Kamis, 25 Februari 2016

Don’t Fear the Unknown. God’s Already Been There.

Don’t Fear the Unknown. God’s Already Been There.

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“God isn’t just alongside you for this journey called life, He’s leading the front lines.”
Fear is something that can paralyze even the bravest and strongest of individuals. It’s that displeasing feeling inside of you that causes one to sometimes doubt themselves or the wonderful opportunities that come your way, cause you to second-guess your capabilities, and silence you when you know that you should be speaking up. 
Whether it be the biblical story of Elijah who prayed an audacious prayer for the sun to stand still amidst the battle against the Amorites (Joshua 10:12), Moses parting the massive beauty of the Red Sea (Exodus 14:21), or Noah building the gigantic piece of artistic wonder known as The Ark (Genesis 5-10); God constantly came in the clutch and took care of his people. There was no need to fear. There was no need to worry. He was there.
And although these magnificent experiences of God’s presence took place thousands of years ago, we must understand that the foundational truth of God’s support and assistance is still alive and true today. God isn’t just alongside you for this journey called life, He’s leading the front lines.

God’s Already Been There.

“Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.” —Deuteronomy 31:8
The powerful truth found in Deuteronomy 31:8 is both assuring and comforting. We must realize that we have no need to worry about the present or future due to the reality that God, who is outside of time itself, has already been where we are going and will be in the future. He’s all-powerful, all-knowing and all-forgiving. God is the essence of time itself, aware of anything and everything that will take place in our lives.
When we put our lives in God’s hands, there is space for us to relax knowing that he has everything under his control. This doesn’t mean that fear will be absent from our thoughts or that we are no longer allowed to fear, but instead that fear no longer needs to control the way we live, dream, speak and act. Fear sits under the colossal majesty of God.
Don’t fear the unknown, the future or the present. God has already been there, and he’s letting you know that he alone has got you immersed by his perfect, protective and all-consuming love.

Our Job Is to Love People, Not Change Them

Our Job Is to Love People, Not Change Them

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Regardless of how God uses me, I can’t change people. That is God’s job, not mine.
I love change. I love helping people. And I love seeing people changed by the love God. But regardless of how much God decides to use me, I alone cannot change people. This is God’s job, not mine.
I remember when I first became a believer in Jesus and somehow thought that it was my duty to change people for the sake of advancing The Gospel—which is funny because I myself wasn’t even changed by a man or women, but instead was loved and directed toward the only true source that could bring me change: God
I would rejoice when people would find hope in Christ, but would feel like a failure when someone would turn away from wanting to know Jesus as Lord. I took it personally. It was a little discouraging, but that’s because my mindset was completely off. I was focusing way too much on what “I” was doing for God, and not enough on the bigger picture: God’s omnipotent power and preeminent role in the business of life change. I believe many of today’s Christians put too much weight on themselves to bring people to Jesus. It’s our job to love people, not change them. And we must understand the reality that only the Holy Spirit has the power and authority to do such a thing. Our calling is to simply share The Gospel in love and truth, showcasing the character of Jesus through our everyday lives. This alone is the calling of a Christian. This alone is a weighty yet fulfilling purpose for each and every person who chooses to pick up their cross daily.
If we were to scour the Bible, we’d see there is not a single passage that states we are called to change people. Why? Because it’s not our job, and it was never intended to be. We must take a step back and realize that God’s job is to be God, and our job is to lead people toward the door that is hope. Once we’ve done this, we must let go and allow Him who created the world to take care of the rest.
“So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.” —John 13:34
Don’t waste your time trying to change people. Instead, focus on loving well.

How Should We Counsel Singles Longing for Marriage?


8 Qualities to Look for in Great Friends

8 Qualities to Look for in Great Friends

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“Finding new friends is easy, but finding great friends can be quite tough.”
Community is a big part of the life we live. And while some of us may have a bigger sense of community than others, the importance of having friends to confide in, spend time with and celebrate alongside are pinnacle to living the community-based life Jesus has called us to.
Finding new friends is easy, but finding great friends can be quite tough. True friendships should last a lifetime, and I believe these 10 qualities are a good start when searching for friends you can truly do life with.

1. Reliable 

Flakes are lame. Nobody likes to spend time with someone who constantly backs out of plans and shows up late. You’ll find yourself getting more and more frustrated with this person each and every time it happens. Mind you, not everyone is perfect, but you want someone in your life who is reliable and can be counted on.

2. Trustworthy

Don’t set yourself up for friendship failure by befriending someone you cannot trust. Friendships with trust issues will always be a burden, especially if they are not handled carefully.

3. Driven 

You are who you hang out with, regardless if you want to believe it. When you constantly surround yourself with people who are driven, it will continuously force you to evaluate your life, your goals and your dreams. Driven people make great friends. Why? Because they encourage you to step up your game for the betterment of you and your family.

4. Loving

It’s always great to have friends who are loving in your life. Whether they are showing up to comfort you in a time of need or supporting you and your family during times of success, a loving friend is always a joy to have.

5. Forgiving

Grace is key to any long-lasting friendship. Friends who can forgive each other stay together. We forgive because Christ first forgave us (Colossians 3:1). And while resentment is sometimes hard to let go of, showing forgiveness will always bring liberation and peace. It’s always the better choice.

6. Honest

Find someone who will tell you the tough stuff, even it’s hard to talk about. Honesty is key to any great friendship, and I believe having people in your life that won’t hide the truth from you is something worth more than gold.

7. Supportive

Whether it be directed toward your goals, dreams or relationship with God, having friends that are supportive toward your personal goals is always a must. There is no use in spending time with people who aren’t supportive of who you are or what you do.

8. Humble

Pride comes before the fall (Proverbs 16:18). While there is nothing wrong with having friends who are confident in who they are and what they do, I’d recommend staying away from opening up your life to people who are “all about them.” You’ll want to surround yourself with people who are both confident in who they are but also willing to humble themselves and praise the success of others.
I’m sure there are plenty of other great qualities to look for in friends, but I hope these help in your journey of finding great community. 

Rabu, 24 Februari 2016

MENGAPA MISI MEDIS?

MENGAPA MISI MEDIS?
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Suatu hari seorang laki-laki yang menderita penyakit kusta datang kepada Yesus dan memohon supaya disembuhkan (Matius 8:2-3). Yesus bisa saja memberi respons kepada orang ini dengan berbagai cara. Ia bisa saja, misalnya, seperti para imam dan orang Lewi dalam kisah orang Samaria yang baik hati dan berkata, "Saya sangat sibuk sekarang. Pergilah dan datanglah kembali nanti." Atau, Ia dapat menanggapi dengan kemarahan, seperti yang dilakukan oleh orang Farisi, dan berkata, "Berani sekali kamu mendekati-Ku, hai kamu pendosa najis. Kamu bisa menajiskan-Ku." Tidak. Sambil mengulurkan tangan dan memegang orang itu, Yesus menanggapi dengan cukup sederhana, "Aku mau. Jadilah sembuh."
Lama sebelum peristiwa dalam hidup Yesus ini, Yesaya telah menubuatkan bahwa pelayanan Mesias bukan hanya mengajar, melainkan juga menghibur dan menyembuhkan orang-orang yang membutuhkan. Yesaya menulis:
"Roh Tuhan ALLAH ada padaku, oleh karena TUHAN telah mengurapi aku; Ia telah mengutus aku untuk menyampaikan kabar baik kepada orang-orang sengsara, dan merawat orang-orang yang remuk hati, untuk memberitakan pembebasan kepada orang-orang tawanan, dan kepada orang-orang yang terkurung kelepasan dari penjara, untuk memberitakan tahun rahmat TUHAN dan hari pembalasan Allah kita, untuk menghibur semua orang berkabung, untuk mengaruniakan kepada mereka perhiasan kepala ganti abu, minyak untuk pesta ganti kain kabung, nyanyian puji-pujian ganti semangat yang pudar, supaya orang menyebutkan mereka "pohon tarbantin kebenaran", "tanaman TUHAN" untuk memperlihatkan keagungan-Nya." (Yesaya 61:1-3)
Ditulis lebih dari 6 abad sebelum kelahiran Yesus, Yesaya telah memberikan gambaran tentang Dia yang diurapi, yaitu Mesias. Ia bukan hanya harus membawa kabar baik, melainkan juga kesembuhan fisik dan rohani bagi orang-orang yang membutuhkannya.
Pada awal pelayanan-Nya, Yesus mendatangi sinagoga di Nazaret, tempat Ia diundang untuk membaca bagian dari Alkitab (Lukas 4:14-30). Ketika berdiri dengan gulungan di tangannya, Ia membaca perikop yang sama dari Yesaya. Ketika Ia sudah selesai, Ia kembali duduk dan berkata, "Pada hari ini genaplah nas ini sewaktu kamu mendengarnya."
Ketika kita membaca tentang pelayanan Yesus, kita dapat melihat bahwa pelayanan-Nya itu memang merupakan satu kesatuan dari pengajaran dan penyembuhan. Kehidupan Yesus dan pengajaran-Nya adalah pewahyuan terbesar dari Allah, dan tanpanya, pengertian kita tentang natur Allah dan kehendak-Nya atas kita tidak akan lengkap. Namun, Yesus juga menghabiskan banyak waktunya untuk menyembuhkan orang-orang yang menderita berbagai penyakit. Pada pasal yang sama dari Injil Lukas, kita dapat membaca Yesus yang menyembuhkan beberapa orang. Kesimpulannya, Lukas mencatat, "Ketika matahari terbenam, semua orang membawa kepada-Nya orang-orang sakitnya, yang menderita bermacam-macam penyakit. Ia pun meletakkan tangan-Nya atas mereka masing-masing dan menyembuhkan mereka."
Sayangnya, kita tidak dapat lagi menyembuhkan orang dengan menumpangkan tangan kita ke atas orang sakit seperti yang Yesus dan orang lain dapat lakukan pada waktu itu. Akan tetapi, kita masih dapat merencanakan pelayanan kita seperti pola Yesus. Misi Medis adalah salah satu cara yang dapat kita (sebagai gereja) gabungkan sebagai sebuah pelayanan kesembuhan dan pengajaran.
Program misi sering kali menekankan penginjilan yang berusaha untuk menjangkau kebutuhan rohani pribadi terutama melalui pengajaran. Hal ini tentu saja merupakan bagian dari Amanat Agung -- pergilah dan jadikanlah semua bangsa murid-Ku. Pendekatan misi medis, atau barangkali istilah yang lebih deskriptif, penginjilan medis, memiliki cakupan yang lebih luas, yaitu dengan berusaha untuk menjangkau, baik kebutuhan fisik maupun rohani dari orang-orang yang dilayani.
Negara-negara yang berkembang, dengan tingginya dampak penyakit, malnutrisi, tingginya angka kematian bayi, rendahnya harapan hidup, dan kurangnya pusat kesehatan yang paling mendasar secara umum, telah menjadi tempat sasaran bagi beberapa program misi medis. Setelah mendapatkan teladan dari Yesus sendiri dan prinsip dasar kekristenan, tampaknya hal ini menjadi sesuatu yang harus kita kerjakan sebagai gereja.
H. Glenn Boyd, Direktur Emeritus dari Yayasan International Health Care, menjawab pertanyaan "Mengapa melakukan penginjilan medis?" dengan cara sebagai berikut: Ada jutaan orang sakit di negara-negara berkembang tempat kita memberitakan Injil. Akankah kita mengabaikan kebutuhan fisik mereka dan berkata, "Selamat jalan, kenakanlah kain panas dan makanlah sampai kenyang!" (Yakobus 2:16). Dalam kekristenan, sudah menjadi hal yang alami bagi orang-orang yang menyebut diri sebagai pengikut Kristus untuk menanggapi dengan belas kasihan ketika kita melihat orang-orang yang terluka. Ya, kita harus berusaha menuntun mereka kepada Kristus, tetapi apabila mereka tidak melihat Dia di dalam hidup kita dan dalam cara kita memperlakukan mereka, akan sulit bagi mereka untuk menangkap maksud pesan kita. Ketika mereka melihat bahwa kita peduli, hati mereka akan terbuka untuk Injil. Kesempatan terbuka lebar untuk penginjilan melalui pemberian pelayanan bagi penderitaan tubuh dari jiwa-jiwa yang terhilang.
Menurut sejarah, para misionaris biasanya pergi ke ladang dengan sedikit atau tanpa pelatihan medis, berniat untuk menginjili melalui pengajaran dan pemberitaan Firman. Sering kali, khususnya di negara-negara berkembang, misionaris yang sama ini dipanggil untuk membantu orang-orang yang membutuhkan perawatan medis. Gerry Nicks, yang menghabiskan waktu bertahun-tahun bersama suaminya di Afrika menulis:
Suami saya bukanlah seorang dokter dan saya bukanlah seorang perawat, jadi kami tidak menggantung papan nama di depan rumah kami. Kami tidak perlu memasangnya karena tidak lama kemudian, orang-orang datang siang dan malam ke rumah kami untuk menolong mereka yang mengalami masalah fisik. Keluhan yang paling umum adalah sakit kepala, malaria, maag tropis, dan "masalah perut", yang mengandung banyak arti. Penyakit yang serius adalah luka kecelakaan, wanita-wanita yang bermasalah dengan persalinan, bayi-bayi yang mengalami tetanus, disentri, dan situasi-situasi lain yang mengancam kehidupan.
Ia juga berkomentar:
Banyak istri para misionaris, meskipun bukan perawat, memberikan beberapa waktu mereka untuk menolong dalam tugas ini. Kami menggunakan pengetahuan kami untuk memberikan pertolongan pertama dan merawat mereka yang sakit dengan cara seperti kami merawat keluarga kami sendiri. Sering kali, kami tidak mampu melakukan apa pun dan harus membawa mereka puluhan kilometer menuju rumah sakit.
Beberapa klinik, rumah sakit, dan perjalanan misi medis yang disponsori oleh gereja-gereja Kristus merupakan respons terhadap kebutuhan yang diamati oleh para misionaris seperti hal-hal tersebut.
Bangunan klinik dan rumah sakit pun berguna untuk membuka pintu-pintu bagi penginjilan lebih lanjut. Misalnya, Bill Nicks, suami Gerry, menjelaskan usaha-usaha misi awal di Nigeria sebagai berikut:
Sejak memasuki negeri, kami telah berjanji kepada pemerintah Nigeria bahwa kami tidak hanya akan membantu dalam mengajarkan keyakinan, tetapi juga dalam pengembangan pendidikan dan dalam menolong orang-orang sakit dengan mendirikan klinik atau rumah sakit.
Pemerintah asing terkadang juga meminta bangunan rumah sakit. Rumah sakit Chimala di Tanzania adalah salah satu contohnya. Upaya penginjilan para misionaris di negeri ini telah menghasilkan pertumbuhan yang luar biasa dalam kehidupan sejumlah orang Kristen baru. Akan tetapi, pada 1962, pemerintah Tanzania memberitahukan kepada jemaat Amerika untuk mensponsori proyek karena tanpa ada pelayanan sosial atau kemurahan hati yang tersedia, pekerjaan penginjilan di daerah tersebut tidak akan diizinkan untuk berlanjut. Rumah sakit Chimala yang mulai beroperasi pada 1963 sebagai hasil dari gerakan pemerintah Tanzania ini masih beroperasi hingga hari ini dan terus menjadi berkat yang besar bagi orang-orang Tanzania.
Hari ini, penginjilan medis terus membuka pintu bukan hanya di negara-negara berkembang, melainkan juga di tempat-tempat lainnya juga. Program misi medis yang disponsori oleh gereja-gereja Kristus telah memungkinkan orang-orang Kristen masuk ke tempat-tempat yang dahulu dirasa mustahil, seperti negara-negara yang awalnya dikuasai oleh Komunis di Eropa Timur dan negara-negara Komunis seperti Vietnam, Kamboja, dan Laos. Kesempatan terbuka lebar di dunia untuk memberitakan kabar baik melalui pelayanan penginjilan medis yang berbelas kasihan. (t/S. Setyawati)
Diterjemahkan dari:
Nama situs : web.ovu.edu
Alamat URL : http://web.ovu.edu/missions/medical/medbook1.htm
Judul asli artikel : Bringing hope and healing to Bolivia's lost
Penulis artikel : Phillip Eichman
Tanggal akses : 27 Januari 2016

SUMBER MISI: SITUS MEDICALMISSIONS
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MedicalMissions.org adalah sebuah situs milik organisasi yang menjembatani antara para sukarelawan medis dan umum dengan berbagai organisasi medis pendukung misi di seluruh dunia. Organisasi ini memberikan jasa gratis, baik bagi para sukarelawan medis yang mendaftarkan diri maupun organisasi misi yang terlibat. Tujuan MedicalMissions.org adalah menjembatani antara layanan kesehatan dan organisasi medis pendukung misi dengan memberikan data yang jelas dan mudah dicari secara gratis terkait dengan perjalanan misi dan lowongan untuk para sukarelawan, baik dalam jangka panjang dan pendek, secara domestik maupun internasional.
MedicalMissions.org didirikan pada tahun 2009 oleh Jackson Healthcare sebagai bagian dari Jackson Healthcare Charities. Jackson Healthcare Charities tergerak untuk memberikan bantuan gratis dan berusaha merekrut tenaga medis yang kompeten untuk perjalanan misi dan tugas-tugas sukarelawan dalam bidang medis.
Dengan bantuan kita, MedicalMissions.org dapat memberikan data global tentang lowongan bagi para sukarelawan medis dan perjalanan kesehatan misi bagi layanan kesehatan, dan memberikan akses kepada ribuan pusat layanan medis yang ingin sekali memberikan bantuan.
Testimoni dari International Missions
"Akhir 2008, kami berkoordinasi dengan perjalanan misi medis ke Honduras. Ketika kami memberitahukan kebutuhan kami akan dokter sukarelawan, kami benar-benar dikuatkan dengan banyaknya minat yang ditunjukkan khalayak. Kami mendapatkan banyak sekali dokter yang bersedia menjadi sukarelawan selama dua minggu untuk memberikan layanan bedah dan medis yang diperlukan untuk daerah-daerah yang tidak memiliki tenaga medis untuk menangani hal tersebut. Dalam 72 jam setelah pengumuman, semua posisi kosong sukarelawan telah terisi.
Hal ini menggerakkan kami untuk membuat dan mendanai dewan kerja berbasis jaringan untuk menghubungkan para tenaga medis berkualitas dengan kesempatan misi terkait dengan kesehatan di seluruh dunia. MedicalMissions.org adalah sebuah situs untuk mendorong dan memampukan untuk memberikan bantuan kepada orang-orang yang membutuhkan.
Sebagaimana pengalaman yang kami dapatkan, ada banyak dokter, perawat, dan ahli kesehatan lainnya yang bergabung dalam industri layanan kesehatan untuk benar-benar merawat orang lain. Mari kita membantu mereka untuk menolong orang lain."
Tanggal akses: 21 Oktober 2015
KESAKSIAN MISI: LAYANAN KESEHATAN GRATIS
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Chris Isichei adalah seorang dokter. Setelah menerima Tuhan Yesus sebagai Juru Selamatnya, ia berkomitmen menggunakan kemampuannya sebagai dokter untuk meningkatkan mutu pelayanan kesehatan bagi masyarakat di daerahnya, terutama masyarakat miskin
Dengan bantuan seorang teman, ia mendirikan klinik Faith Alive yang ia kelola bersama beberapa dokter relawan, perawat, konselor, dan mahasiswa kedokteran.
Selain memberikan bantuan medis, Chris dan teman-temannya mengambil bagian dalam pemberitaan Injil kepada para pasien. Mereka dengan yakin berkata, "Sebagai orang Kristen, kami menggunakan layanan kesehatan dan sosial untuk menjangkau masyarakat miskin. Yang terpenting, kami membawakan Injil kepada mereka."

Free Youth Series: “Hacked”

Free Youth Series: “Hacked”

Youth Series - Hacked
You don’t want students to just make a wise choice, you want them to learn how to make Godly choices.

Free Youth Series

Download this 4-week series to share in your youth ministry.
From Open.church, “You don’t want students to just make a wise choice, you want them to learn how to make Godly choices. In this cinematic story, Charlie finds himself on an epic journey in search of a missing person after he gets hacked by an underground group. The choices he’ll make on this journey will change his life forever. Through this four-week series Hacked, students will learn how to make wise choices, what the five main areas of life are, how their choices affect others, and how their choices today determine who they become tomorrow.”
This series package includes:
  • Leader guides
  • Message videos
  • Wrap ups


Get Download Now

Resource provided by Open.church

How to Fight Addiction in a Pornographic Culture

How to Fight Addiction in a Pornographic Culture

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Voddie Baucham explores how to help young men and young women escape the clutches of porn.
In five minutes, Voddie Baucham exposes the pornographic nature of our culture and provides men and women with a key tool necessary to fight addiction.
The following is a lightly edited transcript.

Young men and women struggle with pornography. I think one of our greatest mistakes is that we talk about pornography only in terms of young men. There are young women who struggle with pornography. Not in the same way, not in the same numbers, but it is real.
We live in a pornographic culture and that is one of the things that makes it very difficult. We have been so inundated with pornography and as a result we are desensitized to pornography. The line at which we will say, “That is pornographic,” has been drawn so far out into the realm of the inappropriate that we have people who dress pornographically and they are not bothered by it and we are not bothered by it anymore.
One thing that I say to people in this area is that we need to recognize that we are living in a pornographic culture. The reason I say that is because part of dealing with the root of pornography is acknowledging the fact that we have been desensitized to it. Let’s say that there is a pornography scale of one to ten and ten is full on—I am engaging in the worst examples and extremes of pornography. Well, I think culturally we probably live every day around a three or four, just in commercials and just in the things that we become desensitized to.
So if I am living at a three or four and a five or a six really doesn’t bother me anymore, then when I get to a nine, my goal in dealing with somebody who is at a nine is not to say, “Come back to a five or six.” My goal with them is to say, “I want you to recognize not just that this is an issue, but that even those things that are down here in the areas that we are not even bothered by are issues.” Not so that the person becomes afraid of looking around, but so that the person becomes aware of their need for Christ to cleanse their minds, not just of the website where I am watching pornographic sex, but also of my lack of sensitivity to those everyday examples of pornography that are around me.
If I go on accepting them and am no longer bothered by them, to that degree I am setting myself up so that the leap from that five to that nine is a very short leap. It is not just so that I won’t leap over into the worst of pornography. But it is so that I can understand the dignity inherent in human beings made in the image of God and how my embrace of a pornographic understanding of my fellow man, my fellow woman, is the embrace of the destruction of their dignity.
If I see a young woman who is presenting herself in a pornographic way and that is not bothering me, I have just said something about the dignity of that woman, as made in the image of Christ. Until that becomes an issue for me—not in the sense of walking around with my eyes blocked off, but in the sense of asking for God’s grace and asking him to appropriate that grace in me even at that level—until I am there, I am not really dealing with this issue of pornography. And ultimately, when it comes down to it, not only is it that issue of the inherent dignity and value of human beings made in the image of God—the not defrauding my brother and my sister—but also this idolatry of believing that it is OK to use another human being in order to gratify myself in any way, sexual or otherwise.
So what I want to do when dealing with this issue of pornography is to uproot and uncover all of that so that we cannot just have this sort of legalistic response: I am not going to do that and I am going to put things in place so that I don’t do that anymore. We need a response that goes all the way back to the cleansing of our minds to be able to appreciate one another as being made in the image of God and not just accepting this ordinary pornographic predisposition that has become so normal.

4 Tips to Keep Teens Engaged With Church

4 Tips to Keep Teens Engaged With Church

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Don’t let your youth drop out. Here are some ways to keep them coming back.
As your younger parishioners begin to approach puberty, you may notice that their interest in Sunday school, mass and even church activities begins to waver. This is a normal rite of passage, as they begin on those final steps toward adulthood and discovering who they want to be when they get there.
Rather than pulling back on church youth groups and activities geared for that age, you should be thinking about restructuring them, to increase the appeal. These are your future primary congregates, and during the troubling teen years, you have a perfect opportunity to show how their religious background will always help lead them in the right direction.

1. Be Flexible in the Structure

Teens are facing new challenges, and need a safe place to work those out. When planning your youth group for them, keep the scheduling flexible, leaving plenty of time for “free” talk either with the youth pastor or amongst themselves. Not every meeting has to be about Bible study; instead, make the main subject themes that are plaguing them now, like peer pressure, sex and drugs, with references to religion and spirituality in the background.

2. Recruit an Enthusiastic Youth Pastor

A youth pastor does not need to be young, but they should have plenty of energy and fresh ideas for how to interact with your younger church members. They should also be aware of trends in society and how to work those into the meetings. The more relatable the youth pastor is to the kids that join, the more likely they will be to keep going back.

3. Young Adult, not Youth, Ministry

Kids today are sophisticated, and know more at their age then we give them credit for. Don’t talk down to teenagers; rather, treat them like the young adults they are. When they have questions, answer them, and when they are offering their own insight, make sure that you are listening. At this age, kids have more respect for adults who talk frank and treat them with respect. By putting this into practice, you are developing a youth group the young members will feel comfortable being a part of.

4. Work With What They Know

Don’t forget that these are kids who are growing up in the middle of what we call the age of technology. Integrate modern technology into the youth ministry, and you’ll be amazed at the increase in interest. Let them design pages for the church web page, or give them research assignments that they can do through online searches. You can also take advantage of modern technology to communicate better with the youth group when meetings are not scheduled. Create a Facebook page where they can chat and share ideas from home. Use text message services to send them messages about meetings and other activities. That can be done with ease using a mass notification system [Editor’s note: One such option is DialMyCalls, the company the author works for] that is able to send a message to multiple people at the same time. Teenagers are more inclined to read a text message than any other form of communication. Using this type of service to reach out to them will definitely grab their attention.
Don’t let diminishing numbers in attendance discourage you from offering a youth group to your younger church members. Adapt your program to meet the needs and interests of teenagers today, and they will be happy to keep up with their religious and spiritual education.  
Original article appeared here.

Tim Smith

Tim Smith was born and raised in South Florida which explains why he loves the beach and is an avid fisherman. Tim finds joy in writing and is currently the Social Media Guru and Support Manager for DialMyCalls. More from Tim Smith or visit Tim at http://churchtechtoday.com

Teens and Porn: 10 Stats You Need to Know

Teens and Porn: 10 Stats You Need to Know

Two years ago, several hundred college students filled out an online survey to help researchers understand how prevalent exposure to pornography was among adolescents. Here are some of the results:
Teens and porn use is a serious problem today. Researchers said this sample of students had “a considerable amount of exposure” to Internet pornography, and they were particularly concerned about the degree of exposure to deviant sexual activity. “If participants in this study are typical of young people,” researchers commented, “exposure to pornography on the Internet can be described as a normative experience, and more study of its impact is clearly warranted.”
See more statistics on the subject of pornography.

When Your Child is Looking at Porn (free e-book)

When Your Child Is Looking at Porn - spread
Download “When Your Chid is Looking at Porn” What should a parent do if he or she discovers their child has been looking at porn online? We’ve written a free guide for Christian parents to think critically about how to have this important conversation. Download it now: When Your Child is Looking at Porn.
Source: “The Nature and Dynamics of Internet Pornography Exposure for Youth” (pdf), by Chiara Sabina, Janis Wolak, and David Finkelhor (from CyberPsychology & Behavior, 2008)

7 Ways Christians Should Deal With Stress and Anxiety

 

7 Ways Christians Should Deal With Stress and Anxiety

To those who are in that place right now.
I’ve always considered myself to be a person who handles stress pretty well. I like to be busy. I enjoy taking risks. I never thought anxiety was my problem.
Then, a little less than a year ago, I hit a wall. I could never seem to get enough sleep. Small tasks I had normally done with little thought or stress were suddenly accompanied with an almost crippling anxiety.
One day as I was driving, it suddenly felt as though my heart was malfunctioning. That was my first panic attack. It was also the moment I realized I could no longer ignore the stress and anxiety that was slowly taking over my life.
Something had to change.
After that day, I began seeking counsel. I saw a doctor. I began making changes. By God’s grace, I am now no longer on any medication, the panic attacks are gone and my anxiety is at an all-time low. I still have days that are harder than others, but those days are increasingly few and far between.
I continue to meet many people who find themselves in a similar place to where I was just a year ago. Those conversations have confirmed that we the Church have a long way to go when it comes to addressing issues of mental health. Many aren’t sure how to understand or respond to their struggle as Christians.
Taking care of our bodies is a spiritual endeavor.
So to those who find themselves in that place right now, here are seven ways to deal with anxiety and stress:

1. Admit There's a Problem

Those familiar with programs like AA will tell you the first step to recovery is owning up to the fact that a problem exists. And they are right.
This requires a lot of humility. Anxiety in particular can be hard to own up to because it makes us feel weak in an area where so many others appear to be strong. The temptation is to keep pushing and hope the anxiety goes away on its own.
As I learned the hard way, however, pushing through without addressing the problem can lead to an inevitable and ugly crash. I was dealing with anxiety for a very long time before I would acknowledge it. It wasn’t until I started having debilitating panic attacks that I finally admitted there was a problem.
Had I owned up to the problem sooner, I could have spared both myself and my family a lot of pain.

2. Stop Self-Medicating

Many who struggle with stress and anxiety develop their own ways of coping along the way. Some respond to stress by snacking constantly on junk food. Some drink to take the edge off. Others camp out in front of the television for hours on end.
None of these are healthy ways of dealing with stress and anxiety. Most of us intrinsically know this. What we don’t often realize, however, is that responding to stress in these ways can actually work against our body’s ability to fight back and get healthy, not to mention what it can do to our soul.
In other words, unhealthy coping mechanisms often make it worse, creating an endless cycle of stress and self-medication.

3. Take Care of Yourself Physically

In his letter to the Corinthians, the Apostle Paul encourages believers to remember that our body is a living temple, one that has been bought at a great price, and therefore we ought to glorify God with it. Taking care of our bodies, therefore, is a spiritual endeavor.
This is particularly important for those who struggle with stress and anxiety as our physical health is connected to our mental health. Regular exercise, for example, has been shown to significantly reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression. One study in particular showed that those who regularly exercise were 25 percent less likely to develop depression or an anxiety disorder over the next five years.
One of my favorite anxiety moments in the Bible is found in 1 Kings 19 when Elijah is so overwhelmed by his circumstances that he wants to end his life. In that moment, God didn’t give him a pep talk or shame him for his lack of faith. Instead, He gave him a meal and let him go to sleep. Twice.
Learning to rest is an important part of taking care of the body God has entrusted us with. Sometimes the most spiritual thing we can do is take a nap.
There are some things about God that can only be learned through suffering.

4. Be Intensional About What Goes into Your Mind

Philippians 4:8 says this: “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
Paul is pointing to the fact that what we fill our minds with has a profound effect on us. We see this truth at work whenever the Scriptures speak of meditation. Hebrew meditation isn’t just about emptying one’s mind of wrong things, it’s about filling one’s mind with the right things.

5. Don’t Neglect the Spiritual

You and I are spiritual beings, which means there is always more going on than meets the eye.
We must never forget that we live in a world at war. And while God desires for us to flourish, there is another who would love nothing else than to see to see us suffer. When you are overwhelmed with grief and anxiety, he will whisper in your ear lies about your identity, your self-worth, your status before God, your past, your future, your hope. It is important that you recognize these for what they are.
You must make a habit of utilizing the power of prayer, the gift of the Scriptures and the support of Christian community who can help you discern the lies you are tempted to believe and who will remind you of who you truly are in Christ.

6. Consider Seeing a Doctor

Personally, I believe medicine is not a rejection of God’s power, but rather a provision of his grace. Sometimes it’s exactly what we need.
That said, medicine is not the cure-all when it comes to treating anxiety (or any mental health struggle). It can include side-effects and it often takes multiple tries to find the right one. But it can help tremendously. Don’t be afraid to see a doctor and ask about treatments—just like you would with a physical ailment.

7. Embrace the Blessing of Brokenness

When I was in the worst of my depression and anxiety, there were days when getting out of bed was difficult work. Hardly a moment went by when I was not painfully aware of my shortcomings as a man, as a husband, as a dad, as a leader. It was awful. But it also created in me a dependency like I’d never previously experienced.
I held onto Jesus with white knuckles as I prayed during panic attacks. I desperately felt my need for prayer every single day. Words like those of Psalm 23 weren’t just nice words to casually read or embroider on a throw blanket. They were my life.
There are some things about God that can only be learned through suffering. Sometimes I wonder if this is why God refused to take away Paul’s thorn in the flesh. Because a broken and dependent Paul was a Paul through whom God could change the world. He was the kind of Paul that could write and mean words like this:
“Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take this suffering away from me. But He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:8-10).
If you are walking through the valley of anxiety right now, there is a way out, and I pray you find it. But in the meantime, don’t miss what God may have for you right where you are.
This article was originally published on aarongloy.com. Used with permission.

Read more at http://www.relevantmagazine.com/life/7-ways-christians-should-deal-stress-and-anxiety#GzGVwTL0zQGJ8QlI.99

Kamis, 18 Februari 2016

Eavesdropping on Two Non-Christian Deathbeds

Eavesdropping on Two Non-Christian Deathbeds

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“I often feel that life is about to begin, only to realize that it is almost over.”
In the past week, two articles have given insights into how non-Christians face death, especially what thoughts they have as they look back on their past and look ahead to whatever may lie ahead.
A Good Doctor Dying a Good Death
The first one is Dr Oliver Sacks, a Jewish intellectual, a homosexual, at times an atheist and “a great chronicler of medical oddities.” His posthumous volume Gratitude, written in the last year of his life and published in November, contains four essays on the theme of “What comes next?” In A Good Doctor Dying a Good Death, Jeremy Lott selects poignant extracts that read like a hopeless version of Ecclesiastes.
When contemplating his 80th birthday in relatively good health, he said that he found it hard to take mortality too seriously:
“I often feel that life is about to begin, only to realize that it is almost over.”
When he received his terminal diagnoses he wrote:
“It is up to me now to choose how to live out the months that remain to me. I have to live in the richest, deepest, most productive way I can.” He decided to take stock, to write, to travel, to spend time with friends and loved ones, and to tune out anything “inessential” including NewsHour, politics and global warming.
Toward the end of the book Sacks is “weak, short of breath, my once-firm muscles melted away by cancer” and still puzzling out “what is meant by living a good and worthwhile life.” His last words:
“I find my thoughts drifting to the Sabbath, the day of rest, the seventh day of the week, and perhaps the seventh day of one’s life as well, when one can feel that one’s work is done, and one may, in good conscience, rest.”
My Experience With Lymphoma
In this lengthy article, Harvard professor Steven Kelman, also Jewish, shares some of the lessons about how he navigated the ups and downs of a life-changing diagnosis. What surprised him most was that he did not fall apart in connection with his diagnosis or treatment.
The strangest feature, not only of those first days but for much of the year that followed, was how preternaturally calm I felt. I am amazed I did not fall apart in connection with my initial diagnosis or the months of treatment that followed.
But it also revealed a darker side.
I also confronted less-flattering things about myself, including not having paid enough attention to friends or neighbors, and not doing enough volunteering. Both were related to obsession with work. I needed to decide how, if at all, I would change my life in what would I hoped would be my post-cancer world.
Part of this was the result of experiencing the kindness of friends.
There is no greater cliché about how people react to serious illness than to note how it makes one appreciate the importance of friends. But clichés become clichés for a reason. I would not say that before getting sick I ignored my friends, but, obsessed with work, I didn’t give them the attention they should have received. … The only times I became tearful during these months came when I cried tears of joy in response to the kindness of friends and colleagues.
Some weeks after successful stem-cell treatment, Kelman is now cautiously beginning to look forward and planning on doing some of the good works he promised to do when in hospital:
I had done some volunteering before my illness, but not enough. When I got sick, volunteers from my synagogue often drove me to the hospital; I told myself that if I got better, I would volunteer for the synagogue’s cancer driving activity; three weeks ago, I called to sign up. I also will be speaking with a church in Cambridge about helping an immigrant child who doesn’t speak English at home. 
Contrast and Questions
When I read these articles I was struck by the contrast with so many Christian deathbeds that I’ve been present at. Yes, some Christians do look back with regret on parts of their lives, but they also know that all their sins, failings, shortcomings are covered with the blood of Christ. What a difference that makes to a person’s peace when dying. They don’t need to live longer to make up for the past with more good works in the future. Their record is clear, their conscience is clean.
I’m also intrigued by both men’s resolve to spend more time with friends and loved ones. That should be a warning to us all not to wait until it’s too late to cultivate and cherish such relationships.
And what do we make of Kelman’s preternatural calm? He explains part of it by the busyness of the treatments not giving him much time to think. But there was more to it than that. Clearly it wasn’t a calm built on Christian peace. Was it built on ignorance of what truly lay ahead? Was it God’s common grace to a man who had not sought or found God’s saving grace? Was it the Devil giving a false peace?
Lastly, when Dr Sacks said, “I often feel that life is about to begin, only to realize that it is almost over,” I couldn’t help think that the dying Christian can say, “I often feel that life is about to end, only to realize that it’s really just about to begin.” It’s too late for Dr. Sacks, but I hope and pray that Dr. Kelman will find the friend of sinners and the peace of Christ.

The Evolution of the Church Offering

The Evolution of the Church Offering

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“Before the offering plate was passed in services, churches raised money from the government, then pew rental fees.”
Before the offering plate was passed in services, churches raised money from the government, then pew rental fees. And now? Online giving is skyrocketing!
See this interesting infographic, via the Kindrid blog.
evo_church

5 Illusions That Will Lead You Straight Into an Affair

5 Illusions That Will Lead You Straight Into an Affair

5 illusions
Heed these dire warnings before falling off the cliff of a sexual sin.
NOTE: This article is an excerpt from The Solomon Seduction: What You Can Learn From the Wisest Fool in the Bible by Pastor Mark Atteberry.
King Solomon is known for many things, but let’s not kid ourselves; it’s the women that blow our minds.
The man had a mindboggling 700 wives and 300 concubines. I’m pretty sure that no one who reads this article is ever going to have a thousand wives and mistresses, but many will be tangled up in an illicit romantic relationship, or at least heading in that direction.
Consider these five illusions and take them as a dire warning. They are at the heart of every church leader’s descent into sexual sin.

Illusion #1: That which seems harmless is actually dangerous.

What seems harmless?
Flirting.
Married people do it all the time, sometimes with body language, sometimes with seemingly casual, yet not-so-innocent touches, sometimes with suggestive comments and sometimes with just a look.
Challenge a flirtatious person and you’ll likely be laughed out of the room. And yet, every illicit sexual affair in the history of the world started with flirting.
I can’t think of anything a person can do that has more danger wrapped up in it than flirting with someone who is “off limits.”

Illusion #2: That which seems perfect is deeply flawed.

What seems perfect?
The other woman, of course.
Your wife rolls her eyes at your jokes, while the other woman practically falls down laughing.
Your wife obsesses over the kids and the bills and the laundry, while the other woman is only interested in you.
Your wife wears frumpy clothes, while the other woman is always dressed to the nines and smells like a field of lilacs.
But it’s all an illusion.
If the other woman was really perfect, she wouldn’t be having an affair with a married man.
Plus the fact that she, too, has bills and laundry and bad breath and frumpy clothes and a temper and a lot of other things she’s being careful to hide from you.

Illusion #3: That which excites you actually deadens you.

What excites you?
Your fantasies.
The biggest part of an illicit relationship is played out between your ears. This is especially true in the flirting stage. Before the sneaking around and the sex begin, your mind is a tornado of possibilities. A suggestive comment is made, and suddenly your heart kicks up about 10 beats per minute as you ponder all sorts of delicious scenarios.
I’ve heard men in the middle of this experience say, “I’ve never felt more alive!”
The truth is, they’ve never been more dead.
Proverbs 21:16 says it best: “The person who strays from common sense will end up in the company of the dead.”
You’ll be dead to the truth about the relationship.
Dead to the reality of your spiritual condition.
Dead to the trouble you’re making for yourself.
Dead to the damage you’re doing to your loved ones.
Dead to the promptings of the Holy Spirit.
Not surprisingly, I hear a lot of repentant adulterers talk about their past affairs in terms that sound as though they could be talking about death:
“I went brain dead.”
“I lost touch with reality.”
“I was really out of it.”

Illusion #4: That which seems to justify your actions actually condemns you.

What seems to justify your actions?
A laundry list of rationalizations.
I can’t count the times I’ve sat and listened to men try to explain why their actions should be viewed differently than your run-of-the-mill cheater.
“My wife doesn’t understand me.”
“I tried for years to be a good husband.”
“My wife just isn’t the same person I married.”
I am always amazed at the passion with which people say these ridiculous things. I guess it shouldn’t be surprising.
People who know they’re wrong are typically desperate to make things appear different than they really are, and if you don’t have truth on your side, it makes sense to go for emotion.

Illusion #5: That which seems easy is hard.

What seems easy?
Quitting.
A man who is being drawn into a questionable relationship tells himself that everything is OK because he can quit anytime he wants. “If I see that things are getting out of control, I’ll just pull the plug,” he tells himself.
But when lines are crossed and forbidden territory is entered, he finds quitting to be quite complicated.
In 1 Corinthians 6:18, Paul said, “Run from sexual sin!” Amazingly, the answer to one of the most life-destroying sins known to man is so simple it can be stated in four little words, the longest of which has only six letters.
We’re not talking brain surgery here.
Run. From. Sexual. Sin.
Don’t think about it, study it, debate it, analyze it, research it, seek counsel about it or even pray about it. Just run from it!
Because what you think you’re seeing is an illusion.

When the Thrill Is Gone and the Buzz Has Faded

When the Thrill Is Gone and the Buzz Has Faded

2.9.CC.HOME.WhenTheThrillIsGone
“We do the possible. He does the HIMpossible.”
I’m a church planter, and most of what I’ve learned about the church has come the hard way.
Thirteen years ago, on the first Sunday in January, I launched Eastpoint Church. In the 25 or so years before that, I had helped start or reboot six other churches.
None of that makes me an expert, just experienced. I’m still learning. My most recent lesson is one I didn’t especially like, but I needed it nonetheless.
Here’s my latest discovery: At some point in your pastoring journey, you may end up in the land between “the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat,” and what you do then matters—a lot.
In this in-between season, things aren’t necessarily all bad. In fact, you might have much to be thankful for in your church. The bills are paid. The staff are gifted, capable and faithful. People are showing up and still getting saved.
But the land between often means …
• The buzz has faded, and you aren’t the hot new thang in town anymore.
• The faithful are still with you but are much harder to inspire to sacrificial greatness.
• When you announce a new series, the old regulars suspect it’s not that new. They’ve heard most of your stories, and they already know where you’re going (maybe before you do).
• The church is relatively healthy but has plateaued or even declined.
• It is difficult for you to remember the last time you took a true leap of faith, when you put everything on the line in a risky spiritual venture.
I love the church. It is a great honor to serve the Kingdom as a pastor. It’s what I do and who I am, but above all, it is a calling (one only the called can truly understand). However, even my passion for the Kingdom is difficult to maintain in an environment in which I’ve grown bored or cynical.
I used to hate being comfortable and safe.
I used to love trying something radical and new.
In this past year, however, too much of my life seemed like white noise, and ministry at times felt a bit mundane.
As you might imagine, I’ve wrestled a great deal with a thousand questions regarding my situation. I still don’t have all the answers, but I have figured out a few things.
1. It’s good to consistently start new things, especially with an older church and an old pastor. Old is not always the enemy of new (traditions can be good), but unless you are starting new things, you rarely face new challenges. New keeps us fresh. New keeps us focused. New forces us to adapt and grow.
2. It’s OK to kill something (even a sacred cow) if it’s not regularly challenging and growing people. Of course, this might get you fired, but at least that will solve the boredom issue. Seriously, though, too often we hold on to an old program or an old methodology with a death grip. I disagree with the common adage, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!” In fact, just because it isn’t broken doesn’t mean it’s what’s best for you, your people or the church. Break it. Kill it. Shake things up from time to time and see what’s next.
3. Stop worrying about risk management and start taking more chances again. In high school my music teacher would say, “If you’re going to fail, fail gloriously!” In other words, go for it. Don’t hold back. The worst that could happen is you fail, and failure isn’t always fatal. It’s time to embrace the unknown again. Every great venture of faith in the Bible and in church history has involved risk.
4. Be transparent with your staff, leadership and church. Frankly, they already suspect something is amiss. A couple of months ago, in a special night of worship and prayer, I very openly shared about some of my struggles. I didn’t know what to expect. However, the response and support of the church has both surprised and blessed me. People trust pastors who are genuine. They prefer a leader who walks with a limp because they do too.
5. It’s possible to reset your church, your ministry and your life. We serve a creative, life-breathing God. Renewal is His specialty. Ask God to show you how to reboot your ministry and your church. He knows and He always has a plan. Always.
I refuse to accept that I’m just old, tired and worn out. It’s not time for me to hang up my lavaliere and move to Arizona! I know that God is not finished with me yet (or you). I know that the vision and mission God etched into my soul 13 years ago still matters to Him.
I’ve made plenty of mistakes. I’m sure I’ll make plenty more, but He doesn’t require perfection as a condition of His favor. He’s a good Father who delights in using broken vessels for His glory.
We do the possible. He does the HIMpossible. That’s the way it’s always been and always will be. Our part is simply to say yes to God and to trust His plan—whatever that may be.
By the way, that’s where the thrill is found.

12 “SPARK” Phrases That Signal Trouble in the Church

12 “SPARK” Phrases That Signal Trouble in the Church

2.13 spark
“No church fire I’ve seen begins in full flame.”
No church fire I’ve seen begins in full flame. Instead, it usually begins with a spark, a tiny glow that extends itself one flicker at a time until the flame is raging. Here are 12 “spark” phrases—words that suggest a coming fire if the flame is not extinguished:
1. “Let’s meet without him (or her).” Such a statement suggests secrecy that is seldom appropriate— and that often leads to division.
2. “We were here before you came.” The rest of the statement is understood: “and we’ll be here when you’re gone.” The implication is that some group will outlast the leader.
3. “Now, don’t tell anyone …” When you hear these words, it’s usually best to halt the conversation there. What follows is gossip, sometimes deceitfully cloaked as a prayer request.
4. “I don’t know everybody anymore.” It’s an honest response to a church’s growth, but it’s also an ominous hint that somebody thinks no more growth is needed.
5. “We’ll just designate our funds.” Sure, they’re still giving to the church, but they’re designating funds around something they don’t like. They’re trying to make a point that often has nothing to do with dollars.
6. “But if we confront him (or her) …” The apparent need to confront indicates some issue in the church, and the fear to confront suggests the church might tolerate sin. Both sparks signal a problem.
7. “I’ll just stop singing.” This one amazes me, frankly. It’s a response from folks who don’t like the music—and it’s evidence they think worship is more about them than about God.
8. “Where’s my constitution and by-laws?” The only people who ask this question are those who are trying to prove a point. Even when their point is valid, their approach is often contentious.
9. “You can’t tell me what to believe.” This statement is true in some sense, but the church has a right to—and, in fact, must—expect members to stand on the Word of God. Forming Christian doctrine is not intended to be an individual sport.
10. “Pastor, I’m not prejudiced, but …” The disclaimer itself betrays the reality: Somebody in the church doesn’t like the church reaching others who look different. That’s sin.
11. “We’ve never done it that way.” This statement is usually more than an assessment; it’s a challenge to a new approach.
12. “God told me.” I do believe God speaks to us through His Word, His Spirit and His people, but too often these three words precede some wrongly focused personal agenda. It’s dangerous to use God that way.
What other “spark” phrases have you heard?

Free Youth Series: “Epic”

Free Youth Series: “Epic”

Youth Series - Epic
Come discover how to have an epic story and live a life with a story worth telling.

Free Youth Series

Download this 4-week series to share in your youth ministry.
From Open.church, “All of our lives tell a story, but not all of them will be epic stories. In order to live a life that tells a story that matters, we need to live our lives intentionally. Come discover how to have an epic story and live a life with a story worth telling.”
This series package includes:
  • Loop video
  • Promo videos
  • Message videos
  • Series artwork
  • Series notes


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Resource provided by Open.church