The Simplicity in Christ

Dennis McCallum

Galatians 5:6

Paul explained that the message of Christianity is quite simple. Jesus died on the cross for our sins and all we have to do is accept God's free gift of forgiveness through Jesus in order to start a relationship with God and go to heaven. There is no reason to add any unnecessary barriers to this message.

What Motivates Christians?

Dennis McCallum

1 John 5:15

Paul explained that when someone accepts Christ's reconciliation for themselves they have a new identity. They become a citizen of heaven and a child of God; this new identity is something we can share with others. Christians who understand this are motivated to go out and share God's message of reconciliation as His ambassadors to this world.

Joy of Knowing Christ

Jim Leffel

Philippians 3:1-16

The entire book of Philippians focuses on joy and rejoicing in what the Lord has done for us. In chapter 3 the Philippians are warned about people who teach that we have to rely on the good things we do to get right with God. Paul explains that either Jesus died for our sins or it is up to us; it cannot be both. The Bible says our adequacy comes from God. We cannot add or take away from our acceptability before Him. A testimony by Dave Durrell is included.\r\n

Back to Basics

Gary DeLashmutt

1 John 1:1-4

John, the last living disciple of Jesus, writes to Christian communities around Ephesus to reassure them of who Jesus is and what true spirituality looks like. Jesus Christ has always existed from eternity past and entered history as a human. Jesus' purpose was to die on the cross to restore the opportunity for people to be reconciled with God through his death. When we start a personal relationship with God, we have a deep spiritual connection with others who know Jesus.

Championing Evangelism in Your Sphere of Influence

Gary DeLashmutt

Philippians 2:19-31

Being an evangelistic champion can be learned. There are six observations we learn from Paul as he champions evangelism with the Philippians: 1) he expresses excitement about them being partners in sharing the gospel; 2) shares recent experiences in outreach; 3) reports and rejoices in the spread of the gospel; 4) issues the challenge to be witnesses; 5) extols those who work hard at it; 6) prays with and for one another. Anyone can be an advocate for evangelism. Commit yourself by God's grace to be an evangelistic champion and ask God for one or two steps you can take this week to do this.\r\n

Who is my Enemy?

Rich Nathan

Luke 14:12-14

The welcome of the Kingdom is needed to show people Jesus. When people expect rejection but instead receive acceptance they experience Jesus. Like Jesus broke the barrier with many in the Bible, we too can move toward people and break barriers. Like Jesus, we can show compassion and hospitality to all people. We need to ask what God is up to in people's lives and seek ways to communicate the gospel to them in a way they can understand it.\r\n

Reaching High School and College Students

Tom Dixon

Ruth W

Luke 14:12-14

Reaching high school and college students for Christ is essential for a healthy, growing church. Learn from Tom and Ruth some of the reasons behind why it is important, what is the first step, and practical ways to reach them. They emphasize having a plan for evangelizing to students including: getting all the members of your group involved (not just the leaders) and how to get members on board with that vision. Practical ideas include: encouraging any efforts, teaching Biblical principles of evangelism, and evaluating your meetings to see if they are seeker friendly, among others.

A.M. Session

Tom Stipe

Acts 18:1-11

God has called His people to spread His message, but reaching people for God can be difficult. What is the problem? Tom Stipe theorizes that one of the reasons is we have taken the person out of personal evangelism. He thinks the way we evangelize is actually turning people away from God, sometimes right from the start. Find out what he says about how we can turn back to building personal, close relationships with others, and why that attracts them to God's message.\r\n

Three Events During Jesus' Crucifixion

Gary DeLashmutt

Daniel 12:1-2

Three unique events occurred during Jesus' crucifixion. The first event was darkness falling over the land for three hours during the middle of the day. During this three hours of darkness Jesus was experiencing God's wrath and judgment for humanities sins. The second event that occurred was the curtain hanging in the Temple was torn in two. This curtain symbolized that God is Holy and we are unable to have access to Him. God tore the Temple curtain in two after Jesus' death because we now can have access to God through Jesus' perfect and final sacrifice. The third event was a powerful earthquake that revealed empty tombs. This event showed that Jesus being God had conquered the power of death for all who put their faith in Him.\r\n