Victory Podcast (sermons and songs) and have everything directly downloaded into your iTunes library.  You then can transfer these sermons and songs in MP3 format to your iPod or any MP3 player.

Enjoy the Easter Celebration Worship Service of Victory Church on your computer!!!  Have a great day, and remember, "He is Risen!  He is risen indeed!"

VICTORY CHURCH LAND REDUCTION FUND

Victory Church has just purchased 20.7 acres of land on Scott-Troy Road and Hwy 50 in O'Fallon, Illinois.  I just got a report last week that 28,000 cars drive by our property everyday!  That number is staggering!

Currently we are having our weekend worship service at Moye Elementary School in O'Fallon, IL.  We also rent office space for our administrative offices.  We desperately need to get our first building on the new property. 

Will you prayerfully consider making a donation of any size to the Victory Church Land Reduction Fund?  As soon as we pay down the debt on the land, we can then pursue with the plans of construction of our first building. 

If you would like to speak with me more about this, please email me at [email protected] and I will be more than glad to share with you what God is doing through the ministry of Victory Church.

God bless you and thanks for furthering God's Kingdom!

CHECK OUT THIS D6 FAMILY CONFERENCE VIDEO

Victory Church is a D6 Church striving to build D6 Families! Each week at Victory we focus on one D6 Biblical Theme, from the nursery through senior citizens in our D6 Sunday school, to our children's church, our junior and senior high youth meetings, and my sermons each Sunday in our weekly worship service. We are intentional in driving home just ONE Biblical theme each week and getting our families to discuss at home what we are studying at church. It's working at Victory! Check out D6 at Randall House (click here).

Four members of our leadership team at Victory are going to the D6 Conference in Dallas this September.  I encourage you to attend this conference, it will be life changing!  Sign up today! (click here)

NEW VICTORY WORSHIP CHOIR PODCAST

I trust you are having a great day in the Lord.  I would like to encourage you to spend some intimate devotional time "sitting before the Lord" this week focusing on all that Jesus went through this Passion week, just so we could have a relationship with God the Father and inherit eternal life.

Upon the request of so many of you, today I have created a "Victory Worship Choir Podcast!"  Just in case the link does not work, here is the web address: http://www.victorychurchonline.net/podcast.htm

Over the last several weeks many of you have asked me if the Victory Church Worship Choir specials were on the podcast.  Well, now they are!  I have created a designated podcast player especially for the Victory Worship Choir! 

You can listen online, or you can "subscribe" to the Victory Podcast (sermons and songs) and have everything directly downloaded into your iTunes library.  You then can transfer these sermons and songs in MP3 format to your iPod or any MP3 player.

Enjoy the worship service of Victory Church everyday on your computer!!!  Have a great day, and remember, "He is Risen!  He is risen indeed!"

Have a great week!

GREAT JOB VICTORY! TWO THUMBS UP!

Wow!  What a great job you all did last Sunday!  I was very proud of you all!  What a great first impression Victory made to the City of O'Fallon in welcoming our city officials, and in bringing in "cases" of food for the O'Fallon Food Pantry! 

Today Eldon, Barbara, and I delivered the food to the O'Fallon Food Pantry.  All of the workers there were overwhelmed at the generosity of Victory Church.  We completely filled up their staging area and more!  They counted the cases of food and after unloading it all there were 175 cases!  We are never nearer to the heart of our Lord than when we are meeting the physical needs of those around us.

Once again, great job Victory!  This is the kind of impact I want us to make on the City of O'Fallon!  We are here to serve and make a difference in the lives of people.

D6 - FAMILY THEME: REJECTION OF CHRIST?

This week''s D6 Scripture: Matthew 21:33-46

This Week’s Goal: To live to meet the expectations called for by God’s patient provision, and to avoid the judgment that results from persistent rejection.

Principle of the Parable: Blessing follows obedience; judgment follows rebellion.

In our new FUSION lesson this week we will discover four ways people reject Christ:

1.    Overlooking God’s Provision (Matthew 21:33)
2.    Disregarding God’s Expectation  (Matthew 21:34)
3.    Neglecting God’s Patience (Matthew 21:35-39)
4.    Doubting God’s Judgment (Matthew 21:40-46

What is a parable?  A parable is an earthly story with a Heavenly meaning.

In this particular parable, the…

•    Landowner – God
•    Farmers – Religious leaders of Jesus’ day
•    Slave – Prophets of God
•    Son – Jesus Christ
•    They rejected Christ, thus judgment will fall on them!

Today I would like to speak to you on the subject of “Dealing with the Reality of Rejection”

VICTORY'S GOT TALENT SUNDAY

Sunday at Victory Church was our fourth week in our Sunday school "Reaching the One" campaign.  Our theme this week was "Victory's Got Talent."

Each of our Sunday school classes displayed their talent in acting out a skit on how they could build their Sunday school class.  

It was a hilarious Sunday!  It has been a long time since I have laughed that hard at church! 

All of you "Victorites" did a great job!  You were ALL winners in my book!  However the junior/senior high girls brought home the gold!

7 HABITS FOR LIVING A HOLY LIFE

This is a post of the sermon I preached last week at Victory Church. (You can listen to this sermon on our podcast - click here.)

1 Peter 1:15 (HCSB) As the One who called you is holy, you also are to be holy in all your conduct.

In our D6 CLEAR Sunday school lesson last week our family theme was sanctification. We discovered several things about sanctification:

1.    We must be sanctified because God is holy (2 Chronicles 29:1-11)
2.    We have been set apart to serve God  (2 Chronicles 29:12-19)
3.    The purification comes before the celebration (2 Chronicles 29:20-36)
4.    Live a holy life, even if the world scoffs (2 Chronicles 30:1-15)
5.    Sanctification is an inner decision that affects the outer actions (2 Chronicles 30:16-31:21)

How does Scripture want us to be able to define ourselves?  1 Peter 1:15-16 (HCSB) As the One who called you is holy, you also are to be holy in all your conduct; for it is written, Be holy, because I am holy.  There you have it, we are to be holy!  Why? Because God is Holy! 

A rather pompous-looking deacon was endeavoring to impress upon a class of junior boys the importance of living a “holy Christian life”. "Why do people call me a Christian?" the man asked. After a moment’s pause, one youngster said, "Maybe it’s because they don’t know you."

Well, for those that know you, would they be able to say you are a Christian, that you are holy?  Allow me to share with you seven habits assist you in living a “holy” life .

GREAT JOB VICTORY! TWO THUMBS UP!

TWO THUMBS UP TO THE VICTORY WORSHIP TEAM!  Great job this morning!

At Victory Church we are in a major restructuring of our worship service and worship team.  Our worship team is now under the leadership of my wife, Debbie.  She has poured her heart into this ministry.  She has been praying and working endlessly to make this a smooth transition, and to seek the Lord's will for Victory.  Great job Debbie! Keep up the good work!

I also want to let all of you guys on the worship team know that you were awesome this morning!   There was a great presence of the Holy Spirit.

Keep up the good work and the great attitudes Victory! God is moving and working in our midst; the Lord has great things in store for us!

Kudos and blessings!

WHAT DOES CHRISTMAS MEAN?

At Victory Church I preached a sermon titled: "What Does Christmas Mean?"  Below is my sermon outline:

Luke 2:8-14 (NKJV)

Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.

"For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

"And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger." And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!"

The fact that God made the announcement to shepherds helps us to understand the real meaning of Christmas.

John 3:16 (HCSB) For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.

-- and He chose to announce that to shepherds first of all.

Shepherds were at the opposite end of the social stratum from King Herod and all the influential people of the day.

ANOTHER VICTORY MAN LICENSED AS A FREE WILL BAPTIST MINISTER

Today, 12 November 2008,  Carlos Castro met with the Metro-East District Association Credentials Committee of the Illinois Free Will Baptist and was licensed as a Free Will Baptist Minister! 

Carlos has been a very vital part of the ministry of Victory Church for more than four years.  He now feels the Lord is leading him to be a pastor to the Hispanic people.  Carlos is the key person in launching Victory Church's Hispanic Ministry.  He will begin his studies to prepare for ordination as a Free Will Baptist Pastor.

Carlos has served our country for four years in the U.S. Air Force and is currently employed at Scott Air Force Base.  He has now devoted the rest of his life to serve in the Lord's Army!

I am very proud of Carlos!  Why not shoot him an email and let him know you are proud of him and that you are praying for him? 

For those looking for a Spanish speaking ministry in the  Metro-East of St. Louis contact us!

D6 FAMILY BIBLICAL THEME - JOY

This week our D6 family biblical theme at Victory Church is "joy."  We are collectively studying together Philippians 4:4-23.  Here is the study outline from the CLEAR curriculum:

1. Rejoice!  It is God's command (Phil. 4:4-5)

2. Rejoice with a transformed attitude (Phil. 4:6-9)

3. Rejoice regardless of the circumstances (Phil. 4:10-14)

4. Rejoice in the rewards of helping others (Phil. 4:15-17)

5. Rejoice!  As you give help to others, God will supply your needs. (Phil. 4:18-23)

VICTORY MEN RECENTLY LICENSED AS FREE WILL BAPTIST MINISTERS

This saying is trustworthy: “If anyone aspires to be an overseer, he desires a noble work.” 1 Timothy 3:1 (HCSB)

Last Tuesday evening here at the Victory Church offices, the credentials committee from the Metro-East District Association of the Illinois Free Will Baptist met with and licensed two men from Victory Church into the ministry as Free Will Baptist ministers. 

Below is a small bio of each of these men, please pray for them as they prepare themselves for ordination.

Brad Range has just surrendered to full time Christian service in the area of youth ministry.  Brad is also married to Teri Schmidt and they live in O'Fallon, IL.  He will become a full-time student at Missouri Baptist University in January 2009 and pursue a degree in pastoral ministry.  Brad currently works with the Jr. and Sr. High student ministry here at Victory Church.  He is also very active as a sound technician in the weekend services of Victory.  Click here and send Brad an email of encouragement and let him know you are praying for him!  

Paul Boyer has also surrender to the call of God on his life as a Free Will Baptist minister of the Gospel.  Paul has been blessed to have been married to his wife Mayron for 32 years!  They have two children five grand children.  Paul retired from the  U.S. Coast Guard after serving for 20+ years!  He is finishing up his theology degree at St. Louis Christian College.  Paul is an ordained deacon here at Victory Church and currently leads Victory's mens ministry.  Click here and send Paul an email of encouragement and let him know you are praying for him! 

Both of these men have been licensed as Free Will Baptist ministers and are in the process of becoming ordained.  May God bless them both as they follow the leadership of the Lord in their life!

OPERATION SATURATION II

This afternoon we had another "Operation Saturation." We placed 2000 doorhangers on the doors of homes in O'Fallon inviting them to Victory Church. Pictured is my wife Debbie after just placing a doorhanger on a home.

THE BATTLE FOR PERSONAL HOLINESS

Last Sunday our family theme at Victory Church was "holiness."  Below is my sermon outline for the message titled: "The Battle for Personal Holiness."

Our memory verse is: Ephesians 4:24 (NKJV) Put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.

In our D6 CLEAR Sunday school lesson this week we discovered…

1.    Growing believers should live in unity with one another. (Eph 1:1-6)
2.    Growing believers are active in the ministry (Eph. 4:7-13)
3.    Growing believers should mature in their faith, love people, and work together (Eph 4:14-16)
4.    Growing believers honor God with their mind and actions (Eph 4:17-19)
5.    Growing believers allow God to transform their thoughts and attitudes (Eph 4:20-32)
___________________________________________________________________

Hebrews 12:14 (NIV) Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.

1 Thessalonians 4:7 (NIV) For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.

We pursue holiness not only because Scripture commands it, but more importantly, because God Himself is holy; and we are to reflect that holiness in our lives.

1 Peter 1:15 (HCSB) As the One who called you is holy, you also are to be holy in all your conduct.

I. THE BATTLE GROUND FOR HOLINESS

A. THE HEART

THE MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION

This Sunday at Victory Church our family theme of the week was reconciliation.  In our Sunday school lesson this week we discovered…

1.  Our sin created a gap between God and us. (Eph 2:1-3)
2.  Jesus Christ bridges the gap between God and us. (Eph 2:4-7)
3.  Good works cannot bridge the gap between God and us. (Eph 2:8-10)
4.  Jesus Christ bridges the gap between races. (Eph 2:11-18)
5.  Jesus Christ makes us stones in the building of God’s holy temple. (Eph 2:19-22)

Our memory verse for the week was Ephesians 2:4-5 (HCSB) But God, who is abundant in mercy, because of His great love that He had for us, 5 made us alive with the Messiah even though we were dead in trespasses. By grace you are saved!

Below is my sermon outline titled "The Ministry of Reconciliation."

WHY IS RECONCILIATION IMPORTANT?

1. Reconciliation can transform hopeless relationships. 

VICTORY'S OPERATION SATURATION REACHES 2000 HOMES!

Over the weekend about 65 "warriors" from Victory Church showed up at O'Fallon Family Sports Park to receive their door hangers, maps, and marching orders.  In about an hour we placed "monster-size door hangers" on the doors of 2000 homes!  Following the saturation we gathered back for a cook-out.  What a great time we had!  Thanks guys, you all are awesome! Kudo's to Darrell and Linda Renfro for organizing this event!  

CHECK OUT VICTORY'S NEW WEBSITE!

We have been working very hard over the last 6 weeks or so designing and developing our new website for Victory Church.

Now when I say "we," I am not talking about professional web designers; I'm talking about our Worship Leader, Wayne Kunde and me!  We both have the gift of "trial and error!" lol :)

Fell free to share with me some positive criticism and let me know your thoughts concerning our new site.  Remember, we are no where near "completion" of this site, but it is at least up and running.

Click the "comments" link below and share your thoughts about our new site. Click here to be directed to the new Victory Church website.

MEN OF VICTORY PRAYING TOGETHER!

Pictured is a powerful moment we had together on Saturday morning with some of the men of Victory Church.  Brother Paul Boyer leads our men's ministry and he challenged our men to rally around the sword and enter the spiritual battle!  Wow!  What an awesome moment!  God is good!

FAITH EVANGELISM BEGINS IN TWO DAYS!

The countdown continues...TWO DAYS and counting ...

FAITH Evangelism begins at Victory Church this Sunday, 21 September at 3:00 PM!

PRACTICE #3: BUILD KINGDOM LEADERS

After observing churches that have effectively used Sunday school in a strategic way, Ken Hemphill shares with us the top ten practices.  Practice #3: "Build Kingdom Leaders."

As pastors and church leaders, we must build Kingdom leaders who are committed to Sunday school strategy as an expression of faithfulness to Christ, His church, and the mission mandate He has given us by...

• Praying for God to call out leaders for kingdom service through Sunday school ministry.
• Implementing a leader-enlistment approach that focuses on helping people respond to their personal call from God rather than an approach that is primarily concerned with filling church or organizational positions.
• Enlisting leaders who themselves are committed to cultivating and multiplying new leaders.
• Devoting major attention to leadership meetings that focus on the mission, on relationships, and on Bible study.
• Providing training that equips leaders for their work and enhances the quality of their leadership.
• Calling out people who will give their lives to evangelizing the lost and who are willing to participate in ongoing evangelism training and multiplication of evangelism leaders.

Feel free to leave any thoughts or comments on this subject; and be sure to check back soon as I post the remaining seven practices.

FAITH EVANGELISM BEGINS IN THREE DAYS!

The countdown continues...THREE DAYS and counting ...

FAITH Evangelism begins at Victory Church this Sunday, 21 September at 3:00 PM!

FAITH EVANGELISM BEGINS IN FIVE DAYS!

The countdown begins!!  Five days and counting ...

FAITH Evangelism begins at Victory Church this Sunday, 21 September at 3:00 PM!

FAITH EVANGELISM BEGINS SUNDAY, 21 SEPTEMBER!

The countdown begins!!  Six days and counting ...

FAITH Evangelism begins at Victory Church this Sunday, 21 September at 3:00 PM!

D6 - FAMILY THEME: MISSIONS...WHAT IS A WITNESS?

Our D6 family theme yesterday at Victory Church was "missions".  Every Sunday school class studied the life of the Apostle Paul in Acts 24-26; we then gathered in the auditorium and I shared a message titled: WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A WITNESS FOR CHRIST?  Below is my sermon outline:

Memory Verse: Acts 24:16 (HCSB) I always do my best to have a clear conscience toward God and men.  

In our Sunday school lesson this week we discovered through the life of Paul that…WHEN GOD CALLS, HE PROVIDES!

1.    God uses unusual circumstances to make missionaries of us. (Acts 24)
2.    Even false accusations may open doors to witness for Christ. (Acts 25)
3.    Your personal testimony is a powerful tool that will create interest in others. (Acts 26)

QUESTION: Have you ever wondered why, when God saved you, he left you on the earth?  If God had wanted to, he could have taken you directly to Heaven the moment you trusted Christ as Savior.  But he didn't, which means that he left you on the earth for a particular purpose. 

William Arnot, a distinguished Scottish pastor in the last century, put the matter this way: "To every true Christian these two things may be said: you have need of Christ and Christ has need of you."  He then adds this thought: "The simple fact that a Christian is on earth and not in heaven, is proof that there is something for him here to do; and if he is not doing it, the neglect shows either that he is not yet a Christian or that he is a Christian who grieves Christ."

Acts 1:8 (HCSB) But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

Now, when Jesus told this to his followers, do you know where they were?  They were in Jerusalem.  So here's the point.  He is saying:

• Jerusalem: I want you to start at home.  I want you to start with the people closest to you, right there in your own city, your own community.
• Judea/Samaria: That's like the county next door, and Samaritans happen to be different culturally and different racially.  So He said, “I want you to go to people nearby, but they are different from you.”
• Ends of the earth: I want you to go reach everybody else. 

Acts 1:8 emphasizes two things we need to know: 1) The Holy Spirit empowers disciples, and 2) Spirit-filled disciples witness about Jesus around the world.

• Our greatest need today is not for political power but for the power of the Holy Spirit.
• Political power can change leaders but it can't change hearts. 
• Political power can win an election but it can't save a life. 
• Political power can pass righteous laws—or repeal unrighteous ones—but it can't make men righteous. 
• Political power cannot change the way people think because it touches the outside of life. 
• Only the Holy Spirit can change hearts, restore families and save an entire nation from destruction.

Jesus said, "You will be my witnesses."  What did he mean?  In its basic sense it means to declare the truth to another person.  What is a witness?  A witness is somebody who just tells what he knows, and what he has experienced or what has happened to them.

• He doesn't say, “You will be my defense attorney.” 
• He doesn't say, “You will be my prosecutor.” 
• He doesn’t say, “You will be my salesman.” 
• All God wants you to do is He wants you to be a witness. 

1. A WITNESS TELLS WHAT HE KNOWS!

10 BEST PRACTICES OF SUNDAY SCHOOL

Over the last year the Lord has really be dealing with me concerning the ministry of Sunday school.  Therefore, at Victory Church we have rediscovered and reimplemented the ministry of Sunday school.  During the next several weeks I will be sharing with you some of the pros and cons of Sunday school.  I am currently reading a book titled Ten Best Practices To Make Your Sunday School Work by Ken Hemphill and Bill Taylor.

In this first post I will introduce you to the the "10 Best Practices of Sunday School" as suggested in the book, then I will share them with you in individual posts.

1. Commit to the Strategy
2. Organize with Purpose
3. Build Kingdom Leaders
4. Develop Soul Winners
5. Win the Lost
6. Assimilate People
7. Partner with Families
8. Teach to Transform
9. Mobilize for Ministry
10. Multiply Leaders and Units

How is Sunday school working for you in your church?  Please feel free to leave your comments, I'm  interested in how things are going in your Sunday school. 

Are you a Sunday school teacher?  If so, please give me some feedback on how Sunday school is working for you!

Are you a student (any age) in Sunday school? If so, please leave your comments as well!

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