eternityimpact

The One Thing That is Needed

2012-01-27T09:06:00.000-07:00

We read of Jesus' friends Mary and Martha, in Lk.10:38-42. Martha was distracted by all that needed to be done. Things really did need to get done. She wasn't just being frivolous. She was upset Mary wasn't helping get things done. Mary was committed to what Jesus called the one thing that was needed. Are you more of a “Mary” or a “Martha”? What do you let distract you from the one thing that is needed? I let far too much get between me and intimate fellowship with Jesus. Remember, one day with Him is greater than a thousand elsewhere (Ps.84:10).

The greatest ministry activity you can do is to connect with Jesus. 19th century missionary Henry Martyn said, “The Spirit of Christ is the Spirit of missions. The nearer we get to Christ, the more missionary we become.” Remember Jesus’ example (Mk.1:35). I hope evangelism and all you do for Jesus will flow from a heart passionately committed to Jesus (Mt.12:34). Get more on this here.

Worldview Evaluation

2012-01-26T13:12:00.000-07:00

Listen to the the MP3 of "The God Solution" show #46 - "Worldview Evaluation" below! Get all our previous shows here. We are on the air Sunday mornings at 8:30 am MST. "The God Solution" is an interactive show that will discuss answers to humanity's questions about God and God's answers for humanity's questions. I really hope you'll tune in and listen and share the program with friends as well. If you live in the area listen to the show on 91.9 or 93.9 FM. If you don't live in the area, feel free to check out the show online at http://kdur.org/ and archived here. If you like the show please let the wonderful folks at KDUR know. You can contact them by clicking here. Thanks a ton and tune in every Sunday at 8:30 am!

Share a Near Death Experience!

2012-01-23T08:31:00.002-07:00

Josh, Brandon and Anne, three dear friends and amazing students who are doing great things for God here were in a terrible crash this past Saturday as they drove to Three Trails Ranch. One and a half flips in the car and numerous collisions with obstacles could have been the end of any or all of their lives. Not one of them had a scratch, bruise or injury. Praise God!!! It is so easy to live life with a very natural perspective but at times like these an eternal perspective comes through vividly. Take a moment to pause and reflect on God's protection. Then read Psalm 91:

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say of the LORD , "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." 3 Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare and from the deadly pestilence. 4 He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. 5 You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, 6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. 7 A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. 8 You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked. 9 If you make the Most High your dwelling- even the LORD , who is my refuge- 10 then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent. 11 For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; 12 they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. 13 You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent. 14 "Because he loves me," says the LORD , "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. 15 He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. 16 With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation."

Erin and I are reading Evangelism Is (so far it is GREAT) and Dave Wheeler mentions 4 times people are very open to the gospel - death (deaths of loved ones or near death experiences), divorce, disease and status changes (new jobs, cities, etc.). Make it a point to transition to the gospel from stories concerning these inflection points. Give it a shot, share a near death story with a friend or co-worker and then ask them theirs. Then transition to the gospel from there.

Finally, check out the MP3 below for more on living with an eternal perspective!

Neo-Paganism and New Age Spirituality

2012-01-21T10:45:00.000-07:00

Listen to the the MP3 of "The God Solution" show #45 - "Neo-Paganism and New Age Spirituality" below! We'll be discussing the shortcomings of Chaz Bufe's criticisms. Get all our previous shows here. We are on the air Sunday mornings at 8:30 am MST. "The God Solution" is an interactive show that will discuss answers to humanity's questions about God and God's answers for humanity's questions. I really hope you'll tune in and listen and share the program with friends as well. If you live in the area listen to the show on 91.9 or 93.9 FM. If you don't live in the area, feel free to check out the show online at http://kdur.org/ and archived here. If you like the show please let the wonderful folks at KDUR know. You can contact them by clicking here. Thanks a ton and tune in every Sunday at 8:30 am!

Christian Apologetics - An Interview with Dr. Doug Groothuis

2012-01-12T15:54:00.002-07:00

I just had the privilege of interviewing Dr. Douglas Groothuis, Denver Seminary professor of Philosophy (get our last interview with him, on the New Age, here). He is the author of numerous books including Christianity That Counts, Confronting the New Age, Deceived by the Light, On Jesus, On Pascal, Revealing the New Age Jesus, The Soul in Cyberspace, Truth Decay, Unmasking the New Age, In Defense of Natural Theology: A Post-Humean Assessment, co-edited with James F. Sennett, Jesus in an Age of Controversy and Christian Apologetics (buy it here). He is an authority on the New Age, apologetics, philosophy, and ethics. Please check out (and buy) any of his books that look interesting to you. I know you'll enjoy the interview.

Listen to the the MP3 of "The God Solution" show #44 - "Christian Apologetics" below! Get all our previous shows here. We are on the air Sunday mornings at 8:30 am MST. "The God Solution" is an interactive show that will discuss answers to humanity's questions about God and God's answers for humanity's questions. I really hope you'll tune in and listen and share the program with friends as well. If you live in the area listen to the show on 91.9 or 93.9 FM. If you don't live in the area, feel free to check out the show online at http://kdur.org/ and archived here. If you like the show please let the wonderful folks at KDUR know. You can contact them by clicking here. Thanks a ton and tune in every Sunday at 8:30 am! Get the rest of the God Solution interviews by clicking here!

God Solution Interviews

2012-01-12T07:53:00.000-07:00

If you've listend to the God Solution for long you've probably appreciated the interviews we've had with leading Christian apologists and other interesting and amazing people. I decided to put all of the interviews we've done into one post so you don't have to look through all of our shows to find them. We'll update this post with new interviews as they become available (and there will be some good ones coming up soon so keep looking). Anyway, for now, enjoy these great interviews!!! Thanks again for listening to the God Solution (get the rest of the shows here).

Christian Apologetics - An Interview with Dr. Doug Groothuis

The Historical Jesus, Da Vinci Code, Bart Ehrman & more - An Interview with Dr. Ben Witherington

Evidence for Christmas (an interview with Dr. Gary Habermas and Dr. Craig Blomberg)

The International Voice of the Orphan (an interview with Dwight Saunders)

Evolutionary Biologist Defends Creation (an interview with Dr. Rick Oliver)

An interview with Eli Stewart

Are the Gospels Myth or Reality - An interview with Dr. Craig Blomberg
Flew, The Problem of Pain and Doubt - Dr. Gary Habermas Interview Pt. 2
Evidence for the Resurrection - Habermas Interview Pt. 1
Busting the Abortion Industry - An interview with Lila Rose (of Live Action)
New Age or Ancient Truth - An Interview with Dr. Douglas Groothuis
Defeating Sex Slavery (an interview with Laura Krokos and Erin Herbst)

The Historical Jesus, Da Vinci Code, Bart Ehrman & more - An Interview with Dr. Ben Witherington

2012-01-06T15:29:00.003-07:00

Dr. Ben Witherington, received his M.Div. from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and Ph.D. from University of Durham, England. He is a renowned Biblical scholar and professor of New Testament Studies at Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky. He has authored 37 books with another 7 on the way. Some of his books include What Have They Done with Jesus, The Jesus Quest : The Third Search for the Jew of Nazareth, New Testament History : A Narrative Account, Women and the Genesis of Christianity, The Gospel Code: Novel Claims About Jesus, Mary Magdalene, and Da Vinci, Is There A Doctor in the House?: An Insider's Story and Advice on becoming a Bible Scholar, Revelation and the End Times Participant's Guide and Jesus and Money: A Guide for Times of Financial Crisis. He has been interviewed on the History channel, the Discovery channel and other TV shows and radio programs. You might remember his interview in the Case for Christ by Lee Strobel. He is an expert on the evidence for the Biblical manuscripts and the person of Jesus Christ and I have found his blogs in particular to be very helpful concerning issues like the Da Vinci code, Bart Ehrman and other apologetical questions (Dr. Witherington has a few blogs, some active, some not, check them all out at: benwitherington.blogspot.com, blog.beliefnet.com/bibleandculture and patheos.com/blogs/bibleandculture). Also, please visit benwitherington.com/ for more on Dr. Witherington! Get the rest of the God Solution interviews by clicking here!

Listen to the the MP3 of "The God Solution" show #43 - "An Interview with Dr. Ben Witherington" below! Get all our previous shows (including various other interviews) here. We are on the air Sunday mornings at 8:30 am MST. "The God Solution" is a dynamic show that discusses answers to humanity's questions about God and God's answers for humanity's questions. I really hope you'll tune in and listen and share the program with friends as well. If you live in the area listen to the show on 91.9 or 93.9 FM. If you don't live in the area, feel free to check out the show online at http://kdur.org/ and archived here. If you like the show please let the wonderful folks at KDUR know. E-mail them at KDUR_PD@fortlewis.edu and tell them that you appreciate the show. Thanks a ton and tune in every Sunday at 8:30 am!

Flash Mob Tebowing in Denver, New Year's Eve 2011

2011-12-31T23:58:00.003-07:00

We love Tim Tebow and the great example he is setting for believers everywhere (that of sharing his faith). Earlier tonight, about 1,000 of us were out on the 16th street mall here in Denver doing an evangelistic flash mob (like we did last year) only this year we all Tebowed (video coming soon). It resulted in a ton of great conversations about Christ. I wish we could have gotten Tebow for the God Solution but the media pass wasn't granted this time around; hopefully next time. Several of us are going to the game tomorrow and have already been praying for Tim. Let's keep following his great example of boldly sharing the Good News. Anyway, it was a blast getting to talk to people tonight! Pray for the many people that trusted Christ (including a guy Josh led to Christ and a young lady Anne led to Christ).

Finally, if you don't know Jesus, please investigate Him! He has the answers and promises to save you from your sins and their eternal consequence. He loves you so much!!!

A Review of Blue Like Jazz

2011-12-30T08:16:00.002-07:00

A conference we're at just, sad to say, promoted Blue Like Jazz, Donald Miller’s relatively ignorant perspective on Christianity to over 1,000 Christian students. We actually just trashed our copy of the book on Tuesday (it's been a while since anyone has been talking about it). Miller believes Christianity is like Jazz music in that it is experiential rather knowable, spontaneous rather than planned, creative rather than structured and more like falling in love than making a decision. He believes Christianity to be more about personal expression than following Christ’s mandates.

Gary Gilley notes the following problems with Blue Like Jazz: “The strange name of this autobiographical tale borrows from Miller's appreciation of the free-spirit characteristic of jazz music. As jazz music is almost impossible to score, being the language of the soul, so Miller sees the Christian life as the meanderings of the soul with few boundaries, rules or restrictions. Christian spirituality is "music birthed out of freedom. Everybody sings their song the way they feel it. What is disturbing about Miller is his lack of biblical understanding (he admits that he has never read the Bible through, reads the Bible most often out of duty and is usually bored, and goes long stretches of time without scriptural input (pp. 80, 175). His spiritual turning points inevitably come through movies, secular literature, lectures, encounters with people, or God “speaking” to him and others (pp. 48, 85, 136, 230)—but virtually never from the Word.” “…he lavishes praises on freeloading, pot-smoking, homosexual “hippies” who love unconditionally as they steal food from the rich and give to the poor (themselves and him) (chapter 18). Miller makes it abundantly clear that he loves to smoke and drink and finds it somehow amusing and authentic that his pastor is a prolific curser. It is the hippies, drug addicts and Unitarians who have taught him love, not the Bible or evangelical Christians. And he makes it all sound so attractive. The biblically-oriented life is dull, full of rules and judgmental people. Jazz-spirituality is where it’s at. Just do your own thing. Never mind the directives of Scripture, just as long as we all love Jesus—that’s all that matters."

Although there are nuggets of truth in what he says (and there are in all lies) his post-modern, what ever feels good do it, replace standards with preference perspective of Christianity, although popular to today’s postmodern mentality, is far from the Christianity described in scripture. He proposes mystical Christian experience over living life centered on the truth of God’s Word. He describes this perspective on p. 115, saying, “For me, the beginning of sharing my faith with people began by throwing out Christianity and embracing Christian spirituality, a nonpolitical mysterious system that can be experienced but not explained” continuing on p. 202, "You cannot be a Christian without being a mystic” and concluding on p. 205, the need to "climb outside my pat answers," because "Too much of our time is spent trying to chart God on a grid.” He encourages people to disregard doctrine saying, “At the end of the day, when I am lying in bed and I know the chances of any of our theology being exactly right are a million to one, I need to know that God has things figured out, that if my math is wrong we are still going to be okay. And wonder is that feeling we get when we let go of our silly answers, our mapped out rules that we want God to follow.” He has very liberal values and rejects core Christian values of life and sexual standards, criticizing Christians for opposing abortion and gay marriage. He is extremely critical of other Christians, sometimes correctly so, but always contradicting the scriptural command to love and accept our brothers in Christ and interestingly, falling into the same judgmental attitude about them that he accuses them of. Blue Like Jazz is the type of book that appeals to the flesh and to this society’s desire for freedom from God’s standards but the loose, chaotic and un-biblical theology proposed is dangerous to anyone desiring to grow in their faith.

Compare Miller’s theology to 1 Tim.4:12-16, “Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you. Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.”

Christians are called to love God with all their minds (Mk.12:30) and I would strongly encourage you to use the mind God has given you (1 Cor. 2:16) and the wisdom he offers (James 1:5) to be able recognize bad theology when you see it. Please develop a sense of discernment so you do not fall for ignorant at best and deceptive at worst "Christian" books. They might seem appealing (especially to your flesh) but you should be smarter than that (and the Holy Spirit in you definitely is smarter than that)! This is the kind of book that will validate an immature Christian's carnal mentality and habits so they feel like they've always been on track rather than pursuing godliness. Dangerous for sure.

Get a better understanding of how to not fall for junk like this in the following MP3 (get the notes here). Hope this helps!

Disclosure: I've only read parts of the book (I had a hard time figuring out a justification to spend any more time on it) while Erin read most of it. I've also read a bunch of reviews. I hope this analysis is helpful.

The MP3:

The Video:

Get more on the emergent church here.

2011 - The Year in Review

2011-12-29T08:41:00.002-07:00

Listen to the the MP3 of "The God Solution" show #42 - "2011 - The Year in Review" below! Get all our previous shows here. We are on the air Sunday mornings at 8:30 am MST. "The God Solution" is an interactive show that will discuss answers to humanity's questions about God and God's answers for humanity's questions. I really hope you'll tune in and listen and share the program with friends as well. If you live in the area listen to the show on 91.9 or 93.9 FM. If you don't live in the area, feel free to check out the show online at http://kdur.org/ and archived here. If you like the show please let the wonderful folks at KDUR know. E-mail them at KDUR_PD@fortlewis.edu and tell them that you appreciate the show. Thanks a ton and tune in every Sunday at 8:30 am!

Fear Not!

2011-12-22T13:03:00.002-07:00

That video was too good not to post! Hope you enjoy it.

Evidence for Christmas - An interview with Dr. Habermas and Dr. Blomberg

2011-12-20T15:42:00.000-07:00

Is there evidence for Christmas or is this holiday nothing but myth? I'm sure you've heard both sides and everything in between! This week's special hour long episode is an interview with 2 of the most respected authorities in this field, Dr. Gary Habermas (get more on Dr. Habermas at garyhabermas.com) and Dr. Craig Blomberg (Get more on Dr. Blomberg here). You'll remember them from the Case for Christ (Lee Strobel interviews Dr. Blomberg in chapters 1 and 2 and Dr. Habermas in chapter 13). We had the privilege of interviewing them last fall as well (get those linked below today's MP3). Listen to the the MP3 of "The God Solution" show #41 - "Evidence for Christmas" below! Get all our previous shows here and check out last week's show on Christmas hope. We are on the air Sunday mornings at 8:30 am MST. "The God Solution" is an interactive show that will discuss answers to humanity's questions about God and God's answers for humanity's questions. I really hope you'll tune in and listen and share the program with friends as well. If you live in the area listen to the show on 91.9 or 93.9 FM. If you don't live in the area, feel free to check out the show online at http://kdur.org/ and archived here. If you like the show please let the wonderful folks at KDUR know. E-mail them at KDUR_PD@fortlewis.edu and tell them that you appreciate the show. Thanks a ton and tune in every Sunday at 8:30 am! Get the rest of the God Solution interviews by clicking here!

Evidence for the Resurrection (Habermas Interview Pt. 1)

Flew, The Problem of Pain and Doubt (Habermas Interview Pt. 2)

Are the Gospels Myth or Reality (Blomberg Interview)

Also, both Habermas and Blomberg mention Craig Keener's book Miracles. Get an interview with Keener here.

And since it's Christmas...

Christmas Hope

2011-12-20T07:40:00.000-07:00

Christmas is often one of the most depressing times of the year for many. Hopelessness, loneliness and depression escalate when people see others experiencing joy, but fail to themselves. Just this week a young man in our town committed suicide. I wish he had heard this message! Listen to the the MP3 of "The God Solution" show #40 - "Christmas Hope" below! Get all our previous shows here. We are on the air Sunday mornings at 8:30 am MST. "The God Solution" is an interactive show that will discuss answers to humanity's questions about God and God's answers for humanity's questions. I really hope you'll tune in and listen and share the program with friends as well. If you live in the area listen to the show on 91.9 or 93.9 FM. If you don't live in the area, feel free to check out the show online at http://kdur.org/ and archived here. If you like the show please let the wonderful folks at KDUR know. E-mail them at KDUR_PD@fortlewis.edu and tell them that you appreciate the show. Thanks a ton and tune in every Sunday at 8:30 am!

Another Famous Atheist Does a U-Turn!

2011-12-16T22:08:00.002-07:00

You've probably heard that Christopher Hitchens, author of God is not Great (get Craig's God is Good, God is Great here) died last night after a long battle with Esophageal cancer. He was 62. He was a great author and had a great way with words even though he was dead wrong. That's what brings me to this post. Phil. 2:9-11 states, "Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Whether he trusted Christ before he died, or came to that knowledge on the other side of eternity is anybody's guess (and I truly hope it was the first of those two options) but rest assured, he is no atheist any more. I don't want that to come across harsh. He was created in God's image and endowed with numerous talents by his Creator. It is sad that he is dead. My hope is that he came to know Jesus before he died.

I can't help but see the irony in his cause of death. Hitchens wanted to enjoy his own freedom without having to give an account to an omnipotent God. In the end it was his own pursuit of freedom, namely his proud habit of smoking, that led to his death. Where would he be now had he surrendered to Christ with a repentant heart years ago and allowed Him to heal him of that vice, preventing what killed him in the end. Who knows. Hitchens wanted freedom from the confines of God's standards not realizing he was enslaved to his own sin (Jn.8:31-36).

I don't want to miss the opportunity to highlight a huge area of common ground with Hitchens though. Hitchens considered himself pro-life to an extent and would often correct those calling an unborn baby a "fetus" by telling them it was an "unborn child." He was convinced the science alone led to that conclusion. I couldn't agree more. Check out more on that here.

It's a sad day, but one in which I'm reminded of the hope we have in Christ; a hope Hitchens fought adamantly against but one that continues nonetheless. I discussed both Hitchens and hope in the God Solution show we recorded this morning (which will air Sunday), check that out below. Check out more on Hitchens by clicking this link and get a short clip of a Hitchens - Craig debate below that (I think you can get the full debate in parts here). Definitely be praying for God to comfort Hitchens' family and loved ones and bring them (and the many others who followed him) to Himself!

Finally, check out these tips for witnessing to atheists.

Follow Tebow's Example!!!

2011-12-12T07:49:00.002-07:00

Tebow did it again! 10 points in the final 3 minutes of a game. Another win in overtime. Wow!!! Even John Fox is "thanking the good Lord" now! Hey, if it works for Tebow! That's the point though, Tebow's stand is making a difference in the lives of his team and many others. It is amazing to me how strong a stand he is taking and the flak he is getting for it. You have got to click here and read this article for some great thoughts on that! I hope you'll get a chance to follow Tebow's great evangelism example today, taking risks. Whatever "opposition" you or I face, we can still take that stand. Ask someone today what they think about Tebow's win last night and then ask them what they think about his faith. It is a super easy transition to the gospel (I did it this week and it was extremely easy). Get more on transitioning sports conversations to the gospel here. Get Tebow's and Fox's post game comments last night here. Go big for Jesus today guys! Also, don't forget these 25 Christmas evangelism ideas.

Good bye Pujols!

2011-12-08T21:39:00.001-07:00

So Albert's off to Anaheim. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't bummed. You can get many of my posts about Albert (most of them directly involve evangelism) by clicking here. I wrote about Albert deciding on where he was going a while back (get that here) and trust he is following God's lead and not just the big bucks! That brings me to today's evangelism challenge. On a side note, this blog has focused a ton on evangelism but we've been focusing on other aspects of the Great Commission lately, namely discipleship and leadership development. I've been sharing my faith as much as ever and am excited to encourage you with this idea today! So back to the idea; everyone (at least everyone that loves baseball and sports) seems to have an opinion on Albert's decision. When this topic comes up, go ahead and apply the "getting to the gospel from a conversation about sports" idea. Share about Albert's own description of how he made his decision. If people think he was greedy (I personally want to believe the best about him), ask them why they think greed is bad and go that route back to the gospel. Bottom line, yet again, this is a hot topic that can easily be brought back to the gospel so give it a shot! While you're at it, don't forget to check out the 25 Christmas evangelism ideas and 141 easy evangelism ideas. Well, it's been a great 11 years Albert. Thanks for the memories. I hope, trust and pray you will keep following Christ boldly and sharing the Good News wherever He leads you. We'll sure miss you. Check out a recent interview with the Pujolses here; I'm inclined to take their word! Also check out Albert's testimony below that!

The International Voice of the Orphan!

2011-12-08T16:47:00.001-07:00

It will be hard to see the Saunders family go but we are overjoyed about all God is doing in their lives and ministry. I had the privilege of interviewing Dwight about the transition. Listen to the the MP3 of "The God Solution" show #39 - "The International Voice of the Orphan" below! Get all our previous shows here. We are on the air Sunday mornings at 8:30 am MST. "The God Solution" is an interactive show that will discuss answers to humanity's questions about God and God's answers for humanity's questions. I really hope you'll tune in and listen and share the program with friends as well. If you live in the area listen to the show on 91.9 or 93.9 FM. If you don't live in the area, feel free to check out the show online at http://kdur.org/ and archived here. If you like the show please let the wonderful folks at KDUR know. Email them at KDUR_PD@fortlewis.edu and tell them that you appreciate the show. Thanks a ton and tune in every Sunday at 8:30 am! Check out their site internationalvoiceoftheorphan.com and Linn's blog aplacecalledsimplicity.blogspot.com!!! We love you and will miss you Dwight and Linn!!! Get the rest of the God Solution interviews by clicking here!

Beating Temptation and Sin (Dec. 2011 Men's Retreat)

2011-12-05T07:33:00.001-07:00

Will you look at those faces? Wow. Who'd think these men had it in them? 50 + men, growing closer to God, singing opera (yep, video coming soon) and decorating Christmas tree ornaments (before taking them out to shoot them of course) smiling joyfully all along. It was definitely a great retreat. We sure missed the 20 men that didn't make it because of the snow but had an absolute blast anyway. We can't wait to see you all in May!!! The topic of this retreat was beating temptation and sin. Russ started it all off with a talk on the power to beat sin, followed by Kyle's description of sin and its consequences, Gordy discussed inside out transformation, I (Nate) went through the 7 steps to immunity from temptation and Brandon did his first ever men's retreat talk and talked about the results of victory. Get all those MP3's below and expect the video soon. Share this post with anyone you think would benefit.

Russ' talk:

Kyle's talk:

Gordy's talk:

Nate's notes and talk:

Brandon's talk:

Another relevant MP3:

Passing the Leadership Test

2011-12-02T08:25:00.001-07:00

A leader must first be tested and then lead. Have you passed the leadership test? Check out the leadership prerequisites that we find in scripture by reading these notes and check out the MP3 below (video coming soon).

The MP3:

Purity

2011-12-02T08:08:00.001-07:00

Scripture tells us to become pure and blameless, be purified through our hope in Christ, keep a pure devotion to Christ, call on the Lord from a pure heart, love from a pure heart, think about what is pure, have pure wisdom from heaven and promises that blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God! (Php. 1:10, 2:15, 1 Jn.3:3, 2 Cor. 11:3, 2 Tim.2:22, 1 Tim.1:5, Php.4:8, James 3:17, Mt.5:8). 1 Jn.3:1-3 says, “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.” Purity is something we're called to as believers but something that is rarely seen. In fact, a recent study found that 72% of non-Christians say the church is "full of hypocrites." Interestingly, 72% also said they would be willing to listen to someone share their faith with them! It is time for us to quit giving Christ a bad image and begin following His example of purity! Get more on that in these notes and check out the MP3 below.

Finally, get more on this topic below!

The Men's Retreat is almost here!!!

2011-12-01T15:36:00.001-07:00

The Men's retreat is almost here!!! The theme this December is beating temptation and sin. It will be a great time. If you haven't let me know you're coming, do that by RSVPing here. We'll discuss things like beating porn and give men practical tools for a life of victory. These retreats are always a blast. Click here for a recent example. You won't want to miss the Man Championship country music testimonies below along with other great videos from the Men's Retreats. I sure hope to see you there!!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

2011-11-24T08:24:00.001-07:00

Happy Thanksgiving!!! I really hope you have a great Thanksgiving today. Get last week's Thanksgiving God Solution show at the end of this post. Also get 4 Thanksgiving evangelism ideas here. Check out some scripture on Thanksgiving below and remember all these great reasons you have to rejoice today!!! Before reading any further though, take a few minutes to watch the following videos about Thankfulness. I hope they encourage you!!!

Now for that scripture I promised: scripture tells us to Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever (1Ch 16:34), to give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done (1Ch 16:8), to Give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness (Ps.7:17), to Give thanks to him and praise his name (Ps.100:4), to Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever (Ps.106:1), to Give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds (Ps.107:8) and Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! (2 Cor.9:15 referencing GRACE in v. 14). The Psalmist declares, The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song (Ps.28:7), O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever (Ps.30:12), I will give you thanks, for you answered me; you have become my salvation (Ps.118:21), You are my God, and I will give you thanks; you are my God, and I will exalt you (Ps.118:28). Scripture warns that not giving thanks results in becoming futile, foolish and darkened (Rom.1:21) and reminds us to let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father (Col.3:15-17), in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus (1 Thes 5:18), always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father (Eph. 5:20). Finally, Ps. 69:30 - tells us to Magnify God with thanksgiving. Whatever you're going through, a heart of thanksgiving will magnify His power in your life.

Well, have a great Thanksgiving!!!

Debunking the Top 20 Reasons to Reject Christianity (Pt. 2)

2011-11-22T13:33:00.001-07:00

Listen to the the MP3 of "The God Solution" show #38 - "Debunking the Top 20 Reasons to Reject Christianity Pt. 2" below! We'll be discussing the shortcomings of Chaz Bufe's criticisms. Get all our previous shows here. We are on the air Sunday mornings at 8:30 am MST. "The God Solution" is an interactive show that will discuss answers to humanity's questions about God and God's answers for humanity's questions. I really hope you'll tune in and listen and share the program with friends as well. If you live in the area listen to the show on 91.9 or 93.9 FM. If you don't live in the area, feel free to check out the show online at http://kdur.org/ and archived here. If you like the show please let the wonderful folks at KDUR know. You can contact them by clicking here. Thanks a ton and tune in every Sunday at 8:30 am! Get this week's notes here.

Get part 1 by clicking here.

Debunking the Top 20 Reasons to Reject Christianity Pt. 1

2011-11-21T15:39:00.001-07:00

Listen to the the MP3 of "The God Solution" show #37 - "Debunking the Top 20 Reasons to Reject Christianity Pt. 1" below! We'll be discussing the shortcomings of Chaz Bufe's criticisms. Get all our previous shows here. We are on the air Sunday mornings at 8:30 am MST. "The God Solution" is an interactive show that will discuss answers to humanity's questions about God and God's answers for humanity's questions. I really hope you'll tune in and listen and share the program with friends as well. If you live in the area listen to the show on 91.9 or 93.9 FM. If you don't live in the area, feel free to check out the show online at http://kdur.org/ and archived here. If you like the show please let the wonderful folks at KDUR know. You can contact them by clicking here. Thanks a ton and tune in every Sunday at 8:30 am! Get this week's notes here.

Get part 2 by clicking here.

Thanksgiving Thoughts

2011-11-18T09:56:00.001-07:00

Listen to the the MP3 of "The God Solution" show #36 - "Thanksgiving Thoughts" below! Get all our previous shows here. We are on the air Sunday mornings at 8:30 am MST. "The God Solution" is an interactive show that will discuss answers to humanity's questions about God and God's answers for humanity's questions. I really hope you'll tune in and listen and share the program with friends as well. If you live in the area listen to the show on 91.9 or 93.9 FM. If you don't live in the area, feel free to check out the show online at http://kdur.org/ and archived here. If you like the show please let the wonderful folks at KDUR know. You can contact them by clicking here. Thanks a ton and tune in every Sunday at 8:30 am! Get this week's notes here.

A Discussion on Mormonism

2011-11-15T16:49:00.001-07:00

I was asked by a friend in a class discussing families in America to come in and give a presentation on Mormonism. It was a secular class and I wanted to make sure to be well rounded, discussing issues, evidences and areas of disagreement and support for Mormons and most importantly I wanted to share evidence for faith in Christ and the gospel message. I think the talk went great and all the feedback I've heard so far is very positive. I definitely got to share the gospel and had a blast. It was definitely a stretching talk, trying to tie all these issues (Mormonism, family issues, the gospel, etc) together in a coherent way while pointing to Jesus in a non-awkward way. You'll be able to tell I was a bit "off" but I think it came out OK. The notes I put together for this presentation will be a good asset to you. Get those by clicking here. Get the MP3 below.

Boundaries in Life & Leadership

2011-11-14T18:57:00.001-07:00

It is imperative that leaders have good personal boundaries and respect others' boundaries as well. This Leadership Fundamentals class will discuss those issues. Note: a lot of the info in this week's notes comes from Changes that Heal (get that here). Get this week's notes here and check out the MP3 & video below.

The MP3:

The Video:

Society's Sea of Lies

2011-11-10T23:32:00.001-07:00

Listen to the the MP3 of "The God Solution" show #35 - "Society's Sea of Lies" below! Get all our previous shows here. We are on the air Sunday mornings at 8:30 am MST. "The God Solution" is an interactive show that will discuss answers to humanity's questions about God and God's answers for humanity's questions. I really hope you'll tune in and listen and share the program with friends as well. If you live in the area listen to the show on 91.9 or 93.9 FM. If you don't live in the area, feel free to check out the show online at http://kdur.org/ and archived here. If you like the show please let the wonderful folks at KDUR know. You can contact them by clicking here. Thanks a ton and tune in every Sunday at 8:30 am!

Leading Individuals, Teams and Events

2011-11-07T19:48:00.000-07:00

A leader must be able to lead individuals, teams, events and in many other areas. This leadership fundamentals class will discuss each of those key areas. Get the notes here and check out the MP3 & video below.

The MP3:

The Video:

Jesus and the Occupy Movement

2011-11-07T10:12:00.000-07:00

Get the Society's Sea of Lies show here. Listen to the the MP3 of "The God Solution" show #34 - "Jesus & the Occupy Movement" below! Get all our previous shows here. We are on the air Sunday mornings at 8:30 am MST. "The God Solution" is an interactive show that will discuss answers to humanity's questions about God and God's answers for humanity's questions. I really hope you'll tune in and listen and share the program with friends as well. If you live in the area listen to the show on 91.9 or 93.9 FM. If you don't live in the area, feel free to check out the show online at http://kdur.org/ and archived here. If you like the show please let the wonderful folks at KDUR know. You can contact them by clicking here. Thanks a ton and tune in every Sunday at 8:30 am!

Pujols Decides Where He's Going...

2011-11-03T06:57:00.002-06:00

Yes, Pujols has decided where he is going. He said, "We're going to be praying about it and whenever the time comes we'll make that decision. We're just going to see where God takes us. I don't want to get ahead of God's plan..." There you have it: Pujols' plan is to go wherever God leads!!! I couldn't resist the opportunity to illustrate yet again how Pujols is constantly pointing back to Jesus. Obviously I hope he stays with the Cards but I am excited to hear he is relying on God as he decides. He made these remarks during the unveiling of a statue made of him. The statue depicts him pointing upwards as he often does, acknowledging God. He described that this way, "There's going to be a lot of people asking, 'Well, why is he not swinging the bat?' That's to remind me it's not about me, but it's about Jesus Christ who gave his life so we can have eternal life. It's really easy to lose focus when you have millions of people telling you how great you are." It's funny, only one of the articles about this statue unveiling caught these remarks. Thank you Jesus for blessing Pujols as he openly shares his faith from the platform you've given him! What an example of evangelism. You can get more of what I've written about Pujols, including his testimony here. You can get the article these quotes came from here. Thank God he has decided to go where God leads and keep praying he makes the right decision about the location he ends up in!

Get a few quick evangelism tips here (and more than 130 more ideas here):

Verbal Leadership

2011-11-02T09:19:00.002-06:00

Public speaking, confrontation & conflict resolution are just a few of the difficult requirements of leadership. Leaders must be ready to speak the truth in love in many areas and facets of ministry. This Leadership Fundamentals class addresses many of these "verbal leadership" issues. Get the notes here and check out the MP3 & video below.

The MP3:

Here's the video:

Another potentially helpful MP3:

Tebow Time!

2011-10-26T08:22:00.001-06:00

This is a great AP picture of Tebow sharing the gospel with his eye black. Eph. 2:8-10 says, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." What a performance last week! Coming from behind to win that game and then turning around to point at Jesus. Awesome. We prayed for him, down by 15 with 7 minutes to go that God would give him the opportunity to share the gospel and glorify God. Did He ever!!! Tebow's answer to how he won the game: "First and foremost I've gotta thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ..." What an example of making the most of every opportunity (Col.4:5)! I hope I can better follow this awesome example of sharing the gospel regardless of the criticism I face. It is interesting how furious some people are with Tebow for sharing his faith (this article discusses that, remember Jn.15:18-19). Check out the game video below. Check out his testimony below that. Finally, get a list of other Christian athletes and ideas for sharing the gospel in conversations about sports here. Also, get more than 135 other evangelism ideas here. I hope this encourages you and I hope each of us will follow his evangelism example.

Religious Pluralism

2011-10-25T16:48:00.000-06:00

Listen to the the MP3 of "The God Solution" show #33 - "Religious Pluralism" below! Get all our previous shows here. We are on the air Sunday mornings at 8:30 am MST. "The God Solution" is an interactive show that will discuss answers to humanity's questions about God and God's answers for humanity's questions. I really hope you'll tune in and listen and share the program with friends as well. If you live in the area listen to the show on 91.9 or 93.9 FM. If you don't live in the area, feel free to check out the show online at http://kdur.org/ and archived here. If you like the show please let the wonderful folks at KDUR know. You can contact them by clicking here. Thanks a ton and tune in every Sunday at 8:30 am!

Breaking Through Leadership Lids

2011-10-25T16:40:00.001-06:00

Maxwell begins the 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership with the "Law of the Lid." He discusses the importance of dealing with leadership lids. This message expounds on that concept and discusses the importance of dealing with personal and leadership lids in order to accomplish all God has called us to. Get the notes here and check out the MP3 & video below.

The MP3:

The video:

The Greatest Performance in World Series History!!!

2011-10-23T08:54:00.000-06:00

What a game last night!!! Pujols put on quite the show, setting and/or tying 3 World Series records in a single game. Historic for sure. After the game, Tony La Russa said, "There it is, the greatest night in World Series history. And we saw it." True to form, Pujols pointed back to God and took none of the glory, saying, "I just thank God that I was able to come out today and help our ballclub to win and hopefully I can do that tomorrow again." Read more on this epic performance here and see the home runs here. I've written before on Albert's commitment to Christ and posted his testimony as well (get that here and another video here). I've written about learning an important spiritual truth after listening to a game that Albert did great in (get that here). I've written about how I use Albert to get into spiritual conversations (get that here and get ideas on sharing Christ from all sorts of conversations about sports, including a list of Christian athletes here). Bottom line, it was great seeing Albert put on what was likely the greatest single performance by any payer in any World Series game ever. I hope you get a chance to talk about this great game and to transition to Christ from that conversation. Way to go Pujols. Check out this picture of our family of Cardinal fans at Busch stadium this summer and check out Albert's testimony below that (and learn how to put your testimony together here)!

Evolutionary Biologist Defends Creation

2011-10-21T10:37:00.001-06:00

It was great having Dr. Rick Oliver on campus last week. Listen to the the MP3 of "The God Solution" show #32 - "Evolutionary Biologist Defends Creation" below! Get all our previous shows here. We are on the air Sunday mornings at 8:30 am MST. "The God Solution" is an interactive show that will discuss answers to humanity's questions about God and God's answers for humanity's questions. I really hope you'll tune in and listen and share the program with friends as well. If you live in the area listen to the show on 91.9 or 93.9 FM. If you don't live in the area, feel free to check out the show online at http://kdur.org/ and archived here. If you like the show please let the wonderful folks at KDUR know. You can contact them by clicking here. Thanks a ton and tune in every Sunday at 8:30 am! Also, don't miss Dr. Rick Oliver at Connect this Tuesday, Oct. 18th in the Vallecito room at 7:30 pm (get more info here). Get the rest of the God Solution interviews by clicking here!

Get more on this topic by clicking here.

Evolution or Intelligent Design?

2011-10-14T08:35:00.000-06:00

Listen to the the MP3 of "The God Solution" show #31 - "Evolution or Intelligent Design" below! Get all our previous shows here. We are on the air Sunday mornings at 8:30 am MST. "The God Solution" is an interactive show that will discuss answers to humanity's questions about God and God's answers for humanity's questions. I really hope you'll tune in and listen and share the program with friends as well. If you live in the area listen to the show on 91.9 or 93.9 FM. If you don't live in the area, feel free to check out the show online at http://kdur.org/ and archived here.If you like the show please let the wonderful folks at KDUR know. You can contact them by clicking here. Thanks a ton and tune in every Sunday at 8:30 am! Also, don't miss Dr. Rick Oliver at Connect this Tuesday, Oct. 18th in the Vallecito room at 7:30 pm (get more info here).

Here are some other talks we've done on this topic:

Connect Movie Night YouTube Montage

2011-10-12T07:01:00.004-06:00

The Connect Movie night was amazing! Get most of the videos we watched below. Thank you beautiful Erin Herbst for taking the time to find these and put them together for us!!!

What Would it Look Like?

Sermonspice.com

See Details Buy Now

And for everyone that loves our very own Josh Benjamin, check second 26:

The Measure of a Leader

2011-10-10T22:48:00.000-06:00

Howard Hendricks says the measure of a person is what it takes to start them and what it takes to get them going. This week's Leadership fundamentals class covers that and everything in between as it relates to leadership. Get the notes here and check out the MP3 & video below.

The MP3:

The video:

A Good Moral Teacher?

2011-10-06T15:05:00.000-06:00

Listen to the the MP3 of "The God Solution" show #30 - "A Good Moral Teacher?" below! Get all our previous shows here. We are on the air Sunday mornings at 8:30 am MST. "The God Solution" is an interactive show that will discuss answers to humanity's questions about God and God's answers for humanity's questions. I really hope you'll tune in and listen and share the program with friends as well. If you live in the area listen to the show on 91.9 or 93.9 FM. If you don't live in the area, feel free to check out the show online at http://kdur.org/ and archived here.If you like the show please let the wonderful folks at KDUR know. You can contact them by clicking here. Thanks a ton and tune in every Sunday at 8:30 am!

The Leader's Balanced Life

2011-10-04T15:33:00.000-06:00

Jesus showed us the example of balance in personal life and ministry and His example is one we should all follow. This week's Leadership fundamentals class goes through the key aspects of a balanced life that result in effective leadership. Get the notes here (and they're good) and check out the MP3 and video below.

The MP3:

The video:

Fall Retreat!

2011-10-03T10:11:00.001-06:00

50 + students, 8 staff and visitors dropping by throughout the weekend made this retreat unforgettable (accept getting destroyed playing paintball - I'm still trying to forget that, thanks a lot Nikki!). The retreat was amazing. This picture is a picture of Jake, Joseph and Ben leading us in an amazing time of praise (GREAT job this weekend guys). It was great getting to spend so much time with so many students and seeing God work in all of our lives. We're 6 weeks in to the new school year and the retreat couldn't have come at a better time. We had a ton of fun, developed amazing relationships, ate great food, and grew in our walks with God. The theme of the retreat was "Eternal Perspective." Leah started it all out with a talk on "Eternal Citizens." She did a great job clarifying the 2 kingdoms and clearly shared the gospel. Check out her talk here:

Erin (my beautiful wife) continued, discussing "Eternal Hope" in light of the pain and suffering around us. Get her notes here and listen to her amazing talk below.

I concluded the retreat talking about "Eternal Significance" and life purpose. Get my notes here and the MP3 below.

Retreats are always amazing! Watch the video below for a little more on what they're all about and students, get ready for the next one - mark Nov. 4-6 on your calendars!

Leading with Your Spiritual Gifts

2011-10-03T08:34:00.001-06:00

God has given all of us unique gifts and talents. A leader uses those gifts to lead well. The MP3 below and these notes (MPM's spiritual gift survey) are meant to help you figure out how God has wired you to serve Him. This is just a survey!!! These results are not conclusive. Your gifts will become more apparent the longer you follow and serve God. This is meant to give you a little perspective on how God has wired you but it is by no means the final description of who God made you to be. It is just a tool and we hope it helps! The 10 gifts we have included in this list are the major gifts listed in Romans 12:6-8, 1 Corinthians 12:8-10 and Ephesians 4:11. We have not listed those gifts that are not clearly described in scripture, debatable or have traditionally caused division in the Body of Christ (we understand the gifts don't cause division but we sinful human beings with different perspectives can), with the exception of prophecy (we have included this gift with its widely accepted definition and predominant Biblical usage here). It should also be noted that there are more gifts not listed in those 3 passages (ex. hospitality, Rom.12:13 and singleness 1 Cor.7:7) and all good gifts come from God (James 1:17). We hope God gives you wisdom about any other gifts He gives you. We encourage you to go only to God’s Word as you seek to better understand the gifts and the various ways in which God has gifted you. Jesus is THE example of all the gifts and only He has them all. You are unique! We hope this helps. Remember, it’s just a tool. Our greatest hope is that you’ll use your gifts for Him and His Great Commission!   

Spiritual Gifts described:

Leadership - Leading by organizing people, groups and events and setting the vision, direction and course for a group. Biblical example: Moses. 

Evangelism - Sharing the Good News of Jesus’ gift of salvation with those who don’t yet have a relationship with Him. Biblical example: The Apostle Paul. 

Encouragement - Encouraging, supporting and building up other believers by affirming them in any way possible. Biblical example: Mordecai. 

Giving - Giving your time, talent and resources to help others. Biblical example: Barnabas. 

Mercy - Showing compassion, sympathy and love for others. Biblical example: Boaz. 

Prophecy - Boldly sharing the truth with other believers and challenging them to live lives of obedience to God. Biblical example: Jeremiah. 

Serving - Doing whatever needs to be done to help the team reach the goal and make others’ lives easier. Biblical example: Ruth. 

Pastoring - Overseeing a group of believers, over time, helping them grow as the Body of Christ. Biblical example: Peter. 

Teaching - Learning and sharing the truth of God’s Word. Biblical example: Nehemiah. 

Faith - Trusting God for more than most are willing to and living life with that type of perspective. Biblical example: Elijah.

Get the gifts survey here (more on the power of the Holy Spirit here) and the MP3 below (the video is coming soon).

Check out the video here:

Life Purpose and Eternal Significance

2011-10-03T08:24:00.000-06:00

Ravi Zacharias writes, “Clearly formulate why you exist and what would be missing if you didn’t. You will never know what a distraction is until you know what your goal and purpose are. You must enunciate what your final goal is. It is imperative that somehow, before God, you take that time to write out on a blank sheet of paper why you exist. How wonderful it would be to clearly write out what the purpose of your life is really about and in light of that determine what will refresh and rejuvenate you as you pursue that purpose."

He's right on the money. How many Christians have lived their entire lives without answering that question? It is easy to get sucked into the daily grind, surviving rather than making a difference. This, however, is not what we're here for. The 6 C's, cash, cars, careers, condos, cuties and computers do not really satisfy. The life He's created you for is one of purpose and significance. Please check out these notes on purpose, including the life purpose worksheet (at the end) and listen to the MP3 below for more. Go big for Jesus guys!

True Tolerance and Diversity

2011-10-02T07:05:00.003-06:00

(Note: Sorry I linked the wrong link. Get the retreat info by clicking here). Listen to the the MP3 of "The God Solution" show #29 - "True Tolerance and Diversity" below! Get all our previous shows here. We are on the air Sunday mornings at 8:30 am MST. "The God Solution" is an interactive show that will discuss answers to humanity's questions about God and God's answers for humanity's questions. I really hope you'll tune in and listen and share the program with friends as well. If you live in the area listen to the show on 91.9 or 93.9 FM. If you don't live in the area, feel free to check out the show online at http://kdur.org/ and archived here.If you like the show please let the wonderful folks at KDUR know. You can contact them by clicking here. Thanks a ton and tune in every Sunday at 8:30 am!

Palestinian Statehood

2011-09-23T19:52:00.002-06:00

What a day! Palestinian President Abbas submitted the Palestinian bid for statehood. You'll have to check out the notes and MP3 below for more on that. This and much of what is going on is happening according to Biblical prophecy!  The fact that Israeli identity, though dispersed, would never be destroyed (Lv. 26:44),  that they would return to their own land (Ezekiel 34:13 ), be reborn as a nation in ’48 (Is.66:7-11),  the restoration of the Hebrew language (Zephaniah 3:9), the return of Jews from countries around the world and the alliances being formed between Israel’s enemies (including Iran, Russia, Sudan, Libya, Algeria and Turkey) are all a fulfillment of prophecy.  Find more on Joel Rosenberg’s blog: flashtrafficblog.wordpress.com. Check out the notes on today's developments here and listen to the MP3 with much more below. Definitely, use these ideas to transition conversations about this topic to the gospel (and listen to the MP3 for an idea of how I did that).

The Leadership Development Process

2011-09-20T08:43:00.000-06:00

This description of the funnel diagram, the best ministry process diagram you will ever see, shows how leaders are developed and multiplied. Get the class handout here and check out the MP3 and video below.

The MP3:

The video:

Leadership Fundamentals

2011-09-18T15:30:00.001-06:00

Get all the Cross Training "Leadership Fundamentals" classes below. These classes deal with leadership principles that will help in any field you pursue.

1. Your First Leadership Priority.

2. Leadership Prerequisites.

3. A leadership Overview.

4. The Measure of a Leader.

5. Breaking Through Personal and Leadership Lids.

6. The Leader's Balanced Life.

7. Boundaries in Life & Leadership.

8. Leading with Confidence and Boldness in stead of Insecurities.

9. Leading with Purpose.

10. Leading according to God's Will.

11. Leading with Your Spiritual Gifts.

12. Effective Leadership Communication.

13. Leading individuals, teams and events.

14. Leaders Stand Strong in Battle.

15. Leaders Multiply Forward with Vision.

16. Leaders share their faith.

17. Leaders make disciples.

Get the entire semester of Ministry Leadership Training (this has more to do with ministry specifics) classes here.

Leaders Pray!

2011-09-17T13:17:00.000-06:00

Prayer is foundational for all ministry, especially outreach and evangelism. We've all heard the "Divine Order" - first talk to God about people and then talk to people about God. That statement is as true as any ever was. I won't ever get God's heart for the lost until I am committed to praying for them. The same goes for those fighting on the front line along side us. I've long made it a goal to pray daily for each of the leaders in our area (unfortuantaley I can't say this goal is one I always live up to, but by God's grace I will continue to try). Praying for each other, as good a start as it might be, is just a start. Until we pray together, we aren't standing firm as one man contending for the faith of the Gospel (Phil.1:27). I don't know why we feel we can win our community alone and I don't know why we all agree on that point yet do nothing constructive to unite towards it. We need to pray together! I'm convinced that if you'll start praying with other leaders in your community, God will begin changing you and them and preparing you for all He desires to do in your community. Every revival in history began in prayer and every revival in the future will as well. We must pray together and then reach out together!

Check out more on this in the MP3 below!

Here's an exciting video about the leaders' prayer time here in Durango:

Your First Leadership Priority

2011-09-13T09:43:00.000-06:00

Your first leadership priority is your fellowship with God. The following statement summarizes this reality well.

In My Utmost for His Highest, Oswald Chambers writes the following (on 1 Cor. 3:9): "Beware of any work for God which enables you to evade concentration on Him. A great many Christian workers worship their work. The one concern of a worker should be concentration on God, and this will mean that all other margins of life, mental, moral and spiritual, are free with the freedom of a child, a worshipping child, not a wayward child. A worker without this solemn, dominant note of concentration on God is apt to get his work on his neck; there is no margin of body, mind or spirit free, consequently he becomes spent out and crushed. There is no freedom, no delight in life; nerves, mind and heart are so crushingly burdened that Godʼs blessing cannot rest. But the other side is just as true - when once the concentration is on God, all the margins of life are free and under the dominance of God alone. There is no responsibility on you for the work; the only responsibility you have is to keep in living constant touch with God, and to see that you allow nothing to hinder your cooperation with Him. The freedom after sanctification is the freedom of a child, the things that used to keep life pinned down are gone. But, be careful to remember that you are freed for one thing only - to be absolutely devoted to your co-Worker. We have no right to judge where we should be put, or to have preconceived notions as to what God is fitting us for. God engineers everything; wherever He puts us, our one great aim, is to pour out a whole hearted devotion to Him in that particular work. “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do with thy might."

Get the class notes here and check out the MP3 and video below.

The MP3:

The video:

Leadership Overview

2011-09-06T06:17:00.002-06:00

Leadership is vitally important. In ministry and evangelism you will find yourself leading more often than not. This semester's Cross Training class will focus on leadership and last night's class discussed our leadership acronym: LEADERSHIP. Here's the broad outline but check out more below.

L - Lifestyle

E - Example

A - Action

D - Direction

E - Expertise

R - Relationships

S - Speech

H - Habits

I - Initiative

P - Propagate (multiplication)

Get the class notes which include a self-test checklist here and check out the MP3 and video below.

The MP3:

The video:

Expect Fruit!

2011-09-05T08:26:00.002-06:00

We should never do evangelism because of the fruit we see or hope to see. We always say (as Bill Bright did) that we should take the initiative in the power of the Holy Spirit and then trust the results to God. That's good. However, it seems we can almost swing to the other extreme of expecting not to see fruit. That's crazy! Seed grows; if we're sowing and watering there will be a harvest (Mt.13:1-23, 1 Cor.3:6-9). Acts 2:41 says, "Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day." Acts 4:4 states, "But many who heard the message believed, and the number of men grew to about five thousand." Finally, Acts 5:14 continues, "Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number." The bottom line is if we're sharing the Good News, there will be fruit. It might not be immediate but we should expect it. Conversely, if we aren't sharing, we definitely won't see fruit so get out and share your hope with those around you!

The Great Commission Training Center update video!

2011-09-05T07:58:00.001-06:00

We just had our 1st big student hang out day at the Ranch this weekend and it was a blast!!! The Ranch is now being used for ministry! The work continues so keep praying and check out the Great Commission Training Center update video below!

An Interview with Eli Stewart

2011-09-04T16:48:00.001-06:00

Listen to the the MP3 of "The God Solution" show #27 - "An Interview with Eli Stewart" below! Get all our previous shows here. We are on the air Sunday mornings at 8:30 am MST. "The God Solution" is an interactive show that will discuss answers to humanity's questions about God and God's answers for humanity's questions. I really hope you'll tune in and listen and share the program with friends as well. If you live in the area listen to the show on 91.9 or 93.9 FM. If you don't live in the area, feel free to check out the show online at http://kdur.org/ and archived here. If you like the show please let the wonderful folks at KDUR know. You can contact them by clicking here. Thanks a ton and tune in every Sunday at 8:30 am! Get the rest of the God Solution interviews by clicking here!

Trust, Faith, Science and Skepticism

2011-09-04T08:00:00.000-06:00

Listen to the the MP3 of "The God Solution" show #26 - "Trust, Faith, Science and Slepticism" below! Get all our previous shows here. We are on the air Sunday mornings at 8:30 am MST. "The God Solution" is an interactive show that will discuss answers to humanity's questions about God and God's answers for humanity's questions. I really hope you'll tune in and listen and share the program with friends as well. If you live in the area listen to the show on 91.9 or 93.9 FM. If you don't live in the area, feel free to check out the show online at http://kdur.org/ and archived here.If you like the show please let the wonderful folks at KDUR know. You can contact them by clicking here. Thanks a ton and tune in every Sunday at 8:30 am!

More Science in the Bible

2011-09-02T09:12:00.001-06:00

We've all heard it said that science and religion don't mix. Many people misunderstand the role science plays and it's limits. So many things in your daily life lie outside the empirically accessible universe. We need to keep science where it belongs, the natural world around us today - not the natural world of the past (about which we can draw no conclusions without assumptions - in studying the past scientists should be careful to admit their shortcomings) nor anything that lies outside the natural universe (for example, love, God, etc). Science and faith are mutually complimentary and not mutually exclusive. Dinesh D'Souza has some great notes on this in What's so great about Christianity. Anyway, having a degree in Chemistry, science in the Bible has always interested me a ton and I have found it a great way of sharing Christ with people. Many people assume science and "religion" are mutually exclusive and are shocked by the science in the Bible. I found a new scientific claim in scripture this morning which I had never caught before. Here it is:

Job.28:5 says, "...below the surface the earth is melted as by fire." An interestingly accurate description of the molten outer layer of earth's core and one Job, 4,000 years ago had no way of knowing. WOW!!! The Bible beat science, R.D. Oldham in 1906 to be exact, by nearly 4,000 years! I don't think this verse is referring to the mining mentioned later in the passage but to the heat and pressure required to form the sapphire mentioned in the very next verse (that being another scientific reality!).

Other scientific realities the Bible describes:

Radioactive decay (2Peter 3:10). Antoine Henri Becquerel discovered radioactivity in 1896, 1900 yrs after the Bible described it.

Hydrologic cycles (Ps.135:7, Ec.1:7and Job 36:27-29).

Atmospheric jet streams (Ecc. 1:6).

Clouds and condensation (Job 26:8, 37:11).

Earthʼs spherical shape (Is. 40:22).

The expansion of the universe (Job 26:7). Edwin Hubble discovered this in 1929, based on Einsteinʼs General Relativity, 4,000 yrs after the Bible described it.

Earthʼs foundation hung on nothing (Job 26:7). Copernicus published this in 1543, 3,500 yrs after the Bible described it.

That air has weight (Job 28:25). Antoine Lavoisier discovered this in 1778, 3,800 yrs after the Bible described it.

Hydrothermic vents, freshwater springs in ocean (Gen. 7:11 & Job. 38:16). The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution discovered these in 1977, 4000 yrs after the Bible described it.

That like begets like – a biological law (Gen. 1:11-12, 21, 25).

The Second Law of Thermodynamics, Entropy (Ps.102:26, Is.51:6).

That one event could be seen across the world – an impossibility then – now possible through TV (Mt. 24:30 and Rev. 11:9-11). Charles Jenkins invented the first TV in 1923, 1900 yrs after the Bible. This wasn't just a scientific pronouncement but yet another fulfilled Biblical prophecy!

Those a re just a few of the scientific pronouncements in scripture. The Bible is not a science book but God has included enough science in it to confirm it's inspiration in that arena. I hope you get a chance to share some of this with non-Christian friends and I hope it will open up tremendous conversations about Christ! Check out a few talks I've done on related subjects below!

Campus Life!

2011-08-31T07:42:00.000-06:00

What a night it was on campus!!! We had about 125 students come to our 1st Connect meeting. It was a great time. Our surveys last week indicated that Jesus' average approval rating among this year's freshmen is a 7.6! Yep, they're hungry for Him! Anyway, last night we shared the gospel boldly in the open air environment of the amphitheater on campus. Fifteen students indicated decisions to trust Christ and 34 new students want to get plugged into Bible studies! Praise you Jesus!!! Pray for the students who said they put their trust in Christ for the 1st time. It was a great night.

Create a facebook ad to share your faith!

2011-08-29T08:56:00.002-06:00

A quick idea for evangelism is to make a facebook ad for your area. Just type "ads" in the search box on facebook or click "create ad" which appears above other ads you'll see on your profile. When you create the ad you can target specific ages and audiences, for example, your city, neighborhood, school, etc. You won't have much space so you can't write much. Write something that will expose the general concept of the gospel and then link that to a website or blog where people can find more. You can pay per click or per 1,000 views; either way it is relatively inexpensive (~$1 / 1,000 views). The picture above is our ad for Connect, our weekly meeting this week. I tried to strategically include the part about "Jesus' love, forgiveness and life" as an intro to the gospel. Hope this idea helps you reach thousands in your area!

Jesus gets a 7.5 (read more to find out what that means)

2011-08-27T21:48:00.002-06:00

What a week it has been!!! We've had an initial conversation about Jesus with somewhere between 400 and 500 freshmen! It has been exhausting but exhilarating as well. The preliminary stats are in. After reviewing about 25% of the surveys, this years freshmen give Jesus a 7.6 out of 10. Not bad, considering very few of them would consider themselves Christians. That being said, people are interested in Jesus and this generation is no exception. Now it's up to us to share with them!

Winning the Spiritual Battle

2011-08-26T09:07:00.002-06:00

Perspectives on spiritual warfare range from negligent under-emphasis to gross over-emphasis. Spiritual warfare is not a Christian version of ghost busters. It is something all believers must understand but a solid Biblical perspective on this topic is rarely taught and hard to find. General Patton once said about an imminent battle, “I will either leave this battlefield a hero or a corpse.” That could be said of any believer, in a sense. We will either be victorious in the battle or live a defeated life. For those in any kind of ministry the stakes are even higher. Your enemy will fight you hard and you had better be ready for the fight. Of all types of ministry Satan hates most, those involved in evangelism (shouldn't that be all of us) will face the most opposition because that is the only place in the battle where new ground is being taken; the proverbial front line of the fight. Whoever you are, you need to have a strong Biblical perspective on spiritual warfare. Please check out these notes and the MP3 below!

18 Creative ways to reach your workplace for Christ

2011-08-20T16:57:00.001-06:00

For many, the workplace is the sphere of influence God has strategically placed them in to make Him known! It is not a ministry to be shunned but rather a purpose to be embraced. You have an unbelievable opportunity to reach the people you work with every day for Christ. Your daily good attitude and Christlikeness will show them Christ in a way few will ever see.

That being said, here are a few practical workplace evangelism ideas. I hope you have a blast trusting God to use you in big ways at the office (or wherever you work) and I really hope these ideas help!

1. Put something on your door and/or walls that will point to Christ; then be ready to share when people ask. Make sure to change it up every so often to keep the conversations happening. While I was working in the office world I put the Passion of the Christ poster up (it was showing then) and it started a ton of conversations.

2. Talk good about your spouse. People will notice and ask why. Seriously, people can hardly believe it when you talk up your spouse and it is a great opportunity to tell them about the reason for your great relationship - Jesus!

3. Communicate your sense of purpose. Every Monday my co-workers would say, “another day another dollar” or something like that. Communicate your passion for serving God both at work and while away and you’ll find yourself sharing the reason for that purpose very often. Click here for more thoughts on that!

4. Talk good about your co-workers and boss. Avoiding the workplace gossip mill will speak volumes about your character and bring up opportunities to talk about why you respect those individuals.

5. Pray before your meals - it will get peoples’ attention and lead to evangelistic conversations.

6. Walk in integrity. Work hard. Don’t cheat. Don't live a hypocritical life. Once, some of my co-workers tried to get me to go to a strip bar. I wouldn't join them and it opened up a great opportunity to share why. Your Christ-like behavior will definitely point to Jesus - just make sure to speak the gospel as well (1 Peter 2:12).

7. Serve in your workplace. Replace the water, carpool to work, make coffee, clean messes, carry heavy loads, get the mail, etc. Basically, be the person in your office that does the small things that no one else will. It will speak volumes.

8. Start a lunch time Bible study. You could even do an evangelistic Bible study and invite your co-workers to join you. Get a great example here.

9. Keep a Bible on your desk or in view wherever you happen to work. While in college, a co-worker at a snowboard shop saw my Bible and began asking about it. She put her trust in Christ, in tears, that night. She then brought her boyfriend to church, introduced him to me and he also became a Christian. Your Bible will open up a ton of conversations.

10. Wear a Christian t-shirt with an evangelistic message on casual fridays or whenever your job provides an opportunity for that. If that isn’t an option, wear a Christian bracelet or something that could spark a conversation. Check out more on that here.

11. Be there to talk when co-workers are going through tough times and situations. Be relatable. Ask how people are doing. Take a genuine interest in their lives. Then, share the hope you have with them.

12. Listen to Christian radio and/or messages in the office, car or wherever people will have a chance to overhear you.

13. Invite your co-workers to church or some other Christian events where they will hear the gospel. Get more on that here.

14. Bring Christ into conversations you're already having at work. Get more thoughts and teaching on this here and more here. Just use transition questions to work through the sound barriers to bring conversations about sports, movies, music, news or other issues back to Christ.

15. Ask how you can pray for a co-worker. Get more on that here.

16. Brag on God: Tell your co-workers what God has done and is doing in your life. Check out Brag on God Fridays on beholdingglory.com. Share your testimony with your coworkers.

17. Give evangelistic gifts and/or cards at Christmas parties, going away parties and other celebrations. Get more on that here. This is one of our Christmas evangelism ideas.

18. Put a verse or Christian quote on the signature portion of your workplace e-mails. People put all sorts of junk in their signatures - why not use that as an opportunity to share. You could also try some of the internet evangelism ideas we've shared in your workplace. Check those out here.

The bottom line: if you're willing, God will open up huge opportunities for you to share Christ with your co-workers. Be respectful but do take the initiative! Love them like Christ does and they won't be able to wait to talk to you about Him! Have a blast reaching your sphere of influence for Christ!

Gas Station Evangelism

2011-08-19T20:40:00.001-06:00

Today I was standing in line at the gas station, waiting to buy a drink, when I started thinking about how to get into a conversation about Christ with the ladies at the cash register. I was in town but near where a friend has a church so I thought I would try using something similar to the "ask about church" idea. I asked if they had ever heard of the church my friend pastors in the area to which one of the ladies responded, "Yes! I go there every once in a while." I turned to her co-worker "T" and asked, "what about you, what's been your experience with Christianity?" She said, "I really don't know. My grandparents took me to church a few times but I still haven't figured out what I believe." I asked if her reservations about faith had more to do with a lack of evidence or questions about things that happen in life. She said it was the life questions she was dealing with. I shared a few resources with her and encouraged her to keep searching and then left the station (my wife and daughters were waiting outside). I was amazed at how simple it was to get into a conversation about Christ. It just took a little initiative. I was also blown away at how quickly these 2 young ladies were ready to talk about Christ. It wasn't awkward at all. The harvest really is ripe and people really are interested in the hope you have to share! It was definitely a more conversational approach than the quick, "Jesus loves you" tactic that works in quick opportunities like that (check that out below). If you've never tried the "ask about church" idea give it a shot and have a blast when you do!

Growth Resources for New Believers

2011-08-18T09:14:00.001-06:00

We just put 11 semesters of basic training online on our FLC college ministry site. This is a huge tool for discipleship and a great link to share with anyone you're discipling. Check it out here:

http://connectflc.blogspot.com/p/grow.html

Dealing with Doubt

2011-08-16T16:06:00.000-06:00

C.S. Lewis wrote in Mere Christianity that as an atheist there were many nights he went to bed doubting the whole thing but as a Christian there were very few nights he went to bed doubting his faith. He admitted that doubt occurred at times but also realized it had been an even greater issue before he believed. A two-year study of 5,472 college students published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, titled “Religious and Spiritual Struggle,” was completed in 2010. It found that atheists and agnostics were the most likely groups to be angry with God. You'd think people that didn't believe in God wouldn't be mad at him. Not the case. Pretty much every atheist I can think of admits things other than the evidence, like the problem of pain, drove them from faith. The point of this post is to encourage you that as you share your faith, be patient with those you're sharing with and let them know they don't have to wait till they have no doubt to trust God. Also, as a believer, don't let doubt keep you from growing in your faith or sharing that with others. Doubt is part of the human experience and you can beat it. Check out the MP3 below for more on that! Have a great day.

Listen to the the MP3 of "The God Solution" show #25 - "Dealing with doubt" below! Get all our previous shows here. We are on the air Sunday mornings at 8:30 am MST. "The God Solution" is an interactive show that will discuss answers to humanity's questions about God and God's answers for humanity's questions. I really hope you'll tune in and listen and share the program with friends as well. If you live in the area listen to the show on 91.9 or 93.9 FM. If you don't live in the area, feel free to check out the show online at http://kdur.org/ and archived here. If you like the show please let the wonderful folks at KDUR know. You can contact them by clicking here. Thanks a ton and tune in every Sunday at 8:30 am!

Evangelism and Ministry Insecurities

2011-08-15T08:13:00.003-06:00

Have your insecurities kept or limited you from sharing your faith or leading in other areas of life and ministry? Mine sure have. I know without a doubt that every leader you know of has insecurities and the successful ones are those that deal with their insecurities. You will never be effective in evangelism or ministry until you learn to surrender those insecurities to God. With that in mind, I'd like to encourage you to listen to this MP3, titled "Freedom From Insecurities." I hope this encouragement from God's Word will help you deal with any securities holding you back from powerful evangelism and effective ministry. Here's the MP3:

If you'd like to check out the video of this message, please check it out below. Thanks!