Disciple Now
This year the theme of Disciple Now was Cloud of Witnesses taken from Heb. 12:1. During the weekend, we focused on the persecuted church and an Old Testament Survey. Hebrews 12 immediately follows the Hall of Faith chapter in Hebrews 11, where many Old Testament saints were described as being witness of the future promises of a messiah and the offer of redemption to all who believe. This coupled with the fact that the Greek word for witness is martyr, which we view as someone who has given their life for the faith brought us to our theme verse and passage.
It was a great weekend, with Seraph leading worship and Ben DeLoach teaching the Word. You can check out the teaching sessions and photos by clicking here. If you missed the weekend I hope you can join us next year. If you joined us for the weekend let us know what you liked and what didn’t go so well so we can make it even better next year.
Posted by Eric on 2/11/2008 at 2:00pm – Link to this post
Looking Forward...
I cannot believe that Disciple Now is next weekend. I am really looking forward to a great weekend of Bible Study, Prayer, Worship, and Fellowship. For all of you who will be joining us, begin to pray now that God will have the freedom to move in our lives. I cannot wait to see how God is going to work.
What are you looking forward to about D-now?
Posted by Eric on 1/31/2008 at 11:21am – Link to this post
Christmas Gifts
Christmas is a great time of year. I really enjoy the animated Christmas specials that run from Thanksgiving to Christmas. I also enjoy my family during the holiday season. Yet most of all I like the gifts but not because I am greedy or self-centered but because I like seeing people really enjoy what I found for them. I try to be a good gift giver. I don’t give every man in my family a tie or a terrible Hawaiian shirt nor do I give all the kids socks and underwear. I try to give practical yet flashy gifts that someone would use on a regular basis and would not be re-gifted at the next gag gift party. But I have to admit, I do like getting presents. But the greatest gift given on Christmas was Christ himself. God sent Jesus to this earth for one reason, to reconcile our broken relationship. That is the gift I reflect on during the Christmas season. God’s gift to us is flashy yet practical.
What gift was your favorite this Christmas and why?
Join the conversation. Tell us all about it.
Posted by Eric on 12/31/2007 at 9:45am – Link to this post
Missing???
Yesterday, as a sat in Subway (the one in Wal-Mart), I chose the seat near the window. I love to sit and watch people as they come and go into the store. Some are busy, others have a list, and others are just there to kill some time. But I could not help but notice the Missing Children’s board that is in the lobby. I looked at each of the faces and prayed for them and their families but I noticed that almost everyone who entered into Wal-Mart walked right by them and paid them little or no attention. I immediately thought of the people I know who do not know Jesus. I began to think of the lostness in our country and in the world. Over 1 billion people have never heard the gospel, let alone had a chance to reject Christ.
Who would you put on your board of people missing the Kingdom of God? Would you be so busy that you would walk by them and never even look their way? I want to gaze into the faces of the lost and help them find their way home. The people in Hell have real names and faces, so will the people in Heaven.
Posted by Eric on 12/6/2007 at 2:56pm – Link to this post
Biscuits and Bible Study
Over the past three weeks we have had good sized group of students come to Jack’s on Tuesday morning at 6:45 am. That is right at 6:45 am. We have averaged 16 students a week and they are coming together not to just hang out but for Bible Study and Prayer. This group has guys and girls, middle school and high school students, but more importantly teenagers who are willing to give up an hour of sleep and about an hour of time to do the work each week. Right now we are studying 1 John and the discussion is getting better each week. I am very excited to see our students taking the next step in their journey of faith.
But the thing that excites me the most is their prayers. Each week we end our time with prayer, each student has written down three names of lost friends and they pray for them. I hear students lifting up their friends before God and asking God to move in the lives of their friends and do it through them. That is what Christianity is all about; being used to carry the gospel to the lost and dying world? So be encouraged Demopolis, Alabama, United States, and the World, you are being lifted up in prayer and you are being brought before the throne of God by a group of students in Jack’s each Tuesday morning. May God spark revival from Biscuits and Bible Study.
Posted by Eric on 12/4/2007 at 9:26am – Link to this post
Lessons from a mouse
While I lay on my couch last Friday, I was greeted by a shadow like creature that scampered across my living room floor. It was furry, about 6 inches long with the tail and squeaked. I immediately called by wife and let her know that “Mickey” had come to visit but I assured her that his stay would not be long. For a couple of days, we had seen the evidence that “Mickey” had come to visit; there were droppings and we had heard noises during the night coming from the cabinets, but we had not made visual contact. Yet, we knew that ‘Mickey’ was there and taking up residence in our kitchen.
So many times, we, Christians, are no different than “Mickey”. People know we are there because there is evidence but they have no true visual contact. They might see a tract let on a table or in a bathroom but they never see us and when they do it is a flash of protest, or shadowy visit, or they hear our religious speak yet never understand the Christianese that we use. I want people to know me, you, us and more importantly, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. That cannot be done by living in secret; we must do that out in the open.
I have been told that one of the best ways to catch, “Mickey” will be to place traps along the edge of the inside of my cabinets so that while “Mickey” is sneaking around in the shadows during the night, he will be caught. The best way to catch a Christian in America is to go to church and introduce yourself to them. That should not be the case, because we are no different than “Mickey” when we hide in a church building instead of being the Church in the world. Christians should be caught in Wal-Mart, the gas station, in traffic, at school, at the game, at home when no one is watching. Christianity is only passed on by direct contact with people who do not know or do not believe, we must move out of the shadows and night in the Church and walk in the light.
True Christianity is an outward expression of an inward change. Our lives, our words, our actions, and our attitudes should help us to shine a light for the whole world to see. Matthew 5:16
So how do we do that? How can we move from the shadows and the confinement of the church building and live in front of others and leave more than scant evidence that we have been there? In what ways do you see your own life mimicking “Mickey’s”?
Posted by Eric on 12/2/2007 at 10:45am – Link to this post
Website Contest
I would like to stir up some interest in our website. So here is the contest, the person who has the most referrals to this blog post in the next week will be given a CD of their choice and a full scholarship for Disciple Now Weekend in February.
So send your friends to the site and tell them to put your name in their responses to this post. So have you friends post early and often. The contest will end at 10am on Thursday November 15th.
Join the conversation!!!
