How Does Free Sound?

We are always looking for more economical ways to do quality ministry. For those of you in Youth Ministry, here are a couple of sites that are providing amazing resources for FREE.

YouthMinistry.com freebies: Here you will find free ebooks with devotionals and unique games. Youth Pastors are always looking for creative games and icebreakers. Check this out for some good stuff. http://youthministry.com/freebie-library

Youth Leadership Coach: Here are a few good illustrations, sermons, dramas, and podcasts from one of Americas foremost youth leaders, Jeanne Mayo. You cannot afford to overlook this one. http://www.youthleaderscoach.com/freebies.asp

Just a little more fuel for the fire. Enjoy.

FREE BOOK

I just thought I would pass this on to you. For your FREE COPY of Ray Comfort's newest book simply click HERE.

Enjoy. I just recieved my free copy! I look forward to reading it.

Sabbath Rest: The Key To Avoiding Burnout

Mark 2:27 Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath."

God has always had a plan to keep each of us living and working at our best. He built this plan into the very fabric of his creation. From the very beginning God had our passion for him in mind, and he made a way for us to keep that passion. 

Are you ready? Here it is...REST! Take a break!

I was at dinner recently with a minister over the age of 70 years old along with his wife and my wife, Sara. This minister was and still is in ministry today. Given his age and the many years of ministry he had put in the question came up, "Do you ever plan to retire?" He said, "Yes." Then I asked him another question. "How have you not burned out over the years?" 

He told me something in that moment that I will not soon forget. 

He told me that the best way to avert burnout is REPENTANCE. He said that the only reason a person burns out is they are not praying enough, resting enough, and putting their priorities straight. So if a person is burning out, they need to repent. Burnout means that something is off. Priorities are not in line with the word of God.

Don't forget to rest. Don't forget to keep your prayer life alive. Don't just rest physically, but rest in the presence of the Holy Spirit meditating on God's Word. 

If we do these things we will avoid burnout. 

"Sexy Jesus" By: Josh Mayo

MOMENTUM Monday, a weekly internet article, sent out an interesting piece by Josh Mayo. Josh is an up and coming Youth/Young Adult minister, and he recently came out with a book called "Sexy Jesus". I must say that the title alone caught my attention. I have not yet read the book, but I hope to read it in the near future. Since his premise appealed to me, I thought I would pass it on to you. Check out the article to see for yourself.

http://www.joshmayo.com/

The Equation For Growth

I grew up in an area of the country where formal education was not at the top of the priority list. For some reason, it was frowned upon even more if you received a "Christian" Formal Education. Some would say that if you went to Bible College, you were seeking man's wisdom instead of allowing the Holy Spirit to be your teacher. 

This thought process has always bothered me. 

The bible says in 2 Peter 1:5-8  ⁵For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; ⁶and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; ⁷and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. ⁸For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

You see, God has given all of us a part to play in our personal development as leaders. This means that we read books, attend seminars, go to conferences, take notes, download podcasts, and whatever else is at your disposal to grow in godliness.  

We must make every effort to add to our faith. When we do that, we set ourselves up for extraordinary growth! 

Here are a couple of books that you might be interested in...

Breakout Churches: By Thom S. Rainer

I am currently reading this book. Rainer bases his research largely on Good To Great by Jim Collins (another must read for every leader). But the difference with Breakout Churches is that it find the biblical application for Christian leaders. READ IT. AND ADD TO YOUR FAITH. 

27 Tough Question Pastors Ask: By Dick Hardy

Dick is a close personal friend of mine, and I must say that he has certainly delivered a masterpiece of writing in 27 Tough Questions. READ IT. AND ADD TO YOUR FAITH. 

Fear Not

One of the easiest ways to lose your way, it seems, is to fall into the trap of fear. Fear is a crippling disease that can stop you in your tracks. What is fear really? What is it that we are fear the most? Failure? Being misunderstood? Conflict?

Whatever the case may be, I know that we all are probably afraid of something...right? Am I alone on this point? I certainly hope not. Look at this...

 

Psalm 27 ¹The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

If you are facing a fearful situation right now be encouraged to know that God is right there with you, and you have nothing to fear.

2 Samuel 22:2-3 He said, “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,
3 my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge, my savior;

Got Skills?

Maybe you are like me, and you don't consider yourself to be a very creative person. But I found encouragement in this passage of Scripture. 

It is so amazing to think that we, the people who walk this Earth, are created in the very image of God (Gen. 1:27). And I am certainly not smart enough to know all of the implications of that truth, but there is one thing that I can take away from it...we too are called to create! 

How can we do this? What do we need to have in order to fulfill this great calling that resides in each of us? I guess the proper way to say would be WHO do we need?

Look at this...

^{Exodus 31:1-7 1} Then the LORD said to Moses, ² "See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, ³ and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts- ⁴ to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, ⁵ to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of craftsmanship. ⁶ Moreover, I have appointed Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, to help him. Also I have given skill to all the craftsmen to make everything I have commanded you: ⁷ the Tent of Meeting, the ark of the Testimony with the atonement cover on it, and all the other furnishings of the tent-

We are destined to create, and I find it so amazing that God fills us with His Holy Spirit to be able to accomplish this. Today I challenge you to pray this simple prayer...with me. 

God fill me with your Holy Spirit, and make me the creative genius you want me to be.

YOU GOT SKILLS!

Here For You

In a world with so many obstacles between us and our passion for Jesus Christ, it is my desire to provide something that will assist in removing those obstacles. That is what this blog is dedicated to do. It will serve as a daily kindling to your fire, and I trust that you will interact with each other and spur one another on to greatness.

A great person once posed the question, "What do you burn for?" And I pose that question to us all.

• What are the things that keep us going?
• What can we do to make sure that this generation is remembered for being the people who set the world ablaze for Jesus Christ?

2 Timothy 1:6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God which is in you...