Supporting Those Who Serve Others

Joel Comiskey

Coaching home group leaders is one of the most important factors in establishing successful home groups. Quality coaching involves six principles: 1) helping people receive from God; 2) helping people be willing to make mistakes; 3) listening to people; 4) serving through encouragement; 5) serving by being a good friend; 6) serving by challenging. We're all works in progress and need coached to keep following God. Coaching is essential and makes a difference in the long haul of ministry.\r\n

Home Church Multiplication and Spiritual Gifts

Gary DeLashmutt

2 Timothy 1:6-7

Spiritual gifts are given to members of the church to help build up and cultivate church growth. The primary context in which scripture emphasizes gifts is within a home church setting. Embracing a lifestyle of serving love will reveal personal gifting and should be the reason for using spiritual gifts. Scripture lays out principles we can follow when encouraging and spurring one another on to use their spiritual gifts.

How to Motivate People

Dennis McCallum

2 Timothy 1:6-7

Motivation is different for Christians than it is for people in the world. Christians need to be convinced and motivated by Biblical truth. To be fruitful in motivating you must instruct, persuade, and convince people of the urgency of Biblical goals. You must also be prepared to speak truth and solve problems that would hinder someone from being motivated. Once someone has committed themselves to the goals of the Bible, it is imperative to continue to nurture ongoing motivation.

A Mountaintop Experience

Dennis McCallum

Mark 9:1-7

Jesus' transfiguration on the mountain before James, Peter and John communicates the transcendence and immanence of God. Often, God will use spiritual experiences for strengthening and encouragement during trial. This event also proved that Jesus fulfilled and supersedes the Old Testament. As Christians, we should learn to enjoy spiritual experiences but not depend on them for the basis of our faith, which is found in Christ.

Aspects of Godly Influence

Jim Leffel

1 Thessalonians 1:1-10

Paul writes to the church in Thessalonica to teach them aspects of Godly influence. He calls on them to imitate his life as he has imitated Jesus' life. He explains five ways to be influential: 1) lead by example; 2) be persuasive; 3) pray for others; 4) communicate gratitude; and 5) give concrete encouragement.

Mary of Bethany

Jill Briscoe

Luke 10:38-42

Through beautiful stories and examples comes encouragement to not waste the pain and suffering in our lives, but allow God to use it. It is through adversity that we have a choice to deepen our faith. Mary of Bethany is a woman who through her life gave her heart, home, and hurt to Jesus. \r\n

Radical Servitude or Selfish Mediocrity?

Dennis McCallum

Luke 15:4-10

Paul lived a life dedicated to serving God and other people. People often choose to live a life that is self focused and care more about their own riches than the needs of others. As servants of the Lord we set our aim at leaving an eternal impact, and serving those around us.

Withstanding Spiritual Agony

Dennis McCallum

Philippians 4:7

Paul taught us that it is important when we face times of spiritual agony to look back at the message that God has carved into our hearts. God writes His message in our lives through the experiences that we have, where we see Him provide for us or use us in other people's lives. When we look at all that God has done for us, it becomes clear that He will continue to work in our lives, and that we are headed toward overwhelming victory in Him.

Jonathan: Spiritual Friendships

Dennis McCallum

2 Samuel 1:15-17

Through the friendship between David and Jonathan (Saul's son), we get a clear picture of spiritual friendship. Each man was loyal to God first, and this allowed them the ability to develop loyalty to one another knowing that they each desired to follow God. Jonathan knew that it was God's will for David to one day be king instead of him, despite being the sitting prince. He was determined to see God's will established even at his own expense. Though his father was jealous of David, Jonathan chose to love David as he loved himself, forsaking family and the throne.